《The Violence Witch’s Yuri Harem》


 Chapter 01 (Part A) – Thrilling Beauty

    I want it.


    I want that ice cream! I love strawberry!


    Across the street, I see three people lined up to buy ice cream. On an outdoor table in a garden next to that line are four girls from my class with ice creams of their own. I always see them there after school. I don¡¯t understand how they even manage that. Don¡¯t they ever get tired? I even saw them there a month ago when it was still winter. They¡¯re seriously dedicated.


    I don¡¯t actually want any ice cream. I¡¯ve never even set foot in that store.


    I want to go window shopping and check out all the cool clothes!


    Now I pass by a clothing store with two other girls from my school inside. These two are another two girls I always end up seeing on my way home. I still don¡¯t understand why they come here every day, they¡¯re not here to buy anything, and it¡¯s not like the store is going to have new stuff every day, so why are they here? I get it, it¡¯s not about the clothes, it¡¯s about going somewhere to have some fun, but don¡¯t they ever think about doing something else?


    So no, I don¡¯t want to go window shopping either, there¡¯s not really anything to see, and I can just buy clothes from home. I¡¯m just not that kind of girl.


    I understand why they do it, no one from either of those groups wants to be the one to suggest something different only for it to bomb with the others. If they¡¯re particularly unlucky, they might get picked on, not really worth the risk just to eat a burger instead of ice cream for one day. There isn¡¯t any room for any slip ups, I would know.


    I want to see more cars.


    Why are there never any cars at this hour? We have such a nice road for them right here, so how come not a single one ever shows up?


    Well, I guess I¡¯d rather it stays that way, the less cars there are the less adults around, and I like it that way. Having too many people slaving away at boring jobs would make everyone feel sorry, and the whole city would get depressing.


    Or maybe not, it might not really work like that, but I still don¡¯t want to see more cars, just in case.


    Cars are one thing, but why is there no one on the streets?


    I want to see more people walking around¡­


    No, I really don¡¯t.


    This one is easy to explain, though. Everyone is just busy doing their own thing. Like those girls from earlier. One group was sitting at their usual table eating ice cream, and the other one was in the clothing store for their daily check-in. Pretty much everyone I pass by is busy with something. That¡¯s why they¡¯re not walking around.


    And that¡¯s fine by me, the more people on the sidewalk the harder it¡¯ll be for me to move, and I wanna get home as soon as possible.


    This city of ours is a relatively recent one. I heard it was only finished around the time I was five or six. It¡¯s called Three Records, and it was meant as a city to cultivate the academic capabilities of the youth. As such, there are a lot of different schools, academies, colleges, universities, and a bunch of other stuff with different names that are all really just schools deep down.


    The city is named after the three goals behind its construction, one of which is to record the academic achievements and scientific progress made here. There are two other records that I don¡¯t remember the meaning behind, but that¡¯s where the name Three Records comes from.


    The whole project itself was very successful, and this place now draws people from all over the world to come study here. Though there are others like me who are just here because it¡¯s just a nice place to get through school.


    If I had one complaint about this city, it would have to be the out-of-place statues. The city construction project was more of a large-scale renovation project than actually building the city from scratch. Because of this, some vestiges of how the city used to be can be seen here and there, which just clash with the modern style.


    It¡¯s not a big deal, and I wouldn¡¯t even notice these vestiges existed if I didn¡¯t pass by one such statue every day on my way home.


    So do I want to see more statues?


    No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m not even gonna consider this one.


    That¡¯s right.


    I don¡¯t want any of those things.


    Maybe in another life. Maybe a different me would have been interested.


    But that¡¯s not me, that¡¯s not what I want.


    Deep down, there¡¯s really only one thing I want¡­


    ¡°Sooo cuuute!¡±


    As soon as I enter my apartment, I start pressing buttons and turn on my computer and consoles. Not even a minute later, I¡¯m greeted by my two adorable waifus on the desktop.


    ¡°How are these two so cute? Seriously, I can¡¯t get enough of them!¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s time to change background picture¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve been showering these two with too much love lately. I should give another girl some time in the spotlight.


    I wonder when was the last time I changed backgrounds? They can probably stay a little longer. I¡¯m feeling too lazy to change anything right now.


    It really is nice to be home, though. It¡¯s so hard to be separated from my girls for such a long time. The two on the background right now are characters from an anime. They¡¯re always at each other¡¯s throats in the show, and that¡¯s what makes them such a great pair. Their banter is so captivating and cute, it really gets me going!


    I wish I could somehow bring one of my waifus with me to school, but that¡¯s a terrible idea. If anyone found out that a girl like me gets crazy crushes on fictional girls, it would be instant game over for me. My reputation is already on thin ice as is. I don¡¯t need to push my luck.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* This is happiness¡­¡±


    I was exaggerating earlier. I can function just fine without seeing a cute girl for a couple hours. I lead a normal life at school, and when I get home, I can get as much happiness as I want from my girls, and no one is none the wiser. I can¡¯t help but laugh, it feels like I¡¯m cheating at life.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    I take a look around the room looking for my blanket. It¡¯s not that cold anymore, but it feels great to be wrapped in a blanket. I should probably grab my controller too. I haven¡¯t decided what I¡¯m gonna do yet or even if I¡¯m going to play at all, but at least I won¡¯t have to get up again if I need it. But if I really don¡¯t wanna get up again, I should also grab something to eat and drink. I should probably also swing by the bathroom too.


    It¡¯s a bit of a pain having to go through all this, but running this paradise takes some real effort.


    I¡¯m so blessed. It¡¯s so easy to be happy, all I need are games, anime, a quiet, comfortable room, and, most importantly, my precious waifus.


    After getting those chores out of the way, I wrapped myself up and watched an episode of anime while eating some cookies. I think I¡¯m gonna pick up where I left off yesterday on one of my console games after I¡¯m done. No matter what I choose, I can¡¯t go wrong, I know I¡¯m going to be happy regardless. Time blurred together as I sank deeper into my personal paradise.


    ¡­


    It¡¯s noisier than usual¡­ I wonder what¡¯s going on.


    I was sitting down on my desk waiting for class to start, but it was hard to ignore the agitation in the room. It¡¯s normal for there to chatter and conversations before class, but their energy was different today.


    I tried to overhear some of the conversations, and it turns out there¡¯s a transfer student joining to our class today. That¡¯s a surprise. I thought this kind of thing only ever happened in anime¡­ I¡¯m not particularly interested, regardless. Events like this end up having very little impact in the real world.


    I see. That¡¯s what has gotten everyone so riled up, that¡¯s good to know. Why does everyone else even know this? Where do they get their information? It only takes one person to find out before the word spreads, but how does that one person find out? If I hadn¡¯t overheard some of the conversations, I wouldn¡¯t have found out until the teacher announced it.


    Soon enough, the teacher entered the room and quieted down the class. The tension was palpable as everyone in class looked at the teacher in anticipation of the official announcement. The teacher confirmed the rumors and called in the transfer student.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡±


    I was shocked.


    The person entering our class was a girl, and she was an unbelievable beauty. She looked calm and moved with confidence. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from her.


    She¡¯s so my type! Her hair was long and just a little wavy, its color was silver with an ethereal blue tint to it. She looked like some kind of princess, is she really transferring to our class?


    The girl stood in front of the class and took a look at everyone¡¯s faces. Our eyes met for a split second, and that made my heart start pounding violently. Every part of her was beautiful, her eyes had a beautiful blue color and were extremely captivating. She¡¯s completely out of this world.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. My name is Miyuki, Miyuki Eis.¡±


    Her face showed a dazzling friendly smile. How can she be so cute? Is she a goddess? My heart can¡¯t take this! She has to at least be some kind of model or something. I can¡¯t believe a girl this pretty is going to be my classmate. Miyuki¡­ even her name is beautiful.


    When I finally came to, Miyuki had already taken her seat somewhere behind me. I finally realized I spent the entire time staring at her in a trance. It¡¯s so over! If anyone saw the way I reacted, the rumors were going to pop back up again, and I¡­


    ¡°Hm!?¡±


    I looked around in a panic, but then I realized I wouldn¡¯t have anything to worry. I wasn¡¯t the only one who had been stunned by Miyuki. At the very least, everyone else was too interested in Miyuki to pay any attention to me and my reaction.


    That was a close one¡­ I almost made a fatal mistake. My face is still burning. I think I¡¯m sweating a little bit too. A single look at me would tell you exactly how I was feeling. I have to calm myself down. The teacher is about to start the class. I have to try to forget about her for a while.


    But that didn¡¯t work. After two hours, it was now time for a break, and I was unable to think of anything else during class other than her. I normally wouldn¡¯t talk to a girl just because she¡¯s pretty, but this time it¡¯s different, Miyuki is just too pretty! I want to get to know her better, at least I wanna be friends with her. I know I¡¯d regret it forever if I ended up never trying to talk to her.


    I turned my head around and looked towards Miyuki¡¯s seat. It shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise, but Miyuki had been immediately surrounded by people asking her all types of questions. Did everyone have the same idea as me? I doubt that any of the other girls are interested in her in the same way I am. This complicates things, though. It¡¯s not gonna be easy to talk to her right now.


    Alright, I guess I¡¯ll talk to her some other time. I should wait for a better opportunity. Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea.


    I sneaked out of the classroom to grab a bite before the next class. We still have more breaks today, next break for sure¡­


    It didn¡¯t work out.


    No matter how hard I tried, I never got the opportunity to speak with Miyuki.


    That¡¯s to be expected. There¡¯s no way a beautiful transfer student like her would be left alone for a single second on her first day of school. I¡¯ll have my opportunity another day.


    I¡¯m already on my way home, so it won¡¯t be long now until I can forget all about this and relax.


    I may not have been able to talk to Miyuki, but at least I have my girls waiting for me at-


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    As I made my way home through these unchanging streets, I noticed a face I had never seen before.


    ¡°She¡¯s here.¡±


    The one I just couldn¡¯t get out of my mind was right in front of me. Miyuki was leisurely walking along the sidewalk occasionally stopping to take a peek into the nearby shops.


    She¡¯s so cute! She¡¯s so my type! How can she be so perfect? What¡¯s she doing here? Is she by herself?


    ¡­


    Wait a second! Isn¡¯t this my chance to speak with her?


    I wanna get to know her better, and maybe we could even become friends! We could go on dates as friends, grow closer to each other, and then we could start dating for real!


    I¡¯m getting ahead of myself, but I think I would die happy if I ever got to date someone on her level.


    But that means I can¡¯t approach her right now. I mean, we¡¯re classmates, but we haven¡¯t talked yet. If I had talked to her, approaching her now would be just two classmates accidentally running into each other. But since I didn¡¯t, this would be our first conversation. Two classmates talking for the first time in the middle of the street is just weird, isn¡¯t it? It wouldn¡¯t be that much different from a stranger walking up to you.


    I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll get another opportunity like this, though.


    And if I take too long to talk to her, she¡¯s eventually going to hear the rumors about me, and then it¡¯s gonna be impossible to get close to her.


    I should just drop it, talking to her right now would just be too weird. Normally, that is what I would say, and I would go home while avoiding her, but not this time.


    I need a better opportunity¡­ Next time for sure¡­ Now is not the right moment¡­


    Those are all excuses. I¡¯m just gonna be waiting forever. I know that¡¯s how it always goes. That¡¯s just how I am, but this time is different.


    Miyuki is just too perfect! This is not who am I but this is the opportunity of a lifetime.


    I gathered my resolve and approached Miyuki.


    ¡°H- h- hi.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Her hair waved gracefully as she turned around. ¡°Oh, Hi. Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m one of your classmates¡­ Do you remember me?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Miyuki gently clapped her hands in front of her. ¡°I do! I remember seeing you. What¡¯s up?¡± Miyuki¡¯s face showed a kind, friendly smile.


    ¡°Well¡­ uhmm¡­ we haven¡¯t talked yet, and¡­ I just saw you on my way home, so I thought I¡¯d greet you. Maybe we could be friends?¡±


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s what¡¯s going on. Alright let¡¯s be friends. Uhmm¡­ I don¡¯t think I caught your name yet.¡± Miyuki let out a short, awkward laugh.


    This is awkward! I should have introduced myself earlier! ¡°Iroha! My name is Iroha Shinohara. It¡¯s very nice to meet you, Miyuki¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too. I haven¡¯t had the time to befriend anyone yet, so I hope we can be friends, Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Y- yeah! Me too!¡±


    I¡¯m so lucky! I can¡¯t believe Miyuki actually agreed to being friends. She¡¯s so nice! I hope I haven¡¯t said anything too weird¡­


    ¡°So? What do you wanna do now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ We could do something together¡­ it could be an opportunity to talk a little more¡­ if you¡¯re free, that is.¡±


    ¡°We should go get some ice cream then!¡± Miyuki¡¯s voice was suddenly brimming with enthusiasm.


    ¡°W- what?¡±


    ¡°I feel like eating some ice cream, so I thought we could go together. Do you know any place nearby with ice cream?¡±


    ¡°I guess I do¡­ but isn¡¯t it too early to be getting ice cream? It¡¯s still quite cold these days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obviously better in the summer, but just because it''s cold doesn''t make it any less delicious. Are you not a big fan ice cream?¡± There was a hint of worry in Miyuki¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it. I¡¯m fine with getting some.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then! You know where it¡¯s sold, right? Lead the way!¡±


    The closest place nearby is that ice cream store I pass by every day on my way home. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever come here much less together with a girl like Miyuki, but I¡¯m glad I did. I truly am getting too lucky.


    We got our ice cream and got to talk a little bit. Miyuki asked me about my interests, and I told her I liked games. That¡¯s only part of the story, but I didn¡¯t want to creep her out by telling her everything. To my surprise, though, she said she was also interested in games. Hehehe¡­ It seems we have more in common than I thought. Can this girl be more my type?


    I was too nervous, and eventually the conversation slowed down. I wanted to say something, but I felt like I had already embarrassed myself so much today that I couldn¡¯t get any words out of my mouth. Am I overthinking? I hope she doesn¡¯t hate me or anyth-


    ¡°Hey, Iroha.¡±


    ¡°W- What?¡± Miyuki startled me calling my name all of a sudden.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Miyuki walked into a nearby parking lot, and I followed her. It looked like she just saw something she wanted to show me. A little in front of Miyuki, I saw a butterfly with a very vivid blue color fly towards an empty spot next to a car. Miyuki turned in the same direction and stopped.


    ¡°Over here, Iroha.¡±


    In front of my eyes was something I had never seen before. In the parking spot next to the car, there was a hole in the floor that looked unbelievable. It was bright and colorful, almost like a screen, and it looked like it was playing some kind of video too.


    ¡°Miyuki, what¡¯s th-¡°


    I¡¯m falling. Before I could even understand what was going on, I started falling. This hole¡­ there¡¯s something weird about it, I can¡¯t seem to stop falling.


    She pushed me. Miyuki pushed me in. Why? What¡¯s going on? Miyuki¡­ why are you looking at me like that?


    I saw a calm, subtle smile on Miyuki¡¯s face before sinking too far to see her anymore.


    Damn, she really does make my heart race.

 Chapter 01 (Part B) – Thrilling World

    ¡°Wooooaaaah!¡±


    I have no idea why, but I¡¯m falling. I¡¯m falling through the sky.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    How am I on my butt already? I swear, this fall felt longer than it actually was.


    What¡¯s going on? Miyuki showed me that weird hole that was unlike anything I had seen before, and then¡­ she pushed me in.


    Why did she do that? Maybe I feel in on my own, and she was trying to pull me back up.


    No¡­ she definitely pushed me in¡­ Does that mean she hates me? I¡¯m kinda sad now.


    This is all because I decided to talk to her. Why did I have to try to do such a stupid thing? I should have just gone straight home, like I always do. Never experiment, never try new things, never take any risks. I like this saying because it¡¯s supposed to be the worst piece of advice possible, so why is ringing so true?!


    This is hopeless. Where am I? I was falling for so long I thought I was gonna die. That was the scariest moment of my life. This looks like some kind of alley. Maybe all that falling was just some kind of dream. This must be somewhere near that parking lot. I bet that hole too was just part of the dream. The ice cream probably made me sick or something.


    I was still very disoriented when my ears started picking up some kind of noise.


    What¡¯s that? Are those voices?


    The main street was right in front of me, and I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. Dozens of people passed by this alley every second. How is this possible?


    Did something happen? There¡¯s never this much movement.


    That¡¯s not it, everyone knows exactly where they¡¯re going, this is their routine. It¡¯s chaotic, and they bump into each other but quickly brush it off and keep moving. Where am I? This isn¡¯t Three Records City.


    I took another look at the people passing by and noticed something even more alarming.


    They¡¯re not human!


    Almost every single person passing by had a combination of demonic horns, wings, and a tail. I saw a few of them that had none of those things, but either their bodies were slightly see-through or they had animal ears and tails.


    For a moment, the word cosplayer popped into my mind, but there¡¯s no way that would be the case. This is all very familiar. I can tell they¡¯re the real deal.


    The sky was covered with dark clouds colored with a mixture of red and purple, violently raging around a bright energy spiral that converged into a single beam that descended into the ground far off in the distance. Even without the sun, the spiral was enough to light up everything.


    I know what this is.


    I finally understood the reason behind that familiar feeling, the sky gave me the last hint I needed.


    This is another world. I recognize this world. It¡¯s from a game. This is that one demon city we go to in the middle of the game.


    This is bad. Am I really in a different world? Am I really inside the world of a game? That hole must¡¯ve been some kind of portal. This is super exciting! I¡¯ve always dreamed of being transported into some kind of fantasy world!


    Did it have to be this game, though? I don¡¯t remember its name, but this game was weird. The gameplay was nice, and there was a lot of build variety, but the story was a mess, and that made it sort of a cult classic. I remember playing it, but I don¡¯t remember much about the story. The characters were good, so that¡¯s a plus. I wish I was sent into a better game, this one is not one of my favorites. Though, it might not be so bad. Maybe a more versatile game like this one makes for a better world to actually live in.


    A woman with cat ears passed by, and I saw her ear twitch before she quickly looked my way. She stopped for a second but soon continued walking with the crowd. I was so startled that she saw me that I quickly went to hide.


    I really wanted to explore, but I decided not to. This is way scarier than I ever imagined. I¡¯m completely powerless, and the demons here are not particularly fond of humans. As awesome as getting sent into another world sounds, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that good in practice. Is there a way to go back to my world? Where did I even fall from?


    I looked straight up and saw the very same thing I saw before coming to this world. The portal is right above me, but it¡¯s high up in the air and completely out of reach. I can faintly see the parking lot on the other side. Maybe there¡¯s hope.


    I have to find a way to get to it. It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s higher than the rooftops. I could jump down into it, but then I¡¯d need to enter a rooftop first, and I would get caught the moment I entered any of the buildings. Even if I could get to a rooftop, I would have to be able to jump down from a roof. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d be able to. That¡¯s scary! What if something goes wrong?


    Climbing is my only option. There are some access stairs to the roof, but they don¡¯t start from the ground. There is some furniture near me. Is it abandoned? If I push some things around, I might be able to reach those stairs.


    I got started on my plan, but pushing large furniture in the middle of the street wasn¡¯t exactly easy. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a particularly strong girl, so I have to push them bit by bit with my entire body. It wasn¡¯t easy, and it wasn¡¯t exactly stealthy.


    ¡°What are you doing over there?¡±


    ¡°Uhh!?¡± My body involuntarily jumped when I heard a voice behind me.


    I turned around and saw a horned man staring at me. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s figured out that I¡¯m a human yet, since he didn''t immediately attack, but he¡¯s not gonna be happy when he does. I¡¯m cornered, I can¡¯t go into the main street behind me and I¡¯ll just enter another street if I try to run past him. My only option is¡­


    This way!


    Before he even had time to realize what was going on, I ran deeper into the alley on my left. I had no other choice, I recognize his uniform, he¡¯s an enemy from the game, if he catches me, I am dead.


    Luckily, the path gets more and more complicated the deeper I go, so I keep taking random turns to make it harder to be tracked. I¡¯m glad I walk home from school, I may not be strong, but at least I can run. I have to shake him off somehow, I won¡¯t be able to go back if I¡¯m captured.


    My plan worked, and after running for a while, there was no one coming after me anymore.


    I can¡¯t breathe, all that running really tired me out, my chest hurts.


    Where am I? The alleyway seems to end here.


    I¡¯m so worried. Am I going to be able to go back home? I never thought being in another world would be so scary¡­


    I had two options for where to go now, and both options led to big streets. Going in either of those directions would get me found out in an instant, so that¡¯s out of the question.


    In front of me was a tall fence that seemed to span from one of the streets to the other.


    This is big¡­ what is it? Some kind of factory?


    I quietly approached one of the exits into the big streets to peek around the corner. I know I should be trying to go back, but I was a little curious. I also don¡¯t have much hope that pushing furniture around is gonna help me get back to my world. Even ignoring how hard it was to push things around and how much noise it made, I think the access stairs would still be out of reach.


    Around the corner was the entrance to the big building and it was guarded by two guys wearing the same kind of clothes as the guy from earlier. I quickly returned to the alley before I got found.


    So this is where he worked¡­


    Wait a second. In the game, the uniform those guys were wearing appeared in that girl¡¯s science center. If they¡¯re guarding the entrance, that means¡­


    This big thing is that science center?!


    I¡¯m in trouble! This place is crawling with guards. I gotta get out of here.


    I started walking away, but then remembered that I don¡¯t have a way to go back home, even if I go back to where the portal was.


    This place in game is the sole reason why we come to this city. They weren¡¯t researching anything in here at the time, but there¡¯s a lot of loot inside, and it¡¯s a great grinding spot.


    This impossibly well-guarded place has a fatal flaw in its defense. There¡¯s a window in a storage room near the back that doesn¡¯t lock properly. That¡¯s how we get inside in the game.


    Should I go in? It¡¯s dangerous, but I¡¯m not gonna find a way to return if I just go back.


    They have so many crazy things inside, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something that can help me. This is a good opportunity. I think I¡¯m on the side they entered through in the game. There should be a container nearby I can use to jump over the wall¡­ there it is.


    I approached the container and tried to climb it. This was the second time today that I cursed my lack of strength. Why is it so hard to climb something my height? Am I just fat? No¡­ no way¡­ right?


    After jumping over the wall, I was finally inside. It was supposed to be a good thing, but it finally hit me that I didn¡¯t have an easy way to get out of here.


    Was this a bad idea? What am I doing? It¡¯s do or die now, I should have just gone back. This is the same thing that happened with Miyuki. What is wrong with me today? Never experiment, never try new things, never take any risks. Do I learn nothing?


    My body is frozen. I have to calm down. I should be able to sneak in if I¡¯m careful. I¡¯ll grab something helpful and go back home, it¡¯s not that hard. This is not like me, but it¡¯s too late to regret things.


    I was scared, but I composed myself, and I was finally able to move again. There was no one nearby, but I still slowly moved from cover to cover in the direction of the broken window. This is it! One last sprint, and I¡¯ll be able to get in-


    ¡°Why did you wake me up?¡±


    I heard a voice nearby, and jumped back behind cover instantly.


    ¡°We¡¯re guarding the main entrance now.¡± The earnest guard answered his sleepy colleague.


    ¡°Why are we being moved? Is there an intruder? I don¡¯t think there are any demons crazy enough to try to sneak in here. Not even a spirit could phase inside. We¡¯re ready for anything.¡±


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why. I was only told we had to relocate. The boss is coming back from school soon. It¡¯s probably just so she doesn¡¯t catch us lazing around.¡±


    ¡°You might be onto something. It sure is more plausible than an intruder.¡±


    The two voices gradually got farther away, and I could get to my goal now, but I didn¡¯t move immediately. I got so scared when they appeared that now I can¡¯t move. My heart is beating so much.


    When I finally felt safe, I moved once again and got to the window. I didn¡¯t think this through properly. What if the window is not broken? When was it broken in the game? Am I gonna be stuck here with no way-


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    It opened.


    That¡¯s a relief. I took a peek inside, and it looked familiar. This is the right place. If I enter through here, I think I¡¯ll be behind most of the guards, and I¡¯ll be able to look around without being found.


    Am I gonna be safer inside? I can¡¯t afford to worry about that. I won¡¯t be safe regardless unless I can go back to my world. I¡¯ll go in, I¡¯ll grab something useful, and I¡¯ll go back home. There¡¯s no other option, I can do this!


    Alright, here goes nothing.


    <hr>


    At the same time, a young-looking demon girl enters the control room of the science center like she owns the place.


    ¡°Welcome back, Velvet-sama.¡± As soon as she enters the room, she¡¯s greeted by a man overlooking the room.


    It¡¯s the only greeting she receives, as everyone else must pay attention to what¡¯s happening on the screens in front of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± The girl arrives straight from school and sets down some of her stuff. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Did something happen while I was away?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing you need to concern yourself with. One of our men ran into someone suspicious on the alleyway, so I had some of the personnel change their positions.¡±


    The demon girl¡¯s face remained calm while she received the man¡¯s report. ¡°That¡¯s good. We can¡¯t take any risks at this point. Make sure you don¡¯t overlook anything and take all the necessary precautions to ensure nothing goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m very well aware of that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the full picture? What orders did you give?¡±


    ¡°I ordered some of the patrolling guards to reinforce the entrances to the main building.¡±


    Now, the girl¡¯s face turned into a small frown. ¡°Have them move again. Leave some people near the entrances, but I want guards in the research room. Have them preemptively grab anti-spirit and anti-vampire equipment too.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, but isn¡¯t that too excessive? As long as we prevent anyone from getting inside the main building, the research room will also be safe.¡±


    ¡°I said quickly. Nothing in this whole facility is as valuable as that masterpiece. You might not remember, but the hero has already been found. As soon as we¡¯re done with the final touches, we have to get that to the hero. We¡¯re kinda trying to prevent a repeat of what happened in the last war, you know?¡±


    The man took a second to recompose himself from the sting of the girl¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll give the order right away-¡°


    *WEEEE WOOOO WEEEE WOOOO!!!*


    Just as the demon girl started to relax, the sound of an alarm caused her to jump. ¡°What¡¯s that alarm? What¡¯s going on!?¡±


    A voice coming from one of the other workers answered her.


    ¡°I- it¡¯s an intruder! That¡¯s the intruder alarm. It¡¯s looks like they¡¯re in¡­ the research room?!¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± This is the absolute worst-case scenario Velvet was trying to avoid. ¡°Mobilize everyone! Catch that intruder no matter what!¡±


    Her orders sent the whole facility into a frenzy. Every single guard started running towards the main building, towards one singular point, towards one single human girl.


    <hr>


    After I left the storage room, I started searching the nearby rooms for anything that could help me return to my world. I had found some things that looked a little promising, but nothing I could say would help me get back for certain.


    ¡°Research Room?¡± I stared at the sign above one of the doors with some curiosity.


    I think I remember this place from the game. It was empty in the game, but I think it was an important room. By the time we came here in the game, whatever research was going on there had already finished, so I never got to know what they were researching here.


    I¡¯m really regretting not speaking with the NPCs more¡­ I was too focused on grinding. I bet some of them would have some lore.


    At what point in time is this? Have they already finished their research? Maybe I should take a look¡­ Even if it¡¯s already done, I might find something else.


    I gently pushed the door open and sneaked inside.


    What¡¯s that?


    In the middle of the room, floating in the air, was a small, mostly circular object with a small crystal in the center. Around it, there were three lasers converging onto the crystal in the center. It looked like the object was being charged.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Is that¡­?¡± When I took another look at the heavily decorated object, I was shocked. The more I looked at it, the more I started to recognize what it was.


    ¡°What was it called? It¡¯s the VISS Driver, right?¡±


    I can¡¯t believe it! Is that really the VISS Driver? My curiosity got the better of me, and I started moving closer to get a better look at it. In the game, it was the VISS Driver that the protagonist and the other characters got their skills from. I had no idea this was where it was made. This is a very rare find. It¡¯s a shame I don¡¯t know how to use it, otherwise, I might have found a way to get back-


    ¡°What?¡±


    By the time I noticed, one of my fingers was touching the VISS Driver. The lasers stopped, and the crystal started shining brightly. I don¡¯t think it liked being touched because it retaliated, and I started feeling a sharp pain coming from a place that I couldn¡¯t pinpoint, it felt like it was coming from my chest but deeper, like from my very core.


    [VISS Driver EX installed successfully.]


    The pain and the blinding light subsided, and the object disappeared. Now I was hearing a soothing voice in my head, and some text appeared in front of my eyes.


    [New user detected. Iroha Shinohara registered as the new user.]


    It worked. I think the VISS Driver is working. I can¡¯t believe it. Now, if I can access the skill system from the game, I might be able to find a way to go home. All that¡¯s left is getting a good skill, and I¡¯m set.


    [Error. No records found for Iroha Shinohara. Unable to present user with suitable skills.]


    What? You gotta be kidding me. The way the VISS Driver works is that it would allow the player to pick and choose which skills the player wanted each of the characters to have. The available skills changed depending of the character and the actions the player took. If the system can¡¯t find any suitable skills for me, I¡¯m screwed!


    Why is this happening? No records found? What does that mean? Is this because I came from another world?


    [Initiating correction subroutine. The system will observe the user¡¯s actions and gradually present them with suitable skills as it gets to know the user.]


    Is it working? I think I¡¯ll start getting a list of possible skills to acquire as time goes on, but that¡¯s not good enough. I need something to get out of here quickly.


    In the game, every skill was associated with a skill tree, when you purchased a skill for a character, it would lock in that tree for that character. You could lock in up to 6 trees for each of the characters, but every character already had a few trees locked in by default. Even though we could only pick some of the trees, the system was incredibly customizable, and the choices you made would result in incredibly different ways to play.


    Right now, I have all of the 6 slots empty. And here I thought that starting with a blank slate would be a good thing when I played the game. Now I wish I had some skills and trees already locked in.


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.1]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [MP: 50/50]


    [Skill Points: 10]


    Oh! I can see other things now. 10 skill points¡­ that¡¯s enough for one basic skill. I need to level up if I want to get more skill points¡­ but how am I supposed to do that? By killing monsters? I¡¯ll worry about that when I get to safety. My top priority is to get out of here. Is there really no skill that¡¯s suitable for me?


    [Recent activity by Iroha Shinohara detected. Analyzing recent activity¡­]


    What is the VISS Driver doing now? Analyzing recent activity? Is it trying to find a suitable skill for me? That¡¯s nice. It said there were no records of me, so it¡¯s probably only counting what happened in this world. If that¡¯s the case, then it was just wrong when it said there were no records. I¡¯ve been here for¡­ I dunno, at least one hour, so that means there should be some records for the system to find some suitable skills.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    ¡°Surrender, and we won¡¯t have to hurt you!¡±


    ¡°H- huh?¡±


    All of a sudden, every single door to the research room opened, and guards started pouring in from every side.


    It took less than thirty seconds for me to be completely surrounded by dozens of guards.


    Great, out of the frying pan and into the fire.


    I wanted to run, but I was too scared, and my legs wouldn¡¯t move. The guards saw me standing still and started getting closer.


    How did they even find out I was here? I thought I had managed to sneak past them. I guess this is a very important location since they were working on the VISS Driver here. Makes sense that they would have this place under tight watch.


    [Significant event found ¨C Escaping pursuer. Calculating suitable skills.]


    It¡¯s too late¡­ I don¡¯t think I can escape anymore. I just got lucky earlier when I escaped from that one guard. Why did I think sneaking in here would be a good idea? It only created to more problems for me. Now they¡¯re gonna catch me, and who knows what they¡¯re gonna do with me¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    I heard a girl¡¯s voice coming from behind the guards on an elevated platform.


    ¡°Who are you? How did you get in here?¡±


    Is she their boss? She looks younger than me. She must be some kind of genius.


    The girl had a frustrated look on her face, and she was glaring at me. She looks familiar somehow¡­ Wait! She appears in the game, doesn¡¯t she? I didn¡¯t immediately recognize her but she¡¯s actually the head researcher here. This whole thing is hers.


    Yeah, I remember her, I would never forget a girl as cute as her¡­ What was her name¡­ Velvet¡­ Power¡­ something¡­ What was her last name again? She looks a little different from how she looked in the game. Her hair is a little shorter, I remember it reaching down to her waist, and her chest is also smaller. No way, did they nerf her boobs? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re supposed to be on the bigger side.


    She¡¯s still as cute as ever¡­ She has amazing dark blue hair that curves a little bit outwards near the end, it even has that mysterious, golden glow that¡¯s seen in the game, reminds me of space, of the galaxies, and colorful dust shining in the dark. It¡¯s great and it¡¯s great that she¡¯s also wearing the same stylish blue and yellow outfit from the game.


    What¡¯s great about Velvet is that she gives off a slight royalty vibe. The way she poses and moves and how she looks like she¡¯s always annoyed. She makes me want to touch and tease her just to see how she would react.


    She¡¯s obviously a demon, and her horns make that apparent. They¡¯re not the smallest ones I¡¯ve seen today, but they¡¯re not too big either, and they match the color of her hair nicely. This gives her a stern look, but then she wears a cute, simple, two-colored hairpin that makes her look so adorable and approachable and balances things out.


    I kinda wanna talk to her¡­ I know it¡¯s a terrible idea, so I¡¯m absolutely not gonna do that. I wish I could, though.


    ¡°Oh no¡­ My masterpiece!¡± Velvet¡¯s face is filled with despair. ¡°The VISS Driver is gone! Don¡¯t bother capturing her, just kill her!¡± She yells out her order and then speaks to herself anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s not too late, maybe we can still salvage something¡­¡±


    Excuse me? Kill me? Does she really want to kill me?


    [Suitable skill found.]


    [Momentum ¨C Agility Burst (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    Agility¡­ what? I don¡¯t have time for this. Velvet¡¯s voice snapped the guards awake. They¡¯ve taken out their weapons and are ready to fight. One of the guards is equipped with some kind of halberd and starts running towards me!


    What¡¯s the skill? Agility Burst? I really don¡¯t have time for this. I¡¯m gonna get chopped in half, is that blade real? It looks like it¡¯s gonna hurt! I wanna run away! Move, legs, move!


    The guard swung down the halberd, and it stabbed into the floor. Before I had noticed I had jumped out of the way in an instant.


    [Skill ¨C Agility Burst acquired.]


    I bought it in time. I bought the skill in time. There was so much going through my head, I was worried I wouldn¡¯t be able to pull it off. If it wasn¡¯t for the skill, I would have been dead. Wow¡­


    The guards were caught by surprise, but they were professionals and quickly composed themselves. Initially, I had been completely surrounded, but as the guards got closer to me, I started seeing some gaps in the encirclement.


    One of the doors from where the guards entered had no one guarding it now. It¡¯s on a higher level, and normally, I¡¯d have to pass by the guards near the stairs to get to it, and that would never happen. But with my new skill, I think I can just jump up to it.


    I activate Agility Burst and jump to one of the higher platforms near me. I grab onto the railing and vault over it to get to the door.


    ¡°She¡¯s running away! Don¡¯t let her escape!¡±


    I heard Velvet¡¯s voice behind, but I didn¡¯t stop running. I didn¡¯t know where I was going, but this way didn¡¯t have anyone guarding it. I guess all of the guards went straight into the research room.


    I¡¯m glad I grabbed the VISS Driver. I don¡¯t think I would have been able to escape otherwise. I was really scared it wasn¡¯t going to work out, but I managed to barely scrape by.


    The guards were faster than me in a straight line. Now that I think about it, their level is probably much higher than mine. The only reason they haven¡¯t caught up yet is because of all the heavy equipment they¡¯re carrying.


    Soon enough, I reached some stairs. As the name implies, the Agility Burst skill gives me a short burst of strength that allows me to make some very impressive maneuvers. I could have run up the stairs normally, but I decided to climb straight to the top by activating the skill.


    [MP: 30/50]


    Using Agility Burst seems to spend my MP. Is it based on the number of uses? I don¡¯t know, but it has wasted a lot of my MP already. I¡¯m not gonna be able to use it a lot more.


    I¡¯m on the first floor now. I think my little stunt will buy me some time. I don¡¯t know how going higher is going to help me escape, but I didn¡¯t have any other options.


    I started running through the hallway in front of me. I can¡¯t believe what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m getting chased by a bunch of guards while doing some kind of weird parkour. I never thought I¡¯d ever be in this position. I¡¯m not gonna lie, this is getting a little fun.


    Suddenly, I had an idea. Can¡¯t I just escape through a window? I¡¯m not that high up, and I think I¡¯ll be fine with my skill. I started trying to open some of the doors I passed by, but either the doors were locked or the windows inside were too small.


    My pace had slowed down, and the guards caught up to me. I had no choice but to keep running and praying that the room at the end of the corridor would be open and have a nice window to escape from.


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s not open?¡±


    It was open. I was just being an idiot, and my hand slipped from the handle because I was panicking. I got inside and saw what I assumed to be a meeting room of sorts. Lucky for me because that meant it had these huge windows from the floor to the ceiling.


    Wait, do I just run into the window? Is that going to break it? I looked behind me, and saw that the guards were getting closer. I just have to go for it. I activated my skill and charged at the window.


    ¡°Woah!! Ahahahahaha!¡±


    I soared out of the first floor and landed just fine. I couldn¡¯t say the same about my shoulder, who couldn¡¯t be too happy with my decision to charge into the window. There weren¡¯t any cuts on my body, so I was more than happy with the result. I looked at where I came from, and the guards were already there ready to jump after me. It wasn¡¯t a small jump, but with their training, I¡¯m sure this is nothing to them.


    In front of me is the main gate, but if I went through there, I¡¯d be in one of the big streets. But that¡¯s the gate I saw earlier, which means the portal should be¡­


    ¡°This way!¡±


    I ran towards the same wall I used when I came here and activated my skill again. I jumped over the wall and entered the alleyway again.


    [MP: 16/50]


    This isn¡¯t good. I¡¯m almost out of MP. At least now I have a way to get out of here. I¡¯m glad I decided to enter the research center. If I can just get back to where the portal was¡­


    Getting back to the portal was harder than I thought. I knew its general direction, but I kept taking wrong turns, and that caused me to slow down.


    The guards were very persistent, and they had caught up to me again.


    I¡¯m so close¡­ I can¡¯t let them catch me now.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡±


    I turned around a corner and saw one of the pieces of furniture I had been moving around earlier.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got you surrounded now!¡±


    When I got closer, I found myself getting surrounded again. The guards seemed to have gone through the main streets in order to surround me.


    I can see the portal from here, but how am gonna get there? There were guards on every side, but the worst part is that there were a lot of them between me and the portal.


    They didn¡¯t have any intention of capturing me alive anymore, and multiple guards started charging at me with their weapons.


    Is this the end? No, I can¡¯t let myself get caught here. Fuck it. Here goes nothing!


    I activated my ability and jumped on top of the wardrobe next to me. Then I immediately jumped towards one of the walls. There were plenty of gaps and other places I could grab onto, so I was able to quickly jump from wall to wall and get closer to the portal.


    Some of the guards reacted in time and started jumping and climbing to try to catch me.


    So persistent! Just give it up already! I¡¯m going back home, and you can¡¯t stop me!


    I was finally close enough, and I jumped towards the portal. I felt myself being surrounded by a mysterious light and a very familiar falling sensation.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    For the second time today, I have fallen on my butt. Though this time, it was a smile that formed on my face rather than worry.


    I¡¯m back. At the same parking lot where I fell into that other world. The car I saw before was still here, but the portal was now gone.


    I did it! I¡¯m back! I¡¯m so glad! What a relief!


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Before I could even see where the voice came from, there was a blade up against my neck.


    Ahaha¡­ great¡­ here we go again¡­

 Chapter 02 – Mental Prison

    Good news!


    I managed to make it back to Three Records City!


    Bad news.


    I¡¯m stuck in a jail cell!


    What the hell? Why? What did I even do to deserve this? I¡¯m so tired¡­ I just wanna go home¡­ How did I get here anyway?


    I was actually kinda happy when I got the VISS Driver and when it gave me a skill, but I really shouldn¡¯t have been. I knew something was gonna go wrong. Why even try? I should have just let myself get captured. All of this only happened because I wanted to be friends with Miyuki¡­ I should have just gone home.


    I¡¯m being too negative now. I really need to sort out my thoughts. Where did this all start? Let me go over everything since the moment I returned to the real world.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Seems like I made it back! I¡¯m back at the parking lot. I¡¯m glad I decided to sneak into that facility. I don¡¯t think I would have made it without the VISS Driver. I think I actually got out of this with more than what I began with.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Eeh?¡± A scared voice escaped my mouth when I suddenly noticed a long blade pressed against my neck.


    ¡°Are you human?¡±


    This is a longsword, right? The blade is curved, but it has a long guard. What exactly is it? And most importantly, why is it up against my neck? Am I being mugged?


    I looked up towards the source of the voice and saw a beautiful girl. Her hair was pink, and it had a beautiful glow. It was long, but also a bit spiky. It looked kinda like a sweet cloud-


    ¡°Answer me!¡±


    I got distracted by her appearance, and her voice snapped me out of it. I was nervous for multiple different reasons, so I couldn¡¯t speak. I nodded my head instead to answer her question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying. We can never be too sure.¡±


    The girl retracted her sword and turned around. I heard a metallic object near her waist make a small sound. I caught a glimpse of a couple rings hanging down from the same spot, must be some kind of accessory. Wow¡­ Her body looks really fit¡­ makes me want to poke her a couple times to feel her muscles. She¡¯s not ripped, but she¡¯s lean while having curves in all of the right places. So nice.


    ¡°Narumi, call Shinji and tell him there¡¯s a civilian on the site. I¡¯m gonna see if I can get more information.¡±


    The girl with the sword spoke to her friend who was a little behind her. This girl was already on her phone before she was even asked to make the call. Her hair was orange and shorter than the other girl¡¯s. She wasn¡¯t nearly as slim, especially in the chest area, and I love that for her.


    ¡°Alright! You got it!¡± A cheerful, carefree voice answered the request.


    The pink-haired girl extended her hand towards me. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Is that fine? Can I really hold her hand? I nervously reached out and grabbed her hand. She gripped my hand back tightly and got me up on my feet without breaking a sweat. I knew it! She really is strong!


    ¡°Uhm. I- I¡¯m fine.¡± I wanted to keep holding her hand, but I just pulled mine back in a rush.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re hurt. My name is Katja. Sorry for scaring you just now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright!¡± Why did she put her sword against my neck? It must somehow be related to the game world. She referred to me as a civilian. Are they from some kind of organization? This is how it usually goes in anime in situations like this. Whatever the case, I can¡¯t tell her about the game world.


    ¡°Sorry, but I need to ask you a couple questions. I know you might be a little shaken, but I¡¯m gonna need you to put that aside for a while.¡±


    What exactly does she want to know? She asked me if I was human too. Is she looking for people from the other world? I don¡¯t get it, can they actually pass through the portal?


    ¡°For starters, can you tell me what you were doing here?¡± Katja is looking straight at me. I¡¯m too nervous! I can¡¯t answer you like this!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I was just¡­ I don¡¯t know how to explain¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me rephrase the question. Why did you come here?¡± Her face became more intimidating. I don¡¯t think she liked my answer.


    ¡°I- I- I stopped here with a¡­ friend¡­ t- to eat some ice cream!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I think she bought it. ¡°Why were you sitting on the floor when we arrived? Did you get attacked?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ no.¡± Why is she looking at me so closely? I can¡¯t even think properly.


    ¡°Why were you on the floor? What happened to your friend?¡± The girl¡¯s attitude became friendly at some point, but she started pressing me harder for answers.


    Huh? What did I tell her? I can¡¯t remember.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Do you mean you don¡¯t know or you can¡¯t remember? Maybe something happened to your memory.¡±


    I can¡¯t remember what I said to her. Her face was so close, I couldn¡¯t think properly. Damn, I wanted to figure out how I got here, but my memory is too hazy.


    ¡°I think I understand what¡¯s going on. Sorry, but we¡¯re gonna have to take you into custody.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    What? Okay? Did I really just say okay? Is that why I¡¯m here now? What were you thinking, me? At least fight back a little! I should have at least tried to ask who she was and who she was affiliated with.


    That¡¯s it, that¡¯s where my memory ends. Next thing I knew, I was here already.


    I can¡¯t believe how nervous I was. She was pretty and looked really cool, but seriously? I froze just from that? I guess there¡¯s more to it than that. My heart was still racing from being chased, and I was mentally exhausted. I still am.


    I got the basic idea, at least. Those two girls must have been there because of the portal, and they found me instead. They arrested me because¡­ I was suspicious? I don¡¯t know¡­


    I just wanna go home, though. I¡¯m so tired¡­ What¡¯s up with this day? Does this shit never end?


    I walked up to the door and tried to shake it. It¡¯s locked. No surprise there, but it doesn¡¯t hurt to try.


    I really don¡¯t wanna stay here. Is there a skill I can get to get me out of here? Maybe a teleport or something to phase through walls? I think I wasted all my skill points, so I can¡¯t afford anything, but maybe I leveled up and got more points.


    What? Why are there no pop-ups? I can¡¯t use the VISS Driver! Why? Does it only work in the other world? This sucks! Why did I go through all the trouble of grabbing it for if doesn¡¯t even work now?


    That reminds me. I think the VISS Driver called it EX, VISS Driver EX. I don¡¯t think the one from the game had the EX. Maybe I just don¡¯t remember it, or maybe that is why I can¡¯t use it here. No, that¡¯s stupid. Why would a different name make it unusable in the real world?


    Well, what do I do now? I can¡¯t use any of my skills, and I can¡¯t get any new ones. Even if I could use my skill, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to make it through these metal bars.


    What¡¯s going to happen to me? What are they gonna do to me? Did they find out I went into the other world? Given the pathetic state I was in, I probably blurted it all out. I hope not.


    Why did they bring me here? They wouldn¡¯t arrest me if they didn¡¯t think I had done anything wrong. Are they gonna kill me? Do they wanna silence me? No¡­ In these kinds of situations, they usually want to sell people to some kind of research lab. The girl talking to me seemed so kind. Was that just a trick?


    ¡°Ow!¡± I was pacing around the room, panicking, when I bumped into a table.


    Woah, I didn¡¯t notice this thing. On top of the table were a couple containers with food inside. My stomach started growling. It has been a while since I last ate. Did they leave this for me? Maybe they¡¯re not so bad after all.


    This itself cell didn¡¯t look too bad, actually. I¡¯d say the bars were actually the worst part. The bed looked comfortable, and the toilet was very private. I always thought cells would be way scarier and crueler.


    I sat down on the bed and ate the stewed meat with rice. It looked like a simple meal, but was very well seasoned. It was better than the food I eat on a daily basis.


    I was a little relieved now that I wasn¡¯t hungry and that I noticed how humane my conditions were. Locking me up was one of the worst things they could do to me, but at least I found some peace in knowing that it could have been so much worse.


    Having said that, I still can¡¯t calm down. What¡¯s going to happen to me? I really wanna get out of here. This is so boring! I wanna see my waifus! I wanna go home!


    I tried banging on the bars, but quickly stopped since I was only hurting myself.


    I gotta calm down. But how? Think happy things! I need to think about happy things.


    But that didn¡¯t work. Any time I tried to think about something good, the intrusive thoughts would attack, and all my worries would just come back.


    I need to meditate. I never tried it before, but now is the time to learn. I closed my eyes and tried to enter Zen state. Go Zen. Enter Zen. Become Zen. I don¡¯t think I know what Zen means.


    Being in a cell is harder than it seems. I can¡¯t believe this is a thing that exists. How doesn¡¯t everyone just go crazy? Do their minds just break, and that¡¯s how they stay calm? If only I had any of my waifus here with me. I wonder how they¡¯d fare in my position. Depends on the girl, I guess¡­ ahahaha¡­ she wouldn¡¯t even be fazed¡­


    I don¡¯t know exactly when it happened, but eventually I ended up falling asleep. I was really tired, so that¡¯s no surprise. I really needed to fall asleep. Not just because I needed to rest, but also so I wouldn¡¯t go insane. My situation filled me with worry, but for now I can rest easy.


    I hope nothing bad happens to me tomorrow.

 Chapter 03 – House of Imaginary Boundaries

    I woke up to someone¡¯s voice calling for me.


    ¡°Hey, you, wake up. Can you hear me? Wake up.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was surprisingly calm for someone who was trying to wake up someone else.


    I opened my eyes, and panic immediately settled in. I didn¡¯t recognize the bed or the room I was in. It didn¡¯t take long for me to calm down as I remembered what had happened and how I had gotten here, but I still felt very uncomfortable about my situation.


    Katja saw me moving and entered my cell after unlocking it. ¡°Are you awake now? How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Well¡­ I- I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Not great. how do you expect me to feel after being forced to spend a night in a cell? I couldn¡¯t exactly tell her that, but what kind of question is that?


    ¡°I see, alright, I¡¯m gonna need you to come with me. Follow me.¡± Katja left the cell and waited for me near the door. She seemed completely unbothered by what was happening. Very professional of her.


    I was worried, but at least it seems like I¡¯ll get to leave this cell. I just hope she¡¯s not taking me somewhere even worse.


    I got out of bed and put on my shoes. It felt super weird waking up with a uniform on, and it felt even weirder to wake up wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday. What a mess! My uniform is all wrinkly now, and it probably smells too.


    I followed Katja through a couple corridors, and we went up some stairs. She didn¡¯t say anything, but I was feeling very uneasy.


    ¡°W- where are you taking me?¡± The question escaped my lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to the kitchen. Since you slept for such a long time, you¡¯re probably hungry. We have some leftovers from lunch for you.¡±


    ¡°From lunch?¡± It¡¯s already past lunchtime? How long did I sleep for? This place has a kitchen¡­? Where even am I?


    I moved my head around to take in my surroundings. Looks like this is some kind of dorm¡­ At least it reminds me of a dorm I¡¯ve seen in a game. Though the cell in the basement makes me second-guess myself¡­


    At the end of the corridor was a bigger area with an open kitchen and a living space with some couches and a big television. It wasn¡¯t messy at all, but the furniture was filled to the brim with all sorts of random things.


    ¡°What are you doing, Narumi? You¡¯re gonna get fat.¡± Katja addressed the girl laying down on the couch while messing with her phone.


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! There¡¯s no way. You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± The girl I recognized from yesterday sat up straight in a hurry. Her voice sounded carefree, but Katja¡¯s words must have hit home for her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were back, how long had you been there?¡±


    ¡°I only just arrived. Why do you ask? Where are the other two?¡±


    ¡°Hecate said she needed to go shopping and dragged Carol along with her.¡± The entire time she spoke, the girl didn¡¯t look away from her phone for more than a few seconds.


    ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± Katja paused for a moment and turned towards me. ¡°Take a seat, I¡¯ll warm something up for you.¡±


    I nodded and sat down on the table closest to the kitchen area. Narumi was so distracted with her phone that only now did she notice me.


    ¡°Woah! Who¡¯s that?¡± Apparently, the surprise was so big that it made her stand up.


    ¡°She¡¯s the girl we found yesterday, remember? You were literally there.¡± Katja replied while she turned on the gas.


    ¡°Oh yeah! I think I remember¡­ What¡¯s she doing here?¡±


    This is so awkward¡­ They¡¯re talking about me, but I can¡¯t join their conversation.


    ¡°She spent the night in our custody. Shinji told me to bring her to him.¡±


    ¡°Okay okay, I get it now.¡± Having a guest seemed to interest her, and Narumi approached the table curiously. She sat down in front of me before speaking. ¡°My name¡¯s Narumi Kado. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Iroha¡­ Iroha Shinohara. Uhmm¡­ What are you gonna do to me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯re not gonna do anything!¡± Narumi was at a loss for how to answer.


    Katja returned to the table with a plate of curry. Classic dish. ¡°We¡¯re just gonna ask you a couple questions after you¡¯re done eating. Then you¡¯ll be able to go home. We¡¯re not gonna do anything, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± These news made me a little more optimistic, and I started eating with a small smile.


    ¡°Sorry, but you should focus on eating for now. Shinji is waiting for us.¡± Katja sat down on a nearby empty seat.


    I have no clue who Shinji is but I don¡¯t care. I just wanna go home.


    ¡°Did he tell you to hurry? I didn¡¯t know he was capable of being in a rush.¡± Narumi laughed while looking at Katja next to her.


    ¡°He told us to take our time. I¡¯m not gonna allow him to use us as an excuse to laze around.¡± Katja pulled out her sword, and I noticed it was more advanced than I thought. The curved blade suddenly extended, and the guard popped out to form the shape of a cross. She moved the blade around and stared closely at the tip.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the one who wants to rush things¡­ Poor Shinji.¡± Narumi laughed without a care in the world.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming too, so don¡¯t you think about going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Ehhhh?! Nobody told me anything about that!¡± Narumi was upset that her workload had just been increased. ¡°I wanted to laze around too.¡±


    ¡°You should try training a little more instead of spending so much time on your phone.¡±


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    I finished eating while half-heartedly listening to their conversation.


    ¡°You¡¯re done? How are you feeling? Are you ready to go?¡± Katja put away her things and got up.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little better.¡± I don¡¯t know whether it was the food or their conversation, but I¡¯m feeling more relaxed now than before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going then.¡± Katja grabbed my plate and placed it into the sink.


    ¡°T- thank you¡­ y- you¡¯re a nice person.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. Hecate¡¯s the one who remembered you¡¯d probably be hungry. She¡¯s the one who told me to take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Hecate?¡± I think I heard the name earlier, but I have no clue who that is.


    ¡°She¡¯s one of our friends¡­ Well, don¡¯t worry about it. It doesn¡¯t matter to you.¡± Katja led the way, and the three of us left the dorm.


    We entered a nearby building and headed straight into the second floor towards an office room.


    ¡°Narumi, what are you thinking?¡± Katja asked as she saw Narumi run ahead of us.


    ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Narumi slammed the office door open as she shouted that.


    ¡°Woah! Don¡¯t scare me like that!¡± Inside was a man who had sent some papers flying due to Narumi¡¯s surprise attack. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve made me do, Narumi. Please be more careful next time.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Roger that! I promise I¡¯ll do better next time!¡± Narumi¡¯s attitude showed little remorse over her actions. ¡°I had no idea you were working.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I highly doubt there was any work actually getting done here.¡± Katja enters the room, and her eyebrows burrow slightly.


    ¡°Katja, don¡¯t say things like that in front of our guest.¡± The man tried to whisper, but it was still loud enough that it was audible to me. ¡°You¡¯re gonna give her a bad impression.¡±


    In response, Katja crossed her arms and turned her head to the side. The man finished picking up the papers and recomposed himself before looking at me.


    It was hard to tell whether his eyes were open just from seeing his face. He was wearing a normal suit and looked like he was in his late thirties. His face looked gentle, but frankly, it was hard for me to care about his appearance. I noticed he was wearing glasses, his hair was a little long for a man, and he had a light stubble. That¡¯s all I need to know to identify him.


    ¡°Welcome, Iroha. I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Come in, please take a seat.¡± The man pointed towards a chair in front of him.


    I entered the room and sat down in front of him. Narumi pulled up a chair next to a wall and sat down to my left, while Katja was standing to my right.


    ¡°Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Shinji Shimada. I¡¯m the manager of our little organization. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Shinji smiled gently at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Iroha Shinohara¡­ though I think you already knew that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did. We took the initiative to confirm your identity after bringing you here. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I shook my head in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy that¡¯s the case. Tell me, Iroha, how are you feeling after what happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t feel like there¡¯s anything wrong with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I presume you haven¡¯t recalled anything about yesterday¡¯s events that¡¯s different from what you¡¯ve already told us.¡± What a strange question. I haven¡¯t said anything about the other world. Has he figured I¡¯m hiding something?


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t remembered anything.¡± I was surprised by how calm I was.


    ¡°I see¡­ Usually, we¡¯d ask you to retell the whole story, but I understand that can be a pain in the ass, so let¡¯s just move on.¡± Shinji let out a small laugh, which Katja stopped with a single glare. ¡°Frankly, there¡¯s not much left for me to ask you. We¡¯ve already confirmed your identity, and we¡¯ve confirmed the fact that you¡¯re human.¡±


    It¡¯s like I thought¡­ they know about the other world somehow. I think they were worried that I was someone from the other side. That was why they put me in jail.


    ¡°What kind of question is that? Isn¡¯t it obvious that I¡¯m human?¡± I wanted to know more about the other world, so I decided to ask a question myself.


    ¡°Hey, Shinji! Can I go back? If you¡¯re not gonna ask anything else, then you don¡¯t need me around anymore.¡± Narumi interrupted my question.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Narumi. Can you answer Iroha¡¯s question? Tell her about our organization so she can understand our concerns.¡± Shinji¡¯s voice contained some panic, but he was actually just glad to delegate one of his duties to someone else.


    ¡°I can do that. Which part should I tell her?¡± Narumi spoke with a sudden burst of energy.


    ¡°Both, tell her everything in order.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Narumi stood up straight. ¡°Listen up, Iroha. We help people!¡± Narumi stopped and brought her hand up to her chin, like she was in deep thought. ¡°No, that¡¯s not a good way to put it. Let me start from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the House of Imaginary Boundaries. Our mission is to take care of kids with unique circumstances. Kinda like an orphanage. We¡¯re not a state organization, but we work closely with the government.¡± Narumi puffed up her chest while explaining.


    ¡°H- huhh¡­¡± Alright¡­ Okay¡­ I don¡¯t give a shit, though. How is that supposed to answer my question?


    ¡°Or at least that¡¯s what it seems like on the surface.¡± Shinji interrupted with a mysterious voice.


    ¡°On the surface?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask about the meaning of that.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s-¡°


    ¡°Not fair, Shinji! I was explaining things to her! Why did you have to steal the cool line!?¡± Shinji jumped in surprise, scared by Narumi¡¯s anger.


    ¡°Right, I asked you to explain, didn¡¯t I? Sorry, Narumi, go on, you¡¯re doing great.¡± Shinji slumped over.


    Narumi coughed before speaking again. ¡°Or at least that¡¯s what it seems like on the surface.¡± Narumi whispered in an attempt to mimic Shinji¡¯s voice from earlier.


    You can¡¯t do that, Narumi. You can¡¯t just say the same thing again and act like you¡¯re making a shocking revelation. Does she get it?


    ¡°The orphanage stuff is just a cover. Our real activity is actually taking care of threats from another world!¡± Narumi spoke with confidence and pride.


    I knew it¡¯d be something like this.


    ¡°W- what do you mean by that? Threats from another world?¡± How much do they actually know? What was that other world? Why was it the world from a game?


    ¡°Uhmmm¡­ monsters! What was it again?¡± Narumi seemed at a loss as to how to continue her explanation.


    ¡°You see, Iroha, we have no idea why, but some years ago, these weird portals started appearing all over the world. From there, strange creatures started coming into our world. We don¡¯t know what they are, but we know they¡¯re from another world.¡± Katja stepped up and continued Narumi¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°Like Narumi said, these are fantastical creatures. They¡¯re similar to the monsters that often pop up in works of fiction. I¡¯d venture to guess you¡¯re more familiar with them than I am. Whatever image you have for a monster is probably not too far off.¡± Shinji completed Katja¡¯s information.


    He¡¯s not wrong. The demons and other creatures I saw there matched the game¡¯s style, but they¡¯re still generic enough that most people would recognize what they are. Since things like that don¡¯t exist in our world, the only explanation is that the portals connect to another world.


    ¡°So yeah, it¡¯s our job to find those monsters and defeat them before they cause any harm.¡± Narumi¡¯s energy levels had diminished from what they were earlier.


    ¡°Did you think I was a monster?¡± I looked at Shinji while asking my question.


    ¡°There are quite a large number of monsters that resemble humans in many ways. We went to the location where we found you to investigate a potential portal, only to find you there instead. It didn¡¯t make sense to us, so we had to be wary of you.¡± I could tell he felt bad from the look on his face.


    ¡°Alright. I think I understand.¡± I felt relieved. Seems like they¡¯re not wary of me anymore. This is strange. It doesn¡¯t seem like they know the other world is the world of a game, even if they do somewhat recognize the beings from the other side. Maybe they¡¯ve never actually gone into the other world.


    ¡°Listen, Iroha. I have one piece of bad news for you. As you might imagine, this information is highly confidential. Even if you promise not to tell anyone, we still have to put you under surveillance.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± They want to put me under surveillance? ¡°Why did you have to tell me all of this, then?¡±


    ¡°Even if we kept you in the dark, just being found near the location of a potential portal is grounds for you to be placed under surveillance. That¡¯s how confidential this is.¡±


    Dammit, why is this happening to me? I just wanted to go home. I guess it¡¯s not the end of the world to be placed under surveillance. I spend most of my time at home, so even if someone¡¯s watching me, it won¡¯t make that much of a difference.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve got a proposal for you. Having to keep you under surveillance 24/7 is a big pain in the ass, and personally, I don¡¯t want anything to do with it.¡± Shinji¡¯s gestures became more agitated. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it, I¡¯d like you to join us. You wouldn¡¯t have to be surveilled, as it would be technically your job to know about the other world.¡±


    What? Join them? What?


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Katja and Narumi were both surprised by Shinji¡¯s proposition, but Katja was the first one to speak up.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way! I can¡¯t fight!¡± I just barely escaped with my life. I don¡¯t want to put myself in danger again.


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think you can handle it either. Shinji, what are you thinking?¡± Katja sided with me on this one.


    ¡°Wait, wait, you don¡¯t have to worry about fighting. I¡¯m not gonna send you into battle without proper training. You don¡¯t even have to fight if you don¡¯t want to. There are other ways you could help that don¡¯t involve fighting. Katja, if we have more people supporting us, you girls will be able to focus on your job better, and you won¡¯t be in as much danger.¡±


    Katja seemed pleased with Shinji¡¯s explanation and calmed down.


    ¡°How about it, Iroha? It¡¯s not a bad deal, is it? We¡¯re not exactly going to make you do a lot of work, and if it really doesn¡¯t work out, you can remain a member in name only and go on with your life normally. Though, I would like it if you were a little more active than that. We¡¯ll also pay you. If that changes anything.¡±


    I don¡¯t think money¡¯s gonna change my decision¡­ Although I wouldn¡¯t mind having a little more spending cash¡­ But it¡¯s too dangerous. Me fighting monsters from that game? There¡¯s just no way! Maybe if the VISS Driver worked¡­ With a couple more skills and some training, maybe I could actually fight. I dunno if I could handle their training, though. But then I¡¯d get to spend some time with Katja and Narumi, I wouldn¡¯t mind that.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Can I get some time to think about it?¡± I can¡¯t make a decision right now. I want to go home and relax for a while. I hung my head to cover my face with my hair.


    ¡°Well, this is not an easy decision to make in the spur of the moment. Go home and think about it for a while, Iroha. We¡¯ll contact you at a later date.¡± Shinji smiled gently while he spoke. ¡°Regardless of whatever choice you end up making, please remember that what we¡¯ve talked about here is highly confidential. Make sure you don¡¯t share it with anyone.¡±


    Shinji told Katja to accompany me home, but I refused. I left the House of Imaginary Boundaries and stepped out onto the street.


    I looked up the map on my phone and started heading home. I wasn¡¯t too far away from my apartment, and they must¡¯ve learned that when they looked into who I was, that¡¯s gotta be why they were fine with me going home on my own.


    They really asked me to join them¡­ Are they crazy? For what? Just so I¡¯m not placed under surveillance? Is that worth it for me? I¡¯ll still be able to live my life normally. I¡¯d have to give up on the VISS Driver but that¡¯s better than being in danger. It was fun running around with Agility Burst but it¡¯s too dangerous.


    I said so many stupid things too. Even if I did join them, I¡¯m sure all the girls would look at me like I¡¯m a weirdo¡­ What¡¯s the point, then? I already have enough problems on my plate.


    ¡°Hm?¡± As I made my way home, I spotted someone I had business with. It¡¯s her! The source of all my problems.


    ¡°Miyuki¡­¡±

 Chapter 04 – Brain Melter

    After everything that had happened to me, I was finally able to go home, but then happened to run into a very familiar face. There she was, once again, leisurely walking around town.


    ¡°Miyuki¡­¡±


    It¡¯s her, the source of all my problems. She¡¯s the one who pushed me into that weird portal. If not for her, I wouldn¡¯t have almost died when I got chased by all those guards, I wouldn¡¯t have had to spend the night in a jail cell, and I wouldn¡¯t need to wonder whether or not to accept the invitation that¡¯s only gonna put me in more danger.


    ¡°Miyuki!¡± I¡¯m furious! No matter how pretty and perfect she may be, the sight of her fills me with nothing but anger now. I¡¯m not one to complain directly to people¡¯s faces, but I can¡¯t forgive her after all she¡¯s done to me. I¡¯m gonna give her a piece of my mind!


    ¡°Hm? Iroha! Hi!¡± Miyuki recognized my voice and turned my way.


    You¡¯re smiling, Miyuki?! After pushing me into the portal like that? How can you smile after everything you¡¯ve done to me? Who does this girl think she is? Just because you¡¯re attractive doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t get angry with you! Just you wait¡­ You¡¯re gonna see what happens when you-


    ¡°!?!¡±


    What is she wearing? I¡¯m so shocked I can¡¯t think properly! Her outfit looked so good that I forgot what I was doing. It¡¯s like¡­ emo? Punk? Goth? Fuck if I know what it¡¯s actually called, but it¡¯s making my brain melt!


    It¡¯s so hot! Miyuki herself looks like the embodiment of snow, so dark and somewhat edgy clothes create an incredible contrast that¡¯s impossible for me to resist! How does she drive me crazy so much?!


    She was wearing a t-shirt with a long-sleeved shirt underneath. The long-sleeved shirt was black with red stripes, while the t-shirt was just black, but it had a macabre graphic with a barely legible Kob written on it. As if that wasn¡¯t good enough already, the collar of her shirt was very open, and she had a thin black choker around her pale neck.


    Below that was a red plaided skirt held in place by a simple yet incredible black leather belt and thigh highs that followed the same black and red stripped pattern as her sleeves. I almost didn¡¯t want to look anymore. Everything looks so good and perfect on her. The more I see, the more I want to see. Luckily for my sanity, there was only one thing left, which was a pair of oppressive-looking, black, knee-high boots.


    What an incredible outfit¡­ I knew Miyuki was good-looking, but this outfit is on another level. I dig it, I really dig it. She¡¯s so my type!


    ¡°Iroha?¡± Miyuki couldn¡¯t help but call out to me when she saw me suddenly stop.


    I had become so lost in my own thoughts after seeing her outfit that I wouldn¡¯t have snapped out of it if it wasn¡¯t for her voice.


    ¡°Y- your clothes.¡± I was so curious about Miyuki¡¯s clothes that the question inadvertently escaped my mouth. Is this the kind of clothes she usually wears? I would never have guessed.


    ¡°Oh! You like them? I saw this outfit on my way home, and it looked like a fun thing to wear, so I bought it on a whim. Pretty cool, right?¡± Miyuki spoke cheerfully and did a little spin in place to show off her clothes to me.


    ¡°*Nod¡­* They look really good on you¡­¡± I was so entranced that my honest feelings just slipped out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t they? Thanks, Iroha.¡±


    Wow, she¡¯s bold! She bought clothes like that on whim? Is that normal for her? I guess there¡¯s no reason to hesitate for a girl as pretty as her. Anything would look good on her.


    Wait. Focus, Iroha! You¡¯re not here to talk about clothes.


    I need to ask Miyuki what her deal was and why she pushed me into the portal. It¡¯s her fault I had to go through all of those awful things! I have to make her explain herself!


    ¡°Iroha, are you alright?¡± Miyuki¡¯s worried voice caught me by surprise. ¡°I heard you got sick and couldn¡¯t come to school today. Is it alright for you to be outside?¡±


    Huh? Sick? That¡¯s not it. I was stuck in a cell! Did they have Shinji tell my school I was sick? I remember them saying they worked with the government, so I bet they have all kinds of connections.


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    ¡°Uhmm¡­ T- that was just in the morning¡­¡± Miyuki¡¯s face turned into a smile as the worry melted away. ¡°It was nothing, I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡± Miyuki had started walking closer to me, and her face was right in front of mine by the time I finished speaking.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    What?! No way! No way no way no way no way no way!


    She kissed me!? Miyuki?! Why? Why why why why why why?


    Am I dreaming? All of a sudden, she gave me a kiss on the cheek. Does she like me? Her lips on my cheek! What¡¯s going on? Why would Miyuki do that? I don¡¯t understand! My heart is beating so fast! I think I¡¯m going crazy! Miyuki Miyuki Miyuki Miyuki!


    It was only a quick kiss but, that singular moment felt like an eternity to me. I don¡¯t know why she did it, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever forget this moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright now!¡± Miyuki grinned as she pulled back.


    ¡°Mi- Mi- Mi- Miyuki!? W- w- what was that?¡± I didn¡¯t know how to react, my body was just trembling and shaking. I don¡¯t even know how to think, I have no clue what I just said.


    ¡°You earned that for getting better so quickly. Well done!¡± Miyuki laughed carefree. ¡°I meant it as a sort of greeting, but sorry if you didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    A greeting, she says? My heart almost stopped. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever gotten such a deadly greeting before¡­ Maybe I have¡­ A few too many recently, even.


    Well, I¡¯m fine now, and I¡¯m not gonna complain about getting a kiss from her¡­ Maybe I was being a little too harsh on her. Miyuki is super nice and friendly. I should at least give her a chance to explain herself. I don¡¯t want to jump to conclusions and accuse her of something she didn¡¯t do.


    ¡°M- Miyuki, what happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± Miyuki softly tilted her head to the side, like she was genuinely confused about my question.


    ¡°You know¡­ when you pushed me in.¡±


    ¡°I pushed you? When did that happen?¡± Miyuki entered into deep thought, trying to remember what I was talking about.


    Are you serious, Miyuki? Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t remember! I may be able to forgive you if you give me an explanation, but don¡¯t lie to me.


    ¡°What happened yesterday at the end? After we finished out ice creams?¡± I was getting agitated, and my voice became a little louder.


    ¡°Are you alright, Iroha?¡± Miyuki looked worried and troubled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean. You said it was getting late, so we both just went home after saying goodbye.¡±


    No way¡­ No way no way! That¡¯s not what happened! ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you were expecting, but what¡¯s even there not to be serious about?¡± Miyuki was worried about me and grabbed one of my hands.


    Is she telling the truth? There¡¯s no way! She pushed me into the portal, I remember that clearly. Does she really not remember it? That¡¯s not possible. That¡¯s just not possible. What if she¡¯s not lying? What if she really doesn¡¯t remember? Maybe her memory was altered somehow¡­ If it¡¯s possible to make a portal into another world, I¡¯m sure altering someone¡¯s memories is possible.


    I still don¡¯t get why she would push me in. Even if she does not remember it, she still decided to push me. Why would she do something like that? No, I guess that¡¯s not true. She could have just been brainwashed, possessed, or something like that. If it¡¯s possible to change someone¡¯s memory, I can¡¯t dismiss that possibility.


    So what? Is she actually telling the truth? She really thinks we just ate our ice cream, said our goodbyes, and went home? I can¡¯t exactly go off on her then. She¡¯s not really at fault, and it¡¯s not like it would accomplish anything since she wouldn¡¯t even know what I¡¯m talking about.


    ¡°S- sorry, forget about what I said, I got confused.¡± I apologized because I didn¡¯t want Miyuki to be angry at me for raising my voice and asking weird questions.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I gotta ask you something, Iroha. Why are you wearing your uniform even though you didn¡¯t go to school today?¡± Miyuki adorably pressed her index finger against her right cheek in an inquisitive manner.


    What do I even say? I gotta come up with something. I can¡¯t just tell I was stuck in a cell, so I haven¡¯t had the time to change. ¡°Well¡­ I was going to pick up dinner, and¡­ the uniform was just at hand, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Could it be that¡­¡± Miyuki grinned like she had just thought of something fun. ¡°You weren¡¯t actually sick and just wanted to skip class?¡±


    ¡°What? No-¡± I tried to explain myself, but she cut me off.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good, Iroha. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? If you were going to cut class, you should have just told me, and we could have cut class together.¡±


    Friends? Oh yeah! She did agree to be my friend yesterday. I thought that was off the table since she pushed me into the portal, but if she doesn¡¯t remember, I guess that means we¡¯re friends.


    What is this girl even saying? You just transferred here yesterday. You can¡¯t just skip class on your second day. Would she actually cut class with me if I asked her? But to begin with, I didn¡¯t even cut class because I wanted to.


    ¡°N- no, Miyuki! I didn¡¯t cut class! I actually couldn¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Miyuki seemed to enjoy my troubled expression. ¡°If you say so, I guess I can take your word for it. Are you the type that never skips class?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I skip sometimes¡­¡± When I get hooked on a new anime or game.


    ¡°So you do skip! Do you wanna do something together next time you feel like skipping? Since you also like games, we could go to an arcade or something.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± If I ever skip class, it¡¯s because there¡¯s something I wanna do at home. I don¡¯t think we¡¯d be able to hang out in that case.


    This is too much. I can¡¯t believe Miyuki actually wants to hang out with me. Why is a girl as beautiful and perfect as her so nice to me? Is it because we¡¯re friends? I guess it was worth talking to her after all.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ are you the type that likes to skip often?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m super straitlaced. I absolutely never skip unless there¡¯s something more interesting going on.¡± My face cracked into a slight smile because of her words.


    Something more interesting than class? That¡¯s not a very high bar to clear.


    Miyuki smiled back when she saw me smiling. ¡°But we don¡¯t have to wait until you feel like cutting class to do something fun. We could go somewhere right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± That came out of nowhere. I would love to go with Miyuki, but I don¡¯t think I can take any more at this point. I need to go home, or I might go crazy.


    ¡°No, never mind. Today¡¯s not a good day. I¡¯ve been walking around for too long now, so it¡¯s time for me to go home. Maybe some other day.¡±


    ¡°Y- yeah, I need to go home too.¡±


    ¡°You should do that. You¡¯re going to get sick again if you spend too much time outside, and I don¡¯t want that for you. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Iroha.¡± Miyuki waved her hand and leisurely walked away.


    I had no reason to stand around either, so I also headed home. I¡¯m glad everything worked out with Miyuki. I was expecting us to fight, but instead I learned we were friendlier than I thought.


    She really is the best. I think she¡¯s a bit impulsive, and that makes her hard to predict, but it ends up being really charming. I really like her¡­ She¡¯s very friendly and easy to get along with. I think I may have a shot.


    I entered my apartment and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m finally back¡­¡± So much has happened, but I¡¯m finally home. A lot of scary stuff happened in such a short time. I was worried I¡¯d never be able to come back here, but I did, and I¡¯m so happy right now. I can finally sit down, relax, and play some games in the company of my waifus. Sorry, Miyuki, but I have more love in me than any one person can receive. Not that my waifus count as people¡­ but you get the point.


    [Update Completed. VISS Driver EX is now available.]


    ¡°Wait, what was that?¡± Was that one of the VISS Driver notifications? No way, is it working?

 Chapter 05 – Online Once Again

    [Update Completed. VISS Driver EX is now available.]


    ¡°What was that?¡± Was that the VISS Driver? Why did I get one of its messages just now? I thought it wasn¡¯t working.


    The knowledge of how to interact with the VISS Driver was imparted to me when I first picked it up. The message was so unexpected that I immediately tried to pull up some menus to see if it was actually working.


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.2]


    [HP: 188/188]


    [MP: 94/94]


    [Strength: 13; Defense: 10]


    [Magic: 4; Agility: 38]


    [Skill Points: 0]


    [Skills: Momentum ¨C Agility Burst Lv.1; Mind ¨C Psychological Attack Resistance Lv.1]


    It¡¯s working. Looks like it really is working! Was that because of the update? That makes sense. I brought it into another world after all. Of course it needed an update to be used on this world. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? Nifty little thing that VISS Driver, it even comes with auto-update.


    What am I talking about? Nothing about this makes any sense. Whatever I may come up with is just speculation. There¡¯s no point in trying to make sense of the ridiculous.


    I¡¯m just gonna be happy with the fact that it¡¯s working again. I don¡¯t get why it decided to start working now and not yesterday. I guess the update just took a while¡­ Again, there¡¯s no point in trying to make sense of it. I was expecting it to not work at all, so just knowing that it is working is good enough for me.


    Now only one final question still remains. The most important thing of all¡­ Does my skill work?


    I was in auto-pilot ever since I entered the room, and I found myself sitting in my usual chair with my computer and consoles already on. I didn¡¯t want to damage anything, so I got up and moved to a less cluttered part of my apartment.


    ¡°Alright. Agility Burst!¡± There wasn¡¯t a lot of space in the room for me to try it out, but in a single second, I was able to jump from one side of the room to the other. I think my jump could have matched that of a professional long jump athlete, if not for the fact that there wasn¡¯t any more space in my room.


    ¡°This is good.¡± My skill actually works. And it¡¯s as awesome as ever! Agility Burst seems like a really powerful skill! I want to see what else I can do with it. Other skills too, I wonder what other skills I can get. There are so many possibilities. I hope I can try a lot of cool things. Perhaps it really was worth it to risk my life to get the VISS Driver.


    There are still a few things on my mind left to answer. When I opened up my status earlier, I saw a few strange things.


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.2]


    [Skill Points: 0]


    [Mind ¨C Psychological Attack Resistance Lv.1]


    What exactly is this? I¡¯m level 2 now, I got a skill I don¡¯t remember getting, and I remain skill point broke. What happened? I think I got an idea as to why I¡¯m level 2. I think this game liked to give the player experience for things other than combat. Combat was still the main source of experience, but it was possible to get some levels from crafting, gathering, and all sorts of random things.


    Maybe running from the guards gave me some experience? But I think I was still level 1 when I got to the portal. So does that means I did something in the real world that gave me experience? That¡¯s cool, but wasn¡¯t the VISS Driver offline until just now? Was it keeping track even when it wasn¡¯t working? That¡¯s really impressive.


    I think I can also take a guess as to what happened to my new skill points. I should have gotten some after leveling up, but they somehow got used to buy the new skill. Makes sense, but how did I even buy the new skill!? Psychological Attack Resistance? I don¡¯t even want that! Why was it bought without my permission? Not to mention it locked in one of my six trees! Did I subconsciously buy it somehow? Maybe it¡¯s like how the characters in the game already started with some skills and trees locked in. I didn¡¯t think that it would cost me, though.


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    There are too many things I don¡¯t get, but now that I¡¯m back in this world, I should be able to get all of my answers. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s time to pull out my secret technique. I¡¯m gonna cheat! Why do I need to try to figure all these things out when I can just play the damn game and get all of the answers?


    Uhmm¡­ what it called again? Weird¡­ I don¡¯t remember what the game is called. I started looking through some of my game libraries, but I didn¡¯t find it anywhere. I have too many games, I can¡¯t look through all these¡­ If only I could remember the name, I should have it somewhere. I remember I bought it on a sale¡­ together with like ten other games.


    Well, it¡¯s impossible. I can¡¯t remember its name right now¡­ I¡¯ll have to put it off for now. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll remember it soon. Next time, for sure, everything will come together when I finally remember the name.


    I¡¯m finally home, so I don¡¯t want to think about any unpleasant stuff for a while. All I want is to have fun and relax. I should play something for now.


    I started my usual checks before playing. Blanket, bathroom, food, drinks. I have to change out of my uniform too. Only after getting all of these things out of the way can I finally have fun. I know it¡¯s not a big deal, but it still feels like a big chore when I¡¯m so tired.


    I¡¯m gonna play for now, but later down the road I should try to do something with the VISS Driver. Using skills is very fun, and it¡¯d be a waste not to use them more. I wanna get more new skills, but that would require me to level up and to have them available for purchase. I hope playing games gives me experience. My level¡¯s gonna skyrocket.


    Nah, I don¡¯t think so¡­ Unless it¡¯s different from what I remember, it would take years for me to level just by playing games. I can¡¯t imagine the experience gaming gives would amount to anything when compared to combat experience.


    Though, even if I did level up, the only thing I would be able to buy would be upgrades to the skills I already have. The skills the VISS Driver lets me buy are based on what I do and what it deems suitable, so I would get a few gaming-related skills at best.


    Hmmm¡­ that doesn¡¯t sound too bad¡­ What benefits could game related skills even give me? Perfect aim? Better reaction time? Reaction time would be good for actual combat, too.


    In any case, I wanna get fun skills, and I know getting those is not gonna be easy. I think the best way would be to get a big list of potential skills and then pick the ones that seem cool, but for that, I would have to try lots of different things, so the VISS Driver would present me the skills.


    Never experiment, never try new things, never take any risks. If that is supposed to be bad advice, then maybe I¡¯m on the right track, but how can I try lots of different things? I bet most cool skills are combat-related. Will I only get those if I experience different combat situations? How am I even going to experience combat situations?


    Accepting the invitation Shinji gave me would probably get me those experiences, but that would mean joining their strange House. I¡¯m pretty sure the training plus some occasional combat would get me something nice, but that means putting myself in danger again¡­ I¡¯m not sure I can handle that. Might be my only option if I don¡¯t want to give up on the VISS Driver. If I¡¯m really placed under surveillance, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get to use skills very often.


    Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Katja was pretty cool, and Narumi seemed nice. I got the impression that there were other members, but I haven¡¯t met them, so I don¡¯t really know what to expect from them.


    If I join, I might be able to become close with Katja and Narumi, and I wouldn¡¯t mind that. I¡¯d have to fight against enemies from the other world, and that¡¯s a little scary. But I have the VISS Driver. It was literally made to allow for combat with those enemies.


    I looked at myself in the mirror for the first time since getting back. I¡¯m still me, going into the game world and getting the VISS Driver didn¡¯t change anything. My hair is as golden as before and my pastel red eyes didn¡¯t suddenly get any weird pupils. It¡¯s nice that I managed to become friend with Miyuki, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll ever be interested in someone like me romantically.


    Her kiss gave me some hope, but at the same time, it crushed all of the hope I had. If she really liked me, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy for her to do it. I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe it only crushed some of my hope, ¡®cause I hope I¡¯m wrong about this.


    What I do know is that I can¡¯t force her to like me, and if she doesn¡¯t like me, I need to have other options. Therefore, I should try to get close with Katja, and Narumi, and any other girls that I can. If it turns out I¡¯m wrong and Miyuki does like me, maybe I can get her to let me have another girlfriend. At least I would make some friends.


    Not like any of this would ever happen. It¡¯s gonna take a miracle for even one girl to like me, much less multiple ones. I can¡¯t let the idea of getting with Katja or Narumi influence my decision to accept their invitation. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna accept it regardless! It¡¯s too dangerous! What am I even thinking? It might be fun to get some new skills, but I¡¯m not convinced¡­ Katja and Narumi too¡­ I don¡¯t know.


    Now¡¯s not the time for this. I wanna play something now! It¡¯s time to have fun, not to worry about unnecessary things. After this, I¡¯m gonna watch some anime, and then I¡¯ll go to bed when it gets late.


    There¡¯s one cool thing that¡¯s been on my mind since earlier that I want to try. I got a skill that protects against psychological attacks, right? What¡¯s gonna happen if I play a horror game? It counts as a psychological attack, doesn¡¯t it? And so, I put a horror game downloading earlier to try it out. Time to see how it works.


    ¡­


    After playing for half an hour, I can now present to you the results of my experiment. It fucking sucks! The skill worked, a little too well, even. I¡¯m a bit of a scaredy cat, but not a single jump scare made me flinch, nor did I feel any of the tension from the atmosphere. I didn¡¯t feel a single thing, and that sucks! What¡¯s the point of playing a horror game if it¡¯s not going to affect me? Turns out horror games end up being pretty boring if you remove their most important trait, not that I blame them for being unable to get though my skill.


    I was worried that this new skill was going to ruin a bunch of games that try to mess with player for me since it was a passive skill, but I ended up learning that I can turn it off. I was able to get startled again after turning it off, and I was so relieved. Note to self: no games, no anime, no nothing without first turning that skill off.


    Whew, that was a close one. It ended up being a pretty fun experience. But enough with experiments for now, it¡¯s time to actually play something. What would be a good pick?

 Chapter 06 – Crystal Stronghold

    ¡°So I ended up having to buy the whole outfit.¡± Miyuki was standing to the left of my desk while happily telling me more about her clothes from yesterday.


    I arrived at the classroom this morning, and I wanted to stay under the radar like usual. I sat down on my desk, and everything was fine. I was a little stressed about having to make a decision regarding the invitation into the House of Imaginary Boundaries, but that was par for the course.


    Miyuki got here later than me and came straight to me as soon as she saw me. She was acting like her usual self, while my face became red in an instant. I was still flustered by her kiss and didn¡¯t know how exactly to face her. She started talking, and I went along with her. I eventually brought up her clothes from yesterday, and here we are.


    ¡°I had a similar pair of socks at home, but I wanted to wear the outfit right there and then, so I just bought another pair. Good thing socks are cheap.¡± She¡¯s so cute, she never ceases to amaze me.


    ¡°D- do you do that a lot? I- I don¡¯t really get it. Buying clothes of a different style on a whim seems incredible to me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing incredible about it. Come on, Iroha, I didn¡¯t know wearing clothes was supposed to be a hard task.¡± Miyuki was looking at me like I said something weird.


    I know wearing clothes isn¡¯t a difficult thing. The thing that impresses me is how easily she¡¯s able to get over the mental barriers. I don¡¯t think I could ever try out a new style just because I felt like it.


    ¡°Well, I get what you mean, I¡¯m just joking. I¡¯m only able to do it because it¡¯s fun for me.¡± Miyuki shrugged her shoulders while smiling.


    It¡¯s fun? I don¡¯t really get it. Does she like the attention? ¡°W- what do you mean by fun? What do you like about it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know, to be honest. Sometimes, I just look at some clothes, and I think to myself, that looks fun. This happens a lot when the outfit is a well-defined and complete package. Maybe it makes me feel like I¡¯m someone else¡­ You know, the clothes really do make the man, huh? Well, the woman.¡±


    I can¡¯t really relate. I¡¯d probably just feel super self-conscious. No thanks. Still, I find it super impressive that she¡¯s able to do that. Miyuki seemed really happy to tell me about this, so I¡¯m glad I asked her more.


    ¡°We should check out some clothes together sometime, Iroha. Maybe you¡¯ll find something completely new that you like. I think it would be fun.¡± Miyuki put her hands on my desk and leaned closer to me.


    No way, no way! That¡¯s way beyond my abilities. I can¡¯t pull off a unique look like you did that easily! ¡°It¡¯s impossible! It wouldn¡¯t look good on me! Everything looks good on you because you¡¯re so pretty.¡± Also, your face is too close! How much of that did I end up saying out loud?


    Miyuki started talking without missing a beat. ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re actually worried it only works for me because I¡¯m pretty? You¡¯re very cute too, Iroha, so you can also make any look work.¡±


    Ehhh?! Me cute?! ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± You caught me by surprise, but that¡¯s not gonna get me flustered this time. ¡°That¡¯s not true. Normal clothes are the only thing that really fits me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. You can look good in anything. I mean it. What do you usually wear outside of school? We¡¯re going out, and I¡¯m going to find you something nice.¡± Miyuki was getting weirdly fired up¡­ Spare me.


    The only thing I wear often is a tracksuit when I¡¯m at home. ¡°U- usually simple and comfortable clothes.¡± I don¡¯t wanna attract any attention, so I don¡¯t wear anything flashy.


    ¡°I see, I see¡­ What do you think about wearing something like what I was wearing yesterday? What about dresses? You¡¯d look great as a princess!¡±


    I took a moment to imagine what me wearing the clothes Miyuki was suggesting would look like¡­ Ewww! No! It¡¯d attract so much attention. I¡¯m cringing just thinking about it.


    ¡°Hi there, you two.¡± Miyuki was about to suggest some more ideas when she was interrupted by a voice that rooted me to my seat.


    ¡°Hello, uhmm¡­ Sorry, what was your name again?¡± Miyuki seemed troubled to have to ask the question to the girl.


    It¡¯s Ayumu. Why is she here? I¡¯m not good with her. Her presence dragged me down from heaven into the bottom of the ocean.


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    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m Ayumu Asada. Must be tough trying to remember everyone¡¯s names.¡± Ayumu smiled at Miyuki.


    ¡°Absolutely. My memory is terrible with these kinds of things. It always takes me a long time to remember people¡¯s names.¡±


    ¡°Really? You seemed to have no problem remembering Iroha over here.¡± Miyuki placed her hand on my desk as she finished speaking and used it to support herself.


    Please stay away¡­ I really can¡¯t handle Ayumu. Why is it getting hard to breathe? I wish I could just run away right now.


    ¡°Iroha just got lucky, her name just happened to stick. Anyway, what¡¯s going on?¡± Miyuki looked at me while she spoke. Do I look normal? I don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m being weird.


    ¡°I just wanted to say hi, nothing else. Are you alright, Iroha? I heard you got sick yesterday.¡±


    Why is she even asking me this? She doesn¡¯t care. Is it just to make fun of me? ¡°Y- yeah¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? I¡¯m glad.¡± Her uninterested tone of voice completely gave away the fact that she really couldn¡¯t care less.


    Before Miyuki transferred in, Ayumu was undisputedly the prettiest girl in class. She¡¯s very popular with both guys and girls and stands at the very top of the class¡¯s hierarchy.


    Ayumu has brilliant brown hair, her hair was moderately long but shorter than Miyuki¡¯s and mine, and it was just a little wavy with two small accessories tying up the loose ends in front of her shoulders. Her eyes were purple, and they were really pretty. Her makeup makes it impossible not to notice her eyes while also being so light that it¡¯s barely noticeable.


    Ayumu loves accessories and is always wearing two bracelets on one of her arms. Maybe it¡¯s just one bracelet, and it¡¯s just a pair that¡¯s connected somehow. I can never tell. Around her neck is a simple necklace with two connected hearts.


    If I had to point out a flaw with her looks, I¡¯d have to say it¡¯s her hair. It¡¯s pretty enough as is, but it looks out of place on her. It¡¯s hard to explain. It feels like something¡¯s missing. I saw her painting her hair once, and I thought it looked much better.


    She¡¯s naturally pretty and knows how to dress well, and that¡¯s why everyone likes her. Even I did at some point. She¡¯s probably the first girl I liked, but I really wish I hadn¡¯t. There were already some characters I liked when I first met her, but I think she was the first person I liked, and why wouldn¡¯t I? She¡¯s really pretty. She¡¯s the first person who really managed to grab my attention like that.


    In the end, I screwed up badly. I was so captivated by her that I ended up staring at her too much. Because of that, the other girls started saying that I liked her and started making fun of me and distancing themselves from me.


    I always denied it since I didn¡¯t know how to deal with the situation, but they didn¡¯t care what the truth was and were just happy to have someone to laugh at.


    Ayumu never tried to stop them, and she was making fun of me behind my back as well. She ended up confronting me about whether or not I liked her that way at some point, and I had to lie to her.


    There¡¯s no one who knows for sure that I like girls, but they still bring it up every now and again just to laugh at me. Because of those rumors, I find myself pretty isolated from the rest of the class now.


    I can¡¯t even blame anyone since they weren¡¯t actually wrong. I did like Ayumu, and I do like girls, that much is true. They just didn¡¯t have to be so mean about it. It¡¯s a little funny, but it kinda sucks.


    It¡¯s really suffocating when Ayumu¡¯s nearby. I feel like if I say or do something slightly wrong, the rumors are going to come back. This all happened two or three years ago, and I¡¯m still paying for my mistake. I can¡¯t afford to do anything wrong now, especially now that Miyuki is here.


    Miyuki transferring into our class has been a really big deal to me, even more so because I managed to make friends with her. Having someone who wasn¡¯t around back then and doesn¡¯t know about my past is really nice, but I have a feeling our relationship is not going to last very long if she ends up hearing the rumors about me.


    Since she just transferred in, everyone is still all over her because she¡¯s the new girl and she¡¯s really beautiful. If I¡¯m near her during this time, I¡¯m also gonna be in the spotlight, and everyone¡¯s gonna remember the rumors again.


    ¡°Hey, Miyuki, you just transferred here, so you should get to know the rest of the class. You¡¯re not gonna make any friends if you only talk with one person.¡± Ayumu started ignoring me and gave Miyuki some advice.


    Is Ayumu worried about Miyuki fitting in? That¡¯s not it, she probably has some kind of hidden agenda. Miyuki is going to take a lot of attention away from her. I can see her helping Miyuki now to put her in her debt. Could she be trying to separate me and Miyuki? Ayumu hates me, I¡¯ve caught her glaring at me every now and then ever since she confronted me.


    I can¡¯t let her take Miyuki away from me. I don¡¯t want to be alone again¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I plan on making friends with everyone. I¡¯m with Iroha now, but we can have lunch together if you want.¡± Miyuki gave Ayumu a polite smile.


    No, I don¡¯t have the right to say anything. We¡¯re just friends. I can¡¯t expect Miyuki to not associate with anyone else just because of me. That would be too selfish. If the rumors don¡¯t make her hate me, my selfishness sure would. If she stays with me, the others are gonna pick on her too, and she¡¯d become isolated just like me. I hate to admit it, but the best thing she could do is to forget about me and become friends with Ayumu.


    ¡°Yeah? I¡¯ll come find you later then.¡± After a curt response, Ayumu turned around and waved her hand as she went back to her groupies.


    I¡¯m feeling nauseous now. I wanna go home. I really can¡¯t handle Ayumu, it¡¯s so suffocating. I don¡¯t even want anything to do with her anymore. It¡¯s not her fault that I¡¯m alone now, but the fact she joined the rest of the class and made fun of me just made me realize I was wrong about her. Appearances aren¡¯t everything.


    ¡°Are you alright, Iroha? You look sick.¡± Miyuki looked at me with worry.


    Is it really that obvious? I really don¡¯t want her to see me like this. I don¡¯t want to burden her with my problems. What would she even say? Would she be on my side if I told her the whole story? She¡¯d probably be disgusted. If I tell her I like girls, she¡¯s gonna ask me if I¡¯m interested in her, and then it¡¯s game over for me. Whether I lie or tell her the truth, I¡¯m screwed either, so I have to keep my problems to myself for now. One day, I¡¯ll tell her.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Class is about to start. You should go back to your seat.¡± I forced myself to send Miyuki away with a smile.


    Miyuki nodded and said she¡¯d talk to me later before going back to her seat.


    Why is everything going wrong in my life right now? First the other world, then the House¡¯s invitation, and now this? How do I get myself out of this? I didn¡¯t even do anything wrong. Is it all just because I wanted to get close to Miyuki? Is it so wrong for me to want something?


    I can feel people looking at me. I hear them giggling at me. Why do I have to go through all this? I made one mistake years ago. When are you gonna let it go? I can¡¯t take this anymore! I wanna go home, but it¡¯s too late right now. I should probably skip class tomorrow. Miyuki is too pretty, so it¡¯s gonna take more than a few days until she stops being the center of everyone¡¯s attention. If she still doesn¡¯t hate me by the time things calm down, then we might be able to be friends, otherwise, it¡¯s back to how my life was before she transferred in. It¡¯s not great, but at least I tried. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna die. I still have my waifus, and I have the VISS Driver now.


    The teacher eventually arrived, and the pressure I was feeling dissipated. I¡¯m still skipping class tomorrow. I don¡¯t want to be the center of everyone¡¯s attention again, and that way, I¡¯ll get some time for myself. I need to take a break. I¡¯ve barely had time to breathe since Miyuki got here. Yeah, that¡¯s it. I should skip for a while. At the very least, I¡¯m skipping tomorrow, and I¡¯m gonna have some fun!

 Chapter 07 – The Cost of Running

    This is so tiring¡­ I can¡¯t run anymore! This is the worst! Whose idea was it to force me to run through the woods? That¡¯s right, it was Katja¡¯s idea!


    What kind of cruel punishment is this? She said this would be good training for me and that it would make me stronger for when I end up fighting, but like, I never agreed to join your stupid house! It was all just a misunderstanding!


    ¡°Wait! I can¡¯t run anymore!¡± I called out to Kajta, who was running ahead of me. I was panting so hard that it was hard to speak properly.


    Why have so many things gone wrong for me recently? I seriously don¡¯t think I did anything wrong. If it were anyone else, they wouldn¡¯t have to go through everything I¡¯ve had. I didn¡¯t do anything, am I being punished for doing nothing? Isn¡¯t there any kind of god that sees how messed up this is? It¡¯s unfair!


    ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t keep going? We¡¯ve just started. Sorry, but just put up with it.¡± We were going uphill, and there were roots and bumps everywhere. Katja managed to avoid all those obstacles while glancing back at me.


    Who does she think I am? Of course, I can¡¯t keep going! You make a complete amateur jog through the woods, and you¡¯re expecting them to last for more than a couple minutes? Sure, I walk a lot, so I have a little stamina, but unless my life¡¯s in danger, don¡¯t expect me to be able to run for much longer than five minutes. And guess what? It¡¯s been five minutes! I think this is good enough considering the terrain we¡¯ve been running on.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure! I give up! I need to take a break.¡± Katja finally stopped running after hearing my pleas.


    Me and Katja were looking surprisingly similar. She tied her bright, pink hair into a ponytail after telling me we were going to run, and I ended up doing the same. She changed into a tracksuit while I was already wearing a tracksuit when she dragged me here. The only difference between us is that her legs are completely exposed because she¡¯s wearing bloomers while I¡¯m wearing pants.


    Running in a place like this with your legs exposed sounds like a bad idea. There are so many things you could scrape against, but Katja managed to pull it off effortlessly. I can tell she¡¯s used to running through here.


    She ran in front of me this entire time, and I must confess that with the short bloomers she was wearing, I got to enjoy seeing her perky butt the whole time. It doesn¡¯t paint me in a very good light, but I¡¯d say that was the sole reason I managed to keep up with her for these five minutes.


    ¡°If you seriously can¡¯t force yourself to keep going, I guess we can stop here.¡± Katja¡¯s ponytail swung to the side as she turned around and walked towards me. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    ¡°T- thanks¡± Katja started walking back from where we came from, and I followed closely behind her. I don¡¯t want to get lost here. I¡¯d rather sit down, but I¡¯m fine with walking as well. The sooner we get out of the woods, the sooner I¡¯ll be able to rest, so I¡¯ll take it.


    The House of Imaginary Boundaries was built on the outskirts of the city, and they apparently have a huge chunk of land near the two main buildings that they use to train. Katja told me that there are a couple open places that they¡¯ve cleared out, but it¡¯s mostly just forests and hills.


    ¡°Sorry to say, but I was hoping you¡¯d do a little better. I was expecting better from someone who said they¡¯d be willing to fight.¡±


    Excuse me? I did very well considering I am a normal girl! Does she understand that? How high were her expectations of me? Was she expecting I¡¯d be able to run a marathon through the woods on my first day? It¡¯s her own fault for having such high expectations. I¡¯m a normal girl, besides Agility Burst, but even Agility Burst wouldn¡¯t have helped. Yeah, I could have gone a little faster for a little bit, but where that skill really shines is in stunts. It gives power to the whole body, so using it just to run is a waste.


    I can¡¯t believe she really said that to my face¡­ I was actually trying, you know? At least a little bit. She¡¯s so cold.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, Shinji asked me to train you, so I¡¯ll see it through to the end.¡± Her voice didn¡¯t sound particularly excited. ¡°It is gonna take a lot longer than expected. I¡¯ll have to rethink the plan.¡±


    What plan? For starters, this is all a misunderstanding! I never agreed to join your little group! ¡°W- what is that plan you¡¯re talking about?¡± I¡¯m not interested in joining them, but if I were, whatever is in that plan is what would decide which skills would become available to me, so I¡¯m at least a little bit curious about it.


    ¡°You said you wanted to fight, so the first thing I¡¯m gonna teach you is how to use a sword. I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s the best weapon for you, but it¡¯s the only weapon I can teach you, so at least I¡¯ll have you learn the basics. The problem is, I can¡¯t exactly just hand you a sword right off the bat, so the very first part of your training is gonna involve running and other exercises to develop your base strength.¡± Katja¡¯s voice gained a subtle hint of enthusiasm when she started talking about training.


    I¡¯m not a big fan of the idea of running and training my base strength, but learning how to fight with a sword sounds really cool. Swords are such common weapons in the game that there are a lot of cool skills in the sword skill tree. It¡¯s a nice plan. Too bad it¡¯s not gonna be followed. As soon as I clear up the misunderstanding with Shinji, I¡¯m out of here. I have to hurry though, it¡¯s getting harder and harder to escape as time goes on. What if it¡¯s too late, even if I tell them it was a misunderstanding?


    ¡°After you learn how to use a sword, or another weapon if the sword doesn¡¯t suit you, we¡¯ll probably teach you how to shoot a gun.¡±


    Wait! A gun too? Cool. Scary, but cool. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever get to fire a real gun. I¡¯m definitely looking forward to it¡­ or I would be if I was crazy enough to accept the invitation. Which I¡¯m not!


    There aren¡¯t as many skills for guns as there were for swords in the game, but there were still plenty of cool ones. I didn¡¯t use a lot of guns when I played the game, so I¡¯m not very familiar with the skill tree. I did find it a little strange to see Katja using a sword instead of a gun, but I guess they do use them. I know they¡¯re fighting fantasy monsters, but that doesn¡¯t mean they have to play by their rules and fight them with swords.


    ¡°Teaching you how to use a gun will be easier, since that¡¯s what¡¯s common nowadays. It will come in handy, even if you can¡¯t rely on it.¡±


    Can¡¯t rely on guns? ¡°Aren¡¯t guns reliable?¡± I was looking at Katja with an absolutely confused look on my face.


    ¡°There are two main reasons why we don¡¯t use firearms as our primary means of engaging monsters. One of them is that they frequently infiltrate populated areas, and we can¡¯t just start opening fire in the middle of a city. It¡¯s too noisy, and it would spread chaos around.¡± Katja looked back at me while walking. ¡°The other reason is that, depending on the monster, it takes multiple magazines to defeat a single one of them. At that point, a couple well-placed slashes from a sword get the same result much quicker.¡±


    Wait, what?! How can that be? Is it stats? Do the monsters¡¯ stats carry over when they come to this world? That would explain it. In the game, without stats or skill, hitting an enemy with a sword or with a gun dealt around the same damage.


    ¡°That reminds me, don¡¯t come here by yourself until we start practicing with a sword, and when you do, make sure you bring a weapon.¡± Katja¡¯s sudden warning caught me by surprise. ¡°There are some monsters roaming around in these woods.¡±


    There are monsters here? But we¡¯re in the real world. I shouldn¡¯t really be surprised. They told me this happens and that dealing with it is their job. It was just a little hard to believe. Have I been in danger this whole time? This is good news, though. Maybe I can find another way to get more skills even if I don¡¯t join their House. If I can find another place like this, I¡¯ll be able to grind as I please¡­ Ahh! I forgot about the surveillance thing.


    ¡°What kinds of monsters are here?¡± The idea of monsters in this place had caught my attention, and I couldn¡¯t help but ask. Katja replied, and the monsters she described were slimes, beetles the size of basketballs, some kind of plant monster, and goblins.


    ¡°Out of those four, goblins are the most dangerous, and also the rarest, we¡¯ve only seen them twice. All of them are very weak when compared to the monsters we find in other places.¡± When Katja finished her explanation, the dorm building came into view. It won¡¯t be long now before I can finally sit down.


    I was glad to hear that the monsters they hunt down are actual monsters and not NPCs like the people I saw in the demon city. They may also target those too, but at least they¡¯re not the only ones they fight.


    ¡°H- hey, if there are monsters here, does that mean there¡¯s a portal nearby?¡±


    ¡°There is. We don¡¯t know where it is since this land is too vast, but we know there¡¯s one here for sure. The only monsters that appear here have all been pretty weak, and they haven¡¯t caused anyone trouble, so we¡¯ve just let the portal be thus far.¡± Me and Katja were finally able to walk more calmly since the ground got better as we started getting close to the buildings.


    ¡°What if it was causing problems? What do you do to the portal?¡± Do they just close the portal? Something tells me it can¡¯t possibly be that easy. Otherwise, this whole problem with the portals and the other world wouldn¡¯t exist in the first place.


    ¡°We don¡¯t do anything. Our job is to handle threats from the other world. After we¡¯re done with the monsters, another team comes in, and they¡¯re the ones who clean up. I don¡¯t think even Shinji knows exactly what they do, but the solution is apparently not that great.¡± Katja shrugged as she explained.


    There is something that has been bothering me for a while. The way everyone here talks about the monsters and the other world sounds as if they¡¯ve never actually gone there. They don¡¯t even seem to know that it¡¯s the world from a game. I asked Katja why they don¡¯t just go to the other world and defeat all the monsters to see how much she knows.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± She looked at me with a serious face. ¡°The portals are dangerous. Just being near one is enough to put your life in danger. If you got close enough to enter one, it would already be too late.¡±


    But that is a lie. The portals themselves are harmless. At least the one I fell into was. She said she¡¯d never tried it herself, so what she¡¯s telling me is just what she¡¯s been told. Either someone lied to her or there¡¯s some kind of reason why I was able to get close and even enter and be fine after it all.


    Either way, it doesn¡¯t really matter to me. Whether or not she knows the truth about the other world and the portals is none of my business.

 Chapter 08 – The Demon and the Angel

    Katja took me back to the dorm, and I was finally able to sit down. There was no one else around, so Katja told me to make myself at home and disappeared into the corridor. She wasn¡¯t exactly being cold right now, she just seemed too uninterested for someone who should be receiving a new member. I sat down on the couch Narumi was on the other day while trying to figure out what I did wrong. Weren¡¯t her expectations for me just too high? It¡¯s not my fault she was disappointed.


    I need a moment to rest after all that running, but after I¡¯m done, I¡¯m getting the hell out of here. I need to talk to Shinji and tell him that it was all just a misunderstanding, and then I hope they leave me alone.


    Now is a good time to go over how this whole misunderstanding started.


    After how heavy the mood in class felt yesterday, I decided I was gonna stay home today. Everything was going fine, and I had a great morning where I got to play a lot. But things went south when I left my apartment to get something for lunch. I just happened to run into Katja. Though maybe it wasn¡¯t even a coincidence, she may have been looking for me.


    She asked me whether or not I had decided what my answer was gonna be, and I couldn¡¯t give her a clear enough answer, so one thing led to the other, and she ended up dragging me to another meeting with Shinji.


    But that¡¯s where things should have ended! I actually managed to tell Shinji I hadn¡¯t decided yet, so that should have been it! He asked me what my thoughts were on some of the conditions and details, but I never said I was interested in joining.


    ¡°Well, if I did join, I would definitely like to learn how to fight.¡± Saying this was my big mistake. We were speaking hypothetically, and I do want to get more skills for my VISS Driver, so if I did join, of course I¡¯d want to fight.


    But that was only if! If I did join! It should have been fine to say that, but for some reason, both Shinji and Katja got so excited that they started celebrating getting a new member. I tried to tell them I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d join, but they kept interrupting me, and then Katja took me away to run with her for training.


    Ughh¡­ I really should have tried to speak up. There wouldn¡¯t have been any misunderstandings if I had just shouted at them. But whatever, Katja¡¯s training is over, so now all I gotta do is go back to Shinji and explain what happened. He told us to go and that he¡¯d take care of the paperwork. I need to tell him to cancel everything.


    I hope he hasn¡¯t submitted anything yet. What if it¡¯s already too late? Is he gonna be mad at me? It¡¯s not my fault they got carried away! I¡¯m still tired, I¡¯m gonna rest for five more minutes, then I¡¯ll go.


    ¡°We¡¯re back! Where are you, Katja?¡± The dorm¡¯s main door flew open, and I suddenly heard a familiar voice. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s you? What was your name again? Iroha?¡± Narumi stopped when she saw me.


    I was getting myself ready to talk to Shinji, so her sudden appearance surprised me so much that I could only nod.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Are you actually going to join us?¡± Narumi came over to the couch and sat down next to me. We¡¯re not right next to each other, but the abruptness of it all made my heart pound a little. Narumi pulled out her phone while continuing to talk. ¡°Having someone new around sounds like fun.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? You¡¯re telling me she actually came back? I can¡¯t believe anyone in their right minds would want to join us.¡± A voice I didn¡¯t recognize passed through the door a few seconds after Narumi.


    I looked its way and saw a cute-looking girl. Her hair was radiant and a mix of beige and yellow, a color not too different from my own, but hers was a lot less saturated than my golden yellow. She had a pair of twintails in addition to her shoulder-length straight hair. Her eyes were blue, and I felt like I was staring at the bright, endless ocean.


    She knew how to dress herself, and while she didn¡¯t match up to Miyuki, she still looked very adorable. She was wearing a mostly white cardigan with some blue details, a blue skirt, and a pair of thighhighs. It was all relatively simple, but it all looked really nice on her.


    The girl was noticeably shorter than Narumi, and Narumi was slightly shorter than me and Katja, but the difference was so small that the three of us are all basically the same height. For some reason, she was looking at me with an annoyed look on her face.


    ¡°Carol, over here! See? This is Iroha! She¡¯s the one I told you about. You know, the one me and Katja found near the ice creams.¡± Narumi was gesturing like she was presenting some kind of revolutionary product.


    ¡°Yeah, doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure that out. So what? Is she actually joining us or not? She¡¯s probably gonna quit after a week, so why are you making a fuss?¡± The new girl looked down at me with her arms crossed. It made me a little uncomfortable, but, like, isn¡¯t that just kinda cute?


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Iroha is gonna be joining us.¡± Katja reappeared from the corridor with her hair down. ¡°She already met with Shinji and everything.¡±


    This is going too fast for my poor head. Since when did I agree to join anything? Stop putting words in my mouth! You¡¯re making it harder for me to clear up the misunderstanding! Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter what they think, Shinji will explain it for them later.


    ¡°I see. She better make herself useful if she¡¯s gonna join. I don¡¯t wanna team up with a deadweight.¡± The new girl looked at Katja with a disgusted look on her face. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re wearing a tracksuit too? Did you force the new girl to train as soon as she joined? Are you stupid?¡±


    Funny that she called me the new girl when I¡¯ve been thinking of her in the same way. I¡¯m also surprised she¡¯s defending me, given how harsh she was just now. That¡¯s right! What¡¯s the big idea with making me run out of nowhere?! You tell her!


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°We were gonna have to start training eventually, might as well start today. I also needed to assess her abilities, so it just felt like the right thing to do.¡± Katja had a half-apologetic look on her face.


    ¡°So wait, is she seriously going to join us as a fighter? I know we need more fighters, but that sucks.¡± She really doesn¡¯t mince any words¡­ This is the second time today that my existence has disappointed someone. Did I deserve this?


    ¡°Is she really? That¡¯s so cool! I completely forgot about that!¡± Narumi was excitedly going back and forth between the conversation and her phone.


    ¡°She said she¡¯d fight when Shinji asked. Shinji told me to help her get adjusted and to give her all the training she needs.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, calm yourselves down.¡± Yet another new person entered the room. I think she¡¯s the last one I haven¡¯t met. ¡°If you want to know more about her, you should ask her directly. Don¡¯t you see you¡¯re making this poor soul uncomfortable?¡±


    This girl was much more imposing. It¡¯s impossible not to take notice of her when she enters the room. She was wearing a predominantly black gothic lolita dress filled to the brim with frills. It was so unusual that it demanded all eyes focused on it.


    As if the dress wasn¡¯t enough by itself, every aspect of the girl¡¯s appearance served to complement something else. Her hair was black, and it was perfectly neat and straight, as were her bangs. On top of her head was a frilly headband that followed the same black and white colors as her dress, with a black artificial flower on one of the sides.


    She¡¯s incredibly beautiful. I don¡¯t want to take my eyes off her, her outfit is so entrancing. She looked at me, and both her eyes had different colors. Her left eye had a dark color, while the other one had a mysterious amber glow to it. Since she was only wearing blacks and whites, her yellow eye really stood out, and it sent shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Iroha. I hope we didn¡¯t make you too uncomfortable.¡± I don¡¯t understand this girl. She seems really nice when compared to the others, even though she looks so mysterious. What¡¯s up with her eye? I noticed she was taller than the first girl when she passed by her as she approached me. She¡¯s probably as tall as Narumi.


    ¡°I- it¡¯s alright¡­ I- it doesn¡¯t bother me¡­¡± It¡¯s awkward for me to be sitting here while they¡¯re talking about me, but I¡¯ve been through worse.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. My name is Hecate Bloodblight. You can think of me as the caretaker of this domain. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    W- what? I feel like I only caught half of what she said. What kind of name is that? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s her real name. And what does she mean by caretaker of this domain? I remember hearing her name when Katja gave me lunch when they put me in jail. Wasn¡¯t she the one who prepared it for me? Well, maybe I actually got everything she said.


    Hecate was a little bent over so we could be more or less on the same level since she was standing and I was sitting, which brought our faces closer than what my heart could take. I know it¡¯s probably just a lens, but her eye is so pretty.


    I ended up introducing myself, but with some difficulty.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so?¡± The other girl turned to the side and started heading towards the corridor.


    ¡°Carol¡­¡± Hecate called out to the other girl and stopped her in her tracks.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced yourself yet, have you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost interest. There¡¯s no need to introduce myself to someone who¡¯s not even gonna be here after a week or so.¡±


    ¡°There is no way you could possibly be sure of that, and besides, there¡¯s no need to be rude, Carol.¡± Hecate stared at the other girl, which caused her to jump when she noticed.¡±


    ¡°Carol Angelis. There. Are you happy now?¡±


    ¡°I- it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Is she mad at me? Why is she glaring? She¡¯s cute, but I don¡¯t get it.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you too, or whatever. You probably don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into, so you should leave before you end up becoming a burden.¡±


    Don¡¯t worry, Carol. I¡¯m planning to do just that.


    ¡°Whether or not she leaves is not up to us. She and Shinji are the only ones who can make that decision.¡± Katja spoke up and stopped Carol from running her mouth off.


    ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s not like I care anyway.¡± Carol dismissed Katja with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°Are you hungry, Katja? You should have told me. I can prepare something to sate your hunger.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I already got some bread. No need to worry.¡± Katja lifted her hand to show Hecate the bread.


    ¡°Are we done here?¡± Carol looked at Katja and Hecate with annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m out of here- Eh?¡°


    Just as she started to move, Carol slipped and started to fall. Hecate immediately reached out and grabbed Carol¡¯s arm, which stopped her from falling. Carol¡¯s momentum caused both of them to spin for a moment before Hecate managed to stabilize them.


    ¡°Woah there! Are you injured? Don¡¯t go leaving the mortal realm just yet.¡± Hecate held onto Carol in a strange pose. One of her hands was holding onto her waist, while the other was holding her hand. It looked like they were about to start dancing.


    ¡°T- thanks, I¡¯m alright.¡± Carol stood up, and Hecate let go of her. She took a look behind her in an attempt to deduce what happened. ¡°Hey, why is the floor wet!?¡±


    ¡°That was me.¡± Narumi nonchalantly admitted. ¡°I accidentally got it dirty after I was¡­ what¡¯s the best way to explain it? Well, I spilled my drink, so I had to mop that place, that should be good enough.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to say anything. Is there anyone else who doesn¡¯t know how to use a fucking mop around here? If you¡¯re gonna do it, at least learn how to do it right.¡± When Carol finished speaking, she tapped the pocket on her belly and forgot about Narumi as she started scanning the room.


    ¡°I have to agree with Carol on this one. If you need something cleaned up, just tell me, and I¡¯ll have it purged from this world.¡± Hecate scolded Narumi. ¡°Someone could have gotten hurt.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I got distracted and forgot to tell you. My bad.¡± Narumi lifted her head from her phone momentarily to apologize.


    Carol spotted what she was looking for and reached for it. ¡°Hpmf, whatever.¡± What is that? Is it some kind of plushie? Now that I think about it, I did see something fly out of Carol when Hecate grabbed her. I looked up at Carol¡¯s face and saw her glaring at me with a red face before she vanished into the building. Is she embarrassed? Why? It¡¯s cute, isn¡¯t it? I think it¡¯s cute.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you.¡± Huh? Hecate said something I didn¡¯t really understand. ¡°Carol told you to leave, but she didn¡¯t really mean it. We¡¯re all happy that you¡¯re here. We need more hands around, and if you¡¯re actually going to fight, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be a big help to us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s been just the four of us for such a long time! I think it¡¯d be really nice if you stayed! Everyone always leaves too quickly.¡± Narumi looked at me with a big smile.


    ¡°Thanks?¡± I¡¯m not really sure what to say to them. Narumi and Hecate are both pretty nice. Katja became really cold all of a sudden, or maybe I¡¯m just seeing things. And Carol¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­ Is she a tsundere? Is that what a real tsundere looks like? I¡¯ve never met one before. Maybe I¡¯m being needlessly reductive by thinking of her in that way. There wasn¡¯t even any dere. She was just¡­ prickly? But the plushie there at the end¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to think¡­


    ¡°What now, Iroha? Is there anything you want to tell us about yourself? Is there any food you¡¯re allergic to?¡± Hecate got closer once again, which made it hard for me to move.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I should probably get going too¡­¡± I have to get out of here and talk to Shinji. The more I speak with these girls, the harder it gets for me to leave.


    ¡°Oh? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay? Why don¡¯t you join us for our nightly feast?¡± Nightly¡­? Dinner? Hecate seemed pleased with herself as she spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I should go home.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I can¡¯t force you to stay. You¡¯re coming back tomorrow, right?¡± Eh? Tomorrow? No way¡­ Why are you asking me that?


    ¡°We have a lot of training to do. Just talk to me when you get here. You can come even earlier than today.¡± Katja spoke up like it was already decided I was coming back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then.¡± Hecate smiled at me as I left.


    The three of them looking at me expectantly was too much pressure for me and I ended up just nodding. What the hell am I supposed to do with three beautiful girls looking at me like that!? Life is really unfair.


    Seems like the whole group is just the four of them. They¡¯re all very cute, and it¡¯s nice that it¡¯s just girl. Carol surprised me with the way she was acting, but she was cute. Hecate was also a lot to take in. Her outfit is super unusual, but also super pretty. Her amber eye was also a big surprise, but I think it fits her really nicely. If there¡¯s one thing that I can say, it¡¯s that she takes a lot of care of her appearance. Everything looked just right, it can¡¯t be easy to maintain a style like that. She seems a little crazy, but I kinda like that¡­ It¡¯s hot¡­


    I ended up leaving without speaking to Shinji. That whole conversation exhausted me too much, so I just couldn¡¯t do it. Maybe I can wait a little longer before making a decision. I¡¯m not entirely sold on it, but maybe joining them wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing in the world. If I don¡¯t like it, I can always talk to him later.


    For now, I¡¯ll just wait and see.

 Chapter 09 – Happy Promise

    *Sigh¡­* I¡¯m feeling anxious. Today is going to be hard. I haven¡¯t even gotten to school yet, and I¡¯m already scared. I can¡¯t be skipping school all the time, and since I skipped yesterday, that means I should go today. Maybe it will be fine. They¡¯ve had a day to calm down, and as long as both Ayumu and Miyuki don¡¯t spend too much time on me, no one¡¯s gonna pay much attention to me.


    School is not even what¡¯s worrying me the most. The biggest issue is that I told Hecate I¡¯d come back today, and I already know Katja is going to put me through another round of hellish training. Is she gonna make me run again? I¡¯m still sore from yesterday. Why did I say I¡¯d go back? I should have just gone to Shinji and told him I had no interest in joining them.


    Well, in hindsight, yesterday wasn¡¯t that bad. I didn¡¯t like being forced to run, but I got to meet Hecate and Carol. I have no clue how I¡¯m going to handle Carol, but Hecate seemed nice. Narumi was also very welcoming, and she¡¯s friendly too, even though she¡¯s almost always on her phone. Maybe I should have followed her example, and I should have done the same when they were talking about me amongst themselves like I wasn¡¯t even there. The best part about yesterday is that the whole visit didn¡¯t even take that long. I think the whole thing took less than two hours since Katja found me until I got back home. I¡¯m not too happy about wasting two of my precious gaming and anime hours like that, but I was still net positive for the day after skipping school.


    The same cannot be said for today. I¡¯m not skipping school, so I¡¯m not gonna have a lot of time for myself.


    ¡°Iroha, there you are.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was on my way to school, and when I got close to the front gate, a voice called out to me.


    ¡°Miyuki¡­¡± I looked up and saw the silver-haired girl walking my way.


    ¡°Hi, Iroha. How are you?¡± Miyuki walked as confidently as ever. Her hair fluttered with the morning breeze, and her light blue eyes were so captivating that I fell in love with her all over again.


    ¡°H- hi, Miyuki. I- I¡¯m alright¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you really, Iroha? You looked troubled.¡± I wish she hadn¡¯t seen that. Why is she here so early?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ life.¡± I let out a little laugh.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I get that. There¡¯s always one thing that is wrong at all times. Good luck, Iroha. You can talk to me if you ever need any help.¡± Miyuki¡­ She¡¯s so nice! I can¡¯t believe I actually suspected her of pushing me into the portal. I need help, Miyuki! I really do! But it¡¯s not exactly something you can help with. I appreciate the sentiment, though.


    But why is she here? You normally wouldn¡¯t stay near the front gate in the morning. Was she waiting for me? No way¡­ But what other reason would there be? She arrived later than me the other day, so did she really come earlier just for me?


    ¡°W- w- were you waiting for me?¡± I was excited by the prospect that she came to school earlier just to see me, and the question escaped my lips.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Kinda.¡± Miyuki crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. Kinda is not a very good answer to my question. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like staying in class, so I went outside to get some air, and since you weren¡¯t around, I just decided I¡¯d wait for you for a while.¡±


    Oh, it was just one of her whims¡­ Even so, I¡¯m happy she remembered me. The two of us passed through the front gate, but we didn¡¯t go to the classroom just yet. It was still early, so we had some time to talk.


    ¡°So tell me, Iroha, where were you yesterday? Did you get sick again?¡± Miyuki¡¯s tone was somewhere between worry and scolding. I wanted to make some kind of excuse, but I ended up folding, and just confessed I felt like skipping.


    ¡°So you were actually skipping. I knew it. You¡¯re a bad girl, Iroha. What did I tell you to do when you wanted to skip?¡± I could see anger in Miyuki¡¯s face, but it was obvious it wasn¡¯t genuine. Is this girl really serious? She asked me to tell her when I felt like skipping so we could skip together, but I still can¡¯t believe she actually meant it.


    ¡°S- sorry, I usually only skip because I have something I want to do, so it¡¯s hard sometimes¡­¡± Although yesterday was not one such cases.


    ¡°Aww¡­ I guess I understand. I do the same sometimes. I always end up skipping when there¡¯s a game I want to play.¡± Miyuki¡¯s expression softened for a moment. ¡°But I would still like to hang out with you again! I want to go somewhere and do something!¡±


    I don¡¯t understand why she wants to hang out with me so much. I¡¯m all for it, of course! Even if it makes me impossibly nervous, she¡¯s so out of my league that I could never bring myself to ask her, so I¡¯m glad she¡¯s taking the initiative.


    ¡°The weekend starts tomorrow¡­¡± I didn¡¯t even say anything meaningful, yet just saying that was enough to make my face go bright red. Now that I¡¯m thinking about it again, making any plans for this weekend is a terrible decision. Who knows what Katja and the others are going to ask of me today¡­ I hope they don¡¯t ruin my weekend.


    ¡°Are you up for hanging out? That¡¯s too bad. I don¡¯t think this weekend works for me.¡± Miyuki sounded disappointed but quickly bounced back. ¡°What about next weekend? Does that work for you?¡±


    I nodded in response. Her proposal is even better than what I suggested. I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m going to be free this weekend, but I¡¯m sure I can make some time for the next one. Even if Katja wants me to train with her over the next weekend, she¡¯ll have no choice but to accept my absence if I tell her in advance.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± I don¡¯t really care as long as I¡¯m with Miyuki, so I wanted to know what she was thinking.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ How about we try to find something wild for you to wear? We talked about it the other day, so this is a good opportunity.¡± Miyuki looked at me while grinning. ¡°That would be seriously fun!¡±


    My face immediately goes red at the thought of Miyuki giving me some kind of bold outfit to wear. ¡°No way!¡± Maybe I¡¯m not fine with anything! ¡°I- I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for that just yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha! What about going to the arcade for now?¡±


    ¡°The arcade is fine.¡± I have better games at home, though. The games in arcades are not really my kind of games. They¡¯re fun for a while, but they start feeling repetitive too quickly for my tastes. Maybe it¡¯s a little better if I¡¯m with someone else.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that face? You don¡¯t like the arcade?¡±


    ¡°T- that¡¯s not it! I- I was just thinking I have games I¡¯d like to play together at home¡­¡±


    ¡°Should I come over to play some games then? I wouldn¡¯t mind that.¡±


    Huh? Miyuki wants to come over? Miyuki in my apartment? Isn¡¯t that basically being married? No way no way no way! Aren''t we moving a little too fast? Wait! That¡¯s dumb. What am I thinking? Calm down, Iroha. I have too many things about my waifus at home, and there¡¯s no way in hell I want Miyuki to see that. I would never be able to face her again. I would love to have her come over, but I have to be rational here.


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­ My room is too big of a mess.¡±


    ¡°I would hope so, that¡¯s part of the fun when visiting someone.¡± Why is she insisting? Is she having fun teasing me?


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want you to see it¡­¡± I would like for us to remain friends for a while longer. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want to talk to me anymore if you came over.


    ¡°That¡¯s surprising, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the type to have a messy room, Iroha. Or maybe I did.¡± Miyuki laughed as she toyed with my heart. ¡°Well, it¡¯s decided then, the arcade it is.¡±


    I agreed with her, and we started making our way to the classroom since class was about to start. Miyuki asked me for my number, and we ended up exchanging contacts. Is she gonna message me? I¡¯m only in the class group chat, but I basically never talk there. I hope I don¡¯t end up saying anything weird to her.


    This was a surprisingly good start for what I expected was gonna be a terrible day. I guess the moral of the story is that I shouldn¡¯t be so negative. I¡¯m going to the House after class, and maybe Katja is going to force me to run, but that¡¯s not the end of the world. Maybe something nice will happen while I¡¯m there. But even if it ends up being terrible, at least I have my plans with Miyuki! There¡¯s no reason to get depressed!

 Chapter 10 – Lies Under the Amber Gaze

    ¡°Here I am¡­¡±


    My day at school went by without any troubles, but now the real fight begins. I¡¯m standing in front of the main gate to the House of Imaginary Boundaries. I ended up promising I¡¯d come back, and now that school has ended, I had no choice but to come here. Well, maybe I did. I could¡¯ve just not shown up, but since I accidentally promised I¡¯d come, I ended up coming back.


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve come here of my own volition. How am I gonna get inside? The last time I was here, Katja was with me, she was the one who took me inside, and I don¡¯t even remember how I got here the first time.


    Is the big gate open? In front of me is a set of two gates. One of them is a wide gate for vehicles to get in, while the other is a smaller one for people to use. I tried to open up the big gate, but it didn¡¯t budge. Is there a doorbell I can ring? I tried looking near the smaller gate, and while I didn¡¯t find any doorbells, it turned out the gate was just open. What a surprise.


    Do they have this gate open all the time? Doesn¡¯t it defeat the point of having a fence in the first place? The fence is taller than me, so it¡¯s not like it¡¯s easy to just climb over. I guess they¡¯re not too worried. As long as they have Katja around, she can probably take care of any intruders. Maybe even the other girls can keep the place safe.


    I¡¯m just hesitating, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯ve decided I was gonna give it a fair chance, so let¡¯s go. I pushed open the gate and headed towards the dorm. I didn¡¯t see anyone on the way there, but that changed as soon as I entered.


    ¡°Hmm? Iroha! It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± Hecate noticed me as soon as I entered and greeted me.


    I still wasn¡¯t used to her, so I awkwardly greeted her back. Hecate was sitting down at the dining table. She was using her phone before I came in, but she quickly put it down, as if inviting me to get closer. I could hear some noises coming from the kitchen, but it seems like it¡¯s just the two of us here. Is she making dinner already? A little early for my tastes, but I think it makes sense. Some things need to be prepared in advance. I only cook quick and simple meals, so I wouldn¡¯t really know.


    ¡°Welcome back to our humble domain. You¡¯re later than expected. I was afraid you had rejected our call.¡± Ehh, uhh, what? Don¡¯t smile at me while saying weird things! Your eye is so distracting that I don¡¯t have any brain power left to process things!


    ¡°I- I was at school.¡± She sounded surprised that I was late, but I¡¯m not really late. I came here as soon as school ended. What more did she want from me?


    ¡°Oh! School. I completely forgot that possibility, but that makes sense. We were under the impression that you¡¯d come during the morning.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I was at school, so I really couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Better late than never. But wait, shouldn¡¯t you have been at school yesterday? I heard Katja brought you here right after lunch.¡± Hecate looked confused about what my school schedule is like.


    In reality, I just didn¡¯t go to school yesterday. She¡¯s right to be confused. ¡°I- I skipped¡­¡± I was embarrassed to admit it since it made me feel a little guilty, so I invertedly turned my gaze away and my two index fingers touched.


    ¡°Really? Fufufu, is that the reason why? I wasn¡¯t aware you had such a devilish side to you.¡± Hecate seemed to find my answer amusing, which caused me to smile as well.


    ¡°Are you gonna look for Katja? She was awaiting you earlier.¡± Hecate wasn¡¯t asking out of malice, but I really don¡¯t want to go to Katja¡­ I¡¯m fine with learning how to use a sword, but making me run in a forest? No, thank you. I wouldn¡¯t even mind joining, as long as I didn¡¯t have to run.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Not yet¡­ I need to prepare myself first.¡± Hecate didn¡¯t understand what I meant, but she decided not to comment on it. Maybe she could tell that I wasn¡¯t looking forward to Katja¡¯s training and just told me to meet her when I¡¯m ready.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going anywhere just yet, do you mind if we talk a little?¡± Hecate is too pretty, so I can¡¯t exactly reject a request from her. I thought she put a lot of effort into her appearance, and I wasn¡¯t wrong. She¡¯s wearing a similar dress from yesterday, and pulling off that gothic Lolita style cannot be an easy task.


    ¡°W- what do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you some questions. Since you¡¯re going to join us, I want to know what your secrets are.¡± Hecate moved her arms and rested her face on her hand. Her face turned into a smile, which scared me because of her yellow eye. Maybe scared is not the right word. Her imposing look just caused me to shiver.


    ¡°My secrets?¡± There¡¯s no way I can tell her any of my secrets! That would be the most surefire way of ruining my chances with all of the girls here. No way I¡¯m making that mistake!


    ¡°I¡¯m just joking. All I want to ask are some normal questions.¡± Is that what she meant? Her choice of words is a little baffling sometimes, so forgive me for being confused.


    ¡°Tell me, Iroha, do you have any allergies? I want you to tell me what your weaknesses are.¡±


    ¡°My allergies?¡± Is that really the most important thing to ask? Didn¡¯t she ask me something similar last time? ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any, why do you wanna know?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna join us for our feast tonight? I needed to know if I was gonna need to change any of the dishes for you. But since you don¡¯t have any allergies, it should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ sorry¡­ I wasn¡¯t planning on eating here.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? No need to be shy, I¡¯d love for you to join us.¡± As much as I want to get close to Hecate and the others, there¡¯s no way I could join them for dinner. It would be so awkward. They all seem to get along, so I would just be sitting there like the awkward outsider that I am.


    ¡°M- maybe some other time.¡± Yeah, it¡¯s better for me to wait for now. When and if I end up getting close to one of them, I might join. I bet life here is incredibly fun for them. Seems like an interesting mix between chaos and peace. I¡¯ve fantasized about similar living situations with my waifus before, but that¡¯s not really a good frame of comparison. What I¡¯m thinking is a lot more romantic than what they¡¯ve got going here¡­ I think¡­ Either way, even if I don¡¯t get into a relationship with all of them, I think it¡¯d be fun to eat here if I end up being friends with them.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna hold you up to that, Iroha. Don¡¯t you dare go forgetting your vow.¡± Please don¡¯t. Hecate was amused by my troubled face.


    ¡°Next question, what made you decide to join us? And now just join us, but also to fight?¡±


    Wow¡­ her question made me chuckle internally. Isn¡¯t that a good fucking question? Even I¡¯m not entirely sure! What the hell am I doing here?! Isn¡¯t it just because I¡¯m horny? If only it was that simple. It¡¯s true that all of the girls here are very cute and attractive. But I told myself that having any expectations is dumb and that if I were to join, it¡¯d be because of the VISS Driver. I don¡¯t want to waste the VISS Driver after I had to go through so much trouble to get it. So really, why am I here?


    If possible, I want to get close with the girls here. Even if it ends up not leading to anything, it¡¯s not like I lose anything for trying. Unlike how it is at school, if I mess up and they end up being disgusted by me, I can just leave and never come back. But the main reason for coming here has to be the VISS Driver. I¡¯ll play along with Katja until she teaches me how to use a sword, that might give me a couple new skills, and maybe I can even get some levels and fight some weaker monsters. I may be more interested in relationships, but learning new skills is what matters.


    ¡°I- I thought it sounded fun to learn how to fight with a sword¡­¡± I can¡¯t tell her the truth but, I¡¯m technically not lying.


    ¡°You know that fighting is serious business, right?¡± Hecate¡¯s face became very serious momentarily. ¡°But I can¡¯t exactly blame you for being excited. It¡¯s not exactly every day that you get to learn how to use a sword. Have fun learning, but never forget what¡¯s really at stake here.¡± Hecate¡¯s face went back into a soft smile. I don¡¯t think she liked my answer very much, but it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s actually mad at me.


    Hecate was back to how she was, but I was still trying to regain my composure. I can¡¯t believe I said something so stupid. She actually scared me a little bit, I thought she was gonna get angry. I couldn¡¯t exactly tell her the truth, and at least she¡¯s not mad, but that was way too close.


    ¡°I think I got a good idea of what drove you to accept our request. Now that you¡¯ve been here a couple times and met all of us, what do you think about us thus far? What are your first impressions?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re all very cute.¡± Eh? What did I just say?


    ¡°Excuse me? Cute?¡± Hecate was genuinely at a loss for words.


    ¡°Ermm¡­¡± Why did I say that? What was I thinking? I wasn¡¯t! I wasn¡¯t thinking! ¡°Sorry!¡± I¡¯m too overwhelmed! I can¡¯t think properly!


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize! You¡¯re not wrong. I think everyone¡¯s pretty cute.¡± Hecate could barely hold back her laughter. ¡°It¡¯s nice knowing that¡¯s not gonna change even after you join us.¡±


    ¡°Wha- Ah- I-¡° Dammit! She caught me by surprise, and now I¡¯m flustered! I can¡¯t even respond! Why is she calling me cute? I¡¯m not cute at all! They¡¯re all much cuter than me!


    ¡°Are you alright, Iroha? Your face is turning red like a puddle of blood. Fufufu, do you have a fever?¡± Stop laughing! You¡¯re enjoying this way too much!


    ¡°W- w- where¡¯s Katja?¡± I didn¡¯t want her to see me blushing anymore, so I turned around and started heading for the exit. ¡°She was waiting, right?¡±


    ¡°Wait, Iroha, you¡¯re leaving already?¡± Hecate was still laughing, but stopped when she was sure I was gonna leave. ¡°She should be near the open area in front of the dorm.¡±


    Kill me. I left the dorm, and Hecate didn¡¯t come after me, but my face was still as red as a tomato. That went terribly wrong. What now? She¡¯s gonna think I¡¯m a weirdo after how I acted. Miyuki said the same thing, and I was able to keep my composure. What went wrong now?


    I was so eager to get out of there that I didn¡¯t realize what I was getting myself into.


    ¡°Iroha?¡±


    I was walking around, trying to cool my face, when a voice called out to me. That¡¯s right. I wanted to go look for Katja to escape Hecate, but going to Katja means¡­


    Training!


    Why did it come to this? I took a deep breath and prepared myself. This is my punishment for running from Hecate. I have to accept my fate. This is it. This is the moment of truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

 Special Chapter – Valentine’s Day

    It was supposed to be a normal day at the House of Imaginary Boundaries, but the four girls found themselves with a curious mystery on their hands.


    ¡°Are you sure this isn¡¯t yours?¡± Hecate spoke to Narumi while pointing at a strange device laying on the dining table, with all four girls gathered around it.


    ¡°Of course not. I always carry my phone with me. Well, not always, sometimes I can¡¯t, or it¡¯s impossible¡­ The point is, I almost never leave my phone behind!¡±


    ¡°But if it¡¯s not yours, then whose is it?¡± Katja was genuinely at a loss. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Shinji¡¯s phone before, so unless this is a new phone, it¡¯s not his either.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t even look like a phone, does it?¡± Narumi, the resident phone specialist, weighed in.


    ¡°Who cares what it is? If you¡¯re not going to do anything with it, just throw it in the garbage.¡± All the fuss the girls were making annoyed Carol.


    But before the girls could decide what to do with the device, the dorm¡¯s door swung open.


    ¡°Oh, Iroha! We¡¯ve been awaiting you! Is this contraption yours?¡± Hecate lifted up the phone for me to see. ¡°I think you forgot your phone here last time.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t¡­ I- I don¡¯t think that¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve tried. Just throw it in the garbage now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty. Take a closer look, Iroha. If it¡¯s not yours, then we don¡¯t have any other leads.¡± Katja beckoned me to get closer, and I saw the device again.


    ¡°Ah! This is¡­¡±


    ¡°You know what it is? No way!¡± Both Carol and Narumi immediately picked up on my surprised reaction.


    ¡°I- I think so¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is a very mysterious device that¡¯s thought to be nothing more than an urban legend!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Narumi leaned in closer, while the other girls had similarly surprised reactions.


    This thing that looks like a phone is actually a promotional device made by a certain game company to promote their dating sim. It uses a mysterious algorithm that¡¯s able to predict which of the girls from the game is most compatible with the person using it. It is said that the device is 100% accurate and that it correctly predicted the favorite girl of everyone who used it. The game itself wasn¡¯t even that good, but the technology behind this device was so impressive that virtually everyone ended up hearing about it. Too bad the device ended up not being mass-produced.


    It took me a while to explain this to the girls but eventually everyone got it.


    ¡°I see¡­ We¡¯ve got a real mystery on our hands. How did this contraption even get here?¡± Hecate poked the thing like it was a sleeping pet.


    ¡°So? What are we gonna do with this thing? It doesn¡¯t feel right to just throw it in the garbage now.¡± Carol crossed her arms.


    ¡°Use it.¡±


    ¡°We have no clue how it got here, and it could be dangerous. Maybe it¡¯s best if we leave it alone.¡± Katja aired on the side of caution.


    ¡°Use it.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine?¡± Narumi chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s just a game. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s actually dangerous. We should give it a try. It sounds like fun.¡±


    ¡°Use it! Yes! Use it! It¡¯s fine! It was just to promote the game¡­ It doesn¡¯t do anything bad.¡± Please use it! This is a great opportunity for me! This thing is 100% accurate! So when it finds out what characters the girls are most compatible with, I¡¯ll get to learn what their preferences are, and I¡¯ll know what to do to win their hearts! I¡¯m a genius!


    ¡°Well, if Iroha says it¡¯s fine, I say we can play with it.¡± Hecate spoke up in favor of my proposal.


    ¡°Yes! This is gonna be so much! Here, Carol, you go first!¡± Narumi jumped with joy and pushed the device onto Carol.


    ¡°What? I never agreed to this! Why do I have to go first?¡± Carol reluctantly took the device off Narumi¡¯s hand.


    She clicked the power button, and the screen lit up. The device ran its mysterious calculations, and eventually it spit out an answer.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    - Your ideal partner is¡­


    ¡°I think it¡¯s done. Any idea what this means, Iroha? It¡¯s just an image of a character.¡± Carol had no knowledge of the game, and neither did any of the other girls.


    ¡°Let me see¡­¡± Carol handed me the device so I could verify the result. ¡°Uhmm¡­ This girl is kinda like a lovable idiot that¡¯s super clumsy and can¡¯t seem to do anything right, but makes up for it with lots of energy and positivity.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Carol is compatible with an idiot! It fits! The two of you were made for each other!¡± As soon as I finished my explanation, Narumi burst out laughing.


    ¡°Oh, shut up! That¡¯s not true! If there¡¯s anyone here compatible with a character like that, it¡¯s you, not me!¡± Carol¡¯s face turned red, and she snapped back at Narumi.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to interrupt, but the device is 100% accurate. If it gave you that character, there must be some meaning behind it.¡±


    ¡°Are you really taking its word as gospel? It¡¯s just a toy! It doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± Carol didn¡¯t seem to care about the device¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine Carol getting along with someone like that, much less being soulmates.¡± Hecate wasn¡¯t sold on the answer either.


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a certain trait that character has that¡¯s particularly compatible with Carol?¡± Katja was interested in making sense of the answer.


    ¡°Hpmf. I doubt it. The only thing good about idiots is that they¡¯re easy to push around. Otherwise, I have no use for someone like that!¡± Carol crossed her arms again while blushing.


    ¡°It¡¯s accurate. Even if you don¡¯t get it, I¡¯m sure the device has its reasons. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some kind of deep reason for it. Maybe you subconsciously crave some kind of balance, or maybe you have some kind of protective instinct that would trigger with a that kind of character, or maybe even-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡± Hecate mercilessly cut off my train of thought.


    ¡°Ehh?¡±


    ¡°Whatever, who¡¯s next? Katja, you go for it!¡± Carol pushed the device onto Katja who was next to her.


    ¡°Me? I suppose it would have to be my turn at some point. I¡¯m not sure what to expect. I don¡¯t really have any preferences when it comes to these kinds of things.¡± Katja clicked the button, and the device did its thing.


    - Your ideal partner is¡­


    ¡°Iroha, you¡¯re up!¡± Narumi passed me the device from Katja so I could interpret the answer.


    ¡°Well¡­ this one is the gentle older sister type. She¡¯s very caring, and she¡¯s the type of girl that likes to pamper and spoil her partner all the time.¡± So that¡¯s what Katja likes¡­ How unexpected¡­


    ¡°What? You want to get spoiled, Katja? Don¡¯t I already do that all the time? You¡¯re telling me to pamper you even more?¡± Hecate faked concern.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t see that coming.¡± Carol looked at Katja with a surprised face.


    ¡°You should have told me! I would have pampered you too if you had just asked!¡± Narumi joined Hecate and Katja started getting agitated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this means! I¡¯m not interested in these kinds of things! The device must be wrong.¡± Katja rejected the answer with a slight blush on her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s correct. The device is always correct. If you don¡¯t get it, it must be some kind of subconscious desire. Maybe it¡¯s a reflection of how you wish to treat other, which in turn gives an answer to how you want to be treated, but there¡¯s some kind of barrier that prevents you-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a game. It doesn¡¯t matter what it says. You do it, Hecate.¡± Katja pushes the device onto Hecate.


    ¡°Very well¡­ time to see what kind of fate this contraption has in store for me.¡± Hecate pushes the button, and she quickly gets an answer.


    - Your ideal partner is¡­


    ¡°Go on, Iroha. What does it say?¡± Carol urges me to explain Hecate¡¯s results.


    ¡°Oh, this one is the blonde foreign transfer student. She¡¯s very open and friendly and has a very bright personality.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Narumi immediately started laughing uncontrollably, and the other girls were smiling as well. ¡°No way! That¡¯s impossible! Poor Hecate would just turn into ash-¡°


    ¡°Ahem¡­ Narumi¡­¡± Hecate smiled at Narumi, and the pressure forced her mouth shut. All of the girls now had the most serious-looking expression on their faces.


    The answer is right, though. There¡¯s no way I can say it out loud since I feel like I would get killed, but the device can¡¯t be wrong. Maybe there¡¯s some kind of reason why Hecate wears such dark clothes and someone with a bright personality is-


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Hecate looked at me, and her amber eye appeared brighter than ever. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    Ehh?


    ¡°It¡¯s just a game. That was an interesting answer, I suppose. It¡¯s your turn, Narumi.¡± Hecate handed over the device, and Narumi felt compelled to take it.


    ¡°Alright. This ended up being a pretty wild ride. I¡¯m curious to see what it gives me.¡± Narumi clicked the button, and the thing did its magic.


    ¡°What does it mean, Iroha?¡± Hecate asked, and everyone looked at me in anticipation.


    ¡°For Narumi, it gave her the intellectual book lover girl. She¡¯s a smart and introspective girl who likes to share her thoughts about a variety of philosophical and some not-so-philosophical questions.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha! That¡¯s a good one! Narumi¡¯s little brain would implode one minute into their first conversation! Ahahahaha! I can¡¯t!¡± Carol laughed both because she found it hilarious and as payback from earlier.


    ¡°What? It doesn¡¯t make much sense¡­ I don¡¯t really get it.¡± Narumi was confused, but the answer the device gave piqued her interest.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a guess from a toy. You don¡¯t have to read that much into it.¡± Hecate maintained that the answers the device gave were just for fun and nothing else.


    ¡°No, no, the device is right. It reads into your subconscious to arrive at the answers, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to understand. For someone like Narumi¡­ maybe it has something to do with the contrast between books and phones, and that¡¯s the reason why they¡¯re compatible? It could be because of-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s everyone done.¡± I feel like I¡¯ve learned a lot about them. I¡¯m glad I asked them to try using the device.


    ¡°What are you talking about, Iroha? We still haven¡¯t seen your answer.¡± Carol pointed out a fact I was trying to gloss over.


    ¡°Me?¡± I don¡¯t wanna do this. I¡¯m not sure I want them to know my preferences! How is this even going to work? I¡¯ve already played the game a little. I already have a favorite character. Many perhaps. I guess I¡¯ll be able to check whether the device really is accurate or not.


    ¡°Here you go, Iroha.¡± Narumi handed me the device. I hesitated for a while before I finally clicked the button. The screen lit up as it looked into my soul.


    - Your ideal partner is¡­


    - All of them!


    Wait, what?! It¡¯s right! How is that even an answer!? The game didn¡¯t even have a harem route. What the hell? How did it know? This thing actually lives up to its reputation.


    - Not the girls from the game. The ones in front of you! All of them!


    Huh? How is this possible? How does this thing know? Is this some kind of joke? Is it just a coincidence?


    ¡°What does it say, Iroha?¡± Narumi asked, and the girls started gathering behind me to look at the answer.


    - It¡¯s not a joke. They¡¯re behind you now. I know. And you¡¯re compatible with all of them!


    At this point, I¡¯m not sure whether I should be happy or scared.


    - That¡¯s right! All of them! You heard me right! You think I can¡¯t tell? I know who you like! You like all of them! You¡¯re greedy, Iroha! One girl isn¡¯t good enough for you. You need the whole group. Don¡¯t think you can hide from me! No matter what, I know exactly what-


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m in my room?¡± What was that? Was that a dream?


    I took a look around to assess my situation. I¡¯m sitting in my usual chair in my apartment. There¡¯s a box of chocolate on top of my desk. I remember! I was eating some of these earlier. Do they have alcohol? I don¡¯t think so, that would be illegal. But if I wasn¡¯t drunk, then what was that?


    Oh, I¡¯m remembering now. Hecate gave me a box of chocolate earlier today. She said it was for Valentine¡¯s Day and that it was on the behalf of everyone, but¡­ that doesn¡¯t make any sense. Valentine¡¯s Day was a couple months ago, and, like, who¡¯s everyone? Is it from her and the other girls of the House?


    Nothing made sense to me. The more I tried puzzling it out, the more confused I became, and my head started to hurt. I was saved by divine intervention as the knowledge of my situation was suddenly imparted into my head.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I get it now¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a special chapter.¡±

 Chapter 11 – No Signal

    ¡°Wait! Katja! I need to take a break! I can¡¯t run anymore!¡±


    Here I am once again being forced by Katja to run. I don¡¯t get what the big idea of making me run in the woods is. This place sucks! The terrain is all uneven, and there are bushes and branches everywhere that I have to avoid. It¡¯s crazy! I get that the difficulty is part of the training, but I really don¡¯t like it.


    It also doesn¡¯t help that Katja doesn¡¯t stop when I ask her to. She only stops after I start begging and panting. Sure, I could keep going a little longer, but I don¡¯t want to, so I have to pretend like I¡¯m at my limit just to get her to stop.


    I think we haven¡¯t reached the five minutes we reached last time just yet, but that¡¯s good enough for me. I¡¯m only here to get some cool skills, not to run a marathon.


    ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯ve barely just started. Are you already at your limit?¡±


    ¡°*Pant pant* Yes! *Pant* This is too much! Please stop!¡± I¡¯m not a great actor, but since I was actually tired, it wasn¡¯t necessary to put up that much of an act.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* Alright, I guess we can stop running for now.¡± Katja slowed down and I caught up to her. Even after she stopped running, she continued to walk without turning around.


    I finally got her to stop! Whew, I guess I can endure running if it¡¯s only this much. I really want to move on to training with a sword. It better be worth putting up with the running. I would also like it if she was nicer to me. She became kinda cold out of nowhere. Can¡¯t we just be friends? Do we have to go through all this? She doesn¡¯t seem like the most sociable person, but then again, neither am I, but I would still like to get along with her. She¡¯s very pretty, and her pink hair is so pleasant to look at. Her figure is really stylish too, how could I not want to be friends? And who knows, maybe something more?


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Katja¡­ We¡¯re going the wrong way.¡± We¡¯re not running anymore, so why aren¡¯t we heading back to the dorm?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, we¡¯re not done yet.¡± Wait, what? ¡°We¡¯re going to walk for five minutes, then we¡¯re going to run again. I¡¯m sure you can run some more after a short rest, right?¡±She didn¡¯t look my way, but I bet she was enjoying tormenting me.


    ¡°R- right¡­¡± I¡¯m not happy with the way this turned out, but the malice I felt from her made it hard for me to refuse.


    My five minutes of rest quickly came to an end. ¡°We¡¯re starting again. Let¡¯s go.¡± Katja gave the signal, and we both started running again. I have no choice but to follow her, otherwise, I¡¯d get lost in this forest.


    We ended up running even less this time. I managed to get her to stop after we ran for two or three minutes. I had to ask her a few times, but she eventually caved. I think she kinda knows what I¡¯m doing. She probably thinks I¡¯m being lazy. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not at my limit, but I am tired. I don¡¯t want to run until I¡¯m at my limit. I heard that pushing yourself to the limit isn¡¯t even good for you. So please don¡¯t make that part of my training, Katja.


    Now we¡¯re actually on the way back to the dorm. Seems like we¡¯re done running for the day. Finally! It¡¯s gonna take a while before we get there. Is it my chance to get close to her?


    It¡¯s kinda awkward to be walking like this without saying anything. I should talk to her, but what do I say? It would be nice if we could be friends, so I want to say something that will make her like me. Ideally, she would fall in love with me, but that¡¯s too big of an ask. I have no clue how I¡¯d get there. I guess the only way to start would be to ask more about her. I need to know more about her, whether I want to be friends with her or something else. But what do I ask?


    I should ask her what her interests are. If she¡¯s into games or anime, we¡¯d have something to talk about, but¡­ Yeah right, there¡¯s no way she¡¯s the kind of girl who¡¯s into that. I don¡¯t know what else to ask, though.


    Maybe it¡¯s better to just skip that step. I may be able to impress if I just choose my words right. That¡¯s what guys do¡­ I think¡­ She seems to like training. Should I praise her strength? Maybe showing my appreciation for her will open the way into her heart.


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    Alright stop! I¡¯m officially revoking my right to think. What the hell am I going on about? There¡¯s no way either of those things are going to come off as anything other than just super weird. Forget about it, Iroha. I¡¯m absolutely going to screw something up if I try to open my mouth here. I don¡¯t have to say anything. I¡¯ll just stay quiet.


    I made my decision not to start any weird attempts at seducing Katja and walked quietly behind her. Nothing could be heard but the sound of our footsteps and foliage being pushed around by the wind. It¡¯s surprisingly calming to be walking like this, but also super awkward! Seriously! I can¡¯t even enjoy this peaceful moment! The silence is making my skin crawl!


    ¡°A- Are you fine with your legs?¡± Hmm¡­? I have the feeling that came out slightly wrong.


    ¡°Huh!?¡± Katja stopped and turned around with a scary look on her face.


    ¡°Ah! No! What I meant was, are you fine running in a place like this with your legs exposed?¡± Her face scared me so much, I thought I was gonna die! I can¡¯t believe I made a mistake like that! ¡°There are so many bushes and stuff¡­ Aren¡¯t you scared you¡¯ll get scratched?¡± Please don¡¯t think I¡¯m weird! I wasn¡¯t trying to make a weird pass at you or anything!


    Seeing her run with bloomers in a place like this both times just made me wonder what she was thinking. I just wanted to say something to break up the silence! How did I screw up so badly?


    ¡°Hm. It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not careless enough to get hurt like that.¡± Katja shrugged and resumed walking. I think I saved it! She doesn¡¯t seem too weirded out. I¡¯m so glad. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s no big deal, even if I get scratched.¡±


    What do you mean it¡¯s not a big deal? You¡¯re a girl, you¡¯ve gotta take care of your legs and your skin. Especially when you¡¯ve got such nice legs. I wish I could tell her to treasure herself more, but I have the feeling she would actually kill me, so I¡¯ll have to refrain.


    ¡°D- do you run through here a lot? Is that why you don¡¯t run into anything?¡±


    ¡°More or less. I¡¯m also nimble enough that I can adjust my movements so as not to hit anything.¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­ Is that so?¡± So it¡¯s a combination of knowledge of the terrain and physical ability. That makes sense.


    ¡­


    Silence! Why are we back to silence? I mean, I don¡¯t really know what else to say, but she didn¡¯t even try to keep the conversation going! She¡¯s still being cold for no reason. Now it feels even more awkward than before! It¡¯s like I called attention to the fact that it was awkward by trying to fix the problem, and now that it¡¯s awkward again, it¡¯s more obvious than before!


    If I had known this was gonna happen, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything in the first place! It¡¯s impressive how consistently I manage to always pick the wrong choices. Even in the dialogue in my games, it happens more often than it should, even when I¡¯m not trying to. I really should have stayed quiet.


    What do I do now? Do I speak up again? I can¡¯t take this silence anymore. I know I should just stay quiet, since I¡¯m just gonna make it worse, but I don¡¯t know if I can hold back.


    ¡°D- do you like training?¡± Oh¡­ there I go again¡­


    ¡°Hm? I do exercise a lot, but I only do it because I must. Whether or not I enjoy it has nothing to do with it. But don¡¯t get confused, what I do is not training.¡±


    Hmm? That doesn¡¯t make much sense. She¡¯s not training? How can that be? Hasn¡¯t she been training with me? ¡°It¡¯s not training?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. What I do is more like maintenance than training.¡±


    ¡°B- but, weren¡¯t we training together?¡±


    ¡°You were training. Training requires you to improve. I¡¯m not improving, so I¡¯m just exercising. It¡¯s just maintenance.¡±


    ¡°You get better with practice and exercise. Aren¡¯t you improving even if you don¡¯t want to?¡± What she¡¯s saying doesn¡¯t make sense. She¡¯s always going to improve if she does something. Even if it¡¯s small, it¡¯s still gonna be an improvement.


    ¡°That¡¯s not always the case. Not for me. I¡¯m not someone who can improve.¡± I had so many questions, but her voice sounded a little sad at the end, so I decided not to probe any further.


    We went back to walking in silence, but somehow it didn¡¯t feel as awkward as before. I could feel the calm, relaxing feeling of the woods once again. I wonder why that is. I¡¯m glad I ended up trying to talk again. I think I managed to turn the situation around, even if just a little bit. I mean, it¡¯s a little less awkward, but it¡¯s still awkward as hell! I can¡¯t wait until we get back to the dorm. I can relax a little if I focus on the sound of the wind, but that¡¯s about it.


    It¡¯s a nice sound. The wind, the foliage, and the¡­ buzzing? Hmm¡­ Strange¡­ I think I¡¯m hearing something buzz.


    ¡°Hm?! Iroha, watch out!¡±


    Watch out? What does she mean by that? I turned in the direction of the buzzing and saw one of those large beetle monsters that Katja told me about flying towards me.


    I instinctively activated Agility Burst and jumped back to get out of the way of its charge. My skill made it easier for me to stick the landing, and I almost nailed it, but my foot got caught in a root, and I ended up falling on my butt.


    Katja pulled out her retractable sword and shot out towards the beetle. Her sword finished extending just as she blocked the monster¡¯s attack. Katja didn¡¯t budge, and the monster got pushed back.


    Katja stepped up to the dazed monster and gripped her sword with both her hands over her head. ¡°I¡¯ll finish you quickly.¡± With a single motion, the monster was sliced in half.


    Wow, that was quick¡­ She really is strong. I still haven¡¯t wrapped my head around what has happened. So that¡¯s a real fight¡­ Not as scary as being chased by dozens of armed demons.


    As she turned around, Katja swung her blade through the air and retracted it back to its more compact shape. Her movements are sooo cool! What the hell? She looks really cool fighting!


    ¡°Are you hurt, Iroha?¡± She said as she got close to me.


    ¡°N- no, I¡¯m alright.¡± She¡¯s sooo cool! I¡¯m getting nervous again!


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± Katja extended her hand with a reassuring smile and helped me get up. I¡¯m getting a weird sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu here.


    ¡°T- thanks.¡± She really saved me. She told me there were monsters in this forest, but I wasn¡¯t expecting we¡¯d attacked by one today. That was really surprising. Almost as scary as Katja when I asked her about her legs.


    ¡°It was nothing. That was a surprisingly good move, Iroha. I didn¡¯t know you could dodge like that.¡± It was good, wasn¡¯t it? All credit goes to Agility Burst. Couldn¡¯t have done it without my lovely skill. ¡°Especially surprising coming from someone who was about to die from exhaustion when we were running.¡± Katja looked at me with suspicion. She doesn¡¯t know about the VISS Driver, so me pulling a stunt like this is bound to raise some suspicion.


    ¡°T- that¡¯s different! It- it wasn¡¯t like running! It was just for a moment, and¡­ well¡­ my life was in danger!¡± Everything changes if my life is in danger. I could run a marathon if it¡¯s in a life-or-death situation. In fact, I did! Not too long ago, might I add.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand that very well. Let¡¯s go. I want to get you back to the dorm quickly.¡± I was fine with that, and we both started heading back to the dorm. She walked by my side and asked me again if anything hurt, to which I replied that I was fine.

 Chapter 12 – Getting into the Groove

    Me and Katja got attacked by a monster on our way back from the dorm after our training session, but we made it back safely.


    ¡°Welcome back. How did your training ritual go?¡± Hecate greeted us with a loud voice coming from the kitchen.


    ¡°It went fine. We ran into a monster on the way back, but no big deal.¡± Katja casually walked in like she owned the place¡­ which she technically did¡­ I think.


    ¡°You ran into a monster?¡± Hecate turned her head around, and her voice grew louder. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. It was unexpected, but nothing I haven¡¯t handled before.¡± Katja shrugged off Hecate¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Hecate sighed with relief.


    ¡°What about you, Iroha? Did you get hurt?¡± Narumi was cuddling with her phone on the couch and asked me while lying down.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m fine too¡­ I fell, but it¡¯s just some scratches.¡± It would have been far worse if not for Katja defeating the creature.


    ¡°Good to know that no one got hurt. Katja¡¯s the type of girl to put herself in harm¡¯s way to protect others, so I¡¯m glad nothing serious happened.¡± Hecate expressed some dissatisfaction with Katja¡¯s usual conduct.


    ¡°It¡¯s our duty. Our job is to protect people from those monsters. What else am I supposed to do?¡± Katja stood by her conviction.


    ¡°Is torturing my heart with worry also part of the job description?¡± Hecate¡¯s voice turned playful. ¡°Come here, Iroha. Let me treat your wound.¡±


    I wanted to say it wasn¡¯t necessary since it wasn¡¯t a big wound, but perhaps because of that very reason, it was easier to just go along with it than to try to refuse.


    I only had some scratches on my hand, so I just washed my hands and Hecate disinfected the wounds. ¡°All good now.¡± Hecate went back to the kitchen area, and I went back to the entrance.


    ¡°That was your first time seeing a monster, wasn¡¯t it? Did you try to fight it?¡± Narumi¡¯s question confused me, which caused her to giggle.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ No¡­ How could I?¡± I don¡¯t exactly know how to fight, I don¡¯t have a weapon, and I don¡¯t have any skills that would help me fight a monster. How was I supposed to fight?


    ¡°You could have just used your fists. Just get in there and punch the thing! I think you could do it!¡± Narumi sat up and threw some punches in the air.


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t think I could¡­¡± What kind of person am I in her head?


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, but Iroha has some good instincts. She actually dodged an attack before I was even able to get to her.¡± Thank you, Katja, for pointing it out.


    ¡°Oh really? That¡¯s interesting.¡± Yes, yes it is, Narumi. That was all me, and Agility Burst. We are an unstoppable duo, and you have no clue who you¡¯re messing with.


    ¡°Do you also fight, Narumi?¡± It felt like a good opportunity to understand their group a little more, so I ended up asking her. I¡¯ve already seen Katja fight, and she looks really cool. I¡¯m curious as to how the other girls do.


    ¡°Of course I do. We all fight. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of us coming here?¡± Coming here? Did they come to Three Records City from different places? I guess that makes sense. Narumi is the only one with a normal-sounding name. I¡¯m curious, but I think it¡¯d be insensitive to ask more. I don¡¯t want to ask something bad by accident.


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    ¡°And it¡¯s just the four of you, or do you have other members?¡± I changed topics and took the opportunity to confirm something I had been wondering about for a while.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not just us. Did you forget, Iroha? Shinji also works with us.¡± Katja was the one who answered instead of Narumi.


    ¡°Would you call Shinji a member? He¡¯s more like our manager than a member.¡± Hecate says while chopping some ingredients.


    ¡°I guess you can say that. We¡¯re the only four members, and we¡¯re the one who fight then. We¡¯re five with you here, but you¡¯re ready to fight yet.¡± Well, yeah, you¡¯re right, Katja. You need to stop forcing me to run before I can help with more important things.


    I got some answers, so maybe this is good enough for today. It doesn¡¯t feel like I made any progress with any of them, even though we actually talked a little. Not with Carol, though. I have no idea where she is. It¡¯s hard to get them to open up. Not like I can complain, there¡¯s a lot I haven¡¯t told them either.


    I don¡¯t know¡­ Was today a good day? Did I say something stupid that I don¡¯t remember? It¡¯s hard to think properly after that monster attack. I need to go home and rest.


    ¡°Are you eating with us, Iroha? There¡¯s enough for you.¡±


    ¡°I- I should get going. It¡¯s getting late.¡± Even with Hecate asking, I still can¡¯t eat with them. It would be too awkward. Sorry, but that will have to wait for another day.


    ¡°Alright. Be careful on your way home.¡± Hecate said while looking at the pan with her back towards me.


    ¡°See ya!¡± Narumi waved her hand as I left.


    The next few days went by uneventfully.


    During the weekend, I ended up going to the House in the mornings, and then Katja would make me run. It didn¡¯t take too long, and I spent the rest of those two days in my apartment, surrounded by my beautiful waifus. It wasn¡¯t a bad weekend, all things considered.


    After the new week started, I would stop by the House after school was over for the day. Spending some time with Miyuki at school really helped alleviate the dread of knowing what awaited me in the evening.


    So much running, and I feel like nothing has changed. I¡¯m not improving. At least it doesn¡¯t feel like it. I know I could try a little harder, but I would still like to see some results by now. If only it was that easy. It hasn¡¯t even been a full week yet. I¡¯m not gonna become capable of running a marathon or something in such a short time.


    I saw Carol again! I hadn¡¯t seen her again since I introduced myself to her, so that was a surprise. She didn¡¯t seem to interested in talking to me, and left right away, though. I think she¡¯s avoiding me. I must have said something stupid at some point¡­ No surprises there.


    Narumi and Hecate have been nice to me, at least. I don¡¯t think they see me as a friend just yet, but they do try to make some conversation and aren¡¯t avoiding me, so that¡¯s something. It¡¯s hard to say I¡¯m getting any closer to them. I still end up getting nervous around them, so all our conversations are pretty bland. Even if they joke around sometimes, there¡¯s always a distance I can¡¯t seem to cross. I hope this gets better soon.


    Katja is the one who should be nicer to me. I¡¯m out here breaking my back for her, and she¡¯s just cold. Does she even know why I¡¯m here? I only follow her training because I like her. She should be more grateful. Wait, no. I¡¯m doing it for the skills. The relationships are secondary. But I¡¯m still following her training schedule. She could be a little nicer.


    She doesn¡¯t talk when we¡¯re alone, and if I try to take the initiative, she only gives me short responses. It¡¯s scary! I don¡¯t want her to hate me, so now I just shut up. I didn¡¯t do anything, though! It¡¯s your fault for having unrealistic expectations of me! You can¡¯t really blame me for that!


    She was so cool when she saved me from that monster, but I still have no idea what she¡¯s thinking.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± A sigh filled with despair escaped my lips while I rested my head on the dorm¡¯s table.


    What do I do? I feel like I¡¯m going crazy. Was it a mistake to give the House a shot? Maybe I should just quit. The meaninglessness of my actions is making me lose sight of my goals, and I don¡¯t really see a way up. Is there even anything I can do? I really can¡¯t tell.


    There¡¯s no one around right now. Katja said she had to do something else after guiding me back to the dorm, and I haven¡¯t seen any of the other girls yet. It¡¯s almost time for dinner, so they should be nearby. Speaking of which, I should head home as well since it¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ve had some time to rest up, so I should get going, but¡­


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± What am I gonna do? Can I get even one of the girls to like me? Even as a friend?


    ¡°Your soul¡¯s gonna escape if you sigh so loudly, Iroha. I could hear you all the way from down the corridor.¡± Hecate says as she enters the open area near the entrance.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Now Hecate caught me making a scene¡­ great¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Did something happen during training? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The worried Hecate sat down in front of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine.¡± It¡¯s nice that she cares about me, but I¡¯m not sure I can tell what¡¯s going on.


    I¡¯m just upset that I can¡¯t seem to be making any progress with any of the girls. She would probably get mad if she knew that¡¯s what is troubling me. I thought there wasn¡¯t anyone here, otherwise, I would have kept my mouth shut.


    Hey, Hecate. I need help getting inside Katja¡¯s pants! Can you help me? And yours too, now that we¡¯re at it! Please help! Is that what she wants to hear? She doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for her if I were to answer her question. Not like I would need to tell her like that. I¡¯d feel better if Katja just wasn¡¯t so cold to me. Maybe she could help me with something like that¡­


    ¡°Are you really fine? You can tell me your demons.¡± I looked up and saw Hecate looking gently at me.


    Can I? I don¡¯t think you could handle my demons. Can I really tell you what¡¯s wrong? I don¡¯t even trust the words I say. I¡¯ve said so many stupid things on accident. I¡¯ve learned my lesson, and I don¡¯t want a repeat of that, so I¡¯m just gonna stay quiet. I know it¡¯s not the right decision, but the risk of me messing things up and making the situation even worse is too high.


    Katja is really beautiful, and so are all the other girls. They don¡¯t compare to the miracle that is Miyuki, but they don¡¯t have to. Comparison is the thief of joy. I¡¯m very lucky to have met them in the first place. Even if things haven¡¯t been going great so far, if there¡¯s even a small chance that I could get into a relationship with one of them, I have to take it. I¡¯m scared. This isn¡¯t an easy thing to ask. Hecate is Katja¡¯s friend, so I can already picture her face growing with disgust if I say something wrong. My intentions may not be the best, but they¡¯re definitely not the worst.


    ¡°Hecate¡­¡±


    This isn¡¯t like me. I should just go home. Our relationship will get better eventually. There¡¯s no need to rush things.


    ¡°I have to ask you a question!¡±

 Chapter 13 – The Obvious Path

    ¡°Does Katja hate me?¡±


    Hecate raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. What made you think that?¡±


    It took all my courage, but I ended up asking Hecate for help. I haven¡¯t been able to close the gap between me and any of the girls, and when it comes to Katja, it seems like the gap is only growing larger. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s so cold to me, and I sure as hell don¡¯t know what I should do about it.


    ¡°I mean¡­ I don¡¯t think she wants to talk to me. She doesn¡¯t talk while or after we train, and when I speak to her, she always seems eager to bring the conversation to an end.¡± It¡¯s okay to tell her this much, right? I haven¡¯t said anything weird yet.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ And that¡¯s what led you to believe that Katja hates you?¡± Hecate tilted her head with a gentle smile on her face.


    ¡°Well, I guess so. What else could it be?¡± I don¡¯t think Katja really hates me, but she certainly doesn¡¯t like me.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Katja doesn¡¯t hate you. She¡¯s not the type of girl to let those kinds of feelings take root. If she does indeed have some kind of problem with you, it¡¯s going to be for a much more objective reason. She¡¯s quite the simpleton when you look at it from that perspective.¡± Hecate giggled to herself.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± From what I¡¯ve seen so far, Katja never really seems to have a strong opinion on anything. I saw her getting excited about my training, but not so much about her own. That¡¯s about all the strong feelings I¡¯ve seen from her. ¡°What could be that objective reason, then?¡± Do I have some kind of big objective flaw that just makes her hate me?


    ¡°Knowing how Katja works, I¡¯d say it probably has something to do with your training.¡± Hecate stood up and straightened her dress.


    ¡°My training?¡± I thought it could have something to do with that. I mean, that¡¯s pretty much the only thing she ever told me. But that¡¯s not really my fault, her expectations of me were just too high. I¡¯ve been going along with her training, so isn¡¯t that enough?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There are a lot of things that it could be. I can ask her for you, but if I had to take a guess, I¡¯d say she probably just wants you to try harder.¡± Hecate crossed her arms with a pensive face.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I need to try harder? How!? ¡°I¡¯ve been going along with her training. Isn¡¯t that enough? What else does she want from me?¡±


    ¡°The only one who knows about the specifics is Katja. I can¡¯t tell you what exactly you¡¯re doing wrong or how much she¡¯s expecting from you, but her problem with you is most likely because she doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re working hard enough.¡±


    ¡°I am working hard! Her expectations are just too high! I¡¯m just a normal girl. Of course I¡¯m gonna be tired if you ask me to run, even more so if you ask me to run through a fucking forest! I can¡¯t do any better than what I¡¯m already doing!¡±


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    ¡°I get that it¡¯s hard for you, but the end result is not that important.¡± Hecate¡¯s face became serious, but she didn¡¯t let herself get agitated, and her voice remained stable. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re doing your absolute best?¡±


    My absolute best?


    ¡°Trying hard is nice and all, but there¡¯s a big difference between trying and doing your absolute best. I bet Katja is more interested in seeing your best than any kind of outstanding performance you could show her.¡±


    But that¡¯s what I¡¯m already doing¡­ No¡­ I guess it¡¯s not. Every time we¡¯re training, I¡¯ve been telling Katja I couldn¡¯t run anymore when I was getting close to the limit, never when I was actually at my limit. I don¡¯t think it would have made that much of a difference, but it really wasn¡¯t my absolute best.


    Could that really be the problem? Did Katja actually pick up on that? That explains a lot of things. The reason she kept pushing me harder would be because she thought I could do more. I remember thinking she was crazy when she told me to force myself to keep going when she first made me run. Was she already able to tell back then? Something similar happened when we ran into that monster. She was happy that I was able to dodge, even though I had told her I was tired. Is Hecate right? Is that really it?


    ¡°You see, Iroha. Trying hard is not enough. I get that the reality of your situation hasn¡¯t sunk in yet, but our lives are at stake here. The reason why our organization begins exists, the reason why we can stay together, is that we put our lives on the line to protect everyone from monsters. Do you understand that? If we don¡¯t do our job, civilians will die because of us, and our group will be disbanded. And if we don¡¯t give it our very best, we¡¯ll lose the ones most precious to us. That¡¯s why we need you to give it your very best. Katja and Narumi are both stupid enough to sacrifice themselves to protect a stranger, and they¡¯re stupid enough to sacrifice themselves for you. That¡¯s why Katja is upset. It¡¯s impossible for us to trust you if you¡¯re someone who can¡¯t do their absolute best. I couldn¡¯t care less for the lives of strangers, but I would give my life in an instant if it meant protecting any of the other girls. Can you say the same?¡± Hecate¡¯s amber gaze pierced my very soul. ¡°Of course not, and you¡¯re not supposed to. The relationship between us is much stronger than with you, you¡¯re not supposed to give your life for us. If it comes down to it, you¡¯re gonna run, and you should, but before then, you need to give it your all. And we need to know that you can do that, otherwise, it¡¯s impossible for us to ever trust you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Iroha, I may have said too much. Just know that Katja is looking out for you in her own way.¡± Hecate showed me a gentle smile and left towards the kitchen area.


    I went home in a half-dazed state, and I couldn¡¯t focus on anything until I went to bed.


    Wow¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to think. I had no idea how strong the bonds between them were. How long have they lived like this? I didn¡¯t mean any harm. I like them, I would be sad if any of them died, but our level of determination is totally different in more than one way, and there¡¯s no way I could deny that. I feel terrible now. I told myself that I¡¯d give things a try, but I didn¡¯t go after either of my objectives with all my might. Hecate shouldn¡¯t have apologized. I should have thanked her instead. I don¡¯t think I could have gotten to the answer by myself. I can finally see a way out¡­ I¡¯m scared that even this might be the wrong answer. But I¡¯ll make that mistake without regrets if that¡¯s what I have to do.


    Another day of school went by without me even noticing. I don¡¯t have time for unnecessary thoughts today.


    ¡°Are you ready to start?¡± Katja asked me as I finished tying up my hair.


    ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± I did some stretches in preparation for what¡¯s to come.


    ¡°You look different than usual, Iroha.¡± Katja shook her arms and legs with a small, satisfied smile on her face.


    ¡°Do I? I wouldn¡¯t really know. I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s changed.¡± I have an idea. I¡¯m much more determined today than any of the other times. Is that what she¡¯s picking up? I¡¯m not sure whether or not that¡¯s gonna make any difference, so I would like to avoid creating any expectations.


    ¡°Really? Because I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s something different about you. You look more energetic than usual, that¡¯s good. Maybe you¡¯ll be able to run for a little longer today.¡± Katja crossed her arms with an inciting look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not sure if I can. I¡¯ll do my best, though.¡± It¡¯s time to show what I can do. I have to show Katja. Maybe then something will change.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes then. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Didn¡¯t I just tell you not to expect anything, girl? Well, I guess it¡¯s fine for today, I don¡¯t plan on disappointing.


    Katja turned around, and we got started with our training. So far, so good. This is just the beginning, so there¡¯s no reason for anything to be going wrong at this point. This is gonna take a while. I have to brace myself, I¡¯m in this for the long haul.

 Chapter 14 – Collapsing Limits

    5 Minutes


    I¡¯m starting to feel tired. This training really is no joke. I can handle this much, though. This is how much I¡¯ve been running with Katja for the past few days, and this is around the time we¡¯d usually stop. I¡¯ve always convinced her to stop before I reached my limit, so I can definitely keep going. I decided I needed to show her what I can do, so now¡¯s not the time to hold back.


    Me and Katja ran through the forest behind the House of Imaginary Boundaries. The sound of Katja¡¯s steady breath contrasted with the sound of my labored breathing. There was a nice breeze in the air, and the sound of our footsteps made for a surprisingly relaxing atmosphere. In a strange way, it¡¯s filling me with energy. When I focus on these pleasant sensations, I can forget about how tired I¡¯m feeling. It¡¯s only a momentary relief, but a very welcome one.


    10 Minutes


    We¡¯ve come a long way. I¡¯m surprised I¡¯ve been able to run for this long. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever run so much before. I¡¯m really tired now. I can still keep going, but I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be for much longer. Katja hasn¡¯t told me to stop yet. She¡¯s glanced back a few times, but that¡¯s it. Oh well, I¡¯m not gonna stop until she says it¡¯s enough, I¡¯ll show her, I¡¯m gonna run for so long, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gonna be begging me to stop. Probably not, but I¡¯ve decided to give it my best today, so that¡¯s what you¡¯re gonna get!


    15 Minutes


    My legs are starting to hurt¡­ Is this the end? I think I¡¯m getting close to my limit. I can still keep going if I try to ignore the pain, but this is really hard. I think we¡¯ve slowed down at some point, Katja¡¯s just matching my rhythm without saying anything, so I¡¯m not even sure. It doesn¡¯t even matter, though. Whether we¡¯re going fast or not, this is still too much for me. Where even are we at this point? We¡¯ve been running in a straight line for such a long time that we must be really far away by now. I hope Katja still knows the way back.


    20 Minutes


    The human body is seriously impressive. How am I still able to run even though I¡¯ve passed my limit a long time ago? I guess that it wasn¡¯t really my limit after all. Katja could call things by now. I¡¯m exhausted, and since we¡¯ve been running for a really long time, this should be good enough.


    30 Minutes


    No¡­ I can¡¯t do this anymore¡­ This is impossible. Isn¡¯t this good enough? I really can¡¯t keep going any longer. This was a crazy idea after all. What the hell was I thinking? There¡¯s no way I could actually live up to Katja¡¯s expectations! There really was never a path for me. I have to give up. I can¡¯t keep going. This was a mistake after all¡­


    Katja glanced back at me, and her cheeks were barely even red yet. ¡°Is that all you can do? Is this the best you were speaking of? What happened to that energy from earlier?¡±


    Dammit! Dammit!


    40 Minutes


    My chest hurts. Every time I breathe, it feels like I¡¯m breathing fire. My legs also hurt, at least I think they do, I¡¯ve stopped feeling my legs a long time ago. I¡¯m running on two scorching rods of iron. When did my bones get replaced? I didn¡¯t even know my body could feel that hot. This sucks¡­ This sucks! This hurts! Why does this hurt so damn much?


    50 Minutes


    This is bad¡­ Hahaha¡­ My eyes are not focusing. What¡¯s going on? When did it get so dark? These shadows look unnatural. I guess this is the end. Hahaha¡­ This is what it looks like, huh? So this is it¡­ Hahaha¡­


    ?? Minutes


    Hahaha¡­ *Thud*


    ¡­


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Iroha¡­ Can you hear me? Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Katja¡­?¡± My consciousness slowly returned, and I saw Katja right in front of me.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯re okay. You had me worried for a second. Here, take this, it will make you feel better.¡± Katja handed me a reusable bottle, and I immediately started gulping it down. I¡¯m so thirsty! This is just what I needed! It¡¯s so sweet, too! I love it! This must be some kind of sprots drink.


    ¡°Thanks, I really needed that.¡± I handed Katja the bottle back. Katja took the bottle back, and only now did I notice her other arm wrapped around my back holding me up.


    What happened? I ended up collapsing, didn¡¯t I? ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t able to keep going.¡± Even though I was so determined, it doesn¡¯t amount to anything if my body can¡¯t keep up.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°What are you talking about? You did great.¡± For the first time, a subtle, genuine smile formed on Katja¡¯s face for me. I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing! Did I actually do it?


    ¡°Really? You mean it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was really surprised by how long you kept running. I was already happy with your performance when you slowed down, but you just kept going and going. I wanted to stop you, but you looked so determined that I didn¡¯t want to ruin your momentum. I should have stopped you before you fainted, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It was good? Really? Was that really alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did great.¡± Katja was momentarily stunned by how I ignored her apology, then she showed me her smile again. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down so you can catch your breath.¡± Katja sat me down on a clean patch of grass with my back against a tree. ¡°Stay still.¡± I closed my eyes, and Katja wiped my face with a towel before sitting next to me.


    This is so nice! She¡¯s actually caring for me! Is this really Katja? I don¡¯t know if I buy it. This ended up being really worth it. I can¡¯t believe I was on the verge of giving up. What a fool I would have been! Now I get to sit right next to her. Our shoulders are even touching! This is great!


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    What the hell? VISS Driver? Look who decided to show up! I wasn¡¯t expecting that. Is this for real, though? Did I actually level up just from running?


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.3]


    [HP: 223/279]


    [MP: 140/140]


    [Strength: 17; Defense: 14]


    [Magic: 5; Agility: 47]


    [Skill Points: 10]


    I actually did. Color me surprised. Well, it was about time after all the running for the past couple days. I swear, the experience gain from things other than combat is terrible. How does it take so long to get to level 3? Wouldn¡¯t a single battle have sent me straight to level 6 or 7? Whatever, at least I got another level.


    I¡¯m glad the VISS Driver¡¯s interface is invisible to everyone else. Katja would be freaked out if she saw this. Also, why is some of my HP missing? Is that from the running? Does that mean I became unhealthy from running? Kinda of a wild message you¡¯re putting out there, VD-chan. Well, I know the problem was actually that I pushed myself too hard, but seeing the effect put into a number like that is pretty eye-opening.


    [New skill available.]


    [Momentum ¨C Nimble (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    Nimble? Nimble is available? That Nimble? It¡¯s not particularly impressive, but I¡¯m glad I finally got one of those skills. You really can¡¯t do anything without them. Let me just verify if it¡¯s the same as I remember.


    [Nimble ¨C Increases the effects of Agility.]


    Oh! It is the same. I really gotta get this one then. Nimble is one of four special skills that are directly related to each of the four main stats. They¡¯re not bad skills by themselves, but the reason they¡¯re pretty much mandatory is that there are a lot of other skills locked behind them. They¡¯re also not tied to a specific skill tree and appear in all trees where there are skills locked behind them. Right now, Nimble in the Momentum Tree, and if I get it now, it will appear and unlock skills in other trees. Mind is the only other tree I¡¯ve got locked in so far, and it¡¯s possible that it might also unlock some skills there at some point, though I don''t really see how.


    Well, it¡¯s an important skill that I¡¯m going to have to get at some point, so I might as well get it now. It¡¯s a cheap skill. 10 Skill Points is the minimum a skill can cost, so it¡¯s not that big of an investment.


    [Skill ¨C Nimble acquired.]


    [Skill Points: 0]


    And done! Now I¡¯m broke yet again. You¡¯re no Agility Burst, but I¡¯m expecting you to carry your own weight, Nimble. I¡¯m not too worried, I know you will.


    [New skills available.]


    What?!


    [Momentum ¨C Running (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Momentum ¨C Forest Explorer (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Momentum ¨C Parkour (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    [Momentum ¨C Wall Artist (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    [Momentum ¨C Stamina Boost (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    Woah! That¡¯s too much! Nimble, was that you?! I know I said I was expecting a return on investment, but that was too quick! Yeah, can confirm, they¡¯re all dependent on Nimble¡­ Wow¡­ That¡¯s a lot of skills all of a sudden. This is great! Really great! It just sucks that now I don¡¯t have the skill points to get them! I guess I asked for this. It¡¯s better to have so many options that I can¡¯t afford them all than to have no options at all.


    Parkour sounds like a really fun skill. It¡¯s the kind of skill I was thinking of when I decided to see what possibilities the VISS Driver held for me. Some of them sound a little more boring, like Running or Stamina Boost, but I might want to get them at some point. Stamina is all that matters in a lot of situations.


    Ahahahaha! I finally got some new skills I can buy, so now I just need to get more levels. This is going better than expected! I wasn¡¯t expecting to get so many skills out of nowhere. I thought it was going to be something more gradual.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Your breathing is not labored anymore. Are you feeling better?¡± Katja got up and turned towards me.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m feeling better now. I¡¯m still incredibly tired, though.¡± Sitting down and the sports drink really helped me regain my strength.


    ¡°I really should have stopped you earlier, I¡¯m sorry. Can you stand? It¡¯s starting to get dark, we need to head back to the dorm soon.¡± I tried to stand up, and Katja supported me, but I was so tired that I couldn¡¯t support myself.


    ¡°My legs hurt¡­ I don¡¯t think I can walk.¡± This is bad! We must be so far away after running for so long. Katja can still move, but there¡¯s no way I can make it back to the dorm. ¡°What do we do?¡± Can she call for help? Am I going to die here? After everything I¡¯ve gone-


    ¡°Hold still.¡± Katja noticed my worry, and her face turned serious.


    ¡°Huh? Wha-¡°


    Katja crouched down beside me and wrapped her arm around my legs before lifting me up like a princess. Kyaaaa! Is this really happening?! I¡¯m gonna pass out again!


    ¡°Katja! I¡­ Uhmm¡­¡± This position¡­ Why is she holding me like this? Am I dreaming? Is this heaven? My face is burning. Her face is so close! She¡¯s way too cool! You can¡¯t expect my heart to be able to take this after what it¡¯s been through today!


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry you back. Just relax, Iroha.¡± Katja was smiling, completely composed, while I looked like a complete mess.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ This is¡­¡± Too embarrassing! This is like a dream come true, but it¡¯s really embarrassing! She can clearly see my face getting red, and I¡¯m all sweaty and gross! I don¡¯t want her to carry me like this! I don¡¯t want her to see me like this!


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Iroha. I don¡¯t mind. You¡¯re so light that this is nothing for me.¡± Sounds rude, but it¡¯s not you I¡¯m worried about! It¡¯s me! I was not ready to be carried like this! I¡¯ve fantasized about situations like this more than a few times, but usually I¡¯d be the one on the other side! For my first experience to be something like this¡­ I can¡¯t say I dislike it, but I¡¯m about to burst with joy!


    ¡°What about my apartment?¡± Right! Even if you carry me back to the dorm, then what? I¡¯m still gonna have trouble getting home! Come on, you have to find a better way to handle this that doesn¡¯t involve this embarrassing position!


    ¡°Right¡­ I forgot you weren¡¯t living with us. Well, I can just carry you home. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not gonna leave you behind. Just rest for now.¡± Once again, that is not what I¡¯m worried about! Katja shifted my position a little so that I could rest my head up against her.


    I can¡¯t win! My brain stopped working a while ago. The fact that this train of thought even exists is a miracle, I tell you! I didn¡¯t want her to see my embarrassing expressions, so I buried my face on her chest. This is only gonna make it even harder for me to control myself, but hiding my face is a more pressing issue for me. She¡¯s the one who started carrying me out of a sudden, so she can¡¯t blame me if I take the opportunity to enjoy myself as well!


    I could have sworn we ran on a straight line, but we must have turned around at some point, seeing as it didn¡¯t take that long before we made it back to the buildings of the House of Imaginary Boundaries. The path we arrived on was different from the one we¡¯ve been using to enter the forest.


    Luckily, the streets of Three Records City weren¡¯t busy anymore, and no one saw us on the way to my apartment. Actually, it¡¯s not that the streets weren¡¯t busy. I¡¯m sure the streets are super busy in the more populated areas near the schools and stuff. It¡¯s just that the House is built on the outskirts, so it¡¯s just small residential areas between them and my home.


    Katja almost entered my apartment, but I managed to fend her off. My legs got a sudden burst of strength, and I was able to move around again as long as I held onto something, so she was able to go back without needing to stay to take care of me. What an embarrassing day. I really hung in there, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m gonna have sweet dreams today.

 Chapter 15 – The Stuff of Dreams

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± I announced my arrival at the dorm with uncharacteristically high energy.


    ¡°Geh, you still haven¡¯t quit yet? You¡¯re a persistent one.¡± To my surprise, I was immediately faced with Carol, who immediately recoiled when she saw me.


    ¡°C- Carol¡­ I- It¡¯s you¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me. You got a problem with that?¡± Carol¡¯s desaturated beige twintails swung as she turned towards me with her hands on her hips.


    ¡°N- no¡­ I¡¯m happy to see you¡­¡± And scared, but that¡¯s beside the point. ¡°Do you know where Katja is?¡±


    ¡°Are you blind or something?¡± Carol turned her blue eyes towards the dining area. ¡°She¡¯s right there.¡± There weren¡¯t any walls between us, so I could see Katja from the entrance after following Carol¡¯s gaze. Maybe I really am blind.


    ¡°Katja!¡± I started moving towards Katja while Carol brushed me off and sat down on the couch away from us.


    ¡°Hi, Iroha. Were you looking for me?¡± The atmosphere around Katja was surprisingly relaxing. The table in front of Katja was filled with all kinds of tools that she was using to maintain her sword, but she herself remained serene. She stopped swiping her sword as I got closer and looked up at me.


    ¡°Mhmmm¡­ Yeah.¡± Oh no¡­ Remembering what happened yesterday is making my heart race! I can still feel the warmth from her arms as she carried me. This is bad! Even just looking at her face is too much after seeing it from so up close yesterday. I can¡¯t stop blushing!


    ¡°You seem pretty energetic considering how much you pushed yourself. So why were you looking for me? Do you need something?¡± This is sooo good! I knew she was cool, but she¡¯s also really cute now that I can see her smile! I really want to make her mine now! Maybe she would let me play with her hair. No no no no, it¡¯s too early for that. How can I get carried away so easily? I really am an idiot.


    ¡°We have an agreement, don¡¯t we?¡± Do I need to be the one reminding you, Katja? It¡¯s time for our daily training, isn¡¯t it? ¡°By the way, will you carry me if I end up collapsing again?¡± Cause I¡¯m collapsing again! I promise you that! Oh, I can¡¯t wait! I¡¯m gonna run so hard, you won¡¯t even be able to recognize me anymore!


    ¡°If it comes down to that, of course I¡¯ll carry you again, but I really don¡¯t want you pushing yourself so hard that you end up fainting anymore.¡± Katja looked at me with a stern but caring look. ¡°I also need to apologize for bursting your bubble, but we¡¯re not going to be running all that much anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh? What? Why?¡± That is so cruel! You can¡¯t give me a taste of heaven and then strip it away from me immediately! I wanna get carried again!


    ¡°I¡¯m satisfied with the results of your training thus far, and I think we should move onto sword training.¡±


    Oh! That¡¯s incredible news, actually. I was so horny to be carried again that I ended up losing sight of my real goals again. The real reason why I decided to try joining the House was to get cool skills, and since combat skills are the coolest, it just seemed like the right choice. Relationships were also important, and I ended up getting tunnel vision just because I got a little lucky.


    ¡°What?¡± Carol overheard our conversation and raised her voice. ¡°Are you seriously gonna start teaching her how to fight already? Isn¡¯t that too soon?¡±


    I don¡¯t get what Carol¡¯s problem with me is. Why does she sound so displeased? I shouldn¡¯t be so quick to judge. Maybe her worries are similar to Katja¡¯s, and she¡¯s just scared of going into battle with a complete newbie. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be a newbie by the time I actually accompanied them to fight, but I don¡¯t blame her for not being able to trust me that easily.


    ¡°There¡¯s never really a good time for when someone¡¯s ready to move on and start learning something new. I¡¯m happy with Iroha¡¯s progression, so I think we can start training her with a sword for now. Are you worried about it?¡±


    ¡°Hpmf! I don¡¯t care what you two get up to. Have fun with your swords or whatever.¡± Carol got up and disappeared into the hallway. What was that all about?


    ¡°Sorry about Carol, Iroha. She¡¯s a good girl, even if it doesn¡¯t look like it. I think she doesn¡¯t want to lose to you, and that makes her see you as an enemy of sorts.¡± Hmm¡­? How is she gonna lose to me? Aren¡¯t we on the same side? I don¡¯t really get it, but I¡¯m sure Katja knows what she¡¯s talking about. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll warm up to you in no time, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°I ¨C it¡¯s alright¡­ It doesn¡¯t really bother me.¡± Carol¡¯s generally cute, so it¡¯s hard for me to hate her. She¡¯s also cute when she gets angry, so I¡¯m actually happy to see her annoyed face. She didn¡¯t drop any plushies on the way out today. Otherwise, I might have been able to see her cutem embarrassed face too. ¡°Uhmmm¡­ So when are we starting the new training? Right now?¡±


    ¡°Whatever happened to the lazy Iroha who¡¯d give up after running for five minutes?¡± Katja giggled because of my question. ¡°We¡¯re not training today. And maybe not for a while. You should be resting after how hard you pushed yourself yesterday. Honestly, you shouldn¡¯t even have come here today. You should have just stayed at home, resting. I can¡¯t understand how you¡¯ve recovered so quickly.¡± Recovered is a strong word. My body is sore and hurts all over, if it weren¡¯t for the injection of happiness that being carried by Katja gave me, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to move.


    Well, whatever. Things have been going well lately. I¡¯m closer than ever to learning some cool combat skills, and I¡¯ve grown closer to Katja too. She¡¯s a lot more friendly and approachable now. So I guess she is right, and I should take a break for a couple days. I also have that date planned with Miyuki, so this is the perfect opportunity to prepare myself for that! Oh, I can¡¯t wait! Everything¡¯s going so well now!


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I think I¡¯ll go home then.¡±


    ¡°Already? You don¡¯t have to leave just because we¡¯re not training. You¡¯re more than welcome to stay if you just feel like it.¡± I was happy that Katja wanted me to stay, but I told her I had other things to do, and we parted ways.


    I spent the next few days resting, and I went back to my old, perfect, happy lifestyle until the day to meet up with Miyuki arrived. I¡¯ve been talking with Miyuki pretty much every day at school, but I was still looking forward to this very much. I didn¡¯t want her to think poorly of me, so I ended up leaving the house earlier so she wouldn¡¯t have to wait for me.


    We were meeting up halfway between our school and that one ice cream store. There¡¯s an intersection on the way to the arcade that Miyuki said works well for her. I sat down on a sidewalk bench bathed by the mild spring sun while waiting for her, and since I had left so early, I had to wait a bit until Miyuki showed up.


    ¡°Iroha, hi! Did I make you wait?¡± Miyuki¡¯s words really made this feel like a date, and my heart started pounding before I even looked at her.


    ¡°Miyuki!¡± I turned around and saw her approaching me calmly while gently waving her hand. There are never many people walking around, so it was easy for her to spot me.


    I should have seen it coming, but Miyuki was wearing yet another outfit I hadn¡¯t seen yet, and it looked absolutely amazing on her. She was wearing a stylish, mostly white dress that left her shoulders exposed. She was also wearing sunglasses and carrying a bag with her. She really looks like a model today. Is that what she was going for? She looks really good. I haven¡¯t been getting as nervous around her lately, but with her looking so nice, it¡¯s hard for me to stay calm. She looks good with anything. I swear.


    ¡°You look great!¡± I couldn¡¯t contain my admiration, and I blurted out my honest feelings while my face got warmer.


    ¡°You think so?¡± Miyuki energetically took off her sunglasses and placed them in her bag. ¡°I haven¡¯t used these clothes since I got them a couple months ago. I¡¯m glad you liked them, Iroha.¡± Ahhh¡­ Is that another impulse purchase I spot? Miyuki, Miyuki, what am I gonna do with you? You look absolutely adorable, so I have no choice but to let it slide this time.


    ¡°I knew it, Iroha. You got an eye for fashion. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have complimented my outfits. We really need to go shopping for clothes together. I swear we¡¯ll find something great for you!¡± Miyuki sat down next to me and excitedly closed the gap between us.


    ¡°I- I can¡¯t¡­ I- it¡¯s too early for me!¡± It¡¯s also too early for you to be bringing your face so close to me! Let me retain my sanity for a little longer.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Fine, fine¡­ I¡¯m not giving up, though. One of these days, for sure.¡± Miyuki got up, and I did too, since we were going to move soon. ¡°Say, Iroha. Are we on a date? This kinda feels like a date.¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡± Don¡¯t say it! You¡¯re gonna make me freeze up! ¡°D- date?¡±


    ¡°Come on, Iroha, I was just making a joke. You¡¯re gonna make me feel embarrassed with a reaction like that.¡± Miyuki¡¯s face got slightly red, and she retreated into a bashful pose. So adorable!


    ¡°Y- you shouldn¡¯t joke about things like that!¡± I crossed my arms with anger in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. Reminds me of a certain someone.


    ¡°I got it, I got it. Shall we get going then?¡± I nodded in response to Miyuki¡¯s question, and we headed towards the arcade. A little after five minutes, we were there.


    We entered the arcade, and it was a dim place filled with bright lights. A very normal arcade, from what I know. The place wasn¡¯t filled to the brim, but there were plenty of people around, and since the people in this city ended up being younger, everyone here was around the same age as us. Not like I care, Miyuki¡¯s the only one I have eyes for.


    ¡°Where do we start?¡± This isn¡¯t exactly the kind of place I frequent, so I asked Miyuki for her opinion.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Let¡¯s take a look around until we find something good.¡± Miyuki and I walked side by side as we checked what the arcade had to offer. I don¡¯t know how often she goes to arcades in general, but she said it was her first time here.


    We saw some interesting stuff, but we weren¡¯t really sure where to start. ¡°There are lots of games here.¡± I had a different image of an arcade. There are more than just arcade games here. There¡¯s air hockey, crane games, and other things like that. I¡¯ve seen them in anime before, but I didn¡¯t think it would actually look like that.


    ¡°Silly Iroha, of course there are lots of games here, we¡¯re in an arcade. Were you expecting to see weights and treadmills?¡± Did someone say training? I want to faint into Katja¡¯s arms now! Come on, Miyuki. Why are you bringing up other girls when I¡¯m with you?


    ¡°I have an idea!¡± Miyuki stopped. ¡°Wanna make a bet?¡± Miyuki looked at me with a grin.


    ¡°A bet?¡± That really came out of nowhere.


    ¡°We¡¯re at an arcade, so I think we can make things more fun if there¡¯s something on the line when we play.¡±


    ¡°Do you play these kinds of games often?¡± I¡¯m a little scared of what a bet with Miyuki might entail, considering how wild she can be sometimes.


    ¡°Not really, but I know my way around games, so I¡¯m confident I can pick them up quickly. How about you, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s the same for me.¡± Considering how many I play games, I¡¯m pretty confident in my skills to pick up and play new games. ¡°What are you thinking for the bet?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question. What would make for a good bet? If I win, I want to take some pictures of you wearing all kinds of different cosplays!¡± What?! That¡¯s even worse than trying out her outfits! Though cosplaying sounds a little fun¡­ But no, it¡¯s not for me! It would look terrible on me!


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like that¡­ What would I get if I won?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯m not really sure what would be good. Let¡¯s just say that if you win, I¡¯ll do any one thing you ask. How does that sound?¡± PFFT! Are you serious?! Is this girl crazy? Anything? She¡¯ll do anything?! Aren¡¯t you worried I¡¯ll ask you for a kiss? I mean, a kiss is nothing! I¡¯m gonna ask for more! There¡¯s no way I can pass up the opportunity! The fact she was willing to make such a bet tells me that she¡¯s confident, but¡­


    ¡°A- alright¡­¡± It¡¯s time to put my gamer pride on the line and channel my sick gamer skills. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I¡¯m not gonna let it slip! I have to give it my all! ¡°You¡¯re on!¡±

 Chapter 16 – Real Fight

    ¡°I won?¡± The game me and Miyuki decided to play was a racing game. None of us had a lot of experience with racing games, so we decided it was a nice, neutral ground for our bet. It was a fairly simple game, so it was really easy to pick up. All we could do was accelerate, brake and turn, so there wasn¡¯t a lot we could screw up. We clearly weren¡¯t used to playing on a steering wheel, so we crashed the first few turns, but that was nothing. We turned it around, and at the end of the third lap, we finished first and second place.


    ¡°No way! I swear I was ahead on my side!¡± Miyuki was looking back and forth between both our screens.


    ¡°You can just look at the finish times.¡± Even I was a little unsure of who had actually won, but the numbers don¡¯t really lie.


    ¡°That was so close! I can¡¯t believe it. Well, congratulations, Iroha. You won.¡± Miyuki sat sideways as she turned towards me.


    I actually won, huh? I can¡¯t believe it! Our bet was that she would do anything I asked. I won a crazy bet like that!? Oh no¡­ I¡¯m getting excited already¡­ Is she really willing to do anything? ¡°T- t- then¡­ Do I win the bet?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Iroha. This is only the first game, d- did you think it was already over?¡± Miyuki got up with her arms crossed and a troubled expression. Is she trying to change the rules of the bet? We didn¡¯t go into too much detail, but I thought it was just one game.


    ¡°Was that the rule? Are you trying to change the rules?¡± It did feel too good to be true. Whatever I want just for winning a single game¡­ It¡¯s too much. Though she would probably have made me cosplay if I had lost, so it would be fair. We¡¯re both putting our lives on the line here.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ No¡­ Of course I¡¯m not changing anything. What kind of idea is that, Iroha?¡± Miyuki¡¯s face gave it all away, she looked like a child who got caught by their parents doing something they shouldn¡¯t. ¡°We¡¯re not just gonna play one game, right? Making a bet for every single game would be too much, and making a bet just for the first one would make the others boring, right? The only thing to do is place a bet on our overall score at the end. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Yeah, yeah, I know what you¡¯re doing, and it¡¯s alright. ¡°Okay.¡± If I try to press you, you might call the whole thing off, and this opportunity is too big to pass up. All I have to do is win. That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll do it!


    ¡°I always knew you were a smart girl! Alright then, next game!¡± Miyuki energetically got away from the racing game, and I followed after her.


    For the next couple hours, we went all over the arcade, hoping from game to game to see who would come out victorious at the end. We played everything we wanted to play, and more than just video games. The last round was air hockey, and that ended up tiring us out, so we got away from the games to grab a can of soda from a vending machine. So refreshing¡­ I really needed something cool after sweating so much.


    ¡°Whew¡­ That tired me out.¡± Miyuki drank her can of soda while we leaned against a wall.


    ¡°We got really into it, didn¡¯t we?¡± I agreed with Miyuki, and my mouth curled into a wry smile.


    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m not sure I wanna keep going. Should we just call it here? I think we¡¯ve played enough for one day, and there¡¯s nothing else that really catches my eye.¡±


    ¡°We can stop. That¡¯s fine by me.¡±


    ¡°That was a lot of fun!¡± Miyuki stretched her arms with a smile on her face. ¡°What was the final score anyway? Sixteen to fifteen, my win?¡±


    ¡°It was a tie! Sixteen to sixteen! Don¡¯t try to cheat!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you noticed?¡± Miyuki looked at me with a grin on her face.


    Now, you might think I¡¯m disappointed it ended up in a tie, since that means I just lost my wonderful opportunity to get Miyuki to do whatever I want, but that¡¯s wrong. I may have won the first round, but there was a long time where I was the one playing catch up, and the mental pressure really wore me down. I don¡¯t want to imagine what Miyuki might make me wear if we were to play another round, so at this point, I¡¯m just glad it¡¯s over!


    ¡°So? What are we gonna do about the bet?¡± Miyuki tossed both of our empty cans into the garbage. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t feel good to just forget about it after everything we¡¯ve been through.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I see what you mean¡­ What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Can you look at me, Iroha?¡± I had no idea what Miyuki was thinking, so I just did what she asked.


    *Snap!* In a split second, there¡¯s a tingling of the top of my head, and I hear the sound of a picture being taken.


    ¡°Wha-?¡± Before I even had time to react, Miyuki put some rabbit ears on top of my head and took a picture of me with her phone.


    ¡°Ohh¡­ This came out great! You look adorable, Iroha!¡± I couldn¡¯t tell from her voice whether she actually liked the photo or if she was just having fun teasing me.


    ¡°Miyuki! Delete that!¡± That¡¯s so embarrassing! She showed me the photo for a moment, and I tried to grab her phone, but she dodged my hand. Should I use Agility Burst? I have to delete that image!


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    ¡°Calm down, calm down. This is part of the bet, so you have no right to complain. It ended in a draw, so this is just the minor prize.¡± Miyuki used her free hand to keep me at a distance.


    ¡°You¡¯re making things up!¡± I gave up on taking her phone but continued to glare at her. I can¡¯t believe she took such an embarrassing photo of me. My face looks so goofy, and seeing those rabbit ears on my head makes me cringe so much! ¡°I never agreed to this. What¡¯s my minor prize? Do I not get one?¡±


    ¡°You probably should. I didn¡¯t really think about that. Let¡¯s see, your part of the bet went from cosplaying and letting me take pictures into a single picture with a pair of adorable rabbit ears, so how would my part change?¡± Miyuki stated to think while looking at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if it¡¯s not good enough, I want you to delete that picture!¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯d do any one thing if you won. What¡¯s the minor prize for that? How about I answer any one question you ask? Does that sound fair?¡± Miyuki put her phone in her bag like it wasn¡¯t going to be needed anymore. ¡°Is there something you want to ask of me?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Fine, I agree¡­¡± I¡¯m not really sure what I want to ask, though¡­ ¡°D- do you like me?¡± Was that too blunt? I mean, I really want to know what¡¯s her obsession with taking photos of me and trying to dress me in all kinds of different things. Is she in love with me? There¡¯s no way that could possibly be the case, but even I¡¯m not sure at this point anymore. She¡¯s way above my level, but if this is her way of giving a sign that I¡¯m just too dense to pick up, then I really need to ask!


    ¡°Of course I do. I wouldn¡¯t be here having fun with you if I didn¡¯t like you.¡± Ahh¡­ Miyuki¡¯s beautiful smile is blowing all my weird thoughts away. I made a mistake. She likes me as a friend. My question wasn¡¯t clear enough, so she didn¡¯t even hesitate¡­ I think I could still clear up the misunderstanding, but that would be too embarrassing. I¡¯m also happy she said she likes me, even if it¡¯s just as friends, so I¡¯ll take that for now.


    It was getting late, so we started getting ready to leave. A lot of crazy things happened, but that was a lot of fun. Miyuki really is perfect, I just can¡¯t get enough of her. We passed by some claw machines on the way out. I think I saw Miyuki looking at them earlier, did she see something she liked? I bet she would be really happy if I gave it to her as a gift. We¡¯re just friends, so wouldn¡¯t giving her a gift like this be a little weird? Hmm¡­ I think it could work. But claw machines are a bit of a scam, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯ve heard there are some techniques, but since I¡¯m completely experienced, I¡¯d just be gambling my money away. Yeah¡­ No, I¡¯m not falling for that. I¡¯d rather just buy her a gift later, it¡¯s much smarter thing to do.


    We left the arcade and went home. It was a very fun afternoon, and now I¡¯m sad that it¡¯s over. I wanted more. I feel like there were so many big opportunities today that just didn¡¯t lead into anything.


    After resting for a few days, it was time to put an end to my break, and I returned to the House of Imaginary Boundaries in order to continue my training. I went straight into the dorm as usual, where I met up with Katja, who then took me straight into the main building, where there was a small dojo inside. I didn¡¯t know this place had a dojo, the only time I¡¯ve come to this building is when I went to Shinji¡¯s office with the others. I see I still have a lot to learn about this place.


    ¡°How¡¯s your body feeling, Iroha? Did you rest properly?¡± The two of us passed through the changing room before entering the dojo. I¡¯ve never been in a place like this before, so I was looking around like a child while Katja walked ahead of me to the center of the room.


    ¡°Hmm? Yeah, I¡¯m alright now. I think I¡¯m as good as new.¡± This place is full of mysteries. I wasn¡¯t expecting there would be a dojo in here. The wood on this floor feels amazing to the touch, I think it¡¯s very high quality. I¡¯m the farthest thing from an expert, but I like it, probably because I¡¯m so excited. It¡¯s finally time to get some cool sword skills! I¡¯ve been waiting for this!


    ¡°We didn¡¯t hear much from you these past couple days, we were about to go check up on you.¡± I¡¯m not very talkative, whether it be in real life or through messages, so we didn¡¯t exchange much more than a few words over the phone in the last few days.


    ¡°Really?¡± I was a little happy to know they remembered me while I was away. ¡°I was just doing as instructed. You told me to rest, so I just stayed home. I still went to school, but other than that, I didn¡¯t leave much.¡± Though that is just how I normally live my life. I spent all that time at home watching anime and playing games, so maybe you can¡¯t even call that resting.


    ¡°Rest is very important, so I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling better now.¡± I was really happy to see that I wasn¡¯t wrong and that Katja really warmed up to me, even if just a little. She¡¯s not ignoring me anymore, and she¡¯s smiling a lot more often. It really warms my heart.


    ¡°Ahahaha, I¡¯m also glad.¡± My legs were really sore the day after I fainted. ¡°But enough about me, let¡¯s get started with the training.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly excited. Are you really not lazy anymore?¡± Katja teased me before heading towards a tiny storage room.


    ¡°Lazy? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m still the same me.¡± It¡¯s all a matter of motivation. Swords are fun, running not so much.


    ¡°Here you go.¡± Katja came back with a sword in her hand, which she promptly handed over to me.


    Whoa¡­ I received the sword and had to do a double take. This is a katana, right? It has a sheath and everything. Is this a real sword? I took a little peek inside, and there was no doubt in my mind that it was made out of actual metal. It¡¯s real! This is incredible! It¡¯s heavier than I expected, but lighter than it looks. It¡¯s confusing, but it feels like the perfect weight. Even just holding it is very comfortable.


    Wait¡­ It just dawned on me¡­ Did she just hand me a real weapon? Just like that? What are you thinking, Katja? I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing! What if I hurt myself or you? ¡°I- is it alright to give me a real sword?¡± Did you actually think this through?


    ¡°It should be fine. I¡¯m gonna be here watching, so you don¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± Katja shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s important for you to get used to the weight of a real sword, so the sooner you start, the better.¡±


    It makes sense¡­ I can imagine that if I learned with a practice sword, then the transition into a real one would be hard.


    ¡°From now on, you can think of that sword as yours. You saw where it was, so you can come and pick it up whenever you want. Just make sure you put it back before you leave the premise. Can¡¯t have you walking with a sword in the middle of the city.¡± Right, I remember her telling me that one of the problems with fighting monsters with guns is that they draw too much attention. I bet that¡¯s the same reason why Katja uses that weird retractable sword of hers. She said it like it was obvious, but it¡¯s not always clear how their commitment to be discreet affects their decisions.


    ¡°I understand, but is it alright to just give it to me?¡± This is a real katana, and it definitely doesn¡¯t look cheap. Even after all her explanations, I think it¡¯s too early. Why am I complaining? I get to have a cool katana for myself? That¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It wasn¡¯t going to get any use regardless. It might as well be yours.¡± Katja looked at me with an encouraging look. If you say so, I guess I¡¯ll take it. I¡¯m not gonna say no to a sword. Hope you don¡¯t regret it.


    ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna start by having you do some swings. I¡¯ll show you how it¡¯s done, and then you¡¯ll try it yourself.¡± Katja extended her sword and held it with both hands in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re gonna start by firmly gripping it with both hands, and then you¡¯re gonna raise the sword over your head.¡± Katja moved as she explained. ¡°Pay attention to how I position my legs, and then you¡¯re gonna swing down.¡± Katja¡¯s motions cut through the air with an audible slash.


    Wow¡­ That was impressive! She looked really cool. I would applaud if my hands weren¡¯t full.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. Just follow my instructions.¡± Katja came over to me and guided me the whole way through. She adjusted the position of my arms, legs, and waist until she was finally satisfied. She made it look so easy, but this is really precise. ¡°Okay, now swing!¡±


    That was¡­ Wow¡­ That was incredible. I didn¡¯t put that much strength into it, but it felt really powerful, so powerful, in fact, that I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the sword before it hit the floor. That was not particularly good, according to Kajta, but she didn¡¯t scold me too much.


    For the next hour, we repeated this exercise. while also trying some other swings. After doing this so much, my arms are starting to beg for mercy, and the worst part is that I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to faint just because my arms are tired, which just means that I¡¯m not going to get anything in return out of the fact that I¡¯m going to be too tired to play when I get home.


    ¡°I think this is good enough for today.¡± Katja tapped my shoulder, telling me to stop. ¡°You still have a long way to go, but you did well to keep up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Being praised by Katja is definitely nice! I¡¯ve just started, but I wish I could have impressed her a little more. She¡¯s seriously cute when something manages to get past her cool attitude and catch her by surprise. I think I¡¯ve only seen it twice, but I want more!


    I put the sword back into its sheath, and at the same time, Katja approached me with a confident look. ¡°This is enough training for the day, but if you¡¯re feeling up for it, how about we wrap things up with a sparring match?¡±

 Chapter 17 – The Dojo is a Place of Learning

    ¡°How about we wrap things up with a sparring match?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Is Katja serious? Sparring sounds interesting, but I have no doubt I¡¯ll get absolutely crushed. ¡°W- with this sword?¡± There¡¯s no way she¡¯s crazy enough to spar with real swords. I would just die! She hasn¡¯t given me anything other than this katana, so I¡¯m scared.


    ¡°No, obviously not.¡± Katja gave an exasperated look. ¡°People don¡¯t usually spar with real swords. But I can tell you that with the difference in our skills, it would be safe to spar with real weapons, but that¡¯s not what we¡¯re gonna do. Leave the real sword for solo practice. We¡¯ll use wooden swords.¡± Katja went back into the storeroom and brought a pair of wooden swords with her.


    ¡°R- right¡­ That¡¯s a relief.¡± Katja took the real katana off my hand and replaced it with the wooden sword. Since she had me start with a real katana, holding this wooden one is a new experience for me. Katja put some distance between the two of us and entered into a stance.


    ¡°Alright, Iroha. Come at me whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± Katja looked straight at me with a smile on her face. She¡¯s making fun of me. Is she bullying me? I¡¯m being bullied by my mentor! Incredible. I haven¡¯t even entered the job market yet! Wait, no. Isn¡¯t what I¡¯m doing at the House a job in its own way?


    I put aside my idle thoughts and grabbed onto the sword with both hands while facing Katja. She told me to start, but I have no idea what to do. We haven¡¯t learned that yet. I raised the sword over my head and ran straight at her. As soon as I was within range, I swung my sword down with all my might!


    *Clack!* Katja placed her sword sideways in front of her face and easily blocked my attack. The sound of the wood clashing reverberated throughout the dojo. I expected it would go like this, but that doesn¡¯t mean I had any idea what to do afterwards. I pulled my sword back and decided to strike her from the sides where she wasn¡¯t guarding. But Katja quickly moved her sword around and blocked each one of my attempts.


    ¡°Ahahaha! You need to do better than that, Iroha!¡± I knew it, she¡¯s making fun of me. ¡°Did you forget everything you learned today? You got the forms down, but now your movements are sloppy.¡± Oh! Is that what the problem is? The forms we practiced were so precise that I didn¡¯t even try to use them while moving. I guess that¡¯s the most difficult part about learning how to fight with a sword. There¡¯s a lot to consider during combat.


    I recalled how to correctly move my body and focused on getting into the right position, but it didn¡¯t go as planned. ¡°What?¡± Katja went on the offensive and swung her sword at me. I was able to react just in time to block, but that just ruined my focus and sent me back to square one. I tried focusing several more times, only for Katja to interrupt every single one of my attempts. She¡¯s playing with me! This isn¡¯t a coincidence! She knows what she¡¯s doing!


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s not just gonna wait until you¡¯re ready. You need to be quicker.¡± You want quick? I¡¯ll show you quick. I ran straight at Katja, only to have all my attacks blocked again. Our little back and forth continued, with all my attacks being blocked and me barely being able to defend myself against hers. She was clearly holding back since, even though her attacks got through, I was still able to move after being beaten into the ground.


    ¡°That was a good fight, Iroha.¡± Katja offered me her hand to help me get up.


    ¡°Was it?¡± I don¡¯t buy it. She kicked my butt! It wasn¡¯t even close. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°You did learn something, didn¡¯t you?¡± Katja gave me a knowing look. I did¡­ I did learn something. I still have a long way to go. But¡­


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to be so rough with me! That was unfair!¡± She¡¯s much more experienced than me. She knows what to do at all times and counters anything I do. It¡¯s so frustrating!


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I wasn¡¯t really holding back other than the amount of strength I used, so I¡¯m sorry.¡± Katja furrowed her brows apologetically. ¡°But this is an important lesson for you to learn. Unless you¡¯re that much stronger than your opponent, you¡¯re always going to have a very hard time during a real battle.¡±


    ¡°I got that much¡­¡± You made sure of that. ¡°But I still don¡¯t know what I was supposed to do. I wasn¡¯t able to focus, so I couldn¡¯t use my full strength. I doubt it would have made a difference, but it would have still been better.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I did confuse you on purpose. You started off well by attacking me, but then you got discouraged that you weren¡¯t making any progress and backed out. I told you to think about what you were doing, but that was a trick that just gave me an opening.¡± And I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.


    ¡°That¡¯s mean.¡± Why did she have to go that far against me? It¡¯s actually making me pout. ¡°What should I have done, then?¡±


    ¡°Generally speaking, I find that it¡¯s better to act on instinct and be on the offensive than to be stuck overthinking on defense. You¡¯re inevitably going to fail if you don¡¯t have a lot of experience, but if you can keep your opponent on defense long enough, eventually an opening will appear. The most important thing and the thing you really want to learn is the ability to persevere until that opening shows itself, and the knowledge to be able to capitalize on it.¡± Katja took my wooden sword back and tidied up the dojo while explaining. The most important thing is being good at creating and seizing opportunities¡­


    Katja came back from the storeroom and continued. ¡°Thinking is obviously important, but if you find yourself in the middle of a battle with someone stronger than you, it¡¯s already too late to start thinking. Any thinking that needs to happen during battle is part of your skills, and it has to be so fast that it¡¯s closer to instinct than rational thought. That¡¯s why sparring matches are good. It¡¯s the best way to train that part of your brain.¡±


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    ¡°I see¡­¡± If someone didn¡¯t know any better, they would think we were just playing around with swords, but it turns out this is much more complex than it appears. Sounds kinda like how in fast-paced games, you still need to think, but since you don¡¯t have enough time, the thought processes almost become muscle memory with enough practice.


    We were wrapping things up for the day, so I put my katana away in the storeroom together with the wooden swords, like Katja told me, and went home.


    Now that Katja started training me for real combat, the next few days involved a lot of training. We spend most of our time with swords, but Katja also mixed things up with more running and some strength training. I thought the running was over¡­ I was still going to school like normal, and getting along with Miyuki, but as soon as school ended, I would come to the House to train with Katja.


    The time spent training had increased a lot, but I could feel myself improving, even if I was still severely lacking when compared to Katja, something she made sure I wouldn¡¯t forget. At some point, this routine became fun.


    The days continued to go by until one day we got interrupted before we had even grabbed our equipment.


    ¡°Hey!¡± An energetic voice caused me to turn around to see the visitor peeking into the dojo.


    ¡°Narumi¡­¡± I¡¯ve been spending so much of my time here with Katja that I haven¡¯t gotten to speak with the others that much. Except for Carol, no one here is avoiding me, so we still end up talking. Narumi has always been nice to me, just like Hecate, so I¡¯m kinda happy to see her here. I wonder what brings her here.


    ¡°What are you two up to?¡± Her short orange hair bobbed around as she walked into the dojo. ¡°It¡¯s a bit suspicious that it¡¯s just the two of you out here in such a secluded place. Are you having fun without me? How mean of you!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re training. You know that very well.¡± Katja turned towards Narumi with a cautious look, watching as the girl sat down on a bench against a wall. ¡°What about you? Are you here to join us?¡±


    ¡°No way, no way! Ahahahaha! I¡¯m just here to watch.¡± Narumi dismissed the idea by waving her hand in front of her laughing face.


    ¡°And why did you decide to come here? Isn¡¯t there anything better you could be doing?¡± Katja placed her left hand on her hip.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just felt like cheering for Iroha. You know, Katja, I¡¯m fed up with your shit. It¡¯s about time someone taught you a lesson. And I don¡¯t wanna miss that.¡± Narumi had a ridiculous expression on her face, meant to portray anger, but only led to Katja feeling dumbfounded.


    ¡°If you really wanted something like that, all you¡¯d need to do is try a little harder.¡± Katja moved her free hand to her face. Is a fight between them that close? I didn¡¯t think Narumi had it in her. ¡°Don¡¯t involve Iroha in your imaginary proxy war, you¡¯re gonna confuse her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel like it! It¡¯s more fun this way! Go Iroha! Kick her ass!¡± Narumi raised her fist while rooting for me. I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, but there¡¯s no way in hell I can beat Katja. Don¡¯t get your hopes up.


    ¡°So? What¡¯s the actual reason why you¡¯re here?¡± Katja ignored the ruckus to get to the heart of the matter.


    ¡°I¡¯m booooored!¡± Narumi didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°So bored that I could die! Hecate and Carol left since they had work to do, so now there¡¯s no one around!¡± Work? I¡¯ve come to learn that the girls do more than just fight. They¡¯re probably not out to deal with a monster, but something related to the other world must have come up.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ I should have expected that. You can stay and watch, but only if you don¡¯t disturb.¡± Katja was speaking like a teacher dealing with an unruly brat.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Narumi replied cheerfully and finally quieted down, something that prompted Katja to heave a sigh of relief. Before turning towards me.


    ¡°Uhmmm¡­ What are we doing today?¡± I walked towards the storeroom to grab my katana, but Katja stopped me.


    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re not gonna use swords today.¡± Alright¡­ We¡¯ve been doing other things, so this isn¡¯t really surprising. ¡°We¡¯ve been training enough lately, and I¡¯ll have to meet up with Hecate and Carol later, so we don¡¯t have enough time today.¡± It seems like she already knew what was going on before Narumi even showed up.


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s the plan then?¡± I¡¯m a little disappointed to learn that we¡¯re not gonna train today.


    ¡°Today, I¡¯m gonna teach you about strategy and how you should act when faced with a monster you don¡¯t recognize. There are three levels of intelligence that I want you to know, since being able to quickly identify what kind of intelligence a monster has will change how you should act.¡± Katja started her explanation, and it grabbed my attention.


    This is the first time Katja has tried to teach any type of theory. I thought there just wasn¡¯t anything of the sort worth learning, and that she would just gloss over it. I¡¯ve heard of a couple theories that try to explain intelligence, I wonder if I¡¯ll recognize anything she says.


    ¡°The first type of intelligence you¡¯ll find in monsters is actually having no intelligence at all. Unintelligent monsters have something they want, but they can¡¯t analyze the situation and will do only things they know work, over and over, until they get what they want.¡± Sounds pretty unintelligent. ¡°What you¡¯ll want to do when faced with these types of monsters is quickly identify their simplistic patterns and find a way to counter them. Once you do that, the monster is completely helpless. For example, remember that beetle monster we ran into? All they ever do is charge straight at you. As long as you¡¯re able to dodge their charge, you¡¯ll be completely safe, and since you know everything they¡¯re gonna do, you can do pretty much whatever you want as long as you continue to dodge.¡±


    Predicting your opponent¡¯s moves is really important. Reminds of how much easier it is to play against bots than other players in games. I¡¯ve always been good at seeing through the smoke and mirrors and being able to read how the AI moves.


    ¡°The second type of intelligence is a little better, and it refers to monsters who can adapt. Pretty much every monster will adapt to a certain extent, some more than others. A lot of humans also fall into this category, and this is more due to a lack of experience and preparation than a lack of intelligence. Basically, this type of monster will still do something they know works in order to achieve their goal. The biggest difference is that they¡¯ll change their behaviors when something isn¡¯t working. The important thing for you here is to mix up your own actions a lot so that your opponent can never predict what you¡¯re gonna do next.¡±


    It felt weird to be receiving a lecture out of nowhere, but it was easy enough for me to understand. ¡°We want to keep them guessing, right?¡± Katja nodded in agreement before finishing her explanation.


    ¡°The last type of intelligence is when monsters are perfectly rational and are acting according to a plan. This is the most dangerous type of monster, and if you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯re gonna find yourself on the side that¡¯s guessing and trying to adapt. The best thing you can do against this type of opponent is to use the element of surprise. Since they can form a plan and try to use that plan against you, you want to prevent them from forming the plan in the first place. I¡¯m referring to the momentary plans formed during battle, but this also applies in the long term. If you can defeat your opponent before they decide on what to do, you¡¯re good.¡±


    Surprise and shock the enemy before they have time to think. Isn¡¯t that how special forces usually operate? That¡¯s the impression I got from the games I¡¯ve played. Wait, aren¡¯t we at the House a kind of special force as well? Oh! That¡¯s why she¡¯s teaching me that. It¡¯s all connected! No wonder it sounded familiar.


    ¡°I think I get it.¡± I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to put the information into practice, but I understood what she said. I¡¯ve only been thinking about the moves I would learn and how to use them, but learning battle strategy is also very important. It¡¯s no wonder Katja¡¯s the one teaching me, she¡¯s really competent. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s the one who put that together, and the information isn¡¯t really ground-breaking, but she put it in a way that¡¯s easy to understand, and it feels like it would be easier to put into practice than anything I¡¯d come up with.


    ¡°Whether it be because of the element of surprise or because you can see through your enemy, having an absolute advantage is the most important thing.¡± Surprisingly, this piece of advice came not from Katja but from Narumi, who had gotten up and joined us. ¡°If you want to immobilize or capture an enemy, you need to have an overwhelming advantage over them. A lot of goals are much more delicate than a simple victory, so sheer strength is not going to be enough.¡± Is Narumi getting smarter?


    It really wasn¡¯t what I was expecting, but I feel like I learned something valuable today. The reason why Katja is able to beat me so easily every time we spar is that she surprises and prevents me from thinking, and then she sees through my simplistic moves. If I can find a way to surprise her too¡­ I think I¡¯ll be able to land a hit on her¡­ I can¡¯t wait! I can already see it!


    We were more or less done. Katja ended up leaving like she said she had to. Narumi and I remained in the dojo. I was ready to go home, but Narumi stopped me.


    ¡°You¡¯re going home already, are you? Let¡¯s play some games! I¡¯m going to die of boredom if you don¡¯t! You don¡¯t want me to die, do you?¡± Games? As in video games? Can¡¯t say I¡¯m not interested, but it wasn¡¯t part of my plans. Unfortunately, she started clinging to me with that big chest of hers. Since when have we been this close? I guess I¡¯m playing some kind of game with Narumi today.

 Chapter 18 – Surprise Victory

    After going along with Narumi and playing some games with her, I¡¯ve come to realize that she¡¯s not exactly a fan of games in the same way I am, but instead more of a fan of not being bored. It doesn¡¯t really matter since we ended up having fun. I was surprised to learn that they had a console in the dorm. It had been sitting there the whole time near the television where the couch was, but since that area is quite cluttered, I never actually noticed it.


    Now I¡¯m home, and I have some preparations to make for my next training session with Katja. She told me that I needed to surprise her to get an advantage and that I had to be persistent. Both of those things will naturally come with experience, but I think I have a way to speed up the process. It isn¡¯t just my skill with a sword that¡¯s been improving with these practice lessons. I¡¯ve actually been preparing a little surprise¡­


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.5]


    [HP: 466/466]


    [MP: 233/233]


    [Strength: 24; Defense: 20]


    [Magic: 8; Agility: 66]


    Tada~! I got two more levels from the training the last few days! Combat training is the real deal. Sure, it¡¯s not real combat, but the experience it gives me is much higher than the experience running or anything else I¡¯ve done gives. That, combined with the fact that I¡¯m still low level, means I¡¯m going to be gaining levels like crazy! If you consider almost half a week of grinding for two early levels to be crazy¡­ Yeah, when I put it like that¡­ I think VISS Driver may be getting stingy.


    But that¡¯s not all. There¡¯s a certain thing I also get whenever I level up. Skill points! That¡¯s the part that really gets me excited. Which means it¡¯s time for me to get some new skills! But not just any skills. I had some interesting skills ready to be bought, but I don¡¯t think any of them would really come in handy if I¡¯m sparring with Katja. Luckily, I¡¯ve been practicing with a sword, which means¡­


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Sword Mastery (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    I have a sword-related skill available now! I gotta get this one. This skill is pretty basic. It just increases my proficiency with swords, but much like Nimble, it¡¯s going to give me access to a lot of other skills. It¡¯s a new skill tree, so it makes me a little scared that I might be locking in too many trees early on. But this is the sword tree we¡¯re talking about, so I guess it¡¯s fine since it¡¯s one of the largest ones. There are so many sword skills, so there¡¯s no way I can go wrong with it. It just makes me feel a little anxious.


    [Skill ¨C Sword Mastery acquired.]


    Right now, Sword Mastery is only level 1, so it¡¯s not going to instantly turn me into a genius with sword, but I¡¯m looking forward to when it does at a higher level.


    [New skills available.]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Crushing Blade (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Slash Flurry (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    More skills! Didn¡¯t I say so? And what¡¯s better is that these two actually do something. Crushing Blade is a simple skill that, when activated, greatly increases the power of the next attack, while Slash Flurry starts a number of quick attacks in short succession when activated. I think it only goes up to 3 attacks at level one, but it¡¯s possible to reach an endless number of attacks with the right skill combination. Each attack uses up MP individually, so MP ends up being the biggest limiting factor.


    I¡¯m the kind of girl that can never decide what build I want to use, so whenever I have to pick between slow but strong attacks or fast but weak ones, I end up picking both and just try to go for a hybrid build. This isn¡¯t a game, so I have to be even more careful since I don¡¯t think I can do another playthrough of life. The skills aren¡¯t mutually exclusive, and since I want to try out as many skills as possible, I wanna get both. I started with 20 skills points, and after getting Sword Mastery I¡¯m down to 10, so I can only afford one of them for now.


    [Skill ¨C Slash Flurry acquired.]


    This decision isn¡¯t actually that hard to make. I do lean more towards builds that use fast but weak attacks, and since I don¡¯t have to give up on anything just yet, the choice is easy to make. I¡¯ll get the other one later.


    Now that that¡¯s out of the way, I wanna try Slash Flurry out! Do I have anything around my apartment I could use? I looked around a little until I got the wonderful idea of grabbing a kitchen knife. It¡¯s not exactly a sword, but it¡¯s the closest thing I¡¯ve got, so it will have to do. Just like planned, I activated the skill, and I was able to swing the knife three times in a row faster than I thought possible.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± This is cool! I can¡¯t believe it actually worked! My first combat skill. I could hardly contain my excitement, so I used the skill a couple more times. Ahahahaha! Finally! Finally, I have a skill that makes the VISS Driver worth it! Finally, I-


    *Swoosh!* Suddenly, the knife slipped out of my hand mid-swing and shot out towards a wall. That scared the crap out me. It didn¡¯t break anything, nor did it get stuck on the wall. Everything went fine, but it took me this long to realize what a stupid idea using a kitchen knife for this was. The grip is way too slippery.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I carefully picked up the knife and put it back in its place. That could have gone much worse¡­ I¡¯m not really the best person for this. I¡¯m not careful enough to handle these sensitive situations. I¡¯m just gonna do what I do best and watch some anime. Phew¡­ My heart is still pounding.


    I put aside any more dumbass thoughts related to the skill for the day and focused on enjoying my free time. It wasn¡¯t long until the next day arrived, and I was back at the dojo with Katja. And Narumi. Who was once again bored and decided to make another appearance. Hecate and Carol were in the dorms this time, but I guess everything goes with her.


    ¡°You want to spar now?¡± Katja looked at me with a confused look. The two of us were standing in the middle of the dojo, ready to begin our training. Both our hairs were tied up so they wouldn¡¯t get in the way. Katja¡¯s ponytail is aligned with the center of her face, while I¡¯ve been shifting mine more to the right since I¡¯m used to wearing a right sidetail, and I like it more that way.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I was thinking it¡¯d be nice to spar in the beginning for once¡­ It¡¯s hard for me to be able to do anything when we spar at the end since I¡¯m too tired¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to be losing one-sidedly all the time, and now that I have my new skills, I¡¯d like to spar with my full strength! Maybe I can surprise Katja.


    ¡°Sparring is important, but it¡¯s not our main priority. The important part right now is for you to learn how to properly swing a sword and to build up your strength. Sparring is just the cherry on top.¡± Katja explained the reasoning behind why we¡¯ve been sparring at the end, but she wasn¡¯t really saying no to my request, and instead her face seemed a little apologetic. ¡°You¡¯re also going to fight many fights where you¡¯re tired and exhausted, so sparring at the end just prepares you for that.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I get that, but¡­ I¡¯m not saying it has to be at the beginning every day¡­ But it would be nice every once in a while¡­¡± I don¡¯t make direct requests often, and Katja¡¯s initial reaction caused me to become a little nervous. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m being unreasonable. Katja doesn¡¯t know about the VISS Driver, so this is a little sneaky of me, but I really want to win a round against her at least once!


    ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right. We don¡¯t have to always spar before wrapping up for the day.¡± Katja¡¯s apologetic face turned into a slight smile. ¡°If you want to spar right now, I don¡¯t have a problem with that. Let¡¯s do it. Just promise me you¡¯ll still do your best with the rest of the training.¡± I nodded enthusiastically, and Katja went to grab a pair of wooden swords for us.


    The two of us got into our usual positions, and we were ready to begin. ¡°You know the drill, Iroha. Come at me whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    After hearing Katja¡¯s signal, I rushed at her, and the match began. I¡¯m much more confident now, and my blows are a lot more powerful. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that I¡¯ve been growing stronger, but the real reason behind the increase in power is that I now know how to use a sword better, so it¡¯s easier to put more power into my attacks. This was already the case yesterday, but with Sword Mastery and the fact that I still have all my stamina, I¡¯m on a completely different level today.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing pretty well.¡± Katja was still able to block all of my blows, despite the praise. She gave me the initiative, so I¡¯ve been following her advice to stay on the offense while waiting for an opportunity to appear. My sudden increase in strength has indeed surprised Katja, and I¡¯ve managed to land some hits that leave Katja momentarily stunned after blocking them. I can¡¯t exactly go anywhere from there, since she always manages to take a step back, so I can¡¯t reach her even if she can¡¯t block. It¡¯s a very subtle and efficient move, and it just goes to show how much better at this she is than me.


    I think Katja is still taking it easy, since she could turn things around rather quickly if she went on the offense. She started to mix in some attacks of her own when she deflected some of my swings, but those ended up being rushed, so I could easily block them and continue to pressure her. I¡¯m happy to know that she can¡¯t just walk all over me anymore when she¡¯s not taking things seriously.


    Everything happens very fast, and eventually I manage to land a very good hit. She still manages to block it, but the impact leaves her stunned for longer than usual. Even if she tries to take a step back now, she¡¯s not going to be able to escape the reach of my sword in time. Finally, the opportunity I¡¯ve been waiting for had shown up, and I had to take it!


    But Katja¡¯s troubled face quickly turned into a grin. ¡°I got you¡­¡± Before I could even swing at the opening, Katja swiped at my sword with such strength that it almost flew out of my hand, and I barely managed to hold it with one hand. Was it a bait? Has she been playing with me the whole time? I¡¯m losing my balance, and there¡¯s no way for me to defend myself, but it¡¯s not over.


    It¡¯s time for my trump card. I didn¡¯t get just one skill. It¡¯s time to use Slash Flurry. It¡¯s fast enough that I should be able to hit her once before it¡¯s all over. I activated my skill, and my arm moved faster than it had all day. Just as I had celebrated victory too early, so had Katja, and now my sword was quickly approaching her from the side.


    Katja noticed the wooden blade just as it was about to hit her, and she smiled. ¡°Huh?!¡± With inhuman speed, Katja jumped over the sword, and my trump card cut through nothing but air. The complete whiff only served to make me lose even more balance and accelerate my fall. ¡°Ouch!¡± And I fell on my butt.


    ¡°And we¡¯re done.¡± Katja stood over me while pointing her wooden sword at my face before quickly taking it back. ¡°That was an incredible move! I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to do such a troublesome swing from that position with only one hand. You might have talent to use a sword with one hand.¡± All the weapons we¡¯ve been using, and even Katja¡¯s own personal weapon, are made to be used with both hands while also being possible to wield with just one. All the training I¡¯ve been doing has been doing has been with two hands, and while I don¡¯t mind that, using a sword with just one hand is much cooler, so I was happy to hear that.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Katja helped me get up, and her praise brought a smile to my face. I¡¯m a little sad that I wasn¡¯t able to win, despite the fact that I was actually able to catch her by surprise. She¡¯s not gonna take it this easy anymore, so I¡¯ll have to practice a lot more until I have another shot at winning a round against her.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! That was great, Iroha!¡± I had forgotten Narumi was watching, so hearing her start clapping out of nowhere caused me to jump. ¡°I was joking when I said I wanted you to kick Katja¡¯s butt, Iroha. You didn¡¯t have to actually do it.¡± Narumi got closer to us as she finished her sentence, and Katja seemed to take offense to her words.


    ¡°Were you actually watching? Iroha put up an incredible fight, but she didn¡¯t actually beat me.¡± She¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t beat Katja. I didn¡¯t even come close.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a sore loser, Katja.¡± Narumi came over to me and put her hands over my shoulders. ¡°She barely started learning how to use a sword, but she forced you to get serious. Can you still count that as a win for you?¡±


    Katja contested Narumi¡¯s claim, but Narumi was having too much fun to stop. I had obviously not won, but what Narumi said was definitely interesting. Now I¡¯m only more frustrated over the fact that I couldn¡¯t actually beat Katja. If Narumi was rooting for me, then I really would have liked to impress her. I wanna win and surprise all of them. I have no choice but to keep trying to find ways to get stronger.


    Katja and Narumi¡¯s little back and forth ended up with Katja driving Narumi away from the dojo and successfully restoring peace to the dojo.


    ¡°That girl¡­ I told her to behave if she wanted to stay in the dojo, and she goes and makes a commotion like that. Unbelievable¡­¡± I gave Katja a little laugh. ¡°Sorry, Iroha. Where were we? Right, you did well today. I was really surprised by how well you¡¯ve fought. You¡¯re improving really fast. I can¡¯t really wrap my head around it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I guess my plan to surprise her went well. Combining my new skills with what she taught me yesterday worked out pretty well. I¡¯m glad.


    ¡°Now then, that¡¯s enough sparring for now. Let¡¯s continue with the rest of the training, but before that, I need to teach you something else.¡± Katja¡¯s positive demeanor suddenly became more serious, and the sudden change looked really frightening. ¡°There¡¯s one rule I forgot to tell you. You¡¯re only allowed to fight using what we teach you. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Ehh? Have I been busted?

 Chapter 19 – Moving Up the Ladder

    What did Katja just say? I can¡¯t fight with anything other than what she teaches me. Why is she saying that now? Did she find out about the VISS Driver and my skills? Have I busted? No way! I know my attack with Slash Flurry was faster than it should have been, but it shouldn¡¯t be enough to figure anything out. But even if it is, what¡¯s the problem with me making use of my skills? What¡¯s wrong with me using the VISS Driver?


    We had just finished sparring when Katja suddenly told me that I wasn¡¯t allowed to use the skills I got from the VISS Driver. I don¡¯t know what will happen if it gets out that I got the VISS Driver, so I¡¯ve been trying to keep it under wraps. Even so, I used a skill during our sparring match. Has she seen through me? I think she¡¯s a little suspicious of me¡­


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The mood was light after the sparring match, but it took a heavy turn as soon as Katja told me about this new rule. The sudden change scared me, and I gulped while waiting for the rest of Katja¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°The meaning is pretty clear. You can¡¯t fight with any abilities besides the ones we teach you. I¡¯m sorry, but even if you were a martial arts expert or something similar, if we didn¡¯t teach you those skills, you¡¯re not allowed to use them. I need to give you this warning in advance since I don¡¯t want to run into any trouble in the future.¡± Katja spoke with a serious and scary face.


    ¡°W- why...?¡± Yep, I¡¯ve been busted. Why else would she be giving me this warning now? She knows there¡¯s something wrong with my skills. But why? Why can¡¯t I? I don¡¯t get it.


    ¡°Think of it as a kind of insurance. Otherwise, we can¡¯t protect you.¡± Protect me? After hearing Katja¡¯s words, I felt some of the tension dissipate. ¡°Our job of handling threats from the other world is supposed to be a secret, but it rarely ever goes that well. A lot of things can happen that can compromise the secrecy of our mission, and when they do, it needs to be quickly covered up, and someone has to take responsibility. The way you fight can be used to identify you and your affiliations. If you¡¯re identified as one of us, the House of Imaginary Boundaries will take responsibility for all of your mistakes, and Shinji will just take care of it. But if you¡¯re fighting in a way that¡¯s different from what we teach you, it¡¯s impossible for us to defend you without putting our whole group under suspicion of irresponsibly using techniques that haven¡¯t been approved by the government. We have a lot of freedom, so it¡¯s easy to forget, but we still have someone to answer to.¡±


    That¡¯s a lot to take in, but I think I understand. Our job is a secret, and if something goes wrong, it¡¯s not our fault as long as we¡¯re following the protocol. Personally, I think it shouldn¡¯t really matter, as long as we can keep people safe, but if there¡¯s one thing I know, it¡¯s that those at the top love their bureaucracy.


    I¡¯m relieved to hear that the VISS Driver is not really the problem. Even the skills themselves are not really the problem. I can still use my skills as long as I¡¯m subtle about it. Obviously, if I ever get a skill that allows me to shoot fireballs, that¡¯s out. I absolutely cannot use that, or I¡¯m on my own. Skills like Nimble or Sword Mastery, which only make me faster or better with a sword, are so subtle that it¡¯s impossible to prove anything. Now that I think about it, that was really close! I only used Slash Flurry for one attack, so it didn¡¯t look unnatural. If I had chained more than one attack, I would¡¯ve been screwed!


    ¡°Just be careful, Iroha. I would hate for something bad to happen to you.¡± Katja pulls back and smiles at me.


    ¡°A- alright. I promise.¡± Somehow, I¡¯m still scared. Something bad? What¡¯s gonna happen if I throw a fireball at a monster? I really don¡¯t wanna find out.


    ¡°Good. We¡¯re done sparring, so let¡¯s practice some swings.¡± Katja¡¯s completely back to normal now. That¡¯s a relief. ¡°Oh, maybe I still have something to tell you first.¡± I looked at Katja with an inquisitive look. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have a surprise ready for you tomorrow. Make sure you come to the dojo as soon as you can.¡± A surprise?! No way! Is she gonna kill me because of the VISS Driver? No, there¡¯s no way. She doesn¡¯t know about it, and there¡¯s no reason for her to wait until tomorrow if that were the case. What could it be, then? Is it actually a good surprise? Is she that happy with how I did today? Finally! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually making some progress!


    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll come as soon as I can!¡±


    After our promise was finalized, we went ahead with the rest of the training just as planned. Knowing there was gonna be a surprise ready for me tomorrow made it very hard for me to focus on anything else. I was so excited to know what it was all about, so it annoyed me to know I¡¯d have to wait until tomorrow, and until after school was over, to find out. It didn''t matter that much because it didn''t take long for the next day to arrive and for me to be back at the dojo.


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    ¡°Carol?¡± As soon as I entered the room, I saw Carol and Katja standing in the middle of the dojo. This isn¡¯t exactly the surprise I was expecting¡­ I think this isn¡¯t it. Carol was holding onto a wooden sword, and after taking a look around, I noticed that it wasn¡¯t just Katja and Carol here. Hecate was sitting next to Carol on the spectators¡¯ bench. Why is everyone gathered here?


    ¡°You¡¯re late! Who do you think you are making us wait like this?¡± The first thing I heard was Carol screaming at me. Her face turned sour as soon as she saw me. She must not be happy to see me. No surprises there.


    ¡°We¡¯re here of our own volition, so you can¡¯t blame Iroha.¡± Hecate calmed Carol with her comment before looking towards me. ¡°Hello, Iroha. It¡¯s nice to see you.¡±


    ¡°H- hi¡­¡± There¡¯s too much going on, so I don¡¯t know how I should act. I greeted Hecate back to begin with, but I have no clue what about my current situation¡­ Where¡¯s my surprise? Where¡¯s my kiss? ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I looked towards Katja with a face that was just begging for help.


    ¡°Is your head just for show? You¡¯re so useless!¡± Carol pointed to her own head as she questioned my intelligence. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell just by looking?¡±


    Nope. I can¡¯t really tell. The only thing I¡¯ve come to understand is that sometimes a surprise is neither good nor bad, but just¡­ surprising. I can¡¯t even fathom a guess as to why Hecate and Narumi are here. Well, that¡¯s not true. Narumi¡¯s probably just here to kill time. Hecate¡¯s the one I have no clue. Carol¡¯s holding a sword like the ones me and Katja have been using, so maybe that¡¯s a hint. Is she here to practice with us? Or¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Carol. Let me explain, Iroha. You¡¯ve been getting better, but the difference in skill between you and me is too big, so it¡¯s hard for you to learn about real combat when we spar. Because of that, I asked Carol to spar with you since you¡¯re more evenly matched.¡± Carol¡¯s face twitched with anger when Katja said that. ¡°Carol is still much stronger than you, but she¡¯ll make for a good training partner. Don¡¯t underestimate her, okay?¡± So Carol¡¯s the weakest one? Where does Hecate place? She certainly doesn¡¯t look weak. She can get really scary, but she doesn¡¯t look like a fighter. It¡¯s got to be hard to fight with a frilly dress¡­


    ¡°And we¡¯re just here to kill time!¡± Narumi cheerfully spoke for both her and Hecate.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had the opportunity to see you learn the blade, so I ended up joining. I was surprised to learn you¡¯d be clashing with Carol, and that I just had to witness.¡± Hecate spoke up to answer my inquisitive gaze. The image of Hecate with her yellow eye and black dress sitting in a dojo was quite amusing. So the two of them are just here to watch me spar with Carol. Alright, I understand.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Carol¡¯s angry again. I really can¡¯t do anything around this girl. ¡°Are you happy everyone¡¯s here to see you getting your butt kicked?¡± Carol provoked me while smiling. ¡°Narumi and Katja have been singing your praises, but I don¡¯t buy it. Evenly matched? Yeah, right. You¡¯re useless, and I¡¯m going to open everyone¡¯s eyes.¡± Carol pointed her sword at me as she said that.


    She¡¯s really looking at me like I¡¯m an enemy¡­ I don¡¯t really get it. Does she know we¡¯re supposed to be on the same side? Carol is smaller than me, and she¡¯s all around cute, so it¡¯s hard to get angry with her no matter what she says. I don¡¯t know whether or not she¡¯s gonna open everyone¡¯s eyes when it comes to me, but right now, the other girls are just looking at her and trying to figure out whether she¡¯s going too far with her words.


    ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s the gist of it, Iroha. Do you accept?¡± Katja looked at me, troubled, as she stood behind Carol. ¡°This is just another sparring match, so I¡¯ll put a stop to it before anyone gets hurt.¡± Is that necessary? Is Carol planning on breaking my bones? I¡¯m not really scared of her, but if she¡¯s crazy enough to go that far, maybe I should be.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I accept¡­¡± Katja came over to me and handed me a sword, and after a little more conversation, me and Carol got into positions, and we waited for Katja to give us the signal to start.


    Carol was right in front of me, looking me in the eyes, and as soon as the word ¡®start¡¯ left Katja¡¯s mouth, she started sprinting towards me, ready to attack. ¡°!?¡± I barely had time to assess what was going on, and I moved my sword just in time to block Carol¡¯s first swing. This is bad. Katja always begins by telling me to come at her. I¡¯ve never been on this side before.


    ¡°Tsk!¡± Carol clicked her tongue and attacked me many times in succession. She¡¯s strong. Certainly stronger than me, but I can block everything if I give it my all. I don¡¯t know whether or not she¡¯s going all out yet, but this is nothing compared to when I fight Katja. I see an opportunity, and I try to swing at her, but just like how I¡¯m able to block her attacks, she¡¯s also able to block mine, and now she¡¯s back on the offensive again.


    Carol¡¯s looking more and more annoyed as all her attacks continue to get blocked. I can¡¯t do anything, and I¡¯m going to lose at this rate, but it¡¯s probably not as easy for her as she expected. She changes her grip on her sword, and I can tell a big one is coming. It¡¯s hard for me to block her normal attacks, so I have no clue if I can block this one. No¡­ That¡¯s not it¡­  It¡¯s not a strong attack! It¡¯s a¡­ *Clack!* Feint! ¡°Why? Why can you block that?¡± That was Sword Mastery at play. I managed to spot that a feint was coming just in time to still be able to block it. The tiny increase in perception and dexterity that the skill gave me made all the difference. The attack was still nasty, and since my defense was rushed and shoddy, it still threw me off balance and caused me to take a couple steps back. ¡°Katja! My goal is to win, right? It doesn¡¯t matter how?¡± Carol glared at me while speaking to Katja.


    ¡°Yeah, but you can¡¯t go overboard.¡± What are you thinking, having a conversation in the middle of our match? You just gave me an opportunity to strike! I gripped my sword and rushed straight at Carol. This time I was the one on the offense, and I was able to keep her from turning things around. I should have tried to come up with a better plan, but for now all I can do is swing at her and hope that an opportunity shows up.


    I kept up the pressure, and eventually I noticed Carol¡¯s stance getting lower. Is this the opportunity I¡¯ve been waiting for? I swung down at her, but she jumped back and avoided my attack while maintaining that lower stance. Carol flashed me a confident look and rushed towards me. I prepared myself to block against a low attack, but that attack never came. Carol wasn¡¯t interested in attacking me with her sword since that would only drag things out, and instead decided to swipe at my legs with a kick. Is that even allowed!? Everything goes in a real fight. Whatever it takes in order to win, I suppose. Lesson learned.


    Oh well¡­ It¡¯s over. I¡¯m falling. I¡¯ve been doing so well, and now everything has come crashing down. She¡¯s strong, way stronger than she looks. I still have a lot to learn. Maybe I¡¯ve been getting lucky all along. Every time I¡¯ve fallen thus far, it has been on my butt, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be that fortunate this time. And all of a sudden, everything goes black.

 Chapter 20 – Breeze from the Other Side

    My head still hurts¡­


    My sparring match with Carol ended with my defeat and me landing on my head. The fall knocked me out, but it didn¡¯t take long for me to wake up, so it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. Hecate was impressed with my performance, and both she and Narumi helped me out after the fight. Katja also said she was happy but decided that it would be better to end the training there for the day so I could rest. She told me to go home, and everything was fine. Though, my head still hurts.


    I need to get stronger¡­ That was a complete defeat. What went wrong back there? I think Carol was just better than me. She had a lot more experience than me, and she was able to use that to her advantage. I was so fixated on our swords that I didn¡¯t even think about the possibility of there being other threats. It seemed a little unfair, but thinking back on it, so many decisions about my training were made with real combat in mind. It only makes sense she¡¯d use everything to win, that¡¯s how it goes in a real fight. Katja only ever taught me how to fight with a sword. Did she know the fight with Carol would turn out this way? Was it all to lull me into a false sense of security? Carol would still have won even if she fought only with her sword. She was undoubtedly stronger than me. Even though she¡¯s so small and cute¡­


    Katja wanted to make sure I would make it back home and decided to accompany me part of the way. Right now, the two of us are walking side by side towards my apartment. I told her I would be fine, but she didn¡¯t listen. It¡¯s nice to walk with her like this, so I¡¯m not gonna complain. It¡¯s starting to get late, and it has become a little windy. I think my head might not be functioning properly after the fall because just looking at her while her pink hair flutters softly appears really picturesque to me for some reason. I guess it just doesn¡¯t take much more than a pretty girl and a nice sunset for anything to look pretty.


    ¡°You did well today.¡± Katja swept away the hair from her face as she turned towards me. ¡°Results aren¡¯t everything. You¡¯re doing well.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She¡¯s already told me something similar at the dojo, so I¡¯m not sure why she¡¯s bringing it up again. I don¡¯t mind it at all, since it feels amazing to have her praise me like this. I am, however, not sure if I agree with her. Maybe it is impressive that I was able to match Carol to a certain extent, but I want more! I want to win! Isn¡¯t that natural? Is there anyone who wants to lose? That¡¯s the praise I really want from her and the others. And it¡¯s becoming really apparent that if I want that kind of praise, I¡¯ll have to get stronger. There¡¯s just no other way. I need to become a lot more experienced, and that means I need to fight more. The sparring matches have been great, but I fear they might not be enough. I need more fights, real fights.


    I¡¯ve been very hesitant, but it¡¯s probably about time I start thinking of fighting monsters. I obviously don¡¯t want to die, and if something goes wrong when I try to fight against a monster, they¡¯re not just gonna stop and let me go, so I¡¯ve been really afraid. But I remember the beetle that attacked me a while ago. Katja said it was really weak, and I think she¡¯s right. As I am right now, I have no doubt that I would be able to win, so I really need to stop hesitating. Katja¡¯s training has been too comfortable.


    There are monsters in the forest behind the House of Imaginary Boundaries, so that¡¯s where I should go to get more experience. I also have the VISS Driver, so if I fight monsters and manage to properly finish them off, I¡¯ll also start getting levels, and then I¡¯ll really start getting stronger. According to Katja, the monsters there come to our world through a portal somewhere in the forest. Maybe going back into the other world is also a good option for me. It also sounds really fun, but I was told that the portals themselves were dangerous. I don¡¯t really buy it, but I¡¯m not gonna push my luck. I¡¯ll have to see if I can find that portal in the forest so I can check it out.


    ¡°Hey, Iroha. I¡¯m sorry to tell you, but we¡¯re not gonna be able to train tomorrow. I have a job to take care of, and I won¡¯t be available.¡± We had gotten pretty close to my apartment, and the two of us stopped as Katja started to speak. ¡°If you want to train on your own, that would be fine. I think you¡¯re ready to fight most of the weaker monsters, so if you¡¯re willing to go into the forest, that would make for good training.¡± I giggled.


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    ¡°Looks like we were thinking the same thing. I was starting to think that I should train on my own sometimes and about going into the forest.¡± Katja appeared surprised by my response but also pleased.


    ¡°You should, you really should. There¡¯s only so much you can learn by swinging a sword alone in a dojo. It can be scary when you first start, but don¡¯t pay it any mind. Being able to surpass that fear is very important.¡± I nodded in agreement since it was really scary for me, but it¡¯s not like I can just ignore that feeling. It¡¯s easy for a stoic girl like her to say, but that¡¯s not how that works for me and everyone else.


    ¡°This is close enough, so I¡¯ll be heading back, Iroha. If you run into any roadblocks in your training, come to me right away, and I¡¯ll help you. Be careful out there, and run away if you¡¯re not confident you can win.¡± Katja patted my head shortly before turning around and waving me goodbye. Unexpected¡­ But nice¡­ I waved back at her, with my face reddening up, before heading into my apartment.


    As soon as I pass through the door, I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m home. It¡¯s time to enjoy life! I go through my routine and sit down on my desk, ready to enjoy my free time and play some games¡­ Wait, no! Now¡¯s not the time for this! I have more pressing concerns. The other world is the world from a game, a game that I remember having played. I tried to find the game after I came back, I searched through all my game libraries, but I didn¡¯t find it.


    I wanted to try searching for it again, but I never got around to it. However, since I¡¯m considering going into that other world now, I ought to find the game first. I¡¯m putting my life on the line. My memory of the game is not great, its details didn¡¯t leave a lasting impression on me, but every piece of information I remember can save my life. I have no choice but to look for it.


    I swear I bought the game on a sale at some point. So how did I not find it in any of my game libraries? Am I going crazy? I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t miss it. Did it get delisted or something? Those bastards better get me my money back if that¡¯s the case! It might have been cheap, but I paid for it! That¡¯s not important right now. I wanted to play the game again, but at this point, I¡¯ll take any information I can get.


    I had been going through my game libraries again just now to double check, but I really wasn¡¯t finding it. I gave up on that idea and turned my attention to my PC to use my trump card. Internet searches! I can¡¯t play the game? Fine. I¡¯ll just gather information on the internet! But as I stared at the search bar, I realized a flaw in my plan. What was the name of the game again? Right, if I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be having this problem in the first place.


    Okay, a direct plan of attack is not gonna work. But I think I can still find it. I just need to look for things related to the game, and the best way is usually through characters. Like the girl I saw in the research center. Her name was Velvet Power¡­ something¡­ that¡¯s not gonna be enough, is it? Bummer¡­ She¡¯s not the only character I remember the name of, though, I got this!


    I tried searching for the names of a couple more characters, some of whom I thought I remembered their full names, but I couldn¡¯t find anything. This isn¡¯t working. I must be getting their names wrong. I should still be getting some results, dammit. The game¡¯s a cult classic, so it never got super popular, but this is strange. I need a term that I know exists and is right for sure. Oh! I got it!


    ¡°VISS Driver¡±


    What¡¯s this? Driver¡­ Driving school? NOOO! That¡¯s not it! Did it not find anything?! I even put in the quotation marks! How did that not work?! Does this game not have a wiki? I cannot believe that! I used it! Am I going insane? Are you telling me this game doesn¡¯t exist? That¡¯s just not true!


    I don¡¯t know how else I can look for the game, so I decided to look through a list of every game on the console it released. I didn¡¯t find it in my library, so now I¡¯m even questioning whether or not it came out on this console, but I know it did. There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t find it. It has to be here somewhere. I was able to narrow the list down using the game genres, but after almost two hours of looking at games¡¯ screenshots, I still didn¡¯t find anything. Was the game on another console? I¡¯m pretty sure I played on this one.


    I can¡¯t do this anymore. How the hell did I not find anything?! How is that even possible?! How does a game just disappear? I¡¯m furious, but I¡¯m also so tired that I don¡¯t have the energy to be angry. I must have missed it or something. I¡¯ll look for it another day¡­ I was hoping to finish in like 5 minutes and then relax for the rest of the day, but now I¡¯m just exhausted.


    Why did it have to be that game? Couldn¡¯t the other world have been based on a better game? One I actually remembered!? That¡¯s not the game¡¯s fault, I suppose. I guess I¡¯ll be going in blind pretty much. Even if I remember some things, it will probably be better if I don¡¯t act on them too much. My memory¡¯s too unreliable. No cheats for me¡­


    I wanted to wash the bad taste off my mouth, so I decided to forget about games for the day and watched anime until it was time to go to bed.

 Chapter 21 – Painful Reminder

    I was considering training in the other world in order to get stronger, but to do that, first, I need to find a portal and make sure that it¡¯s actually safe. I was on my way to the House, ready to go into the forest and look for that portal, but then I remembered that I know the location of another one. One I¡¯ve had the displeasure of using before.


    The portal I¡¯m referring to was the one in the parking lot next to that one ice cream store that I pass by every day on my way to school. The parking lot was closed off for a few days after I had my little adventure in the other world, but now it¡¯s open again. I never ended up checking, but is the portal gone now? That¡¯s what I¡¯m here to check out.


    I entered the parking lot, and nothing felt immediately strange. I was sure there¡¯s nothing here anymore, but I headed towards the corner where the portal was, and just like I expected, there was nothing there. Did the portal disappear on its own? I think it was already gone by the time I came back and met Katja for the first time. But that¡¯s weird. I was under the impression that it¡¯s not that easy to close them. They told me their group took care of the monsters, but then there was another organization that would take care of the portals. Maybe I just didn¡¯t see it after I came back. That other organization must¡¯ve done something when they closed down the parking lot.


    Oh well¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be that easy. I guess I¡¯ll need to find the forest portal if I want to go to the other world after all. At least I can rest easy knowing that there isn¡¯t going to be anything high-level pouring into our world from the demon city on the other side. I¡¯m not sure if Katja and the others would be able to handle that. I certainly wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Iroha!¡± A friendly and energetic voice calls out to me as I finish checking the parking lot.


    ¡°Mi- Miyuki?!¡± Why is Miyuki here? I told her I had something to do after school¡­ ¡°D- did you follow me?¡± I- is she actually interested in me? Since we haven¡¯t been hanging out much after school, maybe she has decided to go on the offense. How sweet would that be? I didn¡¯t think it was possible, but given how much she likes to invite me to do things together, I¡¯m not sure.


    ¡°I was just passing by.¡± It wasn¡¯t about me! That makes sense. She does look like she¡¯s in a hurry. ¡°What are you doing in here? Reminiscing about our ice cream date?¡± Miyuki¡¯s mouth turned into a grin.


    ¡°T- that¡¯s not it! Why do you say things like that?¡± I can¡¯t help but blush when I remember the day we met. I actually managed to make friends with her, and we came here to eat some ice cream afterwards. That was a very nice moment¡­ while it lasted.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not here to reminisce, then what are you doing here, Iroha?¡± Miyuki walked past me into the parking lot with her hands behind her back. ¡°Were you looking for something?¡± Miyuki calmly moved her head around, scanning the area.


    Ehh? What kind of question is that? How does she know? ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I thought she had lost her memory of what happened here. Does she actually remember? How much does she remember? What¡¯s going on?


    Miyuki turned around, confusion showing on her face. ¡°What other business could you possibly have at a random parking lot? You¡¯re either looking for something or waiting for someone. Which one is it?¡±


    Huh? I¡¯m not sure I agree that those are my only two options, but is that really her reasoning? Was her question just a coincidence? ¡°Uhmm¡­ Well, if I had to pick¡­ I¡¯d say I was looking for something¡­¡± I¡¯m reading too much into it. I have so much going on that I¡¯m a little on the edge. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, it¡¯s not really a big deal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯d help you look for it if it was important, but I¡¯m in a bit of a rush.¡± Miyuki¡¯s pace quickened, and she passed by me again on her way out of the parking lot. ¡°There¡¯s a clothing shop I wanna go to that¡¯s gonna close soon.¡± Ahhh¡­ More impulse shopping¡­ I see¡­ ¡°Wanna come, Iroha?¡±


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    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡± That¡¯s a scary place she wants to drag me into. ¡°I have something I need to do.¡±


    ¡°Shame! Big shame! I would definitely pick something cute for you!¡± Yeah¡­ that¡¯s the scariest part. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at school tomorrow, Iroha. I know you¡¯ll find whatever it is you¡¯re looking for, so good luck!¡± Miyuki waved as she walked away, almost breaking into a run. I¡¯ll find what I¡¯m looking for, she says¡­ I hope she¡¯s right.


    I arrived at the House, and I was ready to venture into the forest, but I couldn¡¯t leave without grabbing my katana. It also didn¡¯t feel right to come here and disappear into the forest without telling anyone, so the first thing I did was actually go into the dorm to see if I could find anyone. I heard that when someone goes hiking on their own, it¡¯s better to tell someone where they¡¯re going first, in case something happens. I¡¯m not exactly going hiking¡­ but the situation¡¯s similar enough that it¡¯s probably a good idea to tell someone.


    The only person I saw when I entered the dorm was Narumi, who was lying down on the couch while messing with her phone. ¡°Hmm?¡± Narumi was lying on her back and twisted her head awkwardly to try to look at me. ¡°Iroha! Hi! What are you doing here?¡± Narumi quickly adjusted her position and sat straight on the couch.


    ¡°Hi, Narumi. I¡¯m just here to train.¡± I hung around near the entrance since I would have to leave for the main building soon to get my sword, and we could talk just fine from this distance.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to train? But Katja¡¯s not here today. I guess she forgot to tell you. Ahahahaha!¡± Narumi laughed and grabbed the controllers from last time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, it¡¯s a good thing that you came today. Let¡¯s play together again!¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I mean, I knew that Katja wasn¡¯t going to be here today. I was going to train by myself in the forest.¡± It was fun playing with Narumi, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for. Narumi was not expecting this answer and looked at me with confusion.


    ¡°Wait what? I don¡¯t really get it¡­ You knew Katja wasn¡¯t going to be here today?¡± I nodded. ¡°But you decided to come anyway?¡± I nodded again. ¡°To train without Katja?¡± And I nodded yet again. Narumi blankly stared at me for a second. ¡°What are you on about?¡±


    I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s there not to get. I want to get stronger, so I have to train. Training by myself is just as important as training with Katja, so it¡¯s not like her absence is even that bad for me. I tried to explain this to Narumi.


    ¡°I see¡­ You should forget about training and just play with me today. It¡¯s been so boring lately! I might actually die at this rate.¡± Narumi seemed to just brush off everything I told her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? I need to train.¡±


    ¡°Is getting stronger that important to you? Why are you being so serious now? You were so reluctant at first, you practically got dragged into this world against your will. With that kind of mentality, you¡¯re not gonna last, not unless this is your last resort. Are you actually planning on sticking with us till the end? You don¡¯t need to be so serious, Iroha. You¡¯re gonna quit soon, but I want to make the most of the time we have left together. Let¡¯s play together, okay?¡±


    Narumi¡¯s words stung, they reminded me that I haven¡¯t been truly accepted by them yet. I know I wasn¡¯t exactly the most reliable up until now, but I¡¯ve been working hard, and I¡¯ve even managed to impress on a couple occasions. Looks like that¡¯s not enough to make them completely trust me. Everyone is still looking at me like I¡¯m gonna call it quits at any point. That hurts¡­ It¡¯s like nothing¡¯s changed. Narumi wasn¡¯t being mean, she enjoys my company, and she wants to have fun with me. She sees me as a friend, but that¡¯s it. Nothing more than a friend, and one who¡¯s gonna leave her life at some point. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m going for. I want to get closer with them. I want more.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m still going to train. I don¡¯t have a reason to quit right now.¡± If I haven¡¯t been accepted yet, it just means I haven¡¯t done enough. Besides, I have another reason why I can¡¯t quit that Narumi doesn¡¯t know about, the VISS Driver. If I can find a place to safely learn and use skills, it¡¯s going to be really fun. I want to see how far I can push things. If I can push it far enough, I might be able to have whatever I want¡­ I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to change your mind, are you? Are you gonna be able to kill?¡± Narumi stared at me with a serious look on her face. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just a monster, will you be able to kill it? Have you ever killed before? It¡¯s a big burden, you know? Even the strongest fighters are completely useless if they fail to deliver the final blow when it really matters. Will you be able to do it?¡±


    Killing huh? It comes down to being able to kill¡­ Well, I¡¯ve killed plenty of bugs, but those don¡¯t really count, do they? I can¡¯t exactly say it would be nothing to me, but I think I¡¯d be able to kill monsters. I mean, I¡¯ve been doing so my whole life¡­ In games¡­ But I think I¡¯ll be fine. It didn¡¯t bother me at all when I watched Katja slice the giant beetle in half, and when it gets that big, it doesn¡¯t count as a bug anymore.


    Killing people, however¡­ That¡¯s a different story¡­ I¡¯ve killed plenty of people in games, so if I think of the other world as a game¡­ Maybe I can do it? There¡¯s no way, is there? I can say whatever I want, but I know I wouldn¡¯t actually be able to do it. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to go around killing for fun. Even in games, I only ever kill when there¡¯s no other choice. If I¡¯m not attacked or if the enemies surrender, I end up sparring them most of the time. There are things more important than keeping my hands clean. Even now, I would try to defend myself if I was attacked, and I¡¯d kill anyone for the sake of my dear waifus!


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say it with absolute confidence, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough reason for me to hesitate. Monsters, I¡¯m not too afraid of. People might be a little harder, but I¡¯m not going to go around picking fights, so it doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Narumi laid down again and held her phone over her face. ¡°Good luck out there.¡± Narumi waved me goodbye without even looking my way. Don¡¯t you worry, Narumi. I promise you, I¡¯m not gonna quit so soon. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of me disappearing. I left the dorm and headed for the dojo to grab my sword. I¡¯m nervous, this is a big deal, but I¡¯ve got to do it.

 Chapter 22 – Taking a Peek

    Katana? Check! Map? Check! Phone in case of an emergency? Check! Alright, I think I¡¯m ready to go. It¡¯s time to head into the forest. I ran through here with Katja enough times to start to recognize the various trails, so I¡¯m not sure if I need to bring the map with me, but better safe than sorry. The absolute last thing I want is to get lost. If I get lost in the middle of the woods¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d just die. What else can I do? Pick up random berries and wait for a helicopter to find me? Sounds like a pain. No thanks, I¡¯ll just die. But I¡¯m not gonna die, because I¡¯m not gonna get lost. I¡¯ve been here before, I have a map, and my phone is fully charged. I think I¡¯ll be fine.


    Either way, I don¡¯t have another choice. I have to find that portal if I want to get stronger. I think I¡¯ll be able to gain lots of levels if I can just find a way to return to that other world. So I just gotta do it. I¡¯m going into the forest and I¡¯m finding that portal!


    I took a deep breath and calmed myself. ¡°Time to set off.¡±


    After a few minutes of hiking, the first thing I realized was that I should have changed clothes. Coming here with my uniform was not a great idea. I have to be careful not to get it too dirty. At least I have a spare at home. It¡¯s bearable, though. The second thing I realized was much more important. The map is gonna come in handy since I¡¯ll need to head deeper into the forest. The only hint I have as to where the portal might be is that Katja told me she and the others looked for the portal but didn¡¯t find it. They didn¡¯t dig too deep, so that means I can safely exclude all the areas of the forest closest to the House. The map is then helpful when I reach those deeper areas that I haven¡¯t previously been to. Nice foresight, me. Well done!


    After walking for ten more minutes, I entered a new area for me. I¡¯m starting to realize what a stupid idea this was. I¡¯m looking for a needle in a haystack! How the hell am I going to find a portal somewhere between all of these trees? The idea itself isn¡¯t even that stupid. How else am I going to find the portal no one knows about other than by looking for it? Expecting to find it in a single day, however? That was dumb.


    Turns out this is more of a long-term project. Maybe over the course of a few months I¡¯ll be able to cover most of the forest and find it, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna find it today. At least I haven¡¯t run into any monsters¡­ No, wait, that¡¯s not a good thing, is it? If I¡¯m not gonna find the portal, at least let me find some monsters. I would still be gaining some levels that way.


    I continued to walk, trying to reach the end of the path that I had chosen to cover today, before something caught my eye. ¡°Hm?¡± I caught a glimpse of a bright blue light moving in between the trees. No way! Is that the portal?! Did I actually find it? What are the odds?! I ran towards the blue light and¡­


    ¡°Butterfly¡­¡± Doesn¡¯t really look like a portal. It¡¯s definitely a very beautiful butterfly, just not what I¡¯m looking for. Back to my random search, I guess. Finding it this easily would be too good to be true.


    But even though I knew the butterfly wasn¡¯t a portal, I couldn¡¯t help but observe it for a little longer. Something about it really caught my attention. And no, I¡¯m not talking about the color. The bright blue really stands out, but that¡¯s not it. The butterfly looks familiar somehow. Where have I seen a butterfly like this one?


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I stopped to think for a moment while the butterfly fluttered around. ¡°Oh! No way!¡± This butterfly¡­ I remember! It was when I first went into that other world! In the parking lot, when I was with Miyuki, there was a butterfly just like this one! It¡¯s the same vivid color! Is this just a coincidence? Does this butterfly¡­


    But while I pondered the meaning of the butterfly¡¯s appearance, it got bored of flying around in circles and started moving away. ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡± I didn¡¯t know whether or not there was any meaning, but I didn¡¯t want to lose sight of it until I figured it out. It didn¡¯t move very fast, and it stood out a lot, so I had no trouble following it. Shortly after, it flew up into the air and perched up on a nearby tree, completely out of reach.


    Is that it? You¡¯re just gonna sit there? Well, of course you are, there¡¯s no way there could have been a deeper meaning. What was I thinking? More importantly¡­ I¡¯m not lost, am I? I took out the map and opened it up in front of my face. This is the trail I was on, and the butterfly was to my right, and since we didn¡¯t go too far¡­ I should be around here¡­? I spun around a few times while holding the map up to figure out my location. Seems like I¡¯m not lost yet. No need to start gathering berries just yet.


    I lowered the map, and there it was. ¡°WHATHFHUUUH?!¡± The portal was right in front of me. ¡°Are you joking!? Butterfly?! Did you do this?!¡± I spun around so much that I had lost track of where the butterfly was. I wanted to thank it for the hard work. ¡°Is this really it?¡± I looked at the portal, and there was no doubt about it, it looked just like the one from last time. My memory isn¡¯t perfect, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯d forget what it looks like.


    What¡¯s up with the butterfly, then? They have to be connected to the portals somehow¡­ There¡¯s no way it¡¯s just a coincidence¡­ There has to be some kind of connection! Why are they always near portals? Is it to guide us? To tell us where the portals are? Are they attracted to portals? I don¡¯t get it. It might just be that they¡¯re native to the other world, and they cross the portal by accident. Then, of course we¡¯re gonna find them near the portals¡­ I can buy that. Are all butterflies in the other world blue? Might just be its species. Does killing it give good experience, I wonder?


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    But who cares about butterflies? The portal is the real star of the show! As a (debatably) normal young woman, I am proud to announce that I hate bugs! So I sure don¡¯t care butterflies! They¡¯re pretty, so I don¡¯t actually hate them¡­ and after today¡¯s performance, I think I have a newfound respect for them, but now¡¯s not the time. I¡¯m here to investigate the portal, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m gonna do.


    The first thing I do is to mark the portal on the map. I don¡¯t want to lose its position. I¡¯m gonna take a photo of the map and send it to myself so I don¡¯t lose its position! Can never have enough backups.


    The next thing I have to check is if the portal is really dangerous or not. Katja told me that they were, and that just being near a portal was enough to kill people. But if that were the case, then why am I alive? I didn¡¯t just go near one, I touched and went through one. I think Katja was fed some kind of lie. Even now, I¡¯m pretty close to the portal, and I¡¯m not feeling anything. I¡¯m feeling perfectly fine. Am I special? Is there some kind of toxin the portal releases that kills people that I¡¯m just immune to somehow? I don¡¯t think so. It could be that the VISS Driver grants me some kind of immunity or protection, but that too doesn¡¯t make sense since I only got the VISS Driver after going through the portal.


    I took a few steps closer and walked around the portal a few times. It really doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s dangerous. If a monster comes through, it might kill people, but the portal itself? I don¡¯t think so. Wow¡­ The portal is really pretty¡­ Oooh! I¡¯m so excited! I¡¯m gonna get so many levels. I¡¯m not a big fan of grinding, but if it gives me actual superpowers, then I can spend all day grinding for months on end. Don¡¯t test me. I can¡¯t wait. It¡¯s gonna be so cool!


    I was really curious about the portal, so I tried to take a peek to check if I could see something. The image is a little distorted, but I think can see a forest through portal. It almost looks like the surface of the portal is reflective, but that¡¯s not it, it¡¯s a different forest. The trees here are tall and dense, which is the complete opposite of what I¡¯m seeing on the portal¡¯s surface.


    I guess this is it. I¡¯ve found the location of the portal, and I¡¯m more or less sure that it is safe. It¡¯s impossible to know for sure without actually trying to go in, but my goal for today was only to find the portal. I have to make some more preparations if I¡¯m planning on actually going through it. I take a look at the map and turn around. It should be easy enough to find my way back, I¡¯m actually not that far from the House.


    I took a couple steps and turned around to take one last look at the portal for the day. I actually found it, didn¡¯t I? How lucky was that? That was a great success, I¡¯m so happy.


    A couple more steps, and I found myself stopping again. I just had to look at the portal one more time. I¡¯m a little farther away this now, but the portal is as beautiful from here as it is from up close. I have to prepare myself first. It would be absolutely foolish to enter the portal without being prepared.


    I turned my back to the portal once again and started walking away. Slowly¡­ I tried to clear my head, but it didn¡¯t really work. I can¡¯t resist! I turned around and ran towards the portal at full speed. The other world is right in front of me! You can¡¯t dangle something like that in front of me and expect me to hold back! It¡¯s just a quick peek! I just wanna take a quick peek!


    ¡­


    It worked! And it didn¡¯t kill me! I knew it! With that worry out of the way, I breathed a sigh of relief and started looking around. I¡¯m in a forest, just like the one I saw on the surface of the portal. They share some similarities, but this one is much brighter.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, I think this is one of the early-game areas. Lucky me. Don¡¯t know what I would do if this portal put me near another end-game location, like the demon city. If the weak monsters that appeared in the real world came from this side, then this has to be a lower-level area, right?


    Well, I¡¯m glad I was able to get here, and it¡¯s not like I want to go back immediately, but I also don¡¯t want to get stuck here. That would be a different kind of story. I wanted to make sure the portal hadn¡¯t disappeared when I entered, so I turned around and saw that it was still there. That¡¯s good to know, but how stable is it? The portal in the parking lot seemed to disappear as soon as I used it to return. Is this one going to do the same? Are they one-time use? I sure hope not.


    I really didn¡¯t want to waste this opportunity, but I didn¡¯t want to start exploring without being sure that the portal wasn¡¯t just going to disappear on me. Is there a limited number of uses? Is there a time limit? I think I¡¯d rather miss my chance to explore this world, by wasting the portal to test if it will disappear than to be stuck here because I got greedy. I crossed the portal back to the real world, and a smile quickly formed on my face. Would you look at that? It¡¯s still working I went back and forth between both worlds a few more times to make sure it wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s stable. Great!¡± Why is this portal different from the other one? Now that I think about it, it¡¯s obviously not one-time use since monster have been using it for a while. Can I also assume it¡¯s not going to run out of time and disappear for the same reason? The portal has been here for a while, why would it disappear now? There¡¯s no way to be completely sure, but I think this is stable enough for me to feel comfortable staying in the game world for a while. But then, why did the portal in the parking lot disappear? Was it because Katja and Narumi were there? They might have done something that disrupted it somehow.


    But enough speculation, it¡¯s time for an adventure, it¡¯s time to explore! A little bit¡­ I swear I¡¯m just taking a peek, and then I¡¯ll go back. I started walking in a straight line in hopes of finding something interesting. This forest was much easier to navigate since it was really sparse in comparison.


    After walking for a couple minutes, the forest opened up, and I stepped out onto some plains. Wow! That¡¯s a nice view! The sky was bright blue, and I could see vast fields of perfectly even grass ahead of me. This level of uniformity is something you would only ever find in a fantasy world. In the distance, I could see some wicked mountains. Wicked seemed like a good word to use because the mountains I¡¯m seeing all have these crazy shapes with impossible holes and overhangs. It''s a very cool look that really makes me want to get closer and explore, but they¡¯re too far away, so I¡¯ll leave that for another day.


    Perhaps the most important thing I could see from here were the walls of a town in the distance. It¡¯s not a town I immediately recognize, maybe I¡¯ll know where I am once I¡¯m inside, or maybe it¡¯s not even a location in the game, who knows? At least this area is human territory, one that they share with a lot of other races, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be getting attacked as soon as I approach them.


    I was only here to take a peek, but now I¡¯m walking towards the town in the distance. It¡¯s fine though, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m still just taking a peek. This much still counts¡­


    *BOOOM!*


    ¡°What the?!¡± All of a sudden, I self the ground shake and I turned around towards the sound of the explosion. It¡¯s the same direction from the forest. Soon after, I heard a high-pitched shriek coming from the same place. Is there someone in trouble? What other explanation could there be? I was heading towards the town, but legs quickly started running in the direction of both sounds. What¡¯s with this turn of events? There¡¯s no way I can ignore someone in trouble! There has to be something interesting going on! I mean, something troubling going on. I need to know more!

 Chapter 23 – The Best Part of a Brand-New World

    Where is it? I¡¯m sure the sound was coming from this way¡­ I ran into the forest to find out what the explosion I heard was about. I¡¯m pretty sure someone¡¯s in trouble since I heard a shriek coming from the same direction. There¡¯s no time to waste. In reality, I should really be going back to the real world. I made no preparations, and here I am, charging straight into trouble. I want to get stronger, and I can¡¯t just leave if someone¡¯s in trouble, so what can I do? I just hope I don¡¯t run into anything I can¡¯t handle. I¡¯m a little nervous.


    ¡°Get away from me! Dumb flower¡­¡± A voice? I turn to the side and see a girl on the floor wrestling some kind of flower monster. It has a large body, leaves for arms and roots for legs, and a flower in the place of its head. The flower creature seems to be trying to fly towards the girl while the girl grabs onto it and pushes it away from her. They appear to be in some kind of deadlock.


    It¡¯s a bit of a weird sight, but once I realize the girl is being attacked, I pull out my sword and run straight at the monster. I swing my sword, but it pulls back before my attack connects. I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting, but I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. At least the girl is safe for now.


    The flower monster flies in place in front of me. The flower on its head starts spinning, and its leaves start flapping. Is it preparing some kind of attack? I brace myself for impact and remember what Katja said about being stuck on defense. I¡¯m making a mistake, aren¡¯t I? Too late, the monster finishes its preparations and hits me with a barrage of leaves and petals. It doesn¡¯t really hurt, but it¡¯s threatening to blow me away if I don¡¯t dig my feet into the ground and try to resist.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± I used my arms to cover my face against the stream of leaves and petals. When it passes, I hear the voice of the girl again, and I lower my arms. In that moment, I see the flower monster charging at me.


    ¡°Woah!¡± I was caught off guard, so I had to resort to Agility Burst to get out of the way, and almost ended up falling due to my dodging being so rushed. That was nasty. All it was doing by blowing stuff at my face was keeping me in place so it could charge at me, but now that I¡¯ve seen it once, it¡¯s not gonna work again.


    The monster starts preparing again and hits me with hundreds of leaves and petals one more time. Is that move some kind of magic? Leaves aren¡¯t a problem, but there aren¡¯t enough flowers here for it to blow so many petals at me. I think I may have seen this monster in the game, but the attack animations don¡¯t live up to what I¡¯m experiencing. I braced myself again, but this time I made sure I could see the monster the whole time. My eyes were almost closed, but as soon as I saw the monster getting ready to charge, I lowered my arms and prepared myself to dodge. I took a step out of the way, and the charge was a complete whiff. I tried to hit it with my sword as it passed by my previous location, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough, and it was able to swerve out of the way.


    Alright, I think I got it. Third time¡¯s the charm! Last chance to run away, little guy. The monster wasn¡¯t scared of me and hit me with its magic for the third time. Any moment now¡­ So predictable. It¡¯s coming straight at me again. I could easily dodge out of the way, but I chose not to. It got closer and closer, and my legs didn¡¯t move.


    Slash Flurry! If I¡¯m too slow, all I need is a faster attack. As soon as it got into range, I activated my skill, and all three attacks connected. The end. That¡¯s it. This was the first monster I killed, and honestly, it wasn¡¯t even that hard.


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    Oh! And a level up too! That¡¯s so nice of you, VISS Driver! Getting strong is so easy, I¡¯m gonna reach max level in a week, I¡¯m telling you. But now¡¯s not the time for this. What about the girl? Is she alright? I turned towards the girl, and she was trying to lift herself up. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I ran in her direction and extended my hand to her.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The girl looked up at me and grabbed my hand. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Wow¡­ She¡¯s cute. I don¡¯t think she appears in the game, but she¡¯s really cute. Her eyes have a rich green color, and her hair is brown with some green on the inside. She¡¯s wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt with puffy sleeves and a green skirt over her shirt. There are also lots of belts, she¡¯s wearing multiple brown leather belts and straps holding onto all kinds of stuff, but all in the open and easy to see. I can spot a book, flasks, plants, and a lot of other stuff that I can¡¯t even name. Finally, she has a pair of leather boots with white thigh-highs on the inside. It¡¯s great! The characters in this game were all beautiful, and seems like that extends even to characters that didn¡¯t even exist in the game, or at least it extends to her.


    The girl is pulling herself up using my hand, but then she stumbles and leans into me. I immediately support her with my other hand, and then she stands up straight just fine. I sure am glad I didn¡¯t go home. I hadn¡¯t considered it yet, but if I¡¯m able to come and go to this world freely, isn¡¯t it possible that I can get a girl here to fall for me? That would be nice. The unique gameplay system is the reason why the game gathered a cult following, but the girls were half the reason I decided to play it. I might have been getting a little too tunnel vision trying to get close to the girls of the House. It¡¯s a good idea to keep my options open.


    ¡°Thanks for the help. That didn¡¯t go like I was hoping.¡± The girl laughed awkwardly and snapped me out of my dream world. ¡°My name¡¯s Ririna Windfiel, and I¡¯m an alchemist. Again, thanks a lot for your help.¡± The girl bowed towards me, which made me feel guilty about the fantasies I was just having.


    ¡°No, no, no, don¡¯t worry about it. That was nothing.¡± The girl lifted her head and looked straight at me with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Iroha Shinohara. Uhmm... Did you say alchemist?¡± Crap, she seems really into me. Is she in love with me already? This is going way too well! I did just save her life, so what else should I expect?


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m an alchemist. It¡¯s nice to meet you. I don¡¯t think seeing an alchemist is something unusual, is this your time meeting one?¡± I nodded yes to her. I¡¯m aware of what an alchemist is, and I knew there were alchemists in this game, but it¡¯s still the first time I¡¯ve met one for obvious reasons. ¡°I came here to gather some plants and materials I needed, and I even made some explosives for me to protect myself with.¡± So that¡¯s what the explosion was. Self-defense explosives, what a wonderful idea! ¡°But it seems I overstayed my welcome. I used my last bomb on a group of monsters, but the last one managed to avoid it and gave me some trouble. The monsters here are pretty territorial, so I should have left right away. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go back without taking a beating if it wasn¡¯t for you showing up. Thank you, how can I make it up to you?¡±


    How about a kiss, for starters? ¡°That was nothing! Don¡¯t worry about it!¡± Asking for that would have turned her face into pure disgust faster than I could blink.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ririna pressed me, trying her best to find something she could do for me. ¡°Are you hurt or something? I can get you some healing ointment or any medicine you need.¡± She could see that I wasn¡¯t visibly injured, but she continued. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you an adventurer? There¡¯s a town beyond this forest. Is that where you were going? I can show you around if you want. I¡¯ve never seen clothes like yours before, so you¡¯re probably not from here, right?¡±


    ¡°I came here to train¡­¡± I don¡¯t know how to deal with this. ¡°I want to get strong¡­ I¡¯m also new here¡­ You¡¯re right about that¡­¡± I think I get it now. Rather than wanting to repay the favor or being really into me, I think this girl just really likes to help people.


    ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡± Her face showed a beaming smile. ¡°You clearly know how to use a sword, so if you don¡¯t mind, maybe you could escort me back to the town. Then I can give you a tour! I¡¯ll also pay you for escorting me, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°T- that¡­ would be very helpful, actually¡­¡± I ended up agreeing, but I have to admit that part of the reason why is that I didn¡¯t know how to refuse her. It¡¯s true that I also want to go into that town at some point, so having someone show me around would be very helpful. The money is also nice, I don¡¯t know how much I can get done without any money, and I¡¯m pretty sure money from the real world is completely worthless here. I could always peddle goods from my world to this one, but that feels like cheating, and not the good kind. Truth be told, I would rather she just fall in love with me, but¡­ that¡¯s not how it works, is it?


    ¡°We¡¯ve got ourselves a deal then. Can you wait a moment, though? I want to gather materials from the defeated monsters first. Gotta pay them back for all the trouble they¡¯ve caused me.¡± Ririna brought her hands together and touched the fingertips of both hands with a scary smile on her face.


    ¡°G- go ahead¡­¡± P- pay back?


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Don¡¯t get scared. That was a joke. They were just protecting their territory, so it¡¯s not like I¡¯m holding a grudge. If anything, I want to make sure to gather everything useful that I can to make sure their deaths weren¡¯t in vain.¡± Y- yeah? Is that how it works?


    I was still unsure of how to react and how to act around Ririna, so I just watched as she hopped around from monster to monster, gathering useful materials. Ririna seems really kind, and she¡¯s definitely very beautiful. Is she actually not scary? I can¡¯t tell. Either way, we¡¯re going to the town next. That sounds interesting! I can¡¯t wait¡­

 Chapter 24 – Warm Welcome

    The town looked smaller from a distance. We¡¯ve been walking for a while now, so it won¡¯t be long until we can finally enter. The sun¡¯s still out, so I hope it¡¯s not too late in the real world yet. My phone says it¡¯s not, but it¡¯s been a while since I last looked at it. I¡¯m walking side by side with Ririna, so if I use my phone too much, she¡¯s gonna notice. It¡¯s still bright on this side, so I hope it¡¯s still bright in the real world. I really don¡¯t want to walk through the forest in the dark. The few times Katja and I had to do that were enough for me. After I saved Ririna from the monster that was attacking her, I had to wait a little for her to loot the monster and gather the materials she needed for her alchemy, but even that didn¡¯t take too long. Her clothes had lots of pockets and pouches, which she filled to the brim. She also ended up filling two larger sacks, and I offered to carry one of them for her. I had to, I saved her from the monster, so she¡¯s gonna be all over me if I¡¯m nice to her, right? She¡¯s a real beauty. Her hair is brown with some green on the inside, and I just can¡¯t resist multicolored hair! Just like how I can¡¯t resist any cute girl¡­ Maybe being irresistible to me is not that high of a bar to clear.


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.6]


    [HP: 540/560]


    [MP: 244/280]


    [Skill Points: 10]


    Hehehe¡­ I also got another level from that whole ordeal, so I¡¯m pretty pleased! I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m gonna get with my new skill points. I wanted to get Crushing Blade and work towards a hybrid build of strength and agility, but I think I¡¯ll get Stamina Boost first. I don¡¯t like getting tired, and it¡¯s so easy to get tired just by doing basically anything. It¡¯s kinda boring, but I think it¡¯s gonna be a really helpful skill long term. Maybe I should hold off on buying new skills for now. I have something that is kinda working right now, so I should save up for when I really need to buy a skill.


    [Skill ¨C Stamina Boost acquired.]


    There, I bought it. I hope it doesn¡¯t come back to bite me in the ass. My level is still low enough that I can spend a little and not have to worry too much. I¡¯ll be getting more skill points soon enough, I hope. The Stamina Boost skill increases the amount of stamina I have and the rate at which it recovers, so I felt its effects as soon as I bought it. We¡¯ve been walking for a while, and I was starting to get a little winded, but now I¡¯m good again.


    I still have a long way to go. I may have gotten another level, but I¡¯m still only level 6. What level was the final boss again? How much can I remember? I think the final boss was in the early 70s, but I remember being stronger than the boss in my playthrough. Like level 80 or something? Yeah¡­ still a long way to go. Not like the level matters that much, the real power is in the skills that I get.


    We only really go to the demon territory near the end of the game, so most things there are around level 60. The research facility is a bit of an exception, and the enemies there are lower level since we go there earlier, but does that apply now? I¡¯m not exactly inside a game, am I? If it doesn¡¯t apply, does that mean I was chased around by a bunch of level 60 demons? Wow¡­ I¡¯m surprised I managed to get away.


    We haven¡¯t passed by anyone yet. That¡¯s strange. We¡¯re in human territory, it shouldn¡¯t be like this. In the game map, the biggest human city appears right in the middle of it and in the middle of the ocean. It¡¯s a giant city that floats around the ocean with some kind of method that¡¯s a combination of magic and technology. To the left of that city on the map, there¡¯s a continent filled with forests and nature where the majority of the human population lives, and that¡¯s where I think I am. I mean, it has to be. It¡¯s the only place with proper green forests in the game world. The actual area is too big, so I really don¡¯t know the specific location. The point is, since the big floating city is isolated and disconnected from the land, the human territory was supposed to have a very robust trade system, so where are the caravans? Am I thinking of the right game?


    Doesn¡¯t really matter, I guess. The level of enemies in this part of the game varies between 5 and 30. The story starts in the floating city, but the first place where there are fights is here on the continent. This is essentially the first area in the game. The levels vary a little depending on the exact location, but since that flower monster was so weak, I think I¡¯m in a location around level 5 or so. Good thing I decided to look for this portal. Who knows where another portal would have taken me? Can¡¯t be worse than where the first portal took me. Well, actually, it could have. I stopped playing after beating the final boss, but the game had some post-game content. I have no idea what we fight there or what their levels could be. Is it level 99? That would have been worse, for sure.


    Below the human territory to the left, there¡¯s an area called the Endless Silver. I think it¡¯s one of those post-game areas because the first enemy I found there one-shot me, and I never went there again. The Endless Sivler is a huge chunk of land that is completely covered in silver and white flowers. I think there aren¡¯t a lot of cities in there, but I saw a screenshot of one there, and most of the buildings were also covered with flowers. Quite the beautiful place. I would have liked to go there myself, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have stopped playing right after the ending.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I remember a lot more than I thought. The protagonist of the game fights one of their childhood friends in the floating city at around level 50, and that¡¯s the same level most high-level humans have. The content in the continent area ends with some kind of weird dragon, level 30 or so? Can I even call that a dragon? I think it was based on some fairy tale, so it looked really weird. But I guess that¡¯s all I remember. No, wait, there¡¯s also the wasteland area, which was also post-game. Oh! And that fractured place after the dragon.


    Yeah¡­ I¡¯m nowhere near their levels¡­ Good thing it doesn¡¯t matter. I have no reason to get involved with all that scary stuff. I got lucky enough to find a way to this low-level area, so I¡¯ll just stay here and grind all the cool skills I could ever want. The protagonist of the game will take care of that. And if something goes really wrong, I can just stay in the real world and say goodbye to this one. So for now, I¡¯ll just focus on getting stronger and enjoying my time with Ririna.


    ¡°How are you holding up? That¡¯s not too heavy, is it?¡± We¡¯ve been walking in silence for some time, and now Ririna speaks up. She points towards the sack I was carrying with an apologetic face.


    ¡°N- no. I can handle this much. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I¡¯m not just saying this to impress her or something. Compared to swinging this heavy sword of mine, this is nothing. Stamina Boost also helps. ¡°Why do you need so many materials?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because I received a special request from someone in this town. It¡¯s a funny story, believe it or not, most of these are just to make dirt.¡± Ririna made a surprised face to sell the ridiculous part of her story. ¡°Though the monster parts and some of the plants are for my personal research.¡± Ririna showed me an honest smile while also looking sorry for making me help her carry the stuff for her research. I don¡¯t think it would make that much of a difference, so I don¡¯t mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re making dirt?¡± Is that something alchemists normally do in this world? Isn¡¯t it a waste of her talent? What kind of job is that?


    ¡°Yep, dirt. It¡¯s actually dirt with some magical properties. Pays a lot, apparently. It¡¯s a recipe I¡¯ve never seen before, so I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how it works.¡± Is learning new recipes that big of a deal? She looks really excited. I don¡¯t remember how alchemy works in this game. ¡°I can tell you more about it later, but for now, you can return that sack to me. We¡¯re nearly at the gate.¡±


    She¡¯s right¡­ I didn¡¯t realize we had gotten so close. I can see some kind of checkpoint, but there aren¡¯t any guards standing outside. Makes sense. I certainly wouldn¡¯t want to stand in the sun while wearing armor for hours on end.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in, Iroha. Follow me!¡± Ririna picked up her pace and started running for the gate. I watched for a moment before going after her.


    Ririna did most of the talking, and the two of us got into the town without any issue. ¡°Here we are, Iroha!¡± Ririna ran ahead of me and spun around energetically. ¡°Welcome to the town of Rocky Ridges! Though I¡¯m not the best person to be welcoming you like this, this is more the kind of thing a local would say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not from here?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m living in the capital right now, since that¡¯s where the alchemist¡¯s guild is, but I¡¯m originally from a pretty remote village. I¡¯m only here because of the request I told you about earlier.¡± That¡¯s impressive. She looks like she¡¯s the same age as me, and she¡¯s already traveling around the world for work. I can¡¯t imagine myself living like that.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t living like that hard?¡± Maybe her lifestyle is the norm for alchemists, and she knew what she was getting herself into.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m doing what I like, so it¡¯s really fun. I go back home plenty of times, and I¡¯ve made some friends, so it¡¯s never really that hard. The worst is when the senior alchemists start acting like huge snobs. Alchemists are supposed to help people, so we should all be working towards the same goal, but sometimes it really doesn¡¯t look that way.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Is it pride? Do they cause trouble for Ririna because of pride? I don¡¯t know how good she is, but if she¡¯s some kind of prodigy, I bet they hate that and lash out at her.


    Ririna had a tour to give me, and the two of us started walking. As we walked down the main street, I came to realize that this town is not one from the game, at least I¡¯m not recognizing anything. I noticed I was getting a lot of looks, and figured it must be because I came here wearing a school uniform, but the looks were not as bad as I expected. I saw a lot of other people wearing all sorts of excentric outfits, so after taking a quick look at me, most people would just start ignoring me, which I appreciate. I¡¯d rather not be stared at for being weird. I¡¯m so glad the game went all out in making the NPCs stand out, looks like that carried over.


    The difference in people walking around between the outside and the inside of the town was huge. The streets were big enough that we didn¡¯t have any problems walking around. How is this a town and not a city? The streets are large, they have walls, most of the buildings that I¡¯ve seen seem to have two floors, and all of the wood and stone look really high quality. Is this another thing from the game? The devs just make whatever they want and call it a town? I see how it is.


    ¡°Here you have an inn. It¡¯s pretty cheap, and apparently the rooms are really big, but there¡¯s absolutely no service. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re gonna need to rent a room, but don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s a few taverns on this street, so you¡¯re always gonna have something to eat.¡± An inn, huh? I¡¯m not really planning on spending the night in this world, but I never know when I might need to. I have school tomorrow, so that¡¯s absolutely out of the question for today. ¡°If you keep going down this road, you¡¯re gonna find some barracks that the soldiers use and a few guilds. If you need some extra cash, they¡¯re a good place to find some work. As long as you can fight, there¡¯s always something for you. It¡¯s where my client is, so I¡¯ve come here a few times already.¡±


    ¡°Is this where the alchemist¡¯s guild is?¡±


    ¡°No, no, they have a branch in the capital, but this town is too small for the alchemist¡¯s guild.¡± Too small? It looks like we¡¯ve seen everything on this street, so we left and continued with our tour. ¡°This here is the town center. And here is the place you were probably looking for.¡± I looked towards the building Ririna was pointing at, and I couldn¡¯t really tell what it was. The only thing I saw was a line of people trying to enter and a healthy stream of people coming out.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡± She didn¡¯t really explain, so I hope my question doesn¡¯t come off as weird.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± No, not really. There are some symbols carved into a wooden sign, but they don¡¯t tell me what I need to know. ¡°This is the fast travel station! You probably want to register it, so let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    Ah yes, this is obviously the¡­ What did she say¡­? Wait¡­ ¡°What?!¡±

 Chapter 25 – Zero Distance

    Fast Travel? Did she just say fast travel? I must have misheard it. I mean, I think there was fast travel in the game, but it was just a mechanic, and the characters never acknowledged it. This is way different, Ririna acknowledged it, and all the people lining up know about it as well. I¡¯m so confused.


    I wobbled for an instant before analyzing the building again. This is a fast-travel station. Wow, this is weird. There was nothing like this in the game. Why is it different? I thought this was the world from the game, so why is it different? What¡¯s going on? What is this world?


    ¡°Iroha?¡± Ririna looked at me with concern. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± I have to compose myself. I can¡¯t let her know how shocked I am. Fast travel existing is common sense to her. I don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m weird.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m fine.¡± I shook my head and took a step back. ¡°So this is where the fast travel station was. I was wondering about that.¡± I tried to speak cheerfully so that Ririna wouldn¡¯t catch on.


    ¡°It¡¯s near the town center. Nothing too spectacular, that¡¯s where most stations are.¡± She¡¯s right, they¡¯re so close to each other that I can clearly see the fountain in the town center from over here. I still can¡¯t wrap my head around it. Fast travel actually exists. But that¡¯s not really what¡¯s shocking. What¡¯s shocking to me is that it is recognized by the people of this world, and everyone can apparently use it. In the game, it was just part of a system that the player could use for convenience. It wasn¡¯t even some power the protagonist just happened to have or anything. I thought it was just fast-forwarding the travel time for the player. That¡¯s how I usually think about fast travel when it¡¯s not really explained. This world is different from the game.


    The existence of fast travel explains some things I¡¯ve seen. I found it strange when I saw no one outside the walls on the way here, and now I know why. With fast travel being real, there¡¯s no need to travel on foot. I looked at the people coming in and out of the station, and I noticed something else that¡¯s really important. Around half of those people are carrying goods of some sort with them. The game¡¯s world had a very robust trading system, and it looks like that remains the same. It¡¯s just that instead of trading carts, merchants now trade through fast-travel stations. That¡¯s incredible and ridiculous. How is this still a fantasy world? If they keep this up for a few more years, their technology is gonna start booming, and this world is quickly gonna turn into sci-fi. I wish some of these fast-travel things would find their way into our world. I would love for my packages to be delivered in mere seconds.


    ¡°Come on, Iroha. Let¡¯s go inside. You want to register this station, don¡¯t you? Also, I¡¯m gonna ask you to wait five minutes for me so I can drop these at home.¡± Ririna shook the sacks she was carrying before lining up. She¡¯s gonna drop off the materials we gathered at home just like that? I now get what she meant when she said she went home plenty of times. If you can go home in an instant at any time, it¡¯s like you didn¡¯t even leave. I lined up with Ririna, and since the line was constantly moving, it didn¡¯t even take a full minute before we got inside. ¡°Wait here, Iroha. I¡¯m not gonna take long.¡± Ririna waved me goodbye and stepped into one of the small altars lined up against a wall before disappearing. I saw the same process happen multiple times. Whenever someone stepped onto the altar, they would disappear after a moment. The line going in got divided into two before reaching the altars, and next to those two altars was another set of altars with people appearing from thin air at random intervals. The station¡¯s inside was tall and open, and there were multiple people in armor watching over the line and over the altars, soldiers, no doubt.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    [Location: Rocky Ridges Town registered. Fast Travel unlocked.]


    It¡¯s the VISS Driver. Looks like I have this town registered now. After looking through some menus, I found a list of all the locations I have registered, and this is the only one for now. Seems like I¡¯m not going to fast-travel anywhere just yet. In order to fast-travel somewhere in the game, you must first visit that place and register the location. I don¡¯t know if the whole system has changed, but it looks like that part remains the same.


    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± After a few minutes passed, Ririna reappeared from one of the altars with empty hands. That was fast. ¡°Sorry for making you wait. I really can¡¯t afford for my materials to start spoiling. If I¡¯m gonna use them for my precious creations, I need my materials in the best possible state.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand.¡± I didn¡¯t even have to wait that long, so I don¡¯t mind.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to do here? If you¡¯re done, we should explore the rest of the town.¡± I had already registered the location, and it¡¯s not like I was going anywhere, so I accompanied Ririna back outside. The next place we went was the shopping street. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡± Shops and stalls filled both sides of the street. It was a very lively and interesting place. Though I much prefer the streets of Three Records City, I¡¯m not a big fan of crowded places. Ririna seemed to have no problem navigating the crowd and even managed to notice when I got too distracted admiring the sights and was about to run into someone. ¡°Careful, Iroha.¡± Ririna grabbed my shoulder and pulled me close to her.


    ¡°S- sorry¡­¡± That was embarrassing. What a stupid mistake on my part. She¡¯s really attentive, isn¡¯t she? That probably comes with the territory when you¡¯re an alchemist. She¡¯s still holding onto my shoulder, and now our faces have gotten really close. She¡¯s so cute! Sorry, can you let go of me already? My heart is going crazy right now! I turned my face away and broke free from her hold. I don¡¯t want her to see my embarrassing, blushing face.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Iroha, can I ask you something?¡± Ririna took a few quick steps and started walking by my side. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Ririna brought her face close to my ear before whispering. ¡°Are you from the Endless Silver?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± The Endless Silver? Is she talking about that super-scary post-game area? Why the hell would I be from there? Is she crazy?


    ¡°You¡¯re from somewhere pretty remote, aren¡¯t you? I mean, you had never met an alchemist before me, you were looking around like you had never seen a shopping street before, not to mention the clothes you¡¯re wearing. You also looked confused when you saw the fast travel station, and the only people who aren¡¯t familiar with fast travel are those who live in really remote regions.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not from¡­ uhmm¡­ Endless Silver.¡± She¡¯s seen through me! I can¡¯t believe it! I thought I was hiding really well! Not only is she attentive, she¡¯s also perceptive. At least she doesn¡¯t even suspect I¡¯m from another world. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m from a faraway place¡­ Or something like that.¡±


    ¡°I knew it! You didn¡¯t have to hide it. I wasn¡¯t going to make fun of you. I¡¯m from a village myself, so I know how hard it can be. Now that I think about it, it doesn¡¯t make much sense for you to be from Endless Silver. The only ones who stay there are kinda crazy, and you never see them travel anywhere. At least that¡¯s what the rumors say.¡± Ririna runs past me and turns to me before bending over slightly with her hands behind her back. ¡°As fellow girls from remote places, we gotta stick together. Let¡¯s be friends and help each other out, okay?¡±


    She¡¯s so bright and pure! I feel like I¡¯m gonna melt! ¡°O- of course!¡± My situation is not exactly what she thinks it is, but I have no reason to refuse an invitation from such a pretty girl as Ririna. I also don¡¯t think I¡¯m exactly lying. I am from a remote place. I come from another world, after all. It¡¯s not my fault if she starts believing I¡¯m from a village like her.


    ¡°Hehe¡­ I¡¯m happy to hear that.¡± Ririna flashes me a big smile before turning her back to me. ¡°Since we¡¯re on the topic of friendships, this is the place I wanted to show you.¡± Ririna points towards what I believe to be a coffee shop. That¡¯s weird. In a fantasy world, you usually expect to see taverns and other similarly barbaric places, but what I¡¯m looking at is a stylish coffee shop with large windows and bright wood. Is this yet another thing that doesn¡¯t make much sense but is a vestige of the game? I think that might just be the case. ¡°This is where you can find me when I¡¯m free and while I¡¯m in this town. This is also where I meet with some of my friends here who are also not from this town. I¡¯ll ask them to help you out too if you¡¯re ever in trouble. Follow me, Iroha. Let¡¯s go in.¡± I was a little nervous, but Ririna was so enthusiastic that it was hard for me to say no to her, so I just followed her into the coffee shop.

 Chapter 26 – Gathering of Flowers

    The seemingly last stop in the tour Ririna was giving me was a weird coffee shop that looked really out of place in a medieval-based setting, and stepping inside only made that more apparent. The shop was wide, open, and bright, which made it really stylish and surprisingly classy. Despite how weird it initially appears, I kinda like it. Though it¡¯s not the sort of place I would ever go to, it¡¯s too fancy for me. Even now, I¡¯m feeling a little out of place. I go my whole life without ever going to a place like this, yet I go to a fantasy world, and this is one of my first stops. How ironic is that?


    The tables were pretty separated from one another and quite small. Around half of the tables were filled, and most of the shop¡¯s clients were women. At least I don¡¯t feel out of place in that regard. On one of the tables, there was a girl with black hair and cat ears talking to a girl wearing a chest plate, but suddenly the cat girl stopped and started looking our way.


    ¡°Oh! Hey, Ririna, over here!¡± The girl, whom I assume is a cat girl, raised her arm and started waving energetically. She looked like she was about to climb onto the table, but the lady in armor stopped her from doing that. She¡¯s calling out to Ririna, so I guess they¡¯re the friends Ririna was talking about.


    ¡°Sarasa! And Flanne too! I¡¯m so glad to find you two here.¡± Ririna rushed over to the two of them, and the cat girl high-fived Ririna. Wow, this is awkward now. How do I join now? Did Ririna forget about me? Standing around in the middle of the shop was just as awkward as trying to get closer, so I slowly moved towards Ririna.


    ¡°Good afternoon. Who might you be?¡± I was trying to be sneaky, but of course that wasn¡¯t going to work. When I got close to the table, the girl in armor called out to me.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡­¡± I¡¯m starting to get visibly nervous. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m bad at dealing with new people, I¡¯m not great either, but that¡¯s not the case here. I just can¡¯t think properly when I¡¯m talking to pretty girls, and Ririna¡¯s two friends are really pretty.


    ¡°This one¡¯s a cutie. Hyahahahah! Ririna brought a cutie with her!¡± Eh?! What the hell is she saying? Ririna brought a cutie with her? Where? ¡°Did you bring her as a gift for me? You shouldn¡¯t have!¡± The cat girl was laughing while looking at me, but I don¡¯t think her eyes are working properly. She¡¯s so much cuter than me¡­


    ¡°Shut up, Sarasa!¡± Ririna quieted the cat girl with an adorable pout. ¡°This is Iroha. She saved me, so don¡¯t be rude to her.¡± Ririna grabbed onto my shoulder and presented me to the other two girls. I¡¯m really stiff right now.


    ¡°H- hi.¡±


    ¡°She saved you?¡± The cat girl looked at Ririna after taking a look at me. ¡°Were you even in trouble in the first place?¡±


    ¡°She did! If it wasn¡¯t for Iroha, I would have had to run away from a monster, and I wouldn¡¯t have escaped unscathed.¡±


    ¡°You would have been fine. There¡¯s nothing dangerous in that forest. You would have been fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not you. I can¡¯t rely on luck to save me from all my dumb decisions like you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not luck. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m just that good.¡± At some point, Ririna and the cat girl started bickering. They¡¯re so caught up in their own world that they might have forgotten that I¡¯m here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind those two.¡± The girl wearing a chest plate places down her teacup on the table and talks to me. Even with those two fighting, she remains calm and composed. ¡°My name is Flanne Valoria. Maybe you can tell just by looking, but I¡¯m a soldier, and I¡¯ve been positioned here for a few weeks. I¡¯m actually on duty right now, but since this town is really peaceful, I get paid for sitting here drinking tea. Doesn¡¯t that sound wonderful?¡± The girl giggles.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ It sounds really nice.¡± I was still nervous, but it¡¯s really easy to talk to this girl. Flanne, huh? I¡¯ll remember it. I mean, I can¡¯t afford to just forget the name of a pretty lady. Flanne has long, wavy hair, and its color is somewhere between dark red and dark pink. I think the correct name is bordeaux. She¡¯s sitting down, but just by looking at her, I can tell she¡¯s taller than me. Her eyes are green, and they¡¯re really refreshing to look at. She¡¯s wearing a dark red, long-sleeved shirt with white vertical lines and a chest plate on top, and judging by the size of the chest plate, I think she¡¯s quite endowed¡­


    ¡°Stop distracting me from the cutie you brought!¡± The girl with cat ears forgets about Ririna and suddenly locks eyes with me. ¡°I¡¯m Sarasa! I¡¯m an adventurer, and you can find me anywhere where there¡¯s treasure. Except for here. You can still find me here, even though there¡¯s no treasure. But that¡¯s not even true. Because here is where I¡¯ve found you! Nyahahahahah!¡± Dammit! She caught me by surprise and now I can¡¯t stop blushing! How am I even cute? They¡¯re all so much cuter than me that it¡¯s not even relevant to bring me into the conversation.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I don¡¯t think Flanne is one, but Sarasa has to be a character from the game. I don¡¯t remember her, but she looks too good not to be. She¡¯s a cat girl with tan skin, blue gemlike eyes, black hair in a perfectly straight bob cut, and a golden circlet on top. She¡¯s lightly dressed, wearing only shorts with an orange top and a large golden collar over it. Frankly, she has a very cliched Egyptian look that you see often in games and anime. This style appears more often in the area of the game with the fractured lands. She''s really hot, so I already like her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude.¡± Ririna pushes Sarasa¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying she¡¯s cute! How is that rude?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the way that you¡¯re saying it.¡±


    ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s nice to meet you¡­ Iroha?¡± Sarasa tilted her head to the side, like she wasn¡¯t entirely sure of what she was saying.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m Iroha Shinohara. Uhmm¡­ It¡¯s nice to meet you two.¡± I subconsciously bowed slightly as I introduced myself properly. When I finished speaking, Ririna came over to my side.


    ¡°Iroha is traveling to get stronger. She helped me out just now, and she¡¯s also not from here, so I would like you two to help her out if you can.¡± Ririna wanted to repay the small favor I did for her and gave the other two girls a short bow.


    ¡°I¡¯m a soldier. My job is to help others, you didn¡¯t even need to ask. I would have helped her regardless.¡± Flanne looked at the two of us with a smile. I thought she was kinda lazy when she said she was getting paid for doing nothing, but I guess that¡¯s not true at all.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll help out as well. If you¡¯re traveling to get stronger, does that mean you¡¯re an adventurer like me?¡± Sarasa excitedly turned towards me, eager to hear my response.


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ At least not yet. I just want to fight more monsters. That¡¯s it.¡± The four of us sat down around the table, and we started talking.


    ¡°Not yet. You¡¯re right about that. We should really partner up then. If you only care about monsters, that means I get to keep all the treasure and the money!¡± Sarasa laughed at her own joke. ¡°So, like, are you strong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve only just started.¡± I¡¯m only level 6, after all.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only just started? That means you¡¯re really strong!¡± Ririna couldn¡¯t believe what I said and raised her voice. I¡¯m strong? What is she talking about? Is it because of that flower monster I killed? It was just weak, that¡¯s all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What are you saying? Is Iroha strong or not?¡± Sarasa was looking between me and Ririna, unsure of who to believe. Flanne hadn¡¯t said anything, but she was really intrigued too, and had stopped sipping her tea again.


    ¡°She killed a Dots Flower without any issue with just a sword. That¡¯s impressive for a beginner, right?¡± Was that monster called Dots Flower? The name¡¯s not unfamiliar. Now that I¡¯m thinking about it, it did have some brighter spots on its body.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Those flowers can be really annoying at first with all the crap they throw at you.¡± Sarasa seemed to be in agreement with Ririna. If this goes on, they¡¯re gonna start expecting a lot from me, and they¡¯ll be disappointed. I don¡¯t want that to happen.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that impressive. I only managed to beat it because Ririna warned me of its attack. Otherwise, I would have lost.¡± A small smile escaped me as I spoke.


    ¡°Unimpressive as they may be, you shouldn¡¯t disregard your victories. If your goal is to get stronger, this much may be nothing to you, but the first step can be just as meaningful as the last.¡± Flanne was clearly trying to encourage me, but now I think they¡¯re all just exaggerating. I don¡¯t think what she said is wrong, but the fight wasn¡¯t that much of a struggle. After I saw through its trick with Ririna¡¯s help, it was a breeze. Anyone could have done it.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I don¡¯t think they¡¯re getting ridiculous ideas about me anymore, so I can just accept their words for now.


    ¡°Hey, Iroha. What¡¯s something people do that really annoys you?¡± Sarasa put her elbows on the table and leaned forward.


    That was a random question. ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡­¡± Something that annoys me? I¡¯m not sure¡­ I kinda hate it when people start laughing after whispering to each other. But I don¡¯t know if I would call that feeling annoyed. It just makes me feel self-conscious. ¡°I guess I-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer her.¡± Flanne interrupts me. ¡°Anything you say will be used against you. Sarasa loves to push people¡¯s buttons and get into fights, so don¡¯t tell her anything.¡± Is she serious? Did I almost just walk into a trap?


    ¡°Who me? I¡¯m a saint! I would never do something like that.¡± Flanne was right. Sarasa is trying to play dumb her face tells me she¡¯s barely holding back her laughter.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Iroha. Be careful about everything you say near her. She¡¯s pure evil.¡± Ririna stared at Sarasa for a while, which caused the cat girl to burst out laughing, and the rest of us soon followed.


    ¡°Iroha, if you¡¯re fine with fighting monsters, do you want to accompany me tomorrow?¡± Ririna asked after the laughter had died down. ¡°I still need more materials, and these ones can only be gathered from monsters, so it¡¯s better for me to work with people who can actually fight. Sarasa¡¯s already accompanying me, but I would like you to come as well.¡±


    That¡¯s a tempting proposal. It¡¯s a good opportunity for me to get more levels, while also getting to know Ririna and Sarasa a little better. I¡¯m definitely interested in going. I wasn¡¯t even supposed to start exploring this world today, but I¡¯m glad I did. What a great opportunity this is! I was just about to tell her I was interested in joining when Sarasa spoke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking Iroha to join us? Am I not enough for you?¡± Sarasa¡¯s voice was filled with irony. ¡°I thought we were made for each other. You¡¯re telling me you¡¯re not satisfied with just me?¡±


    Ririna knew what Sarasa was doing and first shot her a quick glare. ¡°You know I¡¯m not trying to replace you. I know you¡¯re a good fighter, but there¡¯s no harm in having Iroha come with us. Besides, you¡¯re too unpredictable. How many times have you gotten me in danger?¡±


    ¡°And how many times have I saved you from that same danger? Everything always works out in the end, so what¡¯s your issue?¡± Sarasa shrugged off Ririna¡¯s complaints.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad for my heart. I¡¯d rather have Iroha come with us thank you very much.¡± Ririna finished telling Sarasa what she had to say and turned to me again. ¡°So, Iroha, are you interested in coming with us? The monsters we¡¯re going after aren¡¯t very strong. So you shouldn¡¯t be in too much danger.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Yes, I wouldn¡¯t mind joining you.¡± She didn¡¯t need to ask me again, as I had already made my mind.


    ¡°Really?¡± Ririna¡¯s voice was filled with enthusiasm. ¡°That¡¯s so reassuring!¡± Ririna clenched my hand between both her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll have such an easier time gathering tomorrow. I look forward to working with you, Iroha.¡±


    Yeah, me too.

 Chapter 27 – Collection of Gems

    ¡°This is it, Iroha. We¡¯re here.¡± Ririna speaks as the three of us come to a halt.


    After yesterday¡¯s conversation with Ririna and the others, it had been decided that I would join Sarasa in helping Ririna gather the materials she needed for her request. Ririna needed to gather something from a type of monster, and for us to find that monster, we had to take a hike first. Now, the three of us find ourselves in a hilly area around thirty minutes away from town.


    The elevation in this place wasn¡¯t too steep, but it was clearly not flat either. There wasn¡¯t much to look at here, apart from some sparsely placed trees and some very strange rocks. The rocks were the star of the show here, no doubt. They were big, sharp rocks, and the vast majority of them were standing up straight, with the bigger rocks being more than twice my height. They looked kinda like spikes coming from the ground. The rocks were spaced around at random, and the place wasn¡¯t exactly littered with them, but they were still far more than the trees.


    Despite their unusual shape and positioning, there was nothing visibly wrong with these rocks. Without them, this would be a perfectly grassy hill, and this way, it looks more like a forest without a canopy. Ririna had just said this is the place, so this should be where the monsters she wanted are, though there¡¯s nothing in sight right now. Ririna was in the middle of a conversation before we stopped, so she picked up where she left off.


    ¡°Like I told you, I¡¯m not gonna be fighting, but I will support you if need be. All I can do is use the item I¡¯ve crafted, so stay safe, okay? Don¡¯t force me to step up in front of a monster.¡± Ririna showed me a variety of medicines, and of course, her explosives, to illustrate how she¡¯s supporting us. ¡°Also, don¡¯t forget to give me a sign when you¡¯re ready for me to throw a bomb. Even if I¡¯m the one telling you to pull back and that it¡¯s time for me to use explosives, I¡¯m not gonna throw it until you give me a sign. You might not have heard me, and it¡¯s just by coincidence that you pull back just as I tell you to, and I don¡¯t want to risk you jumping into the blast area. This isn¡¯t a very dangerous place, so I¡¯m probably not going to need to use any explosives. Still, it¡¯s better for you to know this than not. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t do anything unless I give you a sign. I got it.¡± We¡¯ve only met yesterday, but Ririna¡¯s really concerned about my safety. She¡¯s such a nice girl, it warms my heart¡­ Talking about girls that warm my heart, where is Sarasa? She was right next to Ririna when she started speaking, but now she¡¯s not there anymore. Ririna seemed to notice the same thing and started looking around.


    ¡°Sarasa! You¡¯re already going off on your own?!¡± Sarasa was already some steps ahead of us, and Ririna screamed while running towards her. ¡°Wait for us!¡±


    ¡°You done already?¡± We caught up to Sarasa, and she just shrugged us off. ¡°I got bored just standing around.¡± Sarasa put her hands behind her head and stretched her body.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* Iroha, make sure you learn nothing from her. Stay with me and don¡¯t go off on your own, okay?¡± Ririna turned to me with an exasperated look on her face.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I don¡¯t know what Sarasa is thinking or if that¡¯s just how she is, but I¡¯m not interested in leaving Ririna behind for no reason.


    ¡°Bad news!¡± Sarasa turned around quickly and caught us by surprise. ¡°We haven¡¯t found any monsters yet!¡± Sarasa acted like this was a big revelation, but¡­


    ¡°We know.¡± Ririna responded with an annoyed face after Sarasa startled her for no reason.


    ¡°That¡¯s boring! I wanna fight something already!¡± Sarasa complained and started walking towards a nearby tree. ¡°Hey, Iroha, are you ready? Don¡¯t you just wanna start fighting already too?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Sure. I just don¡¯t really know what it is that we¡¯re gonna be fighting.¡± This whole time, they ended up never telling me exactly what kind of monster we were gonna be fighting.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right. We never got around to telling you that, did we?¡± Sarasa now remembered how that conversation had been cut short. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be fighting Golem Munchers. Have you heard of them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Maybe I would remember when I saw one of them, but the name by itself doesn¡¯t ring any bells. A golem, though? Shouldn¡¯t I be worried? How am I gonna fight a golem with a sword? It¡¯s made out of rock, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m strong enough to be cutting swords with a katana just yet. Maybe it will be fine¡­ We¡¯re still in one of the early areas, and I don¡¯t think there were any enemies immune to swords around here. Unless this is also different from how it as in the game.


    ¡°So¡­ Golem Munchers are these four-legged monsters made out of rock. They¡¯re really brittle, so if you just hit them really hard, they shatter easily.¡± Sarasa punched her own hand as she finished explaining.


    ¡°They eat the tall rocks around here, and, over time, a blue crystal is formed inside them. That crystal is a magical material, and it¡¯s the one I need for the request.¡± I see now, I think I¡¯m starting to get the picture.


    ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it.¡± We had just been following Sarasa¡¯s lead, and when we got close enough to the tree, she broke out into a sprint and quickly climbed up the tree. ¡°Monsters! Where are you?¡± Sarasa popped her head out from in between the leaves and scouted the area. She looks silly and kinda cute like that.


    ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Ririna looked up at Sarasa. She wasn¡¯t pleased that the cat girl climbed up the tree without consulting anyone first, but she knew she couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    ¡°Nothing. Let me go higher.¡± Sarasa¡¯s head disappeared into the leaves and popped back out at the top. ¡°Maybe I can see something from up here¡­¡±


    *Crack!*


    ¡°Nya?!¡± Sarasa only received a very short warning before the branch she was standing on broke, and she started falling. Everything went by so fast, and we heard some noises leaking from Sarasa¡¯s mouth, only for her to grab onto another branch on the way down and land completely unscathed.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    She looked like one of those gymnasts with her arms raised, which almost made me applause. Ririna, on the other hand, shook her head disapprovingly. ¡°What do I always tell you about being more careful?¡±


    ¡°Nyahahahah! It worked out in the end, didn¡¯t it?¡± Sarasa replied with a full-face smile. ¡°This way!¡± Without giving us much time to process what just happened, Sarasa pointed in a direction and started walking.


    ¡°Did you find anything from up there, at least?¡± Sarasa replied by shaking her head. ¡°Then why did you choose this way?¡±


    ¡°There were a lot of rocks in this direction!¡± Sarasa ran ahead of us, and this time Ririna didn¡¯t try to catch up.


    ¡°There¡¯s no shortage of rocks in any direction¡­¡± Ririna retorted, but Sarasa was already too far away to hear. ¡°Thanks for coming with us, Iroha. Now I don¡¯t have to run after her constantly.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ I¡¯m glad I could be of help.¡±


    ¡°Whenever she helps me get materials, I have to be on constant alert. She runs off on her own, so I always have to run after her. If take too long gathering something, she might disappear on me. She¡¯s too reckless! How long can she continue to get lucky? She¡¯s gonna get seriously hurt one of these days.¡± The two of us talked while looking at the girl walking ahead of us.


    ¡°Why do you have her accompany you then?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s my friend, despite how wild she can be. I only met her two years ago, when I joined the alchemist¡¯s guild in the capital, and it was even worse before that. I had to gather materials on my own, and a lot of the time, I had to leave things behind because some monster would force me to run.¡± Ririna laughed with an awkward smile. ¡°When Sarasa is with me, I have a much better time getting the materials I need. It comes with another set of stresses, but it beats being alone.¡±


    Couldn¡¯t she just hire someone else? Maybe that wasn¡¯t an option when she was just starting, or maybe she¡¯s just more comfortable being accompanied by someone she already knew. Does that mean she wouldn¡¯t have invited me if Sarasa also hadn¡¯t come? That¡¯s bad for me! I know I¡¯m not the most trustworthy person, and I do have ulterior motives, but you can trust me. I swear.


    Me and Ririna were looking around the rocks as we passed by them when Sarasa suddenly turned around and ran back towards us. ¡°Did you see something?¡± Ririna asked, but Sarasa¡¯s relaxed posture told me it was likely just on a whim that she came back.


    ¡°No, not really. You two were just being too slow, so I came to check up on-¡± One of the rocks caught Sarasa¡¯s attention, and she quickly stabbed a short dagger into the rock. ¡°There¡¯s one!¡±


    What just happened? Apparently, Sarasa saw one of the monsters we¡¯re looking for and immediately stabbed it. The attack was strong enough to cause the monster to crumble into pieces. How did we not notice that one? He was right next to us. ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°That scared me.¡± Ririna sighed with relief. ¡°Nicely spotted, Sarasa. Just give me a moment to pick up the crystal.¡± Sarasa holstered her short sword while Ririna crouched down near the remains of the monster.


    ¡°Did you see that, Iroha? That¡¯s the monster we¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Kinda¡­¡± It shattered so quickly that I barely had time to look at it. It was hugging onto the side of one of the tall rocks, and it looked to be the size of a big dog. It¡¯s the biggest monster I¡¯ve seen so far. I¡¯m a little intimidated, but it really didn¡¯t look that threatening. It was just there, munching away at the rock.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just grab your sword, hit them with all your strength, and they will shatter right away. No need to be scared.¡± I think I¡¯m more nervous than scared, but hearing Sarasa say that it¡¯s that easy puts me at ease.


    ¡°I got the crystal. Let¡¯s keep going and get some more.¡± After Ririna was done grabbing the crystal, the three of us started looking around the nearby rocks to see if we could find more Golem Munchers.


    ¡°Do you really need these crystals to make dirt?¡± Ririna ended up not telling me all the details of her request, so I didn¡¯t fully understand what the point was yet.


    ¡°Apparently. It¡¯s a new recipe for me, so I haven¡¯t tried it out just yet.¡±


    ¡°Is it fine for you to accept the request like that? What if something goes wrong and you can¡¯t do it?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a great learning experience for me, and it¡¯s not that hard of a recipe. If I want to get ahead in my own personal research, I have to create as many different things as I possibly can. That¡¯s the only way for me to find new interesting stuff in the world of alchemy.¡±


    Ririna strikes me as a very studious girl. She took on this request just to learn, and she wants to discover new stuff? I can¡¯t help but want to cheer for her. She¡¯s very beautiful, and as if that wasn¡¯t good enough by itself, this whole thing makes her very endearing to me. I wonder if Sarasa¡¯s motivation for helping Ririna is also to cheer for her success. Since I was thinking about her, I instinctively looked towards the last place I saw her, but she was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where did Sarasa go?¡±


    Ririna looked around in a frenzy after she heard my question. ¡°She vanished. This is what I¡¯m telling you. She must have found something that caught her attention, and now she¡¯s gone.¡± Ririna then calmed down and lowered her voice. ¡°And the worst part about this is that she¡¯s gonna appear just before anything goes wrong. She¡¯s gonna laugh it off, and I¡¯m gonna feel silly for even worrying about it. See how difficult this is?¡± Ririna smiled like she was making a joke.


    I was getting a little worried, but since she said everything would be fine, I just smiled back at her. However, just because Ririna says that it will be fine, that¡¯s not necessarily true, and all of a sudden, two Golem Munchers appeared from behind the rocks.


    ¡°Oh great¡­ They just have to appear as soon as Sarasa is nowhere to be seen. Iroha, can you handle them?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡± I pulled my sword out and prepared myself for combat.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll support you. If you feel like you can do it, run away, and I¡¯ll throw a bomb at them.¡±


    I nodded back to Ririna and gripped my sword with both hands. The two monsters were slowly walking towards us, and I remembered that waiting for them was not what I should be doing. I forsook the two-handed grip and ran towards one of the monsters with my sword on my right hand. I¡¯m not exactly sure how the monster fights or how intelligent it is, but it¡¯s better to be on the offensive than wait for it to attack. That¡¯s what Katja said, at least.


    As soon as I got to a certain range of the monster, I activated Agility Burst to quickly close that final gap. I waited to see how the monster would react, but I didn¡¯t see any movements. It doesn¡¯t matter how intelligent it is. If I can catch it by surprise, I¡¯ve got the upper hand. ¡°You¡¯re mine!¡± I activated Slash Flurry, and three quick slashes passed through the monster¡¯s body like butter.


    The monster shattered, and the speed of my attacks caused a small dust cloud to form as the fragments fell to the ground. Wow¡­ I can¡¯t believe how well that went. That was so easy. Am I actually really strong right now? Or are these guys just too weak? This is it¡­ This is what I wanted¡­ I think I¡¯m actually having fun now¡­


    I turned my gaze to the other monster, and I swear I saw it flinch for a moment. You¡¯re right to be scared. I would have given you a chance to run away now, but since my precious Ririna needs the crystal you have, the only choice I have is to exterminate you. I started walking towards the monster, and it got up on its hind legs and tried to make itself bigger. It might be a little taller than me right now. What do you think you are? A bear? Whatever the case, I think it¡¯s safe to assume these monsters are adaptable to a certain extent. After it saw that I¡¯m a potential threat, it entered into a combat stance.


    ¡°Be careful! It¡¯s about to do something.¡± Ririna was watching from the sidelines, and she must have seen something that I couldn¡¯t see, so I slowed down my approach in preparation for its next move. The monster then jumps and slams its belly into the ground. From the sound of the impact, it would have hurt a lot to be crushed by that, but the monster jumped the gun, and I wasn¡¯t even that close to it yet. I was able to just take a step back and avoid the attack without resorting to any skills.


    The monster picks itself up and goes back into its combat position. Is that all? You¡¯re just gonna try to do the same thing again? Alright, let¡¯s see how that works out for you. I walked towards it again, and this time, it didn¡¯t attack before I got close enough. Too bad I¡¯m not even gonna give it a chance to attack. Agility Burst, and I¡¯m right in front of its belly. No reaction. Slash Flurry, one, two, three, and dead.


    Another cloud of dust appeared where the monster previously stood, and the various fragments could be heard falling onto the grass. ¡°You did, Iroha! I knew you could do it.¡± Ririna ran towards me with a huge smile on her face.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I was a little embarrassed by her for being so impressed by something so simple, but I was really happy with the way she was looking at me. ¡°It ended up being easier than I thought.¡±


    ¡°I could tell! That was really impressive! Even Sarasa would have been clapping if she hadn¡¯t disappeared.¡± Ririna was holding onto my arm, and was shaking it up and down with excitement. ¡°Thanks so much for helping me, Iroha. If you don¡¯t mind, I need to grab the crystals you got for me now. Just wait a second.¡± Ririna let go and walked towards the monsters¡¯ fragments. I went with her and observed as she looked through the debris to find the crystals.


    The big crystal was easy to spot, but there were also smaller shards that Ririna could only spot thanks to the sunlight they reflected. But suddenly, a big shadow covered the debris, and all the tiny shards became impossible to see. I looked up to see what kind of cloud decided to make Ririna¡¯s life complicated and noticed an even bigger complication.


    ¡°Ririna! Move!¡± I grabbed Ririna by the waist and pulled her back with Agility Burst before a big claw smashed into the ground where she previously was. I moved my gaze to identify the claw¡¯s owner and saw a creature three times as big as the previous ones.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±

 Chapter 28 – Quest Completed

    ¡°Are you alright, Ririna? What the hell is that?¡± I held onto Ririna after pulling her out of danger, and the two of us looked at the new monster that had just appeared. It looked like the two Golem Munchers I beat, but three times their size. Is that really what it is? A giant Golem Muncher? The impact its claw made when it smashed into the ground was stronger than anything I¡¯ve seen so far. Can I do anything about it?


    ¡°Thanks, Iroha. You saved me again.¡± Ririna coughed and recomposed herself after the close call.


    I had a surprisingly easy time dealing with the two smaller Golem Munchers. This one might not be that much harder just because it¡¯s bigger. Even though they¡¯re made out of rock, they¡¯re very brittle. A single sword strike is able to completely shatter them. That¡¯s right¡­ It shouldn¡¯t be too different. It may be bigger, but I can do this! I can¡¯t hesitate. I need to stay on the offensive. That¡¯s what¡¯s been working out thus far.


    I readied my sword and ran towards the big monster. It¡¯s slow. Even after I approach it, there¡¯s no reaction. I went with the same approach I used to deal with the others and used Agility Burst to get right in front of its face. Then Slash Flurry to cut its head into pieces. ¡°You¡¯re done!¡±


    *Clank!*


    But things didn¡¯t go according to plan, and the sword made a sound I hadn¡¯t heard before. It bounced off its head, and the shock of the impact reverberated painfully through my arm. What is this? Why is it so tough? Is it not like the other ones?


    The monster brushed me off and charged forward to bite the target in front of it. It was pretty slow, but I had lost balance due to my sword bouncing, so I had to resort to Agility Burst to get out of the way. ¡°Iroha, wait!¡± I was already on the retreat, so instead of attacking again, I went to where Ririna was.


    ¡°Do you know what that is? Why is it so much tougher?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a normal Golem Muncher. You won¡¯t be able to defeat it in the same way that you did with the other ones. That¡¯s either a very mature Golem Muncher or a Titan Muncher.¡± After hearing those names and seeing this bigger monster, I remembered an enemy from the game. The only problem is that it appeared on the opposite end of the map. If it really is the same enemy that appears in the fractured lands, then it must be around level 40. No way! Is it really the same creature? What¡¯s it doing in the beginning area? ¡°Either way, the bump in its back is still somewhat fragile, but the rest of its body has fully solidified. Its body is now very tough, so you¡¯re going to struggle if you¡¯re using a sword. Get away from here. I¡¯m going to use a bomb.¡± Ririna starts rummaging through her pockets.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I don¡¯t think you have time for that¡­¡± The big monster stampeded towards us. It wasn¡¯t incredibly fast, but we still had no choice but to run away. I grabbed Ririna by the hand and pulled her along.


    ¡°Sarasa! Why did she have to be missing when we needed her the most!?¡± Ririna screamed while running. We tried to use the rocks to our advantage and weaved our way through them. The big Golem Muncher didn¡¯t care, and just smashed its way through them.


    ¡°Iroha, can you distract it for a moment? I can blow it up if you can give me an opening?¡± Can I distract it? It¡¯s fast in a straight line after it gets going, but other than that, it¡¯s not very agile. Maybe I can handle it.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Ririna and I nodded to each other and ran in different directions. I got closer to the monster and caught its attention. I circled the monster, forcing it to stop its charge and turn towards me. I was now at a distance where it could reach me with its claw attacks. Its slow speed made it easy for me to continuously dodge.


    The bump on its back is its weak spot, according to Ririna. If I could find an opening, I might be able to kill it. How many levels would I get if I succeed? I gotta give it a go. I was getting carried away after dodging so many of its attacks. I blocked one of the monster¡¯s horizontal swipes to see if I could handle it.


    *Clank!*


    The blow was so strong that it caused me slide from the recoil. Even with all my strength, the claw barely slowed down. Nope nope nope, I can¡¯t keep blocking this! I pushed back and sent its claw into the dirt. After so much sliding, I felt one of the tall rocks against my back.


    These tall rocks¡­ There¡¯s one here, and there¡¯s another behind the Golem Muncher¡­ Hmmm¡­ Agility Burst! In an instant, I climbed the rock behind me before jumping to a nearby rock and then to the rock behind the monster. The monster barely reacted, and now the bump on its back is right in front of me!


    ¡°I got you now!¡± I jumped down from the rock and sliced across its weak spot with my sword. I landed elegantly in front of the monster, and Ririna looked at me with a stunned look on her face. She was ready to blow it up, but I managed to take it down without her explosives. With its weak spot destroyed, it¡¯s only a matter of time before it shatters.


    *GHRAAAAAA!*


    ¡°Wha- Guhh!¡± The monster groaned in pain and swatted me away as it flayed wildly. OUCH! Its gigantic claw sent me flying and caused me to roll on the ground before one of the rocks caught me. It hurts so much! It feels like a truck just hit me! I thought the existence of portals meant there was no need for that! I stabbed my sword into the ground and used it to pull myself up.


    ¡°No! Iroha! Hang in there! I¡¯ll finish it off, and I¡¯ll be right over there!¡±


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    Ririna was holding onto a small orange orb that looked it was made out of magma. The orb started glowing, and she entered into a throwing stance. Before she was able to throw anything, a shadow cutting through the air dropped down on the monster. The Golem Muncher turned into a big cloud of dust.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Ririna was completely frozen, and the two of us waited for the cloud to subside.


    ¡°Heya! That¡¯s another one down. Are you two okay?¡± As the dust died down, we could see Sarasa casually standing on top of the fragments of the big Golem Muncher.


    ¡°Sa- Sarasa!? You¡¯re late! Where the hell did you go?¡± The orb stopped glowing, and Ririna put it away as she ran towards Sarasa. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her this angry yet. I guess she¡¯s reached her limit.


    ¡°Am I? I don¡¯t see anyone dead yet.¡± Sarasa looked at me and Ririna with an unperturbed expression.


    ¡°Well¡­ No one died¡­ But it was close!¡± Ririna sighed, and her anger quickly subsided. ¡°That¡¯s right! Iroha, are you alright?¡± Ririna forgot about Sarasa and ran towards me.


    ¡°It hurts, but I think I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ririna was buzzing around me, checking for wounds from every angle.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Stay still. I¡¯ll give you some treatment.¡± I was kneeling while holding onto the katana for balance. Ririna got behind me and started rummaging through her stuff again. ¡°Why did you have to try to fight it? Didn¡¯t I say I was gonna use a bomb? All you had to do was buy me some time.¡± Ririna was lecturing me, but her voice sounded somewhat happy.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I saw a good opportunity, and¡­ well¡­ I didn¡¯t want to give it up without trying. I guess it was all for nothing. I had no idea Sarasa would be able to kill it that easily.¡± My face turned into a wry smile, and I let out an awkward laugh.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. I only had such an easy time because weakened it for me.¡± Sarasa¡¯s words caught me by surprise. Seriously? My attack did something?


    ¡°I actually thought you got it when I saw you cut through its back.¡± Ririna touched my back a few times as she prepared to treat my wounds. ¡°It looked like it was about to shatter. If you hit it with a slightly different angle, you would have killed it. I¡¯m gonna use some ointment, okay?¡± Ririna shared what it looked like from her point of view.


    Was it really that close? That makes me kinda happy. How strong was that enemy anyway? Was it really level 40? Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m getting really strong? I¡¯m only level 6! If I¡¯m able to come close to defeating an enemy so much stronger than me, then¡­ Hm? The back of my shirt fluttered, and it distracted me. If I can come close to beating a level 40 enemy, then isn¡¯t that proof that I¡¯ve gotten really strong-


    ¡°Ahh~!¡± Not there~ Suddenly, a set of cold hands rubbed my back under my shirt. The sensation caused me to let out a small moan. Ririna?! Her small, wet hands massaged my back, thoroughly spreading her healing ointment. How did it come to this?! Her hands feel so good! No! Stop! Nooooo!


    <hr>


    ¡°There! That should make you feel better!¡± Ririna stood up after she finished treating me.


    ¡°*Pant¡­ pant¡­*¡± Make me feel better? That made me feel too good! My face was bright red as I tried to catch my breath. That was so embarrassing! I can¡¯t believe she would start massaging me like that all of a sudden! Is she trying to drive me crazy? Could they see my reactions? I know I started looking straight down right after my voice escaped, so I should be fine. Wow¡­ That was something else.


    ¡°Did it work, Iroha? Can you stand? Can you walk?¡± Ririna offered me her hand.


    I gotta calm down. I took one deep breath and tried to calm my heart. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ririna pulled me up, and I stood up just fine. ¡°Wow¡­ there¡¯s no pain anymore.¡± Despite how embarrassing and wonderful that experience was, the results spoke for themselves. Ririna¡¯s medicine really did work. ¡°Thanks, Ririna.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you, Iroha. You did a lot for me today. Thank you.¡± Ririna flashed me a wide smile while still holding onto my hand. My face was still half flushed from before, so seeing Ririna¡¯s pretty face like this is only gonna make it worse. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling alright, then I¡¯m gonna go grab the crystals. If something starts to hurt again, tell me, and I¡¯ll give you something else.¡± I nodded back to Ririna, and she left to loot the monsters.


    Ahh~ Ririna¡­


    Sarasa found and defeated a couple more Golem Munchers when she was on her own. Ririna went around gathering all of their crystals, and by the end, she said she had enough for the request. We then left the area with the Golem Munchers and stopped by a field with some crops on our way back to town. Ririna wanted to make a prototype for the dirt she needed to make for the request. Me and Sarasa watched as Ririna did some improvised alchemy.


    Ririna spread out a piece of cloth on a nearby tree stump and started working. She started by mixing a handful of common dirt with some plants she had. She processed and mixed some other materials, before putting one of the small crystals at the end.


    She mixed a handful of dirt with some plants she had and did a lot of other things before finally putting in one of the small crystals she got from the monsters.


    I don¡¯t really get it. Is that how alchemy is supposed to work? Isn¡¯t it about turning random crap into gold? She did say it was improvised¡­ I hope it goes well for her. As for me, I¡¯d say it¡¯s been going well¡­


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.7]


    [HP: 655/655]


    [MP: 328/328]


    [Skill Points: 10]


    I got another level, so I have nothing to complain about! I ended up coming to this world earlier than expected, but it led me to meet Ririna and gain two more levels. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t go home right after finding the portal. Thinking about it now, this would have all gone way differently if I had been too scared to enter the portal. I wouldn¡¯t have met Ririna, and I wouldn¡¯t have had the amazing experience I had earlier. I¡¯m getting embarrassed again¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m happy about the levels, but that¡¯s not all!


    [Momentum ¨C Agility Burst is now Lv.2]


    [Momentum ¨C Nimble is now Lv.2]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Sword Mastery is now Lv.2]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Sword Flurry is now Lv.2]


    Half of my skills are now level 2! And I didn¡¯t have to spend any Skill Points to level them up. Sometimes it can take a long time for skills to grow on their own, and it¡¯s just as expensive to pay to level them up. For now, I don¡¯t have to worry about that. Everything¡¯s growing so fast that I can¡¯t keep up with everything. It¡¯s obvious to me how much stronger I am becoming during combat, but I¡¯m starting to feel the effects in my daily life. I basically don¡¯t get tired anymore, and some of the things at home are so much easier to pick up and move around. It¡¯s a little scary. Since when was I a flexible girl? I got so engrossed watching anime the other day, that by the time I noticed how I was sitting, I was practically doing the splits¡­ Like, hello? Who is this?


    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Ririna exclaimed, and the dirt in front of her now had a much deeper color, and it looked like it was sparkling.


    ¡°You got it?¡± Sarasa quickly ran to Ririna¡¯s side to take a closer look. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯ve gotta make sure it¡¯s working. I got permission to experiment with the crops here. I¡¯m gonna replace the dirt around one of the carrots and we¡¯ll see.¡± Ririna wrapped the dirt she created in the piece of cloth and carried it over to where the carrots were. She then carefully dug out the dirt around the carrot and replaced it with her own. She patted the spot around the carrot a few times just for good measure.


    ¡°Is it working?¡± I¡¯m not sure what we¡¯re looking for, so I was hoping Ririna would tell me.


    ¡°I think so, but it¡¯s too early to tell. Let¡¯s wait a few minutes first.¡± I thought I was seeing things as the leaves of the carrot seemed to start growing. ¡°Yep! It¡¯s working!¡± After a couple more minutes, Ririna pulled out the carrot in question, and it was larger than most carrots I see.


    ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s impressive!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything yet, Iroha. If we leave it overnight, it should grow to three or four times this size. Assuming I didn¡¯t screw up anything, that is. But for now, it looks like it¡¯s working. It¡¯s only one carrot, but this should be good enough for a prototype.¡± Ririna packed away the carrot and the rest of the dirt, and we got ready to head back to town.


    ¡°So, this dirt you were asked to make causes plants to grow faster?¡± That¡¯s what it looked like to me, but I wanted to know if there was anything else.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Apparently, my client received a huge order from Azcester. They need to get a big harvest in a short amount of time.¡± Azcester is the name of the floating city and the most important human country. I didn¡¯t actually remember the name, even though it sounded familiar. It came up in conversation earlier today, so I ended up connecting the dots.


    ¡°Job¡¯s done then! That¡¯s great!¡± Sarasa celebrated the experiment¡¯s success.


    ¡°I need to deliver a lot more than just this, but I¡¯d say the hardest part¡¯s out of the way!¡± Ririna looked pleased as she finished cleaning up. ¡°Sarasa, Iroha, thank you so much for helping me out! I¡¯m sure you already know, but if you ever need anything, I¡¯ll be happy to help out!¡±


    Ririna gave us a heartfelt thank you for the help we¡¯ve given her. This whole thing has been a huge success. When I look at Ririna¡¯s happy face, I feel very glad that I was able to help out.

 Chapter 29 – Time to go Back Home

    After helping Ririna gather the materials she needed from the monsters, the three of us went back to town. Ririna finished making a sample of the magical dirt she needed for her client. The only thing left was to deliver it. Sarasa left as soon as we got to town because she had something else to do. It wasn¡¯t part of the plan, but I agreed to accompany Ririna on her way to her client. The whole thing was a little interesting, and I didn¡¯t have anything else to do. When Ririna asked me if I wanted to keep her company, I said yes so I could spend more time with her.


    ¡°Oh, good evening, Ririna. What brings you here?¡± A well-dressed young man called out to Ririna as soon as we got close. When we entered the town, we went down the street with the inns toward the guilds of the town. We¡¯re now in front of what looks like a merchant¡¯s guild, one of the many around here.


    ¡°Good evening. I got the materials needed for the request, and I¡¯ve also prepared a sample for you to see before I start production.¡± Ririna took out the wrapped sample of dirt she prepared and handed it over to the man. According to Ririna, this young man is named Armand Lech. He¡¯s a fledgling merchant who may or may not have some kind of connection to a house of nobles.


    ¡°That is wonderful news! And who is that next to you?¡± The man said while looking at me.


    ¡°This is Iroha. She¡¯s a friend of mine. I asked her for help to gather the materials I needed.¡± It might have been just my imagination, but Armand¡¯s brows seemed to furrow for a split second. Did he not want me to help Ririna? He¡¯s a merchant, so I¡¯d imagine he¡¯s just being stingy and doesn¡¯t want to pay me. He doesn¡¯t need to worry about that because Ririna has already paid me for helping her.


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly fine. Please, let me take a look at what you brought.¡± He received the wrapped dirt and closely inspected it. I see why Ririna told me there are rumors about him being some kind of noble. He¡¯s being weirdly formal. ¡°I believe this is it. This looks like the recipe I gave you. Well done, Ririna.¡±


    ¡°Should I start large-scale production? I have already gathered all the materials needed.¡±


    ¡°Please do. Everything seems to be in order, and we need to start the harvest as soon as possible. We¡¯ve been under a lot of pressure lately.¡± Armand¡¯s face twisted slightly with frustration.


    ¡°Did the situation get worse? Either way, I can get all the dirt you need in a few days. You¡¯ll be able to start harvesting before the end of the week, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve been a great help to us. Please deliver everything to us as soon as you¡¯re finished.¡± Looks like they settled everything. After exchanging a couple more words, me and Ririna left Armand and moved back towards the town center.


    ¡°Was that guy actually a noble?¡± His mannerisms left me wondering, so I wanted to know what Ririna thought about it.


    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know. One of the other merchants on the guild told me that everyone suspected him of being a noble, but that¡¯s all I heard.¡± Ririna shrugged.


    ¡°Then you have no clue who he is?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°How can you know if he¡¯s trustworthy? Is it normal for merchants to have alchemy recipes?¡± I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m getting so hung up on this. Did seeing Ririna talk to a well-kept young man make me jealous? She wasn¡¯t at all into him, so why would that bother me?


    ¡°Being given a recipe by a merchant is a little uncommon, but alchemists receive a lot of custom orders. When you think about it, those two things are not too different from one another. I don¡¯t know whether or not he¡¯s fully trustworthy, but he doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person. The recipe he gave me seemed to work, so I¡¯m happy I have yet another thing to research.¡± When she puts it like that, I can¡¯t really say anything. Ririna told me how she wanted to discover new things with alchemy. To her, any opportunity to learn more is one she must take.


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    ¡°At the end of the day, it¡¯s not up to me to make any kinds of judgments about him. He made a request to the alchemist¡¯s guild. None of the other members wanted to do it, so the job was assigned to me. I still have a lot to learn, so I don¡¯t have much of a say. If I get kicked out of the alchemist¡¯s guild, it¡¯s over for me.¡± Ririna laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, it¡¯s better if you forget what I said then. I¡¯m just being a little paranoid.¡± I really didn¡¯t want Ririna to suffer because of my stupid jealousy, so I¡¯ve decided not to make any more comments.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You were worried about me, weren¡¯t you?¡± I guess you could say that¡­ ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve heard the conversation, so you already know. I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do, so I¡¯ll be very busy making dirt for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. Are you gonna be alright?¡± I hope Ririna doesn¡¯t overwork herself.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! But we¡¯re not gonna be able to see each other until I¡¯m done.¡± Why does she look so sad? Does she like being with me that much?


    ¡°That¡¯s a bummer. At least it¡¯s not gonna take much more than a few days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Sarasa and Flanne are still going to be around, so talk to them if you have any problems while I¡¯m away. I still have to repay you for all you¡¯ve done for me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to repay me for anything!¡± I said as I waved my hands in front of me. ¡°We¡¯re f- friends, so I¡¯m happy to help out!¡± If you really wanted to repay me for anything, the first thing we should do is become more than just friends. ¡°I also have some stuff on my own to sort out, so don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I wish you luck then.¡± That¡¯s right. I spent all my free time these past two days in this world, and I¡¯ve ended up neglecting the real world. I haven¡¯t checked up on Katja and the others, and¡­ Well¡­ Has it really just been two days? I feel like so much has changed and that I¡¯ve grown so much. Katja¡¯s gonna freak out next time we train together. ¡°Well then, Iroha. I need to head back to my laboratory and start making some preparations. I guess I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    I said goodbye to Ririna, and we waved to each other as she ran towards the fast.travel station. We haven¡¯t known each other for very long, but I feel like we¡¯ve become good friends. And close friends at that. I can¡¯t believe how easy it was for her to give me that massage. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna forget that moment for the rest of my life. I¡¯ve never had anyone touch me like that before. Ahhh! Why am I getting carried away? It was just medical treatment. It¡¯s not like that means anything, right?


    I shook my head and went home. And by home, I mean to the portal in the forest. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going straight home just yet. I wanna stop by the House on the way and see if there¡¯s anyone there first.


    I enter the dorm and see Hecate and Katja sitting next to each other. Katja is gently polishing her sword, and that fills the room with a soothing atmosphere. Why am I feeling like this? Am I getting nostalgic? It hasn¡¯t even been that long.


    ¡°Good evening¡­¡± I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything. I¡¯m getting nervous for some reason.


    ¡°Is that you, Iroha? Welcome back!¡± Katja looks my way and waves for me to get closer, which I do. ¡°What were you up to? Were you out training by yourself?¡±


    I take a seat across from the two of them. ¡°Uhmm¡­ Yeah, pretty much.¡± Katja looks really pretty polishing her sword. Just looking at her makes me feel relaxed.


    ¡°Did fate allow you to encounter any foul beasts?¡± Hecate was the complete opposite. Her imposing goth loli dress combined with her amber eye put me immediately on edge, but in a way that I really enjoy. Hecate rested her head on her hand as she asked me whether or not I had run into any monsters.


    ¡°Yes, I did manage to find some monsters today, actually.¡± Sitting across from the two of them feels like I¡¯m being interviewed or something¡­ Maybe it¡¯s more like an interrogation.


    ¡°Really? Lucky for you.¡± Katja says. ¡°How did it go? I want to know the results of your training.¡±


    ¡°It went well. I didn¡¯t really run into any trouble. All the monsters were pretty weak.¡± Except for that big one that almost ended me. ¡°I think I¡¯m getting stronger.¡±


    ¡°So training on your own was effective. That¡¯s good to know.¡± Katja crossed her arms and pondered to herself.


    ¡°What are you gonna do now, Iroha?¡± Hecate asked me, but I¡¯m not exactly sure.


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably just keep training. I may have gotten a little stronger, but it¡¯s nowhere near enough.¡± Even though it looked like I was close to defeating that level 40 enemy, I ended up not actually being able to finish it. If I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯m not sure its level was actually that high. The monster I remember seeing in the game may have had that level. But not everything is exactly the same as it was in the game. ¡°I¡¯m still really weak.¡±


    ¡°That may not be true. It¡¯s harder to accurately gauge one¡¯s strength than someone else¡¯s.¡± Katja interjected with a piece of advice. I don¡¯t know whether she¡¯s true or not, but I agree with her. ¡°And with that being said, how about we train together for a little bit? That way, I¡¯d be able to see how much you¡¯ve improved. No. Sorry, maybe tomorrow¡¯s better. You¡¯re probably tired right now.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m fine with it. I¡¯m not feeling tired at all.¡± Which is weird. I know I have Stamina Boost right now, but at level 1, it shouldn¡¯t be giving me this much energy. After all, I was really exhausted after all the fighting today. Was it because of Ririna¡¯s ointment? Now that I think about it, all my fatigue was gone afterwards. That makes sense! It probably restored my stamina along with my health. That must have been it! It¡¯s definitely not the massage that raised my spirits so much that now I can¡¯t calm down. Definitely not¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the dojo then.¡± Katja got up and cleaned her maintenance kit. ¡°But if you notice that you¡¯re getting tired, just tell me. I don¡¯t want you collapsing again.¡± Don¡¯t tempt me. Going from Ririna¡¯s hands into Katja¡¯s arms is the kind of dream scenario that makes me do stupid shit. I gotta control myself. I¡¯m afraid that Ririna and Sarasa may be thinking that I¡¯m weird after how I reacted today. I gotta limit the weirdo vibes for the day.


    Me and Katja left the dorm after saying goodbye to Hecate and moved to the dojo. I missed this comfortable kind of training with no stakes and where my life isn¡¯t at risk. Maybe what happened in the other world took a bigger toll on my mind than I initially thought.

 Chapter 30 – New Heights

    ¡°Seriously, Katja? You want me to fight Iroha again? Didn¡¯t we just do that a few days ago?¡± Carol¡¯s annoyed voice echoed through the small dojo.


    ¡°We did, but Iroha suddenly got a lot stronger after sparring with you. Sorry, but I need you to help with her training.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it, so don¡¯t apologize to me. You do not need to do that. *Sigh¡­* What a waste of time.¡±


    Me, Carol, Katja, and Narumi gathered again at the dojo for another sparring match. The second time is not as big of an event, so Hecate said she had other things to do and decided not to join us. After she finished convincing Carol to spar with me, Katja joined Narumi in the spectator¡¯s seat. Carol and I faced each other in the middle of the dojo. It¡¯s time for another match between the two of us.


    Yesterday, after I returned from the other world, I was very excited about how much I was improving. Katja asked me about it, and I got carried away. I joined her for a small training session to show her all the new things I had learned, which impressed her.


    ¡°How did you improve so much so quickly? I knew sparring and self-training could be a good idea for you, but I never expected this level of results.¡± She asked me yesterday.


    I couldn¡¯t exactly reveal the reason why, so I played dumb.


    ¡°You gotta spar with Carol again! How about tomorrow? If you¡¯re improving this fast, you¡¯re gonna be able to match Carol in no time. How much stronger are you gonna get if we do this a few more times? I can¡¯t wait to find out.¡±


    Katja is so pushy when it comes to other people¡¯s training that I had no choice but to accept sparring with Carol. And now, we¡¯re doing this again. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not interested either. It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve gotten stronger after going into the other world, so I wanna see how much I¡¯ve improved. Last time, I was barely able to keep up with Carol, and I knew from the beginning that I had no hope of winning. I need to get some revenge.


    ¡°How much could she have improved in just a few days? Seriously¡­¡± Carol muttered to herself as she scratched her bright hair. ¡°Why did you agree to this, Iroha? Did you think it¡¯s gonna go differently from last time? Don¡¯t get mad at me if you get hurt. I¡¯m not gonna hold back. Come on, let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡± Carol clenched her grip on her wooden sword with a composed look.


    Is it going to go differently? Is it going to end the same way as last time? Who knows? But I¡¯ve gotten stronger since last time, and I¡¯m not interested in losing again. ¡°Let¡¯s have a good match.¡±


    ¡°Are you two ready?¡± The two of us in the center of the dojo nodded in response. ¡°Then, start!¡±


    *Clack!*


    As soon as Katja lowered her arm, our wooden swords clashed. I had already learned how important it was to be on the offensive, so I immediately lunged forward as an opening. Carol made me pay for that mistake last time. Just like me, she was also aware of how important it was to be on the offensive, so her first move was also to charge forward.


    Carol said she wasn¡¯t going to hold back, and neither am I. If I don¡¯t use my skills again, I¡¯m gonna lose. This time, I¡¯m going to do things differently. I don¡¯t wanna get found out, so I can¡¯t go overboard, but I can still use Agility Burst and Slash Flurry. If I¡¯m careful, I can actually use Agility Burst while making it look natural. I won¡¯t be able to use it to its fullest potential, but it should be good enough. With Slash Flurry, all I need to do is not chain any attacks. If I use it for singular strikes, I can enhance their speed and power without it looking too unnatural. I¡¯ve got a chance this time.


    Our swords clashed many more times, until Carol got tired of doing the same thing. She hit me with a weak but quick attack, followed by a heavy but just as quick attack from the opposite direction. This would have been too much for me last time. I easily blocked the first attack and moved my sword around just in time to block the heavier hit.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± She looked at me with anger in her eyes as her heavy attack pushed me back. She was expecting to finish things off with that move.


    I wasn¡¯t immediately able to move, so Carol should have attacked. Maybe that heavy attack caused her to lose her momentum, or maybe she¡¯s upset that I was able to block. Either way, I regained my balance and rushed towards her.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    I had the upper hand, and I was able to attack her a couple more times. Carol had no choice but to block my strikes. This wasn¡¯t going to defeat her, but if I keep putting pressure on her, I¡¯m going to create an opening eventually.


    Carol got tired of defending, and the opening I longed for finally appeared. Carol tried to retaliate in between my attacks. She slashed down, but she was too slow to hit me. I pressured her so much that there was no way she could have made a good attack from her position. I swiped her sword to side, and used Agility Burst in the opposite direction. I was almost able to get behind her, and now she had no way to defend herself.


    That was the plan, but Carol was more agile than I thought, and she managed to turn and block my attack. Her block was as rushed as her previous attack. After defending against my sword, she lost balance and stumbled back. This should have been my opportunity, but I couldn¡¯t follow up. The momentum from circling her with Agility Burst made it impossible to do so.


    Carol was the first one to move, and she ran my way with a low stance. I remember this one. Carol swiped away at my feet with a kick, but I managed to dodge by taking a step back. Hah! Serves you right! Did you think you were gonna get me with the same trick again? It¡¯s easy to dodge if I know it¡¯s coming.


    I raised my head and locked eyes with a smiling Carol. ¡°You fell for it.¡± Carol was playing with my expectations, and that kick of hers was yet another trick. She made me look at the floor before lunging at me with a thrusting motion. That looks like it¡¯s gonna hurt. I don¡¯t want that! I can¡¯t go out like this! I didn¡¯t have any other way to defend myself, so I used Slash Flurry to knock her sword to the side.


    Carol¡¯s cocky face turned into awe, and her lunge into a tackle. Ouch! She may be small, but her tackle still hurts. The distance between us increased, and we¡¯re back in a neutral position. ¡°How did that not work?¡± Carol mutters to herself, growing visibly more annoyed.


    If she¡¯s not going to attack, then I¡¯ll make the first move. She wants to fight with tricks, so I¡¯m not gonna hold back either. I wanted to throw off her guard timing, so I swung my sword at her and activated Slash Flurry in the middle of my swing. The sword¡¯s speed suddenly increased, and Carol winced as she struggled to block it. ¡°You¡¯re trying to mess with me¡­¡± She¡¯s mad that I tricked her now. She¡¯s the one who started it, though.


    Carol continued to block my attacks until another opening showed up. I swung down at her with all my might, but she disappeared. How? As soon as she saw I was aiming for a big hit, she gave up on blocking and dodged to my side. I couldn¡¯t stop my swing in time, and my sword hit the ground with a big sound. ¡°Payback, bitch.¡± This is bad. I¡¯m completely exposed now, and Carol¡¯s right next to me. This is intense! My heart¡¯s pounding so much. Am I gonna lose again? I can¡¯t afford to hold anything back anymore.


    I used Agility Burst at full strength and quickly got out of the bad position I was in. Carol wasn¡¯t bothered that I managed to dodge. In fact, she may have been expecting it. Her sword whiffed, but she chased after me without missing a beat. Her face carried a confident and excited smile. The momentum from the Agility Burst makes it hard for me to defend myself. I really wanna win this time! I used Agility Burst once more to break my bad momentum and shot towards Carol. Her eyes widened in surprise due to my strange movement, and I used Slash Flurry to knock the sword out of her hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Iroha wins!¡± Katja¡¯s voice resounds through the room, putting an end to our match.


    What¡¯s this? It¡¯s over? Did I hear it right? I won? Against Carol? There¡¯s no way¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡­ I have gotten stronger, but it shouldn¡¯t have been enough for me to beat Carol. She is so much stronger than me¡­


    Narumi jumped up from her seat and ran towards me. ¡°That was amazing, Iroha! That was so fun to watch! You had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!¡± What Narumi cared about the most was having fun, so she was quick to celebrate my performance.


    Katja was also quite excited, and she was also quick to come to my side. ¡°That was a big surprise. I wasn¡¯t expecting you¡¯d be able to win. You improved even more than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°And the way you closed out the fight¡­ I think my heart stopped when I saw you charging at her. You were like, voosh!¡± Narumi gestured in a silly way, trying to replicate my final swing.


    ¡°That was really impressive. What was that at the end?¡± Katja asked with an inquisitive look.


    Oh no! She noticed, didn¡¯t she? I got so caught up in the fight with Carol, that I used Agility Burst two times in a row. What was I thinking? Of course it¡¯s gonna look unnatural if I use it like that! She¡¯s onto me. How can I get out of this one?


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ My body just kinda moved on its own¡­¡± What a stupid excuse. Is she going to let it slide.


    ¡°I see¡­ It¡¯s a shame you didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Still, it¡¯s impressive you were even able to pull it off. That¡¯s another sign that your training is bearing fruit.¡± What? She¡¯s not mad? It actually kinda sounds like she was excepting it. Was I supposed to be able to do that kind of movement with her training one day? Isn¡¯t that a little too much? I can only do that because of the skill. It¡¯s practically a cheat. Then again, the way she jumped over my sword the other way was also absurd. I guess that¡¯s how high her standards are.


    Either way, Katja and Narumi are both happy with me, and my secret is still safe. I guess it¡¯s fine for me to hang back and enjoy. ¡°Thanks, you two.¡±


    ¡°How is this possible? It¡¯s been more than two years. How did she improve so much so quickly? Why am I so useless? I¡¯ve been working so hard. Why did this happen? Why did she have to show up? Why is she so strong?¡± This is bad. Carol is once again whispering to herself. Carol was behind Narumi and Katja with her hair covering her face. She¡¯s taking this really poorly. Have Katja and Narumi not noticed? They should say something to her. Poor Carol¡­ She did really well too.


    Since they don¡¯t seem to notice, I¡¯ll have to be the one who says something to her. I tried to speak with Carol, but both Katja and Narumi were in my way. They were still merrily discussing the details of the fight, and I was more than happy to continue basking in their praise. What do I do? I don¡¯t want to leave Carol like that, but I also don¡¯t want to interrupt Katja and Narumi and ruin the mood.


    ¡°W- wait!¡± Before I was able to make a decision, Carol sprinted out of the dojo. I reached out to her, but I was too late, and she left. Was she crying?


    ¡°Was that Carol?¡± Katja looked at the entrance, trying to identify the source of the noise.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think she was upset.¡± I should have said something sooner¡­


    ¡°For sure! Ahahahaha! She¡¯s gonna be pissed! Carol hates losing.¡± Narumi laughed it off, like it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. She hates losing? Is that really all there is to it?


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about her. Is she gonna be okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It will be fine. None of us could have imagined how much you have grown already, so it must have come as a shock to her. Me and Hecate will talk to her later, so don¡¯t worry, Iroha.¡± Katja saw me worry about Carol, and tried her best to reassure me. I¡¯m not the one who needs to be reassured, though.


    It wasn¡¯t late yet, and I didn¡¯t have anything else to do, so I spent the rest of the day with the others at the House. It was a good opportunity to train with Katja again and to catch up with the rest of the girls. I¡¯ve been getting better, but it¡¯s gonna take more than to get to their level. I had a good time, but, for the rest of the day, Carol was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 31 – Can we get Along?

    It was the day after I won against Carol in the practice match. Ririna is probably still busy, so I¡¯m not in any rush to go back into the other world. I still want to train there, so I might still head there for that if nothing else pops up. For now, I stopped by the dorm. Hecate and Katja were the only two there. ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hey, Iroha. How are you?¡± Katja was once again sitting on the table with her sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. How are you two?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re splendid.¡± Hecate was the one who answered back. She stopped sweeping the floor to look at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Well¡­ How¡¯s Carol?¡± I¡¯m worried about her. I can¡¯t forget the sight of her crying when she left the dojo. She was a little unstable. I get that it¡¯s frustrating to lose to the new kid, but we¡¯re on the same side. She should be happy that the House as a whole is getting stronger. I don¡¯t want to see her sad like that. There¡¯s more to it than meets the eye, but it¡¯s not something that¡¯s easy to ask about. Carol¡¯s been distant from the very beginning. I¡¯ve figured that¡¯s just how she was, but I was hoping she¡¯d open up as time went on. Right now, it seems like we¡¯re only drifting further and further apart.


    ¡°Carol¡¯s fine. She was upset yesterday, but she has calmed down.¡± Katja told me about Carol as I walked closer to her.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. She looked so upset that I couldn¡¯t help but worry.¡±


    ¡°Carol¡¯s not someone you need to concern yourself with. She¡¯s a lot stronger than you think.¡± There¡¯s a tinge of anger in Hecate¡¯s voice. I know how much she cares about the others. Is she mad that I made Carol cry? I didn¡¯t mean it! She¡¯s not the only one who wants Carol to be happy. I want to make her happy too! I swear!


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Well¡­ I¡¯m glad that¡¯s the case¡­¡±


    ¡°So? I¡¯ve heard you slaughtered Carol in yesterday¡¯s duel. How did that go?¡± Hecate joined the two of us at the table. Katja was a little bothered by the way Hecate was acting, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She focused on polishing her sword and tried to pretend nothing was happening. Is Hecate that scary? I¡¯ve seen her scold Carol and Narumi before, but seeing Katja also scared of her is something else. I didn¡¯t even do anything bad, though! Should I have lost on purpose? That doesn¡¯t seem right¡­


    ¡°Slaughtered¡­ It wasn¡¯t anything that violent¡­ I won, but it was close. Carol¡¯s very strong.¡± I only won because I got the VISS Driver. I have it, and it¡¯s not something that can just be taken out, so it could be said that it¡¯s part of my abilities. It could also be considered cheating, and frankly, I wouldn¡¯t contest that either.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you won or not. The fact that you¡¯re at Carol¡¯s level in such a short amount of time is very impressive. You¡¯ve gotten pretty strong, haven¡¯t you?¡± She¡¯s praising me, but Hecate¡¯s pressure is insane! It¡¯s weird, isn¡¯t it? Even if I hold back and don¡¯t use any crazy skills, it¡¯s still unnatural for a normal girl to get strong so quickly! She¡¯s onto me. Katja might have let it slide, but I¡¯m not so sure about Hecate¡­ At this rate, they¡¯re going to hand me over to some kind of weird association that¡¯s gonna have a field day dissecting me! No way! I don¡¯t want that!


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been lucky¡­ Ahahaha¡­¡± I¡¯m nervous now! What do I do?


    ¡°So? What¡¯s the next step? What are you gonna do now?¡± Me and Hecate lock eyes, and I can¡¯t read her expression anymore. Why is she so interested in this? The answer¡¯s pretty obvious for me.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna continue my training. I want to become stronger.¡± Is she afraid I might leave like Narumi? I¡¯m gonna keep training, and I¡¯m gonna keep getting stronger, until eventually one of them falls for me. It¡¯s pretty simple. I¡¯m not planning on going anywhere.


    ¡°Iroha, you¡¯re already strong.¡± Eh? ¡°I want to know what comes next. What are you gonna do now that you¡¯re strong?¡± I¡¯m strong? Is she serious? The way Hecate looked at me told me this was a very important question for her.


    She¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m already strong enough. They have all already recognized my strength. They¡¯ve praised me before, and now that I¡¯ve won against Carol, there¡¯s no doubt I¡¯m at an acceptable level. Why has nothing changed, then? They were never going to fall in love with me just because I¡¯m strong, but our relationships should have changed. My hope was that, by becoming stronger, they would see me as one of them. I would become closer to them, and then they¡¯d fall in love with me somehow. But that hasn¡¯t happened, they still don¡¯t see me as one of their own. They still don¡¯t trust me. Why? What am I supposed to do? What am I missing? Is a relationship with one of them even possible? Our realities are so far appart.


    ¡°Hecate, it¡¯s not fair to ask Iroha that. She only just joined us, so she¡¯s still figuring things out. We may have never had a say in the matter, but it wasn¡¯t easy for us in the beginning either. She doesn¡¯t need to have an answer to that yet.¡± Katja understood what bothered Hecate, and she stood up for me. I appreciate it, but even now she¡¯s making it clear that there¡¯s a difference between us. One that I have no idea how to cross.


    ¡°If not now, then when? Iroha, you need to make a decision eventually. You¡¯re getting stronger? That¡¯s good. But what are you gonna do with that strength? Are you just going to keep getting better and better with no goal in mind? That¡¯s not gonna work. Depending on what you end up choosing, it might be better for you not to stay with us.¡±


    I¡¯m not like them. They¡¯re out there risking their lives to protect people or for each other¡¯s sake. My motives aren¡¯t that pure. Sure, if I can help someone, I¡¯m not gonna let them die. But all I want is love. I suddenly met these four girls, prettier than almost everyone I had ever met before, and I fell in love. Now, I genuinely care about them, both romantically and as friends. Whenever one of them has work, I worry they might get hurt. My goal is to build a special relationship with the girls of the House. That hasn¡¯t changed. But this isn¡¯t something I can say. And now I¡¯m not even sure that¡¯s ever gonna work. I¡¯m missing a step.


    ¡°I¡­ I just want to help you¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. You¡¯re just going along with the flow. If you don¡¯t have a reason to fight, we won¡¯t be able to count on you when it matters the most.¡± Hecate¡¯s serious face softened into a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Iroha. I¡¯m glad you want to help us. You were a mess at the beginning, and you¡¯ve come a long way. You¡¯ve gotten strong enough to accompany us the next time monsters appear, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do just fine. But I still have my doubts. You can¡¯t fight without a reason forever. Eventually, you¡¯re gonna change your mind, and I¡¯m afraid it may be too late for us then.¡± Hecate interlocked her fingers in front of her in quite the reserved pose.


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have a reason¡­ Maybe my reason¡¯s not good enough¡­ I fight for love¡­ Maybe it¡¯s just attraction¡­ Is that really not a good enough reason? Am I really gonna change my mind at some point? Would I really turn my back on them when they need it the most? I¡¯m pretty sure I wouldn¡¯t, but¡­ I¡¯m scared. Am I able to stick with them forever, even if our relationship never progresses? If I got together with Miyuki and had to turn my back on the House for her, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate, would I? I still care about them. I¡¯m pretty sure I do. Can I just say that?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Give Iroha some time, Hecate. She said she wanted to help us. Isn¡¯t that enough for now?¡± The tension had dissipated the moment Hecate started smiling. Katja did a good job keeping the pressure off me, but I¡¯m still unsure of what to think.


    ¡°Things will sort themselves out over time, I know, Katja. But Iroha needs to find a reason sooner or later. The sooner she thinks about it, the better. Besides, if we talk about it, we might be able to figure something out together. There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t have some kind of idea about it. Come on, Iroha. Tell us what you¡¯re thinking. What do you want to do now that you¡¯ve gotten better?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I don¡¯t know. I just like them. What should I do? ¡°I¡­ I just remembered something!¡± My chair slides loudly, and I stand up straight in a hurry. ¡°I was actually planning on training by myself today! I should hurry up before it gets too late. Sorry¡­ We¡¯ll have to finish this some other day. Bye!¡± I ran out of the dorm, leaving Katja and Hecate behind.


    What the hell am I doing? Should I have said something? Maybe it would have been fine. No, I would have found a way to screw up. I would have said something weird. I made my way to the portal and got away from the dorm. I¡¯m gonna check how Ririna¡¯s doing and how her work is going. I can keep getting stronger if I hang out with her, and I can use that strength to help her gather more materials. She¡¯d appreciate that, wouldn¡¯t she? Either way, I need to clear my head.


    <hr>


    ¡°She¡¯s going into the forest¡­¡± On one of the windows of the first floor, a girl with beige twintails observed as Iroha stepped into the forest.


    ¡°Iroha¡­ There¡¯s no way you could have improved so much so quickly¡­ There¡¯s something off about you¡­ I just know it! I wouldn¡¯t have lost to you otherwise.¡± Carol closed the curtains and turned away from the window. She ran out of her room, taking care not to knock any of her plushies onto the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna find out what you¡¯re hiding. Just you wait¡­¡±

 Chapter 32 – Shocking Discovery

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t noticed me, has she? Why has she been spending so much time training in the forest? Iroha has to be hiding something¡­¡± Like a hunter stalking its prey, Carol tracked Iroha as she made her way into the forest.


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s been fighting monsters, there¡¯s no way she could have improved that fast. There aren¡¯t even that many monsters here. It¡¯s impossible! I¡¯m not a fool. I¡¯m not gonna fall for her lies.¡± Carol remained close enough not to lose sight of Iroha, but not so close that Iroha would detect her presence.


    ¡°The way she¡¯s moving is weird. Isn¡¯t she looking for monsters to fight? She¡¯s walking like she has a destination in mind.¡±


    After following her for a few more minutes, Iroha came to a stop. ¡°What the hell?¡± Iroha had arrived at her destination. ¡°Is that a portal? That bitch¡­ So this is what she used to train. I can¡¯t believe this is where the portal was. She found its location and didn¡¯t even tell anyone. How dare she? Of course she¡¯s not gonna have trouble finding monsters when she knows where they¡¯re coming from.¡±


    Iroha casually walked towards the portal, like it was harmless. ¡°Hey, what is she doing? Why is she getting so close? Doesn¡¯t she know the portals are dangerous? Is she trying to get herself killed?¡± Carol couldn¡¯t stand to watch Iroha¡¯s stupidity and raised her voice. ¡°Stop! Are you-¡± In an instant, Iroha stepped into the portal and disappeared right in front of Carol¡¯s eyes. ¡°-stupid?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Hm?¡± Did I hear someone? It¡¯s probably just a bird.


    I came back to the game world without thinking too much, and now I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m gonna do. I just wanted to get away from Hecate and take my mind off things. I want to see Ririna, but she¡¯s still busy with her request. She said I would be able to see her in a week, but it has only been a few days.


    Maybe I¡¯ll head to the coffee shop again. Sarasa and Flanne should be there, and they might be able to tell me how Ririna¡¯s work is going. I really want to see her soon. I hope she finishes sooner than expected. Maybe she¡¯s already done. How nice would it be if she were already there waiting for me?


    I enter the town of Rocky Ridges and head towards the coffee shop. There¡¯s a sign over the door saying ¡°Gathering of Flowers¡±. Is that the name of the shop? Cute name. How didn¡¯t I notice last time?


    I push the door open and step inside. Is that Sarasa? Looks like she¡¯s alone. Is she feeling down? She¡¯s not as energetic as she was the other day. She even has her cat ears folded. I¡¯m getting scared. Did something bad happen? ¡°Hey¡­ Sarasa¡­ Did something happen?¡± I sat down with Sarasa, and she lifted her head.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Sarasa looked extremely troubled.


    ¡°Hm? Heard what?¡± This is really bad. I have a bad feeling about this. What happened? I¡¯m very scared now.


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    ¡°Ririna got arrested.¡± Eh¡­?


    What? Ririna got¡­ arrested? ¡°No way! How did that happen? What¡¯s going on?¡± Ririna? Arrested? There¡¯s no way! Why? Why would she get arrested? What did she do?¡±


    ¡°The soldiers, together with Flanne, were waiting for her at the fast-travel station. She was delivering the batch of magical dirt she had created for the day to the merchants¡¯ guild when they arrested her. Apparently, the recipe she was using was very effective in making crops grow larger. But it also attracted a lot of monsters. Now there are monsters on the fields, trampling all the crops. The farmers all retreated inside the walls, and the soldiers are going to organize to clean up the mess. The problem is that it¡¯s going to take a long time, and since it¡¯s Ririna¡¯s fault, she got arrested. They called it an attack on the town, and the soldiers are investigating Ririna¡¯s actions. They¡¯re gonna announce the outcome tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Ririna¡¯s fault!¡± Why is this happening? I can barely keep up. Why is everything going bad now? ¡°She was only following orders! The recipe wasn¡¯t even hers. The culprit is that merchant! He¡¯s the one who gave Ririna the recipe. It was Armand!¡±


    ¡°Is that really true? How could Ririna not know anything?¡± My words confused Sarasa, and she didn¡¯t know what to believe.


    ¡°Ririna would never do something like that!¡± We may not have known each other for a long time. But Ririna¡¯s not that kind of person. She was always worried about me and about others. ¡°You¡¯re friends with her. You know she¡¯s not that kind of person. It had to be some kind of mistake! You were there when Ririna tried out the recipe for the first time, Sarasa! It didn¡¯t do anything bad back then. How could she have known?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ What was I thinking? This is not like her. Ririna loves helping others with their problems. She doesn¡¯t have anything to gain by destroying this town¡¯s crops. Maybe it is some kind of mistake¡­¡± Sarasa¡¯s voice regains some life.


    ¡°She¡¯s innocent then. There¡¯s no way anything bad is gonna happen to her, right? She didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± I was so shocked when Sarasa first told me Ririna got arrested, but it¡¯s not like they¡¯re saying she¡¯s guilty yet. I¡¯m not sure how fair the judicial system in this world is, but they can¡¯t do anything to her if she¡¯s innocent, can they?


    ¡°Flanne¡¯s the one leading the investigation. She¡¯s gonna try to protect Ririna if possible.¡± Sarasa has calmed down, and now she¡¯s able to look at the situation more objectively.


    ¡°Flanne¡¯s leading the investigation?¡± She has that kind of authority? Wasn''t she just a normal knight? ¡°Well, then Flanne can get all the evidence she needs. If she questions the alchemist¡¯s guild, Armand, and the other members of the merchant¡¯s guild, it will be obvious that Ririna is not the one at fault.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Iroha¡­ It''s all a misunderstanding, and Flanne is gonna get to the bottom of that. Thanks, Iroha. I feel a lot better now.¡± Sarasa let out a long sigh and finally relaxed. She got up from the table but didn¡¯t leave yet. That''s right. We don''t need to start panicking. Things will work themselves out.


    ¡°Ririna is my best friend here. I wish I could do more for her, but I can¡¯t afford to involve myself in things like this¡­ My sister¡­ it would be terrible¡­ I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do anything¡­¡± Sarasa turned her back to me, and her voice grew strained. What¡¯s this about a sister? It would cause trouble for Sarasa¡¯s sister if she involved herself in Ririna¡¯s situation? ¡°What about you, Iroha? What¡¯s your situation like?¡±


    My situation? What kind of question is that? ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved in any crimes either¡­ It¡¯d be really bad for me too.¡± I¡¯m not even from this world. I barely understand how this world works, and if they were to interrogate me, I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d begin. There¡¯s so much that I wouldn¡¯t be able to explain.


    ¡°Is that so? Well, it¡¯s not like we can do anything about it then. We just have to believe in Flanne and Ririna. They¡¯ll work something out.¡± Sarasa was on her way out and walked towards the exit. Was she expecting something else? She said she was unable to do more for Ririna because of her family. Would it damage her reputation? Is she from a reputable family? I have no idea. Ririna will be fine. The two of us immediately jumped to conclusions, but there was no need. We started imagining the worst-case scenario, but reality is often not like that.


    I wanted to meet Ririna, but that¡¯s not gonna be possible today. I should just head home. Today has been a hard day. It¡¯s like everything¡¯s going wrong. They¡¯re gonna announce the results of the investigation into Ririna tomorrow. And I want to be here when that happens. My mind can¡¯t keep up, so gotta go back. I need some rest¡­


    <hr>


    Then, the next day, a sea of people gathered around the town center of the town of Rocky Ridges. Flanne stepped up to a wooden platform in the center of the crowd. The town couldn¡¯t stop murmuring in anticipation.


    ¡°Attention! The investigation into the most recent farming incident has finished!¡± Flanne¡¯s loud voice cut through the crowd, creating a desert of sound. ¡°The suspect, Ririna, the alchemist, has been found guilty and will be sentenced to death!¡±

 Chapter 33 – Execution

    Today¡¯s the day Flanne¡¯s going to announce what¡¯s going to happen to Ririna. This isn¡¯t the kind of thing I can afford to miss, so I¡¯m back in Rocky Ridges. I entered the town, and there was a big commotion in the air. The accident affected a lot of people, so everyone¡¯s talking about it. I hope Ririna¡¯s okay.


    There weren¡¯t a lot of people walking around, and the few I saw were heading towards the center of the town. They¡¯re interested in the same thing I am, so I followed them there.


    I get to the center of the town, and there¡¯s a huge crowd gathered around a small wooden platform. Near the platform, there¡¯s a gap in the crowd with some soldiers. It¡¯s not visible from here, but Flanne might be among them. There are so many people here. Is this everyone from the town? Everyone¡¯s talking to each other, and there¡¯s anger in their voices. Scary¡­ I don¡¯t wanna be here¡­


    ¡°Is that you, Iroha? Over here!¡± Sarasa called out to me as I was making my way closer to the central platform. ¡°Where have you been? I thought you weren¡¯t coming.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve only just arrived. I haven¡¯t missed anything, have I?¡± I hate having to push through people to get to places, but I need to talk to Sarasa.


    ¡°No¡­ I guess you¡¯re just in time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Say, does the crowd sound kinda mad? Or is it just me?¡± I whispered my question because someone might try to hurt me if they heard me, and that scared me.


    ¡°That¡¯s par for the course. Everyone¡¯s been living in fear since the monsters appeared, they need someone to take their anger out on. Hopefully, Ririna¡¯s not gonna get targeted after Flanne announces the real culprit.¡± Yeah¡­ I hope so too¡­


    Flanne walked up to the platform, and everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards her. The platform is a simple wooden platform for speeches, and Ririna is nowhere to be seen. That¡¯s good. I¡¯d be much more worried if there was a guillotine on top.


    ¡°Attention!¡± All the murmuring voices died down as soon as Flanne spoke up. ¡°The investigation into the most recent farming incident has finished! The suspect, Ririna, the alchemist, has been found guilty and will be sentenced to death!¡± Eh?


    The crowd erupted with cheers so loud that they drowned out my thoughts. They couldn¡¯t be happier that they would get revenge for all the pain they suffered the last few days. They were exhilarated to be compensated with Ririna¡¯s blood.


    ¡°No way¡­ It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this¡­ Wasn¡¯t Ririna innocent?¡± Sarasa was just as shocked as me.


    How did it come to this? It makes no sense¡­ Wasn¡¯t Ririna innocent? Why did they sentence her to death so quickly? It doesn¡¯t make any sense! There¡¯s something wrong here. Flanne¡¯s not a bad person. She wouldn¡¯t accuse Ririna if she were innocent, so why is she saying Ririna¡¯s guilty? Is there something I¡¯m missing? Did Ririna know what she was doing? Was she lying to us this whole time? I¡¯m not sure¡­ Ririna was always kind to me. She accepted me, a complete stranger, from the very beginning. Are you telling me that was all a lie?


    ¡°If anyone disagrees with this decision, consider this your last chance to speak up!¡± No one stood up to Flanne¡¯s challenge. Was Ririna actually a bad person? We only met each other recently, but I got the feeling we could have become really close. Flanne waited to see if someone would contest the decision. She looked at the sea of people surrounding her, making sure there was no one foolish enough to ruin her announcement. Then, for a split second, our eyes met. Her face looked stern but also gentle, just like the Flanne I met before. That¡¯s right¡­ Ririna¡¯s a kind person who genuinely loves alchemy. Ririna¡¯s innocent! I believe in her!


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    ¡°Objection!¡±


    The crowd turned to me, trying to find the source of the voice. Oh no, I¡¯m gonna die, aren¡¯t I? What am I doing? Wasn¡¯t it a bad idea for me to get involved with stuff like this in this world? As their eyes locked on me, a path through the people started opening up in the direction of the platform. There¡¯s anger in their eyes, but they¡¯re too surprised to do anything right now.


    Now I¡¯ve done it. Is it too late for me to apologize and back out? I can¡¯t really turn my back on Ririna though. Flanne gestures for me to come closer, and I have no choice but to make my way towards the center of the crowd. ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Sarasa follows me with her head as I walk away from her.


    I¡¯m shaking so much¡­ Can I even walk like this? All these people looking at me¡­ I hate it! I walk up the steps of the wooden platform and stand in front of Flanne. She¡¯s not being hostile to me, but her face looks a bit scary. What am I even going to say? I don¡¯t have any evidence! This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is bad! What do I do? What do I say?


    ¡°I applaud your audacity, girl! Tell me, what is your name?¡± Her voice is loud and frightening. Why can¡¯t she speak softly like she did back at the Gathering of Flowers? Is this what she¡¯s actually like? Also, why is she asking me for my name? We¡¯ve met before. I can¡¯t falter now, though. I gotta stand strong!


    ¡°I¡¯m Iroha Shinohara.¡± I wanted to match her energy, but it was completely hopeless. It took everything I had just to squeeze out those words. At least there weren¡¯t any voice cracks¡­


    ¡°Iroha Shinohara, very well. What is the reason behind your objection? Do you believe you have found something our investigation hasn¡¯t found? Tell me.¡± Arghh! Dammit! I have no idea what they have and haven¡¯t found! They clearly missed something. Otherwise, they would have found Ririna innocent! What am I doing? I shouldn¡¯t have left my room today. I don¡¯t even know where to begin. Flanne then followed up on her previous question. She spared me from having to come up with something on the spot. ¡°We¡¯ve determined that the source of the monsters was a special type of dirt. This dirt attracts monsters due to its magical nature. We¡¯ve also confirmed that it was the alchemist we arrested who created this dirt. Do you disagree with any of this?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I hung my head, disappointed. I don¡¯t have any evidence. I don¡¯t have a way to prove Ririna¡¯s innocence. I have to clear up this misunderstanding, but I have no idea how. This is my only opportunity. If I don¡¯t say anything, both me and Ririna are screwed! ¡°But¡­ It¡¯s not Ririna¡¯s fault! She didn¡¯t want to do it! She was forced! The request for that job was made to the alchemist¡¯s guild. It just happened to be assigned to her.¡± Does it really matter? No matter what I say, it doesn¡¯t prove anything, does it?


    ¡°The recipe too! The recipe she followed to make that dirt wasn¡¯t hers. It was given to her by her client. It was a merchant named Armand Lech who gave her that recipe. And then she gave the dirt to him. He was the one who actually used it! He knew what he was asking for and what it was gonna do. No matter how you look at it, Ririna¡¯s innocent! She was just being used. She was used by someone who wanted to harm this town!¡±


    Flanne didn¡¯t say anything. Of course she wouldn¡¯t. In her eyes, I¡¯m just throwing out wild accusations and standing up for my friend. As the crowd digests this new information, the murmurs start again. They¡¯re not sure what to think, and they are turning to each other, looking for answers.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Flanne once again quiets the town. ¡°Unfortunately for you, what you¡¯re saying is not possible. The alchemist made similar claims, and we could not confirm them. We contacted the alchemist¡¯s guild, and they¡¯ve denied any connection with this incident. And that merchant you¡¯ve named does not exist. No one besides the alchemist has ever seen that man.¡±


    Doesn¡¯t exist? How is that possible? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true! I met him! I saw him! Was that a hallucination? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible. Unless the ointment Ririna used on me had that kind of effect¡­ That would mean our whole relationship was a farce. Could it really be? Was I wrong about Ririna? No¡­ That can¡¯t be¡­ I almost forgot about it, but¡­ I have a certain skill that would protect me against a hallucination. Psychological Attack Resistance. I still have no idea where that skill came from, but I¡¯m glad to have it now. That hallucination idea makes no sense. I can¡¯t doubt myself now. I have to find a way to prove Ririna is innocent! But how? How do I get myself out of this hole? There¡¯s no way out. ¡°Unless, of course, you¡¯re claiming to have personally met this so called Armand Lech. The existence of a witness would change everything.¡± The crowd¡¯s anger was about to return when Flanne¡¯s question made everyone hold their breaths. The tension was palpable.


    Flanne¡¯s face showed a small hint of satisfaction. Why? Was she actually on our side? ¡°I have! I have personally met Armand Lech! I accompanied Ririna three days ago when she was on her way to meet him. He¡¯s definitely real! He disappeared to put the blame on Ririna!¡±


    Flanne stays quiet again. The crowd gets rowdy again, but she doesn¡¯t stop them. She closes her eyes, like she¡¯s deep in thought. Meanwhile, everyone is speaking over each other. They ask every question that pops into their heads, all at the same time. It¡¯s pure chaos.


    This would be so much easier if I had some kind of proof of his existence¡­ Is this going to work? I can¡¯t exactly prove anything. I¡¯m so nervous¡­


    A tiny smile breaks through Flanne¡¯s stern mask. ¡°The appearance of a new witness calls into question the results of the previous investigation. As such, today¡¯s decision has been annulled, and the investigation into this matter will reopen. Thanks to this brave girl, we may be able to find the true perpetrator of this incident and bring them to justice!¡±


    It took a moment for everyone to understand what was going on. Not everyone was pleased with the new decision, but the majority was happy. They believed that whoever ended up being named as the culprit after this was more likely to be the one who actually caused them harm. Whether it was due to their sense of justice or their desire for revenge, the crowd mostly cheered for Flanne¡¯s decision. The problem hasn¡¯t been solved yet, but maybe this is a step in the right direction¡­

 Chapter 34 – Saving Ririna

    ¡°Do you really believe me? Do you actually believe that Ririna¡¯s innocent?¡± After postponing Ririna¡¯s sentence, Flanne took me to an office in the barracks so we could talk more. She called me an important witness, so she needs to hear what I have to say. That¡¯s the official explanation, but it doesn¡¯t reflect the whole picture.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I believe she¡¯s innocent¡ªI know she¡¯s innocent. I knew that from the very beginning.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ why¡­?¡± She¡¯s so cold. How could she even arrest Ririna if she was innocent? Weren¡¯t they friends? She even went as far as sentencing her to death. Why? It makes no sense.


    ¡°I had no other choice!¡± Her loud voice makes me jump. Flanne looks at me before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already realized, but I¡¯m not an ordinary soldier. I have other responsibilities. One of which is making important decisions during times of crisis to maintain peace. I had to give Ririna the death sentence to prevent a riot.¡±


    ¡°A riot?¡± Was the situation that bad? I knew the town was angry with Ririna, but that¡¯s a bit too much¡­


    ¡°The townsfolk started to panic when they saw their crops being destroyed and the town surrounded by hordes of monsters. In reality, the monsters are only interested in the special dirt Ririna made. They¡¯re not gonna attack the town, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about. The loss of crops is not a big deal since the growth caused by Ririna more than makes up for any losses. We need to wait for reinforcements so we can clear the monsters, and the people don¡¯t want to wait. Everything¡¯s going to be fine, but they can¡¯t grasp the situation, so they end up panicking. I had to make a decision before they turned on us. I had to make them think we were on their side by playing into their anger. Even if that meant sacrificing someone.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ Then Ririna was just used as a scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°I had no other choice. I wanted to protect her, but we couldn¡¯t find any evidence.¡± Flanne had been working hard. She had bags under her eyes. Did she spend this whole time trying to find a way to bail out Ririna?


    ¡°What about the merchant? He¡¯s the one who gave Ririna the recipe. It¡¯s all his fault. Weren¡¯t you able to find anything about him?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ That was the first thing Ririna said, so I had everyone look for any traces of him. But there was nothing. All traces of his existence have completely vanished. To tell you the truth, it sounds like the work of demons. I suspect that Armand fellow is somehow connected to the demons, and that¡¯s why all evidence is gone.¡±


    ¡°Demons?¡± Is she talking about the same demons from when I got the VISS Driver? I hope they¡¯re not looking for me.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re becoming more active over the entire human territory as well as here, in the kingdom of Ebrilyon. This must be another one of their appearances¡­¡±


    ¡°What are they trying to accomplish by¡­ well, with this whole thing?¡± I know from the game that humans and demons don¡¯t really get along, but it¡¯s not like they were at war¡­ At the very least, they¡¯re not at war right now, so what are they doing?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ We don¡¯t have any information on them. It probably has something to do with the Savior in Azcester.¡± Savior is another name for the hero, the protagonist of the game. I don¡¯t want to get involved with the main story of the game¡­ Why is she bringing up things related to the hero? I¡¯m not looking to get killed by anything that¡¯s meant for the hero.


    ¡°But forget about the demons for now, Iroha. I want to thank you for what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± What¡¯s Flanne talking about? I haven¡¯t done anything¡­


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    ¡°You gave me the opportunity to annul Ririna¡¯s sentence. The townsfolk were angry with Ririna, but you stepped up and contested the sentence. You confused the people by bringing up other names, and I was able to direct the anger away from Ririna. It¡¯s all thanks to you. You bought us time before people started to riot, and that¡¯s exactly what I needed to be able to protect Ririna. I really made a mistake¡­ I should have looked for you yesterday! We could have avoided this whole mess if I had gotten your testimony then!¡± Flanne gritted her teeth in frustration. Yesterday? That¡¯s when Sarasa first told me about what was going on.


    ¡°At least now, I can save Ririna. It¡¯s not a perfect solution, but she won¡¯t have to die anymore.¡± Flanne had taken a weight off her shoulders.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s good news!¡± Seems like my involvement may actually lead to something good.


    ¡°Yeah, Ririna¡¯s gonna be fine. If only we had found any kind of evidence yesterday. We could have framed Ririna as the victim and claimed that she was used by someone else. It¡¯s so dumb. All of this could have been avoided¡­¡± Is she serious? Then, if I hadn¡¯t gone home yesterday¡­


    ¡°Ririna is staying in one of the cells here, so let¡¯s go there, Iroha. I¡¯ll tell you what my plan is when we¡¯re talking to her. I hope you don¡¯t mind this outcome.¡± Flanne stood up and walked out of the office. I quickly followed after her. As long as Ririna¡¯s safe, I don¡¯t mind.


    We went down into the basement and made our way through mostly empty cells. The barracks is not a prison, and people are only held here temporarily. ¡°Ririna!¡± Ririna sat on a bed inside a clean cell. Her condition is fine, though she seems kinda down. While I ran up to the bars, Flanne took out some keys and started fiddling with the door.


    ¡°Iroha¡­? What¡¯s going on? What are you doing here?¡± Ririna¡¯s reaction was slow. She got up from the bed and approached the bars, getting more and more dynamic as she got closer. ¡°Did something happen? Wasn¡¯t a decision made already? No¡­ I get it¡­ You¡¯re just here to keep me company before the end. Thank you, Iroha.¡±


    ¡°No no! Were here to save you!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? Are you serious?¡± Ririna couldn¡¯t believe what she heard and turned her head to Flanne for confirmation.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a way to get you out of here, and it¡¯s all thanks to Iroha.¡± Flanne opens the door, and Ririna steps out of the cell.


    ¡°It was you, Iroha? Even Flanne said she had her hands tied. What did you do?¡± Ririna excitedly got close to me.


    ¡°Even I¡¯m not completely sure¡­ I just believed you wouldn¡¯t do anything bad like that. So when Flanne was announcing your sentence, I said you were innocent. Flanne ended up doing the rest.¡± We explained the rest of the story to Ririna, since there was a lot she wasn¡¯t able to keep up with while locked up.


    ¡°So what''s gonna happen now? Was it alright for you to vouch for me, Iroha? Isn¡¯t that gonna cause trouble for you? I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble because of me. Are you sure it was a good idea?¡± Now that she¡¯s saying it, that was pretty dumb. Still, I can¡¯t believe Ririna¡¯s worried about me right now instead of worrying about herself.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. As long as I am able to help you, I guess it¡¯s fine¡­ But¡­ Flanne hasn¡¯t told me what her plan is yet, so it depends¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got some good and bad news. The bad news is that you and Ririna are now connected. If we can¡¯t prove Ririna¡¯s innocence, you¡¯re gonna be labeled as an accomplice, Iroha, and you¡¯re gonna get the same sentence as her¡­¡± Wait! What?!


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m gonna be executed!?¡± I can¡¯t believe this! Why? It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.


    ¡°Wait! Iroha, you¡¯re not gonna get executed, both you and Ririna are fine.¡± Are we? Really? Why scare me like that? ¡°I can arrange an opportunity for you two to prove your innocence. If you defeat all the monsters surrounding the town within a week, there will be no doubt that you two didn¡¯t mean any harm.¡±


    ¡°That''s impossible. Theres are hundreds of monsters out there. Even if I had time to prepare, I wouldn¡¯t be able to make anything capable of killing that many monsters.¡± Ririna immediately pointed out the problem with Flanne¡¯s offer.


    It¡¯s impossible? Have I been set up? I just wanted to save Ririna, I didn¡¯t know I could end up getting sentenced too! I have to get out of here. With my skills, maybe I can escape. I don''t care about this world, I can just run away.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t panic.¡± Flanne noticed how I was feeling. ¡°I know it¡¯s nearly impossible for the two of you to solve this problem on your own, but that¡¯s fine. During this next week, you two are gonna be allowed to do whatever you want to defeat the monsters. The most important part is that you¡¯re gonna be on your own. There¡¯s not gonna be anyone supervising you, so if you decide to run away, there¡¯s very little we can do to stop you.¡±


    Eh? Running away? I see¡­ I guess that can work¡­ The biggest problem Flanne had was finding a justification to let Ririna outside. This must be what she was aiming for from the very beginning. Though the townsfolk are going to direct their anger at her instead.


    ¡°You would be unable to come back to this town, and you¡¯d have to stay low for a while. But you two don¡¯t live in this town, so you¡¯re going to be just fine as long as you stay away.¡±


    Hmm¡­ I guess that¡¯s fine. I can still come to this world to train, and at least Ririna¡¯s not gonna die. It''s gonna complicate things a little, but I''ll be fine. Whew¡­ Don¡¯t scare me like that¡­ I was ready to give up on everything.


    ¡°So, Iroha and I are innocent if the monsters are dead¡­ And we¡¯re not going to have any soldiers following us¡­ I see. Thank you, Flanne.¡± Ririna was thinking hard about something. This is a big shock to her, so she¡¯s gonna need a moment to process what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°The two of you should get out of here for now. I have to announce this new decision, and then I have to reopen the investigation into Armand. Try to keep your face hidden while you¡¯re in public. The townsfolk are going to know you¡¯re working to help solve the problem, so it should be fine. But there may be some who are angry enough to still go after you, Ririna. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ Thank you.¡±


    Flanne got us some cloaks, and the two of us left the town. How did things turn out like this? Wasn¡¯t there a better way to do this? At least neither of us is going to die¡­ Not from a crime we didn¡¯t commit. If we want to ever go back into the town, we have to kill the hordes of monsters attracted by Ririna¡¯s magic dirt. How many monsters are there, really? Is it truly impossible? Whatever the case, we have a lot to talk about.

 Chapter 35 – No Running

    ¡°Hey, Ririna, can you explain what happened? Why did the dirt you made attract monsters? It wasn¡¯t on purpose, right?¡± Ririna and I left the town and stopped near the forest where we first met. We found a clearing with some clean logs, so we sat down for a talk.


    ¡°Of course¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything I know. The recipe I received was fake¡­ No, not fake. It was just tampered with. That¡¯s why that happened. The good part about maximizing plants¡¯ growth still worked. But either Armand or someone else tampered with it. They made it so that the magic in dirt attracted monsters instead of just being good for the plants.¡± Ririna looked down at the floor with her shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there anything you could have done? How didn¡¯t you notice there was something wrong? Like when you made the sample, weren¡¯t there any signs?¡± It¡¯s pointless for me to even be asking about this. What¡¯s done is done. We can¡¯t change the past.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and I think I figured out the problem. When I made that sample, I just improvised on the spot, so I didn¡¯t have all my equipment. There was a part in the recipe that required me to boil a certain flower first, but I skipped that step and mixed it in raw. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what attracted the monsters. The longer that flower is boiled, the stronger the luring effect of the magic.¡±


    ¡°Then, if you had made the sample at home, you would have noticed it was wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, it still wouldn¡¯t have helped. Even if I made things properly, with such a small amount of dirt, it wouldn¡¯t lure any monsters. It was a trap. There was no way for anyone to know what was going on until it was too late. But even if I did, it was a job I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± Ririna shakes her head while biting her lip.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± I knew something was off from the beginning. The way Armand reacted when he saw me with Ririna, the way the alchemists¡¯ guild treats Ririna. It¡¯s all too much. They had to be working together. The alchemist¡¯s guild knew what was gonna happen, which is why they gave the job to Ririna. I don¡¯t have any proof, but they have to be in on it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone would tamper with an alchemy recipe like this. Alchemy is meant to help people, not to harm them! It¡¯s just so¡­ awful¡­ I should have been more careful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It was all to set you up. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. The merchant and the alchemists¡¯ guild are ones at fault.¡± Ririna scoffed when I finished speaking.


    ¡°Thanks, Iroha, but that¡¯s not true. Even if they did try to trick and use me, I¡¯m still the one responsible for what I make with alchemy. It¡¯s the dirt I made that¡¯s attracting monsters. It¡¯s the dirt I made that¡¯s causing people trouble, not theirs.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡± It¡¯s not fair for her to blame herself. I know she¡¯s trying to take responsibility for her actions, but it¡¯s really not her fault. She¡¯s a victim, too. No one can blame her for what she did, right?


    Ririna didn¡¯t say anything and continued to look down with a pained face. ¡°Hey, Ririna, at least you¡¯re not gonna die¡­ You can run away! You¡¯re not actually thinking of trying to fight the monsters, are you?¡±


    Ririna remained quiet, and I knew exactly what that meant.


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    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! There are too many of them! You¡¯re gonna die! You don¡¯t need to do this. You can come with me. I have a house really far away, and no one¡¯s ever going to find you there. Don¡¯t throw your life away!¡±


    ¡°You know, Iroha, I love alchemy¡­ I can¡¯t give it up. It¡¯s a part of me. If I can¡¯t deal with the monsters, I¡¯m gonna get kicked off the alchemists¡¯ guild, and I¡¯m not going to be able to continue studying alchemy. Even if I do survive like that, what¡¯s the point? That part of me would die, and I wouldn¡¯t be myself anymore.¡± I don¡¯t want her to die. She doesn¡¯t deserve this. ¡°I also have my pride, you know? Ahaha¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be fine doing alchemy ever again, knowing I didn¡¯t do anything to make up for my mistakes. I have no other choice.¡±


    I hate this! Why did it have to be Ririna? Wasn¡¯t there someone else who could have taken her place? Ririna is so nice and cute. I don¡¯t want her to die. I want to help her. But fighting hundreds of monsters is too much. Even with the two of us working together, we wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat that many monsters. Even if they say I¡¯m guilty and I can¡¯t come to this town anymore, I can still come to this world and explore. It would be inconvenient, but it¡¯s not something worth risking my life over. If Ririna¡¯s determined to try to face the monsters, I guess I can accompany her. We have a week to try to find a way to wipe them out, and if it doesn¡¯t work out, I can just give up then. These hordes might not be as big as everyone¡¯s saying, they might not even be that strong. There¡¯s no need for me to give up on Ririna just yet.


    ¡°Iroha, thank you for everything you¡¯ve done these past few days. We haven¡¯t known each other for very long, but I enjoyed our time together. I¡¯m sorry that I dragged you into my problems. You don¡¯t need to worry about the monsters, just leave me and survive. Forget about me, okay?¡± No no no no no¡­ Don¡¯t say that¡­ You don¡¯t deserve this. You should be worried about your own survival. You should be asking me for help. Why shouldn¡¯t you survive? Why is my life more important than your own?


    ¡°I¡­ I- I can¡¯t do that! I can¡¯t forget you, I can¡¯t leave you like this!¡± This whole time, I¡¯ve just been worrying about myself. Ririna¡¯s been worried about me, even now, with life on the line, she¡¯s worried about me. She¡¯s too precious, I can¡¯t believe she cares this much about me. I can¡¯t leave her! I love her too much! I don¡¯t know what else to do! Everything¡¯s been going wrong. I don¡¯t know what more I can give up, so I have to hold onto Ririna! I can¡¯t let her go!


    ¡°No, no. Iroha, this is my problem! I can¡¯t drag you into it!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! You¡¯re not gonna convince me! If you¡¯re guilty of making the thing that attracted the monsters, then I¡¯m also guilty of getting you the materials. It¡¯s my fault too! It¡¯s not just your problem!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s dumb! I¡¯m the one who did everything! You just did what I asked. You didn¡¯t know this was gonna happen. None of it is your fault!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know either! You were tricked! So it¡¯s not your fault either!¡±


    What am I doing? I wanted to help Ririna¡­ So why are we screaming at each other?


    ¡°Forget about me, Iroha¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Never!¡±


    Me and Ririna stared at each other for a long time. After more than a full minute of silence, Ririna saw I wasn¡¯t backing, down and she let out a sigh.


    ¡°You¡¯re really not gonna listen to me, are you? I thought you were meek, but you¡¯re surprisingly persistent. I was actually just going to turn myself in and put an end to things. If you¡¯re really not backing out, I guess I can¡¯t do that. You¡¯re gonna force me to try to actually deal with the monsters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not backing out. Are you not gonna throw your life away now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll at least try to find a way out of this. But with so many monsters, I don¡¯t think the two of us are gonna be able to solve this problem. I certainly couldn¡¯t do it alone, but you keep surprising me at every turn, so maybe you¡¯ll surprise me again. Maybe with the two of us¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way, I¡¯m sure!¡±


    ¡°Just promise two things, Iroha. Don¡¯t be too reckless if you have to fight. And if we can¡¯t solve the problem by the end of the week, forget about me and don¡¯t involve yourself with me anymore. Can you at least promise me that? I don¡¯t want your life to be ruined because of me.¡±


    See? She¡¯s still worrying about me. This chick¡­ At least she¡¯s not trying to get herself killed anymore. That¡¯s an improvement¡­ ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good. We don¡¯t have a lot of time, so maybe we should get started right away.¡± Ririna paced around and did some light stretches. She¡¯s gotten some of her energy back. How nice.


    ¡°Where do we start? Can¡¯t you make anything with alchemy to blow up all the monsters?¡±


    ¡°I wish¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have focused so much on medicine and helpful alchemy. Maybe firepower truly is the solution to all problems.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one way to put an end to an injury¡­¡± I played along with her joke, and she liked it. Ririna let out a small laugh as she turned to me.


    ¡°Blowing up the problem is out of the picture, so I¡¯m out of ideas. I got arrested before I could see what the situation actually looked like. We should start by checking out the fields where the hordes are. Then maybe we can come up with something.¡±


    Ririna¡¯s idea was a good place to start, so we went to the fields to check out the situation. Nothing is going according to plan, but we¡¯re not giving up without a fight. We¡¯re gonna figure a way out of this. We have to.

 Chapter 36 – Cutting Through the Hordes

    ¡°Can you see them?¡± When Ririna and I arrived near one of the fields where the monsters were, we hid behind a rock to stay out of sight. We were still very far away from where the monsters were, but from this place we were able to see the whole horde. Ririna poked her head out of cover and pointed at the monsters in the field.


    ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s a lot of them¡­¡± Not a very encouraging sight. I could make out all the details from over here, but there were a big variety of monsters in the field. There were wolves with two heads and something that looked like a bear with bright yellow spots on its fur. Giant bugs, bats, and birds with some very intimidating beaks. Lots of plant monsters and many other kinds. I don¡¯t think I recognize any of them from the game at a glance. I feel like I¡¯ve seen everything. It¡¯s like every single possible combination of monsters has shown up¡­ This is bad¡­


    ¡°This is worse than I imagined¡­ The dirt I made wasn¡¯t supposed to have enough magic to lure so many monsters. How did this happen?¡± Ririna shook her head and retreated back into cover. She sat down against the rock and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Do we really have to kill all of them? Isn¡¯t there anything else we can do?¡± I sat down next to Ririna. The sight of so many monsters is pretty demotivating.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a way to repel them? Maybe you could make something with your alchemy.¡±


    ¡°I thought about that, but I don¡¯t think it would work for two reasons. The luring effect and the repelling effect are both magical, so they would cancel each other out. Eventually, the monsters would go away, but we don¡¯t have the time for that. The other problem is that even if we repelled the monsters away from the fields, where would they go? They would still be close to the town, so if someone got close, they would get hurt. The only solution is to defeat them.¡±


    Ririna gathered her resolve and stood up. ¡°We knew it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. I said I would give it a try, so this is not the time to give up. What do you think, Iroha? Are those monsters stronger than you? Can you defeat them?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s hard to tell from this far.¡± This area is pretty low-level. As long as the lured monsters didn¡¯t come from too far away, they shouldn¡¯t be too strong.


    ¡°Should we try getting closer then? You should see if you can fight some of them. You¡¯d be able to gauge their strength that way. Just don¡¯t get yourself hurt.¡±


    ¡°They do look pretty weak. Maybe the situation is not as bad as we thought¡­¡± I¡¯ve been easily cutting monsters in half with a single slash. If these monsters are as weak as the previous ones, I can kill them all on my own. But I¡¯m sure there are stronger monsters mixed among the others that are gonna give me trouble. That¡¯s what happened when we were gathering crystals, so I¡¯m not about to let my guard down.


    ¡°They look weak? That¡¯s reassuring to hear. If you¡¯re going to fight them, let me give you a few things. I can¡¯t help you in combat, but I can help you in other ways.¡± Ririna rummaged through her belongings and pulled out a few objects. ¡°This is a monster smoke bomb. When you toss this on the floor, it creates a cloud of smoke that only blinds monsters. If you think you¡¯re gonna get hurt, use this and get out of there. These bottles contain a lightning spell. You crush them in your hands, and then a thunderbolt shoots out when you point your hand in the direction of a target. They¡¯re very good for dealing with flying enemies. And take this one too. This last one will give you energy when you drink it. It will instantly make you feel better and give you enough energy to allow you to run away.¡± Once she got started, Ririna pushed item after item into my hands. These all seem pretty useful, but I¡¯m not even sure I can carry them all.


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    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°I wish I could help you out more since you¡¯re doing this for me, but this is all I have on hand. Be careful, okay, Iroha?¡± I responded with a nod and tried to cram the things she gave me into my pockets.


    I left the cover and walked towards the monsters. Even when I got closer, I wasn¡¯t getting swarmed by them, which I¡¯m grateful for. Initially, we thought the monsters would attack on sight, but that didn¡¯t happen. They¡¯re more interested in the dirt and the overgrown crops. I still needed to get their attention, so I threw some rocks in the monsters¡¯ direction. I hit a white, two-headed wolf-looking monster, and it sprinted at me. Two other monsters noticed the commotion and followed after the wolf.


    The wolf monster was pissed I hit it and tried to bite me as soon as it got close. I took a step to the side and hit it with my sword. It was a good hit, but I didn¡¯t immediately kill it. It tried to run away, and I quickly caught up. Looks like they¡¯re not completely unintelligent. It realized I was stronger, so getting away would be the best thing to do. I finished off the monster and ran towards the next one. If all they¡¯re all this weak, this will be a breeze. The other two monsters looked like lizards with an axe on their tails. One of them was green, and the other was blue. The green one was closer to me, so I took it down before it could even react with my Agility Burst into Slash Flurry combo.


    This is it¡­ This feels good¡­ If I can keep going like this, we¡¯ll be done in no time. I broke into a dash towards the other axe-lizard monster. I was about to cut it when another monster appeared out of nowhere and stopped me in my tracks. Another two-headed monster appeared and tried to bite me, but I avoided its mouth, and we bumped. This little¡­ I switched targets and cut the new monster with Slash Flurry.


    Now things are back on track, and I moved to attack the lizard again. It jumped into the air and brought its axe down on me by twisting its body. I knocked the axe to the side with my sword and finished it off. All this commotion ended up attracting more monsters. Oh well, I can keep going. All the monsters were weak enough that I could defeat them in a short amount of time. This is intense. As soon as I cut one down, I immediately run towards the next without stopping. I narrowly dodge and deflect everything they throw at me, and my heart starts thumping. Ahahaha¡­ This is pretty fun.


    After defeating about a dozen of them, there¡¯s a sudden pain on my left shoulder. Some kind of bug monster swooped down from above and bit me. I punched it on instinct, and it let go of me. I took one of the lightning bottles out of my pocket and crushed it with my hand. The glass broke pretty easily, and now there were some visible electrical effects on my hand. Ohh¡­ It stings, but it¡¯s also tickling me. I quickly point my hand at the bug hovering near me, and the static in my hand turns into a bolt that pierces the bug¡¯s body. That was crazy! Is that what using magic feels like? Does it count as magic or just as an item? That was cool, though! I wasn¡¯t expecting the lightning to stay in my hand after breaking the bottle.


    I didn¡¯t have too much time to think about the thunderbolt, as more and more monsters kept approaching. ¡°Iroha, come back! You¡¯re getting surrounded!¡± Ririna was worried about me. She looked through her things again to see what else she could do to help me. They¡¯re not that strong. I can¡¯t go back yet¡­ I can keep going¡­


    More monsters continue to break away from the horde to swarm me. The quicker they come, the faster we¡¯ll get rid of them. What were we even worried about? We can do this, right? My pace was pretty good, but it¡¯s slowing down. I¡¯m still able to cut them down with ease, and their attacks don¡¯t pose much of a threat, but I¡¯m still slowing down. With so many monsters at the same time, I keep having to dodge in the middle of my attacks. It¡¯s too much¡­ I can¡¯t keep up. I really have to pull back¡­?


    Suddenly, there was a strange light coming from above. A fireball?! What the hell? I dodged to the side, but I still felt a searing pain in my leg. ¡°Guhh¡­¡± Behind the monsters trying to attack me, there was a fox monster with a tail made out of fire. Was that magic? That¡¯s a dangerous one¡­ It¡¯s on a completely different level from all these other monsters. I didn¡¯t know there were going to be any monsters capable of casting magic here. I wanted to finish it off before it could cause any more damage, but I had to accept that this fight was a loss. I¡¯ve been using Agility Burst and Slash Flurry too much, so I¡¯m almost out of MP. Ririna was right. I need to get away from here. The monsters I killed aren¡¯t even 20% of this horde. Is that all I can do? I thought I was doing pretty well¡­ This isn¡¯t even the only horde. How are we gonna kill all of them in time? I don¡¯t have time to be worrying about that now. I pulled the smoke bomb out and threw it onto the floor. Just like Ririna said, the smoke was transparent, so I was able to see where I was going.


    For now, I have no choice but to run away and regroup with Ririna. This isn¡¯t good. How are we gonna do this?

 Chapter 37 – When to Give Up

    Defeating a horde with dozens of monsters proved harder than I initially thought. It started off well, but everything went downhill when I got surrounded. I should have listened to Ririna and ran away before I got surrounded. I ended up getting burned for nothing.


    ¡°Iroha! What took you so long? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to get yourself hurt?¡± I met up with Ririna behind the rock we were using as cover.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I thought I¡¯d be able to do it, but there were too many of them.¡± I sat down to catch my breath, and Ririna crouched next to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ This is pretty much an impossible task. Our situation is pretty much hopeless¡­ Wait¡­ What happened to your leg? We need to take care of that!¡± Right¡­ I didn¡¯t think about it at the time, but that¡¯s gonna leave a scar, isn¡¯t it? At least I can cover it up by replacing the ripped tight high¡­


    ¡°Was it really that hopeless?¡± Is Ririna right? I did pretty well, didn¡¯t I? If only I was just a bit stronger¡­ I¡¯m almost at that break point where fighting off the horde would be a breeze. They¡¯re all low-level monsters, so a few more levels, and they won¡¯t be able to do anything to me. Except for maybe that fox monster¡­ That one was dangerous¡­ Was it higher level than me? It gave me the same feeling I got when I fought that big Golem Muncher. I got caught up in the moment, but I don¡¯t want to fight that fox again. Maybe it is hopeless¡­ Who knows what other strong monsters might show up¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Look at how quickly you got hurt. Why didn¡¯t you retreat as soon as I warned you? Did you really think you could take on all of them?¡± Ririna tended to my burn, but I wasn¡¯t even that hurt. In a few more tries, with a few more levels¡­


    ¡°No, no¡­ It¡¯s possible, Ririna. Even if I can¡¯t defeat all of them at once, if I keep chipping away at their numbers, it might be possible. An entire week is plenty of time. We can probably wipe them out and save the town before the deadline¡­¡± At the very least, it¡¯s not completely impossible¡­


    ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re gonna do what you just did over and over until they¡¯re all gone? That¡¯s not gonna work¡ªyou¡¯re not gonna last until the end of the week.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that¡­ It will work! I said I wasn¡¯t gonna let the town kill you! Even if it¡¯s risky, if that¡¯s what it takes to save you, then I¡¯m gonna do it! I don¡¯t care about getting hurt.¡± Ririna stopped moving her hands and looked at me with a surprised face. Her cheeks were slightly rosy. She shakes her head briefly and focuses on my burn again.


    ¡°Even so, I told you this was my problem! I¡¯m the only one who should be getting hurt! You decided to help me, and¡­ well¡­ I¡¯m happy for that¡­ But you promised you wouldn¡¯t get yourself hurt for my sake! Just like you don¡¯t want me to die, I also don¡¯t want to see you get hurt because of me¡­ If you insist on being reckless, I¡¯m going to turn myself in.¡± Ririna pouted stubbornly.


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    ¡°How¡¯s that different from giving up? If I can¡¯t fight them, we¡¯re not getting out of this mess!¡± Losing Ririna is something I cannot accept. She told me to forget about her if we can¡¯t solve this situation, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to forget.


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving up! If you haven¡¯t given up, then I won¡¯t either¡­ I told you I¡¯d give it a try¡­ If you¡¯re by my side, then I won¡¯t turn myself in yet.¡± Ririna¡¯s voice sounded sweet. ¡°Besides, we didn¡¯t come here to solve the problem right now, remember? We came to check on the situation. Now that we know where we stand, we can try to come up with a plan to deal with the hordes. We may not be able to beat them as we are now, but what if we can find another approach?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ That was our goal, wasn¡¯t it? What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°First, let¡¯s go over what we¡¯ve learned. Why weren¡¯t you able to keep fighting? What problems did you run into? You need more power, don¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know anything about physical combat, so correct me if I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    More power, huh? It certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt¡­ I ran out of MP at the end, and that was the biggest problem. With more power, I wouldn¡¯t have to rely on my skills so much, and I would have been able to fight for longer. But is that the biggest problem? ¡°More power would definitely have helped, but the biggest problem is that I got surrounded. That really complicated things.¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s a good point. So the fact that you¡¯re getting surrounded and the lack of power are our two biggest problems. Anything else?¡± Monsters that can use magic are a problem too. But if I had more strength, I could have gotten to the fox monster. It¡¯s only because it used the other monsters as shields that I wasn¡¯t able to beat it. At least that¡¯s what I think¡­ It¡¯s certainly smarter than the other monsters. Is there a way to catch it by surprise? ¡°By the way, I¡¯m done treating your leg. You should be good now.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wow¡­ It¡¯s completely healed up.¡± It¡¯s like I didn¡¯t even get hurt in the first place. Turns out I won¡¯t have to worry about scars after all. I stood up, and there was no pain at all. Ririna¡¯s proven before that she¡¯s good with her hands, this should come as no surprise. I was trying not to think about it, but she was touching my leg a lot just now¡­ I¡¯m getting embarrassed again¡­ No, now¡¯s not the time for this, we¡¯re in the middle of a serious conversation¡­


    ¡°So, I¡¯m not really sure where to start, but I¡¯ve got an idea to make you stronger!¡± Ririna stood up and spoke with some enthusiasm. ¡°It might sound crazy, and you don¡¯t have to say yes, but hear me out. I¡¯ve always liked the story of the Torn Violence Potion, and I discovered a way to make it without any of the side effects! If you¡¯re up for it¡­ It might be a good idea¡­¡±


    ¡°Torn Violence Potion?¡± Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever heard that name. I never cared much for consumables in games, so it¡¯s natural I wouldn¡¯t remember the name of a potion from this world. If it even appeared in the game, that is.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it, do you? That¡¯s alright, I know how crazy it sounds. Just because I tell you I can remove the madness effect, it¡¯s normal you wouldn¡¯t just take my word for it. This is the Torn Violence Potion we¡¯re talking about after all¡­ We¡¯ll think of something else then. I can make other types of strength potions.¡± It¡¯s a type of strength potion? Ririna was jumping to conclusions, but I didn¡¯t even say anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying no to your idea. I¡¯ve just never heard of that potion before. Is it dangerous? You said it causes madness?¡±


    ¡°Wait! You¡¯ve never heard about it? How is that possible? You did say you were from somewhere remote, but I thought most people knew about it¡­ It¡¯s a pretty well-known fairy tale.¡± This was a common-sense check? I made Ririna more suspicious about me¡­ Good job, me.


    ¡°Sorry, I never heard about it. I don¡¯t think it reached where I¡¯m from¡­ Ahahaha¡­¡± Or maybe it did reach me, and I just forgot. Maybe it was a piece of lore from the game that I didn¡¯t pay much attention to. Who knows?


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the story then. It¡¯s an infamous potion for a reason. I think it¡¯s only fair for you to know before you decide what to do. I found a way to remove the side effects, but it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t want to force you into anything.¡±


    She¡¯s making it sound like such a big deal¡­ I have to admit, I¡¯m getting curious now. ¡°Tell me the story. I want to know.¡±


    ¡°Alright, where do I start¡­? Let me tell you the basics first. The Torn Violence Potion gives whoever drinks it a huge increase in strength. However, it also drives them crazy and makes them lose their minds. That¡¯s where it gets its name from. I¡¯m sure you can already tell, but the potion is named after that legend.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s named after the Violence Witch.¡±

 Chapter 38 – Torn Violence Potion

    ¡°Armand-sama, was it really fine not to wait for the alchemist to finish her work? We could have gotten our hands on a lot more of that dirt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You saw how well-made the dirt was. A single batch attracted enough monsters, so why would we wait for more?¡± In a dimly lit room, a man and a woman with horns conspired, hidden away from society. ¡°How many times do I have to teach you this lesson? This is why you¡¯re never going to climb up in life. When things are going well, you gotta be bold and seize the opportunity! There¡¯s nothing to lose. The only way to fuck up is by being an idiot and not taking what¡¯s right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much for your advice.¡± The woman bowed.


    ¡°So? How are the soldiers reacting? Are they gone yet?¡±


    ¡°The news of Rocky Ridges being surrounded by monsters has arrived, but they haven¡¯t departed yet. They¡¯re gathering forces here in the capital before making a move.¡±


    ¡°They still haven¡¯t fucked off? We¡¯ve got work to do here. Don¡¯t you have a town to go save? These humans don¡¯t have what it takes. They gotta be bolder. If I waited for the alchemist to finish her job, I would get killed. They would kill me for taking so long instead of getting me promoted. And rightfully so!¡±


    ¡°Apparently, having their town surrounded by monsters didn¡¯t create as big of a commotion as we expected. They were able to maintain the situation under control somehow.¡±


    ¡°Annoying pests¡­ Speaking of which, how are the guys from the alchemists¡¯ guild?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still cooperative, but they¡¯re playing dumb. They¡¯re claiming they don¡¯t know the alchemist with the ability to remove.¡±


    ¡°Are they just stupid? After how much support we¡¯ve given them, I know they¡¯re not going to betray us. So what? Do they not know their own talents? Are they that incompetent? They can check each other¡¯s skills now, so why haven¡¯t they found the guy yet?¡±


    ¡°What can you expect? They are humans after all.¡±


    ¡°Why do we even have to bother with human alchemists? This is our technology. I say we just kill the Savior! Screw this stupid game!¡±


    ¡°You know that wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Are you interested in facing Velvet¡¯s people?¡±


    ¡°I know I know. Why does she insist on protecting humans despite her father¡¯s wishes? It doesn¡¯t matter. The plan¡¯s progressing smoothly. I¡¯ll leave Velvet for someone else. I¡¯m gonna go check on those alchemist pricks again. Continue looking into the princess¡¯s planned trip. If she¡¯s really traveling without fast travel, that will be our chance to snag her. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a trap or how many of us die. As long as we can take her out of the picture, we¡¯ll be able to do whatever we want with this country.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Armand-sama!¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°The Torn Violence Potion is named after that legend. It¡¯s named after the Violence Witch.¡±


    ¡°Violence Witch?¡± That name sent a chill down my spine. That¡¯s not a name I¡¯ve heard before. It¡¯s not something from the game. It has such a strong impact that it¡¯s not something I see myself forgetting.


    ¡°Let me start from the beginning. The story of the Torn Violence Potion takes place around a thousand years ago. During the time of the previous hero. There was once a village that was being attacked by monsters and was fated to be destroyed. To protect the village, the army dispatched a small group of soldiers tasked with killing all the monsters. Unfortunately, the monsters proved stronger than they could have imagined. After narrowly fending off the monsters¡¯ attacks for multiple days, the soldiers were exhausted, and all hope was lost. However, before the village was destroyed, a wandering alchemist showed up and he told the worn-out soldiers he would sell them a potion that would solve all their problems.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°That alchemist was the Violence Witch?¡±


    ¡°What? No, you silly. The witch isn¡¯t an alchemist, and she was already dead at that time. This takes place after the hero killed her. Where was I¡­? The alchemist showed up, sold the Torn Violence Potion to the soldiers, and left. The soldiers then drank the potion, thinking it was just a normal strength potion, but they ended up losing their minds. They went on a rampage and attacked everything in sight. In the end, the village was destroyed by the soldiers sent to protect it. The Torn Violence Potion got reclassified as a madness poison, and became known as a taboo everywhere in human territory.¡±


    A madness poison? Can¡¯t say I like the idea of losing my mind¡­ Why did Ririna bring this up? How is that potion gonna help us?


    ¡°My father used to be a high-level alchemist before he got married, and he¡¯s the one who told me this story. Well, an exaggerated version of it¡­ I liked it so much when I was younger that I ended up spending a lot of time studying the Torn Violence Potion. No one knows what happened to the alchemist afterward. But I couldn¡¯t stand the idea of an alchemist being the bad guy, I had to correct his mistake. I was determined to remove the madness effect from the Torn Violence Potion, and after many years, I found a way.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I see¡­ If she¡¯s bringing up this potion over a regular strength potion, it must mean its potency is much higher. It¡¯s unusable with the madness side effect, but if she¡¯s really able to remove it¡­ It may give us the extra edge we were looking for.


    ¡°That was the story¡­ It was just an idea, though. Even if I say I can remove the side effects, that¡¯s not exactly trustworthy¡­ I know how crazy it sounds. This is the Torn Violence Potion we¡¯re talking about. I knew you wouldn¡¯t agree¡­¡± Ririna shifted around her seat nervously. My lack of immediate response, combined with the silence of the forest, made her feel awkward.


    ¡°It might work¡­¡± Depending on how much that potion increases my strength, it might be enough¡­


    ¡°Huh? Are you serious? You¡¯re fine with it? You¡¯re not afraid of the potion? You trust it? You may have never heard about it, but it makes you lose your mind, you know?! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Ririna was warning me, but she was smiling excitedly.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that I trust the potion¡ªI trust you. You said you can remove the madness effect, right? If it¡¯s not gonna make me lose my mind, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± I get what she¡¯s saying. There¡¯s no guarantee that Ririna can actually make a safe Torn Violence Potion, but that doesn¡¯t matter. I trust Ririna, and from the way she was talking, it will be fine.


    ¡°I- Iroha¡­ I- I¡­¡± Ririna was so surprised that she stood up. Her eyes were glistening. Her body shook for a moment before she leaped into a hug. ¡°Thank you, Iroha! I- I won¡¯t let you down! I promise!¡± Hey! What¡¯s this all of a sudden!? I thought we were having a serious conversation on how to solve a serious problem! She¡¯s seducing me now? It¡¯s working! She let go of me and sat down after a deep breath. My face was still red, but I was able to regain my composure. Her chest¡­ Mhmm¡­


    ¡°W- why are you able to remove the madness effect from the potion? Can anyone do that? Or are you some kind of prodigy?¡±


    ¡°No! Not at all¡­ I¡¯m just a normal alchemist. It¡¯s just a matter of perspective. I actually can¡¯t make a Torn Violence Potion without the madness effect. What I can do is make it so that it doesn¡¯t affect a specific individual. Everyone else tried to make a change that worked for everyone, and that¡¯s why it didn¡¯t work. Making a potion that only works for one person is really inefficient, so no one bothered to even try it, except for me. Ahahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to beat yourself up. At least it¡¯s coming in handy now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. All my hard work might actually bear fruit. But first, I¡¯ll need to run some tests on you. It¡¯s nothing too complicated, but I need to know what to do to make the madness not affect you.¡±


    Tests huh? I wonder what¡¯s she¡¯s gonna do¡­ ¡°Okay¡­ What do you want me to do?¡± I have mixed feelings about this. Ririna opened a notebook and a book she always carried with her. Then she rummaged through her stuff, and after mixing a couple things, she handed me a small flask with a colorless liquid.


    ¡°Start by drinking this.¡± So I did. And nothing really changed. It didn¡¯t taste like anything, and I wasn¡¯t feeling anything strange. ¡°What color did that taste like?¡± Color? Taste? That¡¯s not how senses work¡­


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ Is this a joke?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t joke about my alchemy. Just tell me the first color that comes to mind. If you close your eyes, you¡¯ll see it.¡±


    The first color that comes to mind? ¡°Red¡­¡± It tasted like red¡­


    ¡°The same as your eye color?¡±


    No¡­ Not that pastel red¡­ It was stronger and more vivid¡­ ¡°It was brighter, stronger, more vivid¡­ It was red red.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ririna scribbled down something. ¡°Do you feel warmer?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Finally, I¡¯m gonna need to touch you a little bit. Can you relax your body?¡± She approached me and grabbed my left hand with both her hands. ¡°Nope¡­¡± She¡¯s touching me now¡­ Oh¡­ Control yourself, Iroha¡­ This doesn¡¯t mean anything¡­ She let go of my hand and went up to my arm. ¡°It¡¯s not here either¡­¡± She touched my shoulder, but she didn¡¯t find what she was looking for. After taking a step back, she flipped through some pages of her book, looking for an answer. ¡°That means¡­ Excuse me, Iroha.¡± HEY! She¡¯s grabbing my right boob! What the hell? Is she checking my heartbeat?! No, that¡¯s the wrong side. The hug from earlier now this? It has to be on purpose! She¡¯s into me! I don¡¯t get this! Why now all of a sudden?! ¡°¡­ Springy¡­¡±


    ¡°Wawawawa- Don¡¯t say that!¡± I pushed Ririna away in a panic. Why the hell is she blushing? Wasn¡¯t this part of the test? No way! Is she actually into me? Am I going crazy? I didn¡¯t know Ririna was the type to take advantage of a situation like that¡­


    ¡°Sorry sorry¡­ It was just a joke. You seemed a little tense. I needed to understand the type of magic that flows through your body and where your core was.¡± Really¡­? On the right side of my chest? Wouldn¡¯t it normally be where the heart is? Wait¡­ It¡¯s probably not just an excuse. That¡¯s where the VISS Driver is. At least that¡¯s where it feels like it is¡­


    ¡°These results are really interesting, Iroha. It¡¯s like you¡¯re not from this world. How strange¡­ Ahahaha!¡± Yeah, that¡¯s because I¡¯m not! What kind of tests were those? Why are they so perceptive? ¡°Last question! Do you like strawberries? We got strawberries at home, and I can use them for the potion¡¯s flavor.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Sure¡­ I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Good! You¡¯ll get to be the first person to drink a safe Torn Violence Potion that tastes like strawberry then. I¡¯ll need my equipment to make the potion, so I¡¯ll have to sneak into the fast-travel station at some point.¡±


    ¡°Are you gonna be alright? Don¡¯t get yourself caught¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. I promise I¡¯ll make you the perfect potion. Thanks, Iroha, for trusting me. I really appreciate it.¡± Ririna had the warmest smile I¡¯ve ever seen on her face. My heart¡¯s pounding. What kind of mood is this? She¡¯s so precious¡­ I won¡¯t let her die, no matter what.

 Chapter 39 – Preparing for the Storm

    After a long conversation, me and Ririna finally settled on a plan. I gave her the go-ahead to make the Torn Violence Potion, and she sneaked back into town to fast-travel back home. As for me, I¡¯m going back to the real world to talk to Katja. It was hard to fight after getting surrounded, so I¡¯m gonna use this time to get some special lessons from her. We agreed to meet up again the day before the deadline so we could finish our preparations. We¡¯re gonna to try to tackle the problem one last time. It¡¯s all or nothing.


    All I want is for Ririna to live, so I tried asking her about other solutions. Did we have to kill all the monsters on our own? Couldn¡¯t we ask for help? Couldn¡¯t we just lure them away? But, of course, it was not that simple. We can¡¯t get any help since everyone I, town hates us, and the soldiers were busy preparing for their own intervention. Sarasa was our last hope, but she has her own circumstances and cannot get involved. Ririna already felt bad about getting me involved, so she was really against the idea of asking for Sarasa¡¯s help. Luring the monsters away was also not gonna work. The dirt itself is what attracts the monsters, but without any crops, the effect quickly fades away. That means we¡¯d need a field bigger than all the fields around the town combined for the monsters to leave. That¡¯s just not possible. Without crops, it¡¯s possible to attract monsters for a moment, but then they would just go back. And without a big enough field, they wouldn¡¯t even care.


    We¡¯re going to have to do this the hard way, but we already knew that from the start. I pushed open the door to the dorm, and inside were Katja and Carol. Katja was sitting down on the table, while Carol was on the opposite side of the room, sitting on the couch. Carol looks fine¡­ I haven¡¯t seen her since she left the dojo after our match, so I¡¯m glad she¡¯s okay. She is glaring at me, though. Is she still mad about losing? She never really liked me, so this is par for the course. I tried waving at her, but she immediately turned her head to the side. Ahahaha¡­ What else was I expecting?


    ¡°Katja, I need your help.¡± I didn¡¯t have time to worry about Carol right now, so I left her alone and headed straight for Katja.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Iroha? Were you out training? Did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ That¡¯s not it. I need your advice. I need you to teach me how to fight against multiple enemies when I get surrounded.¡±


    ¡°You need help with your training, then? I can help you with that, but¡­ where did that come from? Why do you learn how to fight multiple enemies? Don¡¯t tell me you were surrounded by a large group of monsters. Their numbers aren¡¯t supposed to be that high here. That¡¯s cause for alarm!¡± I was a little too careless and ended up saying too much. Katja got up in a rush and was acting like she was about to head to the forest herself.


    ¡°No no no, that¡¯s not it! I- I was only asking for future reference! It¡¯s just in case I ever get surrounded and have to fight a lot of monsters. Uhmm¡­ I found myself thinking about it and¡­ thought I should ask you. It¡¯s better to learn now than regret later, right?¡± My excuse convinced Katja, and she calmed down. Everything should have been fine, but Carol clicked her tongue and disappeared into the dorm. Why? Did I say something bad?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s what you meant¡­¡± Katja followed Carol with her head, then looked at me again. ¡°Alright, Iroha. I¡¯ll help you out. Tell me more about what you want to know.¡±


    The two of us went to the dojo, and I explained the situation to Katja without revealing too many details.


    ¡°So you want me to teach you how to fight against multiple opponents after you get surrounded? Hmm¡­ Truth be told, the trick to fighting when you¡¯re surrounded is to not be surrounded.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± That¡¯s not very helpful advice. We¡¯re skipping some steps here.


    ¡°I know it sounds weird, but whenever you¡¯re surrounded, you¡¯re at a disadvantage. Whenever that happens, your goal should be to break through whatever it is that is surrounding you. If you get surrounded, you have to look for a weak point and fight your way through. Then you run away until you find a place where you can¡¯t get surrounded anymore, like a tight hallway.¡±


    That¡¯s pretty obvious¡­ but it¡¯s not like it¡¯s always possible to break out. ¡°What if there are so many monsters that it¡¯s impossible to break through? What should I do then?¡±


    Katja paced around the dojo before sitting down on the spectator¡¯s bench. ¡°Ideally, you want to avoid being surrounded in the first place, but if that¡¯s not possible¡­ Well, I guess the same principle still applies. If you¡¯re gonna be fighting either way, you want to be moving in the direction of the weakest point and hoping that you break through eventually. When you¡¯re surrounded, you¡¯re going to be at a disadvantage, no matter what. Either you¡¯re strong enough that you make up for the disadvantage, or you need to get into an advantageous position. There¡¯s really no other way, is there?¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    There¡¯s no other way? She might be right¡­ I knew the best way to handle being surrounded was to not getting surrounded in the first place, but then what do I do? The monsters are out in vast open fields. I can¡¯t avoid getting surrounded. If I could fight them in a different location¡­ Hmm¡­ That might not be impossible¡­ I¡¯ll have to check with Ririna later.


    ¡°Thanks, Katja. I get it now.¡±


    ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t help you out more. There isn¡¯t really a trick to it, as far as I know. There are, however, lots of techniques with a sword meant to combat multiple opponents. If you¡¯re interested, there¡¯s still a lot I could teach you.¡± Katja got up from her seat and went to grab our wooden swords.


    ¡°Really? That would be very helpful!¡±


    I spent the next few days training with Katja until it was time to meet with Ririna. Even though I trained alone with Katja, I¡¯ve gotten a lot better at fighting multiple enemies. She¡¯s so agile that it was harder than when I fought the horde. I also got to level 8 after I defeated the monsters from the horde. Now I have 20 skill points to spend, but I¡¯m not spending anything yet. I¡¯ll use them during the fight if I run into any obstacles. I can buy Crushing Blade if a tough enough enemy appears, and I also have a new skill available for purchase.


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Wing Slash (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    I used so many Agility Burst combos that I¡¯ve received a dash attack skill. Wing Slash would allow me to quickly fly towards an enemy with a sword slash. Really cool skill, but might it not be very useful when dealing with a horde? I could potentially use it to kill some flying enemies, but how am I going to get down? Still, it¡¯s something to keep in mind. I¡¯ll buy them in case I need them.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. The fast-travel station was crowded today.¡± I was lost in thought when Ririna showed up. We¡¯re meeting in the same clearing where we talked the other day. She was wearing a cape, and she took off her hood before sitting down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I just got here myself.¡± Is this a date? ¡°Uhmm¡­ Did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Taadaa~! A Torn Violence Potion just for you!¡± Ririna held onto a flask with a bubbling red liquid.


    ¡°*Gulp* Not very appetizing¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s very effective. And it tastes like strawberries. Just like I promised.¡± Ririna tried to hand me the potion.


    ¡°You should keep it¡­ I¡¯m afraid I might spill it¡­ Just give it to me when it¡¯s time to take it.¡± I wasn¡¯t keen on carrying around a scary looking thing like that, but that wasn¡¯t all. I genuinely believe that it¡¯s safer in Ririna¡¯s hands. ¡°By the way, Ririna. We can¡¯t lure the monsters away from the town permanently, but it is possible to lure them temporarily, right?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ If we cram a lot of that dirt into a small spot, the luring effect is going to be very powerful. The problem is that without any crops, the luring magic is gonna quickly dissipate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I actually got an idea on how I can avoid getting surrounded¡­¡± I explained the idea of moving the fight to a more favorable terrain, and we went over some of the details.


    ¡°That could work¡­ It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know anywhere with a choke point like that. I pay a lot of attention to materials, but not to things like that. That¡¯s more something Sarasa would know. Since the deadline¡¯s tomorrow, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have time to look for the perfect location.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we ask Sarasa for help?¡±


    ¡°I told you Sarasa has her own circumstances. She won¡¯t be able to help us with our fight.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to help us fight anything. We just need to ask her for a good location. Isn¡¯t it fine if it¡¯s just talking?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point. She talked to me after I was released, so it shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Let¡¯s go see if we can talk to her.¡±


    Ririna thinks she knows where Sarasa is, so the two of us sneaked back into town. We were covering our faces with hoodies, but we got past the soldiers at the gate without any problem. They understand the situation, so they¡¯re not gonna stop us. The townsfolk were the ones we had to stay hidden from. As soon as we entered, we dove into an alleyway. I followed Ririna through the dim streets of Rocky Ridges until we arrived in front of the Gathering of Flowers. Inside, Sarasa sat alone at a table, and we quietly sat down with her. Her ears twitched, and she tried to take a peek under our hoods.


    ¡°Ririna?! And Iroha too?! What are you doing here? You still haven¡¯t run away? Didn¡¯t you go back to the capital, Ririna?¡± Sarasa was surprised, but kept her head low and whispered to us.


    ¡°I stopped by the capital, but I told you I wasn¡¯t going to run away. My life as an alchemist would be over if I did¡­ More importantly, we need your help.¡± Sarasa immediately said she couldn¡¯t help us fight, but we explained the situation to her and what our plan was.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay. As long as it¡¯s not fighting, I¡¯ll help you out however I can! Your plan is probably fine. You¡¯ll be able to wing it somehow. If I were there, it would be flawless, but it is what it is. Nyahahah! Remember what I taught you, Iroha, and everything will be fine!¡± What the hell did she ever teach me? How to fall off trees? She¡¯s gotten really carefree all of a sudden.


    ¡°Do you know a good location or not? Something like a valley would be nice.¡± Sarasa thought for a second before answering my question.


    ¡°There¡¯s lots of good places around here. This is a pretty mountainous area after all.¡± That¡¯s right, this place is filled with crazy rock formations. I¡¯ve been here long enough that they¡¯ve started to blend into the background. ¡°For example, remember the place with the Golem Munchers? There¡¯s a big valley a little beyond that hill.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± This is it. Things are finally looking up for us.


    ¡°I remember now, Iroha. Me and Sarasa have been there before. I think it¡¯s just what we¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. We should check it out, and we¡¯ll have everything ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too reckless, okay? As long as you¡¯re alive, everything will work itself out. You don¡¯t need to stop being alchemist just because of this incident, Ririna. Don¡¯t turn yourself in, even if it doesn¡¯t work out. I promise I¡¯ll help you at some point.¡± Sarasa¡¯s right. Everything would sort itself out if Ririna wasn¡¯t so stubborn about taking responsibility for something she didn¡¯t do. In a valley, it¡¯s pretty much guaranteed that we¡¯ll be able to run away, so the only way Ririna doesn¡¯t survive is¡­


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s my own alchemy that causes problems, so I have to be the one to solve them. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re worried about me, but it¡¯s not over yet.¡± Ririna looked toward me.


    ¡°As long as you haven¡¯t given up, it will be fine. I¡¯ll be rooting for you two. Good luck!¡±


    We thanked Sarasa for her help and left the town before anyone could find out our identities. We¡¯re as prepared as we¡¯ll ever be. All that¡¯s left is to put our plan into practice. Will we be able to defeat all the monsters? That¡¯s the only way to save Ririna.

 Chapter 40 – Valley of Death

    Today¡¯s the day.


    Me and Ririna are setting up a barricade in the valley Sarasa told us about. We¡¯re going to deal with the horde once and for all. Ririna made some reinforced wooden planks for us to build with, and now we¡¯re about to finish setting things up. Ririna made it so that vines with thorns covered the barricade and created a small outpost for her at the back. It was very sturdy, despite the fact that it was completely improvised, but that¡¯s not the point of the barricade. We only need it to buy us some time in case of an emergency. It can hold back the monsters long enough for us to run deeper into the valley and escape. They¡¯re not gonna chase us if it comes down to that, so this is good enough.


    The valley is large enough for around five people to be able to walk side by side. Ririna narrowed down the path even further with her thorny vines. The path is made out of dirt, and the walls of the valley are taller than a five-story building. Today¡¯s weather conditions are perfect. The sun¡¯s shining straight down at us in a perfectly clear sky. It¡¯s as if the heavens want a clear view of what¡¯s about to happen.


    ¡°All that¡¯s left is to open this sack.¡± Ririna crouched next to a large sack containing a batch of the magical dirt she had made for the merchant. Ririna cut the sack open with a knife, and glowing dirt was exposed to the open air. ¡°Given our location, I¡¯d say it¡¯s gonna take around half an hour for the first monsters to arrive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Ririna stood up after emptying the sack onto a big pile. ¡°This is a pretty good place¡­ isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s just what we were looking for¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice¡­ We¡¯ll have to thank Sarasa later¡­¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have remembered this place if not for her¡­¡± Ririna stayed quiet after saying that, and so did I. It has started¡­ Thirty minutes from now on, the hordes surrounding the town are gonna be here¡­ ¡°Here, Iroha. The Torn Violence Potion. Make sure you drink it just before the monsters get here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, thanks¡­¡± Ririna hands me the small vial, and I take it.


    ¡°¡­¡± Ririna looks off into the distance in the direction of the monsters. What is she thinking right now?


    ¡°Ririna¡­ Is this really gonna work?¡± Given how many monsters there are, even with all these preparations, it may not be enough¡­


    ¡°What? Are you getting cold feet now?¡± Ririna¡¯s tone was calm but a little flat. She was struggling to maintain her composure. ¡°You¡¯re the one who insisted I shouldn¡¯t give up.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡± That may have been irresponsible of me.


    ¡°It will be alright. We¡¯ve done everything we could, so now we¡¯ll just have to give it our all. It¡¯s the only thing that¡¯s going to improve our chances.¡± She¡¯s right. I already said I¡¯d fight, so there¡¯s no point in worrying about those things, but¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t start second-guessing yourself now. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t even be here. You¡¯re the one who gave me hope. I thought this was an impossible task, but if there¡¯s anyone who can find a way to make it work, it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Me? That¡¯s not true¡­ I¡¯m nothing special¡­ I¡¯m not the kind of person who can get through impossible situations. The only thing I¡¯m good at is making mistakes, and my life is a mess because of that¡­¡±


    ¡°Iroha¡­ I don¡¯t know about any of that. We may only have met recently, but the Iroha I know is someone who¡¯s always been there for me since we first met. She¡¯s capable of pulling through when faced with unfavorable odds and enemies stronger than her. I believe in you.¡±


    Wait, what? Is she serious? That¡¯s not who I am at all¡­ Is it? Someone who¡¯s able to pull through¡­? That¡¯s crazy¡­ That¡¯s not true at all¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get into position. I¡¯ll take care of the flying monsters, so you can focus on what¡¯s in front of you. Good luck, Iroha.¡± Ririna tapped my shoulder before climbing up to the little outpost behind the barricade. She¡¯ll have an easier time supporting me from up there.


    I¡¯m still not convinced I can create a miracle like Ririna wants, but, for her sake, I have to do this. It¡¯s not about creating a miracle. I have gotten stronger, and I have Ririna¡¯s potion. It should be good enough to give me some leeway to make some mistakes. I¡¯m just doing what I can.


    ¡°They¡¯re here, Iroha. Can you see them? Get ready!¡± It¡¯s about to start, huh? It¡¯s time to take the Torn Violence Potion¡­ The red liquid inside the vial is still bubbling. I was hoping it would have settled down by now since it¡¯s not a very appetizing look. Ririna said it tastes like strawberry at least¡­ Here goes nothing! The strangely sweet liquid went down my throat smoothly, and I still retained my mind. That¡¯s two out of three promises. Now what about the strength?


    The first monster to arrive was a furious-looking, bright red boar. It looked like it wasn¡¯t gonna stop even after colliding with me. When it got close enough, I swung my sword and cut through it without feeling any resistance. Wait, without feeling any resistance? I swung my sword through the air again to make sure I wasn¡¯t imagining things. ¡°Ohhh! I see now!¡± My sword feels so light right now! ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± I really am stronger! No wonder I didn¡¯t feel any resistance! Her potion¡¯s doing wonders already! Now that¡¯s a miracle!


    The rest of the first wave of monsters finally arrives, and they make their way towards me. All the thorns Ririna grew with her alchemy are hindering the monsters¡¯ movements. They¡¯re funneling them in such a way that their numbers mean nothing. The monsters are all coming from the same direction, so I¡¯m able to attack without having to worry about my back. A two-headed wolf and a swole dear with bull¡¯s horns rush towards me at the same time. But with the effect of the Torn Violence Potion, I cut them both down with a single swing. I like it! This is great!


    *Woosh Tzzz!* A lightning bolt shoots over my head and hits a weird-looking bird with four wings off in the distance. Looks like Ririna also has everything under control. That¡¯s reassuring. I¡¯m able to focus on the enemies in front of me, and when they get close enough, I kill them all with a single strike. I¡¯m not about to even give them a chance to attack. Even sturdier-looking monsters, like those who looked like bugs, offered no resistance whatsoever. This potion really is incredible. I¡¯m not sure how many I¡¯ve defeated already¡­ I lost count after around twenty¡­


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    Oh! There it is! One more level. It¡¯s only going to get easier from now- but before I could finish my train of thought, a familiar face decided to show up and hurl something at me. It¡¯s a fireball! I jumped back and narrowly dodged. Hidden behind the wall of monsters, there was the fox monster I fought the other day. This isn¡¯t good. That fox monster is a pain in the ass¡­ I have to deal with it as soon as possible since I can¡¯t deal with its magic while fighting off the other monsters.


    I can defeat it, though¡­ As I am now, I should be able to make my way through the wall of monsters and take it down easily. No¡­ Wait¡­ Is it really a good idea to be diving into the horde just for the fox monster? I¡¯m not sure¡­ It would be awful if I got surrounded. We went through all this trouble just to avoid that, so I can¡¯t let myself get carried away because of the potion. I have to pull back for a moment. I have to rely on Ririna.


    ¡°Ririna!¡± I ran in the direction of the barricade, pulling most of the monsters the fox was using as meat shield with me. ¡°Explode them!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Ririna understood what I wanted and lobbed one of her bombs over my head. The explosion behind me was so powerful it almost sent me to the ground. Scary¡­ What if that had hit me?


    The explosion blew up the monsters chasing me and opened a path to the fox monster. Thank you, Ririna. This is just what I was waiting for. I turned my momentum around and quickly closed the gap between me and the fox monster. Agility Burst! I swung my sword at the fox, and-


    ¡°Ouch!¡± The fox monster dodged my attack and spewed fire out of its tail as it jumped back. My sword dispersed most of the flames, but some of them still burned me. Why didn¡¯t I just use Slash Flurry too? Was I really trying to save MP? Wasn¡¯t the whole point of saving MP so that I¡¯d have it to fight stronger monsters? The fox monster definitely qualifies, so I can¡¯t hold back. I¡¯m doing things right this time! The fox creature was going to retreat back into the horde, but I stopped it before it could get away. ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± It got ready for combat, and its tail flared up, but I wasn¡¯t about to wait for it to make a move. I used Agility Burst followed by Slash Flurry and landed a four-hit combo.


    Just like that, the fox monster was no more. I¡¯m on fire today! Even a monster like that is nothing to me. It really didn¡¯t put up much of a fight once I managed to close the gap. I was right!


    The fox monster liked to stay in the back, so I ended up overextending to finish it off. As a result, some of the other monsters managed to get behind me. This is bad. I¡¯m going to be completely surrounded at this rate. I have to make my way back to the choke point where the thorns are. I turned my back to the horde without hesitation and charged at the monsters standing between me and the barricade. I had to ignore some of them, even though they were such easily kills. Getting back into position is more important right now. ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯re a mess.¡± Another lightning bolt shot out of Ririna¡¯s hand and bounced off a few flying monsters.


    ¡°It¡¯s all good! It¡¯s not mine!¡± Because of all the fighting, I ended up covered in blood. At least I didn¡¯t come in my school uniform today. I recently learned how hard it is to wash off blood stains, so these clothes might be ruined already. Unless Ririna has something that could help¡­


    I put those thoughts to the side and got back to fighting. Now that the fox monster is gone, I can just focus on defeating the monsters as they come. This is cool! It¡¯s like I¡¯m making a last stand and single-handedly holding back an entire army. I gotta have killed hundreds of them by now. I¡¯m unstoppable! No one can get through me! Ahahahaha!


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    How many of them are left? Are we half way there yet? I still can¡¯t see the end of the horde. We¡¯re gonna be fine though. There are no more obstacles, so I can just enjoy my XP farm.


    ¡°I¡¯m running out of items, Iroha.¡± Ririna took down the flying monsters one after the other, so it¡¯s no surprise she¡¯s running low.


    ¡°As long as I don¡¯t get swarmed, it¡¯s fine.¡± The skies look pretty much clear, so Ririna has done her job. Let¡¯s keep going. One, two, three, four! Huh? As I cut through the fourth enemy in a row, no other monster shows up. Is this all of them? No¡­ They¡¯re just staying back. Why?


    *Thump thump!* Why is the ground shaking? Better yet, what is that thing? A huge bear-looking monster with yellow spots on its fur stepped out in front of the horde and made its way to the barricade. Most of the monsters stopped moving and made way for the bear monster. One of them didn¡¯t get the memo and decided it was time to charge. *Thump!* Unfortunately, the bear monster didn¡¯t like that and crushed it with its paw. What is this monster? Why is it so huge? It can barely fit in this valley¡­ Well¡­ It¡¯s certainly a scary creature, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s going to attack right away. I¡¯ll make the first move.


    I slashed its shoulder after closing the gap with Agility Burst. I didn¡¯t know what to expect, but surprisingly, my blade drew blood, and the bear staggered. Is it not as strong as it looks? No, this is because of the potion. That¡¯s good enough for me. I can do this! I followed up with Agility Burst, but this time I wasn¡¯t able to get through its skin. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± Ririna thought to herself when she saw my blade fail to cut through the monster.


    Why couldn¡¯t I cut it just now? Wait, I get it, I¡¯m still being stingy. I can¡¯t hold back against this one, I have to use Slash Flurry. The bear stomped the ground where I had landed, and I dodged before unleashing my skill. ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± My four slashes landed, but none of them managed to wound it this time. Why? Why is it so tough all of a sudden?


    ¡°Iroha! Get back! It¡¯s over! We¡¯ve been fighting for more than half an hour¡ªthe potion... The potion has expired!¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ririna was screaming for me to get back, and, just as my attention gets diverted, the bear monster hits me with its claw. I move my sword to block the attack, but it¡¯s too late, and it sends me flying into the wall. ¡°Guhhh¡­¡± Fuck fuck fuck¡­ It hurts so much! It was going so well¡­ We were so close¡­ Is this our limit? The impact caused most of the items Ririna gave me to scatter on the floor.


    Ririna throws a small pouch of seeds at the bear, which entangles it with vines. ¡°Come back, Iroha! The vines are not gonna last!¡± It takes all my strength to get up, and I slowly make my way to the barricade. The other monsters noticed the bear couldn¡¯t move, and something latched onto my leg with its teeth.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± I cut it into pieces with Slash Flurry to get it off me. That monster wasn¡¯t the only one to make a move, and now I am surrounded. This is bad¡­ Really bad¡­ Another angry boar showed up and charged at me. I had to resort to Agility Burst just to get out of the way. My body is so sluggish¡­ The weak monsters kept attacking me, and I had to use my skills non-stop just to scrape by. I¡¯m slowing down¡­ Am I gonna die like this? This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! If I can just get to the barricade¡­ We can still run away¡­ Why isn¡¯t my body moving properly? It wasn¡¯t supposed to go like this¡­


    Let me through! It can¡¯t be¡­ It can¡¯t end like this¡­ Kill them¡­ I have to kill them. I have to kill them all! That¡¯s right! I just need to kill them all! I want them all dead! I can¡¯t die! I want to live! I want to kill them all! I can save Ririna! I want to save Ririna! I want to kill them all! I want Ririna! I- I¡­


    [New skill available.]


    [Violence ¨C Violence Impulse (Cost: 50 Skill Points)]


    I want it!


    <hr>


    ¡°Iroha! Get back! It¡¯s over! We¡¯ve been fighting for more than half an hour¡ªthe potion... The potion has expired!¡±


    Iroha is on the floor¡­ The monster hit her. This is bad. She can barely move¡­ It¡¯s all my fault¡­ I should have known one potion wasn¡¯t going to last.


    ¡°Hurry up, Iroha! Get away from- Watch out! Behind you!¡± Iroha didn¡¯t react, and she was bitten in the leg. She made quick work of the monster, but now they¡¯re surrounding her. This is all my fault! She¡¯s gonna die because of me. I have to help her somehow¡­ What can I do? I¡¯m the only one who should have to die.


    She has no choice but to fight the monsters surrounding her, but she¡¯s only getting slower. Come on, Iroha, you promised me! I have to get her to safety, even if it costs me my life¡­ Wait¡­ She¡¯s not slowing down anymore? Am I seeing things? Why? After getting bitten, tackled, and clawed so many times, why does it look like she¡¯s getting faster? No, it doesn¡¯t just look like she¡¯s getting faster¡ªshe is getting faster! The monsters are dying. How is this possible?


    After a while, the monsters surrounding her were all dead. I don¡¯t know how she did it, but this is my opportunity! I have to get her out of there! I¡¯ll hold back the monsters with my life if that¡¯s what it takes. ¡°Wait¡­ No! Come back!¡± Instead of coming back to the barricade, Iroha ran toward the horde. Why? We need to get out of here! It¡¯s over! Without the potion, there¡¯s nothing we can do.


    ¡°How?¡± Was I wrong? The monsters keep dying one after the other¡­ Incredible¡­ Wasn¡¯t she at her limit? This is a bloodbath! How is she doing this? As she continues to mow down the horde, Iroha gets covered in blood, but something looks off¡­ The blood looks weird¡­ It¡¯s like the blood on Iroha is glowing¡­ It¡¯s almost¡­ pulsating¡­ Am I imagining things? There¡¯s so much magic coming from her¡­ What am I watching? I can¡¯t stop trembling¡­ Is she still getting faster? She¡¯s stronger than when she had the potion effects¡­ How is that possible? Iroha cuts through multiple monsters with a single slash, and I catch a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were bright red, and¡­ was she smiling?

 Chapter 41 – Violence Impulse

    Red


    The world is red. Everything has turned red. Every swing of my sword results in multiple dead monsters.


    Bite me, claw me, rip my flesh out, try whatever you want, it¡¯s not gonna help. You can¡¯t touch me anymore. Your fate is already sealed.


    [Violence ¨C Violence Impulse]


    [Whenever an enemy is killed, grants the user a short, small boost to agility and strength.]


    [Stacks infinitely and exponentially.]


    You¡¯re all fuel to me! As long as there are monsters to kill, I¡¯m gonna keep getting faster and stronger! I¡¯m not gonna stop¡­ Not until you¡¯re all dead¡ªuntil I get everything I want!


    I run through the horde of monsters at lightning speed while wildly swinging my sword. Everything caught in its path is instantly torn to shreds.


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    The huge bear monster is still entangled, but it¡¯s in my way. I slice its left arm off and cut through the vines with a single movement. Then I lose myself in the horde beyond the bear monster. That one slash didn¡¯t finish it off¡­ Alright¡­ I turn around and clean up the monsters I missed during my first pass while making my way towards the big monster.


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    The monster lets out an incredible roar that causes clouds to gather above and block out the sun. It reaches out for the clouds with its missing limb, and the clouds hit it with a giant thunderbolt. The monster controls the thunder and changes its shape into a temporary lightning arm. After the process is done, the bear slams the new arm onto the ground. This results in a loud impact that shoots out sparks and static, even electrocuting some nearby monsters.


    ¡°Ehhh¡­? You want some more, huh? You should have just stayed down!¡± I mow down everything in my path and jump high into the air when I get close enough to the monster. I bring my sword down, and it raises its lightning arm to meet my sword. The clash causes more sparks and lights to shoot out in every direction. ¡°Ahahahahaha! Are you putting on a light show for me? Impressive, but it¡¯s not good enough to stop me!¡± I cut through the thunder arm, and the lightning disperses. The wild electricity hits other nearby monsters and causes parts of the walls to explode. It¡¯s defenseless now, so I cut through the monster¡¯s body and land on the other side. Rain falls on me, not because of the clouds the monster called, but because of its blood.


    I don¡¯t have time to enjoy my victory since my stacks are wearing off one by one. I run back to the monsters and resume the slaughter. All these low-level monsters are completely powerless before my ridiculously boosted stats. The closer they get to try to attack, the easier they are to kill, and the higher my stats get. None of them stood a chance. It¡¯s a complete stomp. Soon, all the monsters are gonna be gone. Ririna¡¯s sins will be wiped, and life will go back to normal.


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    [Level up! All your stats have been increased, and you have received additional skill points.]


    As the summoned clouds dissipate, the sun¡¯s radiance returns, giving the red dripping from the girl¡¯s golden hair an aggressive, pulsating glow. She stood triumphantly before the valley of death she had created, with the massacred monsters laying the foundation for her and Ririna¡¯s freedom.


    ¡°Where are the walls? Am I out of the valley? Where are the other monsters? No way¡­ Was that all of them? It can¡¯t be¡­ I was just getting started! That was way too fast¡­ I could still keep going¡­ Huh? Wait¡­ My vision¡­ What¡¯s going on¡­? Everything¡¯s going dark¡­ What¡­?¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hm? Iroha? Are you awake? Good morning.¡±


    Morning? The first thing I see when I open my eyes is the soothing, bright blue sky through the branches of a tree and a familiar face watching over me with a warm smile.


    ¡°You did it, Iroha. I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you.¡±


    ¡°Ririna¡­¡± That¡¯s right¡­ I fought the hordes of monsters, but¡­ What happened next? Did I pass out from exhaustion? Where am I now? It feels soft¡­ This is¡­ ¡°!?!¡± Ririna¡¯s lap?!


    I tried to sit up in a hurry, but my body wouldn¡¯t move properly. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t move! You were covered in wounds when I caught up to you, so just rest up for now. I treated your wounds and cleaned up most of the mess. Just relax until you regain some energy, okay?¡± Laying down on Ririna¡¯s lap was like a dream come true, but it¡¯s also too much for my heart! Especially right now! Ughhh¡­ Why is my body not moving? My face is on fire¡­ I have no choice but to accept this.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Iroha¡­¡± Ririna gently strokes my hair. I would ask you to refrain from doing unnecessary things that drive me crazy, Ririna. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be able to do it, I knew you¡¯d find a way to pull through.¡±


    I ended up doing more than just pulling through. I¡¯m better off now than I was when I began. Violence Impulse¡­ What a ridiculous skill¡­ I can¡¯t believe I got my hands on it. That fight was amazing¡­ Even if I did almost die¡­ It doesn¡¯t feel real. ¡°I¡¯m also surprised everything worked out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I knew you¡¯d be able to find a way. I told you. That¡¯s the kind of person you are.¡±


    Is it? ¡°I just got lucky¡­¡± What kind of person even is that? Someone who finds a way out of any situation? That¡¯s ridiculous. That¡¯s not like me at all¡­ I¡¯m the type who always hesitates and can never do anything, right?


    ¡°Thank you, Iroha¡­ You¡¯ve done something for me that I may never be able to repay¡­ I¡¯ll never forget what you¡¯ve done for me.¡± Ririna had the kindest smile on her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡­ I¡¯m glad you can continue working as an alchemist.¡± This whole situation is very embarrassing, but I¡¯m glad to see Ririna like that.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all! I¡¯m very grateful that I can continue being an alchemist, but I¡¯m even happier that you trusted me. You trusted me when I told you about the Torn Violence Potion, and you actually drank it. I thought I¡¯d never see the fruits of my labor¡­ Everything I¡¯ve done¡­ Finally paying off¡­ And it was all thanks to you. I¡¯m so glad to have met you. I¡¯m sorry the potion didn¡¯t last the whole fight¡­ I should have made more than one potion, but¡­ I think I was scared you would reject it at the last minute¡­ It was all my fault. You almost died because of that. I¡¯m so sorry! It was all my fault!¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ Don¡¯t worry about it¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything, and it wasn¡¯t really your fault. If anything, I should be thanking you for the potion. Without it, none of this would have been possible.¡± My strength has returned, and I finally managed to sit up. ¡°So yeah, it was all thanks to you. Thank you for making the Torn Violence Potion.¡± The potion was the real MVP since I don¡¯t think I would have gotten Violence Impulse skill without it. They must be connected somehow. That¡¯s why I said I got lucky. It just so happened that the potion gave me access to a pretty powerful skill when I needed it the most. The potion is taboo for driving people crazy, I know that. But since I had never heard about it, that doesn¡¯t apply to me, right? I mean, I was still scared of losing my mind. That¡¯s about the last thing I want¡­


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Ririna stared at me without saying a single word. She looked surprised, and her cheeks were bright red. What? Why isn¡¯t she saying anything? Is there something on my face? ¡°Thank you, Iroha!¡± Ririna hugged me all of a sudden. I can¡¯t¡­ Why is she so adorable? ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯ll do anything for you! I swear, I¡¯ll pay you back!¡± Ririna squeezed me even tighter. I don¡¯t know if I can take much more¡­


    ¡°Wawawa-¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting her to do this out of nowhere, but her hug made reality finally sink in. The monsters¡­ They¡¯re all dead now. Ririna¡¯s crimes, Ririna¡¯s death sentence¡­ They¡¯re all gone now¡­ She¡¯s gonna survive! I put my arms around Ririna and returned her embrace. We¡¯ve been through a lot of ups and downs since this whole mess started, but for now, I¡¯m happy¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Princess, I have a report for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, save me! Please be something good¡­ I¡¯ve had it up to here with all these idiots surrounding me.¡±


    ¡°Rather than focusing on the bad, you¡¯ll be much happier by treasuring the ones who do good work for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, but¡­ Is this your way of asking for a raise, you greedy knight? I appreciate the work you do, but you¡¯re not getting another raise from me any time soon.¡±


    ¡°I assure you that it¡¯s not like that. I enjoy my current standard of living. I wouldn¡¯t dream of asking more of you, my princess.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ You¡¯re a naughty girl. I know your game.¡±


    ¡°Also, take care that you mind your language in public.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remind me. I can count on one hand the number of people who know what I¡¯m really like. I do a good enough job of that already. Moving on, you¡¯re here to give me a report, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still confirming this information, but it¡¯s likely that the monsters lured to the town of Rocky Ridges are dead.¡±


    ¡°Those are excellent news if they turn out to be true. Any new clues as to what the demons¡¯ goal is yet?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ We couldn¡¯t find anything. They disappeared without a trace.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it may be, if the monsters truly are dead, it¡¯s going to make life harder for them. Heh, serves them right. Let¡¯s hope they panic and make some sort of mistake now. We may be able to bust them once and for all.¡±


    ¡°I hope so, princess.¡±


    ¡°How did the monsters die? What have you learned already? Who¡¯s the one responsible?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say¡­ The information we¡¯ve gathered doesn¡¯t make much sense. It¡¯s likely that it was the work of a girl named Iroha. She was accompanied by the alchemist, but the alchemist is not skilled enough for combat. We looked into Iroha, but we didn¡¯t find much. She claims to be a traveler, and she carried a high-quality sword with her. But other than that, we couldn¡¯t find anything else.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s odd¡­ An unnamed swordswoman shouldn¡¯t be capable of killing more than a thousand monsters single-handedly. Don¡¯t tell me the demons were right¡­ Isn¡¯t it too early for her to be back? The war hasn¡¯t even started. Did they get the date of the revival wrong?¡±


    ¡°Princess, there¡¯s no need to worry about that. Iroha is not the Violence Witch from the legend. She is not a mindless killer after all.¡±


    ¡°You talk as if you¡¯ve spoken to her before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, princess. It may have been brief, but I got to know her a little. I can tell you for certain she is not the Violence Witch.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, of course she¡¯s not the Violence Witch, the Violence Witch is dead. I don¡¯t know what the demons are thinking, but nothing¡¯s gonna change that fact. With an alchemist and some clever thinking, nothing is impossible. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a better explanation as to why the monsters are dead. Go back to your post and continue looking into the situation. The demons cannot possibly overlook that girl, so keep an eye on her as well. We may be able to use her against the demons. And don¡¯t forget to make sure everything is ready for the trip¡­¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±

 Chapter 42 – Shopping Spree

    ¡°Iroha Iroha, you look happier than usual today. Did something good happen?¡± Miyuki asked, coming over to my desk as soon as lunch break started.


    ¡°M- Miyuki!? I guess you could say that¡­ Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°What? What are you apologizing for? Isn¡¯t it good that you¡¯re happy?¡± Miyuki leaned against my desk, looking at me over her shoulder.


    ¡°Ahahaha, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± It¡¯s been about a month since Miyuki transferred, and she¡¯s made friends with pretty much everyone. Miyuki¡¯s the only person in class I¡¯d call a friend, and while she could hang out with a larger group just fine, she ends up sticking with me most of the time. She¡¯s great¡­ ¡°So¡­ What are you up to? Did you need something?¡±


    ¡°Right, wanna eat lunch together, Iroha?¡± Miyuki waved her boxed lunch in front of me. ¡°How about we head to the rooftop for a change of pace? It¡¯s been a while.¡± That came out of nowhere¡­ The rooftop, huh? There¡¯s no one around up there, so it can get awkward sometimes¡­ But it¡¯s not a feeling that I completely despise. Either way, Miyuki¡¯s the one who¡¯s asking, so I¡¯m not gonna say no.


    ¡°Fine by me. That sounds fun!¡± I¡¯ve come to learn that the best way to deal with Miyuki is to take things in stride. Miyuki feels like eating on the rooftop, we eat on the rooftop. Sometimes she asks something too crazy, and I gotta say no, but those usually happen after school.


    Miyuki said I looked happy, and the reason why is because of how yesterday¡¯s battle went. After I woke up in Ririna¡¯s lap, we went back to town, and Flanne was in front of the gate with a small crowd. They saw the monsters suddenly go away, and when we told Flanne what happened, everyone cheered, and our names were cleared. I¡¯m so glad it went so smoothly! It¡¯s such a big weight off my shoulders. Before I left, Ririna asked me to meet up with her today. She said it was important and that she had something cool to show me. What is it? What could it be? Why was she so vague? Is she gonna confess? Probably not, but I¡¯m so excited!


    Miyuki and I arrived at the rooftop, and we sat down next to each other in the shade. We started eating, but I quickly got distracted by her. I¡¯ve been slowly getting used to it, but Miyuki really is pretty¡­ It¡¯s hard to tear my eyes away when we¡¯re right next to each other. She¡¯s completely out of my league¡­ What was I thinking back then? I¡¯m so glad that I met Ririna. She¡¯s also nearing perfection, and she keeps getting cuter and cuter the more time we spend together. The fact that Miyuki¡¯s friends with me is good enough. School has become a lot more bearable now that I have someone who will stick with me no matter what.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me, Iroha? Falling in love?¡± Miyuki notices me staring and teases me with a grin.


    ¡°N- no! I- I was just thinking about something¡­¡± I looked down at my lunch and stuffed my face.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. You wouldn¡¯t want the bell to ring before you finish eating¡­¡± Miyuki nodded approvingly, probably because she found my reaction amusing. ¡°That reminds me, Iroha, remember when we ran into each other near the ice cream store? Did you end up finding what you were looking for?¡±


    Uhmm¡­ When was that? Right, I was looking for the portal in the parking lot! Yeah, I ended up finding the portal! Wait, there¡¯s no way I can tell her that¡­ ¡°Yeah. I did.¡± I remember that Miyuki encouraged me. She told me I was gonna find it for sure, and she sounded so confident for no reason. That was funny.


    ¡°That was where we first talked as well. It feels like such a long time ago, doesn¡¯t it, Iroha?¡±


    Don¡¯t remind¡­ I was so nervous at the time¡­ ¡°Yeah¡­ Uhmm¡­ Sorry we haven¡¯t been able to hang out much. I asked you to be my friend, and then I didn¡¯t help you get used to life here. Not really a good friend, am I? I should make more time for you.¡± My life got so messy all of a sudden that we haven¡¯t hung out lately.


    ¡°You helped me enough. Being in a new environment is nothing for me. I would have been fine either way. Besides, I¡¯ve been having fun talking to you, and for now, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m glad that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe, though, Iroha. You may be busy now, but when I get my hands on you, I¡¯m gonna toy with you until I¡¯m satisfied!¡±


    ¡°P- please spare me¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna regret making me wait. Ahahahaha!¡±


    As her laughter died down, we ate in silence for a while. I can¡¯t quite put my finger around it, but something feels off about Miyuki. How does she see me? As a friend? It feels like there¡¯s a gap that I can¡¯t cross no matter what. Am I seeing things? When we first met, it was because of her that I ended up in the other world. She was probably under the effect of some spell and doesn¡¯t remember anything about it, but what if that¡¯s a lie? I was so infatuated at the time that I didn¡¯t even consider the possibility. Was it all planned? Since when? When I was looking for another portal to go back to the other world, I ran into her again. Isn¡¯t that weird? It¡¯s too much of a coincidence¡­ Could it be that she hasn¡¯t forgotten? ¡°Miyuki¡­¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me with that serious face? Are you gonna confess your love to me, Iroha? Ahahaha! You can¡¯t take it back afterwards! Are you sure you can deal with the consequences?¡± Miyuki grins and brings her face closer to mine seductively.


    ¡°W- w- what?! Of course not! Stop teasing me!¡±


    ¡°Sorry sorry, your reactions are just too damn funny! What were you going to say?¡±


    ¡°Forget about it. It¡¯s not important!¡± My lunch was already done, so I packed my things and got up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave! Come on, Iroha. Tell me! What were you gonna say?¡± Miyuki was also done, and she packed up after me.


    ¡°No. Forget about it¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Miyuki followed me and pestered me as we made our way back to the classroom. Miyuki¡¯s the same as always. I don¡¯t know why I was doubting her. I was just reading too much into it. She¡¯s impulsive and kinda crazy, but that¡¯s it. What was I about to ask her? How dumb can I be? I¡¯m meeting with Ririna later, so there¡¯s no need to ruin such a great day.


    ¡­


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ririna? I might have gotten here too early.¡± Ririna asked me to meet with her near the fountain in the town center. I came here as soon as school ended, and now I¡¯m here too early. Oh well, I guess I¡¯ll have to kill some time while I wait. Let me see what new skills I¡¯m able to buy now.


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.18]


    [HP: 1718/1718]


    [MP: 859/859]


    [Skill Points: 70]


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± That¡¯s a lot of them¡­ It¡¯s gonna take some time to look through them. Let me see if I can find the most interesting ones.


    [Momentum ¨C Evasion (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Inner Strength (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    First off, I¡¯m immediately gonna buy these two skills. They¡¯re not the flashiest, but they¡¯re so versatile that I can¡¯t possibly pass them up. Inner Strength is the strength equivalent of Nimble. It increases the effectiveness of my strength stat and opens up a lot of other skills. Evasion is just as simple, and it makes it easier for me to evade.


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Parrying Strike (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Heart Piercer (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    Then there are these two. They aren¡¯t as versatile as the previous ones, but they¡¯re much cooler. First, there¡¯s Parrying Strike. It makes all my attacks meant to parry something more effective and grants me the ability to use MP for a better parrying strike. I¡¯ve been parrying a lot of attacks with my own, so it¡¯s a good purchase. The second skill is Heart Piercer. This one is a strong piercing attack that ignores part of the enemy¡¯s defenses. I¡¯m going for a hybrid build between strength and agility, and I was considering getting the Crushing Blade skill I unlocked a while ago, but this one might be more interesting. They¡¯re both stronger attacks that complement Slash Flurry well enough, so either of them would be good. I can also buy Wing Slash, which also costs 20 skills, but I think I have enough mobility for now. In the end, I went with Heart Piercer.


    Speaking of skills I unlocked a while ago, Parkour and Wall Artist have been on my mind since the very beginning. Parkour does just as you¡¯d expect, but Wall Artist allows me to wall jump and run on walls. I¡¯ve seen videos of parkour before, and it¡¯s really cool, so I¡¯m definitely going to get the Parkour skill at some point. Wall jumping, though, is not something that¡¯s exactly possible in real life, so it sounds even more interesting. They¡¯re both cool skills, but also a little useless, so it¡¯s gonna be 20 skill points down the drain either way. But I¡¯ve earned it. After what I¡¯ve had to go through, wasting 20 skill points on a useless skill just because it¡¯s cool is my right. I can already parkour with Agility Burst to some extent, so I¡¯m going with Wall Artist for now. If Ririna doesn¡¯t come soon, I¡¯ll go see how it works somewhere out of sight.


    [Enduring ¨C Resilience (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Enduring ¨C Stone Skin (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    [Enduring ¨C Regeneration (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Bloodbath ¨C Bleed Boost (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Strategist ¨C Terrain Exploit (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    These next ones are all interesting, but they¡¯re from skill trees that I haven¡¯t locked in yet. The Violence Impulse skill belongs to the Violence skill tree, so that¡¯s four out of six skill trees locked in. I don¡¯t like that¡­ I don¡¯t like that at all. I like my freedom, and my slots are running out quicker than I¡¯d like¡­ I¡¯m probably not gonna get any of them. At least not for now. Enduring is a defense focused skill tree. Stone Skin is probably the most interesting skill out of those three. It¡¯s a toggle ability that strengthens the user¡¯s skin while draining MP. At max level, the skin becomes quite literally stone. Resilience is the defense stat equivalent of Inner Strength and Nimble. Good enough, but I¡¯m not gonna get a new tree just for it. It might appear in another skill tree that I get in the future since it¡¯s not a skill that¡¯s locked to just one skill tree. Finally, Regeneration. It¡¯s self-explanatory. It¡¯s good, and it¡¯s also kinda cool.


    Bloodbath is a skill tree focused on bleeds. I¡¯m not a big fan of status effects, and that¡¯s not gonna change now, but bleed might be one of the coolest ones. Bleed Boost only increases the chance and severity of my bleeds, so it¡¯s not worth locking in the tree. Give me something cooler, and I¡¯ll consider it. The last skill tree is Strategist, and¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say about this one. Was it even in the game? Either way, Terrain Exploit makes it easier to find strategic points in any place¡­ It might be useful¡­ At some point¡­


    [Mind ¨C Pain Tolerance (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Mind ¨C Threat Awareness (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    [Mind ¨C Transparent Intent (Cost: 20 Skill Points)]


    [Mind ¨C Inner Awareness (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    The last set of interesting skills are these four. Pain Tolerance overlaps with Psychological Attack Resistance a little, but it triggers even when pain is not being used as a psychological attack, which is most of the time. I wanna buy it since I¡¯m not a big fan of getting hurt, but not right now. Threat Awareness increases my perception of enemies, and Inner Awareness increases my perception of what¡¯s going on inside me. I wanna say that Threat Awareness is more valuable out of these two, but that might be foolish. The skill I do wanna get is Transparent Intent. It makes it easier for me to read what my opponents are trying to do. Combining that with Evasion, Agility Burst, and Parrying Strike later on, will make me invincible. Unfortunately, I¡¯m down to my last 10 skill points. Violence Impulse cost me 50 skill points and ruined my skill point economy. It¡¯s a good skill, and it saved my life, so I don¡¯t regret it at all.


    [Strategist ¨C Valley Warrior (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    There were other skills that I immediately dismissed, and most of them looked like this. Valley Warrior increases my strength when fighting in a valley. Okay¡­ Cool, but how often am I gonna fight in valleys? I don¡¯t see it. Seems just as useful as Forest Explorer that I got a while back¡­


    [Skills: Momentum ¨C Agility Burst Lv.4; Mind ¨C Psychological Attack Resistance Lv.3; Momentum ¨C Nimble Lv.5; Momentum ¨C Wall Artist Lv.1; Momentum ¨C Stamina Boost Lv.3; Swordsmanship ¨C Sword Mastery Lv.5; Swordsmanship ¨C Slash Flurry Lv.4; Violence ¨C Violence Impulse Lv.1; Swordsmanship ¨C Inner Strength Lv.1; Momentum ¨C Evasion Lv.1; Swordsmanship ¨C Heart Piercer Lv.1]


    In the end, my complete skill list looks like this. A lot of skills ended up leveling up from all the enemies I killed, so I¡¯m pretty happy with how this is looking.


    Ririna still hadn¡¯t shown up, so I escaped into an alley to try out Wall Artist. Totally worth it. I was able to get to the roofs in just a few jumps, and getting down was just as easy. Running along walls was also super fun. It¡¯s like I was sticking to the walls with magic. Too bad it¡¯s not a passive and drains MP when it¡¯s being used. Either way, best 20 skill points of my life. Can¡¯t wait until I can buy Parkour too.


    ¡°Iroha!¡± When I got back to the fountain, Ririna called out to me as she arrived from the fast-travel station. What the¡­? For some reason, she¡¯s carrying a huge backpack with her¡­ What were we doing again?

 Chapter 43 – Chemistry with the Alchemist

    ¡°So¡­ Why did you ask me to meet with you? What are we doing? Why are you carrying that large backpack?¡± Ririna asked me to meet up with her now that our lives are not at stake anymore, but then she showed up with a big backpack. I was hoping that she was planning something more romantic, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Ririna said it was better if we left the town, so now we¡¯re heading somewhere more open.


    ¡°Remember when we first met? You said I was the first alchemist you¡¯ve ever met, right?¡± Ririna walked slightly ahead, full of energy.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I sort of remember that¡­¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that means you¡¯ve never seen what alchemy can do! There are so many cool things I wanna show you! You¡¯re gonna love it! As an alchemist, it¡¯s my job to make sure the general population understands and appreciates the work we do. Which is why I want to show you some of the coolest things I¡¯ve made! Unless you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Ririna looked up at me with puppy eyes¡­ How am I supposed to ever say no to that adorable face of hers?


    ¡°It sounds fun. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha! Thanks, Iroha! You won¡¯t regret it!¡± Ririna shook my hand before she got behind me and pushed me forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go then! Let¡¯s hurry up so we can get started!¡± She¡¯s so excited¡­ How cute!


    ¡°You like alchemy a lot, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha! I love it! Did you only notice it now? I thought I made it pretty obvious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve known for a while now. I was just curious about why. Why do you like alchemy so much?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you my story before? It¡¯s because of my father.¡±


    ¡°Your father, huh? You¡¯ve mentioned him before.¡±


    ¡°He used to be a high-level alchemist before he retired.¡±


    ¡°Retired? Did something bad happen?¡±


    ¡°He just got married.¡± Oh¡­ Huh¡­ ¡°When I say he retired, I mean he stopped working as an alchemist. He still uses alchemy around the house, and that¡¯s why I got interested in the first place. It looked really cool, so I asked him to teach me alchemy, and then I got hooked. I pestered him to teach me more all the time, so he spent most of his free time teaching me everything he knew. I¡¯m still young, so even now I¡¯m not at his level just yet.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you like alchemy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of the reason. Those were fun times. But I only started taking alchemy seriously later, when I helped some of the people in my village with what I had learned. That¡¯s when I realized how nice it felt to help others, and that alchemy was something I wanted to continue doing.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ Y- you¡¯re a kind person¡­¡± It almost makes me feel guilty about how impure my desires are¡­ She¡¯s a really nice girl¡­


    ¡°Thanks. Now I want to carry the torch my dad left me and reach even higher heights. You see, I think alchemy can change the world for the better. It¡¯s a bit of a pipe dream, and it¡¯s probably not gonna be me, but if I can invent something that makes everyone¡¯s lives better, I¡¯ll be happy. Uhmm¡­ Iroha? You¡¯re staring¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s impressive¡­¡± She sure is aiming high. I had already picked up some bits and pieces, but hearing her say it like that was something else¡­ We walked through the open fields until we were far enough from the town. We can do whatever we want here without bothering anyone.


    ¡°This should be good enough.¡± Ririna stops and places her backpack down.


    ¡°Do you need help with anything? What am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Iroha. You can just take a seat.¡± Ririna took a small box out of her backpack and placed it in front of us. After taking a step back, the lid opened, and a human-sized ball of fluff appeared on top of the box. What the hell? It looks like an airbag. Is that cotton? Wool? I have no idea. It¡¯s just fluff. That¡¯s the best way to describe it. ¡°Go on, Iroha. Take a seat.¡± Ririna gestured towards the fluffy ball.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ How?¡± Am I supposed to sit on top?


    ¡°Ahahahaha! You look so confused.¡± Ririna turned her back to the ball and opened her arms before jumping into the ball. ¡°Are you seeing this? What do you think?¡± The ball started shrinking until it started resembling a chair. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Iroha. Give it a try!¡± Ririna got up from the chair, and it went back to being a ball.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Ririna grabbed my shoulders, and we swapped places. I touched the ball with my hand to try to understand what it¡¯s made out of. I still can¡¯t tell, but it looks really flimsy. It¡¯s the type of thing you think can hold you but disappears and makes you fall if you actually trust it. Does it harden when someone¡¯s on top of it? It did catch Ririna¡­ ¡°Here I go.¡± It¡¯s not like I have a choice. Ririna is eagerly waiting. I can¡¯t let her down. Please don¡¯t let me fall, fluff ball! ¡°Oh?¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°How does it feel? Pretty comfortable, right?¡± The ball was able to catch me and started turning into a chair. It¡¯s soft and feels great to the touch¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s nice¡­¡± Though it seems kinda useless¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of this thing?¡±


    ¡°Geh! Don¡¯t start with that kind of conversation, Iroha. We do it for the love of the game. It¡¯s cool and comfortable, and you can sit anywhere since it fits into that tiny little box. Just don¡¯t place it near any fires. It burns really easily.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine¡­¡±


    ¡°It also serves the very important purpose of giving you a place to sit while you watch what¡¯s coming next.¡± Ririna took out what looked like stick a of dynamite and tossed it up gently. Is she serious? Dynamite now? I¡¯ve seen other explosions from her, so that¡¯s nothing new. The dynamite she tossed floated in front of her face before slowly landing on her hand. Is it not being affected by gravity? It¡¯s like it was on the moon or something. ¡°This one would have been great if it was nighttime, but it should be visible enough. You see this floaty thingy, Iroha? Try to follow it with your eyes, okay?¡± Ririna lit the fuse and threw the dynamite into the air. It was so light that it was pretty much impossible to see. Ririna jumped into the fluff ball and sat down next to me. We¡¯re so close¡­


    *Pop pop!* The dynamite turned out to be a firework, and it covered the sky with light for a brief moment. ¡°It¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t it? That thing is called a firework. You can occasionally see them during celebrations in some of the bigger cities, so maybe you¡¯ve seen them before. It looks much better when the sky is dark, so I¡¯ll have to show you some day.¡± Ririna turned away from the sky to look at me. So that¡¯s what passes as a firework in this world¡­ It¡¯s just a stick of dynamite that is not affected by gravity, and they just throw it into the air. I can¡¯t decide whether that¡¯s cool or barbaric¡­


    ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s incredible that you can make something that¡¯s not affected by gravity¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the part that gets you?!¡± Ririna seemed almost offended that I commented on that instead of the firework itself. I mean, I¡¯ve seen fireworks before¡­ Sorry¡­ ¡°Whatever. Get up, Iroha. I want you to try something next.¡± Ririna grabbed onto my arm, and we both got up from the pseudo-couch.


    ¡°You want me to try something?¡±


    ¡°First off, drink this.¡± Ririna gave me a flash with a transparent silver liquid. It looked far less threatening than the Torn Violence Potion, so I drank it without hesitation. In a few seconds, my vision became sharper, and my eyes started to zoom in. Is this a potion to see farther away? Woah¡­ That¡¯s trippy. ¡°Is it working?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ I can see farther away now. Is that what it¡¯s supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a simple potion, and it¡¯s going to wear off pretty soon, but I wanted you to try it before¡­ Iroha, are you alright?¡± The effect of the potion was disorientating, and I lost my balance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not alright! I- I think I¡¯m gonna fall!¡±


    ¡°Just stand still. If you don¡¯t move, you¡¯ll be- Watch out!¡± I couldn¡¯t stay still, and Ririna tried to catch me. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± We both fell, and I ended up on top of her. The potion wasn¡¯t supposed to last for very long, and when I opened my eyes, the effect was already over. Her face was right in front of me, and we were just on the verge of kissing. So cute¡­ ¡°Sorry, Iroha¡­ I should have told you what the potion was gonna do.¡± Ririna blushed and turned her face to the side. ¡°The Eagle Eyes potion is a simple potion with a simple effect that anyone can make. I didn¡¯t explain anything because I wanted to surprise you¡­¡± With her face still to the side, she looked up at me with an adorable, bashful look. ¡°So¡­ Can you get up? Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah! Sorry!¡± I got off Ririna, and we both sat up. That was close¡­ I almost lost control back there. That reaction of hers¡­ It was a good one, right? I tried to look at Ririna, but she diverted her eyes¡­ She¡¯s still blushing! That¡¯s love¡­ isn¡¯t it? Am I going crazy? Is this my chance?


    ¡°Ahem! Back to where we were. What did you think of the potion? It¡¯s a bit disorienting when you first use it, but it can be helpful.¡± Wait! Don¡¯t switch gears so fast! We were in the middle of something important. Ririna shook her head and got up. She wasn¡¯t blushing anymore. At least not as much as before. ¡°Do you want to try making one yourself? It¡¯s very easy.¡± There goes my chance¡­


    ¡°Well¡­ Sure¡­ Why not?¡± Ririna had clearly been enjoying this opportunity to show off her talent, and I was interested enough not to ruin things for her. Alchemy sounds interesting, and if I¡¯m really able to make a potion, that will be one of the most ¡®fantasy game¡¯ things I¡¯ve done so far. Ririna already had the materials ready, and it was just a matter of mixing them together. I followed her instructions until we arrived at the last step.


    ¡°Now imbue it with a bit of your magic, and it will be done.¡± Imbue it with a little of my magic? That¡¯s easy for her to say. How do I do that? Maybe it¡¯s not that hard¡­ When Ririna was looking for the core of my magic, she was looking for the VISS Driver. Skills use MP and MP is related to magic, right? That means it should be like using a skill. I held onto the flask and focused like I was using a skill. It seemed to work and the liquid glowed for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s it! You did it, Iroha!¡± It¡¯s incredible how easy to is to make a potion with an effect that we can¡¯t replicate with our world¡¯s science¡­ This really is a magical world.


    [New skill available.]


    [Alchemy ¨C Elementary Alchemy (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    Oh! And now I got a new skill! Awesome! I¡¯m not really aiming to become an alchemist, so I¡¯m probably never gonna get this. It¡¯s from a new skill tree, and I don¡¯t want to waste one of my two remaining slots. I¡¯m happy to have it unlocked, though. It¡¯s always nice to have more options. It really paid off to play along with Ririna.


    ¡°The last thing I have left to show you is this!¡± Ririna pulled out a weird-looking axe from her backpack. It looked like a chainsaw in the shape of a lumberjack axe. The handle was that of an axe, but the head was bulky and strange. It was undoubtedly a chainsaw because instead of an edge, there was a chain with teeth instead. Seriously¡­ What am I looking at? It¡¯s so cursed¡­ ¡°Can you tell what this is for, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Cutting wood, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Y- you¡¯re right¡­ How did you know? I guess it kinda looks like a normal axe, doesn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t get it twisted, though! This is not a normal axe. This one is better! Watch this!¡± Ririna grabbed a small log and cut it with her invention. ¡°See? Wasn¡¯t that awesome? I confess, it¡¯s still a work in progress¡­ It¡¯s a bit hard to use as it is right now.¡±


    ¡°Did you design it yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I wanted to find a way to make it easier for weaker people to cut trees, but it¡¯s not there yet¡­¡± I¡¯ve never used a chainsaw myself, but things are shaped the way they are for a reason. I wanted to help her, so I tried to describe to her what our chainsaws look like. Her axe¡­ saw¡­ tool¡­ whatever it is, works with magic, so just copying our chainsaws might not work., but maybe it will give her some ideas. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I see what you¡¯re saying¡­ I think that might work¡­ A- are you a genius, Iroha? Were you a master alchemist in your past life?!¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ I don¡¯t think so¡­ It was just a random thought¡­¡±


    ¡°It makes sense, though. Wow¡­ I¡¯m glad I showed you my inventions¡­ I don¡¯t use a sword, so what you said about the center of balance is not something I would have figured out on my own. You¡¯re incredible. You were able to tell just by looking at it!¡± Sorry, Ririna, but I¡¯m just cheating¡­ I¡¯m not a genius of any kind.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I could help¡­ If the new design ends up working out, you should try turning it into a weapon next. I know you care more about helping people, but it might be interesting¡­¡± I know chainsaws are not actually good weapons, but we¡¯re not talking about real chainsaws here. Ririna might be able to make something that works.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Give me all your ideas. I may not be interested in making weapons, but even if it¡¯s just for my own self-defense, it¡¯s worth looking into! Oh, Iroha¡­ You¡¯re giving me so many ideas¡­ What if I made it like this instead¡­¡± Ririna was so excited that she kept asking me for my thoughts of various things for hours. We¡¯d be talking about one thing, then she¡¯d notice something, and ask me about a completely different topic. I¡¯m no alchemist, so I couldn¡¯t exactly answer everything, but I was able to give her a few tips whenever the topic overlapped with the knowledge from my world. It was a bit exhausting to keep up with her for so long, but it was worth it. Ririna looked really satisfied at the end. The romantic mood from earlier was completely gone, but that¡¯s fine. Just because she was blushing and being bashful, it doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s head over heels for me. There¡¯s no need to rush.

 Chapter 44 – Secrets Unfolding

    ¡°Once again, Iroha, Ririna, congratulations on clearing out the horde. Well done, congratulations!¡± We followed Flanne¡¯s lead and raised our cups with a cheer. After spending time together with Ririna learning about alchemy, the two of us, together with Sarasa and Flanne, gathered at the Gathering of Flowers for a celebration. Flanne was the one who came up with the idea of gathering the four of us, and Ririna invited me to come before I went home.


    It¡¯s sweet¡­ Does this have alcohol? Are we even allowed to drink this? I can accept that Flanne might be a year or two older than us, but Ririna and Sarasa? I don¡¯t think so. Then again, wasn¡¯t the drinking age lower in the medieval ages? Does that logic apply to the world of a game? It¡¯s probably best if I don¡¯t think about it. This might not even have alcohol, and I¡¯m just imagining things.


    ¡°Nyahahahaha! I always knew you¡¯d do it! All that commotion about the execution, but I wasn¡¯t even worried! I told you, didn¡¯t I? Everything was gonna be fine, and it was! There was no need to worry, so I didn¡¯t! Nyahahahahaha!¡± Sarasa downed her drink in a single go and slammed her mug on the table. When she finished talking, she raised her arm and looked for a waitress to ask for another drink. Is that appropriate behavior? Wasn¡¯t this a classy coffee shop?


    ¡°You weren¡¯t worried at all?¡± Flanne put her drink down elegantly after a few sips. ¡°Just like you weren¡¯t panicking all the times you went to the barracks looking for me, right?¡±


    ¡°Nyah?! That never happened! I never went there, and if I did, it was just to see if you were lonely! So don¡¯t start making things. If you want to start revealing secrets, I¡¯ll tell everyone you¡¯re getting chubbier from sipping tea here all the time!¡±


    ¡°Fufufu. I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. I haven¡¯t come here in over a week. I¡¯ve been so busy, in fact, that I¡¯ve actually lost weight. Though I must confess that I¡¯ve been missing my peaceful afternoons.¡± Flanne didn¡¯t even flinch after Sarasa tried to expose her secrets, which caused the catgirl to glare in frustration.


    ¡°Sorry, Flanne¡­ It¡¯s my fault that you¡¯ve been so busy, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Ririna. You¡¯ve been deemed innocent, so it can¡¯t be said that it was your fault anymore. Things will go back to normal soon enough, so for now, I¡¯m just happy that the problem is solved.¡±


    ¡°Nyahahahaha! I really saved the day, didn¡¯t I? If I hadn¡¯t taught Iroha even a fraction of what I know, the horde would still be here. Go on, you can shower me with praise now. I bet you¡¯re really thankful for all my advice, huh Iroha?¡±


    ¡°The fact that Iroha learned nothing from you is what saved us.¡± Sarasa was shocked and snapped her head to look at Ririna. ¡°Otherwise, she would have found a way to vanish as soon as the monsters showed up.¡± Ririna looked at Flanne and me, and we all started laughing.


    ¡°Is it ¡®pick on your lovely catgirl friend¡¯ day today? Ririna, you¡¯ve been getting too full of yourself lately¡­  It¡¯s about time someone taught you a lesson!¡±


    ¡°Wha- Ahahaha! Ahahaha! Stop!¡± Sarasa pounced out of her seat and started tickling Ririna¡¯s sides. Ririna resisted and eventually broke away from Sarasa. She picked up her chair and sat down between me and Flanne. She¡¯s right against my other shoulder now, and Sarasa can¡¯t get to her anymore.


    ¡°Let that be a lesson to you¡­¡± Sarasa was proud and seemed ready to do it again. Ririna turned her head away with a pout.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d like to know a bit more about how your fight went, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Flanne tried to smooth over the conversation into the next topic, and Sarasa immediately forgot about her revenge.


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    ¡°Me too, me too! You two got your first heroic tale now, so you have to spill everything whenever someone asks you. That¡¯s the rule, didn¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ We killed the monsters¡­ I¡¯m not really sure how to explain it¡­¡± They want me to tell them about our ¡®heroic tale¡¯? How do I even do that?


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to explain. It was amazing! I offered to make a Torn Violence Potion for Iroha, and she accepted!¡± Ririna bragged about it and shocked both Flanne and Sarasa.


    ¡°You accepted it? Wait, does that mean you drank it? And you didn¡¯t go crazy? It actually worked, huh¡­? Ririna actually managed to pull it off. I can¡¯t believe you were brave enough to trust that thing. You got some serious balls, Iroha.¡± Hmm, no I don¡¯t, not last time I checked.


    ¡°See? I told you I could do it. You¡¯re just a big scaredy cat, aren¡¯t you, Sarasa?¡± Ririna hit one of Sarasa¡¯s sore spots, and sparks were flying between them again.


    ¡°Can somebody explain to me what this ¡®Torn Violence Potion¡¯ thing is all about? Doesn¡¯t it cause people to permanently lose their minds?¡±


    ¡°Basically, I found a way to customize the potion for a person that removes the madness effect. It¡¯s not a perfect solution since it doesn¡¯t solve the potion¡¯s problem, but it works in situations like these.¡±


    ¡°That sounds incredible¡­ I didn¡¯t know there was a way to do that. Why aren¡¯t other alchemists doing the same for wars and the like?¡±


    ¡°I just told you why. All I do is adapt the potion to the person who¡¯s gonna take it. It¡¯s impossible to make customized potions for every soldier in a war, so no one cares about it. The only reason I found a way to make it safe was because I was personally interested in it. Like a hobby. Not because it was useful.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­ I was under the impression it was nothing more than a poison, given its classification. Learning that there¡¯s more to it than that comes as a big surprise¡­¡± Flanne needed a moment of silence to process the information. ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing the reason you two were able to wipe out the monsters was of the potion then?¡±


    ¡°Kinda¡­¡± Ririna told Flanne about our setup with the chokepoint and the potion. ¡°But that didn¡¯t last until the end. We weren¡¯t even half way done when a big monster appeared and injured Iroha because the potion had worn off. I thought Iroha wasn¡¯t going to be able to keep fighting, but then she started killing the monsters again without any issue¡­ It was really unexpected, so I don¡¯t know how much my potion actually helped.¡±


    ¡°No way! It was all you, Iroha?!¡± Sarasa slammed her hands on the table and looked at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive, Iroha¡­ It¡¯s almost hard to believe. Did you really kill that many monsters with your skills alone?¡± Flanne spoke calmly, but she was clearly interested in knowing more. How do I explain what happened without going into detail about Violence Impulse and the VISS Driver?


    ¡°T- that¡¯s not true at all! It was all thanks to Ririna! If it wasn¡¯t for her potion, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything. I¡¯m not that impressive.¡±


    ¡°But that can¡¯t be¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure the potion ran out early on. Which means every monster you took down after that was thanks to your own abilities. You¡¯re the one who saved the day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that strong, though¡­ It was because of the potion. I¡¯m not capable of killing that many monsters on my own.¡±


    ¡°But you did¡­ You don¡¯t need to be so humble, Iroha. Just accept it. You¡¯re the one who did it, and it was amazing!¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for y-¡±


    ¡°I think I heard enough. You two are just trading compliments now. You both did great, so there¡¯s no need to argue about it.¡± Flanne put an end to our back and forth, and my secret was more or less safe for now.


    ¡°Iroha, you¡¯re doing it wrong! You need to be prouder and brag more! That¡¯s what it means to be an adventurer! You¡¯re trying to follow in my footsteps, so listen well. As an adventurer, your reputation is the only thing that matters. How do you get more reputation? By telling absolutely everyone about your achievements at every possible opportunity! That¡¯s what you have to do, got it?!¡±


    ¡°When did I say I was following your footsteps?¡± I tilted my head as I posed my question, shocking Sarasa and making Ririna burst out laughing. We dropped the conversation about the fight and celebrated a while longer.


    ¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna stay here, Iroha. Do you really need to go already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll come back tomorrow, so I¡¯ll see you then.¡± I waved goodbye to Ririna and the others and left the Gathering of Flowers. The three of them were free for the day, so they stayed behind to continue their celebration.


    ¡°Ririna, can I confirm something with you? The potion you made for Iroha¡ªare you sure it really wore off early on into the fight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it did¡­ It should have, but Iroha got even stronger afterwards. I¡¯m not even sure anymore. It doesn¡¯t make any sense because Iroha was struggling before. That¡¯s why I suggested the potion in the first place. She needed that extra boost. I¡¯m confused too¡­ Maybe the potion reactivated? Turns out the Torn Violence Potion is more unpredictable than I thought. I¡¯m just glad nothing went wrong and Iroha didn¡¯t go crazy.¡±


    ¡°So even you don¡¯t have a perfect understanding of the Torn Violence Potion¡­ Didn¡¯t you see anything else? Was there anything suspicious about Iroha?¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that? Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t call it suspicious, but at some point, it looked like Iroha was¡­ glowing? I felt a lot of magic coming from her¡­ Maybe she used some kind of spell? I was probably just seeing things.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so¡­ You¡¯ve never seen her use any magic before, right? A seemingly normal girl that skilled with a sword being able to use magic that strong is just too ridiculous of a story.¡±


    ¡°Right? Either way, she wiped out the horde, and we¡¯re both still alive, so that¡¯s all that matters!¡±

 Chapter 45 – Ambitious, Insecure, Lost

    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯m here now. It¡¯s getting dark, though. Do I stop by the dorm before going home?¡± It should be fine to head straight home. Hecate doesn¡¯t really trust me yet, and she can be a little scary¡­ It¡¯s a shame, but I think I¡¯ll sleep better if I don¡¯t run into her. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Isn¡¯t there anything I can do to improve my relationship with her and the others? Maybe they¡¯re just not interested in that. They¡¯re happy as long as I learn how to pull my own weight, isn¡¯t that right?I have Ririna now, so I put  those worries to the side and headed home.


    ¡°Carol?!¡± As soon as I exited the forest, I heard Narumi¡¯s voice. ¡°Wait, Iroha!?¡±


    ¡°Good timing, Iroha. Did you run into Carol? Have you seen her at all since this morning?¡± Katja was accompanying Narumi and immediately barraged me with questions.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ No, I haven¡¯t seen her at all. Why do you ask? Did something happen to her?¡± Katja and Narumi are both agitated. They aren¡¯t panicking¡ªnot on the surface, at least¡ªbut they look like they¡¯re in a hurry.


    Narumi spewed out words so fast that it made it hard to understand what she was trying to say. ¡°We looked for her in the forest earlier and we couldn¡¯t find her, she went there in the morning maybe, I saw her, Shinji and Hecate are already there, we¡­ That¡¯s too confusing¡­ Let me start from the beginning. What happened first? I saw¡­ Carol was¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain. Carol is missing. Narumi saw her going into the forest this morning, and she hasn¡¯t come back.¡± That¡¯s not good. Given that it¡¯s pretty much nighttime already, it makes sense to start worrying about her. ¡°We tried looking for her, but we didn¡¯t find anything, so now we have to look for her deeper in the forest. Shinji and Hecate have gone on ahead in one of the pickup trucks, so we''re going to search a different area. It doesn¡¯t seem like we¡¯re gonna find her, though.¡± They¡¯re not gonna find her in the deeper areas? How do they know that? If that¡¯s true¡­ Hmm¡­


    ¡°Can I help? I can double check the areas closer to the dorm and spot her if she ends up coming back.¡± I have a feeling I may know where Carol is¡­ If they didn¡¯t find her near the dorm and they¡¯re not having any luck deeper into the forest, there¡¯s a big chance she may have stumbled upon the portal somehow¡­ That¡¯s seriously bad¡­ Weren¡¯t the portals a secret among them? If she did find the portal and got to the other world, things are gonna get messy. The others won¡¯t be able to find her, so I have to look for her. I wasn¡¯t expecting something like this to happen, so I¡¯ll have to go back to the portal and see if I missed any signs of her there.


    ¡°That would be helpful, I think¡­ Is it fine for her to help us, Katja?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as she doesn¡¯t also go missing. Take this flashlight, Iroha. Don¡¯t go too far from the places you¡¯re familiar with.¡± Katja cleared up Narumi¡¯s worries and handed me a flashlight. ¡°We need to get moving, so we don¡¯t have time to talk. Send me a message if you find anything.¡±


    I nodded back to Katja, and the two of them entered another pickup truck that was parked nearby. Narumi was going to take the driver¡¯s seat, but Katja stopped her and took it for herself. Soon enough, the truck drove off into the forest. Wait, that¡¯s illegal! Katja¡¯s not old enough to be driving! Is that one of the privileges of being part of a special force of sorts? Or is it because this is technically private property? Either way, she drove off without any issue despite the bumpy terrain, so this isn¡¯t her first time.


    They¡¯re off to work, and I¡¯m alone again. I guess it¡¯s time for me to pull my own weight. I turned on the flashlight and went back to the portal. The forest was harder to navigate in the dark, but I still didn¡¯t get lost. With how much I¡¯ve been coming here, that¡¯s to be expected. I looked around the portal, but I didn¡¯t find anything. Was I wrong? Maybe Carol didn¡¯t come here after all¡­ Just to make sure, I went through the portal to look around on the other side.


    ¡°Footsteps!¡± Are these mine? ¡°No¡­ They¡¯re smaller¡­¡± I knew it. Carol¡¯s here. She found the portal and stumbled into the game world. Was it intentional? Didn¡¯t they believe the portals would kill them just by getting close? At least, if there are footsteps here, it means she didn¡¯t die because of the portal. This confirms that their idea that portals are dangerous is a lie. It¡¯s not that the VISS Driver is protecting me against the danger¡ªthere is no danger.


    The footsteps are going in the opposite direction of the town. This isn¡¯t good. Carol must have been confused when she got here and went in the wrong direction at random. Was it an accident after all? But why wouldn¡¯t she just go back? She must have seen that the portal was still here. Did she decide to explore? For what? What was she trying to find? I had to find Carol before something bad happened, so I pointed my flashlight at the footsteps and followed them. ¡°This is a bad idea¡­¡± I¡¯ve never gone in this direction before. Even with a flashlight, I can¡¯t see anything. What other choice do I have? I can¡¯t abandon Carol! Katja, Hecate, and Narumi all care about Carol a lot, so I don¡¯t want to let them down!


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Carol! Can you hear me?!¡± Nothing¡­ What am I gonna do? Her footsteps are becoming hard to follow. I can¡¯t do this¡­ If only I knew this place better. The forest is starting to look weird. I need someone who can¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± That¡¯s right! Ririna said they¡¯d stay at the Gathering of Flowers. If I hurry, I might still find them there! Maybe I can get them to help!


    I ran back into town and headed straight into the Gathering of Flowers. ¡°Iroha? What are you doing back here? Did you forget something?¡± The three of them were still there, and Sarasa was the one to call out to me. I¡¯m so glad they haven¡¯t gone home yet.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡­ I have a problem on my hands right now. I- I think I need your help.¡± This is so awkward¡­ Coming back out of nowhere and suddenly asking them for help is so uncomfortable. Carol might be in danger, so I can¡¯t let that stop me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Iroha? Are you alright?¡± Ririna got up from her seat and ran up to my side.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by telling us what the problem is? We¡¯ll try our best to help you if we can.¡± The three of them focused their attention on me. Ririna nodded along to Flanne¡¯s words, and Sarasa perked up her ears despite remaining somewhat relaxed.


    ¡°I need to find someone, and I need to hurry! I¡¯m afraid she might end up getting hurt¡­¡±


    ¡°You need to find someone? Is that a missing person job or what? Did someone important force you to accept an impossible deadline?¡±


    ¡°No no no, it¡¯s not a job, Sarasa. It¡¯s somebody I know. She wandered off on her own, and I think she¡¯s gotten lost. No one can find her now. I really have to find her¡ªbefore something bad happens to her.¡±


    ¡°No one can find her? Are there other people looking for this pers-¡± I screwed up and said too much, and Flanne picked up on it, but Ririna interrupted before she finished her question.


    ¡°Wait. Is this girl someone who¡¯s important to you? Is she your family? What¡¯s your relationship with her?¡± Ririna¡¯s questions weren¡¯t that important, but the expression on her face was so pressing that I felt compelled to answer.


    ¡°Well¡­ How should I put it? I know her, and I¡¯ve spoken to her¡­ We work together, in a way, but we don¡¯t get along too well¡­ We may not be exactly friends, but she¡¯s a friend. Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ So you¡¯re just friends. Someone closer to an acquaintance than a friend. Alright! If it¡¯s that important that you find her, we¡¯ll help out, right?¡± The sense of urgency on her face was replaced with a caring smile. Ririna agreed to help me and turned to the other two for confirmation. Sarasa nodded back with an amused grin.


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty as a soldier to help the people, so of course I¡¯ll help. Tell us what you know.¡± I told Flanne and the others about the footsteps near the portal and told them in which direction they were heading. Then I described Carol to them, her appearance, and her abilities. I managed to defeat her once, but Carol¡¯s no pushover. She¡¯s not going to lose to just any monster.


    ¡°That chick is crazy! She wandered into the Forest of Illusion? It¡¯s in that direction, right?¡±


    ¡°Forest of Illusion?¡± That sounds familiar¡­ It appears in the game, doesn¡¯t it? Since humans came to the continent from the floating city in the ocean to the right, their presence is much denser near the coast. Because of this, the left part of the continent holds a lot of unexplored forests. The Forest of Illusion is one of the few forests named on the map, and it¡¯s easily the biggest one. In the game, it¡¯s mostly used for side quests. Since the level was higher there than in the rest of the human territory, I ended up leaving without exploring it too much.


    ¡°She went into the Forest of Illusion. No doubt about that. It¡¯s unlikely she¡¯s gonna find a way out on her own.¡± Flanne quickly arrived at a conclusion.


    ¡°Are you saying we can¡¯t save her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said. It¡¯s easy to get lost in there, to the point where it¡¯s impossible for anyone who doesn¡¯t know the forest very well to leave. I¡¯m somewhat familiar with the place, so I can assure you we¡¯ll be able to find her, but¡­ *sigh¡­* I wish I didn¡¯t have to go there again, but I can¡¯t just leave someone to die¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll help? That¡¯s a relief¡­ Thanks, Flanne. C- can we go get her now?¡± I know it¡¯s almost the middle of the night, but still¡­


    ¡°Now¡¯s probably not a good idea. It¡¯s dangerous for us to head out there now.¡±


    ¡°Ririna¡¯s right. It¡¯s better if we go tomorrow morning. From what you¡¯ve told me, it¡¯s unlikely that she¡¯s gonna struggle against any weaker monster, so she¡¯ll be safe if she¡¯s inside the Forest of Illusion. The milder monsters there are not particularly violent, and the worst ones are the type that like to play with their food. Either way, it¡¯s unlikely that she will be dead.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Is it really safe to leave Carol there overnight? She¡¯s probably gonna be fine¡­ I know she¡¯s not gonna go down easily, but¡­ it still worries me.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Iroha. We¡¯re gonna find her, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ririna tapped my shoulder, and I was able to relax a bit.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°Ehhh? Are we really going to have to wake up early? What a pain¡­¡± The four of us got up from the table and got ready to leave.


    ¡°Sorry, Sarasa¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I owe you one, and I haven¡¯t seen Flanne outside yet, so I¡¯m gonna finally see her in action. That¡¯s gonna be fun.¡±


    ¡°Just what are you expecting of me? I¡¯m just a regular soldier. Adventurers like you pull off crazier stuff than me every day.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­? We¡¯ll see, we¡¯ll see¡­¡±


    Seeing Flanne struggle with Sarasa¡¯s expectations made me and Ririna smile. We left the gathering of flowers, and we each went our own way. Next morning, the first thing we¡¯ll do is head out to search for Carol. It was already very late, so I decided to spend the night in this world. I have some money now, and inns are cheap, so I rented one for the night. I¡¯m a little nervous¡­ I¡¯ve never slept here before¡­ What if I can¡¯t go back to my world if I spend a night here? The room looks good enough, at least. It¡¯s spacious, it has all the furniture you¡¯d expect to see in a room, and it even comes with a bathroom. It¡¯s clean, or rather, it sees very little use, so it doesn¡¯t get dirty. A bit of dust here and there, but it¡¯s nothing too major.


    Before going to sleep, I tried to send Katja a message saying that I¡¯m alright. To my surprise, the message went through. What the hell? My phone still works even though I¡¯m in this world? What? What about Carol, then? Doesn¡¯t she have her phone? Did she leave it behind, or did something happen to it? Well¡­ I guess I¡¯ll find out tomorrow¡­ This back and forth between the two worlds today really tired me out, and I fell asleep without any issue. Where¡¯s Carol right now? Has she found a place to sleep? I really hope she¡¯s alright¡­ She may not think much of me, but she¡¯s not a bad girl. She doesn¡¯t deserve anything bad¡­

 Chapter 46 – Let Sleeping Cats Lie

    ¡°I have to finish packing soon. What do I have already? Ten basic healing potion sets, more than enough food for everyone¡­ Oh! I should grab some bombs too. Can¡¯t rely on Iroha and Sarasa to protect me forever. And finally¡­¡± The shelf in front of me held six Torn Violence Potions customized for Iroha. One by one, I grabbed them and placed them on my belt. ¡°No no no, I don¡¯t need all this! Why would I bring six Torn Violence Potions with me?¡± Why did I even make so many in the first place? I was happy that Iroha trusted me last time, but that¡¯s not an excuse. She didn¡¯t ask for another potion. I shouldn¡¯t have made more in the first place. I¡¯ll just bring normal strength potions for everyone, like a sane alchemist. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I was placing the six potions back on the shelf, but I stopped before the last one. ¡°Maybe one is fine¡­¡± Am I being greedy? I kinda want Iroha to take another one of my potions¡­ She wouldn¡¯t mind, right? She trusted me before, and she has already seen that my recipe works, so she should be fine with another one, right? It''s much better than even the best strength potions out there. ¡°Yep, I¡¯ll bring one with me. Even if she doesn¡¯t want it this time, carrying one more potion won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    We¡¯re looking for a missing person, not heading off to battle. Who knows if we¡¯re even gonna need these potions. I could get away with bringing just healing, but this is just in case. I wonder what Iroha does for a living¡­ She said she sort of worked together with that friend of hers that¡¯s missing. But what do they do? I should have asked her about that. She¡¯s a good fighter, but she¡¯s not an adventurer or a mercenary. She¡¯s traveling and training, but for what purpose? How does she get money to eat? There¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t know about her. Before, I thought she could be a merchant or government official who just happened to be good with a sword. But since she said that Carol was also capable of fighting, I don¡¯t know anymore. There¡¯s no way two merchants or officials who work together just happen to both be good at fighting. But that only raises more questions. I wonder if they traveled here together. How lucky¡­ I wanna travel with Iroha too¡­


    She sure gave me a lot of cool ideas¡­ I¡¯ve been lazing around for too long now. I really have to go back to the capital and get back to work. Oh, I¡¯m gonna make so much progress! I hope I can brainstorm with Iroha again. Her ideas are very out there, but they¡¯re really good for me. It¡¯s such a different perspective¡­ I know! I¡¯ll make something with the ideas she gave me and sell it. Then I¡¯ll hire her when I need a bodyguard, and we¡¯ll be able to talk a lot! Hehehe¡­ I¡¯m a bit of a genius, too. My plan¡¯s perfect!


    But first, we need to find Carol. My life has been nothing but ups and downs lately. I was so convinced that it was all over, then Iroha did all that cool stuff, and then she even helped me learn new things. Her friend¡¯s disappearance is a bit of a setback, but I think I¡¯ve never been happier! Reminds me of when I first started learning alchemy¡­ I have to pull my own weight today. That¡¯s how I return the favor. I don¡¯t want to see Iroha worried. I want her to be as happy as I am. That, and I want to help Carol. I¡¯m not abandoning someone in need without a good reason. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve always lived my life.


    I should finish packing once and for all. Since we¡¯re going into the Forest of Illusion, I should bring things to cure mental ailments. ¡°I¡¯ve never been there, but I hear that they¡¯re common.¡± I search through my stash and take what¡¯s useful with me. After checking if everything¡¯s in order, I hurry to the fast-travel station to meet with the others.


    After reaching my destination and leaving the fast-travel station, I see a familiar figure wobbling away from the town center. ¡°Sarasa?¡± She was walking like a drunkard, unable to move in a straight line. With every step she took, it looked like she was gonna fall and pass out. What is she doing? Is she okay? ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s drunk¡­¡±


    I caught up to her, and my prediction proved right. She tripped over nothing, and I caught her before she hit the floor. ¡°Huh¡­? Ririna¡­? Ririna! Hi¡­¡±


    ¡°What were you doing? Are you alright?¡± I wrapped her arm over my shoulder to help her stand up.


    ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m sleepy! *Nyawn¡­* Whose bright idea was it to meet so early? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have told Iroha I would help. I¡¯m not made for waking up at these hours.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­ You being there might end up saving someone¡¯s life. It¡¯s just for one day, so just put up with it.¡± We had agreed to meet at the town center, but that¡¯s not where Sarasa was going. ¡°You do remember we were supposed to meet near the town center, right? Where were you going?¡±


    ¡°Coffee¡­¡± Ah¡­ I see¡­ This way leads to Gathering of Flowers, doesn¡¯t it?


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that now. You should have thought about it before fast-traveling. Or maybe you should have woken up earlier so you¡¯d have time to go there before our meeting.¡±


    ¡°And then I would have had to wake up even earlier! Are you trying to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine¡­ I might have something to help you wake up.¡± I took a healing potion with an energizing effect and gave it to Sarasa. It¡¯s a bit of a waste, but if it wakes her up.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Well¡­ It¡¯s a little better¡­ Just a little, though¡­ Actually, now I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t eat breakfast?¡±


    ¡°What did you expect? You think I had time to eat?¡±


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* You¡¯re so hopeless¡­ Where would you be without me?¡± I packed more than enough food to last us a whole day, so I gave Sarasa half of a sandwich I made. ¡°Here you go. I can¡¯t give you more than that since I made them to share with everyone.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Thanks, Ririna! You¡¯re the best!¡± With a sudden burst of energy, Sarasa took the sandwich off my hand and started munching. ¡°*Yawn¡­* That¡¯s not too bad. That should keep me awake for ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°It better! Now, let¡¯s hurry up. I bet Iroha¡¯s already waiting for us. I don¡¯t want to make her wait.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ You know, you¡¯re really into Iroha lately¡­ She¡¯s all you ever think about now.¡±


    ¡°Wh- what do you mean I¡¯m into her¡­? I mean, Iroha helped me out a lot, so it¡¯s normal for me to think about her. I want to repay her for what she¡¯s done. Besides, she¡¯s a nice girl, and I like talking with her. She actually listens and cares when I talk about alchemy¡ªunlike a certain someone.¡± I¡¯m into her? Why did she have to phrase it like that¡­?


    ¡°She has to be nice. Either that, or she¡¯s completely crazy for putting up with you and trusting your crazy ideas. Nyahahhaah!¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­ Crazy ideas, huh? Hopefully I don¡¯t get any ideas about mixing some mild poison into your next potion¡­ That would be crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ That was a joke¡­ Nyahaha¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ahhhh¡­ Noooo¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ Still too tired¡­ Carry me, Ririna. Wake me up when something interesting happens. No, when something that can hurt me appears.¡± Sarasa wobbled with sleep as she lagged behind us and threw her weight onto Ririna.


    ¡°You really underestimate me¡­¡± Ririna pried Sarasa off her and forced her to walk on her own.


    Right now, the four of us are on our way to the Forest of Illusion to find Carol. We met up near the town center and set out as soon as everyone showed up. I was the first one there, followed by Flanne and, with Ririna and Sarasa arriving together a little later. The deeper we head into the forest, the closer to the Forest of Illusion we¡¯ll get. But for now, we¡¯re heading to the place where I saw Carol¡¯s footsteps. The only problem is that the location is pretty close to the portal. I don¡¯t know how people from this world are going to react to the portals, so I showed them the way to the furthest tracks I saw.


    I really hope nothing bad has happened to Carol. I wanted to come find her right away, but it was already too late yesterday. I¡¯m a bit worried about Carol¡¯s condition, but not everyone here shares that sentiment¡­


    ¡°Hey, Ririna¡­ You can¡¯t be mad at me if I disappear today. If that happens, it¡¯s not because I went off on my own, okay? I just fell asleep somewhere, so don¡¯t worry about me and don¡¯t wake me up. I¡¯m still a growing girl, so if my body needs to rest, it¡¯s bad to interrupt it.¡± Sarasa¡¯s being really sloppy today. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s just not a morning person or if it¡¯s just because she was celebrating yesterday, but either way, it¡¯s amusing to watch.


    ¡°As the one who¡¯s guiding you through the Forest of Illusion, let me give you some advice. If you¡¯re going to sleep, do it before we get there. If you fall asleep and get separated from us in there, chances are you¡¯re not getting out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage her, Flanne. Sarasa¡¯s not falling asleep, and that¡¯s final! *Sigh¡­*¡± Ririna picked up her pace and approached me. ¡°How are you feeling, Iroha? Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°It was fine. I¡¯m worried about Carol, but other than that, I¡¯m fine. Seeing you and Sarasa acting so carefree cheered me up a little.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lump me in with her. I¡¯m serious about this. But, well, if it cheered you up, I guess that¡¯s fine. Seems like Sarasa¡¯s useful even when she¡¯s a lazy slob.¡± The two of us took a peek at Sarasa, struggling to keep her eyes open, and giggled. ¡°We¡¯re gonna find your friend, so don¡¯t worry too much. Trust Flanne. She said she wouldn¡¯t be dead, and I¡¯m carrying enough medicine to heal an entire battlefield. It will be fine.¡± Ririna looked back at me with a supportive smile.


    It wasn¡¯t long until we arrived at the place with Carol¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Hmm¡­ We¡¯re definitely close to the Forest of Illusion here. It looks like a lot of your friend¡¯s tracks disappeared over night. It¡¯s hard to tell exactly where she went.¡± Flanne looked around the place to understand where we should go.


    ¡°I got here by following other footsteps, so they should keep going in that direction, right?¡± I¡¯ll be really upset if we can¡¯t track her anymore because we didn¡¯t come right away.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to guess. I may not be able to tell, but we have an expert with us. Sarasa, I think it¡¯s your time to shine.¡±


    ¡°*Yawn¡­* Nwhat?¡± Sarasa approached Flanne while stretching her neck and shoulders. She crouched down next to Flanne, who explained the situation to her. Tracking things down was more of a job for adventurers, and Sarasa had a pretty keen eye. ¡°Well¡­ Iroha¡¯s right. She went that way. My sense of direction is still asleep. Is that the way to the Forest of Illusion? If so, your hunch from yesterday was right, Flanne.¡±


    ¡°Ughh¡­ So in the end, we really have to go there¡­ Thanks, Sarasa. I had already steeled myself for this, so let¡¯s just go.¡± Flanne took the lead, and the three of us followed her down a trail leading deeper into the forest. After we walked a bit more, the forest grew denser, and a gentle mist surrounded us from afar. It¡¯s coming back to me now, this is how it was in the game. I only saw it a bit, but it¡¯s the same. The mist makes it impossible to see far away, but it¡¯s not an oppressive feeling.


    ¡°Is this it? The Forest of Illusion?¡± How¡¯s Flanne going to find Carol here? I wish coming here wasn¡¯t optional during my playthrough. It would have helped to know my way around somewhat.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t go off on your own now, alright?¡± Flanne turned back to us and stopped.


    ¡°We know. H- how are we going to find Carol?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine. I need you three to stay here while I do something.¡± Right after telling us not to go off on our own, Flanne started walking away from us.


    ¡°Flanne? Where are you going?¡± Ririna was the one who spoke up.


    ¡°I have to¡­ concentrate¡­ to find where Iroha¡¯s friend is. It¡¯s not going to take long, so just wait for me there. As long as you don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll be able to find you again.¡± Flanne waved at us with a smile and disappeared in between some trees.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Any ideas what she¡¯s doing?¡± That was weird¡­ She needs to concentrate? What does that even mean? Maybe Ririna knows something?


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I also have no clue¡­¡±


    We both turn to Sarasa, looking for an explanation when Sarasa starts stretching. ¡°That was some good sleep. I¡¯m awake now. You know, I¡¯ve been half asleep for two hours now, and if I put the two halves together, that means I¡¯ve gotten an extra hour of sleep, right?¡± Sarasa¡¯s wrong, but she¡¯s making sense. That should be how it works! It¡¯s the world that¡¯s wrong, not her!


    Apparently, Sarasa also didn¡¯t know what Flanne was doing, but she was curious and wanted to follow her. Me and Ririna stopped her, and Ririna lectured her while we waited. Somehow, I think I¡¯m hearing someone talk in the direction Flanne went. Is she talking to someone? Am I imagining things? It didn¡¯t really matter, and after a few minutes, Flanne came back.


    ¡°Good news, Iroha. Your friend came through here, and she shouldn¡¯t be that far away. Follow me.¡± Finally¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to do anything but worry thus far, but maybe that¡¯s gonna change soon. Flanne set the pace again, and we followed her. I¡¯m glad I went back to ask them for help. I wouldn¡¯t have come this far if not for them. I feel bad that I¡¯ve just been relying on them. I¡¯m still lacking¡­ But maybe it¡¯s not all bad. The girls from the House of Imaginary Boundaries would not have found Carol at all. Even if it¡¯s not on my own, I guess I managed to find a way to get to Carol.

 Chapter 47 – Switching Genres to Horror

    We followed Flanne deeper into the dense forest to the location where she believed Carol was. We arrived in front of an unusual set of ruins. Ahead of us was what used to be a house, but the only thing left now were loose and decrepit walls, tilting to the sides, ready to fall at any moment. We passed through an equally damaged stone fence, approaching the ruined building in the middle. There, was a massive tree pushing out against the ruined walls, as if it was the tree¡¯s growth that led to the house¡¯s destruction.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Flanne pointed at a figure with yellowish-beige hair entangled by the tree¡¯s branches and vines. She was tied to the middle of the huge tree, somewhat high off the ground.


    ¡°Carol!¡± We found her! There she is! Carol had her eyes closed, but started twitching when I called out to her.


    ¡°I- Iroha¡­?¡± She looked around, confused, with heavy eyelids. ¡°Nghh¡­ What are you doing here?¡± Carol tried to struggle against her restraints but quickly remembered her circumstances and gave up.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to save you!¡± I gotta get her down from there. ¡°You¡¯ve been missing for a whole day now. Everyone¡¯s worried about you!¡± Can I cut those branches? I gotta get her home as soon as possible.


    ¡°Stay away, Iroha!¡± Flanne¡¯s voice stopped me in my tracks. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, we should approach more care-¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Kyaaaaah!¡± I was about to turn back to look at Flanne when a carved pumpkin appeared in front of my face from above. ¡°What the hell is that?!¡± I was so scared that I jumped back in a hurry and fell on my butt. When the hell did they add jump scares to this game? Are we switching genres to horror now? The pumpkin rappelled down from the branches above and fell to the ground along with the rest of its body. It¡¯s a monster, huh? The pumpkin head stood up again with a roughly humanoid shape. Its body was made out of vines with two arms and two legs. It stood somewhat hunched over, and its limbs undulated in an unsettling way. Attached on top was a pumpkin with a classic Halloween-looking face carved on it.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s ready for a fight.¡± Sarasa pulled out a set of daggers and entered into a fighting stance. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a monster like this before. What a weird-looking fella¡­ Any idea of how to fight him, Flanne?¡± I raised myself off the ground and followed Sarasa¡¯s lead by readying my sword.


    ¡°There are all kinds of monsters in the Forest of Illusion, and I haven¡¯t seen even half of them. Pay attention to its movements and keep your guard up. We¡¯ll have to take it slow.¡± Flanne unsheathed the sword at her hip and gripped it with both hands, revealing a claymore with a standard design.


    ¡°Learning on the job, huh? I can get behind that.¡± Sarasa glanced at Flanne with a smile before focusing her attention on the monster.


    ¡°Wait, take this before you get started.¡± Ririna ran up to the three of us and handed potions to the other two.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t these strength potions?¡± Flanne received the vial with hesitation. ¡°Isn¡¯t this overkill? Potions are expensive.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I made them myself, so they¡¯re not expensive. They¡¯ll make your fight easier, so don¡¯t be shy. And for you, Iroha, I got this¡­¡± Ririna pulled out a very unappetizing, bubbling liquid.


    ¡°Is that a Torn Violence Potion? Are you crazy, Ririna?¡± Sarasa shouted at Ririna, and Flanne followed along curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s not crazy! I already know how to make it safe for Iroha, so she¡¯s not gonna lose her mind. Uhmm¡­ Iroha, I ended up making a few more of these for¡­ practice¡­ after the last time, so if you don¡¯t mind¡­ I¡¯d like you to take this.¡± Ririna presented me the potion with both hands. ¡°I understand if you say that last time was an exception and that you don¡¯t want any more Torn Violence Potions. I can give you a normal strength potion if you¡¯d prefer¡­¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I don¡¯t think I have much of a reason to say no to the Torn Violence Potion. Ririna has shown me that it works, so I¡¯m not scared. It¡¯s better than a regular strength potion, and with Carol¡¯s life on the line, I can¡¯t afford to be picky. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± I took the potion off Ririna¡¯s hands and drank it. Flanne and Sarasa were both surprised at how little I hesitated. I don¡¯t see any weak enemies around, and that means I won¡¯t be able to make use of the Violence Impulse skill. Having some extra strength will be nice. I think I¡¯m gonna need it. As powerful a skill as Violence Impulse is, without enough weak enemies around that I can kill in a row, it doesn¡¯t really help me out a lot.


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Ririna¡¯s face lit up with a smile as she saw me drink the potion. ¡°Thanks¡­ I¡¯ll go to the back and stay out of your way now, okay? Good luck. Call me if you need my help.¡± Why is she thanking me? Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around? Ririna waved as she pulled back and assumed a supporting role.


    ¡°Was that really the Torn Violence Potion? It really works? How do you feel, Iroha? Are you really not going crazy?¡± Sarasa asked in disbelief. Neither she nor Flanne were able to completely accept what was going on.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Ririna knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± Sarasa shot me a surprised look and swallowed her regular strength potion.


    The pumpkin head monster is just staring at us. What is it planning? Is it stalling for time? Why did it capture Carol? I know they were worried they didn¡¯t know what kind of monster it was, but we can¡¯t just do nothing and give it the initiative¡­ ¡°Alright then¡­ Me and Flanne should be able to take care of it by yourselves, so you stay with Ririna and protect her, Iroh- Wait! What? You¡¯re going in?!¡± If they want to observe its moves, they can just see how it fights me.


    ¡°Iroha¡­ You can¡¯t¡­¡± I ran straight at the monster while Carol watched. She was trying to saying something, so I kept my guard up as I got closer. I sped up with Agility Burst, and the monster backed out, raising a pillar of vines in my path. I immediately cut it with Slash Flurry and watched as the vines fell to the floor. ¡°No way¡­ How is she so fast¡­¡± Wow¡­ Ririna¡¯s potion plus the ten extra levels I got are making all the difference. That was a breeze¡­  This monster looks much stronger than the ones from the valley too!


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I looked in the monster¡¯s direction, only to see a bright light quickly approaching me. The pumpkin head¡¯s mouth lit up, and many tiny firefly-looking creatures flew out in my direction. Is that an attack? The tiny fireflies glowed bright yellow and looked translucent, like they were part of a spell. I held up my sword defensively, and they crashed into me, popping like firecrackers. ¡°Ouch ouch! Stop!¡± The little explosions weren¡¯t that painful, but they left me unable to do anything else. I swung my sword around in an attempt to swat away as many of them as I could. ¡°I gotta get out of the way.¡± These fireflies must be some kind of breath attack from the pumpkin head. I just need to get out of the way and close the gap! Agility Bur- ¡°Huh?!?¡± I wanted to get out of the way, but it had wrapped my legs with vines. ¡°I can¡¯t move?!¡± Its breath attack eventually came to an end, and now there were vines about to crash down on me from above. Was that its plan? Use that weird spell to stall, then restrain me? Is that how it got Carol?


    I couldn¡¯t cut the vines at my feet and guard against the vines coming from above at the same time, so I braced myself for impact. This is gonna hurt¡­ ¡°Now, Flanne!¡± Sarasa dashed past me, slicing the vines entangled around my feet. Meanwhile, Flanne rushed in from the opposite side, grabbed me, and pulled me out of the way of the monster¡¯s attack. The two vines smashed into the ground from above. We¡¯re safe, at least for now.


    ¡°Whew¡­ Are you alright, Iroha?¡± Flanne held onto my waist while helping me regain my balance. ¡°What were you thinking, charging in like that? Didn¡¯t I tell you we¡¯d take it slow?¡± Her tone was calm and somewhat casual, even though it sounded like she was trying to scold me.


    ¡°S- sorry¡­¡± I may have been a bit too reckless, but it was worth it¡­ ¡°At least we learned something¡­ That pumpkin monster is smart.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ No doubt about it¡­ A lot of monsters here have a lot of tricks up their sleeve. This one¡¯s no different.¡± Flanne faced the monster again and assumed a fighting position. Sarasa regrouped with us, and the three of us kept our guard up as we approached the monster¡ªas we approached Carol.


    ¡°Stop it, Iroha! Just go get Hecate! You¡¯re going to get yourself killed¡­ That creep is too strong!¡± It¡¯s too late to go get anyone else. What the hell is she thinking? Besides, we don¡¯t need anyone else. With the three of us working together, we don¡¯t have anything to fear.


    We slowly closed in on it, and the monster clearly didn¡¯t like that, so it lashed out by thrusting its vines at us, extending them at lightning speed. ¡°Leave it to me!¡± I took a step forward and stopped the incoming vines with Slash Flurry, protecting Sarasa and Flanne.


    ¡°No way¡­ Iroha¡­? She¡¯s using a normal sword¡­¡± Carol was barely holding onto her consciousness, and she was having a hard time understanding if she was dreaming or not. Sarasa and Flanne used the opening I created to close the gap and strike directly at the monster. The vines making up the monster¡¯s body were destroyed, but the head managed to wriggle out of harm¡¯s way and get away from them.


    ¡°Come on, Flanne. You were supposed to get its head.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we agreed on anything like that.¡± Sarasa and Flanne were taking things lightly, but the fight wasn¡¯t over yet. The tree¡¯s roots started moving and made their way to the pumpkin, lifting up the pumpkin and creating yet another body for the monster.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s back? We¡¯re going to have to do all this again?¡± As if to answer Sarasa, the pumpkin¡¯s face lit up and started laughing. ¡°Nyah! It¡¯s giving me chills!¡± The monster burrowed its roots into the ground, and five other pumpkins rose up around us, each supported by a body of roots.


    No way¡­ I know what this is¡­ ¡°It¡¯s cloning itself!¡± Oh no¡­ How are we gonna do this now? We¡¯re getting surrounded. Wait¡­ Could this be my chance to use Violence Impulse? No¡­ There¡¯s still not enough of them, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to kill them fast enough anyway. Not if they¡¯re as strong as the original. Flanne¡¯s already saved me once today, so let¡¯s not do something crazy again. I ran back to the other two, and we stood with our backs to each other. ¡°Uhmm¡­ What now?¡±


    ¡°Nyahahaha! Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re surrounded, so there¡¯s only one thing we can do! We strike them down one by one!¡± Sarasa and Flanne prepared themselves for combat again. Huh¡­ I guess we¡¯re doing this¡­ Can I handle it? I have no other choice. I¡¯ll be fine if I don¡¯t go too crazy. Wait for me, Carol¡­ I¡¯ll get you out of there soon enough.

 Chapter 48 – Pumpkin Obliterator

    ¡°Nyahahaha! Here we go!¡± Sarasa spins her daggers before jumping at the enemy in front of her, one of the clones created by the pumpkin head. The clone¡¯s roots move around in a panic, trying to block Sarasa¡¯s attacks and hit her. Sarasa nimbly dodges every single one of the monster¡¯s attacks and dances around it while chipping away at its body.


    Wow¡­ she¡¯s strong¡­ The six clones don¡¯t seem like that much of a threat anymore. If she¡¯s able to keep this up, she might defeat the monster by herself. A second nearby clone noticed how Sarasa¡¯s fight was going and decided to interfere. Its face lit up, and it spewed out its breath attack at Sarasa and the clone she was fighting. Sarasa noticed the incoming danger and quickly climbed up the monster, doing a handstand on its head before leaping towards the meddler. It was too late to stop the breath attack, and with Sarasa out of the way, the battered-up clone got hit by its ally. Ally? Are they allies, or are the clones connected? Maybe it would be more accurate to say it hit itself.


    On my other side, Flanne was fighting two different clones. Flanne swatted the roots lunging at her from the two monsters with her claymore. When they realized how futile their attempts were, they switched tactics. The two monsters¡¯ mouths started glowing in preparation to unleash their breath attack. Flanne barely reacted, and she calmly held up her sword in a defensive position.


    Is she going to be alright? Her sword is not going to block all the magic fireflies, right? The barrage of magical critters flew directly at Flanne, but a circular pulse of light emanating from her sword completely dispersed both their breath attacks. A magical shield? Flanne held up her sword with both hands in front of her face, and the blade started glowing. She moved her sword around in preparation for a powerful swing, but the clones were too far away for the blade to reach them. Flanne swung her sword through the air regardless, and the glow from her sword shot out in an arc towards them. The monsters didn¡¯t react in time, and the slash cut through both their bodies, slicing through their roots and causing one of them to collapse. More roots approached them from the tree, and their bodies started to repair. Are they thinner now? One of them can barely stand straight. I see now¡­ It looks like the monster can regenerate, but the number of vines and roots at its disposal is not infinite. Every single one we cut brings us one step closer to defeating it.


    ¡°Wawawawa- what? Was that magic I saw? I didn¡¯t know normal soldiers were able to do that¡­ What else are you hiding, I wonder?¡± Sarasa was chipping away at the second clone, but that didn¡¯t stop her gaze from wandering. She had a hunch from the beginning that Flanne had some kind of hidden ability, so she spoke with a mocking tone, like this was all a joke to her.


    ¡°This is nothing impressive. It¡¯s just a little magic, hardly worth bringing up.¡± Flanne dashed forward and swung down her sword on the weakest of the two clones. She cut through the pumpkin, and the image of the pumpkin disappeared, revealing only a big ball of roots. Was that just an illusion? What does that mean? These clones¡­ They¡¯re all just roots being controlled by the original one, aren¡¯t they? Either way, it¡¯s only a matter of time before she finishes off the other one. Flanne¡¯s really strong too.


    The last two monsters were in front of the tree where Carol was being held. Carol was worried the monster would prove too much for the three of us, but now she was looking between Sarasa and Flanne, struggling to keep up. She¡¯s no stranger to seeing monsters and their ridiculous properties, but people using magic is a different story for her. Even Katja¡¯s superhuman physique doesn¡¯t match up to what Flanne just did.


    Of the two monsters in front of me, one of them was standing completely still in the back. I see¡­ That one must be the real pumpkin head¡­ I know what I have to do then. As if sensing my hostility, the clone guarding the real one extended its limbs to attack. I don¡¯t wanna do anything dumb, but I can¡¯t sit still while it attacks me. We¡¯ve seen more or less all that it can do, so I should be able to manage. I paid close attention to its attacks, and I was able to weave and duck under the flying tendrils. It¡¯s not that fast¡­ It¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle¡­ I have the Evasion skill now. This is nothing to me.


    Staying true to itself, when the monster saw it couldn¡¯t hit me with its roots, it went for the breath attack. Its mouth lit up once again, and I closed the gap in an instant with Agility Burst. You¡¯re not gonna get me with that a second time¡­ I cut through the roots overlapping the image of the pumpkin with a flurry of slashes, causing the clone to lose its life and collapse. ¡°I- Iroha too¡­ It¡¯s impossible for her to move like that¡­ She hasn¡¯t been matched yet¡­ She¡¯s just like me, so how?¡±


    That was easy¡­ Turns out all I needed was to not give it a chance to attack. The other two finished as well, and they joined me to defeat the real pumpkin monster once and for all.


    ¡°Nyahahahaha! After killing all the others, it¡¯s easy to tell which one is the real one. Hurry up, you two, or I¡¯m going to steal all the glory!¡± Sarasa ran off on her own, but before she could get to the monster, it let out a disturbing cry, and the ground started shaking.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Were we wrong? Does it still have another trick up its sleeve?


    ¡°Get back, Sarasa. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Sarasa had to watch her step because of the tremors. She held hands up while taking a few steps back, like she was trying to show the monster she was harmless. One of its roots shot up from the ground in front of her face and started flailing around wildly. It was faster than all the monster¡¯s previous attacks, so Sarasa was forced to block with her daggers and got knocked away, landing right next to us. After the first one, many other roots rose up from the ground around the monster, flailing wildly, while the monster let out another disturbing cry.


    ¡°What is that? Are you okay, Sarasa?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good I¡¯m good. Don¡¯t worry, Iroha. Damn¡­ This has gotten complicated now all of a sudden.¡± Sarasa sighed at the sight of the rampaging creature.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°It¡¯s playing defensively now. Instead of trying to attack us, it¡¯s just flailing around at random to prevent us from getting close. I can¡¯t get close to it anymore. Maybe Flanne can reach it with some of her magic?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s too far away¡­ I guess we¡¯ll have to wait until it tires itself out.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that! Look at Carol. She¡¯s going limp. She¡¯s about to lose consciousness. We won¡¯t be able to save her if we wait for it to get tired.¡± Not to mention, the tree and the monster have to be connected somehow. It¡¯s a plant monster that¡¯s holding Carol hostage, so it might be using her for sustenance. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s only going to stop once Carol¡¯s dead.


    ¡°Iroha¡¯s right. We have to do something. Maybe it¡¯s time to ask Ririna for help? No¡­ Her explosions would hit Carol as well. But she¡¯s smart. She might figure something out.¡± Ririna huh¡­? What Sarasa is saying made sense. From the extensive lesson Ririna gave me about alchemy, I learned alchemists have a lot of options to deal with plants and plant monsters by extension. The problem is that without the right ingredients on hand, we¡¯re gonna run into the same issue as before. Carol¡¯s gonna be dead long before Ririna can finish creating her solution. We need something right now¡ªsomething that would allow us to kill the monster immediately¡­


    Isn¡¯t there something I can use? A skill? Anything? There are roots coming out from the ground everywhere around the monster, but nothing too close to the ruins¡­ That¡¯s weird¡­ If it¡¯s flailing at random, why are there still walls standing? Is it trying to avoid hitting them? Or does it have something to do with the foundation of the house? Hmm¡­


    ¡°Iroha? Where are you-¡± I ran towards the closest wall with Agility Burst. Even with all my speed, one of the roots still hit me on the side of my stomach, but I endured it and kept going. When I got close enough, I jumped onto the wall and latched onto it with Wall Artist. I can do this¡­ It¡¯s gonna work! I combined both skills to run and jump along the various wall fragments until I got to where the monster was. This it¡­ It¡¯s right in front of me now. Its bright, orange head is right in my sights. I shot out of the wall with Agility Burst aiming straight for its head. A single powerful thrust attack that partially ignores enemies¡¯ defenses, Heart Piercer! No¡­ Head Piercer¡­ No no no no, more like Pumpkin Obliterator! As soon as my sword stabbed into its head, it exploded into a million pieces!


    With its head gone, the roots stopped flailing one by one, and they all started to wilt away. This is it¡­ I guess I did it. Although I¡¯m covered in pumpkin juice now. Ughh¡­ Gross¡­


    ¡°Huhh?!? Damn you, Iroha! You stole the spotlight from me!¡± With the roots out of the way, Sarasa and Flanne made their way to me. ¡°You¡¯re clever¡­ Running along the walls¡­ Why didn¡¯t I think of that? I could have done that! Well, I guess it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m more of the quiet-get-in-get-out-without-anyone-noticing kind of character.¡± Are you? That¡¯s not what you were saying the other day¡­


    ¡°Seriously, Iroha¡­ That was too reckless. Didn¡¯t I tell you to be more careful?¡± Flanne put her hands on her hips and furrowed her brows. ¡°Still, it worked out, so I¡¯m not gonna complain. Well done.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­ Sorry for worrying you¡­ I just couldn¡¯t sit around doing nothing when I saw an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone has their own way of doing things. Considering you were crazy enough to fight hundreds of monsters on your own, I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything else¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Thanks¡­?¡± Why is she bringing that up now? That was more of a fluke than anything else. Isn¡¯t her image of me kinda warped? I¡¯m not that amazing. Don¡¯t expect so much from me.


    ¡°Hey hey, are you sure you¡¯re a normal human, Iroha? How the hell did you cling to the wall like that? I mean, I could easily do it, of course, but that¡¯s because of who I am.¡± Sarasa flicked her ears back and forth to explain what she meant.


    I guess clinging onto walls is something a catgirl would find easy to do, so how did I do it? By cheating, of course! ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ It¡¯s just a little trick I learned.¡±


    ¡°Ehh? You learned it from me? You must have been paying really close attention to me. Oh no¡­ That¡¯s embarrassing. Nyehehe¡­¡± Sarasa brought her hands to her cheeks and wiggled her body with a goofy expression. That¡¯s not at all what I said, but at least she¡¯s not asking about the VISS Driver.


    While we were talking, the roots holding up the barely conscious Carol weakened, thus lowering her. The tree itself looked fine, but the roots and vines covering it were disappearing along with the monster. ¡°Carol!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for her to slide to the base of the tree. I ran up to her and checked her condition.


    ¡°Ngnghh¡­¡± Her eyes were closed, and she was groaning in pain, but her breathing was somewhat normal. I¡¯m so glad¡­ We should be able to save her one way or another. If I can take her back to the House of Imaginary Boundaries, they should be able to take her to a hospital and save her. Hang in there, Carol. It won¡¯t be long until you-


    ¡°Can you step aside, Iroha? It¡¯s my turn now, so let me handle this.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± The fight was finally over, and now that it was safe, Ririna regrouped us and came straight for Carol. She crouched down next to me, pushing me slightly to the side.


    ¡°While you¡¯re taking care of that, we¡­ I guess we¡¯ll stand guard.¡± Sarasa took a few steps away from us, turning her back to us. Flanne nodded to Sarasa and ended up doing the same.


    ¡°Please do try to hurry up. The sooner we leave this accursed place, the better. *Sigh¡­* I could really go for some tea right about now.¡±


    Ririna took Carol off my hands and checked her condition with a serious face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I couldn¡¯t do anything but watch. Ririna quickly assessed the situation and had Carol drink a couple of her potions. It didn¡¯t take long for Carol to stop groaning, and she fell into a peaceful slumber.


    ¡°Okay, that should do it. She just needs some rest now.¡± Ririna gently rested Carol up against the tree and cleaned up her medical supplies.


    ¡°Is she good now? Why isn¡¯t she waking up?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, she needs some rest, but other than that, she should be perfectly fine. I saw her looking confused during your fight, so I also gave her a potion to treat any mental ailments the monster might have inflicted. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ririna touched my shoulder and smiled to reassure me.


    ¡°I see¡­ Thanks, Ririna.¡± The reason Carol was confused was probably not because of the monster¡­ But it doesn¡¯t hurt to make sure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. What about you, Iroha? Are you hurt? Tired? Hungry? I made some food for us if you want.¡± Ririna enthusiastically showed me a basket with sandwiches and other food items inside.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m fine. Thank you¡­ But¡­ We¡¯re like an hour away from town, aren¡¯t we? We should probably eat before we go.¡±


    ¡°Denied!¡± Flanne was overhearing the conversation and turned to us while holding her arms in front of her in the shape of an X. ¡°If you¡¯re done, grab Carol, and let¡¯s get out of here as soon as possible. We can eat before we get to town, just not in here!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ Let¡¯s do that.¡± Flanne clearly didn¡¯t want to be in the Forest of Illusion any longer than she had to, and since she made the sacrifice to help me, it was only fair not to dwindle around.


    I lifted up Carol, and the four of us headed back to town, following Flanne¡¯s lead. I remember picking up things around the house and feeling like they were getting lighter when I first got some levels, and now I¡¯m able to lift a table without breaking a sweat. Carol¡¯s already small, and she always looked light, so I¡¯m able to lift her up without any issues. Carol¡­ She looks so peaceful right now. I¡¯m carrying her princess style, so I¡¯m able to get a clear look at her peaceful sleeping face. Remind me of when Katja carried me after she first started training me. How the tides have turned¡­ Mhmm¡­ Remembering that is making me embarrassed now. I should think about something else¡­


    She¡¯s really cute¡­ It comes as no surprise, though. She¡¯s always been cute. Even while scowling and lashing out at me, I still thought that, but seeing her now is totally different. I guess it¡¯s just easier to appreciate how cute she is when she keeps her mouth shut¡­ What am I going to do with her? Could I carry her back to the real world and try to play everything off as a dream? Would that work? But I can¡¯t exactly disappear into the forest with an injured girl in my arms. Ririna and the others would find that really suspicious.


    ¡°Why are you carrying her like that, Iroha? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to carry her on your back?¡± Ririna asked while walking next to me. Why is she asking this question? Her expression is hard to read for some reason¡­


    ¡°Would it? She¡¯s pretty light, so this is easy for me. Besides, isn¡¯t it more comfortable for her this way?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯re a kind one too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ririna picked up her pace and walked ahead of me. What was that supposed to mean? Eh? Could it be¡­ Nah¡­ I¡¯m just imagining things, right?

 Chapter 49 – Tiptoeing Around Spikes

    ¡°How is she?¡± Ririna was waiting outside the inn for me to drop Carol off.


    ¡°She¡¯s still asleep. You told me she needed rest, so I put her to bed for now.¡±


    After we got back to town, the first thing on my mind was finding a place to lay down the unconscious Carol. I was still renting a room at the inn, so I took her there to let her rest. Ririna accompanied me to the inn, but Sarasa and Flanne went their own ways. Sarasa said she was home and napping the rest of the day. Flanne needed to unwind, so she went to the Gathering of Flowers. How unexpected¡­ She said she was ready to help if something happened and that we knew where to look for her. Now that Carol is safe, everything should be fine, so I told them I would take it from there and thanked them for the help.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to let her rest for a bit. She wasn¡¯t in that bad of a shape when I treated her, so she might wake up soon. Getting lost in a normal place is already bad enough as is. I can¡¯t even imagine how draining getting lost in the Forest of Illusions might be.¡±


    ¡°Do you get lost a lot? You¡¯re talking as if you know what it¡¯s like.¡± I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if alchemists get lost often. It¡¯s a bit inevitable when they¡¯re exploring places for materials, right?


    ¡°No¡­ Not recently, at least. I got seriously lost once when I was younger, and I learned my lesson. I had just started learning alchemy, and I thought I was ready to gather ingredients on my own, so I got carried away. Hahaha¡­¡± Ririna blushed for a second, but she was happy to tell me about her experiences as an alchemist. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m glad we managed to find your friend. You¡¯re much less tense than before.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Was I that visibly worried? That¡¯s embarrassing. ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s good we managed to save her.¡±


    ¡°Iroha, you see¡­ Can I ask you something? I- it¡¯s important.¡± Huh? Ririna was being unusually bashful, which made my heart rate skyrocket. S- she has something important to tell me? What?


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ S- s- sure¡­ What is it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Do you remember our battle in the valley?¡± How could I forget? Was that her important question, though? Ririna¡¯s face was slightly red, but she forced herself to sound energetic.


    ¡°Of course I do. It¡¯s not exactly the type of thing someone can forget, you know?¡±


    ¡°R- right. Ahaha¡­ What did you think of it?¡±


    ¡°What did I think of it? In what way?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I think we make a pretty good team. Not just back then, but in general¡­ We work very well together. We¡¯re a good match for each other, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± Ririna¡­ What¡­?


    ¡°So¡­ I have a¡­ proposal for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±  What? Am I dreaming? Why is she blushing? Could it really be¡­ ¡°I¡­ Uhmm¡­ What¡¯s your¡­ proposal?¡±


    ¡°I want¡­ You know, maybe we should go somewhere better first¡­ Somewhere quieter¡­¡±


    No¡­ I¡¯m not dreaming. This isn¡¯t about her work or whatever! She¡¯s gonna confess! She¡¯s in love with me, isn¡¯t she? Since when? The battle in the valley? That explains a lot¡­ She¡¯s been¡­ really friendly and attentive lately. But¡­ We¡¯re both girls, so does she actually love me in that way? She¡¯s been friendly from the beginning. That¡¯s just how Ririna is, so this might not mean what I think it means. No no no no no! I¡¯m not imagining things! This is different. The way she¡¯s been blushing the whole time, coupled with how bashful she¡¯s been, can only mean one thing! She¡¯s going to confess! That¡¯s why she wants to go somewhere quiet! This is it! Can¡¯t say anything stupid now! ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯d love to go, but I can¡¯t leave while Carol¡¯s sick.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Right¡­ You¡¯re right¡­ What was I thinking? Ahahaha¡­ Maybe it¡¯s not that important now that I¡¯m thinking about it. Come see me when Carol gets better, and we¡¯ll talk then. So yeah¡­  Bye! I¡¯ll see you later!¡±


    ¡­


    NOOOoooOOOOooooOOO! Stupid! I¡¯m so stupid! Why did I say that?! I¡¯m so stupid! *Thud!* I stopped to slam my head against the wall on the way back to my room at the inn. ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± I got scared¡­ I can¡¯t believe it! I hesitated and ran away by using Carol as an excuse. I¡¯m such a coward¡­ Is this the end? Did I just ruin my chances with her? She still wanted to talk, so she might not have given up¡­ It¡¯s weird¡­ She wasn¡¯t even sad at the end. She looked more¡­ relieved? Why? If she was going to confess, why would she feel relieved that she failed? Arrggh! I don¡¯t get it! I don¡¯t get any of this! Did I read it wrong? Why did I get scared? It just seemed so complicated for our relationship to ever work out. We¡¯re from two different worlds, for fuck¡¯s sake. How would it even work? Would I start living in this world permanently? Would Ririna come to my world? Would I have to go back and forth for her? It wasn¡¯t ever gonna work, right? ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡±


    Maybe there¡¯s hope. We¡¯re good friends regardless, so I¡¯m fine if that doesn¡¯t change. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t lying about being worried about Carol, so let¡¯s check how she¡¯s doing. Maybe she¡¯s woken up already. I opened the door to the room and went inside, only to find a small figure sitting on top of the bed with her arms and legs crossed and a displeased expression on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re late!¡±


    ¡°Ca- Carol? Y- you¡¯re awake?¡± Oh no¡­ This is going to be rough¡­ I wanted to carry her back before she got the chance to ask any questions, but now it¡¯s too late¡­


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, I am. Is that a problem?¡± She was shorter than me and sitting down, so she had to look up at me, but her bossy attitude remained unfazed. Why did it have to be Carol? Why couldn¡¯t it be someone easier to approach, like Katja or Narumi? Narumi¡¯s a bit weird at times still, but it¡¯d be better than Carol.


    ¡°No¡­ I- I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake. I was worried you might have been hurt, so it¡¯s nice to see that you¡¯re doing fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing fine? I just woke up with no idea where I am, in this shitty, archaic room. I thought I was sleeping in a pile of trash in someone¡¯s attic.¡± The room isn¡¯t even that bad¡­ It¡¯s lacking for people from our world, but it¡¯s mostly clean, and the bed is soft. I have no idea why she¡¯s complaining so much. ¡°And as if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, just what is going on outside?¡± Carol nodded to the window. ¡°Where the hell are we? Is this some kind of cosplay convention? I¡¯ve seen people with animal ears and tails, everyone¡¯s dressed weird, and I¡¯ve even seen an angel! What the hell is this? I was this close to going out there to check. You better be thankful I waited for you.¡± A cosplay convention? Why would she even think of that?


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Thanks? You know¡­ maybe¡­ this is all just a dream. You¡¯re just dreaming.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªfuck with me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I was hoping I could get away by saying that, but she shot me down with a glare, and I immediately folded¡­ She¡­ sends shivers down my spine¡­ Reminds me of Hecate. Like mother, like daughter, except they¡¯re not related, and they¡¯d both kill me if I said that out loud.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really sorry, then tell me what¡¯s going on. Tell me everything you know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Are you gonna make more excuses? Don¡¯t even try to say you don¡¯t know anything. I know you¡¯ve been hiding stuff from us from the very beginning, and now I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes. You can¡¯t hide anything from me anymore. Where are we? What kind of powers were you using? Just who are you?¡± Carol stared me down, pressuring me for answers. I still didn¡¯t want to spill everything, but¡­ it might be too late now¡­ She was barely conscious back then, but she saw me during that fight. I can¡¯t lie to her anymore¡­


    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll tell you¡­ To answer your first question¡­ We¡¯re in a different world right now.¡±


    ¡°I could tell that much. This is the world of monsters, right? I passed through the portal I ended up here, so I was expecting that much.¡±


    ¡°Good to know¡­ How did you find the portal, by the way? Did you come here on purpose, or was it an accident?¡±


    ¡°Seriously? You haven¡¯t figured it out yet? You really are clueless¡­ I followed you, you idiot.¡±


    ¡°Huh? For real?¡± She followed me? When? How did that happen? Is that a joke? I had no idea.


    ¡°You¡¯re so stupid¡­ I saw you going into the forest one day and caught you entering the portal. Did no one tell you portals were dangerous? Why would you even get close to the portal? I was wo- dumbfounded when I saw you jump into it. Why would you even want to come here?¡± She was ¡®wo-¡¯? ¡®Wo¡¯ what? What does that mean?


    ¡°Well¡­ I wanted to get better at fighting, so I came here to train.¡± Her reaction so far hasn¡¯t been too poor¡­ But she¡¯s still intimidating.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make sense. You wanted to train, so you decided to jump into a meat grinder. You got lucky that portal didn¡¯t kill you, but you had no way to know that.¡±


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s not true¡­ I knew the portals were probably safe¡­ I knew from the very beginning.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? How would you even know that?¡±


    ¡°Before I joined, on the day Katja first found me, I¡­ accidentally fell into a portal. That¡¯s why I knew they were safe.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Are you saying Katja found you just as you returned to the real world. But that¡¯s not possible¡­ That portal was in a different place¡­ You got lucky with non-lethal portals twice?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something, Carol. It¡¯s not that these two portals are safe¡ªall the portals are safe. That thing about the portals being dangerous has to be a lie. What made you think you couldn¡¯t get close to the portals in the first place?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just common knowledge for us. Everyone tasked with fighting monsters knows not to get close to them. It was either Shinji or one of the other girls who taught me that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they were keeping you in the dark?¡±


    ¡°Mphm. That¡¯s impossible.¡± Carol scoffed confidently. ¡°Neither Shinji nor one of the others would keep this from me. If they say the portals are dangerous, that means that¡¯s what they believe too.¡±


    ¡°Who told them they were dangerous then? I mean¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure that whole thing is a lie. Probably to keep you from finding out about this world.¡±


    ¡°I have no clue. Shinji probably learned about it when he was working somewhere official¡­ Which means that if this really is a lie, it comes from the top.¡± I see¡­ Fighting the monster is a top-secret job, that much I was told. Whoever¡¯s coordinating the whole thing must have created that lie to keep this world a secret. Who would it be? The ministry of other worldly affairs? Is that how those things work? ¡°Ughh¡­ This is all so stupid. It¡¯s starting to make my head hurt. Anyway, this is another world, right? You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°I have no doubt. I recognized this world from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°You recognized it? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I know it might sound crazy, but this is the world from a game that I played.¡±


    ¡°Huh? A game?¡± Carol uncrossed her arms and stood up. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Are you saying we¡¯re inside of a game right now?¡±


    ¡°No no no¡­ I don¡¯t think so, at least¡­ This is the same world as a game I played, but it¡¯s not exactly the same. It¡¯s more like a replica with some differences, and I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in a game right now. This world is as real as ours.¡±


    ¡°A- are you serious? You¡¯re not just lying to me, are you?¡± Carol grabbed my shoulders aggressively, and I shook my head in a hurry. ¡°Then, the monsters we¡¯ve been fighting¡ªthe threat invading our world¡ªwe¡¯ve been risking our lives to fight monsters from a game?¡±


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­ that seems to be the case¡­¡± Carol let go and pulled back.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re lying. Hmmm¡­ What does this all mean, then? I knew the portals had to lead somewhere. I never expected it¡¯d be a whole other world, and especially not one from a game. Why lie about the portals? Why aren¡¯t we supposed to learn about this world? There¡¯s gotta be more to it¡­¡± I¡¯m surprised¡­ She¡¯s just as feisty as always, but she doesn¡¯t seem that mad at me. She¡¯s listening and paying attention to what I say¡­ I¡¯m confused¡­ I thought she hated me¡­ I was expecting her to be completely unreasonable. Somehow, that contrast is incredibly cute! I can¡¯t help but think she¡¯s a really nice girl now! ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Help figure this out! You gotta know something, Iroha. Tell me more about the game. What¡¯s its name?¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­ You see¡­ My memory of this game is not that great¡­ It¡¯s been a while¡­ I don¡¯t remember the name or a lot of the details.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t even try to look it up? Even if you don¡¯t remember the name, you could have just looked it up online or something. Did the thought never occur to you? Are you dumb?¡±


    ¡°I thought about that¡­ but when I tried to look it up, I couldn¡¯t find anything! It¡¯s like every trace of the game¡¯s existence has been wiped off the face of the earth!¡± I looked for an excuse in a hurry after feeling the sharp sting of her words. I mean, it wasn¡¯t even an excuse, it was literally what I did.


    ¡°Ok, now I¡¯m getting pissed. Are you serious? Was that also to cover things up? This is starting to get ridiculous¡­¡± Hmm¡­ That would mean I¡¯m not the only one who knows this world is from a game. Somehow, I don¡¯t think the explanation is that simple. The way everything just vanished seems almost magical¡­ ¡°We need more info. For now, tell me what you know about this city, the forest, the monsters¡­ Even if you don¡¯t remember things perfectly, I might be able to piece something together.¡± Carol sat back down on the bed, crossing her arms and legs again. I pulled up a chair and told her what I knew.


    I told her my story from the beginning, from the day I met Ririna. I explained to her what I knew about the lore of the game and how things had changed. Fast-travel, for example, is never mentioned in the game¡¯s narrative, but here, everyone uses it, and it changes everything. This inn exists because it makes sense in the game, but since most people in this world now just fast-travel back and forth all the time, it¡¯s virtually worthless and is rented almost for free. Carol listened to me the whole time without intervening much. Whew¡­


    ¡°Ughh¡­ That¡¯s all good to know, but it doesn¡¯t help us figure out anything. I guess we¡¯ll have to investigate in our world to find out what¡¯s really going on.¡± That¡¯s true¡­ Even with all the time I¡¯ve been spending in this world, I really haven¡¯t learned much¡­ ¡°Here¡¯s the deal, Iroha. We need to understand what those portals are, where they¡¯re coming from, and why. Once we figure that out, we¡¯ll¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ But at least we¡¯ll know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    I can¡¯t lie, I am curious about that. I haven¡¯t given it much thought, since I had other priorities, but if I want to figure out anything, I¡¯ll have to try a little harder to find more information. Maybe there¡¯s someone in this world who knows what¡¯s going on¡­


    ¡°That being said, we¡¯re not gonna figure this out by just talking, so let¡¯s drop it for now. I¡¯ve got a more pressing question for you. I saw the way you were fighting and how fast you¡¯ve been growing. It¡¯s not normal. Who are you? I know you¡¯re hiding some kind of secret, and I¡¯m not gonna let you go until you spill everything!¡±

 Chapter 50 – Soft Side of a Spike

    ¡°*Sigh¡­* I gave Iroha the wrong impression, didn¡¯t I? It was such a simple question. Why did I have to make it into a big deal?¡± I hugged my pillow while rolling around in bed, wondering where I went wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s all Sarasa¡¯s fault. She just had to go and say something stupid, and now I¡¯m getting self-conscious around Iroha.¡± I¡¯m thinking about Iroha too much? I¡¯m into her? Why would she say something like that? Damn her¡­ She¡¯d laugh at me so hard if she saw me rolling around like this. ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten nervous around anyone before. What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°Also¡­ What¡¯s wrong with me thinking about her? She saved me, and I¡¯ve never met anyone who inspired me so much! I can¡¯t stop thinking of things I want to make for her! And I can¡¯t stop imagining her reactions! But that¡¯s normal! I¡¯m an alchemist! Of course I want people to be excited about what I make¡­ *Sigh¡­* If only Sarasa hadn¡¯t said anything¡­ Oh well. I can ask her next time we meet. I¡¯m definitely saying it this time! There¡¯s no need to be nervous!¡± With reignited determination, I slammed the pillow down and got up from bed. I¡¯m not gonna spend the whole afternoon rolling around! I¡¯m going to start my research while I wait for Iroha!


    <hr>


    ¡°What¡¯s your secret, Iroha? I won¡¯t let you go until you spill everything.¡± Oh no¡­ She¡¯s being serious¡­ Carol was sitting down on the bed with a very imposing figure, I thought we were getting along well, but maybe that was foolish of me.


    ¡°My secret? What do you mean? I don¡¯t have anything like that¡­ Hahaha¡­¡± This whole conversation has been a battle to keep Carol happy, and it¡¯s been going pretty well thus far. Carol listened when I told her what I knew about this world, and she¡¯s been somewhat friendly the whole time. It made me start to think that she was a really good girl at heart. That doesn¡¯t make her any less intimidating when she glares at me, and unfortunately, she¡¯s doing just that right now.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Don¡¯t fuck with me.¡± Carol didn¡¯t buy my excuse and glared at me again. ¡°I saw everything, you know? Your sudden bursts of speed, the way you chained multiple slashes with your sword in a row, how you stuck to the wall like some sort of slug¡­ Those aren¡¯t things you should be able to do. Especially when you couldn¡¯t even run for five minutes straight not that long ago.¡±


    What are we doing here¡­? The pressure¡¯s really making me nervous now. We¡¯re like spies in the middle of enemy territory, exchanging intel in a dimly lit room. One of the spies is the angry boss, chewing off the latest intern, and the other one is me. Looking down the window, the good, honest people of this world were going about their day, completely oblivious to the battle happening here. ¡°I just don¡¯t buy it, Iroha. Who are you? Are you even human? Or are you a monster disguised as a human? Because what I saw was closer to what I expect from monsters than humans. You were using magic. There¡¯s no other explanation. None of the other girls are able to stick to walls the way you did, and they¡¯re way more athletic than you.¡± Carol¡¯s really not letting this one go¡­


    What should I do? I already told her about this world and how it is just like the world from a game, so it¡¯s hard for me to come up with more excuses¡­ She¡¯s already seen through me. She knows there has to be some kind of reason behind my rapid improvements, and now she¡¯s starting to think I¡¯m not even human¡­ One of the reasons I decided to keep the stuff about the VISS Driver a secret is because I was scared of what they might do to me if they found out. But if they start thinking I¡¯m a monster disguised as a human, they¡¯ll do even worse, right? ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I¡¯ve been hiding. Just¡­ don¡¯t get me in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Trouble? Why would it get you in trouble? Are you really a monster?¡±


    Carol has been surprisingly reasonable this whole time. I was scared at the beginning, but I think I can trust her. Either way, one thing is for sure, she¡¯s more likely to be nice to me if I¡¯m honest with her than if I try to lie to her. That¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve learned about her today. ¡°I¡¯m normal, okay? I¡¯m a normal human. The reason I was able to do what you saw is because of a device called the VISS Driver.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°A device?! Is it like the one the others have¡­?¡± Carol muttered to herself before continuing. ¡°Who gave that to you? When did you get that?¡± Carol was looking intently at me. She¡¯s so gonna snap if I start making things up now¡­ Good thing I decided to be honest with her!


    ¡°Well¡­ No one gave it me¡­ I remember how I told you I fell into a portal before I first met Katja? It connected to a country in this world much more technologically advanced than this town. I just happened to stumble upon a lab there, and I ended up sneak inside, and I¡­ I stole it.¡± Carol looked at me with a surprised, dumbfounded expression.


    ¡°I knew there was something wrong with you, but now I know that I was right in more than one way¡­ How are you gonna sneak into a lab in an unfamiliar place and steal from them? Do you have a single functioning brain cell?!¡± Yep¡­ I kinda agree with her. What was I thinking back then? Carol shook her head while processing the new information. ¡°But wait, then the device you were talking about is from this world, right? That¡¯s not what I was thinking¡­ What kind of device is it? Show it to me.¡±


    ¡°T- that¡­ not possible. I can¡¯t show it to you¡­ The VISS Driver actually appeared in the game, which is why I tried to grab it when I saw it. But it disappeared as soon as I touched it. I think my body absorbed it somehow¡­¡± Carol didn¡¯t believe me at first, so I explained what I knew about the VISS Driver. I told her how it fit into the story of the game and how it was what allowed the protagonist in the game to use skills. Which led to me explaining skills, skills trees, levels, stats, and everything else.


    ¡°¡­¡± Carol was looking at me while sitting hunched over, resting her chin on her hand. Is she pouting? What kind of expression is that?


    ¡°Carol?¡± I¡¯m not sure what to do¡­ Is she mad? She hasn¡¯t snapped at me, and I was honest with her, so I should be good¡­


    ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± Her tone was higher than usual, and it sounded more like a complaint than a question. ¡°No¡­ I know you aren¡¯t¡­ That whole explanation was so ridiculous¡­ Was that how you defeated me? Because of that VISS Driver thing? That¡¯s not fair¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ Sorry, sorry¡­¡± She really is pouting¡­ I can¡¯t believe she still remembers that¡­ ¡°But I only used it because you were that strong¡­ It just goes to show that you¡¯re better than me without it!¡± And now I¡¯m comforting her¡­ I can¡¯t exactly help it. She¡¯s too adorable pouting like that. I feel like I have to do something when I see that face.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Maybe you¡¯re right¡­ There¡¯s no way I would have lost to you if not for that thing, hpmf!¡± Carol crossed her arms and scoffed at me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything? I guess you just didn¡¯t trust us enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason¡­ At the beginning, I had just met you, so it was hard for me to completely trust you, but I was more scared of the ones you might work with. I didn¡¯t know who you¡¯d tell about it, and I was afraid some organization would try to capture me and dissect me alive if they knew about the VISS Driver.¡± Carol looked at me like I was saying something stupid, but she stopped herself right as she was about to say something.


    ¡°Y- you might have a point¡­¡± See? I knew there were people who¡¯d try to dissect me if they knew! That¡¯s how it always goes. ¡°We¡¯d better hurry back to the dorm now¡­ You said everyone was looking for me, so I¡¯m don¡¯t wanna be a burden for them any longer than I have to.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. I already sent them a message saying that I found you and that I¡¯d bring you back soon. They¡¯re waiting for you, but they shouldn¡¯t be in the forest looking for you anymore. It¡¯s fine if we take some time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Carol recoiled like a student who got a question wrong after acting cocky. She shook her head and stood up from the bed before walking towards the exit. ¡°Still, we¡¯re pretty much done here. They¡¯re still waiting for me, so I don¡¯t want to keep them waiting. Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Wh- what are you gonna do with what I told you? Are you gonna tell the others about the VISS Driver?¡± Would it be fine? Carol¡¯s taken it well. If the others are anything like her, I wouldn¡¯t mind telling them, but what if something goes wrong? I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready for that¡­


    ¡°What I do and say is none of your business. If I decide it¡¯s a good idea to tell them, I will.¡± Wait¡­ Really? It¡¯s none of my business? It¡¯s literally about me! I think I should be concerned about that! Wow¡­ Is she for real? Does she really not care about me at all?


    ¡°But¡­¡± Carol opened the room¡¯s door and crossed her arms as she stood beside it. She averted her gaze, and it looked like she was blushing slightly. ¡°You did end up saving me today¡­ Even though no one asked you¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll return the favor¡­ If I feel like it¡­¡± C- cute! She¡¯s so cute!


    ¡°Ca- Carol, I-¡±


    ¡°D- didn¡¯t I say we were done here? Get up and take me back to the others already!¡± Carol turned her back on me and walked out of the room.


    ¡°W- wait for me!¡± I ran out after Carol and the two of us left the inn. Our conversation worked out quite well, all things considered. Maybe I can rely more on her going forward¡­ I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s the first person I ended up telling everything¡­ It was nice to get that off my chest. I just hope I didn¡¯t misunderstand her and that she really keeps it a secret.

 Chapter 51 – Outside Help

    It was a perfectly peaceful afternoon. The trees were rustling, and the occasional bird could be heard chirping somewhere in the distance. We¡¯re back in the real world¡­ We¡¯re safe now. Looking up, the sunlight filtered through the trees with a warm glow that immediately made me drowsy. Carol gracefully stepped out of the portal, and she looked around, taking in the sights. ¡°Wow¡­ we really made it¡­¡± It looked like she had just seen the most beautiful thing of her life, but that wasn¡¯t it. Carol was perfectly familiar with this forest, and while it was more pleasant than usual today, it wasn¡¯t on the level that would leave a lasting impression on her. She was just glad to be back safely. ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Carol does her best not to let it show on her face, but that whole experience in the other world must have been scary for her. She would have been dead if I hadn¡¯t gone looking for her, so it¡¯s understandable for her to be this relieved. It warms my heart to see such a peaceful look on her face¡­


    ¡°!?¡± Carol notices me staring at her, and her face goes red before glaring at me. ¡°What are you grinning at? Don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± Carol gets away from the portal in a hurry and moves past me. I didn¡¯t actually have anything else to do, so I ended up just savoring the view. She gets flustered easily, and I kinda forgot that¡­ Now she¡¯s mad at me¡­


    ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­ I was just waiting for you to adjust. It¡¯s your second time traveling between worlds, right? I know how strange it can be.¡± I chased after Carol and walked by her side as I guided her way back to the dorm.


    ¡°Whatever, just focus. We¡¯re going back to the others soon, so we¡¯ve gotta be ready. We need to get our stories straight.¡± I knew it! She didn¡¯t say it outright, but she¡¯s gonna keep it a secret after all! I ended up having to spill everything about the VISS Driver to her, and turns out getting dissected alive was a real possibility. She truly is a nice girl! Even if she tries her best to be unapproachable!


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. What are you thinking, Carol?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ You know what? I think I can work it out on my own if I just improvise. Instead of a plan, you should just avoid saying anything. You¡¯re good at lying and coming up with excuses, so just do your thing.¡± Ouch! That hurts¡­ I¡¯m not even good at lying, am I?


    Either way, she¡¯s just messing with me. The fact that she believes she can manage no matter what I say just goes to show that she trusts me now! ¡°Hehehe¡­ I¡¯m counting on you!¡± I¡¯m actually kinda glad now that it was Carol who ended up finding out about everything¡­ How quickly that changed¡­


    ¡°Why are you giggling like a creep? Maybe it would have been better if you had never found me¡­¡± Ouch! Again?


    We arrived at the dorm through the same trail we usually use. It was surprisingly quiet considering how frantically they were looking for Carol not long ago. I know I sent them a message saying I had found her, but they really took me seriously. As we got closer to the dorm, Narumi was sitting on the floor, next to the main entrance. She was engrossed in her phone with her knees tucked in, so it took her a while to notice us. ¡°¡­¡± She stared at us in silence for a few seconds before- ¡°Ah! Carol! You¡¯re back!¡± Narumi jumped up instantly, causing her boobs to jiggle¡­ Oh, wow¡­ Are they that soft?


    The dorm¡¯s door swung open violently, and Katja and Hecate came running outside. All of them must have been so on edge that one scream had everyone come out and check what was going on. Narumi couldn¡¯t contain her excitement, and she ran straight at Carol. When she saw that, Carol circled behind me and used my body as a human shield. Carol stepped from side to side, but so did Narumi, who tracked her the whole time. That¡¯s cute¡­ She missed Carol so much that she couldn¡¯t help but want to hug her. Can relate. Carol is very huggab- ¡°Carol!¡±


    ¡°Ughh!¡± Since Carol was placing me between the two of them, Narumi couldn¡¯t get to Carol. Her solution? Tackle Carol along with the human shield!


    ¡°Damn¡­ You¡¯re both fat! Get off!¡± The three of us fell to the ground, and me and Narumi ended up on top of Carol. Now I¡¯m being called fat, and it isn¡¯t even my fault! Also, I can¡¯t move until Narumi gets her boobs off my face! In fact, I don¡¯t want to! I¡¯m the middle slice of this sandwich, and I¡¯m happy to remain here until she moves first! ¡°Damn you, Narumi! Have you tried not acting like an idiot for once in your life? You already have one full-time job!¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Oops! Ahahahah¡­¡± Narumi sat up, forcing me to sit up as well. Carol was finally free from being squished. ¡°You¡¯re really back, aren¡¯t you? I could stop thinking about you and where you were and if you were fine and if you were hurt and if you were fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut it. I get it already.¡± Carol placed both her hands on Narumi¡¯s mouth to shut her up.


    Katja approached us and crouched near Carol, with Hecate following closely behind. ¡°Narumi¡¯s right. We were worried about you¡­ Sorry, but you have to listen to her.¡±


    ¡°I- it wasn¡¯t even a big deal! I was just gone for a while. You¡¯re the ones who got carried away.¡± Carol averted her gaze¡­ How cute¡­


    ¡°It was nearly Armageddon. The disappearance of a soul is never a trifling matter. You should know better by now about your importance in this cursed world.¡± Underneath her convoluted words, Hecate was also worried about Carol. She wasn¡¯t happy that Carol was treating this as a trivial matter.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Carol wanted to snap back, but Hecate was scary enough that even Carol had to watch her words. ¡°Fine¡­ Sorry¡­ I should have said something first¡­ But I was only gone for a day¡­ At least wait a little longer before you start worrying.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but Hecate¡¯s right. You disappeared without any trace, so of course we¡¯d go looking for you. Where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    ¡°It just kinda happened. It was an accident, but everything was under control. You didn¡¯t need to go look for me. I would have been fine even if Iroha didn¡¯t show up.¡± Clearly not¡­ Katja doesn¡¯t seem too pleased with her excuse either.


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, if you don¡¯t want to cooperate, I¡¯ll just have to ask someone else.¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want to cooperate?¡± Carol snapped back, but Katja had already moved on. She turned to me for an answer.


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Katja¡¯s voice was surprisingly sweet, almost flirty. ¡°You don¡¯t mind telling me, right? What happened exactly? Where did you find Carol?¡± What the hell is she doing? It doesn¡¯t even fit her. This is the type of thing that works on me, though. Damn¡­ She read me like a book. I made an agreement with Carol¡­ I can¡¯t tell her anything. I¡¯m letting Carol handle the details.


    ¡°Uhhmm¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m not sure how much I can tell you¡­ With so many trees, everything just kinda blurs together. Sorry about that¡­¡± Katja thought for a second before thanking me for trying.


    ¡°So Iroha doesn¡¯t know? I guess she¡¯s new here, isn¡¯t she?¡± Narumi was following along, but she hadn¡¯t done much to help thus far. ¡°But there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t know, Carol. Are you trying to hide something from us?! Hmm? Hmmmm?¡± Narumi greatly exaggerated her surprised and started poking Carol¡¯s cheek. ¡°Come on, spill it. No secrets. Spill it.¡± Narumi¡¯s interrogation technique worked well on Carol.


    ¡°Gah! You¡¯re annoying! Stop poking me like that! I¡¯m not hiding anything. It¡¯s complicated, and the last thing I need right now is to enter storytime mode.¡± Carol stood up and headed for the entrance. ¡°Right now, the only thing I need is a bath. A bath that I need because you decided to squish me into the floor!¡± She pointed at Narumi. ¡°Seriously, do you think I¡¯m some kind of plant that would take root and grow mini-Carols?¡± I kinda wanna see that. Carol pointed at her clothes, but honestly, she wasn¡¯t even that dirty. There¡¯s grass on the floor, so it doesn¡¯t stain that much. Still, she hasn¡¯t taken a bath since yesterday, and after everything she¡¯s been through, she¡¯s earned one.


    ¡°Just give us a short explanation.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it can¡¯t be that complicated.¡± Katja and Narumi got up and followed Carol. ¡°Oh! I have an idea! Our bath is big enough, so we can just follow you and take a bath together while you tell us everything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡­¡± Carol stopped while opening the door and shot out a death glare over her shoulder, freezing the other two in place for a moment. Ahahahaha! Glad to see I¡¯m not the only one¡­ Carol entered the dorm, closing the door behind her. The other two also went inside hesitantly. They took their sweet time since they had to wait and didn¡¯t want Carol to think they were gonna follow her.


    That was funny¡­ I guess I¡¯m done here for n- ¡°Hey, Iroha.¡± Hecate!? Oh, right¡­ I kinda forgot she was here¡­ And we¡¯re alone now¡­ I hope nothing goes wrong¡­


    ¡°Wh- what is it, Hecate?¡± She turned to me and looked me straight in the eyes. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that amber lens of hers up close.


    ¡°I need to apologize to you for my sins.¡± Hecate always tones down her strange way of speaking when she¡¯s being serious, and this time¡¯s no different. She¡¯s still talking about sins, though. What¡¯s that supposed to mean?


    ¡°Apologize?¡±


    ¡°I told you before that it was pointless for you to remain with us without a higher-level purpose, but I was mistaken. You discovered Carol when she was lost and protected the blood ties between us. You have my thanks for finding her.¡± Oh, wow! That¡¯s new¡­ Hecate grabbed the edges of her goth-loli dress¡¯s skirt and gave me a short, elegant bow. *Gulp¡­* She¡¯s so scary at times that I kinda forgot, but she can make my heart race as easily as everyone else.


    ¡°I- it was nothing! I think of Carol as a friend too, you know? I couldn¡¯t just abandon her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? It pleases me to hear that. You¡¯ve done well. Keep it up, and you¡¯re going to earn yourself a place among the stars one day.¡± Huh? That¡¯s supposed to be a good thing, right? Why does it sound like I¡¯m gonna die? Hecate smiled at me and followed the others inside.


    Huh? Okay¡­ So that¡¯s how it is now. This is kinda new¡­ Hecate was being nice to me! Maybe it¡¯s not as impossible to get along with them as I previously thought¡­ At the very least, no one¡¯s mad at me anymore. I went in after her to tell everyone, except for Carol, that I was going home. It¡¯s been more than a day since I¡¯ve last returned to my apartment, so I also need some time to rest. I can¡¯t wait to sit down, watch some anime, and unwind¡­ It¡¯s gonna be soo goo-


    ¡°You better come to the dorm tomorrow. We still have a lot to talk about.¡± Or not¡­ Before I even got to sit down in my chair, I got a message from Carol making plans for me¡­ I guess we weren¡¯t done yet¡­ At least she¡¯s not asking me to come back immediately¡­

 Chapter 52 – Conspiring

    Alright¡­ I¡¯m here¡­ Carol wasn¡¯t done with her questions about the other world and my powers, so she told me to come to the dorm again today. But she¡¯s nowhere to be seen now that I¡¯m here. Did I come too early or what? I sent her a message and received a reply almost instantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m behind the dorm building. Come here instead.¡± Hmm¡­ If that¡¯s what she wants¡­ I left the dorm just as quickly as I arrived and circled around to the back.


    There she is¡­ Carol was sitting on top of a waist-high stone wall. One of her legs was up on the wall, while the other was hanging freely. ¡°Sup.¡± S- sup? Is that how she speaks now? Her pose too¡­ Is she trying to look cool or something? She¡¯s more on the cute side than anything, so it really doesn¡¯t fit her that much, but¡­ The way she¡¯s trying so hard is cute in and of itself. She really can¡¯t help but look cute, no matter how hard she tries not to. And her skirt¡­ She¡¯s not in a great pose to be wearing a skirt. I can almost see what¡¯s underneath¡­


    ¡°H- hi? How are you, Carol? Why did you call me? What did you wanna talk about?¡± She wants to continue our conversation from yesterday, but she really didn¡¯t tell me what part in particular. I told her about my powers, if you can even call them that, and about the other world, so what¡¯s left to talk about?


    ¡°Shhh¡­ Are you gonna die if you¡¯re not a loudmouth for a minute?¡± Carol gestured for me to get closer to her. I¡¯m not a loudmouth, am I? I just got here¡­ It¡¯s too early for me to be letting her words get to me. I got closer, like she wanted, and laid back against the wall next to her. Why is she being so secretive? Is it because I asked her? She¡¯s so sweet¡­ But meeting with her behind the dorm like this is weird. What are we? Delinquents trying to find a place to smoke without getting caught by teachers? The only difference is that we¡¯re not smoking but talking about conspiracy theories instead. Or better yet, we¡¯re the ones starting them¡ªwe¡¯re the ones conspiring. I¡¯m actually getting a little tense now¡­ What if the others find us here?


    ¡°What is it you wanted to talk about?¡±


    ¡°You know, there¡¯s a lot we still haven¡¯t figured out, even after everything you told me. We¡¯re gonna need to come up with a plan to find out more and really get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°A plan?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up with the portals, where they come from¡­ There¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know, and I¡¯m not gonna rest until I find out why they had to lie to us about all that. You¡¯re interested too, right?¡± I guess I am¡­ The portals, the other world, Ririna¡­ More than anyone else, I really need to know more about the whole situation. I have too much to lose. How real is the other world? It¡¯s so different from the game¡­ Is it possible to have a relationship with someone from there? I need the portals, and I need to understand how they really work.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m interested, but I haven¡¯t found much thus far¡­ Do you have any ideas on how we can get more information?¡± That¡¯s the biggest problem here. How do we learn about something so supernatural? Who would we ask to know more about the very fabric of reality? Who has that information? God? I¡¯m at a loss. I can draw some conclusions, like I¡¯ve been doing so far, but that¡¯s not nearly enough to get the full picture.


    ¡°Tsk¡­ I don¡¯t really have anything specific¡­ The only thing I was thinking is that we should split up. You look for info on one side while I look on the other.¡±


    ¡°Meaning¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to spell it out for you? I¡¯ll look for info in this world while you look in the other world. I don¡¯t know how far that¡¯s gonna get us, though¡­ I¡¯ll try asking the other girls some questions and see if I can get anything out of Shinji, but after that, I¡¯m out of leads. I¡¯m counting on you to do your part.¡± It¡¯s weird to be talking to Carol about this. She¡¯s really making an effort to get more information. I¡¯m not on my own anymore, am I?


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll do whatever I can.¡± If we want to learn about the portals, the other world¡¯s probably our best bet. There¡¯s gotta be someone there who knows about the portals and can tell me what¡¯s going on. I just need to find someone I can trust to ask about the portals who can point me in the right direction. Maybe Ririna¡­? We¡¯re not that close yet, right? But maybe in the future if nothing goes wrong? Sarasa and Flanne might know something too. Ahahaha¡­ I guess my goal is still to gain their trust and improve my relationships with them.


    ¡°Who were those girls that were with you when you were looking for me? They your friends?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think you can say that.¡±


    ¡°I thought so¡­ You managed to befriend people from the other world then¡­ Impressive. They must be just as weird as you are.¡± Unnecessary¡­ Just when I start thinking Carol is actually very sweet, she does nothing but spew venom at me.


    ¡°They¡¯re normal, I think. At least by their world¡¯s standard. Since I knew some things about their world from when I played the game, I was able to get along with them. But it was mostly a coincidence that we ended up meeting.¡±


    ¡°You say normal, but I saw one of them summon some kind of light. Whatever, think they know something? Can you ask them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­ That¡¯s what I was also thinking. They might not know anything, so don¡¯t expect too much.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, no expectations, I know¡­¡± Carol shifted positions and let her leg down. She swung her feet back and forth, hitting the wall alternatingly with a constant rhythm. ¡°You¡¯re really not scared of the portals at all. You didn¡¯t even hesitate when I asked you to search in the other world.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I guess not¡­ I¡¯ve passed through the portal so many times that I don¡¯t even think about it anymore. I was gonna keep going to the other world anyway, so I have no reason to hesitate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the strangest part. Why do you even care about the other world at all? No one¡¯s forcing you to go.¡± Carol shook her head in disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s just become a part of my life at this point. I¡¯ve made friends there, and they¡¯re important to me. I only went there to train at first, but now it¡¯s more than that.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I see¡­ Well, I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I mean exactly what I said. I¡¯ll join you in your training. I¡¯ve been here longer than you, and I¡¯m not about to let you get ahead of me just because you¡¯re gaining experience in another world. I¡¯m coming, and I won¡¯t accept no for an answer. I can¡¯t join you every time, but I won¡¯t let you climb up the ranks without putting up a fight! Got it?¡± Is she serious? I actually wouldn¡¯t mind having someone with me from this side¡­ I just can¡¯t believe she actually wants to accompany me. She¡¯s kinda hung up on this idea of who¡¯s better than who, and I don¡¯t really get it. We¡¯re on the same side.


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to have you with me. Just tell me in advance when you have some time, and we can go toge-¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Carol lightly kicked the side of my belly, shutting me up instantly. What the hell? What did I do¡­ now¡­ ¡°Narumi?¡± Carol called out to Narumi, who was walking while looking down at her phone. She hadn¡¯t noticed us until Carol raised her voice, and I hadn¡¯t noticed her either¡­ We¡¯re a pair of complete airheads, apparently.


    ¡°What¡­? Carol?¡± Narumi looked up from her phone, completely confused. Maybe one of us is not as big of an airhead as the other. ¡°Oh! And Iroha too! Hi there!¡±


    ¡°What were you doing here? Are you lost? You gotta pay attention to your surroundings. Why were you wandering around glued to your phone like that?¡± Carol looked down at Narumi from atop the wall as she joined us.


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ Sorry¡­ I was just¡­ What¡¯s the best way to put it? Playing a game? Or at least I was, but I lost track of what I was doing. What are you two doing here?¡± What do we say here? Carol¡¯s been in charge of the excuses so far, so I turned to her for help.


    ¡°We¡¯re just¡­ hanging out¡­ Right, Iroha?¡± Why did she have to put me on the spot?


    ¡°Th- that¡¯s right! We were just¡­ catching up.¡±


    ¡°Really? Why are you behind the dorm then? Couldn¡¯t you do that inside or something? Wait! Is this what they call a secret meeting? Were you two trying to do something lewd? Can I join?¡±


    ¡°Lew- There¡¯s nothing like that going on, you dumbass! We were just talking! You can even join us if you don¡¯t believe me. Don¡¯t you have anything else better to do, though?¡± Carol was flustered and jumped down from the wall. She stood up to Narumi with her arms crossed.


    ¡°You said it yourself. I was just wandering around while messing with my phone. Does it look like I have anything else better to do?¡±


    Yeah¡­ ¡°She has a point.¡± I can¡¯t think of anything else to say to that.


    ¡°So? What are we doing?¡± Narumi had already wormed her way into our group, and she was ready to get started on something.


    ¡°Well, me and Iroha were talking about how we were going to train before you showed up. You wanna join us?¡± We were? In some ways, I guess we were¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna train¡­?¡± Narumi got a little apprehensive. ¡°Is it breaking rocks?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Of course we¡¯re not gonna break rocks. We¡¯re not you-¡± Carol glanced at me before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m not you.¡± What¡¯s she insinuating? That I¡¯m at the level where I can break rocks? To be fair, I haven¡¯t tried it since I got all those powerups, but those huge boulders that you see in anime training montages are still beyond me, I think. ¡°If we¡¯re practicing together, that means we¡¯re gonna spar. Not too interested now, are you, Narumi?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯d rather just watch¡­¡± Hmm? I was under the impression that Narumi¡¯s pretty strong¡­ Why doesn¡¯t she like sparring? Is she that much better than us, so she¡¯s scared of hurting us? Weird¡­


    ¡°Alright, Iroha, it¡¯s decided, let¡¯s head for the dojo and practice for a while. You know what to do now, so I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Carol whispered that last bit and led the way to the dojo.


    ¡®I¡¯m counting on you¡¯¡­ Hearing Carol say that¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Yeah, you can count on me!¡± Never have expected things would turn out this way¡­

 Chapter 53 – Are We Exchanging Rings Now?

    ¡°Iroha? What¡¯s taking you so long?¡±


    I spent all day with Carol yesterday, so my plan for today was to go to the other world, but that¡¯s not how my day went. One thing led to the other, and now I¡¯m at the mall. There¡¯s nothing pressing going on right now, so I can take some time to unwind. There¡¯s Ririna¡­ I know, but¡­ I can¡¯t bring myself to face her just yet¡­ I¡¯ll talk to her tomorrow. Tomorrow, for sure¡­ Either way, I shouldn¡¯t think about that for now. I¡¯m here to have fun and unwind, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. I¡¯ve had to deal with one thing right after the other non-stop for so long, I think I¡¯ve earned myself a break.


    The mall is packed with lots of people walking and talking all over the place. It¡¯s a bit like a festival without the blaring music and drunks on every corner. It¡¯s a mess with so many people, but that¡¯s to be expected. It¡¯s mall. Malls are always packed to the brim! At least this one is. It¡¯s after school hours too, and with so many schools in the area, a lot of students gather here as part of their routine. I myself can¡¯t complain about the mess since I¡¯m accompanied by a boisterous little devil as well¡ªMiyuki.


    ¡°Sorry, there was a crowd in the way. Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I think it¡¯s on the other end, actually. We kinda entered through the wrong side¡­¡± Miyuki pointed in the right direction and tugged on my sleeve, triggering the beginning of our not-very-long journey. We may have entered through the wrong side, but going around on the outside would take longer. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in a rush. It¡¯s nice to have some time to talk. ¡°It¡¯s crazy in here today, Iroha! Did everyone just decide to copy us or what?¡±


    ¡°Hanging out at the mall after school. What an original idea from us! Who else would ever come up with that?¡±


    ¡°Ahahahahahaha! True! So what? Did we copy them instead? Are we that unoriginal?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ Isn¡¯t it just normal? It¡¯s the mall, of course it¡¯s crazy. You should be used to it by now.¡±


    ¡°Yep! You got me! As a mall expert, I can tell you this is pretty much just a normal day in here.¡± Miyuki laughed while walking backwards in front of me. She¡¯s all over the place whenever we hang out. It¡¯s quite troubleso-


    ¡°Watch out!¡± I pulled Miyuki out of the way of a group of girls walking while looking down at their phones. This sort of stuff always happens when we hang out together. How does this girl survive when she¡¯s on her own? Is she bumping into strangers all the time when she comes here by herself?


    ¡°Ooops! Ahahaha! Thanks, Iroha. You¡¯re a lifesaver as always.¡± And now we¡¯re in a bit of a passionate embrace, even though there¡¯s no passion involved. It makes little difference since my weak heart goes crazy either way. I can¡¯t blame myself for that. Miyuki is on a whole other level of beauty¡­ It¡¯d be weirder if my heart wasn¡¯t pounding.


    ¡°D- don¡¯t mention it. They were walking in the wrong direction, so¡­ It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Miyuki broke away from me, and we got back to walking.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®wrong direction¡¯? There¡¯s no right or wrong direction when walking.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not written anywhere, but you usually follow the same rules as cars, right? You drive on the right, so you stick to the right. Everyone knows that.¡±


    ¡°You got a point¡­ But you¡¯re forgetting something, Iroha. Three Records City is a special case, but the rest of the country drives on the left. A good chunk of the people here are wired the other way around, so you can¡¯t really blame them. Like me, for example.¡± Oh¡­ That makes sense¡­ She¡¯s a transfer student, not someone who¡¯s been here most of her life.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I kinda forgot about that. So anyway, what¡¯s the charity for?¡± That¡¯s right. The reason we¡¯re here is not just to fool around. It¡¯s for charity. Apparently, they¡¯re doing a lottery where we can get random stuff for cheap, and the money goes to charity. Miyuki found out about it, and she invited me to come gambling with her. It¡¯s technically not gambling since it seems we always get something of higher value than what we pay for. I guess it¡¯s more like loot boxes in real life. Not that loot boxes are a good return on investment most of the time¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure¡­ It just seemed like a good deal, so I thought it¡¯d be fun to try our luck.¡± Miyuki shrugs her shoulders completely indifferently. She doesn¡¯t even care about the charity, does she? I mean¡­ Our princess here is such a good girl that she¡¯s happy to support the cause and help people no matter what. She¡¯s still willing to help, even if she doesn¡¯t know exactly how she¡¯s helping. Oh well, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s completely wrong. The mall set up the charity with help from the various stores here. The stores wouldn¡¯t donate to the lottery if it wasn¡¯t for a serious cause, so it¡¯s unlikely this is some sort of scam.


    Eventually, we arrived at the place where the lottery was being held. There was a big booth in the middle of the wide corridor, with some people in a queue. The two of us joined the line, and it didn¡¯t take long until it was our turn. ¡°Wish me luck, Iroha.¡± Miyuki was up first. She gave me a wink before taking her turn. She got a little lucky bag from the booth, and then it was my turn. I approached the isle, got a lucky bag just like her, and then we met up again. She was waiting for me nearby, so we could open our prizes together.


    ¡°Have you taken a peek yet? What did you get?¡± Miyuki was fiddling around with her bag, trying to figure out the prize without opening it. Now that I¡¯m looking at it, her bag¡¯s smaller than mine. Given that smaller things are often worth more than big stuff, I think she got me. Her prize is probably better. Not that it matters much. We¡¯re


    ¡°Of course I haven¡¯t peeked yet! I was waiting for you, Iroha.¡± Now that we were together, Miyuki opened her bag and got her prize out. ¡°Oh¡­ I got¡­ Tada~! 50% off for two people at one of the sushi places here at the mall! I guess we know where we¡¯re going next!¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow!¡± That¡¯s not too bad¡­ Sushi gets really expensive really quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t really mind. If that¡¯s what you want to do, I¡¯ll go.¡± It¡¯s a bit weird to eat sushi as an afternoon snack, but whatever.


    ¡°Nice! But first, let¡¯s see what you get. Come on, Iroha. Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± Miyuki tiptoed to try to see what was inside my bag. She¡¯s really excited, isn¡¯t she? I opened my bag and took out what was inside.


    ¡°Huh¡­? Is this a pouch?¡± Inside the bag was a red pouch. One of those small side pouches, usually worn around the waist. I think Ririna has something similar. It doesn¡¯t really suit me, though.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Too bad, huh, Iroha? Why don¡¯t you try wearing it? I bet it¡¯d look really cute on you.¡± I knew it¡­ The smaller bags are better¡­ Miyuki is having a blast at my expense now.


    ¡°You wish¡­ I¡¯m not gonna wear¡­ I¡¯d look like a little kid.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­ Who knows? Maybe it¡¯d fit you incredibly well! It¡¯s one of those things that¡¯s hard to imagine, so you just have to try for yourself to make sure.¡± Miyuki tried to take the pouch off my hands so she could make me wear it. I swear she¡¯s having way too much fun with this.


    ¡°No way! I¡¯m not falling for that!¡± We were messing around when we both noticed something. The pouch may also be lucky. There¡¯s something inside.


    ¡°Wait¡­ There¡¯s more to it, Iroha.¡± Miyuki looked at the pouch with excitement, eager to know what it held.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Is it also part of the prize?¡± I opened the pouch and took out two small paper boxes. ¡°Is this jewelry?¡± I showed Miyuki the boxes, and she tilted her head in confusion. The packaging seemed to indicate as such¡­ Inside one of the boxes was a silver ring with a small red gem decorating it, and in the other box was a matching necklace. They definitely weren¡¯t using real silver or gems, but the quality was pretty good.


    ¡°Wow¡­ You actually got a lot out of it, Iroha. This is kinda good.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Unexpected, sure¡­ Having a prize inside a prize is pretty funny, but good? I¡¯m so not sure.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Isn¡¯t jewelry and things like that for classier, more stylish girls? ¡°I don¡¯t think it suits me very much.¡±


    ¡°You always say that, but I¡¯ve never seen you wearing something that doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± Oh yeah? She must have forgotten the time she put rabbit ears on my head. ¡°The pouch I understand, but the ring and the necklace are cool.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You think so?¡± I brought the ring close to my face and took another look. It¡¯s nice, but it¡¯s too much for me. Miyuki was staring at me when I extended the ring to her. ¡°Do you want it, then?¡±


    ¡°Eh? You sure? You paid for it. I can¡¯t just take it¡­¡± Paid is overexaggerating. I won it for practically nothing. I¡¯m still left with the necklace, even if I give her the ring.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m ever going to use it.¡± Miyuki has this elegant mystique about her. Jewelry suits her much better.


    Miyuki quickly swiped the ring off my hand and clutched it between her hands. ¡°Thanks, Iroha. I¡¯ll take good care of it. I¡¯ll give it a bath and three meals a day, so don¡¯t worry.¡± What¡¯s she saying? That¡¯s a ring, not a pet.


    I¡¯ve been on autopilot for a while, and seeing Miyuki¡¯s blinding smile snapped me out of it. Did I just do that? I wasn¡¯t even thinking about it. Did I just gift a ring to a girl? Not just to any girl¡ªto Miyuki, of all people. Oh no¡­ I¡¯m blushing so hard right now! I can¡¯t even look her in the eye! ¡°Y- you¡¯re welcome¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re done here, so let¡¯s eat. Come on, Iroha!¡± Miyuki headed for the food court with an exaggerated stride and waved at me to follow her. We¡¯re going to eat sushi¡­ Hmm¡­ That¡¯s a good opportunity for us to talk more at length. Miyuki¡­ I decided I was going to make an effort to learn more about the other world and what¡¯s really going on. If that¡¯s the case, I really need to ask her more about the portal and what happened on the first day we met. I may be imagining things, but I think she knows more than what she¡¯s told me. We¡¯ve been getting along nicely today, so I¡¯m definitely going to ask her about it again.

 Chapter 54 – Butterfly Memories

    We got to the sushi place and sat down at a table for two. It was one of those conveyor belt places with a tablet on each table for us to order and have it automatically delivered to us. The tables had separators between them, making this the perfect place for a conversation. This is it. I¡¯m gonna find out what really happened during our first encounter.


    ¡°What do they have in here?¡± Miyuki sat down like she owned the place and grabbed the tablet on the table. ¡°Do I even care?¡± After a quick glance, she tapped the screen at random several times in a row.


    ¡°Have you ordered already?! What did you even pick?¡± I barely had time to sit before she finished placing her first order.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell you. I¡¯m just hoping for a nice surprise.¡± Wow¡­ She¡¯s so cool and wild¡­ That¡¯s just like her¡­


    ¡°Is that fine? What if you end up getting something weird?¡± Miyuki shrugged and handed me the tablet.


    ¡°We¡¯re at a sushi place. Everything¡¯s good here. Even if I get something really weird, one bite, and it¡¯s gone. It¡¯s not a big deal. Worst case scenario, I can always count on you to help me out. Right, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ If it¡¯s nothing too weird¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long until our orders arrived. Miyuki was delighted with the variety of stuff she got, but I preferred to stick to the simpler types of sushi. The fatty tuna tastes even better than normal at half the price.


    ¡°Hey, Miyuki, can I ask you about when we first met?¡± The rate at which we were placing our orders eventually slowed down, so I went for it. What happened with Miyuki when we first met¡­ There¡¯s gotta be more to it. If I can find out more, maybe I can learn something about the portals. I bet Carol¡¯s also doing her part, so I can¡¯t let her down. ¡°When we got ice cream together, I mean.¡± I had to half whisper since I couldn¡¯t be completely sure no one was listening.


    ¡°This again, Iroha? I already told you everything I remember. Do you really need to ask about it again?¡± Miyuki responded casually, completely disregarding the fact that I was whispering. If I hadn¡¯t been so wishy-washy the other times we went over this, I would have already gotten more information without having to annoy her by bringing it up so often. I feel kinda bad, but I really need to get to the bottom of this.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ Can you just humor me? I don¡¯t want to annoy you, but there¡¯s still something I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not annoying me. It¡¯s just a bit weird since there¡¯s nothing else to talk about. But hey, I¡¯ll play along. What do you wanna know?¡± Miyuki casually put another piece of sushi in her mouth.


    ¡°What exactly happened after we got our ice creams?¡± I never actively tried reading other people¡¯s expressions much before, but this time, I paid close attention to any signs that Miyuki might be lying.


    ¡°We talked while eating in front of the parking lot, then we went home.¡± Yeah¡­ I knew it wouldn¡¯t work. This was the same thing she told me before. She said it as a matter of fact while looking slightly bored. Not a single sign of a lie¡­ If it is a lie, either she¡¯s an incredible actress or I am completely incompetent when it comes to reading other people. Unfortunately, I think I know which one is more likely.


    ¡°Then¡­ did you see me go home? Like you actually saw me leaving?¡± I¡¯ve never asked her anything after that first question, but I have to try something more today¡­ If I can just find some kind of hint¡­


    ¡°I think so¡­ You just walked off after saying goodbye, and I did the same. I didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal, so I don¡¯t remember it too well. Is it that important?¡± It¡¯s important because it didn¡¯t happen. She pushed me into the portal, and when I returned, she was nowhere to be seen.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°And did nothing happen when we were eating? You didn¡¯t notice anything strange?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ You¡¯re freaking me out now. Was there something I was supposed to have seen? Something that you saw but I didn¡¯t¡­? Oh, I get it!¡± Miyuki realized there was a meaning behind my question, and she figured out something. Was she lying after all? Have I been too obvious? Ughh¡­ I¡¯m such an idiot sometimes¡­ What do I do if she questions why I¡¯m asking this? ¡°It¡¯s a ghost, isn¡¯t it!? You saw a ghost, and you¡¯re asking if I also did to make sure it¡¯s not just you. Too bad, though¡­ I didn¡¯t see anything, so you might actually be haunted. I can go with you on your visit to the exorcist, so don¡¯t be shy, okay?¡± A ghost?! What? Is that really what she thinks, or is she messing with me?


    ¡°No no no no! I didn¡¯t see any ghosts¡­ If anything¡­ I wanted to know if you remembered seeing a butterfly. A vivid, blue butterfly that flew into the parking lot. You even went after it¡­ Does that ring any bells?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­ I do remember chasing a butterfly at the time.¡± She remembers now? She never mentioned it before¡­ I knew it¡­ Something weird is definitely going on here. ¡°Why? Was that butterfly special? I didn¡¯t know you were into that, Iroha.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the butterfly I¡¯m interested in¡ªit¡¯s where it stopped. You followed it to an empty parking spot near the corner, remember? What was there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Miyuki stopped just as she was about to put another piece of sushi into her mouth. She furrowed her eyebrows, stunned at how difficult it was to remember. ¡°But it was something important.¡±


    ¡°Important?¡± Wait! What?! What kind of answer is that? ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ I just told you I don¡¯t remember¡­ Maybe there wasn¡¯t anything there¡­ Why would there be something important in the corner of a parking spot? But that was the feeling I got¡ªthat it was important.¡± Miyuki shrugged and smiled.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t remember what it is, why do you say it¡¯s important? How was it important?¡±


    ¡°You should ask yourself that, Iroha. It was something important to you, not to me. Like, it was something that made you happy¡­¡± Miyuki resumed the bite from before and rested her head on her hand.


    It was something important to me? Something that made me happy? I almost died because of the portal! How would that make me happy? It does make me happy in hindsight. I got the VISS Driver and everything that came with it, so I¡¯m pretty happy about it right now. But how would she know about it? Is Miyuki a fortune teller? That¡¯s a level of insight that goes far beyond a random feeling.


    What does this all mean? Were her memories really modified? Maybe the idea that portals are dangerous is not completely wrong. It¡¯s just that instead of harming people, it messes with their memory. That would explain why she seemed to remember more as we continued to talk. But then, why did she push me in? Wait¡­ did she actually push me in? Maybe my memory has also been tempered with. But if that¡¯s what happened, I know for a fact that my memory hasn¡¯t been tampered with after that first time. And Carol¡¯s memory should also be fine too. Does it only affect weak people? People without any training? Or does it have something to do with the different portals?


    ¡°Miyuki¡­ I¡­¡± Can I trust her? If I tell her about how she pushed me in, will she remember? Hmm¡­ No¡­ Just because I¡¯ve been able to talk to Carol about it, it doesn¡¯t make it a good idea to start babbling about it to everyone, right? But Miyuki¡­ It involves her as well¡­ If something did mess with her memory, she has the right to know, right?


    ¡°Come on, Iroha. Don¡¯t leave me hanging. Don¡¯t you have anything else you want to tell me? I¡¯m curious now.¡± Miyuki poked my arm with a playful pout. It was just a silly gesture, but her eyes¡­ Miyuki then grabbed another plate and plopped yet another piece into her mouth. Wait¡­ How much has she eaten already? She¡¯s gonna be too full for dinner¡­ Is she gonna be alright?


    ¡°No¡­ You already told me what I wanted to know.¡± Seeing Miyuki stuff her face like that caused me to calm down. I really don¡¯t need to go into any more detail today. And I definitely don¡¯t need to spill everything to her. I don¡¯t know how much I can trust her¡­ I don¡¯t think I understand her that well. She¡¯s friendly and wacky at times, but sometimes it feels like she¡¯s looking down on me¡­ Am I just imagining things? Wait¡­ Is this just an inferiority complex? She¡¯s so much prettier than me that I start imagining she¡¯s looking down on me? Is my self-confidence that low? I wouldn¡¯t really put it past me¡­ That doesn¡¯t matter right now. I¡¯ve learned two important things today. The portals may actually have something weird going on, and Miyuki may be a good source of information if I end up gaining more of her trust. I¡¯ll have to bring this topic up again and bother her again, but there¡¯s not much I can do about that. I¡¯ll make it up to her with another gift or something.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a tease, Iroha¡­ You start saying something, then you just leave me hanging. Do you enjoy torturing me or something?¡± Miyuki pouted again, which caused me to get flustered.


    ¡°N- no! I- I¡¯m sorry¡­ I really didn¡¯t have anything else to say. I opened my mouth without thinking, but it was going to lead us in circles. I know it¡¯s not the first time I asked you about this, but thanks for playing along. You really helped me out.¡±


    ¡°Did I? What is it you wanted to know anyway? You don¡¯t have amnesia, do you? Was there actually something important in that parking lot that you forgot about? If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m happy to be of help.¡± It¡¯s good that she¡¯s not bothered by my questions, but how do I answer hers now? I can¡¯t just tell her I wanted to see if she remembered about the portal and the other world.


    I took a deep breath and steeled myself to come up with an excuse. I convinced her that I had a similar feeling but that I also couldn¡¯t remember. She left it at that. We stayed in the sushi place for longer than we should have, and the proper dinner hours had started. Miyuki was finally done, so we quickly got out of there. Miyuki can eat a surprising amount of food¡­ I hadn¡¯t realized she was that type of character¡­ Just wow¡­

 Chapter 55 – Ghost Town

    After being busy with Carol and Miyuki in the real world, I returned to Rocky Ridges to find Ririna. My conversation with Miyuki ended up being more productive than expected. I was thinking about sharing some things with Carol, but I didn¡¯t find her in the dorm. I¡¯m not really in a rush to tell her, so I came to the other world looking for Ririna first.


    The situation with Miyuki is definitely weird¡­ She actually ended up remembering far more than she initially told me. I wasn¡¯t expecting much when I asked her about portals again, but to think she¡¯d actually remember when I started probing¡­ The portal really did something to her. I guess that means I could have gotten even more out of her. Maybe she would be able to remember why she ended up pushing me into the portal¡ªwhat kind of force made her do that.


    But I don¡¯t need to know that right now. What I really want to know is what the portals are and what caused them to appear in the first place. If there is someone who has that information, it¡¯s not Miyuki, but someone from the world of the game. The portals are a magical phenomenon, so if I want an explanation, I should look for someone in the world where magic exists. That¡¯s my logic, at least. First things first, I need to find Ririna.


    Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m looking for her to learn more about the portals. In fact, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to ask her about that just yet. My main reason to look for Ririna is to fix the mistake I made¡­ Last time we were together, Ririna might have been on the verge of confessing her love for me¡­ I like her too, obviously¡­ It was such a lucky opportunity, yet I got nervous and ruined everything. I might be getting ahead of myself, but she said she still wanted to talk. I hope I can make it up to her¡­ I¡¯ll definitely hear her out this time, and if she confesses, then today¡¯s the day my life¡¯s gonna change! I¡¯m ready now!


    My first stop is the Gathering of Flowers. I have no clue where Ririna could be, but even if she¡¯s not here, Flanne or Sarasa might be. They should be able to tell me where I can find her.


    ¡°Strange¡­ No one?¡± Well, that was bust¡­ Looking in through one of the coffee shop¡¯s windows, the table we usually sat at was completely empty. Not even Flanne was there¡­ Sarasa always joked about how Flanne didn¡¯t do any work, but she was actually quite responsible. It¡¯s true that Flanne had a lot of free time, and since she liked to live her life peacefully, it was easy to mistake that for her being lazy. Either way, she¡¯s not here today. That¡¯s too bad. Both for me and for her.


    I left the Gathering of Flowers behind and took a look around town. I didn¡¯t know every nook and cranny of the town, but I had grown familiar enough with all the major locations over my many visits. I didn¡¯t want to bother Flanne while she was at work, so I didn¡¯t go into the barracks. I looked around the town center and waited near the fast-travel station, hoping that one of them would show up. But after more than fifteen minutes, I gave up.


    ¡°Damn¡­ I¡¯m not having any luck today¡­¡± I went back to the inn and headed for my room. Inns are very cheap in this world, and the smallest currency I had at the time allowed me to rent the room for multiple days. Today¡¯s my last day with the room. I didn¡¯t need to rent it for that long, but now it¡¯s nice to have somewhere to sit down and rest.


    ¡°Where is everyone? Flanne is probably working in the barracks, but what about Ririna and Sarasa?¡± We probably just missed each other¡­ I wonder if this is a common problem in this world. When other people fast-travel a lot, it¡¯s hard to know where they are unless you¡¯re traveling with them. Is Ririna in the capital? She could very well be somewhere in Rocky Ridges, and I just didn¡¯t see her. It¡¯s impossible to know which one is the case. The flipside is that with fast-travel, it¡¯s easy to cover a lot of ground quickly if you¡¯re looking for someone. In ten minutes, I could go to the capital and check if Ririna¡¯s there. But that would require me to be able to fast-travel there, and I would have to have gone there before for that. How do the people of this world usually unlock new locations for fast-travel? I should look into that at some point.


    I opened the door to my room and stepped inside. I was tired from all the walking, and I was thinking of taking a nap, when I noticed something on the table. ¡°A letter?¡± Is it like, a feedback form? Do they do that in this world? Maybe it¡¯s just a reminder to return the key¡­ Or¡­


    ¡°Ririna?¡± When I grabbed the envelope, the name Ririna Windfiel was written on the front as the sender. No way! She left me a letter? When is this from? I opened the envelope in a hurry and took out the letter inside. Finally! A hint! ¡°What did she say¡­?¡±


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    <hr>


    ¡°Tsk¡­ Why has my head been hurting?¡± Do I have a cold? I told Iroha I¡¯d look for information on this side, but I can¡¯t work like this¡­ Dammit. At least Shinji wasn¡¯t here today. I managed to look at some of his documents without him asking any questions. I didn¡¯t learn anything, but maybe I can get something out of him when I talk to him now.


    ¡°Grhh!¡± I can¡¯t with this fucking headache¡­ I don¡¯t want to have to take a nap¡­ I should take some medicine, but then Hecate will notice and try to baby me all day. ¡°Tsk¡­ It doesn¡¯t hurt. I can put up with it.¡± I was heading back to the dorm when I heard a sound coming from the trail that leads into the woods. ¡°Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Carol?¡± She was walking while looking at the floor, and she only raised her head when she heard my voice.


    ¡°What are you doing, Iroha? Since you came from that way, are you just getting back from the other world?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I- I had something to do there.¡± Iroha crossed one arm in front of her and grabbed her other shoulder while looking to the side.


    ¡°I see¡­ Are you alright? Did you get hurt or something?¡± She is obviously not hurt, but she¡¯s not acting like herself. Iroha jumped slightly when she heard my question.


    ¡°N- no! I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m just a little tired. I ended up walking back and forth a bit too much.¡± And I¡¯m dumb enough to buy that¡­ Okay¡­ ¡°What about you, Carol? You look like you¡¯re in pain.¡±


    ¡°Sh- shut up! Who gave you permission to look at my face anyway?¡± Was I really letting it show? I can handle a little headache like this¡­


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk. I¡¯m not mad, you idiot. Just like you, I think I¡¯m also tired. Maybe I caught a cold or something¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter. Did you find any leads on the portals? Spill it.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­ I tried to talk to someone, but I ended up not finding anyone I know¡­ Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Ughh¡­ That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not something we were gonna solve in a single day anyway.¡± She¡¯s definitely acting weird¡­ She could just talk to me. Why is she keeping it a secret? Fuck¡­ I guess I¡¯ll have to do something about it. ¡°Iroha, come with me to my room. I have something to show you.¡±


    ¡°H- huh? What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Stop gawking at me and hurry up.¡± I made sure Iroha was following me before heading back to my room. She¡¯s being more¡­ normal now¡­? She¡¯s closer to the level of weirdness she¡¯s usually at. Iroha looked around my room with wonder. That¡¯s embarrassing¡­ I should have hidden some of my plushies¡­ ¡°Who said you could look around? This isn¡¯t a room tour, got it?¡± If she says anything, they¡¯re just for decoration, nothing more.


    ¡°A- alright! What did you want to show me?¡± Iroha stood up straight and stiffly looked at me.


    ¡°Take a look at this.¡± I sat down on the bed and took off one of my socks.


    ¡°Wait! What? What are you doing, Carol?¡±


    What¡¯s she getting embarrassed for? If there¡¯s anyone here who should be getting embarrassed, it¡¯s me, not her! ¡°I¡¯m not messing around, Iroha. Take a look at my ankle. Can you see it too?¡±


    ¡°Your ankle? What wrong with your- Ah¡­¡± She sees it too¡­ That¡¯s bad¡­ Around my ankle was a weird bracelet tattoo. It shined with a semi-transparent, white glow before disappearing, like it was never there. ¡°Carol, what was that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I thought I was seeing things, but the fact that you could see it too means it¡¯s real. I first noticed it yesterday, but it always disappears after a few seconds.¡± I took off my other sock, and there was another bracelet there. The same thing happened. It glowed, then disappeared after a few seconds. No sign that it was ever there was left on my skin. Like a tattoo that turns invisible. ¡°What do you think this is, Iroha? Could it be some kind of magic spell?¡±


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t know¡­ It could be, but I really have no idea. I¡¯ve never even heard of anything like that.¡± So she doesn¡¯t know anything either¡­ ¡°Have you shown it to anyone else?¡±


    ¡°No? Like, what would I even say? ¡®There¡¯s some kind of magical tattoo on my ankle that disappears when you look at it.¡¯ They¡¯d think I¡¯m crazy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s hard to explain these weird things to others.¡± You would know. ¡°If it is some kind of magic, it¡¯s probably from when you got lost in the Forest of Illusion¡­ Have you felt any changes? Anything weird?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­ I mean, I may have caught a cold. Could that have anything to do with this?¡± Iroha stared at where the bracelets used to be deep in thought. I¡¯m not particularly interested in listening to her talk, but she could tell me what she¡¯s thinking. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, though. It¡¯s just a cold. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I put my socks back on and got up from the bed.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I hope so too¡­ Uhmm¡­ Carol, I might have figured something out. About the portals, I mean.¡± Wow, I actually got her to talk.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You know the idea that portals are dangerous? There may be something to it. They¡¯re not dangerous per se, but it¡¯s possible they might interfere with the memories of people nearby.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s just something I¡¯ve been thinking about¡­ I noticed some of my memories from the day I first went to the other world were a little fuzzy. I might be wrong, though.¡±


    Another excuse, huh? Well, at least she told me about it. ¡°I¡¯ve never noticed anything like that. And I¡¯m pretty sure none of the other girls have lost any of their memories because of portals. They¡¯ve never gone through any portal, but they¡¯ve gotten close to them before.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Maybe it doesn¡¯t happen with every portal? Might be because you¡¯re all strong. Maybe the effect is stronger on weaker people.¡±


    ¡°Shinji has also gotten close before, and he¡¯s also fine. He¡¯s not strong, trust me. He would lose in a fight against the average house cat.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? Then, strength is not a factor?¡± Iroha was a little shocked when I told her about Shinji. Whatever theory she had came up with probably just shattered. That¡¯s alright, though. It¡¯s just part of the process. Every bit of information is a step taken towards the truth.

 Chapter 56 – Mismatched Destinies

    ¡°Dear Iroha, I hope this letter finds you well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too formal, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve never written a letter to a friend before, so I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to apologize for what happened last time. I got inside my own head and made a mistake. All I wanted to ask was if you wanted to work together more often. Kinda like a job. I know you can¡¯t fast travel to the capital, so I was going to ask if you wanted to travel together by foot.¡±


    ¡°That was pretty much it. I don¡¯t know why I made it into such a big deal. Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°I was waiting for you to wrap up things with Carol so we could talk, but I ended up going back to Ebrilyon¡¯s capital. I didn¡¯t know how long that was gonna take, and you gave me a lot of ideas that I can¡¯t wait to start working on. I¡¯m still planning on visiting Rocky Ridges, so we can talk again. Please consider my request. I think we really make a good team.¡±


    ¡°If we somehow end up missing each other, look for me in the capital. I¡¯ll always be happy to receive you, so please don¡¯t hesitate. I hope to see you soon.¡±


    ¡°Yours truly, Ririna Windfiel.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°How¡¯s Carol doing, Hecate?¡± In the House of Imaginary Boundaries¡¯s main building, Katja stopped Hecate as she left the infirmary room.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good. She¡¯s still in dreamland.¡± Hecate let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°She refuses to wake up despite everything I¡¯ve tried. There¡¯s no logical explanation for her condition.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Even the doctor we called didn¡¯t know what to do, so it¡¯s unlikely that you¡¯d fare any better. She said that there was nothing wrong with Carol, so don¡¯t worry too much. She could wake up at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t she woken up? She¡¯s been unconscious for days now. There¡¯s not even anything wrong with her. This is not normal¡­¡±


    ¡°I know how you feel, but you can¡¯t neglect yourself to take care of Carol. Have you slept properly since we brought Carol to the infirmary? The last thing we need is you getting sick as well.¡± Katja put her hand on Hecate¡¯s shoulder, soothingly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a curse. Carol was cursed. That¡¯s the only explanation, Katja. She must have been possessed by some kind of evil energy. It¡¯s not a doctor that we need¡ªit¡¯s an exorcist!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but you need to calm down, Hecate. Do you know how ridiculous you sound? You don¡¯t usually panic this much. You took care of me with a smile when I got a hole in my stomach. What¡¯s gotten you so bothered this time?¡±


    ¡°The unknown is humanity¡¯s greatest fear. No matter how much blood you spill, I know you¡¯ll be fine once your condition stabilizes. But that¡¯s not what¡¯s happening here. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with her, and her body is not as strong as ours.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯m worried too. Just don¡¯t start screaming that it¡¯s because of a curse.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it could be?¡± Hecate crossed her arms and rested her cheek on her hand with a pensive look. ¡°Think about it, Carol and Iroha were both acting weird after Carol¡¯s disappearance. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±


    ¡°Weird how? Isn¡¯t it a good thing that Carol is finally getting along with Iroha?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only good that came from that whole thing. But what if they ran into some monster that put a curse on Carol? And why hasn¡¯t Iroha been showing up anymore?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely they ran into any monsters without telling us. Both their weapons were in perfect condition when they arrived. The same level of polish as my usual work. As to why Iroha has not been showing up, I have no idea. Maybe she got busy with school.¡±


    ¡°A coincidence like that would be irony on fate¡¯s behalf. She got busy with school just as Carol entered a coma? That¡¯s ridiculous. She was coming and going straight into the forest every single day for the past few days without saying anything to anyone. Then, as soon as she stops coming, Carol doesn¡¯t wake up anymore. You¡¯re telling me that¡¯s not strange?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but you know that¡¯s not true. We saw Iroha on the day we carried Carol to the infirmary. She was already unconscious before Iroha stopped showing up.¡±


    ¡°But why did she decide to vanish now when we needed her the most? I knew it. We¡¯d be better off if we never took her under our wing. She¡¯s not the same as us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going too far. The doctor couldn¡¯t wake up Carol, you couldn¡¯t wake up Carol. What difference would Iroha being here make? She was the one who found Carol in the first place, so don¡¯t be too harsh on her.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not her fault, but I¡¯m still upset. I just don¡¯t understand her. Can we really trust her? She always does something that makes me doubt her, only to follow it up by showing me I can trust her. She¡¯s too inconsistent.¡±


    ¡°I get how you feel, but don¡¯t think about that right now. Carol¡¯s the one you should be focusing on right now, not Iroha. And yourself too. Don¡¯t neglect yourself too much.¡±


    ¡°Taking care of myself isn¡¯t going to help Carol.¡±


    ¡°Worst-case scenario, we might have to take her to the lab. One way or the other, she¡¯s gonna be fine, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    ¡°You wanna offer her as tribute to the government? Did you forget we came to the House of Imaginary Boundaries to escape their grasp?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve completely escaped, is it? We¡¯re still working for the government. They¡¯re not gonna do anything to her, though. Other than the bad taste it leaves in our mouth, everything will be fine. As long as Carol gets better, who cares?¡±


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* I suppose you¡¯re right¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± I think I may be at my lowest low right now. I don¡¯t feel like doing anything. I wanted more free time before, but now I¡¯m just not doing anything. I¡¯m back in my apartment, but I don¡¯t feel like playing anything, and I can¡¯t even bring myself to watch anime. Truly my lowest low. With the exception of the computer¡¯s screen, my place is completely in the dark. I couldn¡¯t make the effort to let in some light. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m feeling so down. I¡¯m not photosynthesizing enough to function. I mean¡­ My life right now is no different than that of moss tucked away in some dark corner.


    If only it were that simple¡­ If getting some sunlight was the solution to all my problems, life would be so much easier. This is my punishment. This is punishment for my sins. ¡°¡­¡± That sounds like something Hecate would say¡­ It¡¯s completely true, though. I messed up, and Ririna got tired of me. She was probably going to confess, but I was a coward and used Carol as an excuse to run away.


    She gave me the benefit of the doubt and asked me to talk when Carol was feeling better, but I still couldn¡¯t do it. I spent two days hiding from her in the real world instead. I can¡¯t even blame her for anything¡­ She left the letter saying she¡¯d go back to meet with me, but she never showed up. Day after day, she never showed up¡­ ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Why am I such an idiot?


    I should go see Carol¡­ She¡¯s been at the back of my mind ever since she showed me that weird spell around her ankles. I have no clue what that was, but I¡¯m kinda worried about her. She said she felt normal, at least. I hope nothing¡¯s changed since then¡­ I should really go see her and talk to her¡­ I know that¡­ But I really don¡¯t feel like it¡­ She¡¯s probably been trying her best to find more information, while I completely forgot about it. I¡¯ve only been thinking of meeting with Ririna. I can¡¯t tell her I haven¡¯t made any progress¡­ She would kill me.


    Is my life just that hard? It feels like I have to work so hard to get one little thing, only for everything to be taken away the moment I stop for one second. I got a bit nervous when Ririna started acting all serious, and now we¡¯re here. ¡°What am I doing?¡±


    I got up from the desk and grabbed Ririna¡¯s letter again. This makes no sense¡­ No matter how many times I read it, it still doesn¡¯t make sense. Why does she apologize? It¡¯s all my fault. What am I missing? She said she was going back to Rocky Ridges to meet me. Since she didn¡¯t show up, that means she doesn¡¯t want to meet me anymore, right? I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s even going on? Life is so confusing¡­


    Like the thing with Carol. She and the other girls have been near portals before, but no one has ever experienced any memory loss. What happened with Miyuki, then? Why did her memories change so much? It¡¯s so confusing. At this point, the only possible explanation is¡­


    *Ding dong!*


    What was¡­ that? Is there someone at my door? Wait, why? I don¡¯t remember ordering anything¡­ I got up from my chair again to see who it was. I looked through the door hole and¡­


    ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 57 – Breaking out of a Slump

    ¡°Hecate?¡± Laying down on the couch, Narumi called out the name of the passing girl. ¡°Are you going to Carol again?¡± Her mind was filled to the brim with her friend¡¯s condition. She had been tapping away at her phone for hours, unable to properly think or relax.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I can¡¯t allow her condition to worsen during her slumber.¡±


    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Narumi got up from the couch and joined up with Hecate. The two girls passed through the dorm¡¯s front door and headed towards the House of Imaginary Boundaries¡¯s main building. ¡°How is Carol? Is she feeling better?¡±


    ¡°I have no clue. Her condition hasn¡¯t changed. There are no signs of her possibly waking up soon, but she¡¯s not getting worse.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see¡­¡± Narumi looked at the floor with a painful expression, and the two girls walked side by side in silence. ¡°Are you still mad at Iroha, Hecate? Katja had a point yesterday. I really don¡¯t think she would be able to wake Carol.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware¡­ I just find it uncanny how Carol entered into this deep slumber at roughly the same time Iroha stopped showing up. I can¡¯t help but think something cursed Carol during her disappearance. If Iroha could give us even the slightest hint, we may be able to figure something out. I¡¯ll go to her house myself if she doesn¡¯t show up by tomorrow.¡± Hecate clutched the bag of supplies tightly in her hand.


    ¡°You really think we¡¯d be able to find a way to wake her up? I didn¡¯t think that far ahead, but if you say so, it must be true.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take my word at face value. What about you, Narumi? What do you think about Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ That¡¯s a complicated question¡­ I thought she was gonna quit at first, so I never gave it much thought. But she¡¯s still with us. Or was? I¡¯m not sure at this point¡­ But she got much better. She improved a lot. I¡¯m not sure about trust, but that¡¯s a good thing, I think. Oh, she¡¯s also fun to have around.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡¯Not sure about trust¡¯ you say¡­ Bonds are all we have in this reality. Trust is all that matters. If she really cared about Carol, she would have come to check up on her. Even if she can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°But she doesn¡¯t even know that Carol¡¯s not waking up, does she?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Narumi. After Carol¡¯s disappearance, she should have come regularly for a while to ensure there was nothing wrong with her. The fact that she doesn¡¯t shows how much she really cares.¡±


    ¡°You know Carol hates it when people fuss over her. Now that I think about it, she actually talked to Carol after rescuing her. Carol must have told Iroha not to worry about her. I think you¡¯re being overprotective again, Hecate.¡±


    ¡°Overprotective?¡± The two girls arrived in front of the infirmary. ¡°How am I overprotective for wanting to wake Carol up from her coma?¡± Hecate opened the door, and both of them went inside.


    Narumi entered after Hecate, and the two stood side by side. Both their faces froze with shock when they saw all the infirmary beds empty. ¡°D- did Carol wake up?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Hecate looked around the room, but she didn¡¯t find Carol anywhere. ¡°Where did she go? We need to find her and tell Katja!¡± Hecate ran out in a hurry, and Narumi followed her lead. Room after room, they didn¡¯t find her anywhere. Carol wasn¡¯t in the main building, and she would have passed by them if she had gone to the dorm. Where could she have gone? They were leaving the building when they found Katja, who was in as much of a rush as them.


    ¡°There you are. I¡¯ve been looking for you. We¡¯ve got an emergency.¡± The three girls almost ran into each other, but they all came to a halt before anything happened.


    ¡°Yeah, we do!¡± Narumi spoke up, barely allowing Katja to finish her sentence.


    ¡°We got information that a portal appeared near the harbor.¡±


    ¡°Carol woke up and left the infirmary.¡±


    Both of them spoke at the same time, leaving the whole group stunned. ¡°A portal appeared¡­?¡± Hecate thought before speaking up. ¡°If Carol¡¯s not in the House, then¡­¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Wait¡­ Did you look for her everywhere? Are you suggesting Carol went off on her own? Are you sure?¡± Katja put Hecate¡¯s thoughts into words.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe¡­ The only thing I¡¯m sure about is that we have to hurry!¡±


    <hr>


    The sun is setting down. Its warm glow paints the sky with a comforting orange. Me and Miyuki walk through the empty streets of Three Records City. It¡¯s always such a mystery. How does a city as big as ours have so few people walking around in the streets? One look at any of the stores on either side of the street immediately reveals the answer. Every day, everyone always has something to do and somewhere to go. That¡¯s the solution to the mystery. Me and Miyuki are the only ones left. We¡¯re the only ones left walking. We might join them soon, though. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going. I¡¯m just following her.


    I spent my whole day in my room up until now. I was feeling down and couldn¡¯t bring myself to do anything. Truth be told, I still don¡¯t feel like doing anything. Miyuki suddenly showed up and dragged me outside. She¡¯s not the type of person I can say no to, so I ended up coming with her outside. ¡°Where are we going? Why did you just show up at my home?¡± When I tried asking earlier, she just brushed it off.


    ¡°Nowhere in particular. As for why I decided to pay you a visit, let¡¯s just say that there¡¯s something wrong with you, and I felt like helping you.¡± Miyuki glanced at me over her shoulder with a subtle smile.


    Ehh? My legs stopped when I heard Miyuki¡¯s words. There¡¯s something wrong with me? I mean, I haven¡¯t been feeling great with everything that¡¯s been going on, but how would she know? And why is she offering to help me? This is my problem. She can¡¯t help me with anything. I didn¡¯t even ask her to. ¡°You¡¯re saying I have a problem right now? What would that problem be? Why would you even think that?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me? Don¡¯t you already know what¡¯s bothering you? In fact, I should be the one asking you about the problem.¡±


    But you¡¯re not, and that¡¯s what bothers me. You¡¯re the one who just showed up, acting like you know what¡¯s going on in my life. Why did she show up today? It¡¯s not a coincidence¡­ She must have known that I was feeling down, but how? There is something wrong¡­ She¡¯s right about that¡­ Ririna abandoned me, I haven¡¯t learned anything new to tell Carol¡­ I¡¯m constantly getting stuck in these positions where nothing I can do will lead anywhere. How am I supposed to not feel down?


    ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? There is something bothering you. I think you¡¯re not gonna tell me, so how about I take a guess? Your problem is related to people. You¡­ have someone waiting for you. And¡­ Oh, it¡¯s not just one person either, is it?¡± Miyuki touched her cheek, pointing to herself in an exaggeratedly cutesy manner.


    Someone waiting¡­ Ririna?! Carol? Who¡¯s she actually referring to? They¡¯re waiting for me? Wait¡­ More importantly¡­ How does she know? I- is this really Miyuki? Her mannerisms and devil may care nature are still the same, but the way she¡¯s talking and acting are different somehow. What¡¯s going?


    My words got stuck in my mouth, and I froze in place. I¡¯m scared. Miyuki turned around to face me with a mysterious smile. The two of us stared at each other in the middle of the empty street. The sounds of the occasional car passing by cutting through the monotony of the gentle wind. ¡°Uh- uhh- Uhmm¡­ How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not denying it? That must mean my guess was right!¡± Grrr¡­ Was that her game? Miyuki¡­ ¡°Hey, don¡¯t glare at me like that¡­ I get that you¡¯re confused and not feeling great, but I¡¯m on your side. I said so at the beginning, remember? We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? Friends help each other out, right?¡±


    Even if she does want to help, it¡¯s still weird. Was that really just a guess? ¡°Was that actually a trick? I- it¡¯s too suspicious! How? How did you know?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have time for that right now. Just trust me, okay?¡± Miyuki slowly approached me and grabbed my shoulders. She pulled me in close for a half hug. I would be jumping with joy if I wasn¡¯t so utterly terrified. Who is this? Is this really Miyuki? Is this the Miyuki I know, or is this the one who pushed me into the portal? It feels like everything I knew about her was a lie¡­ Can I really trust her? ¡°I promise, I¡¯m really just trying to help you. Answer my questions, okay? If you knew there were people waiting for you, how come you didn¡¯t try to meet them?¡±


    ¡°N- no¡­ You¡¯re wrong¡­ They abandoned me¡­ They don¡¯t want to meet me. What can I do about that? No matter what I try or how much I do, something¡¯s gonna go wrong anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. You¡¯re hesitating because you¡¯re overthinking it. Have they clearly told you that they didn¡¯t want to meet? Did they do anything that irrefutably meant that? Think about it¡­ Are you absolutely sure?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± No¡­ Ririna may not have shown up, but her letter said she wanted to see me. And Carol, for how harsh she can be at times, has been my ally ever since we got back¡­ Was I really just overthinking it?


    ¡°You¡¯ve been doing well. You¡¯ve changed a lot since we first met. You¡¯re no longer the same Iroha you were. Think about what went well for you, and just repeat that. No need to hesitate.¡±


    Think about what went well? What even went well? I got lucky getting the VISS Driver, managed to help Ririna with the monsters, and found Carol when she got lost in the other world. But all that was just luck, wasn¡¯t it? How am I going to repeat that? I just happened to try doing something, and everything just worked out¡­ Would I have met Ririna if I had kept trying? Wait¡­ Is Miyuki¡­ actually trying to help me?


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it! Why are you telling me all this?¡± Don¡¯t buy it¡­ This whole conversation is too weird¡­ How is she helping me? For what purpose? I don¡¯t feel as bad anymore¡­ But I don¡¯t have any clue what to think anymore!


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me earlier? There¡¯s no time for that right now.¡± No time? Why? What¡¯s so urgent? ¡°*Sigh¡­* I was trying to be subtle, but maybe that was too much for you.¡± Miyuki squeezed my shoulders tightly and looked at me with a serious face. ¡°Listen closely. One of your friends is in danger. You need to act quickly. A portal appeared near the harbor, but don¡¯t go directly there. Meet up with your allies first. Got all that?¡± Miyuki let go of my shoulders with a smile.


    Wh- what? My allies? Portals? D- did she just admit she knew about the portals? ¡°Mi- Miyuki¡­ You¡­¡± She knew¡­ She knew all along, didn¡¯t she? ¡°Did you lie to me?¡± A friend is in danger? Who? My allies? Does that mean the girls from the House of Imaginary Boundaries? How deep does this go? ¡°How much do you know?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, if you want me to explain everything right now, I don¡¯t mind. But you¡¯re gonna regret it. Focus, Iroha. Is that really your priority right now?¡±


    My priority? Someone¡¯s in danger! Who is it? If it¡¯s one of the girls from the House, I¡¯ve gotta save them, but¡­ Miyuki knows so much! I need to ask her more! Has she been lying to me this whole time? No way¡­ Is this really Miyuki? What should I do?


    ¡°Go.¡± Miyuki pushed me from behind in the direction of the House of Imaginary Boundaries. ¡°Run. Or you¡¯ll regret it. I¡¯ll answer all your questions later. When the time is right. Just go.¡± I look back at Miyuki, conflicted¡­ We can always talk later, but is she gonna tell me anything? She¡¯s right, though¡­ If something happens to one of the girls, I will regret it. But if I lose the opportunity to hear her explanation, I¡¯ll also regret it!


    Dammit¡­ Dammit dammit dammit¡­ ¡°Dammit!¡± I turned my back on Miyuki and ran off towards the House. If I¡¯m going to regret something either way, I¡¯d rather save the life of someone I care about!

 Chapter 58 – Fashion Day

    I arrived at the House of Imaginary Boundaries, and there was a black car parked near the front gate, which I had never seen before. It was a nice, expensive-looking car, similar to the ones that appear in anime in scenes where a butler opens the door for the rich young lady¡¯s introduction.


    For how confused the conversation with Miyuki made me, it seems she really wasn¡¯t lying. As I was making my way inside, I saw Katja, Hecate, and Narumi running back and forth, carrying various things to the car. There¡¯s no doubt about it. Something did happen. I felt a chill running down my spine and ran up to the car. ¡°Uhmm¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Iroha? You got some nerve revealing your presence at this point in time.¡± Hecate was heading back to the main building but stopped when she heard my voice. She turned around and approached me. A briefcase in her hand made a small clicking sound and started to change shape. Is that a weapon? I think I remember seeing Katja use a similar thing. Her sword had a similarly mechanical design that could be compacted into the height of a phone. The various parts of the briefcase clicked into place one by one, eventually taking the shape of a big sniper rifle.


    ¡°Ehh!?!? What?!?¡± As soon as Hecate¡¯s weapon took shape, she lifted it up with both hands and pointed it at my face. What the hell did I do? Why is she pointing that at me? Did I show up at a bad time? Is this how I¡¯m gonna die? I didn¡¯t do anything! I¡¯m innocent! I swear!


    ¡°What are you doing, Hecate? We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Katja grabbed Hecate¡¯s shoulder and pushed down the barrel of the rifle. Whew¡­ I¡¯m saved¡­ Thank god for Katja showing up! I¡¯m saved!


    ¡°D- did I show up at a bad time? What¡¯s going on? Did I do something wrong?¡± I know our relationship is not at the point where we can start smushing lips together, but it¡¯s not bad enough for me to get a sniper pointed at me, is it?


    ¡°Did you do something wrong? You mean to tell me that Carol¡¯s curse is not your doing?¡± Hecate was no longer pointing her weapon at me, but her hostility was still there. She had a distressed look on her face, like she was about to avenge a fallen friend. I¡¯m pretty sure whatever she¡¯s mad about is not my fault. I¡¯ve barely left my room the past couple days¡­ I couldn¡¯t have done anything.


    ¡°Curse? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Carol has spent the last few days in a deep slumber. Her health was perfectly normal, but nothing we did roused her from her sleep. It all started when you stopped showing up! You could have tried to help, but you didn¡¯t even show up! It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    Wait¡­ Carol was¡­ in a coma? Is she serious? How is it my fault? Just because I didn¡¯t show up? Could it be¡­ because of those weird magic bracelets on Carol¡¯s anklets? Ughh¡­ I had no idea¡­ I didn¡¯t know they would put her in a coma¡­ ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°Carol¡¯s gone.¡± Hecate says it with an expressionless face.


    Gone? Wait¡­ What does that mean? She isn¡¯t dead, is she? That¡¯s a lie¡­ It has to be a-


    ¡°Carol woke up, but then she disappeared.¡± She isn¡¯t dead? That¡¯s a relief¡­ ¡°Hecate was going to check up on her before she started making dinner, but then her bed was empty. A portal with monsters appeared near the harbor, and after looking around the House, we concluded that¡¯s where she¡¯s headed.¡±


    She went off by herself? What is she thinking? Is this because she¡¯s trying to find out more about the portals, or¡­? It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ ¡°That¡¯s completely reckless¡­ We gotta save her!¡±


    ¡°We?¡± Hecate raised her rifle again. ¡°How could we possibly trust you?¡± Eeek!! Again?! ¡°You didn¡¯t show up the whole time Carol was fighting her curse, and now you claim you wish to save her? How do we know you¡¯re not planning something again?¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything! I didn¡¯t do anything before either! I swear! Think about it. If I wanted to harm Carol, I wouldn¡¯t have brought her back safely to you guys. It just doesn¡¯t make sense, right?¡±


    Katja once again pushed Hecate¡¯s rifle down and intervened. ¡°You¡¯re completely right, Iroha. You¡¯re not at fault for any of this. Even Hecate knows that, she just gets easily agitated when it comes to our safety. Come on, Hecate. Stop trying to blame Iroha for what happened. You¡¯re smarter than this.¡±


    Hecate clicked a button on her sniper, and it turned back into a briefcase. ¡°Fine¡­ Let¡¯s say I trust you for now. You can accompany us if you want, but if I see you trying anything funny, I won¡¯t hesitate to shoot. I¡¯ll have you prove yourself through your deeds.¡± Should I be relieved¡­ scared? I don¡¯t even know at this point¡­ I knew this before, but Hecate really doesn¡¯t mess around when it comes to her companions, huh?


    ¡°Alright, I accept! All I want is to save Carol. If you¡¯re gonna keep an eye on me, that¡¯s all you¡¯re gonna see. I won¡¯t even give you an opportunity to shoot.¡± Yeah¡­ Her condition is nothing¡­ I wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything to harm any of them. I don¡¯t have anything to fear¡­ I¡¯ll show her just what I can do¡­ She won¡¯t be able to doubt me anymore after today!


    ¡°Suit yourself then.¡± Hecate scoffed and went back to the car. She pushed her ¡®briefcase¡¯ first before entering herself. Sh- should I have stayed home? I hope I didn¡¯t just make things worse¡­ It seems like this is always how it goes whenever I try to do something¡­ Not like I have a choice this time¡­ Carol¡¯s life is on the line. This is one where I can¡¯t opt out.


    ¡°Thanks for showing up, Iroha. I know the reception was rough, but we can really use your help.¡± Katja stayed behind and watched Hecate enter the car.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Like I said, I want to help Carol too. There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Since you¡¯re here, come with me. We need to make sure you¡¯re ready to fight.¡± Katja asked me to follow her, and we entered the main building together.


    ¡°What do you mean by making sure I¡¯m ready? The only preparation I need is to grab my sword, right?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly¡­ We got something for you. A new outfit.¡±


    ¡°A new outfit?¡± Now? Is it going to be a shirt with their logo or something?


    ¡°Yeah. You see, the clothes we¡¯re all wearing right now may look normal to you, but they¡¯re made with a special fabric. It¡¯s a very elastic and sturdy material, making it ideal for combat. Think of it as armor, if you will.¡±


    ¡°Armor?¡± That¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard of this¡­ Hecate was wearing one of her usual dark dresses, but Katja has a white, one-piece battle dress that looks different from her usual casual clothes. I thought she was just trying to look cute with the pink accents matching her hair.


    ¡°I put in an order for your outfit a while ago, and it has recently arrived.¡± We got to the entrance of the dojo¡¯s changing room, and there was a paper bag on top of a card box next to the wall. Katja picked up the bag and handed it to me. ¡°Go in and change into that. Try not to take too long. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Huh¡­? I wasn¡¯t really expecting this¡­ Is this going to fit me? I have a lot of questions, but now¡¯s not the time. I entered the changing room and quickly changed clothes.


    ¡­


    ¡°Wo- wow¡­¡± That¡¯s a look¡­ One look in the mirror, and I was stunned. What Katja gave was a simple, black, tight battle dress without any sleeves. It came with a pair of matching thigh-highs and a detached sleeve. It feels really weird to be wearing this¡­ It doesn¡¯t suit me, or at least it shouldn¡¯t, but I feel some kind of strange affinity. It¡¯s ominous¡­ Like a premonition. I- It¡¯s a bit too revealing, though¡­ Kinda embarrassing¡­


    ¡°Are you done, Iroha? Can I enter?¡± Katja asked from the outside, and I nodded back to her. ¡°It looks good on you. Fits you nicely too. You¡¯ll be much safer now. It may not look that impressive, but that fabric can even stop bullets. Any bullet shot from a bad angle will simply bounce off. But even if you¡¯re shot straight on, anything low caliber can¡¯t pierce that fabric. Anything that can will be slowed down and is unlikely to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? It¡¯s that strong?¡± What kind of material is this? It stretches if I pull it, but when I try tapping it, it hardens, and I don¡¯t feel anything. Non-Newtonian fabric? I have no clue.


    ¡°It is that strong, but that doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t need to be careful. Monster attacks behave weirdly. Sometimes, an attack that looks very weak causes much more damage than one that looks strong. Like a butter knife cutting better than a katana. Looks can be deceiving. Keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind¡­¡± That difference is probably due to stats, isn¡¯t it? The strength of a monster is determined by its level and its stats. For normal people, a weapon is stronger than a punch, but that might change once we take stats into consideration. At least, that¡¯s what I think she meant.


    ¡°Please do. These clothes are the pinnacle of modern combat technology. The protection they provide is amazing. But the best part is carrying this much survivability without having to sacrifice mobility. In fact, the way the fabric is set up actually stimulates the muscles in a way that allows you to draw more strength than normal. It doesn¡¯t just retain mobility¡ªit increases mobility.¡± She seems oddly excited¡­ This is just how she was acting when she was putting together the training plan for me. Does she like experimenting with equipment? Maybe it¡¯s the managing aspect she enjoys.


    ¡°I think I get it already¡­ Thanks for getting this for me. I¡¯ll make good use of it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Katja¡¯s lips curved up slightly. ¡°Here you go. I grabbed your sword for you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± I grabbed my sword, and Katja exhaled a small laugh. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± Is it my clothes? Do they look weird on me?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ It¡¯s just that you look ready now. You look like a real fighter. If I ran into you and didn¡¯t know you, I would look at you with a bated breath.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ Thanks! You¡¯re right, though. I am ready. We should get going, right?¡± After a moment of silence, Katja nodded her head, and we went back to the car. How¡¯s Carol doing right now? I hope we find her soon. I won¡¯t let anything happen to her. I don¡¯t know what awaits us in the harbor, but they better be ready!

 Chapter 59 – Drive me to the Ocean

    Are we there yet? I really don¡¯t want to be here¡­ What is up with the heavy atmosphere in this car? Why is no one saying anything? Was the harbor always so far away? I may have gone there once when I was younger, but I don¡¯t remember much. The harbor is on the other end of the city compared to the House of Imaginary Boundaries, I know that much. But since we entered the highway, it shouldn¡¯t take that long to get there, right? I really hope so¡­ I want out of this awkward ride.


    Katja was the one sitting behind the driver¡¯s wheel. Her calm yet serious look reflected on the rear-view mirror. She was focused on the road, and that¡¯s pretty much it. When I saw her drive that pickup truck before, I wasn¡¯t sure why she was allowed to drive. Was it because we were on private property? Well, we¡¯re on a public road right now, so that clears up things. She must have some kind of special permission due to our line of work. Good for her.


    Sitting next to Katja was Hecate. If I shifted around in my seat, I was able to catch a peek at her through the mirror. But whenever I did, Hecate would spot me, and our eyes would cross. She wasn¡¯t too happy with my presence, so she was keeping her eye on me. It got kinda scary after she noticed me three times in a row, so I learned my lesson. I don¡¯t need to look at her face right now. I¡¯ll just stay put back here. Hopefully she forgets I exist for now. We can clear things up later, after Carol¡¯s safe, and she has calmed down.


    Narumi next to me could be the one to break some of the tension. But she¡¯s resting against the door, tapping away at her phone while looking bored. She¡¯s always kinda goofy and so talkative¡­ Why did she have to go quiet now? That reminds me. I¡¯ve seen Katja¡¯s weapon before. I saw Hecate¡¯s weapon up close just now. Too close, might I add. Narumi¡¯s the only one left out of everyone here. I wonder what her weapon looks like. Katja¡¯s looked like a normal sword, but Hecate turned a briefcase into a sniper. Which camp does Narumi¡¯s weapon fall into? Is it also something crazy? Ughh¡­ I could just ask, but I don¡¯t want to be the one breaking the silence¡­ It¡¯s too awkward¡­


    Then, there¡¯s me. Sitting in the back next to Narumi. Feeling nervous. That¡¯s it. That¡¯s all I do. The car¡¯s atmosphere is one thing, but there is a good reason for me to be nervous. I¡¯m heading somewhere I¡¯ve barely seen before to fight some monster I don¡¯t know anything about. No matter how much I joke around, this is the real deal.


    Ever since I¡¯ve joined the House of Imaginary Boundaries, they told me that one day, if my training went well, I¡¯d be joining the rest of the girls on the frontlines. That day is now. I¡¯ve always had other reasons to fight, but officially speaking, all my training was to fight alongside them like this. Carol is the main thing on my mind, but this really is my first mission, huh? I might have been shaking right now if it wasn¡¯t for my experience with Ririna in the valley. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be as bad as that, so I just need to prove myself and show them what I¡¯ve learned. I¡¯m pretty confident I can do that.


    How different would this ride be if I went to the House earlier? Could I have stopped Carol? Would she be here with us? Maybe the mood wouldn¡¯t be so heavy. I really shouldn¡¯t have holed myself up in my room for so long¡­ But now¡¯s not the time for this¡­ We¡¯re gonna be arriving at the harbor soon, so it¡¯s time to focus. At least we should be arriving soon¡­ I can¡¯t wait to get out of this car¡­


    Again, I ask, are we there yet?


    ¡­


    The answer is yes, actually! Maybe it wasn¡¯t a yes right when I last asked, but it is now. We¡¯ve arrived. Everyone quickly gets out the car and rushes to take out all their stuff. My sword and these clothes are all I have, so I take a look around. Is Carol nearby?


    The sun¡¯s setting down in the distance behind a very large ship ahead of us. Half the many warehouses and buildings of the harbor are covered in shadow despite the sky holding onto its warm orange color. To our right, the water in the ocean crashes against the cement rather violently. The waves are few, but they¡¯re big enough to splash the land above. I¡¯ll have to be careful not to slip.


    I looked back to the car, and everyone was more or less ready. ¡°Are we gonna look for Carol?¡± The girls were exchanging some words, nodding to each other, and narrowing down the strategy.


    Katja turned to me and answered with a tense look. ¡°No, we can¡¯t. First and foremost, our job is to fight and clear any monsters that may appear near the portal. That¡¯s our duty. We can¡¯t all look for Carol.¡±


    We can¡¯t look for Carol? ¡°Wait. What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°We have to split up. Our priority is to ensure the safety of the harbor, and we¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble later if we can¡¯t do that. That being said, Carol¡¯s really important, so Narumi¡¯s gonna go off on her own while we stand guard. Don¡¯t worry, Iroha. If Carol¡¯s nearby, Narumi will find her for sure.¡±


    So that¡¯s how it is¡­ Is Narumi really going to be able to find Carol? I really wanted to join the search, but maybe it¡¯s fine to leave it to Narumi. They all care a lot about each other, so I know she¡¯ll do her best to find her. The House works for some government thing, so I can¡¯t jeopardize their future with my selfishness. ¡°We¡¯re splitting up then. I understand.¡± Katja nodded with a pleased smile.


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    Narumi turned her back to us and got into a position to run. ¡°Leave it to me! I¡¯ll find Carol and bring her back safely. This time is my turn, Iroha.¡± Narumi shot me a wink over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll join you when I¡¯m done.¡± Narumi waved her hand and sprinted into the jungle of warehouses. We¡¯re counting on you.


    ¡°Shinji got us permission to enter the building behind me, so I¡¯ll be setting things up there.¡± Hecate pointed at the tallest warehouse in the area. I see¡­ She has a sniper, so she needs a place up high to support us. ¡°I¡¯ll be praying for your success, and Iroha, I have my eye on you. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡± After sending a chill down my spine, Hecate turned back and climbed the building¡¯s service stairs up to the rooftop with her briefcase in hand. Is there any monster scarier than having her cover my back? I kinda hope so.


    ¡°Before we head off, remember how we¡¯ve told you we work with the government, Iroha?¡± It was just me and Katja left near the car now.


    ¡°Yeah¡­? What about it?¡±


    ¡°Let me explain our connection with them better. We work directly with a government branch called the Paranormal Security Forces. PSF, for short. They¡¯re tasked with everything related to the portals. From fighting the monsters, to the cleanup afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± So they¡¯re the ones who would dissect me alive if they caught me¡­ Not sure why she¡¯s bringing this up now, but¡­ ¡°Good to know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because they¡¯ve already evacuated everyone near the harbor. There shouldn¡¯t be any civilians around here anymore, so it¡¯s unlikely that we¡¯re gonna be rescuing anyone. All we need to do is buy time and prevent any monster from leaving the restricted area.¡±


    ¡°Buy time? For what? Are we not even supposed to fight monsters?¡± If so, I feel bad for Katja and the others. All that training and strength, and they¡¯re not even allowed to fight?


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. The PSF fighters take longer than us to be deployed. Our task is considered a success if we can prevent an escalation of the problem before their arrival. We¡¯re just a team of five even after you¡¯ve joined us. It¡¯s unreasonable for them to expect us to kill hundreds of monsters on our own.¡± Is it? I think I could handle one thousand. Just depends on the type of monster. ¡°On the flip side, if the problem is small enough that we can handle it on our own, no one¡¯s gonna complain if we solve things before the PSF shows up.¡±


    ¡°In order words, we can have as much fun as we want before they arrive.¡± I kinda like it¡­ If the enemy¡¯s weak, we get to have fun. If it¡¯s strong, we buy time and dump the problem on someone else. Maybe the House doesn¡¯t always get the short end of the stick.


    Katja chuckled at my words. ¡°You may be right, but saying that is too cocky for a rookie like you. Try that again when you¡¯re able to run a full marathon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about running, but when it comes to fighting, I think I might make the cut.¡±


    Katja shook her head with a smile. She was expecting to see me cowering, trembling at the prospect of messing up during my first mission. ¡°Someone¡¯s confident today. That¡¯s good to see.¡± I can say whatever I want, but I¡¯m still a bit nervous. There¡¯s a good chance that the monsters, if there are any, will be weaklings. But the opposite could also be true. It just depends on their levels and their numbers. We¡¯re going in blind, and that¡¯s what scares me the most. ¡°Are you ready, then, Iroha? Let¡¯s head to the location where the portal is.¡±


    Katja started running, and I followed her lead. After a few minutes and passing by many warehouses, we were just about to arrive at the spot. ¡°Hide.¡± Katja stopped as she said and pulled me with her to behind the corner of a warehouse.


    ¡°Did you see something?¡± She lifted her index finger in front of her lips and poked her head out. What the hell did she see? I followed her lead and poked around the corner as well. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Seems like this portal wasn¡¯t a dud.¡±


    Illuminated by the faint glow in the sky, a group of monsters was gathering near a ledge. They climbed out of the water one by one. Those are¡­ quite disgusting, actually. What are they? Fish monsters? Fish people? Somewhere between those two things. They were shaped like humans, but their bodies were covered in scales. Their hands and feet were webbed, and they all had a tail with fins. Same fins found on their limbs and back. Their face was the worst part. Like the head of a fish molded and twisted into a human shape. Yeah¡­ No thanks¡­ The water still on their blue and white, translucent scales glistened with an orange tint, reflecting the light from the sky.


    That¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna be fighting, huh? They don¡¯t look that strong. They look kinda clumsy when they come out of the water. Like a child still learning how to walk. They all carry weathered weapons with them. Rudimentary swords, spears¡­ hooks? Long stick with a hook at the end? That¡¯s what passes as a weapon for them?


    Well, if that¡¯s it, fighting them is gonna be a breeze. By looks alone, I fought stronger monsters back in the other world. Wait¡­ I need to hold back¡­ I almost forgot. Katja¡¯s with me, and Hecate is supposedly keeping an eye on me¡­ If I do anything too flashy, I¡¯m gonna get a bullet to my back. How much do I need to hold back then? No running on walls, no Slash Flurry¡­ What else? I guess the best thing to do is to avoid using any active skills. I¡¯ll just fight normally and minimize my skill usage. That should work.


    ¡°Are we attacking them, Katja?¡±


    ¡°We are. They¡¯re still organizing, so let¡¯s take them by surprise. Mind your surroundings and focus on survival. If I end up needing to cover for you, that¡¯s the end of our fight. I won¡¯t be able to continue while keeping you safe.¡±


    Focus on survival, huh? Flanne and Sarasa had to cover for me in the Forest of Illusion. I can¡¯t make the same mistake. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Things are much different compared to back then. Katja¡¯s directions make the situation much less stressful than with the pumpkin monster. It¡¯s much more efficient¡­ if it ends up working.


    ¡°Wait a few seconds before moving. Good luck, Iroha.¡± With that, Katja jumped out from cover and dashed to the dozens of fish creatures standing near the water.


    Before they even react to what¡¯s going on, Katja cuts down the first enemy with a diagonal slash. They¡¯re confused. Beyond the first monster¡¯s body, another creature slowly turns around, searching for the source of the slicing sound. Katja skewers its head with thrust. The group is now aware of the threat. They lost two members in less than a second. A moment of panic allows Katja to pull her sword out and decapitate a third monster. Now they¡¯re in position. Now they¡¯re ready to fight. Three monsters down before the fight even begins? Not a bad start for Katja.


    The monsters turned to Katja, weapons clutched and pointing at her. Unaware that she was not alone. It¡¯s my turn now! With their attention focused on her, I rushed with my sword drawn. I put my strength into a slash and take the first one down from behind. It¡¯s a weird sensation. Their scales are hard, offering some resistance in the moment of impact, but then the sword glides like they¡¯re made out of butter. Well, at least it doesn¡¯t take much to kill them. I was scared Katja was making it look easy because she was just that strong, but they¡¯re the ones who are weak.


    The group panicked once more, their attention split between Katja and me. Which one was the real threat? Both! I stepped up to my next target, who held its spear sideways for protection. I slashed through its body and spear with a single slash. Too shallow¡­ A follow-up, and I finish it off! With that, no more element of surprise. I got one less than her, huh? That¡¯s too bad.


    The monsters hurriedly organized into a formation with their backs towards the water. Behind them, other monsters jumped out of the water with a splash. They clung onto the ledge before mantling up to the ground. They have reinforcements? How many of them are there? This might not be so easy¡­


    Two more got up to the surface and joined the formation. A third one was slowly lifting itself up, when¡­


    *Bang!*


    Hecate! A bullet hit its head and sent it back into the water from whence it came. Hecate has opened fire. She¡¯s in position. The fish monsters are in position. Me and Katja are in position. This is it then. The fight starts now!

 Chapter 60 – Forced Retreat

    No plan survives contact with the enemy, and war is hell. What started as an organized fight between our group and the fish monsters quickly devolved into a chaotic brawl. Luckily for us, we have the advantage. The monsters initially organized into a formation, facing me and Katja. But after one of their reinforcements got shot by Hecate, they quickly realized they would be sitting ducks if they stood still.


    Me and Katja first attacked the ones sticking out, which resulted in their nearby allies breaking formation to retaliate. Their rushed, clumsy movements were easy to dodge and only gave us more easy targets. After a few failures, their whole formation broke apart, and that¡¯s the point where we¡¯re at now.


    The two of us maneuvered around their weapons, surrounded by dozens of wet footsteps at all times. The many splashing sounds drowned out by the sound of metal clashing and the occasional bang echoing in the distance. When the opportunity presents itself, we cut them down one by one. Katja weaves and dodges every single one of their slashes and stabs in between unleashing her own attacks. It¡¯s a dance optimized to perfection.


    I was trying to mimic Katja, but I promised I¡¯d stay safe. It¡¯s hard to do both without heavily relying on my skills. I¡¯ve managed to avoid all their blades so far. One of them managed to hit me with the stick of one of their spears, and another with its claw. Both hit parts covered by my outfit, and I barely felt anything. But those two hits were enough to make me realize I can¡¯t compete with Katja just yet. Not without using some of my crazy active skills. I settled for a lower pace and continued to take them down one by one. At this speed, I can only maintain two or three stacks of Violence Impulse active. They¡¯re nice to have, but they don¡¯t make a bombastic difference.


    The portal we had been looking for was floating above the water nearby. Every couple seconds, one of their allies would jump out into the water. It took them around 30 seconds to swim to the shore and join the fight. If Hecate lets them get that far, that is. All the cut, raw fish is reminding me of something¡­ Miyuki? Sushi? Oh no¡­ Stop thinking about it, Iroha! I¡¯m going to make myself feel sick¡­


    I put some distance between me and the monsters attacking me. Katja¡¯s fight caught my eye. She¡¯s doing really well. ¡°Optimized to perfection¡­¡± That¡¯s the only thing that comes to mind while watching her move. If there¡¯s one thing Katja has going for her, it¡¯s her skill. Are there people in the other world fighting against creatures like these? Even they would be impressed with her, I¡¯m sure. How would Sarasa and Flanne fare in this situation compared to her? Sarasa¡¯s fighting style is not too different from Katja¡¯s, but she gets up to some crazy antics while fighting. Flanne has magic over Katja, but Katja doesn¡¯t need it. Her magic is the level of polish in every single one of her moves. She knows the best thing to do at any time and performs it flawlessly. At least that¡¯s what I see with my inexperienced eyes.


    No matter how many of them come at her swinging their weapons, it really looks like not a single one will ever reach her. However, at some point, a different-colored fish joined their ranks. Instead of the translucent blue most of the fish had, this one¡¯s scales were yellow. While Katja was busy weaving through the group¡¯s attacks, the yellow monster convulsed before spitting a liquid at her. Katja was surrounded and couldn¡¯t get out of the way of the liquid. She covered her face with her hand, leading to her arm getting splashed.


    That¡¯s her target. That one¡¯s dangerous. Katja shakes off some of the liquid with a swing of her arms and cuts her way to the yellow fish. In a flash, her sword is buried in the creature¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t any stronger than the others. It only realized it had died when Katja pulled her sword from its head.


    Katja struggles when pulling her sword out. She stumbles, like her legs are getting weak. This delay gives time for the monsters to catch up to her. Was that because of that liquid? Was it poison? ¡°My body¡­ is numb?¡± Katja grits her teeth while fending off the monster approaching. Wait¡­ Isn¡¯t this getting kinda bad? She¡¯s numb? Is that a status effect? Paralysis? Should I do something?


    She¡¯s quickly losing the upper hand. She manages to parry and retaliate against two of her attackers, but the third one hits her torso from the side. ¡°Gah!¡± Katja let out a pained gasp and swung her sword, getting revenge on her attacker. The monster¡¯s sword was dull and couldn¡¯t cut her clothes, but she still felt the impact. If I jump in, I¡¯ll need to use some of my skills. At the very least, I¡¯ll have to reveal Agility Burst, and who knows what else. She doesn¡¯t need my help, though. This is Katja we¡¯re talking about. She¡¯ll be fine¡­


    Katja then jumps back, trying to put some distance between her and the monsters. She slips during the landing and falls to her knees. Keeping herself straight by clinging onto her sword, Katja sees the monster slowly closing in on her. Suddenly, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. She doesn¡¯t need my help? She¡¯ll be fine? Those are just excuses. Why am I making excuses? I¡¯m just scared! Scared something might happen if my secrets are discovered¡ªscared of failing to save her? That¡¯s stupid! How many times am I going to hesitate because of this? These dumb fish can¡¯t do anything to me! Choosing between Katja and keeping my secrets isn¡¯t even a question!


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    ¡°Katja!¡± I instantly sprinted towards Katja with Agility Burst. My loud voice caught the dumbass creatures¡¯ attention. Many of them stood up with their weapons raised between me and Katja. As if that¡¯s gonna stop me! With my speed, I ran through the field of blades, avoiding and deflecting their slashes and stabs until I got to Katja. I impaled two blocking the path with Heart Piercer, and flung their bodies away before reaching her.


    ¡°I- Iroha¡­?¡± I could try fighting while protecting her, but that¡¯s a bad idea. I should take her to safety first. ¡°Gyaah!¡± I lifted Katja and kicked off a nearby wall to jump over the approaching monsters. *Bang bang bang!* Hecate was paying attention, and the sound of her sniper intensified not long after Katja had fallen down to one of her knees.


    I carried Katja near the warehouse we first hid behind. We¡¯re still in line of sight of the monsters, but they have decided not to chase after seeing the ones who tried getting shot by Hecate. That should buy us some time. ¡°How are you doing? Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± My question caught Katja by surprise. ¡°My body¡¯s numb, but I¡¯m fine. More importantly, what did you just do?¡± Guhh¡­ I knew she wouldn¡¯t just let it slide¡­ I¡¯m too agitated right now, so I can¡¯t even think of what to say.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve been training, remember? I told you I might make the cut when it comes to fighting.¡± Katja¡¯s eyes opened wide for a moment.


    ¡°R- really? That¡¯s¡­¡± That¡¯s a bit of a stretch? I know¡­ ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t think I can keep fighting. We¡¯ve killed around 50 of them¡­ We can pull back now¡­ We¡¯ve bought enough time.¡± Katja was sitting against the wall of a nearby warehouse, tired and gasping for air.


    ¡°I can keep going.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I turned to the horde, sword in hand. Now this is a familiar sight¡­ The conditions are all here¡­ ¡°What did you say?¡± Katja couldn¡¯t understand what I just said, and her head snapped towards me. ¡°You want to keep fighting? By yourself? Are you going insane? We don¡¯t have to fight anymore! They¡¯re not gonna chase us!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Trust me.¡± Katja gritted her teeth and looked at the floor. ¡°Can you signal Hecate to hold her fire? Tell her to regroup.¡±


    ¡°I can, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Please do¡­!¡± I broke into a mad dash before I even finished speaking.


    Point your weapons at me. Cut me. Stab me. It doesn¡¯t bother me. Somehow, I¡¯m used to that. Try to hurt Katja, however? No! I can¡¯t stand that!


    I dash back in. No holding back this time! I can kill any of them with a single, well-placed slash. That¡¯s what I¡¯ll do! One, two, three. Violence Impulse rapidly stacks. As my strength increases, the sounds of weapons clashing quickly turn into those of metal snapping violently. With enough power, one slash is enough to break a sword and cut a stupid fish in half. They¡¯re more relentless than they look, though. Even when their allies are being attacked, the others take the opportunity to try to attack me. The ones with spears and similar weapons thrust blindly at me. While the ones with shorter weapons go for all or nothing charges, trying to land one attack before their inevitable deaths. It¡¯s their loss. They¡¯ve realized that already. The only ones left able to block are the ones struggling to defend against the shockwaves of my attacks.


    With less than half of them still standing, I spotted two yellow creatures hiding behind some of the other monsters. They¡¯re just like the ones who hit Katja with paralysis. They¡¯ll pay for what they¡¯ve done! There weren¡¯t many monsters left on land. One small group of normal fish stood in front of these two special ones. After a short, one-sided clash, it was just me and the two yellow idiots. One of them started doing the motions to spew its paralysis at me. Screw it! I know I shouldn¡¯t, but¡­ Slash Flurry! Filleted in a blink of an eye. The other one turned around and tried escaping into the water. An action the remaining survivors copied. I had a vendetta with this one, so I¡¯m not letting it get away! By combining Agility Burst and Heart Piercer, I slide across the wet ground with a devastating thrust, skewering the creature as it was trying to dive into the ocean.


    Splash after splash, the defeated monsters jumped back into the water and swam back to the portal in a panic. Yeah¡­ Go away. Don¡¯t let me catch you again. At a distance they presumed safe, some of their own were floating with their heads poking above the water. What are you staring at? I picked a broken piece of metal off the floor and threw it at the nearest one. It let out a pained grunt, and it, together with the rest of the onlookers, joined the fighters in their retreat.


    That¡¯s a wrap. Looks like they¡¯ve finished retreating¡­ I really scared them at the end, didn¡¯t I? Hopefully, they learn to stay away from portals from now on. That would be the best for everyone.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± I went back to where Katja was sitting down. Her face was frozen, with her mouth slightly open. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± It¡¯s probably a good idea to bring Katja back to the car and regroup with Hecate. If her numbness is really the typical paralysis status effect you see in games, it won¡¯t kill her. But I can¡¯t imagine the feeling of numbness being particularly pleasant. She¡¯ll feel better sitting in the car.


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­¡± Katja took a second to respond, then tried to stand up, using the wall as support. Her body was still numb, so I wrapped her arm over my shoulder.


    ¡°You can lean up on me.¡± Whew¡­ That was something else¡­ Did I overdo it? Well, Katja¡¯s safe. I haven¡¯t been shot either, so maybe everything¡¯s alright.


    <hr>


    ¡°Get back here!¡± In a shadowy access between warehouses, a girl with a simple katana chased a fish-looking monster. ¡°Tsk¡­ Why are you running? Just die!¡± The monster wobbles in a panic, hearing the sound of footsteps closing in from behind.


    The fish creature arrives at an open area with a body of water right ahead, but is stopped by an attack in its path. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± The girl says as she forces the monster to step back until its back is up against a wall.


    The monster draws its rudimentary sword and swings it at her. She dodges and immediately counters with her own attack. ¡°Finally¡­ It¡¯s dead! Is this the last one of them?¡± The girl approaches the body and stabs her sword down again, for no particular reason. ¡°Ahahahaha! See? What did I say? I can handle this! All by myself¡­¡±


    She stabbed her sword into the body over and over again. There was no one around, yet she continued to talk. ¡°Shut up¡­ Shut up shut up shut up! I handled this on my own! I¡¯m not useless! I¡¯m on the same level as Hecate, and Katja, and Narumi! I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help¡­¡±


    Her voice and the monotonous sound of her stabs muffled the sound of the ripples in the water behind her. ¡°Carol?! Behind you!¡± A loud splash and a familiar voice. Those two noises snapped her out of her trance.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The familiar voice carried a weapon that quickly extended into a long handle with a thick blade at the end. She gripped the bottom of the handle with both hands and swung it like a baseball bat. The sturdy metal at the end clashed with the tip of a trident, stopping the thrust from the creature that had just emerged.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± The girl with the sword turned around and saw the familiar figure facing the creature that had just tried to attack her. ¡°A mermaid?¡±

 Chapter 61 – Cuts and Bruises

    ¡°Thank you, Iroha.¡± Katja was still numb from the paralysis, so I lent her my shoulder as we got back to the car. She could barely feel her legs, so she limped the whole way back. She let go of my shoulder when we got to the car and laid against it with a small thud. ¡°Can you open the door?¡± She forced herself to stay up, then grabbed my shoulder again when the door was opened. I caught her weight and helped her maneuver into the car¡¯s seat. ¡°Finally¡­ The numbness is subsiding. I should be able to walk soon.¡± The car¡¯s door remained open, and her legs remained outside.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± I guess I was right in calling it paralysis. General numbness that wears off after a while. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen the paralysis status effect defined before, but that¡¯s what it looks like in every game I¡¯ve ever played. ¡°That numbness is all you felt, right? No other effects?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ No, that was it. My body just got numb all of a sudden after getting splashed by the monster¡¯s¡­ venom? Spit? Vomit? Whatever that was.¡± That¡¯s a relief¡­ If she had been poisoned on top of being paralyzed, that would have been awful.


    ¡°There you are! What were you thinking?¡± Hecate ran up to us with her brief swinging by her side. Her words are directed at me, and she doesn¡¯t seem too happy. ¡°Have you gone mad? Have you been possessed? Why didn¡¯t you retreat immediately after grabbing Katja?¡± Hecate stopped right in front of me and Katja. Her face was filled with worry, but she weaved a sigh of relief after seeing Katja sitting down peacefully. ¡°Explain yourself. What kind of trick did you pull? Were you always that sanguine? You tell me not to support you, then rush in by yourself? What¡¯s going on through your head?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Well¡­¡± Me being sanguine? ¡°I didn¡¯t know about it myself, but you might be right. They pissed me off. I couldn¡¯t stop myself.¡± They did piss me off. That¡¯s part of the reason why I attacked them. Doesn¡¯t justify why I was able to kill them all, but maybe she won¡¯t probe¡­ I showed off too much¡­


    ¡°Are you genuinely mad? You did all that because they pissed you off? You and Katja would both be dead if that hadn¡¯t worked out somehow! I¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, stop there, Hecate. It¡¯s alright. She forced the monsters to retreat, so our job is pretty much done here. Well done, Iroha.¡± Hecate was starting to get heated when Katja cut her off.


    ¡°Fine¡­ Maybe it is a good thing that you went crazy. You pulled Katja out of trouble when she needed it the most. I can¡¯t even imagine what awful things might have happened if you hadn¡¯t recklessly charged in. They even hit you in the process, didn¡¯t they? Thank you for rescuing Katja, Iroha.¡±


    Ehh? Did she just thank me? That¡¯s a weird turn around¡­ ¡°Y- yeah¡­? My pleasure?¡± I looked at the parts of my body not covered by my outfit where I had felt some stinging earlier. It seemed more painful at the time, but most wounds are closed by now. Guess it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. ¡°I think I¡¯m fine¡­ I didn¡¯t get hurt that much¡­¡±


    ¡°What about you, Katja? Are you unharmed?¡± Hecate turned to Katja with a much lighter look on her face.


    ¡°She just got hit with paralysis. It¡¯s harmless, and it should wear off soon.¡±


    ¡°Paralysis?¡± Both of them stopped and looked at me with some confusion. Was that game slang? I guess they aren¡¯t familiar with paralysis as a status effect¡­


    ¡°I mean¡­ She said her body was numb but that it was getting better. If that¡¯s all that¡¯s wrong with her, she¡¯ll be fine¡­ Right?¡± Hecate was still somewhat confused and turned her head to Katja.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the gist of it, Hecate. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ If you say so. That weird liquid only made you numb, but what about other wounds? I saw some of their weapons reach you.¡±


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    ¡°Nothing serious. They only hit my armor.¡± Her military-grade battle dress. A grade higher perhaps. ¡°More importantly, what about Carol and Narumi? Has she found her yet?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, no. I was keeping an eye on Narumi¡¯s location from above, but I lost track of her after some buildings cut off my line of sight.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Should one of us go look for them?¡± Katja wonders out loud. We should! I wanna find Carol as soon as possible!


    I was looking in the direction that Hecate gestured that she had lost track of Narumi¡¯s movements when a shadow suddenly showed up. ¡°What? Carol?¡± She was running towards us, making her easy to identify once she got close.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Hecate looked over the car in Carol¡¯s direction while Katja twisted around in her seat.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­ Ahhh¡­ You have to hurry¡­ You have to go to Narumi!¡± Carol hunched over with her hands on knees, panting.


    ¡°It¡¯s just you? Where¡¯s Narumi? Did something happen?¡± Hecate asked Carol, getting worried once again.


    ¡°A monster showed up. She engaged in combat with the monster and forced me to run away.¡±


    ¡°What were you doing to run into a monster? Why did you rush here on your own?¡± Hecate inquired about the reason behind her disappearance.


    ¡°I¡­ Sorry¡­ It was an accident¡­¡± An accident, Carol says? How did she come here as an accident? More importantly¡­


    ¡°Is Narumi alright? Narumi¡¯s can handle herself in a fight, right? Is the monster that strong?¡± I¡¯m worried about Narumi now. Even if Carol¡¯s safe, now someone else might be in trouble. I know Hecate wants to figure out why Carol left the House on her own, but now¡¯s not the time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I think Carol¡¯s stronger¡­ At worst, it¡¯s an even matchup. The problem is that the monster looks like a mermaid. A weird mermaid, but still¡­¡± The monster looks like a mermaid?


    ¡°But she¡¯s stronger, right? She has a good chance of winning, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. The price on her mind would be too great.¡± Huh? Hecate suddenly speaks, leaving me confused. ¡°Narumi struggles having to hurt monsters. It¡¯s even worse if they¡¯re humanoids. Makes her feel bad, and the guilt might cause her to have a breakdown again.¡±


    ¡°What? Narumi? Are you serious?¡± Narumi struggles with things like that? I never would have guessed¡­ ¡°Is that true? I always see her spacing out on her phone. She doesn¡¯t seem like the kind to think too much about¡­ anything, really¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the opposite, Iroha. You¡¯re thinking about it in reverse. Narumi¡¯s true problem is that she thinks too much. When you see her on her phone or looking for other ways to lighten her spirit, it¡¯s so she can distract herself from her own thoughts. She does it for her own survival¡­¡±


    No way¡­ That¡¯s unbelievable¡­ I was completely under the wrong impression. ¡°If it¡¯s that hard for her, why does she keep fighting? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for her to stop?¡±


    ¡°We all have our own circumstances.¡± Katja answered. ¡°We know too much, and this isn¡¯t the kind of job that¡¯s easy to quit. You yourself got dragged into this too, Iroha. You remember, right?¡± I do¡­ I was gonna get placed under surveillance if I said no¡­ But I also had my own reason to join. Narumi having no other choice but to stay despite it hurting her is awful!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her, Iroha. Narumi will be fine, and she¡¯ll be even better if we get her out of there quick!¡± Carol¡¯s right¡­ Now¡¯s not the time for me to be poking my nose into someone else¡¯s business. Narumi has been part of the House for multiple years. I¡¯m sure they know how to take care of her¡­ ¡°She¡¯s stronger than that monster, but Narumi won¡¯t be able to drag the fight forever. She¡¯ll be forced to attack at some point, and if she kills her, then that¡¯s when things get ugly.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Narumi? Can you take me to her?¡± Carol nodded, ready to show me to Narumi¡¯s location. Rather than me trying to come up with a solution, it¡¯s better if I do as Carol suggests. If killing the monster would be bad for Narumi, I¡¯ll kill the mermaid in her place.


    ¡°What are you saying, Iroha?¡± Hecate interjected. ¡°You two should stay here while I go look for her.¡±


    Ehh? Does she still not trust me? We don¡¯t have time to get into another argument, do we? ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Narumi¡¯s back safely! Trust me. Besides, you need to protect Katja in case something shows up while she can¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s just to protect Katja, you two would do just as well! Neither you nor Carol are able to handle a monster that¡¯s around Narumi¡¯s strength.¡± She¡¯s got a point¡­ Even if one or two fish do decide to come by, any of us would be more than capable of keeping Katja safe. Maybe it would be better to leave it to her¡­


    ¡°Let her go, Hecate. Iroha will be fine.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you serious, Katja?¡± Hecate suddenly turns her head with a shocked expression.


    ¡°Really?¡± Did Katja just give me her seal of approval? ¡°Is it fine?¡± Katja nodded back. ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± I ran around the car and grouped up with Carol. ¡°Show me the way!¡±


    ¡°A- alright¡­ Follow me!¡± Carol and I turned our backs to the car, and we ran off together into the shadows.


    ¡­


    ¡°Are you sure, Katja? Is Iroha really up to such duty?¡± Hecate turned to Katja, looking for a way to ease her worries.


    ¡°You saw her fight, didn¡¯t you? She¡¯s¡­ something else¡­ isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Hecate and Katja both saw the one-sided massacre but hadn¡¯t processed it properly just yet. Iroha¡¯s abilities were far above their expectations and far above what a normal human could do. Getting faster and stronger after each kill was too surreal for both of them. ¡°What if that was just a fluke, though?¡±


    ¡°Look at her.¡± Katja gestured with her head to the two girls. ¡°She¡¯s able to run even with all those cuts and wounds. Nothing was bleeding anymore.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯m glad they¡¯re nothing serious, but that just means the wounds were never that deep.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡± Katja lifts up the side of her dress, showing Hecate a red bruise on the side of her stomach. ¡°That was through my armor. Hurts like hell¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Hecate looked in the direction the girls left and strained her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re joking¡­¡±

 Chapter 62 – Usurper

    ¡°Where are we going, Carol? Where¡¯s Narumi?¡±


    ¡°Just follow me, okay? We¡¯re almost there!¡±


    I followed Carol through the maze of alleys and accesses. It¡¯s hard to run through the twists and turns of such narrow paths, but we don¡¯t have time to waste. That mermaid monster Narumi¡¯s facing sounds much stronger than the fish me and Katja dealt with. I haven¡¯t seen it yet, but I have a bad feeling about this¡­


    ¡°What happened, Carol? While I was gone¡­  They said you wouldn¡¯t wake up, then you ran off on your own. Why?¡± I asked with a ragged breath.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just as confused as you are! I had to come here! When I woke up, I just felt like I had to come here¡­¡± Carol clenched her fists painfully.


    ¡°You felt like you had to come here? Why? How did you even know there were monsters here?¡±


    ¡°I just told you. I don¡¯t know! I didn¡¯t tell you before, but ever since I went to the other world, something has been wrong with my head. I¡¯ve been hearing a weird voice¡­ and my head has been hurting non-stop! I couldn¡¯t take it anymore!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I nearly stumbled upon hearing that. Hecate¡¯s words flashed through my mind. A curse¡­ That¡¯s how she put it¡­ That weird magic on Carol¡¯s ankles¡­ Is it the reason for what¡¯s happening to her¡ªthe reason for her not waking up? I don¡¯t get it¡­ ¡°Was it because of the voice, then? Did it tell you to come here?¡±


    ¡°It was because of you!¡± Me? Carol snapped back. Did I do something? ¡°No¡­ Forget what I said. My head is still not working properly.¡± Carol shook her head and focused on the path ahead. ¡°Tsk¡­ I had to prove myself¡­ I¡¯m not on the level of Hecate, or Katja, or Narumi¡­ You¡¯ve seen their weapons before, right? I can¡¯t even handle that yet! I have to use a regular weapon like you. I¡¯ve been training for so long, though¡­ It¡¯s unfair¡­ I don¡¯t want to drag them down forever. I came here because I had to prove myself! I had to show them I would be fine on my own!¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s dangerous¡­ What if something had happened while you were on your own?¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? I know that, okay? I know¡­ There are better ways to do this¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for these stupid voices, I would have never done something like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Carol¡­¡± Her situation is a lot more complicated than I thought¡­ Just how much changed in the few days I was away? ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and get Narumi back safely. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you afterwards.¡±


    ¡°A- alright¡­¡± Carol and I keep running until we hear the sound of metal clashing nearby. ¡°That must be Narumi¡­ She¡¯s close.¡±


    We left the maze and arrived at an open area near some water. Just like we expected, Narumi was there, holding a long, two-handed axe in her hands. A big wave glides along the surface, with Narumi in its sights. Narumi¡¯s axe has a single blade on one of its sides, and Narumi smashes it into the ground, splitting the wave in two.


    Her opponent was the mermaid, swimming inside the wave, using its momentum to close the gap and lunge at Narumi with a trident. Narumi brings one of her hands closer to the axe¡¯s head, and a big clank is heard as their weapons clash. What a powerful sound!


    The mermaid looks almost like a normal woman but somewhat strange. Her face looks like that of a normal human, if not for her eyes being like those of a fish. Her hair was blue, with white fins poking out where the ears should be. Her lower body was that of a fish, as normal mermaids are, but after the water from the wave dispersed, her tail turned into a pair of scaly legs. Just like the fish monsters¡¯ legs from early. The only piece of clothing she wore was a frilly swimsuit covering her chest¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to think¡­ She looks pretty dangerous¡­


    I¡¯ll really have to give it my absolute best. I got lucky earlier with so many weak enemies around, but this time, I¡¯m not so lucky. I won¡¯t be able to rely on Violence Impulse against her.


    ¡°Narumi!¡± The mermaid followed up after her weapon clashed with Narumi. I couldn¡¯t just stand by watching, so I jumped in with a single Slash Flurry cut aimed at her. The mermaid stopped her advance and jumped back to dodge my attack.


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    ¡°Iroha!? What are you doing here?¡± Narumi turned to me in surprise, almost forgetting the threat of the mermaid.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to help you. Have you learned anything so far?¡± My gaze was locked in the mermaid¡¯s direction. Narumi remembered what was going on and recomposed herself.


    ¡°Watch out for her magic. That¡¯s probably the most dangerous thing. She¡¯s capable of manipulating water, and she can even freeze it. It takes her some time, though.¡± Narumi answered calmly and accurately.


    ¡°Got it.¡± While the two of us were talking, the mermaid prepared for her next attack. She grabbed the trident with both hands and glided along the wet floor straight at us. She was fast, but easy to read. Narumi and I dodged out of the way as the monster shot past us. ¡°You should get out of here, Narumi. Go back to Hecate and Katja.¡±


    The mermaid turned around and closed in on Narumi. With less speed this time. ¡°What? I can¡¯t do that when there¡¯s an enemy right here!¡± The mermaid stabbed with her trident, but Narumi deflected and dodged her attacks. Narumi jumped back, and the mermaid didn¡¯t immediately give chase, realizing the exchange was a stalemate.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fight her because of her appearance, right? The others told me about it. Head back to the car. I can take care of the mermaid.¡± After Narumi put some distance between the two of them, I was now the mermaid¡¯s closest target. Her thrusts are swift and aimed to kill. I Slash Flurry her trident away in panic multiple times, buying me time to escape the onslaught. Wow¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you fight her alone! You¡¯ll die!¡± Narumi runs next to me so that we can fight together. I¡¯ve already revealed much of my skills today, but I would still like to keep some of it hidden. Without her here, I wouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about.


    What do I do¡­? Do I just go all out and start using my skills like crazy? Katja and Hecate already saw Violence Impulse. It doesn¡¯t get much crazier than that¡­ Maybe it does¡­ That one is just speed and strength. Sticking to a wall is a bit stranger¡­ Is there anything I can do? Is there a way to solve this without revealing more?


    ¡°Hey!¡± I say in the mermaid¡¯s direction. ¡°Can you understand me?¡± Why do I understand the people from the other world? When the game was just a game, I could understand everything because it was made in my language. The other world is not a game anymore, yet I still understand what everyone¡¯s saying. Do they speak the same language as me because that¡¯s what they spoke when their world was just a game?


    No. That can¡¯t be it. I don¡¯t remember if it was ever confirmed in-game, but there¡¯s no way everyone in that world speaks the same language. I¡¯ve been to both human and demon territory, and I understood both languages. But they probably don¡¯t understand each other. Is it the VISS Driver? Does the VISS Driver let me speak with the people of the other world, regardless of language? If that¡¯s the case, maybe I can speak with the mermaid.


    When she hears my words, the mermaid twitches before looking at me. I think it worked. She seems confused, but at least I caught her attention. ¡°Why are you doing this? Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious, Iroha? Do you really think you can speak with a monster?¡± Narumi probably hadn¡¯t tried it, but it was working. The mermaid slowly walked towards us, trident in hand, but her lips opened up.


    ¡°Ki- kill¡­ Must- kill- Usurper¡­ False Queen- kill¡­ Kill- kill- must kill- the usurper¡­¡± What the hell? What was that? The melodic yet disturbing voice tried answering my question, but I couldn¡¯t make sense of her broken words. She¡¯s here to kill a usurper? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? She¡¯s after a specific person? Who? I doubt we can communicate any more than this. The way she spoke sounded more like she was regurgitating someone else¡¯s words rather than speaking for herself.


    ¡°U- usurper¡­ ki- kill¡­¡± Me and Narumi were ready for an attack, but the mermaid suddenly stopped. She looked around in place, as if searching for something. That reminds me¡­ What¡¯s Carol up to? She¡¯s been really quiet since we got here¡­ I use the opening to conduct a search of my own and find Carol in the worst possible place.


    ¡°That idiot¡­¡± Carol was sneaking up on the mermaid, slowly closing in from behind. What the hell is she thinking? Is this what she meant by proving herself? She¡¯s only putting herself in danger. I really thought she had calmed down, but¡­


    As soon as she was close enough, Carol held up her sword and swung down at the mermaid with all her might. She would have actually landed her hit if only the mermaid¡¯s attention was still focused on us. She quickly turned around and blocked Carol¡¯s sword with her trident. Their weapons clashing emits a loud, electrifying noise, quickly followed by the crunchy snap of one of the trident¡¯s teeth breaking. Carol had the element of surprise on her side, and the mermaid was forced to defend in a hurry. The result was a rushed defense that damaged her weapon. I guess Carol knew what she was doing¡­


    Carol ended up not harming the mermaid, and she wasted no time in retaliating. She maneuvered around Carol¡¯s attack and pointed her hand at her attacker. Not even a second later, a powerful stream of water shoots out in Carol¡¯s direction. Carol loses her footing and gets propelled backwards until she slams into a nearby wall.


    The mermaid¡¯s trident then hits the floor. She dropped her weapon and raised both her hands. She quickly conjures an ice javelin above her head. Oh no¡­ Is this her magic? This is bad¡­ Carol¡¯s still reeling from the impact. She can¡¯t defend herself like this! I gotta do something! No matter what it takes!


    I was about to jump between Carol and the mermaid, but Narumi beat me to the punch. She dashes straight at the mermaid just as she lowers her hands. The javelin rips through the air for a moment, but Narumi hits it with her axe at the beginning of its flight. The ice shatters instantly. A translucent mist lingers in the air as Narumi stands face to face with the mermaid. She dropped her weapon earlier. She has no way to defend herself. It¡¯s the perfect opportunity! Narumi raises her axe almost by instinct. One swing is all it takes now! Narumi clenches her teeth, tenses her shoulders, then jumps back¡­


    She turns her back on the mermaid and dashes to Carol¡¯s side. Narumi¡­ Seeing her opponent give up the perfect opportunity, the mermaid picks her trident back up and lowers her stance. It¡¯s that swift lunge again. Narumi finally reaches Carol, but she doesn¡¯t turn around again. Has Narumi given up? Did she think the mermaid would show her the same mercy? She couldn¡¯t do it. She couldn¡¯t finish her off, but¡­ That¡¯s alright¡­ We came here to save her¡­ Not just her body, but also her mind¡­ I¡¯ll protect you, Narumi. I¡¯ll kill so you don¡¯t have to!


    Agility Burst! Just like I thought, the mermaid¡¯s lunging at them. She¡¯s holding her broken trident with both hands, cutting through the air with incredible speed. I have no plan, but I must try something! I¡¯ll die if something goes wrong¡­ I¡¯ll die¡­


    Soon enough, I arrive at my destination. I place myself in front of Narumi and Carol, but what do I do now? How am I going to defend against her trident?


    Seeing a new target in her path, the mermaid adjusts her aim. The trident is now locked onto my chest¡ªonto my heart. I have to do this! I won¡¯t get another chance! I need to use Slash Flurry just so I can position my sword to block in time. Blocking the tip of a trident with the thin blade of a katana is no easy task. Our weapons clash, but my sword gets caught in the trident¡¯s weird shape, and it barely slows down. Oh¡­ This is it¡­


    ¡°Nghhh!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? I- Iroha?¡±

 Chapter 63 – Ice Glistens Shattered

    The middle tooth ripped through my clothes and stabbed me in the shoulder. The second tooth missed, barely scratching the skin near my neck. The third and last tooth aimed directly at my heart was missing. Nowhere to be found. Broken.


    Whew¡­ That was close¡­ Still hurts! It hurts like hell! But at least I am alive. Okay¡­ Calm down¡­ This fight isn¡¯t over yet. I can¡¯t get cold feet now. Another mistake, and I might die for real. I got caught in a bad position, but I can do this! I can turn things around! Just gotta do things right. Focus¡­ Copy what Katja does. Perfect moves only. Hold back nothing. Yeah¡­ I¡¯m ready now!


    The mermaid withdraws her trident, and I stomp the ground to stop myself from falling forward. The sky had gone completely dark at some point. The lights of the various warehouses were now the ones illuminating the area with their artificial hue. The wind picked up, and the sound the nearby waves made when crashing against the harbor was louder than before.


    ¡°Huh¡­? Iroha?¡± Behind me, Narumi and Carol gasped in surprise.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m fine¡­ I can still fight.¡± Carol was still reeling from her impact against the wall, and Narumi was crouched next to her, supporting her. I shot a glance at them and met eyes with Narumi. ¡°You should pull back. Go back to Hecate and Katja.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Narumi clenched her axe with a pained face. She had an opportunity to finish off the mermaid monster, but she couldn¡¯t do it. It¡¯s not her fault that I got hurt, though. I decided I wanted to protect them. That¡¯s all. ¡°Sorry, Iroha¡­ I¡¯ll go back like you said. I¡¯ll regroup with the others, and we¡¯ll be back soon. Just stay safe.¡± Narumi turned back to Carol and reached for her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Carol.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! I¡¯m not even hurt¡­ I¡¯m going to fight!¡± Carol slapped Narumi¡¯s hand away and slowly raised herself up. ¡°I can handle this much! I don¡¯t need your or anyone¡¯s help¡­ Don¡¯t underestimate me¡­¡± Carol wants to stay and fight, but is that really a good idea?


    ¡°Carol¡­¡± Narumi tries to reach out again. ¡°This monster is too strong¡­ You¡¯ll get hurt¡­ Uhmm¡­ Iroha might not be able to protect you¡­ And, and¡­¡± Narumi¡¯s mind was racing with thousands of possibilities. She couldn¡¯t find the right words to say.


    ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t need her to protect me! I can handle this! I¡¯ll show you!¡± Carol stepped back to escape Narumi¡¯s grasp. I don¡¯t think Carol¡¯s thinking straight right now¡­ She¡¯s being stubborn because of the voice she¡¯s been hearing¡ªbecause of that weird magic on her¡­ But there¡¯s no time for them to be discussing this.


    The mermaid failed to deliver the final blow to any of us and started preparing her next move. I was struggling after the last blow, so she approached me, weapon in hand, and started thrusting. These attacks are slower than her swift lunge. With Slash Flurry, our weapons clash, and I¡¯m able to fight on her level. I move the fight away from the other two so they¡¯re not targeted while their guard¡¯s down.


    The best thing would be for both of them to leave and let me fight the monster on my own. Maybe they could get Hecate to snipe her or something, but that¡¯s it. If I can fight with all my skills without any worries, I might have a chance. Going back now is the best for Narumi¡¯s mind, but what would it do to Carol¡¯s? She came here on her own because she was doubting herself. She wanted to show the others she was on their level and that she¡¯s not a burden. Are those worries just because of the voice in her head? Or does she actually think that way? Those might be her real worries¡­ If she goes back now, isn¡¯t she going to think of herself as a burden forever?


    ¡°Let Carol stay, Narumi. It will be fine!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Narumi looked at me for a second before locking eyes with Carol. Carol is not backing down. Narumi quickly realizes this and averts her gaze. She turns around and dashes out of the area without saying a word.


    Let¡¯s hope I made the right decision¡­ Carol already knows about my powers. If she¡¯s the only one here, I can use all my skills without worry. As long as the voice doesn¡¯t make her act recklessly, we should be fine.


    I block another of the mermaid¡¯s attacks and put some distance between us. We both slide back across the wet floor. My left hand sits atop the top left side of my chest, covering the wound from before. Carol joins me for the fight and notices my ragged breath. ¡°Can you really keep fighting? You don¡¯t look too good.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ That stab was brutal, but I can keep going.¡±


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.21]


    [HP: 833/2012]


    I lost around 200 HP during my fight with the fish, so that one blow alone removed a big chunk of my HP. Though I think it¡¯s a miracle I¡¯m not dead. An attack that powerful near so many important vital organs should have killed me instantly. I was lucky Katja got this weird armor/dress for me. It absorbed a lot of the impact. It still doesn¡¯t explain why I survived such a big wound. Is it because of the HP system? Even if I didn¡¯t die, I shouldn¡¯t be able to keep using my arm like normal. Does the fact that I still have HP prevent me from dying? The bleeding has mostly stopped too. How is that even possible? Either way, I can fight like normal, and that¡¯s all I need to know.


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    The mermaid is strong. One of the strongest monsters I¡¯ve faced so far. She¡¯s on the same tier as the pumpkin monster in the Forest of Illusion and the lightning bear in the valley. Violence Impulse is not gonna save me this time. But she¡¯s not completely out of my reach¡­ I haven¡¯t used almost any of my active skills yet, so I still have plenty of MP¡­ Let¡¯s see how well she can handle me when I burn it all!


    ¡°Cover me, Carol.¡± I use Agility Burst and shoot out in the mermaid¡¯s direction. She thrusts the trident in self-defense, but I parry it with Slash Flurry. Without missing a beat, I land the next four follow-up hits now that she¡¯s defenseless. Her skin is tougher than it looks, while her scales are just as tough as they look. Four small cuts open on her body, causing little more than a flinch.


    I knew it was not gonna be that easy¡­ But this is a good start. I managed to draw some blood, meaning I can damage her¡ªI can kill her!


    Carol obviously wasn¡¯t going to stay still, and she followed up my advance with an attack of her own. She hit the mermaid¡¯s blind spot and opened another shallow cut on her body. She¡¯s not faring any better than me when it comes to damage. But Slash Flurry is not my only attack.


    The mermaid swung her trident in an arc in front of her, forcing us both to take a step back. Carol reacted in time and got out of the way effortlessly. Seems like she¡¯s got it under control¡­ That¡¯s good¡­ She hasn¡¯t lost mind just yet. She refused to retreat with Narumi, so of course she wasn¡¯t just going to sit and watch. At least she¡¯s being careful. If that¡¯s the case, I think she¡¯ll be of some help.


    While gripping her trident again, the mermaid lowered her stance and focused her attention on Carol. Is she trying to lower our numbers by taking out the weaker enemy first? Of course I¡¯m not gonna let her do that¡­ Agility Burst! I dashed in her direction and aimed my other attack. Heart Piercer! I lunged forward with a devastating thrust from her diagonal. She shifted her body around so I¡¯d hit the hard scales, but that won¡¯t help!


    ¡°Grriiieeek!¡± The mermaid let out an ear-piercing wail as my sword broke through the scales near her waist. Heart Piercer has a unique little property where it ignores part of the enemy¡¯s defenses. If she¡¯s a tough nut to crack, it just makes Heart Piercer that much more effective.


    I need to keep up the pressure! The mermaid now saw me as a real threat and grew cautious. She took a step back. And I chased by using Agility Burst again! Can¡¯t give her a break now! I thrust my katana forward again, and she narrowly dodged. There was a bit of a delay, so she moved to counterattack. I recovered with Slash Flurry and caused her to narrowly miss her thrust. Only one swing of the flurry was necessary to deflect her, so the next four slashes landed, leaving more small cuts on her. And now, I¡¯m in position again, so¡­ Heart Piercer! This time it stabbed straight through her chest.


    ¡°Griiieee!¡± Did that hurt? I don¡¯t even need to ask¡­ That¡¯s payback from earlier¡­ I know it stings! The mermaid then raised her hand in my direction, and a big ball of water appeared right in front of my face.


    *Splash!*


    Damn! Ahahaha! It¡¯s like I¡¯m at the beach and just got hit with a giant ass wave right in the face! The impact threatened to send me flying, but I ended up just sliding across the floor while desperately trying to remain on my feet. I lowered my head to look at the mermaid ahead. That was something else¡­ I shook my head to get the water off my face, causing my hair to dance. Alright! I¡¯m awake now! Water is not gonna keep me away for too long though!


    I rushed back in with Agility Burst, ready to unleash another Heart Piercer. This went on not just once but multiple times. Some hit¡­ Most missed¡­ I¡¯m making progress. Heart Piercer! Miss. Slash Flurry! Pull back the katana. Aim again. Heart Piercer! Gotcha!


    But seriously¡­ How tanky is this creature? What¡¯s her level? How much HP does she have?


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.21]


    [HP: 572/2012]


    [MP: 141/1006]


    I¡¯m running out of juice here¡­ How is she still standing? Did I miss that much? I thought I was doing well. Either way, I may be reaching my limit, but so is she. The mermaid¡¯s not huffing and puffing like I am, but I can see the signs of exhaustion in the way she¡¯s moving. She took a lot of damage during our exchanges. I had the advantage the whole time. She must have realized by now that it will be hard for her to win this battle.


    Seeing the mermaid¡¯s movements slow down, Carol starts approaching her from behind. She landed a few blows, but overall, there were a lot of moments where the fight got too fast for her to keep up. Now that the mermaid¡¯s stopped, she¡¯s going for it, but is that really a good idea? ¡°Carol¡­¡± Please be careful¡­


    ¡°Ki- ki- kill! Usurper¡­ Mu- must kill!¡± After assuming a defensive position, the mermaid lifted her head and started looking around. Has she given up or what? Her attention isn¡¯t focused on me anymore. If she¡¯s not careful, I might just end things.


    The mermaid then looked behind her and spotted Carol, but it was too late for her to defend. ¡°There!¡± Carol stepped forward and buried her sword into the mermaid¡¯s back. Despite how tough her skin is, Carol¡¯s thrust managed to hurt her. The mermaid let another high pitch wail out and turned around with a clumsy swipe. Carol fails to react in time, getting too engrossed in her small victory, and the mermaid smacks her. Carol lets go of her sword and falls on her butt.


    ¡°Kill¡­ Mu- must must must must kill! Kill kill kill kill! Usurper¡­ must kill!¡± The mermaid¡¯s voice echoes creepily. It sends a chill down both our spines. Carol locks eyes with the mermaid with a terrified look on her face. The mermaid bends forward, then shoots out in Carol¡¯s direction.


    Dammit! She¡¯s targeting Carol again! Agility Burst! I can¡¯t let her get to her! Is she obsessed with Carol or what? Is Carol her target? I have to protect her! She¡¯s not killing anyone¡­ Not on my watch!


    She reaches out for Carol with an outstretched arm. Trident extended forward as far as it could go. It¡¯s gonna reach her any moment now¡­ Can I get there in time? It¡¯s too late to get Carol out of the way. It¡¯s too late to place myself in the middle and block. Might not even work. I have to aim perfectly! I only got one shot at this¡­ Can¡¯t hesitate! I gotta do this! Heart Piercer!


    The power of the thrust gave me the extra bit of momentum and reach necessary to reach the trident with the tip of my sword. With incredible focus, I managed to hit my target. An echoey, metallic ping followed by a thunderous shatter. The tip of my sword hit the trident right in the middle, diverting it from its trajectory. The mermaid missed Carol and shattered the trident as it hit the hard floor next her.


    Carol looked as if she had just seen a ghost. Her life flashed before her eyes. She held her breath, bracing herself for something that never arrived. The tension turned to surprise, exhaled in a loud burst of relief. But it¡¯s not over yet. Though, it might as well be. The mermaid, still bent on finishing her job, jumped back and conjured another ice javelin above her head.


    Ice magic takes her longer to create than water, and I¡¯m not even gonna give her a chance to finish! Using what¡¯s essentially the last bit of my MP, I unleash my last Agility Burst Heart Piercer combo! My sword pierces her chest without much resistance, and the ice above shatters. In the following moments, a crystalline mist falls on me from above. Her arms drop, and her body slowly leans back, until she eventually falls and drops in the ocean behind her¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s done¡­¡± Wow¡­ No Violence Impulse. No one doing all the work for me. I did, didn¡¯t I? That¡¯s gotta be a first for me.


    The tension left my body, and I turned in Carol¡¯s direction. Just as I start to relax, a stinging pain in my left shoulder suddenly flares up. That¡¯s where the trident stabbed me earlier¡­ Damn¡­ It¡¯s awful!


    Carol saw as I grabbed my shoulder with a stumble and raised herself up. ¡°I- Iroha¡­ I¡­¡± She reached out with her hand before pulling it back a moment later. ¡°You¡­ No¡­ You¡¯re wrong! I¡¯m not useless! It¡¯s not my fault, IT¡¯S NOT MY FAULT!¡± A blinding light hit me for an instant before being consumed by a strange darkness. Carol fell to her knees and hugged her own shoulders. ¡°IT¡¯S NOT MY FAULT! IT¡¯S YOUR FAULT! If only you had never shown up¡­ IF ONLY YOU NEVER EXISTED!¡±


    I may have lost too much blood. I¡¯m seeing some kind of shadow surround Carol¡­ What¡¯s going on? What is this now? Wasn¡¯t it over?

 Chapter 64 – Taming the Heart

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault! If only you had never shown up! It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    Seriously¡­ What the hell is going on? I can barely stand after fighting the mermaid, and now this? Carol suddenly fell to her knees and started screaming at me¡­ Her pained words make my skin crawl¡­ I saw a brief flash of light just as she fell to the ground, and now there¡¯s this strange darkness surrounding her. Is it magic? It¡¯s got to be, right¡­?  What should I do, though? What can I do?


    ¡°Carol?¡± Can I help her somehow? She¡¯s suffering because of the voice she told me about, right? I have no idea what it is or what to do about it. Should I say something to her? Can I comfort her somehow?


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! I¡¯m not useless! Everything would have been fine if you had never shown up!¡± Carol brought her hands to her face, covering her eyes and gripping so tight she might rip the skin off her face. She squirmed around in pain. The more she spoke, the more hurt she looked.


    This is too much! I can¡¯t watch this anymore! What¡¯s happening to her? It¡¯s just too awful. I don¡¯t know how to stop it¡­ If I could talk to her¡ªif I could comfort her¡ªshe might calm down. But what do I say to her? I haven¡¯t known her for that long. What¡¯s causing her this pain, what kind of words she needs to hear¡ªthose are things I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m an outsider¡­ I don¡¯t have the right to say anything¡­ It would be hollow, wouldn¡¯t it?


    ¡°It¡¯s not me! It¡¯s not me! It¡¯s not me! I¡¯ve been training and training and training¡­ I¡¯m not a burden! Not anymore! It¡¯s impossible! Impossible impossible impossible!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not useless! You¡¯re not a burden!¡± My emotions got the better of me, and I jumped down to embrace her. I may not be the best person to say this, but I care about her. I can¡¯t watch her suffer without doing anything¡­ ¡°You saved my life, Carol! You¡¯re not a burden!¡± I would be sad if she were gone¡­ And I know for a fact that the other girls would be devastated too! No one thinks she¡¯s useless, no one thinks she¡¯s a burden, and no one wants her gone! She¡¯s irreplaceable! Please, reach her!


    ¡°Eh?¡± Carol blinked. ¡°Y- you¡¯re lying¡­ I- I didn¡¯t¡­¡± From what I gathered, Carol was the last one to join the House of Imaginary Boundaries. The other girls were more experienced than her, and they supported her the whole way through. Carol worked hard to catch up to their level, only for me to show up and improve at a much faster rate than her. She probably resents me for making her work all for naught and herself for being unable to keep up with me¡­ But that comparison is flawed¡ªhell, she shouldn¡¯t even be comparing herself to anyone. We¡¯re not in a competition¡­ Everyone does the best they can, and together we get better. She¡¯s too harsh on herself!


    Carol twitched in my arms and gasped for a moment. Maybe now she¡¯ll listen to what I have to say. ¡°You saved my life! The trident would have stabbed into my heart if you hadn¡¯t broken it! Can you still say you¡¯re useless?¡±


    ¡°Really? I- I didn¡¯t see anything¡­ You¡¯re making things up!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! Stop being so harsh on yourself! You¡¯re not useless!!¡± I can¡¯t even imagine how she got to this point. Everyone in the house treasures her so much, how could they let her feel this insecure? Maybe they just didn¡¯t express it often enough¡­? Or maybe it¡¯s because of the magic. It might be amplifying her insecurities. Either way¡­ ¡°You did great, Carol. It may have just been a coincidence for you, it may not seem like a lot to you, but you were the one who broke the trident! You saved my life! Even if no one else says it, I¡¯ll acknowledge it! You did great! Thank you¡­ Carol¡­¡± I squeezed her body with my fading strength.


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    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Carol sniffles and lets out a few quiet sobs. Did I reach her? The darkness surrounding her disappears, but is quickly replaced by another kind of darkness. I see a faint smile before I lose focus. I¡¯m glad¡­ ¡°Hm? Iroha¡­? Iroha?!¡± Carol calls in a panic as she feels my weight shift towards her. My vision goes blurry, then everything fades to black.


    ¡­


    A well-kept gentleman forces a smile on his face as he welcomes a precious ¡°business¡± partner inside a bright and lavish room. A room made exclusively to receive and converse with important guests. In the middle, two wide couches with a small table in the center. Some of the finest furniture money could buy.


    ¡°Welcome, Armand-sama. Please, take a seat.¡±


    The guest enters with confident and relaxed steps. He calmly paces around the room instead of sitting down as offered. He stops by a window with a view to one of the most beautiful yet busy streets in all of the kingdom, framed by a set of intricate and expensive curtains.


    ¡°Philip Wealworth. Leader of the Ebrilyon¡¯s Alchemist¡¯s Guild. Tell me, how does a man like you take such a long time to find one mere girl?¡± Back turned to the host, the demon recoiled, seeing the little people through the window.


    A bead of sweat runs down the gentleman¡¯s forehead. ¡°I believe that matter has been settled. The girl should be under the demon¡¯s custody now. We handed her over to one of your subordinates yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware. I¡¯m aware, and I¡¯m grateful for that. Congratulations are in order. I¡¯m merely curious how an organization with such a wise leader struggles to keep track of its subordinates¡¯ abilities. Even without the technology to identify skills, an alchemist with the ability to ¡®remove¡¯ should have been easy to track.¡± The demon finally turned to face the host.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be too harsh on my subordinates. The people who handle the papers around here are grossly uneducated. It¡¯s unfortunate, but this is the best they could do.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Perhaps you should consider hiring better people. Those without ambition make for rather lousy subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your advice. I would love to employ better people, but unfortunately, when it comes to us humans, sometimes this is the best that there is.¡±


    ¡°Hphm. Perhaps you¡¯re right. This whole situation was just an unfortunate coincidence. Who could have predicted the alchemist you sent to Rocky Ridges to create a diversion just so happen to be the very same alchemist we were looking for?¡± The demon sat down, and the gentleman leaned forward with artificial excitement.


    ¡°Indeed! It was just terrible luck. Completely outside of anyone¡¯s control!¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, the alchemist in question exceeded expectations, and, thanks to her diversion, we¡¯re still on time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news! I trust this means there won¡¯t be any issues with the reward we agreed on!¡±


    ¡°Of course! You are a very valuable partner for us demons. We¡¯ll deliver your reward just as promised.¡± The demon places a small treasure box on the short table and opens it up. ¡°Take this gold as the initial payment. We¡¯ll deliver the rest together with your requested skill at the agreed date.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh!¡± The gentleman greedily jumped up from his seat. ¡°Hmm! Wonderful! Thank you very much!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Nghhnn¡­¡± Where am I?


    I forced my eyes open and was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling. A sanitized white room with four clean beds arranged in a grid. To my left, a window, letting in indirect light from the sun, which bathed the room with a soft light. To my right was a door, some cabinets, a few miscellaneous devices, and a desk, with a chair, and someone sitting on it.


    Am I in a hospital or something? Other than the time I woke up in that cell in the dorms, I¡¯ve barely ever woke up anywhere other than my own room. Is this what a hospital¡¯s ceiling looks like? What happened after that fight? There¡¯s light outside, so how much times has passed since last night? And¡­ Carol! What happened to her?!


    Okay¡­ Guess I can¡¯t afford to stay in bed forever¡­ I gotta find out what happened. I turned my head to the right, back to the person sitting nearby. A thin figure laid back on the chair with a hoodie over their head. The figure tapped a tablet sitting on their knees while the right hand was raised in the air, spinning something with the index finger. My vision was still blurry, so I blinked a few times to focus on the object.


    What the hell?! Is that a gun? A revolver? Fuck that! Where am I? What happened after I passed out? What were they called¡­? Paranormal¡­ Security Forces? The PSF! Did they catch me and take me in?! Is this the beginning of my dissection arc!? NOOOOOOO!

 Chapter 65 – Rescue Operation

    I thought I woke up in a hospital, but it turns out it might be an insane asylum. I think I¡¯m going insane, at least.


    Everything seemed fine when I first opened my eyes. I woke up in an unfamiliar bed, and after taking a quick look around, there was nothing to be worried about. All I saw was a neat and sanitized room that immediately reminded me of a standard patient room. There were four beds, including mine, but I was the only one there. So far, so good, but that¡¯s where it ends.


    There was a chair near the beds with someone hearing a hoodie sitting on it. Must be some kind of doctor or caretaker. That was my first thought. But then I took another look and saw the person spinning a revolver around their index finger¡­


    Hehehe¡­ I must be going insane, right? What kind of doctor plays around with a revolver? I must be seeing things.


    That was one option. I took a lot of damage in the fight against the mermaid, and it left me so exhausted that I passed out. I don¡¯t remember exactly how everything ended, but I can sort of imagine. I probably got taken to a hospital after passing out from exhaustion, and now I¡¯m seeing things because I haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. In that case, I¡¯ll be fine after a little more sleep. The gun will be gone next time I wake up. Surely¡­


    But there was another option. A much likelier option. The PSF, the government people I¡¯ve heard stories about, got a hold of me after I passed out, and they¡¯re planning on dissecting me. That means the person here is not a normal doctor but more of a cross between a doctor and a mad scientist. A mad doctor. Here to pick through my entrails¡­


    My fears have come through¡­ I knew my journey would end with me being dissected because of the VISS Driver. Dammit!


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.23]


    [HP: 2128/2209]


    Hmm¡­ My HP is almost full¡­ Can I survive getting shot? I don¡¯t really wanna start a fight, but I need to know what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± I nervously opened my mouth and let out a soft noise. The room was perfectly silent, so even a quiet voice was enough to grab anyone¡¯s attention.


    The person in the chair twitched and stopped their raised finger. The gun lost its momentum and hanged down awkwardly. The figure slowly turned their neck, and our eyes met.


    Oh, wow! It¡¯s a girl! Might be the same age as me, judging from her face. Raised shoulders, slightly inquisitive look, but otherwise, almost expressionless. She stared without saying a word. Her hair was light purple, and the only visible parts flowed down the sides of her head to her shoulders. Her eyes shared the same gentle color, but their vibe was anything but. They were a mysterious, vast expanse that seemed to grow larger the longer I looked.


    There was of a thin black choker around her neck, but she turned around before I got to look at it properly. Her hoodie¡¯s all I can see now. It was a black and white hoodie split diagonally from head to waist. The head part was predominantly white and the ratio inverted around the waist. What stood out the most about the hoodie was a pair of soft spikes placed near the ears. Like the Frankenstein monster with cones of fabric instead of screws. One black, one white. Quite the interesting design.


    What the hell? She¡¯s so cute. What was I scared for? Well, that¡¯s not how it works, is it? Hecate can be really scary, but her fashion sense is also immaculate¡­ Taking that into consideration, I might still be getting dissected today. This cute girl might be planning that right now. Speaking of which¡­


    Did she just ignore me? She turned around without saying anything! Who does that? Our eyes met. There¡¯s no way she didn¡¯t notice me.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    When the girl turned around, she stuffed her gun in her pocket of her hoodie and started tapping away on a tablet. I- is she really not gonna say anything else? She¡¯s just gonna pretend she didn¡¯t see me? I really don¡¯t get what¡¯s going on here. At least she put the gun away¡­ Maybe we can talk now without me having to worry about getting shot.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Uhmm¡­ Who are you?¡± Once again, I opened my mouth nervously and called out to her.


    ¡°¡­¡± The constant tapping was the only answer I received. Then, the monotonous rhythm stopped for a second. ¡°Reia.¡± She said with a soft and sweet yet perfectly flat tone. Back to the tapping.


    ¡­


    That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all she has to say? Seriously? Now I know she¡¯s not ignoring me, but I still don¡¯t know shit about what¡¯s going on! Nice name and all, but that¡¯s not what I was asking! I wanted to know who she is¡­ Like¡­ *Sigh¡­* A girl of few words, is she?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Is she a doctor? A mad doctor? She seems too young, but I¡¯ve seen weirder. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to understand what¡¯s going on now.


    It took a moment, but she responded. ¡°Work.¡±


    Okay¡­ So she is here for work¡­ Can¡¯t tell if that¡¯s a good start or not. I¡¯m clearly a patient in some kind of facility. I¡¯m the only one in this room, so no doubt she¡¯s here for me. If this is part of the PSF, then she¡¯s probably going to dissect me. Meaning¡­ I have to get out of here! As soon as possible! I think I¡¯ve recovered enough, so, with Agility Burst and Wall Artist, I should be able to escape if I jump out the window. Can¡¯t tell from this angle, but we¡¯re not too high up.


    ¡°Work¡¯s over.¡± With those dry, monotone words, she stood up and left the room.


    Huh? She just left? So¡­ no dissection? I mean¡­ I¡¯m so confused¡­ Who was that? She barely spoke any words and left without explaining anything! Whatever¡­ I¡¯ll figure it out later. No one¡¯s around anymore, so I should look for a way out of here before someone else shows up. They probably think I¡¯m too hurt to get out on my own, but they¡¯ll soon regret leaving me unsupervised¡­ Fufufufu¡­


    ¡°Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Iroha!¡± Before I could make a move, I heard a set of familiar voices coming from near the door. Four faces I recognized poked their heads into the room.


    ¡°Girls¡­¡± Carol, Katja, Narumi, Hecate¡­ They¡¯re all here for me! ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you!¡± I couldn¡¯t stop a couple tears from rolling down my eyes. They didn¡¯t abandon me! Even after the enemy got their hands on me! ¡°You¡¯re here to rescue me, aren¡¯t you?!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Narumi gasped.


    ¡°Rescue?¡± Hecate tilted her head, resting her face on her hand.


    What¡¯s with their confusion? They¡¯re here to rescue me. Why else would they have shown up?


    ¡°Did Reia do something to you?¡± Katja asked, and everyone stepped inside the room. They calmly approached the bed.


    ¡°No¡­? Wait, you know her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a friend of ours who¡¯s excellent at patching people up. She¡¯s the one we call whenever any one of us gets hurt.¡± The girls surrounded the bed and sat on some stools and the bed next to mine.


    ¡°Ehh? What about the PSF? And the dissection?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, you poor soul? Are you still feeling under the weather?¡± Hecate asked while the others looked kinda confused.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Carol gasped. ¡°I think I get it¡­ I told her a bit about our connection with the PSF before. I think now she¡¯s scared the PSF will dissect her alive if they catch her.¡± I mean¡­ Of course I am, why shouldn¡¯t I?


    The other looked attentively at Carol without saying a word. ¡°Pfft!¡± Narumi¡¯s face cracked into a smile, then she let out a small sound. ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± She burst out laughing, and the others quickly followed. ¡°That¡¯s a good one! The PSF? Dissect you alive? Ahahahahahaha! Why would they do that?¡±


    Crap¡­ Now that she says that, their only reason to dissect me would be the VISS Driver. I shouldn¡¯t even have voiced those worries. Nice cover from Carol¡­ The girls laughed for a bit, and my face grew red. They don¡¯t need to laugh so hard¡­


    ¡°Your imagination is running rampant, Iroha. They may not be the most reliable lot, but dissecting you is very unlikely. It likely hasn¡¯t even crossed their minds. You can relax. Even if they somehow had thought about it before, they¡¯re not gonna do anything. Not anymore, at least.¡± Hecate assured me with a cunning smile on her face.


    ¡°Not anymore? So they were planning something before¡­ What changed, though?¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand me¡­ I meant it hypothetically. I don¡¯t believe dissection, as you put it, has even crossed their minds. They don¡¯t have a reason to. Why would they?¡± Her words were blunt but kind. ¡°The only change is that, even if they were planning something that distasteful, we wouldn¡¯t let them touch you now. I¡¯ve said some harsh things to you in the past, but now that you have risked your life to save Katja and Narumi, I can¡¯t doubt you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Doubt?¡± Is she saying¡­


    ¡°Yes¡­ There¡¯s no doubt anymore. You¡¯re one of us now. We all had our reservations before, but that¡¯s over. You¡¯ve shown us that you have not only the strength and talent, but, more importantly, that you have the heart to fight alongside us. We now know we can trust you with our backs¡­ And you us with yours. No matter who comes after you, we¡¯ll be on your side.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Is this the end? No more awkwardness?


    ¡°Absolutely! With your help, I have no doubt there will be a lot fewer injuries and dangers for all of us. We need you, Iroha. Please keep fighting together with us, and forgive me for how I¡¯ve treated you in the past.¡± Hecate bowed her head slightly.


    Wow¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ That¡¯s a big shift from her¡­ I looked at the others, shocked, and they all nodded their heads. ¡°A bit off-script. But we all feel the same way.¡± Katja added to ease my confusion.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± I focused on Hecate, but my answer was for all of them. ¡°It¡¯s all good¡­ You don¡¯t need to apologize. I¡¯m happy you said you needed me¡­ Really happy! So, uhmm¡­ Let¡¯s keep working together! That was my plan anyway.¡±


    Hecate slowly raised her face with a smile. She extended her arm, and we shook hands. ¡°Thanks, Iroha. You can count on me¡ªon us for from now on!¡±


    I¡¯m glad I could help them¡­ I feel bad I wasn¡¯t around when Carol couldn¡¯t wake up or when she suddenly left. But I¡¯m really glad I showed up in time to be able to help. It really paid off in the end¡­

 Chapter 66 – Magic Wielders

    Hecate and the others have finally accepted me as one of their own, and I¡¯m really happy with how things turned out. Hecate apologized to me for how she treated me at times, which she didn¡¯t have to, and then we shook hands.


    I still don¡¯t fully understand her. Neither she nor any of them. She¡¯s usually gentle and somewhat motherly, but she¡¯s completely obsessed with the other girls¡¯ wellbeing. She seems calm usually, but as soon as it looks like danger might befall one of the girls, she kinda loses it.


    Then there¡¯s her fashion sense and way of speaking. She always wears black and speaks in a strange and mysterious way, but that¡¯s just a front. Like she¡¯s trying to act cool or something¡­ No idea why, though. But at least I feel she has shown me some genuine kindness today.


    Enough about Hecate, though. Where were we¡­? They¡¯ve accepted me as one of them now, but I still haven¡¯t gotten my explanations. ¡°By the way, what happened after I passed out? Where are we anyway?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell?¡± Narumi tilts her head. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve never been here, have you?¡± Narumi too¡­ I don¡¯t completely get her¡­ She¡¯s back to her usual ditzy self, but apparently that¡¯s also just a front. Her real problem is that she thinks too much¡­ She seems fine now, but is she really fine? How am I supposed to act around her? Do I just pretend like I know nothing? I asked a question, so for now I¡¯ll just hear her out.


    ¡°We¡¯re back at the House of Imaginary Boundaries. We brought you to our infirmary after we found Carol holding you while crying.¡± Narumi continued, now with a grin on her face.


    ¡°Guh! What the hell are you saying, Narumi?! I wasn¡¯t crying! Don¡¯t make things up!¡± Carol bared her teeth at Narumi before averting her eyes when she noticed me staring. If they can mess around like this, I guess they¡¯re both fine¡­


    ¡°Oh¡­ So we¡¯re at the House¡­ That¡¯s a relief¡­¡± I let out a sigh, and they smiled. They recalled my ridiculous worries about being dissected, which are actually not ridiculous, they just don¡¯t know about the VISS Driver! ¡°So was everything fine after the mermaid fell?¡± Katja nodded her head and gave me the run-down.


    ¡°Yeah. Shortly after we picked you up, the PSF and Shinji showed up. They took over the cleaning operation, and Shinji stayed behind in our place to collaborate with their forces. The area remained closed off for the whole day, all the monster corpses were recovered, and the portal was closed.¡± Eh? The whole day?


    ¡°Wait, let me get this straight¡­ You brought me to the infirmary, I slept through the night, and now that it¡¯s¡­¡± Judging from the light coming in from the window. ¡°¡­early afternoon, I finally woke up. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Nope, you missed a day.¡± Carol said bluntly.


    ¡°You spent the whole day after your fight resting, so now it¡¯s the next day.¡± Katja cleared up.


    ¡°What? I slept the whole day? How!?¡±


    ¡°More like, how are you awake already?¡± Carol quickly interrupted my complaining. Why shouldn¡¯t I be awake already?


    Hecate saw me confused, and she spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle that you didn¡¯t succumb to such wounds. With a hole that big on your shoulder, it¡¯s a surprise you can move so soon.¡±


    Wa- was it really that bad? It did chunk like half my HP in a single go¡­ Even my recovery speed is suspicious, huh? Can I not catch a break? ¡°Yeah¡­ I remember now¡­ That sure was a big hit, huh? I really got lucky. It was all thanks to that outfit you got me, Katja. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°No need for thanks. I guess that¡¯s the only possible explanation. We fixed the outfit while you were out, so it¡¯s ready next time you need it.¡± Oh, that¡¯s convenient¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. Thank you.¡± I flashed Katja a smile, and then an awkward silence settled in. What now? I¡¯ve never been in this position before¡­ I¡¯m back to normal, so maybe I should get up.


    ¡°Woah! Don¡¯t try to get up yet.¡± Katja reached for my ¡°good¡± shoulder and prevented me from moving. ¡°You need to rest, Iroha. It¡¯s too early for you to be getting up.¡±


    ¡°Eh? But I¡¯m fine now. I don¡¯t have a problem moving around. I can¡¯t spend another day resting. I¡¯m busy.¡± Or maybe I¡¯m not¡­ But spending all day in bed is the last thing I want to do.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous¡­ You need to rest. I don¡¯t care how miraculous your recovery is, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re good enough to be walking around just yet. At least rest for today. We¡¯ll take care of you, right?¡± Katja finished by turning her head to the others, being met with nods from everyone.


    ¡°Of course! Just relax and let us take care of you.¡± Hecate then jumped up from her stool, like she just had an amazing idea. ¡°Let¡¯s all share a meal tonight. We can bring a table to the infirmary, and we can all eat together! I¡¯ll make a feast for you, Iroha! Think of it as a welcoming party!¡± We¡¯ve never actually eaten a meal together before¡­ It always felt like it would be awkward, so I always refused, but now it might work. She just didn¡¯t need to make such a big fuss about it.


    ¡°Nice! Do it, Hecate! Do it! Anything¡¯s a good excuse for you to go all out! Oh¡­ I can¡¯t wait! Dinner¡¯s gonna be so crazy!¡± Narumi enthusiastically encouraged Hecate¡¯s idea. She seems to be more interested in the food than the reason for the feast, but whatever.


    ¡°We should start preparing then.¡± Katja stood up, quickly followed by Narumi. Carol looked at the other three, and she was gonna join them, but Narumi held down her shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking our leave for now. Keep her company, Carol. It¡¯s your opportunity now.¡±


    ¡°Huh!?¡± The three started leaving, and Carol wasn¡¯t pleased with Katja¡¯s words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, Carol. You wanted to be alone with Iroha, right? Listen to this, Iroha. You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but she spent all day coming in and out of the infirmary to see you. Isn¡¯t that cute? She must have been really worried!¡±


    ¡°What?! Narumi!!¡± Carol chased after Narumi, knocking down some of the stools on the way. Narumi passed through the door and held it shut. ¡°Fuck you! Stop making shit up! Why are you trying to embarrass me?!¡± Carol banged on the door, but it didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Is that not how it went? Ooops¡­ I guess I was just seeing things¡­ Sowwy, Cawol¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn you¡­ That¡¯s right. You imagined everything. Now open the door so I can teach you a lesson!¡±


    ¡°Here you go! Try and catch me!¡± The sound of Narumi¡¯s footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Carol slid the door open loudly and peeked outside. She could run after Narumi, but she didn¡¯t. She returned to the room and let out a loud sigh.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Iroha. Narumi¡¯s never happy unless she¡¯s making problems for someone. Ignore what she said, okay? She was just making things up to mess with me.¡± So she says, but I¡¯m not sure I wanna just ignore what she said. If Carol really was worried about me, that¡¯s super adorable!


    ¡°So it was all lies? Which parts should I ignore?¡± Carol slowly returned to her seat with a slight blush. My pitch went up a notch as I joined the teasing Carol initiative.


    ¡°Everything! Don¡¯t listen to a single word, got it?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you weren¡¯t worried about me? At all?¡±


    ¡°Guh!¡± Carol got startled by my question. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly say that¡­ I was a bit worried, but it was the normal amount. Nothing weird like she said, okay?¡± Yeah¡­ yeah¡­ I¡¯m sure that¡¯s it¡­ She may be trying to hide it, but one look at her blushing face tells me everything I need to know. Makes me kinda happy¡­ Hehehehe¡­


    ¡°Anyway, forget about that. The real reason I wanted to talk to you was to thank you.¡± Carol averts her gaze and her voice grows mushy. ¡°I was kinda losing my mind and what you said really helped me. Thanks¡­¡± Ugyuuu! She¡¯s so cute!


    ¡°Right, what happened after that? Like, are you fine now? Are you still hearing that mysterious voice? I promised I¡¯d help you with that.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ I think that¡¯s over now. Your words gave me the strength I needed to control it. My headaches are gone, and I haven¡¯t heard any voices since then.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really? You solved it on your own? Wasn¡¯t that the result of some kind of magic from the other world? I¡¯m surprised it was that easy¡­¡± I didn¡¯t even have to do anything¡­ Well, I technically did if what helped her was what I said¡­ But that shouldn¡¯t have broken the spell or whatever it was¡­ ¡°Is that thing on your ankle gone too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that! I gotta show you something!¡± Carol ignored my question and jumped on the bed next to mine. She then placed her feet on the stool between both beds and took off her socks. ¡°Look!¡± She showed me her ankles, and there was nothing on them. Then, after a second, the same weird bracelet from before appeared and started shining. Off, on, off, on¡­ Wait, that¡¯s not what happened last time! ¡°See? I can control it now. Not sure if it does anything, but if it¡¯s the reason I was hearing that voice, it¡¯s under control now.¡±


    ¡°What? How are you doing that!?¡± I didn¡¯t know it was possible to understand what¡¯s going on less than I already did. ¡°Wait a second, Carol. That thing¡­ We¡¯re pretty sure it¡¯s magic, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­? What else could it be? Why? Does that matter?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? If it¡¯s magic and you¡¯re controlling it, that means you¡¯re using magic! A normal human from this world using actual magic from the other world, isn¡¯t that crazy?!¡±


    ¡°Is it? It doesn¡¯t do anything! It doesn¡¯t count, does it?¡± Carol herself hadn¡¯t arrived at this conclusion and was struggling to accept it.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. It may be a bit of a technicality, but you¡¯re definitely using magic. Not even I can do that¡­ Everything I¡¯m able to do is thanks to the VISS Driver. But you¡¯re doing it on your own. It¡¯s revolutionary, right?¡±


    Carol soon recovered from the surprise and crossed her arms pensively. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡± She tried her best to suppress a grin. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone other than you who can use magic. Maybe I am one of the first ones¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ I never expected I¡¯d wake up to you telling me that you can use magic now¡­ This is wild¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn you, Iroha¡­ Now you got me thinking¡­ If I can use magic, does that mean I can learn how to shoot fireballs? How do I do it, Iroha?¡± Carol became uncharacteristically giddy.


    ¡°Sorry, but even I can¡¯t help you with that¡­ I don¡¯t know how to shoot a fireball with the VISS Driver, much less without it.¡±


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* You¡¯re useless¡­¡± Carol flashed me a playful smile. ¡°What can I do with magic then? Do you have any idea? I hope turning the lights on the tattoo on and off isn¡¯t all I can do¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I told you about skills before, but I have no idea how they work without the VISS Driver.¡± If what¡¯s called a skill even exists without the VISS Driver. ¡°Some people can use magic in the other world, so there might be a way for you to learn some spells too. I don¡¯t know how, though.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ That¡¯s a shame too¡­ It would have been a good way to get stronger.¡± Carol looks down with a slightly disappointed look.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ You said you have the weird voice under control, but are you okay? You¡¯re not thinking of yourself as a burden anymore, are you?¡± She¡¯s still thinking about getting stronger, so I¡¯m scared of her answer. Even without the spell causing her to act recklessly, if those feelings continue to make her suffer, that¡¯s bad.


    ¡°¡­¡± She stares at me with an annoyed look. She ponders an answer and whether to give it or not. ¡°I¡¯m still focused on improving, got it? I¡¯m not gonna be satisfied until I show you all how awesome I am!¡± Then her expression softened. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t bother me anymore¡­ I may not be as strong as any of you, but that doesn¡¯t matter. You helped me remember what was the point of getting better in first place. I wanted to repay the others for everything they¡¯ve done for me. Even if it takes a while, it¡¯s fine as long as I get there one day. You better not slack off, you hear me? Otherwise, I¡¯ll catch up with you again in no time. That wouldn¡¯t be any fun.¡±


    I see¡­ That¡¯s much better than before¡­ Maybe that¡¯s the perfect attitude¡­ Only time will tell. Carol paused for a moment, and her cheeks grew red. She averted her gaze and quietly mumbled. ¡°I also need to repay you now¡­ I want to¡­ You better be ready¡­¡±


    Gah! Carooool!!! Sooo cute!!!

 Chapter 67 – Doctor’s Orders are Just Suggestions

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time I get out of bed.¡± I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about Carol. After the others left, the two of us spoke here in the infirmary, and she finally opened up a little. It was so cute! Basically, the reason why she fights is because she loves the others a lot and wants to return the favor. And now I¡¯m a part of that too! She wants to repay me for helping her remember what¡¯s important to her. I can¡¯t wait to see what that looks like!


    I know I¡¯m looking at this through rose-tinted glasses, but that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be grateful no matter what form her appreciation takes. Just knowing that what I did earned me a place in her heart is good enough for me. Even if it doesn¡¯t turn into a mushy and steamy romance¡­


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re getting up? Is that alright? Didn¡¯t the others tell you to rest?¡± I sat up straight, and Carol leaned forward to catch me in case my strength failed me.


    ¡°I know what they said, but I feel perfectly fine.¡± I pushed the blanket aside and turned to the side, touching the floor with my feet.


    Wow¡­ Somebody changed my clothes into a patient¡¯s gown made while I was asleep. I¡¯ll start getting embarrassed if I think about it too much, so let¡¯s put that to the side¡­


    ¡°How can you be fine? You looked seriously hurt, you know?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand how such a quick recovery was possible, and it annoyed her.


    ¡°I think it has something to do with the VISS Driver. Remember how I told you about stats and all that? HP recovers fairly quickly. As long as my HP doesn¡¯t reach 0, I should survive. I¡¯m almost back to max now, so it¡¯s only natural that I feel fine.¡±


    ¡°What the hell? That¡¯s unfair¡­ What if your head gets chopped off? Would you survive without your head just because your HP is higher than 0?¡±


    ¡°Maybe? Ahahaha¡­¡± Why am I being hypothetically decapitated now? ¡°Might be some kind of fringe scenario, though. I don¡¯t think anyone can survive without a head¡­¡± Maybe it¡¯s a kind of instakill? If the head is chopped, you die regardless of HP. I think that¡¯s what happens to monsters when I target their vitals, at least. ¡°But let¡¯s not talk about that. I don¡¯t really care about finding out what happens if my head is sliced off.¡±


    ¡°Really? I think you could pull it off.¡± Carol grinned while getting up from the stool. ¡°Are you sure about getting up? Hecate¡¯s gonna nag you to get back to bed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to convince her, but if that doesn¡¯t work, I say let her nag.¡± As long as it¡¯s just nagging and nothing scarier. ¡°Once they see me walking around, they¡¯ll get it. Come on, let¡¯s head out.¡±


    Carol nodded, and she walked ahead of me. She kept a close eye on me until we left the infirmary, worried about my condition. All it took was a few steps, and she eased up. I quickly swung by the dojo¡¯s changing room, then we headed for the dorm together.


    ¡­


    ¡°Is this one large enough?¡±


    ¡°Our feast will have plenty of food, so that won¡¯t do. Is there another table that¡¯s just as big? Two of those together might fit everything.¡± As soon as Carol opened the dorm¡¯s door, I was met with the scene of Katja dragging a table around and Hecate cooking behind a counter.


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Our entrance turned both girls¡¯ heads, wondering why they just heard the door opening. ¡°Iroha?! What are you doing here!?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you resting?¡± Katja let go of the table and rushed to the entrance. Dropping the table caused a loud impact, and now it¡¯s in the middle hallway, blocking it.


    ¡°I told you I was fine earlier. I¡¯m not hurt anymore, so why would I stay in bed? I don¡¯t wanna spend all day resting.¡±


    ¡°I get not wanting to stay in bed, but¡­¡± Katja was understanding, but she couldn¡¯t accept that someone who had a hole in her chest yesterday could already walk around without any issues.


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    ¡°Carol¡­ Why didn¡¯t you stop her?¡± Hecate said from back in the kitchen. Her voice sounded a bit angry. ¡°I knew I should have been the one monitoring her¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re blaming me? You told me to keep her company, not prevent her from leaving!¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Hecate, Katja, I¡¯m fine. Seriously¡­ Think about it. If I was actually hurt, I wouldn¡¯t be able to walk all the way here.¡± I rotated the arm on the side of the stab. ¡°See? I can move my arm no problem. That means it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Katja immediately panicked and stopped me from moving my arm. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re fine. Sorry, but don¡¯t move your arm anymore. What if it suddenly rips off?¡± She¡¯s seriously exaggerating, but at least she¡¯s accepted it. Negotiations were a success. I winked to Carol, who responded with a sigh.


    Katja took a few steps back, and we stepped into the dorm properly. ¡°If you¡¯re up, then this table is just in the way now. We can probably just eat here instead of taking the food to the infirmary. Guess I¡¯ll have to put it back.¡±


    ¡°Do you want some help? I can give you a hand.¡± I offered some help, but¡­


    ¡°YOU¡¯RE NOT GOING TO HELP ANYONE WITH ANYTHING!¡± Hecate suddenly started freaking out and scared me. ¡°Just sit down and relax until it¡¯s time for dinner! We don¡¯t want you getting worse.¡± Maybe I went a little too far¡­ I don¡¯t think I can push it any further.


    ¡°Okay okay, I got, I¡¯ll stay put.¡± Scared the shit out of me¡­ Katja lifted the table and carried it down the hallway. Carol and I sat down on the couch next to each other.


    ¡°Geez, Iroha. The fuck were you thinking?¡± Carol whispered. ¡°You almost made her snap. See now? This is what happens when you refuse to let Hecate take care of you. I hope you¡¯ve learned your lesson.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it?¡± I keep my voice low as well. ¡°She may scream a little, but she¡¯s not actually mad, is she? She¡¯s just worried. If I just stay put now, she won¡¯t complain anymore.¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know? This isn¡¯t my first rodeo¡­ Be careful, though. You¡¯ve pissed her off once, so now she¡¯s gonna keep a close watch on you.¡± Hecate keeping a close watch on me? Sounds familiar. ¡°If you push it even a little bit, she¡¯s gonna get mad again. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± Carol glanced at Hecate, which caused me to do the same. We were whispering, so she shouldn¡¯t have been able to hear us.


    ¡°Is something wrong? Do you need something.¡± Focused on the pot, without even turning our way, Hecate sensed us. Sniper¡¯s sense? Woah, that¡¯s spooky¡­


    ¡°N- no! Not really!¡± Carol stopped staring at Hecate and sat straight on the couch. Yeah¡­ We should probably talk about something else.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I have a question for you, Carol. Can you tell me more about the doctor from earlier? She really freaked me out¡­¡±


    ¡°Reia?¡± Carol switched gears, and the tension left. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but she¡¯s some kind of child prodigy. She apparently studied some recent medical papers when she was younger, so now any new technique that appears comes naturally to her. As you can imagine, in Three Records City, where innovation and being on the cutting edge are so valued, she¡¯s practically a living treasure.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow¡­¡± Everyone living here has heard stories of young geniuses and prodigies being offered incredible lives and privileges for their brains and work. I never thought I¡¯d meet someone like that¡­ ¡°How did you get someone like that to come here just to treat me?¡±


    ¡°Connections, how else? Katja befriended her when she and the others worked at the PSF. The general public doesn¡¯t know it, but anything that¡¯s cutting-edge in the world right now is tied to monsters and portals in one way or another. Medicine is no different, so the PSF has done everything they could to maintain a working relationship with Reia. She¡¯s one of the best, if not the best, at healing any wounds or supernatural ailments caused by monsters.¡±


    That¡¯s some juicy information right there¡­ And to think I was part of the clueless general public not that long ago. A lot has changed, hasn¡¯t it? Carol continued. ¡°Why did she freak you out, though? Did you do something to her?¡±


    ¡°What could I have done? I just saw her do something weird when I woke up. Well, maybe I was seeing things, it doesn¡¯t quite match with what you¡¯ve told me about her¡­ I think I saw her playing with a revolver¡­¡±


    ¡°A revolver? Why would she have a revolver? I heard she can kinda do whatever she wants since she¡¯s so important, but that makes no sense¡­ You were probably seeing things.¡± Was I? It didn¡¯t seem like a dream to me¡­


    ¡°I can explain.¡± Katja suddenly popped out from behind the corner and sat down with us. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty simple and funny story. She wanted to learn something new, so she randomly decided she was gonna learn how to shoot a gun. I ended up giving her a couple lessons since she¡¯s a friend.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s it? Why would she randomly want to learn how to shoot? And why did she have to be playing with a revolver right when I wake up? Was she trying to give me a heart attack? It¡¯s probably against the doctor¡¯s code too.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahah¡­¡± Katja shrugged her shoulders awkwardly. ¡°That I do not know. She¡¯s not the type to explain her reasoning, so even I don¡¯t fully understand her. But enough gossiping about others, I just had an idea you might be interested in, Iroha.¡± Katja energetically shifted her upper body to face me directly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± That¡¯s kinda sudden¡­ ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Wanna learn how to shoot a gun? I can teach you too.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Can I? I mean, I am interested¡­ Guns are cool in games. But the idea of shooting one in real life hasn¡¯t quite sunk in yet. It¡¯s not the first time she brought this up, but I never thought it¡¯d come so soon.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re ready. You¡¯ve gotten used to wielding a sword and fighting monsters, so now¡¯s a good time. I¡¯ve also noticed that you have been swinging your sword with just one hand, which isn¡¯t what I taught you¡­¡± Katja stared with a slightly accusatory tone.


    ¡°So- sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I would have taught you like that if I had known. It¡¯s not gonna get you in trouble, so it¡¯s good you found your own style. But now you have a hand that¡¯s not doing anything. That doesn¡¯t seem right, does it? Don¡¯t you wanna change that?¡± Katja winked to convince me. As if getting to shoot a gun isn¡¯t cool enough by itself.


    ¡°Of course I wanna change that! When do we start? Now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt, Iroha!¡± Hecate said from the kitchen. Wow¡­ Carol¡¯s right¡­ She doesn¡¯t miss.


    ¡°Like Hecate said, today¡¯s not a good idea. I¡¯ll get something ready for you if you¡¯re interested. We have a simple shooting range in the woods. I¡¯ll take you there when you¡¯re feeling good, okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine! I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± I said, and Katja smiled in response.


    ¡°Katja! Is a desk fine too?¡± A voice echoed from deeper in the hallway. Narumi kept approaching us until she arrived at the lounge area.


    ¡°Well, Iroha¡¯s here now¡­¡± Katja gestured in my direction. Was Narumi helping Katja set up a table in the infirmary?


    ¡°Iroha? Are you well enough to be here?¡± Narumi asked lazily, and I waved back. She stared at me for a second with a blank stare. I can almost make out the gears clicking inside her head, close to arriving at a realization. ¡°So, is a desk fine? There¡¯s a desk in one of the empty rooms, but it¡¯s dusty and has a lot of crap on top of it. Do you want it? Do we carry it to the infirmary?¡±


    Hello? Narumi? Don¡¯t you get it?!

 Chapter 68 – The Great Feast

    After leaving the infirmary of my own volition, I joined the others in the dorm while waiting for Hecate to finish cooking. We talked for a while about a variety of things, then we all sat down together to eat.


    ¡°Can you get the food yourself? I¡¯ll get it for you. What do you want?¡± Hecate, to my left, asked, still overly cautious about my condition.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can get it myself. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    The table which always seemed too big for just the four girls, was filled to the brim with a variety of dishes. Carol, to my right, and Narumi, across from her, had already served themselves and didn¡¯t wait for the rest of us to begin. Katja was a bit worried, just like Hecate. After she heard me say I was fine, she decided it¡¯d be pointless to worry and started eating as well.


    Somehow, sitting together with them for a meal doesn¡¯t feel as awkward as I¡¯d imagined it. In fact, it doesn¡¯t feel awkward at all! Maybe I was overly self-conscious when I first joined the House, or maybe it¡¯s because of all that happened since we first met, but I don¡¯t mind this at all. The sounds of everyone moving and their short exchanges quickly filled the room. It might get a bit noisy, but it seems nice!


    ¡°Hm?!¡± Narumi quickly swallowed her food and looked around for something on the table. ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡± Did she forget it somewhere? Yeah, Narumi without her phone is a sight I¡¯ve started to find strange.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You don¡¯t need it while you¡¯re eating, do you?¡± Hecate asked, glancing at her from the other end of the table.


    ¡°I could do both things if I wanted.¡± True. Eating is not that demanding. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to, though. I just want to know where it is.¡±


    ¡°Is that it? Next to the couch?¡± Katja pointed at a piece of furniture next to the couch, and Narumi wiggled around in her seat, trying to see it.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right! Carol, can you go get it for me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Carol paused for a second and looked up from her food. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Narumi was dazed.


    ¡°Why would I have to get up for you? If one of us has to get up to get it, it should be you. Also, don¡¯t think I have forgotten how you tried to embarrass me earlier in the infirmary.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? Did I do that? And why are you still mad about something like that? That was like¡­ so long ago¡­¡± Now that I know at least part of Narumi¡¯s spacey nature is intentional, it¡¯s hard to tell whether she really doesn¡¯t remember or if she¡¯s just playing dumb. If she¡¯s doing it to tease Carol, she¡¯s damn clever. ¡°Fine, whatever, I¡¯ll go get it.¡±


    Narumi got up from the table and went to get her phone. ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Carol made an exaggerated noise, and we continued eating. She doesn¡¯t seem mad at Narumi. She¡¯s even smiling a bit.


    Narumi returned to the table and placed down her phone. Everything should have been fine, but for some reason, she wasn¡¯t eating. She was instead staring at me. Did I do something?


    I stopped moving my hands when I noticed her gaze, and looked up at her. ¡°¡­¡± She leaned over the table without saying a word while lifting a thin piece of meat with her chopsticks.


    Wh- what¡¯s she doing? Is she offering it to me? Is she trying to feed me? Seriously?! ¡°What?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask as I tilted my head to the side. Narumi¡¯s chest is the biggest among the girls, with only Hecate being able to compete. When she leans on the table like that, it¡¯s quite the sight. Hehehe¡­ I can get used to this¡­ I¡¯ve always wanted to have a cute girl like her to feed me.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you hurt?¡± Narumi mimicked the tilting of my head as she asked her own question. She was worried about that after all¡­ Haven¡¯t I said plenty of times that I¡¯m good? Still, if it weren¡¯t for the others being here, I would have taken her offer already.


    ¡°Narumi¡­¡± Carol said next to me, her voice bubbling with rage. ¡°You idiot! Watch what you¡¯re doing! You¡¯re pressing your boobs on the food!¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Narumi completely forgot what she was doing and sat back down properly. ¡°My shirt¡¯s all dirty now! I gotta wash it!¡± Narumi got up from the table and rushed to the nearest bathroom. Carol was once again left shaking her head.


    ¡°Let me handle this.¡± Hecate lifted up the affected dish and rearranged the table. Just because her clothes touched the food, it was still good¡­ Hecate didn¡¯t need to do anything. In fact, the titty flavor would probably add to the experience¡­ Ahem, forget I said anything.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    While I was getting lost in my thoughts, Carol reached across the table and swiped Narumi¡¯s phone. ¡°Hey, Iroha, can you keep it hidden?¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡± She wants me to hide Narumi¡¯s phone? Why? Is she trying to get back at her? Don¡¯t drag me into this! ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want Narumi to get angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ You¡¯re no fun¡­¡± Carol thought about it for a moment. She had to hurry. Otherwise, Narumi would catch her in the act. ¡°I have an idea!¡± Carol placed the phone back where Narumi first forgot about it. Geez¡­ These two sure are making dinner a mess. Katja has been following the events with her eyes and a slight smile, while Hecate has done her best to ignore them.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡± Narumi returned to the table with a new shirt and sat down again. ¡°That was close¡­¡± She relaxed her shoulders and made herself comfortable. Didn¡¯t last long, though. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s my phone? Did I take it with me? I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t.¡± Carol covered her mouth with one hand, and I could see her snickering. She was being pretty obvious, and Narumi noticed. ¡°You did something, didn¡¯t you, Carol? Where did you hide it?!¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Carol scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Narumi came over to Carol. ¡°Prove it!¡±


    ¡°Wanna do a body search? Go ahead. It will cost you, though.¡± Carol stood up and faced Narumi.


    ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t have it?!¡± Somehow, before she even touched Carol, Narumi already knew Carol didn¡¯t have it with her. I guess she¡¯s used to Carol¡¯s mind games. She knows what¡¯s a bluff and what¡¯s not. ¡°Where is it then? D- do you have it, Iroha? Did Carol rope you into this?!¡± Damn, she¡¯s sharp.


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t have anything. She did try to-¡±


    ¡°Why would Iroha hide your phone, you idiot? I would never rope her into anything in the first place. Don¡¯t throw out accusations without thinking.¡± She really just said that, huh? ¡°Your phone is right there, see?¡±


    ¡°Why is it there again?¡± Narumi went over to the lounge for a second time. ¡°That¡¯s where I left it before¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I went to get it¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going senile¡­ You talked about picking it, but you never ended up following through.¡± Making Narumi believe she¡¯s going insane¡­ That¡¯s mean, Carol.


    ¡°Really?¡± Narumi sounded a bit confused, almost as if she was believing Carol¡¯s gaslighting. ¡°Yoink! You think I¡¯m that stupid?¡± When she passed by Carol¡¯s seat, she quickly stole a piece of meat from her plate and stuffed it in her mouth.


    ¡°Narumi?! That was one of the best pieces!¡±


    ¡°Mhmm! Don¡¯t worry, I can tell.¡± After a lot of obstacles, Narumi finally returned to her seat, ready to resume her meal. Carol clicked her tongue in response. Who¡¯s the winner in their exchange? Is there a winner? I can¡¯t even tell¡­


    ¡°Why are you two fighting today? You¡¯re gonna give Iroha the impression that we¡¯re all savages here¡­¡± Katja sighed with a soft smile. ¡°Sorry for the mess, Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It¡¯s been fun.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Mind if I ask you a question then? What¡¯s your usual diet like? Do you eat a lot of proteins? Have you changed anything recently?¡± She sounds weirdly enthusiastic¡­


    ¡°I live alone, so I take a lot of shortcuts¡­ Like premade meals and stuff¡­ I never really thought about things like that, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ So it¡¯s not a change in diet that¡¯s behind your growth¡­ With some tinkering, I think I can help you grow even stronger. Iroha, Have you ever tried to-¡±


    ¡°Alright, stop right there, Katja. Now¡¯s not the time to optimize diets or training plans. Let Iroha enjoy the feast.¡± Hecate cut in, stopping Katja mid-sentence. ¡°Narumi, you¡¯re slowing down, but you¡¯re not done yet, are you? You should eat some more.¡± And now she¡¯s acting like a grandma, forcing food on her cute grandchildren¡­ They are cute. I¡¯ll give her that.


    ¡°Yeah, Narumi. Weren¡¯t you the one cheering for the feast earlier? You can¡¯t stop eating until there¡¯s no food left.¡±


    ¡°I can eat some more, but I¡¯ll die if I have to eat everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Same goes for you, Carol. You haven¡¯t eaten a lot, so don¡¯t think about stopping yet.¡± Carol tried to pile on Narumi, but Hecate then turned on her too. ¡°And you too, Iroha. Don¡¯t be shy.¡±


    ¡°Hecate¡¯s right. Eat some more meat, you two. You need more protein.¡± Katja was still thinking about diets, and she offered more unsolicited nutritional advice.


    ¡°Tell that to that idiot! She¡¯s the one stealing my food!¡± Carol pointed with her chopsticks, which made me and the others smile.


    A few boisterous minutes later, the table was nearly empty, and everyone was pretty much done. ¡°How was it, Iroha? Was the feast to your liking?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was perfect.¡±


    Hecate giggled while smiling. ¡°Thank you. Say, have you ever thought about living here at the House with us?¡±


    ¡°Oh! You should move in, Iroha! It would be so much fun!¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Hecate invited me to live with them, and Narumi cheered. Uhmm¡­ What the hell? I mean, I can see the appeal, but it would make it hard for me to watch anime and play games¡­ How am I gonna gush over my waifus while under the same roof as them? The fact that I¡¯m a weirdo deep down would surface in no time¡­


    ¡°You see, we have a few vacant rooms here in the dorm. If you¡¯re interested, all we¡¯d have to do is clear one up for you. What do you say, Iroha? No rent and comes with free food.¡± Wow¡­ That came out of nowhere. And they¡¯re all adamant about it too. Hecate and Narumi are the only ones who¡¯ve spoken up, but Carol and Katja are looking at me expectantly.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Thanks for the offer, but I already have a place to live¡­¡±


    ¡°Who cares? If you move in, that doesn¡¯t matter anymore, does it?¡± It¡¯s not exactly that simple, Narumi¡­


    ¡°I expected something like that. It¡¯s a real shame. It¡¯d improve the team¡¯s morale to have you live with us. Well, what if we arrange a room for you regardless?¡± She¡¯s insisting? Was I not clear enough? Even the other girls seemed confused with her.


    ¡°That¡¯s really nice, but moving doesn¡¯t really work for me¡­ I like where I¡¯m living right now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. You don¡¯t need to move to have a room here. It can just be a tiny sanctuary here for you to crash at sometimes. When we return late from a mission, when training runs a little late, or even when you¡¯re just visiting, wouldn¡¯t you like the option to sleep here?¡± Everyone cheered for Hecate¡¯s suggestion. They thought this that way, I wouldn¡¯t have any reason to refuse, and honestly, I don¡¯t.


    ¡°If you¡¯re fine with me hogging a room that I might not use that much, then I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine, Iroha.¡± Katja responded. ¡°It¡¯s better to give you a room than have it empty, just gathering dust. It might be a problem when we get a huge influx of new recruits, but that¡¯s likely never going to happen.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°Will you return tomorrow, Iroha? Come back as soon as you can, okay? Let¡¯s pick a room together!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Iroha, if we get the room ready tomorrow, then you should sleep here to try it out. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Ohhh! Kinda like a sleepover! Good idea, Carol! Let¡¯s do it! That¡¯s fine, right, Iroha? Hecate can cook something special again too! It¡¯s gonna be so much fun!¡±


    ¡°You want this much food two days in a row? You¡¯re gonna get fat. Though, as dumb as you are, it might all just end up on your chest. Right, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ If you¡¯re here tomorrow, how about we do the thing we talked about earlier, Iroha?¡±


    Iroha, Iroha, Iroha, Iroha! One after the other, from every side, they all called and went off on their own without ever giving me an opportunity to say anything! Ahahahaha¡­ What have I gotten myself into?


    ¡­


    ¡°See you tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Bye!¡±


    ¡°See you!¡± The girls accompanied me to the front gate, and I waved goodbye as I left. Whew¡­ That was exhausting¡­ Seems like I have a sleepover tomorrow. It was hard to get a word in, so I ended up agreeing to most of what they wanted. I¡¯m not gonna complain, though. I had a lot of fun today. And by the looks of it, tomorrow¡¯s gonna be no different!


    I¡¯m completely spent. I may be physically fine after that last battle, but I haven¡¯t had the opportunity to relax yet. I can¡¯t believe how much closer I am to everyone at the house right now. Katja has always been friendly, Carol started to open up, and now Hecate and Narumi have fully accepted me as well. I guess I managed to convince them that I¡¯m someone they can trust. All it took was putting my life on the line and getting stabbed a couple times. Sounds kinda simple when I put it like that¡­ Well, it paid off.

 Chapter 69 – The Elephant in the Room

    It paid off, huh?


    This idea has been stuck in my mind since yesterday, after I left the House. It paid off. There¡¯s no doubt about it. It certainly did. My relationship with the girls changed for the better, and I had a lot of fun during dinner.


    It almost couldn¡¯t have gone any better. Part of me wishes they became super enamored with me right away, but that would be troublesome in its own way. If they all suddenly confessed to me, I¡¯d have no idea what to do. I can already imagine me getting embarrassed and finding a way to ruin everything¡­ In the end, our relationship got better, and I¡¯m happy with that. If things ever progress past a simple friendship, it¡¯s fine to let it develop naturally¡­ I think¡­


    Besides being accepted as one of them, I got something else out of the whole ordeal. Levels, skills, levels on skills, and skills for levels! Actually, scratch that last one. Not real, and it doesn¡¯t make any sense. It¡¯s been a while since I last took the time to properly look through my skills, so let me go over some of the highlights.


    [Momentum ¨C Agility Burst is now Lv.6]


    [Momentum ¨C Nimble is now Lv.7]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Sword Mastery is now Lv.7]


    [Swordsmanship ¨C Slash Flurry is now Lv.6]


    These four are my highest-level skills right now, and they¡¯ve been growing nicely. I used them a lot, so that makes sense. Nimble and Sword Mastery are both passives, so any time I do anything in a fight, they¡¯re helping in one way or another. Agility Burst and Slash Flurry are my bread and butter, so naturally, they also grow a lot.


    Pretty much every single one of my skills has gained at least one level, but the one to focus on is definitely¡­


    [Violence ¨C Violence Impulse is now Lv.2]


    Violence Impulse. The ominous-sounding skill that allows me to burn through endless fodder in a matter of seconds. I¡¯m still not sure why the VISS Driver found it to be suitable for me or what that means, but I¡¯m not complaining. It¡¯s a great skill, and I¡¯m glad to see it grow. I¡¯m not really a violent person¡­ And I¡¯m not impulsive either¡­ If anything, I¡¯ve always been a bit of a coward. I¡¯ve made some decisions recently that might make that hard to believe, but I stand by it. Everyone can do something a bit crazy when they¡¯re pushed to the limit, right?


    Either way, it¡¯s good that Violence Impulse got another level. I was worried it wouldn¡¯t grow because I used it to kill pretty much every single monster in the valley and nothing. Nothing changed. The army of fish seems to have made the difference, though. I think that since it cost 50 skill points to buy instead of the usual 10 or 20 it takes much longer to grow.


    I¡¯m level 23 after defeating the mermaid, and I have 60 skill points just lying around. Time to spend them! For this one, I decided to go with one new and one old.


    [Skill ¨C Parrying Strike acquired.]


    [Skill ¨C Butterfly''s Wings acquired.]


    Parrying Strike and Butterfly¡¯s Wings, costing 20 and 30 skill points respectively. That¡¯s pretty much all my skill points, but I think it¡¯s worth it. Parrying Strike allows me to use some MP to enhance attacks intended for parries, deflects, and blocks. But that¡¯s nothing new, I¡¯ve seen it before. The one that¡¯s a bit exciting is Butterfly¡¯s Wings. It¡¯s a bit hard to explain, though. I¡¯m not sure how to describe it. When activated, Butterfly¡¯s Wings, in exchange for MP, turns a slash into two slashes in a V shape. For example, if I swing down my sword at a wood panel, it¡¯s gonna leave a single vertical scratch. With this skill, the original wouldn¡¯t appear, and two scratches in the shape of a V would appear instead. Make sense? I hope so¡­ How it works, I don¡¯t really know, but it essentially allows me to cut twice with a single slash.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The only other skill I really want right now is the Parkour skill, because it seems like it¡¯d be really cool. Just like Wall Artist, I can¡¯t imagine it being the most useful thing in the world, so I ended up prioritizing more combat-oriented skills. Kinda ironic to be thinking this considering how Wall Artist has already helped me multiple times now. But I just can¡¯t see them in the same way as combat skills. Either way, Parkour costs 20 skill points, and I only have 10 remaining, so I¡¯ll just save the rest for now.


    Hmm¡­ I got a lot more new skills last time, huh? I guess the rate at which I¡¯m getting new levels is slowing down. That¡¯s how it goes, but it still makes me kinda sad¡­ The deeper I go down any of the skill trees, the more expensive the skills get, which also doesn¡¯t help.


    Whatever. I got my new skills and a bunch of level ups, so it¡¯s just like I was saying. It paid off. There¡¯s no other way to put it. It paid off. But¡­ That¡¯s also been bugging me. What is it exactly that paid off?


    Was it because I saved Carol again? Was it because my help made a difference? Maybe it was because I rescued Narumi and took a hit for her. Or was it because I helped Katja when she couldn¡¯t move? Well? What exactly was it? It¡¯s not as cut-and-dry as it seems, is it? The outcome is clear. I got skills, I got girls, and I¡¯m happy! But I still haven¡¯t arrived at an answer.


    Did chopping up the little army of fish do it? Was the outcome the result of my fight with the mermaid? What paid off? Was it a combination of all of those things? I think that would be the most sensible conclusion. But what if all that was a result of something else? I saved Carol as the result of something else, I saved Narumi as a result of something, and so on and so forth.


    If I look at it that way, then what paid off was the fact that I showed up. I wasn¡¯t really sure what was going on first, but I tried to help, and everything worked out. Trying is what made a different. It was all I needed to do, and that makes me think of something else¡­


    I get up from my desk and open the blinds. Just enough to let a little morning light into my room. There¡¯s no school on the weekends, so I¡¯ve been enjoying catching up on games and anime since I¡¯ve woken up. But that¡¯s come to an end now. I can¡¯t focus anymore. I reread the crumpled-up letter I got from Ririna. I can¡¯t get it out of my mind.


    I was so scared she had abandoned me after we couldn¡¯t meet, that I tried to avoid thinking about it entirely. She wanted to talk, but I got inside my own head, thinking she was going to confess, and I ended up ruining everything. That¡¯s what I thought, at least, but that conclusion was probably too hasty. She didn¡¯t abandon me. She wasn¡¯t even mad. She wanted to talk, but for some reason, we weren¡¯t able to meet. Why was that? Well, I think I know exactly why now.


    It¡¯s because I gave up. I stopped trying. After she didn¡¯t show up in Rocky Ridges for a few days, I got scared and stopped going. That¡¯s obviously dumb on my part. In the situation with the mermaid, if trying is what paid off, then the reason I never met her is just as obvious. As is what I should do next¡­


    ¡°If we somehow end up missing each other, look for me in the capital.¡± That¡¯s what she wrote at the end of her letter. If I want to find Ririna, I need to head to Ebrilyon¡¯s capital. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m gonna do. I can¡¯t easily fast-travel back and forth like them, so going to the capital is going to be a long journey. But I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s worth the effort. It¡¯s time for me to leave Rocky Ridges behind¡­


    I¡¯ll spend the day at the House, I¡¯ll sleepover, then I¡¯ll set off next morning. I need to see Ririna again. I want to hear what she wanted to say from her own mouth. I won¡¯t be able to rest until then.


    Now that I know what I must do, there¡¯s only one thing left to take care of. Me showing up at the House is what led to this great outcome. I tried to help, and I succeeded. But that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I only went there because she told me. She assured me that she was on my side and that everything was gonna be fine if I trusted her. And she was right. That¡¯s the worst part. She was right. Like I¡¯ve been dancing in the palm of her hand this entire time. I just can¡¯t accept it. It¡¯s time to address the elephant in the room. Miyuki.


    She showed up at my door while I was depressed over Ririna at exactly the right time. She knew exactly what to say to get me running back to the House. It¡¯s suspicious, but she might have just gotten lucky. What¡¯s undeniable is that she slipped up at the end. She talked about portals. And I can¡¯t let that go. No matter how many times she says she¡¯s on my side, I don¡¯t know if I can trust her without an explanation. Was she lying to me the whole time? How much does she know?


    I sent her a message earlier asking her to meet up, and to my surprise, she didn¡¯t say no.


    ¡°¡­¡± I looked at the clock and took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s about time¡­ I guess I should get going.¡± I won¡¯t let her weasel her way out of this one. Is she someone I can trust? Is she really on my side? I sure hope so¡­

 Chapter 70 – Friend or Foe

    ¡°Where is she¡­? She should be around here somewhere.¡±


    Today, I¡¯m stepping into another battlefield. This is the one that scares me the most because I have never been this poorly equipped before. I have faced hordes and powerful foes, yet my stomach is churning with anticipation.


    Today¡¯s the day I¡¯m going to confront Miyuki and squeeze everything she knows out of her. It¡¯s scary because I don¡¯t do well with her. She does things for me that make me really weak in the knees, but I can¡¯t allow that today! I¡¯m going to stand strong, and I won¡¯t accept any of her excuses!


    There¡¯s no school today, so I asked Miyuki to meet me just before lunch. I¡¯m making my way to the shopping district near my school while being bombarded by the early summer sun. No matter how light the clothes I¡¯m wearing are, I can¡¯t seem to stop sweating. Though that has probably less to do with the sun than with who I¡¯m about to meet. Like always, there¡¯s barely anyone out in the street. I guess there¡¯s a bit more than usual since people need to eat. I pass by a couple more stores, and the mysterious blue radiance oozing off the silvery hair of a certain beauty comes into view. ¡°There she is¡­¡±


    ¡°Miyuki!¡± I hasten my pace and call out to her when I get close.


    ¡°Iroha! There you are!¡± With bubbly and energetic motions, she waves her hand while waiting for me.


    ¡°Miyuki, you have a lot you need to exp-¡± As I got into talking distance, I got to see her outfit, and I was reminded of her unusual fashion sense.


    This is what I was scared of. She¡¯s wearing punk/goth clothes very similar to the ones that I saw her wearing a while ago. Red and black stripped thigh-highs and sleeves, platform boots, a choker, and a black shirt with lots of skulls. Fuck, I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but it¡¯s this hot shit that really distracts me! It¡¯s too cute! I can¡¯t stand it!


    Gotta keep it cool, though. I can¡¯t let myself get distracted, and I can¡¯t let her set the pace. This is important. I¡¯m off to a bad start, but I can turn it around.


    ¡°I¡¯m super happy to see you, Iroha! I¡¯m so glad you finally invited me out on a date!¡± Pfft! Da- date?! N- not that I¡¯d be opposed, but who said anything about that!? ¡°We¡¯re gonna get lunch together, right? I can¡¯t wait!¡± Miyuki came over to my side and linked arms with me.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± No! This is awful! I¡¯ve only just met her, and I¡¯m already at a loss¡­ She¡¯s setting the pace¡­ I can¡¯t allow that! ¡°Wait! No¡­ I just wanna talk! We need to talk.¡± I shook off her arm and stepped back.


    ¡°Hmm? You just wanna talk? You don¡¯t wanna get lunch, Iroha?¡± Miyuki leaned forward cutely with her arms behind her back. She tilted her head slightly with a fading smile.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for it¡­ is there? I have a lot of questions I need to ask, so I just wanna talk.¡± I knew it would go like this¡­ I never know what to say in these kinds of situations¡­ I guess it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s a bit awkward as long as I can prevent her from weaseling out.


    ¡°You have a lot of questions, huh? I expected that.¡± Miyuki spoke with calm confidence before putting some energy back into her voice. ¡°But I think we should still get lunch. We can still talk, and you¡¯re probably getting hungry by now, no, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m not hungry-¡± But just as I was saying that, my stomach rumbled. How ridiculous is this? Do I have the best timing, or the worst timing? The sounds startled Miyuki, and she looked incredibly smug once it ended. I have no other choice, do I? ¡°Fine¡­ We can go eat somewhere¡­ But you have to promise you¡¯ll answer my questions.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe! Yeah, of course I will!¡± She quickly wrapped around me and latched onto my arm again. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± Damn¡­ She¡¯s good¡­ I couldn¡¯t seize the momentum at all¡­


    *Sigh¡­* Oh well, I had to get lunch at some point, so it¡¯s not that bad. Maybe it was hunger earlier causing my stomach to churn, huh?


    ¡­


    We went to a nearby burger chain restaurant because that¡¯s where Miyuki wanted to go. It was pretty crowded inside, especially when compared to out in the street. We got lucky enough to snag a nice cushioned table in a corner by the windows. With how noisy it was, we would be able to talk without anyone being able to understand what we say.


    We sat down face-to-face, and we were already halfway done with our meal. Miyuki delightfully stuffed her face, only saying two things the entire time we¡¯ve been here. These were ¡®Mhmm! I¡¯ve been craving this for a while!¡¯ and ¡®It was really hot outside today, wasn¡¯t it, Iroha?¡¯ with her adorable, bubbly voice. But I¡¯m not falling for that today!


    ¡°How do you know about the portals?¡±


    ¡°*Cough cough!* You gonna ask that straight up?!¡± I made Miyuki choke with such a direct question, and she reached for her drink.


    What else am I supposed to do? Anything she does just messes me up. ¡°Yeah¡­ You know about them, don¡¯t you? I mean, you were the one who told me a portal had appeared near the harbor a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Did I say that¡­? How do you know I was referring to the same thing as you? A portal can mean many things if you think about it. Couldn¡¯t it just have been a coincidence?¡± Her pitch grew as she spoke. She couldn¡¯t make it more obvious that it was a lie if she tried.


    ¡°A- are you serious?! That¡¯s bullshit! You know very well what I mean!¡± Is she gonna leave me in the dark? After promising she would tell me? ¡°Are you messing with me again? You said that you were on my side¡ªthat could trust you¡­ Was that a lie, Miyuki¡­?¡±


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Miyuki relaxed her shoulder. ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­ Don¡¯t look so sad, okay? You¡¯re giving me a look like I murdered your parents in front of you. I¡¯ll admit, I was teasing you just now. But I didn¡¯t mean anything bad by it, alright? It¡¯s just how I am. I¡¯ll try to tone it down and answer honestly from now on. Is that okay, Iroha?¡± Miyuki asked with a comforting tone.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I¡¯m split. In one hand, if she really means it, maybe I¡¯ll finally get the answers I¡¯ve been looking for. On the other hand, she¡¯s comforting me almost like I¡¯m a child throwing a tantrum¡­ Was this a success? ¡°So, are you really on my side?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say so last time? I mean it, Iroha. You can trust me.¡± She finished her burger and wiped herself using a napkin. She looked at me attentively while waiting for me to speak.


    ¡°Alright then, if you really want to help me, tell me how you know about the portals.¡± The answer to this question is pretty inconsequential, I guess¡­ But that means it¡¯s easier for her to answer honestly. If she doesn¡¯t give it to me straight, I¡¯ll know I can¡¯t trust her anymore. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t remember seeing anything out of the ordinary in the parking lot when we first met, was that a lie?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Yeah¡­ That one was a lie, sorry¡­ Ahahaha¡­¡± Miyuki laughed awkwardly. It may be a lie, but if she¡¯s admitting it, I think we¡¯re on the right path. ¡°I saw the portal, and I knew about them even before then. I learned about them a while ago when I stumbled into one in a random changing room.¡±


    She knew about the portals even before then? Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a bit of a coincidence, but I have no way to know whether it¡¯s a lie or not. Either way, the fact that she lied about not having seen the portal in the parking lot is more important. It led me to believe the portals could change people¡¯s memories, and I even told Carol about that! Ughh¡­ How embarrassing! Why did I jump to conclusions?


    Now, I gotta keep the pressure up! ¡°So it was a lie¡­ Why lie, Miyuki?¡± You know those scenes in anime where a cop is interrogating someone in a dimly lit room and there¡¯s a bowl of ramen? No? Well, I channeled that energy regardless to press Miyuki for answers. ¡°I asked you multiple times if you had seen something out of the ordinary in the parking lot, and you said no. Why? Why did you lie? What did you stand to gain from that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really about gains or losses¡­¡± Miyuki lowered her head, and leaned forward her shoulders. ¡°I just wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust you, and I didn¡¯t want to sound crazy. Maybe you¡¯d react poorly and lash out at me. Maybe you wouldn¡¯t be able to accept it¡­ I don¡¯t know, but I couldn¡¯t risk it.¡± She then looked me in the eye. ¡°You get it, right, Iroha? Portals are such a ridiculous thing. It¡¯s not something you can talk about with someone you don¡¯t fully trust, right? They¡¯d look at you like you¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°W- well¡­ yeah¡­¡± Tell me about it! I couldn¡¯t straight up ask her about the portals before exactly for that reason. I haven¡¯t met that long ago, so there was no way I could start babbling about portals! Who would have thought that things went both ways¡­? ¡°But you should have known!¡± I channeled the interrogator energy again. ¡°Since I asked if you remember anything unusual, you could have picked up on it¡­ It was kinda obvious¡­ I think?¡±


    ¡°Pffft! Why are you talking like that, Iroha? I¡¯m being serious here, and now you¡¯re the one messing around?¡± Ehh? Why is she laughing? I was being serious, that¡¯s why I was trying to act like an interrogator. Once again, replicating anime and games in the real world proves extremely ineffective. Good thing there¡¯s a world where my knowledge comes in handy¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious too, so stop laughing¡­¡± How embarrassing¡­ I can¡¯t believe how poorly that worked¡­ Guess I¡¯ll be normal for now. ¡°Ahem, I understand what you¡¯re saying, but there¡¯s still something that doesn¡¯t make sense. When you came to my apartment a few days ago, how did you know what was going on, and how did you know about the portal in the harbor?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡­ That one¡¯s simple. I saw it in a dream.¡± Miyuki gestured with her hands like she was blowing my mind.


    ¡°In a dream?! W- what?¡±


    ¡°You see, ever since I saw the portal for the first time, I¡¯ve been having these strange visions. The first one showed me a lot about the world beyond the portals. Then I had a lot of visions about the future. I don¡¯t have any control over what I see¡­ It¡¯s like I¡¯m occasionally being shown individual scenes from random episodes during my dreams. I saw some parts from your adventures before they happened. And other things about both worlds that didn¡¯t involve you at all. Overall, I may even know some tidbits you don¡¯t about the world beyond the portals.¡± Miyuki suddenly grinned. ¡°For example, did you know the world beyond the portal is the world of a video game? Crazy, huh, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°I played the game! I can¡¯t believe you also know! I thought I was going crazy!¡± There were no traces of the game¡¯s existence, after all!


    ¡°Also? Wait, you mean you knew, Iroha? Damn¡­ I really thought I¡¯d get you with that one¡­¡± The dream and the sudden trivia showed that Miyuki¡¯s messing around a bit again, but I guess it¡¯s kinda my fault since I started it. She¡¯s cooperating, so I won¡¯t complain.


    But seriously, I can¡¯t believe what I just heard. She¡¯s been looking into the future? Like, what?! That explains why she said I¡¯d regret it if I didn¡¯t hurry to Carol¡­ She probably saw a future where I didn¡¯t help them in the harbor¡­ That¡¯s still a lot to take in, but I think I can accept it¡­ Now, what was that about the vision that showed her about the other world? She¡¯s like the key to everything! ¡°Miyuki, this is very important! You know about the other world, so tell me everything you know. Why did a game turn into an actual world that we can go into? What are the portals? Why are they appearing in the real world?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Iroha¡­ Can you slow down¡­¡± Miyuki looked troubled now. ¡°I know I said I saw a lot of things about the other world¡­ But most things are apparently things that appeared in the game. Like, a map of the whole thing¡­ That kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Really? That¡¯s it? Then there may not be a lot that I don¡¯t already know¡­¡± And here I thought I finally found a great lead¡­


    ¡°But wait, I thought you¡¯d know why the portals are appearing. I¡¯m not sure about the details, but apparently, it¡¯s because of some guy in a city filled with what they call demons in the game. He connected the two worlds somehow, and it looks like that¡¯s the reason behind the portals appearing.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± So it¡¯s all because of someone from the other side¡­ On demon territory? That¡¯s where I got the VISS Driver¡­ That¡¯s huge¡­ That¡¯s incredible information, but what does it all mean? Is there still something she¡¯s not telling me?


    ¡°Sorry, Iroha, but that¡¯s everything I know. At least those are the most important parts, I think. We can go over the details to see if everything matches, okay?¡±


    *Sigh¡­* It¡¯s a good bit of information, but I¡¯m not sure what to do about it¡­ Do I have to go back into demon territory to investigate now? And why was that something I should have known? There isn¡¯t anything in the game about opening up portals to Earth¡­ Can I really trust her, or am I just missing something? ¡°Thanks¡­ You were a big help¡­ I¡¯m happy you told me¡­¡± But I don¡¯t know what to do now, I¡¯m confused.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too happy, though. What¡¯s wrong? Do you still not trust me? I promise I¡¯m on your side¡­ Can I prove it to you somehow?¡± Miyuki looked at me from across the table with worry in her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you¡­ I think I can trust what you told me today. But it¡¯s hard, I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it because I didn¡¯t tell you everything from the get-go? You were also vague with me, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°True¡­ That¡¯s true, but¡­ Well¡­ Tell me this, why did you push me into the portal when we first met?¡± That¡¯s the most inconsistent part of everything she has said so far¡­ If she can explain this, maybe I¡¯ll believe that everything she¡¯s done was to help me somehow¡­ But she has to answer first! Let¡¯s see what she has to say! ¡°You can explain that, right? Or are you gonna pretend like that never happened?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple. I knew you¡¯d be able to get the Driver¡­ something...¡±


    ¡°VISS Driver.¡±


    ¡°That! ¡­and come back safely.¡± Hmm¡­ She even knows about the VISS Driver, huh? ¡°I also saw a world where you never went into the portal, and our world was overrun with monsters wreaking havoc. It really seemed like I had to give you a push to save the world.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± The world would be destroyed if she didn¡¯t push me in? That¡¯s another bomb dropped all of a sudden¡­ I find it kinda hard to believe that anything I do can make that much of difference¡­


    ¡°¡­¡± I remained quiet¡­ I can accept her explanation, I guess¡­ Miyuki got up from her seat and circled the table over to my side before sitting next to me.


    ¡°What about now, Iroha? Are you feeling better? Did that help?¡± Miyuki wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me to lean against her. Ehh? What¡¯s going on here? ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a little shocked with everything, but remember I¡¯m on your side, okay? Cheer up, and let¡¯s enjoy the rest of our date, okay? I¡¯ll help however I can from now on, so¡­ Hey, wanna form an alliance?¡± Miyuki¡¯s voice suddenly picked up.


    ¡°An alliance?¡± My energy had slightly returned after her embrace, but I was still too lazy to break away.


    ¡°Yeah! Think about it. I can see into the future sometimes, so I could give you some incredible information. It¡¯s kinda random, so it depends on what I see, but the two of us together could figure out all the secrets together, right?¡±


    ¡°Heheh¡­¡± She says it like it¡¯d be easy, but she¡¯s right about one thing¡­ I gotta cheer up. Feeling down isn¡¯t going to achieve anything, so I guess I can give it a shot. ¡°Okay, Miyuki. Let¡¯s form an alliance. We¡¯re in this together, so I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Great! You can count on me!¡± Miyuki smiled before squeezing me for a moment. ¡°Go ahead, ask me whatever you want. Let¡¯s make sure our information matches. I have a lot of questions for you too¡­¡±


    Really, there¡¯s no way Miyuki could be that bad of a person. She can be hard to read sometimes, but she¡¯s still Miyuki, and she¡¯s perfect. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going to happen from now on, but working together with Miyuki¡¯s going to be very helpful. I¡¯m one step closer to solving the mysteries of the portals, but that can wait until I meet Ririna again.

 Chapter 71 – New Alliances

    After my confrontation with Miyuki, we ended up forming an alliance. She claims that since she saw a portal for the first time, she¡¯s been able to see into the future. That¡¯s why it seemed like she was always one step ahead of me. With our agreement, she¡¯ll tell me about any future events she sees. This way, we¡¯ll be able to uncover the secrets behind the portals and the other world¡­ hopefully. Sounds very helpful, but her ability is not super ridiculous. She doesn¡¯t choose when it activates, and sometimes it¡¯s hard for her to make sense of the disjointed information she sees.


    I was skeptical when she first told me she could see into the future. Why would she start getting visions of the future just because she saw a portal? It all sounded very suspicious. At the same time, Carol did just start to learn magic the other day, so I¡¯m not sure. What¡¯s possible and what¡¯s not possible is not for me to decide.


    The strangest part about her visions is that she said the first one was different. Instead of showing her the future, it showed her about the other world. About how it¡¯s actually the world of a game, and she knows just as much as me. All without ever having touched the game or taking a single step through the portal¡­ A bit unfair¡­ I had to play the game and go there in person for my information¡­ She even knew something I didn¡¯t¡­


    The portals are being created by someone. That was the most valuable thing I learned from our conversation. The person responsible for everything is a blue-haired demon dude somewhere in what¡¯s called Demon Territory. Loosely the same place with the lab where I got the VISS Driver. The information was pretty vague, but it was a good start. Miyuki doesn¡¯t know who anyone in the other world is, and her description didn¡¯t make anything click for me either.


    As vague as it is, at least now I know where to search. If I want to know what¡¯s going on with the portals and the other world, I¡¯ll have to find a way into Demon Territory, probably into one of their bigger cities. But that¡¯s not really important right now. What I need to do first is find Ririna. I asked Miyuki if she saw anything that could help, but she doesn¡¯t even know who Ririna is. I guess that¡¯s fair enough.


    Miyuki then asked me a lot of questions. She seemed curious about the other world. I invited her to check it out with me, and she was surprisingly flustered. ¡°Me? Going through one of those portals? No no no no! I can¡¯t do that, Iroha! You know¡­ I¡­ I saw that I would die if I ever crossed a portal, so I can¡¯t go with you.¡± Or so she said, but it sounded more like an excuse. I guess she¡¯s just a normal girl and not a fighter like me. Of course she doesn¡¯t want to go to a world filled with monsters. Quite cute, though. Cute reaction. Now back to the present.


    ¡°So this is the one that will be your abode¡­ Never thought you¡¯d pick this one.¡± After my meeting with Miyuki, I went to the dorms to pick a room like I promised. Me and Hecate were in the room I chose, cleaning the dust and packing away some of the junk.


    ¡°Is there a problem with this room? It looked pretty good to me.¡± Other than the rooms that belong to them, there was one other room Hecate told me not to pick. It was being used as a shapeshift storage room, and it would have been a pain to clean up. But we don¡¯t have to worry about that with this one. One or two cardboard boxes and no more junk. The first box quickly filled up, and Hecate closed so it could be taken to the storage room later. We¡¯re almost done.


    ¡°No¡­ There¡¯s nothing wrong with the room itself. I just imagined you¡¯d prefer to be closer to Carol, that¡¯s all.¡± She told me which rooms were occupied, but she didn¡¯t tell who was where. Not that it made a difference to me. ¡°Curiously enough, you¡¯ll be directly above me. You¡¯ll be my guardian angel, watching over me from above.¡±


    ¡°Wait, your room is the one below?¡± Also, guardian angel? Really? From what I¡¯ve seen, I don¡¯t think Hecate needs my protection¡­ The other way around sounds better. With the way she dressed, if she had some black wings, she¡¯d make a perfect fallen angel. She¡¯s the one who¡¯s gonna be watching over me from¡­ below¡­? Wait. Doesn¡¯t make much sense. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be¡­ same vertical axis neighbors¡­? It¡¯s a pleasure.¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Hecate giggled and bowed softly. ¡°The pleasure is all mine.¡± Hecate grabs the full box and places it on a desk near her. She heaves a sigh of relief and takes a small break from cleaning. ¡°The world sure is ripe with secrets and riddles, don¡¯t you think?¡± She turned to me and calmly came over to my side.


    ¡°What?¡± Behind her is the only window in the room, letting in indirect light from the sun and a gentle breeze. Her black dress and hair glow softly and sway as she approaches. She¡¯s pretty¡­ ¡°Yeah¡­ There¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know about in this world, right? Why did you suddenly bring that up?¡± Are we suddenly talking about the mysteries of the world?


    ¡°No reason¡­ I just found myself wondering what kind of secrets you¡¯re keeping. You have a lot of them, don¡¯t you?¡± Wait, this again? Are we regressing now? ¡°Wait, don¡¯t get scared. I don¡¯t mean to admonish you for anything. Calm down. No matter how many secrets you¡¯re keeping, I still trust you. I was asking out of mere curiosity, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Whew¡­ Yeah¡­ The pressure I felt when she was angry at me is nowhere to be seen. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. I do have a lot I talk about, but that¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? Everyone has their secrets, right?¡±


    Hecate closes her eyes and takes a few steps back. There¡¯s a bed near the window, and since the room is so small, it takes her just a couple seconds to reach it. ¡°That¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± She sits down. ¡°So many secrets, yet none of them matter. You didn¡¯t know everything, but you trusted us with your life. Now I¡¯m gonna be trusting you with mine, despite not knowing everything about you. Before, I would have never called that trust, but I¡¯m surprised at how well I can accept that when it comes to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Uhmm¡­¡± I don¡¯t really know what to say to that¡­ I¡¯m kinda happy, I think. ¡°Thanks¡­ I trust you too. I- I¡¯ve never been the type to open up easily¡­ Sorry¡­¡± I can count on my hands the number of times having my secrets exposed didn¡¯t go terribly for me¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Do it when you¡¯re comfortable, or not at all. Like I¡¯ve said, I trust you regardless. You¡¯re the one person I can trust without knowing as much as I¡¯d like. I suppose I may be a bit too nosy¡­¡± Hecate smiles to herself, then stands up. ¡°Now then, time to get back to work. Just promise me one thing, Iroha. Be careful out there, okay? You really need to be careful from now on.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­?¡± I¡¯m always careful, though. Right? ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who cooks, cleans, and takes care of everyone around here. If I were to die protecting you, my poor girls would starve to death. I will be extremely upset if I were to die because of your carelessness. I may even come back as a ghost and haunt you until you learn how to cook.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha, alright¡­ I promise. I really don¡¯t want you dying to protect me either. I¡¯d feel really bad. If I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯ll try to do it somewhere you can¡¯t take my place.¡±


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re quick on the uptake. That¡¯s exactly how it should be. Thank you very much.¡± Gallows¡¯ humor? What a strange situation¡­ I never thought Hecate would make these kinds of jokes¡­ I guess she changed a little from how she was¡­


    I grabbed the box from earlier to take it to the other room, but I was quickly stopped by Hecate. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her voice earlier was soft and somewhat ironic, but now it was imposing again.


    ¡°Huh? I was just gonna take the box to the other room¡­¡±


    ¡°While you¡¯re still recuperating? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Hecate took the box right off my hands and set it back down on the desk.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve been moving things to clean up, and you didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°You were?! What were you thinking? Your shoulder still hasn¡¯t fully healed yet. You can¡¯t be straining it right now.¡± My shoulder has fully healed. Thank you very much. ¡°You know what? Out! Out, Iroha! Thanks for the help thus far, but I¡¯ll take it from here. Go watch some television downstairs.¡± What the hell? Is she really kicking me out?


    ¡°But I¡¯m fine! If I was in pain, I really wouldn¡¯t be trying to help. I don¡¯t exactly like hurting myself, you know?¡±


    ¡°Hah, from what I¡¯ve seen, I¡¯m not so sure¡­ Either way, I don¡¯t care about your excuses. Leave, Iroha. I said out!¡± Hecate pushed me from behind into the hallway and slammed the door shut.


    I take back what I said¡­ She hasn¡¯t changed at all¡­


    ¡°Iroha? Have you finished cleaning already? Is the room ready?¡± The door diagonally right from my future room opened, and Katja stepped out into the hallway.


    ¡°No¡­ It shouldn¡¯t take too long, but it¡¯s not ready yet.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing out here then? Weren¡¯t you helping Hecate?¡± She closed the door behind her and calmly approached me.


    ¡°She kicked me out. I tried to grab a box, and she got mad because she thinks I still haven¡¯t fully recovered.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Sounds like her¡­ Though I also don¡¯t fully believe you¡¯ve recovered yet. Sorry, but she¡¯s right on this one.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ Whatever you say¡­ I don¡¯t mind it that much, but now I don¡¯t have anything to do. I don¡¯t wanna sit around watching television.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It would be a waste of time. There¡¯s always something you could be improving¡­¡± Katja crossed her arms while thinking. ¡°Wanna stop by the shooting range then? I offered to teach you how to shoot, so we could get started on our lessons.¡±


    ¡°Really?! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± That¡¯s an upgrade! From sitting down on the couch to learning how to fire a gun! I¡¯m still a bit hesitant, though¡­ She is talking about real guns, isn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Okay, good. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re excited, but I¡¯m going to have to burst your bubble. Sorry, but if we go, I¡¯m only gonna teach you theory. We can only do something light today, so don¡¯t get your hopes up too much, okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Well¡­ It¡¯s still better than sitting around watching television. Let¡¯s go.¡± Katja nodded, and the two of us left the dorm. What a bummer, though. Only theory¡­ Can I get away with a little more if I just ask nicely? I¡¯ll play along for now.

 Chapter 72 – Shoot Your Shot

    Katja led the way, and we entered the forest. We walked for a couple minutes until we arrived at a small, semi-open building with a long, open straight of dirt behind it staring at an incline. So this is the shooting range¡­ I think I¡¯ve passed by here a few times before.


    We entered through a door and into a cluttered yet tidy room. For something this out of the way, there was less dust here than in the room Hecate and I were cleaning. Katja explained this room was an armory and that we could get to the shooting range by exiting through the door at the other end.


    I always thought an armory would have all its walls filled with guns, but there were only two or three guns out in the open. Instead, there were lots of boxes, tools, and other gadgets. It¡¯s still very impressive¡­ Even with just a few guns, it¡¯s a shock to see things I¡¯ve only ever seen in games right in front of me.


    ¡°Come on, follow me.¡± Katja didn¡¯t give me much time to look around, and we left for the shooting range after she grabbed a pistol from a locker. She¡¯s in a hurry, huh? The outside consisted of a waist-high wall with the open straight beyond it and a simple roof overhead. This is a bit more familiar. There are some bullseye targets out in the distance, just like the shooting ranges I¡¯ve seen in games.


    ¡°Okay¡­ What now, Katja?¡± I would¡¯ve liked a few more explanations, but whatever. It¡¯s not rocket science. We¡¯re in a shooting range, there¡¯s an armory inside, and that¡¯s pretty much it.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Is it safe to assume that you know the basics?¡± Katja was holding the pistol with one of her hands and touching her chin with the other. She then held the pistol like she was showcasing it. ¡°This is a pistol, there are targets over there. The goal is to shoot as close to the center as possible¡­ I don¡¯t really need to start here, do I?¡± Katja loosely pointed in the target¡¯s direction with a dumb smile on her face.


    ¡°Huhh¡­?¡± What¡¯s going on in her head? ¡°What are you talking about? You can skip all that. Isn¡¯t that just common sense? I know what a gun is¡­ I just don¡¯t know how to use it properly. There¡¯s a trigger that fires the gun when you pull it, but you have to disable the safety first sometimes¡­ I don¡¯t really know, but that¡¯s where I¡¯m at.¡±


    ¡°Whew¡­ That¡¯s a relief¡­ I should have known. You¡¯re not the type who needs the absolute basics taught to them. If that¡¯s the case, I guess I can start with a demonstration.¡± Katja slid in a magazine through the bottom of the grip.


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re gonna shoot? I thought you were only going to explain the theory today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. I just think that it will be easier for you to understand after you see how it¡¯s done.¡± Katja turned to the targets and entered into a firing position. ¡°Pay attention to my legs and how I hold the gun.¡± She first grabbed the pistol with both hands, but then shifted them around to grab it only with her left. ¡°This is probably gonna be more useful for you. If you¡¯re gonna be using a sword at the same time, you¡¯ll want to learn how to shoot with your off-hand. Okay, ready?¡± Katja looked at me for one last confirmation.


    I nodded my head and¡­ *Bang!* The sudden thunderous noise sent a shock down my spine. *Bang bang bang bang!* ¡°Holy shit!¡± She didn¡¯t say she was gonna dump the whole mag! *Bang bang! Click click.* Ahahaha¡­ Wow! That got me good. The dry sound of the trigger being pulled without results signaled the end of the demonstration.


    ¡°Did you get all that?¡± Katja turned back to me with a slight smile. She¡¯s completely unfazed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ That was a bit too much¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be that loud.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha, well, it¡¯s fine if you didn¡¯t understand everything. I¡¯ll explain everything you need to know. Let¡¯s go over some things now.¡± Katja stepped away from the range and approached me, beginning her explanation.


    Long story short, she told me how all the mechanical parts worked, how to reload, and all safety rules. I¡¯m not sure how effective the demonstration was, but one thing is for sure, it piqued my interest. Her explanation wasn¡¯t exactly fun, but since I was so curious about it, I picked up everything rather quickly.


    ¡°Here.¡± Katja said as she passed the pistol to my hands. ¡°Try holding it and getting a feel for it.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­¡± Wow¡­ This is pretty cool¡­ I can already tell this gun thing is going to be pretty useful once I learn how to use it. I had to rely on Ririna to deal with flying monsters back in the valley, but now I¡¯ll be fine on my own. Or at least a little better. I bet it would have helped against the mermaid too. I could have used it to interrupt her ice magic or something. And the loud noise would have caused the fish to panic even harder! Oh¡­ It¡¯s gonna be nice¡­ ¡°How was it that you held it? Was it like this?¡± I turned to the targets and tried replicating Katja¡¯s pose.


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re not too far off.¡± Katja crouched next to me. ¡°Let me give you a hand.¡± Her hands suddenly squeezed my left thigh, going just a little under my skirt.


    ¡°Hm!?¡± She moves my leg gently, causing it to bend ever so slightly.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Good¡­ Can you hold that position?¡± I¡¯m not sure! I think I¡¯ve just learned I¡¯m sensitive there! Her gentle touch on my soft parts made my very core tingle. At least give me a warning first! And then she has the gall of asking me to hold my position¡­ Do you have any idea how hard that is when you make me weak in the knees?!


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I- I think I can manage¡­ Thanks, Katja. I think I got it!¡± After a moment of standing still, I bring my legs together and shift my weight around to relieve the tension. This girl¡­ She really is clueless, isn¡¯t she? How would she like it if I retaliated and started squeezing her thighs? I need to take my mind off this fast! ¡°Hey, Katja, I know what you said earlier, but¡­ Can I shoot? Just once?¡±


    ¡°What?! No!¡± Katja was quick to reject my idea, but that¡¯s just because she was worried. ¡°No, you can¡¯t, Iroha. Don¡¯t even think about it. You¡¯re still hurt, and to make things worse, you¡¯d be shooting with your left hand. I can¡¯t let you do that, you¡¯ll reopen the wound on your shoulder with the recoil.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but haven¡¯t you seen that I¡¯m fine? Want me to do push-ups? Handstand push-ups? I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± I¡¯ve never tried to do handstand push-ups before, but my strength stat is 109 right now. 10 times more than when I got the VISS Driver. Strength-wise, I could probably do it, but I bet I¡¯d lose balance first and fall.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t- *Sigh¡­*¡± Katja gave up her opposition and loosened her shoulders. ¡°Fine¡­ Do whatever you want. I know you won¡¯t be satisfied no matter what I say¡­ Just promise me you won¡¯t tell Hecate about this¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯ll let me shoot? Yes! Oh, and don¡¯t worry about Hecate. This will be our little secret¡­¡± I approached Katja with a grin, and she responded with a disparaging look. She handed me a magazine and stood by my side in the shooting range. Hehehe¡­ This is gonna be so fun!


    ¡­


    No way! How could this be? Every single shot fucking missed! How? Maybe I have no talent for this¡­ I¡¯m just talentless scum¡­ No no no no! That can¡¯t be it! It¡¯s my left hand! I would have done much better if I was using my right! Yep, that has to be it!


    ¡°Why did you fire the whole magazine!? Didn¡¯t you say it was only going to be one shot?¡± As soon as I stopped shooting, Katja chimed in. Shouldn¡¯t have given me the whole magazine then. ¡°Seriously, you can¡¯t be doing that. You¡¯re gonna get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s not sweat the little things¡­¡± I might have gotten carried away¡­ ¡°Just¡­ What did I do wrong? How did I miss every single shot? Is this gun working properly? Is the gun mad at me?¡±


    Katja saw me eager to improve, and she couldn¡¯t resist teaching me. ¡°The gun is fine¡­ It doesn¡¯t miss because it¡¯s upset¡­ You were pulling the trigger too hard, and that knocked your aim off target.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­ I pulled it smoothly. Just like you told me!¡±


    ¡°Trust me, you were pulling too hard. You would start pulling smoothly, but right before shooting, you¡¯d twitch and ruin the shot.¡± Katja put a hand on my shoulder and smiled reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s a common problem for beginners, so don¡¯t be too harsh on yourself. You¡¯re still scared of guns, and that¡¯s perfectly normal. They¡¯re loud and startling. It¡¯s natural to react with fear.¡±


    Katja tapped my shoulder again, then wandered into booth next to mine. ¡°It also doesn¡¯t help that you¡¯re shooting with your left hand. Or that you were shooting at the 100-meter target. Maybe you should¡¯ve stuck with a closer one.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s not good enough. You hit this one, so I want to hit it too! Give me another magazine. I¡¯ll get it this time.¡± I stuck my hand forward, asking for more bullets.


    ¡°You can hit next time. Sorry, but let¡¯s stop here for today.¡± Katja shook her head. She pushed my empty hand down, trying to dismiss my request.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that! I¡¯m fine! I can keep going? When¡¯s next time gonna be? I don¡¯t have time for that!¡± I shook my hand off in protest and looked straight at her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve recovered surprisingly well, but I still don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea for you to keep going.¡±


    ¡°Please, Katja¡­ Let me try again. You have to¡­ Like, if I go back to the house looking depressed, Hecate might pick up on it¡­ right? I don¡¯t wanna cause you trouble, Katja¡­¡± I really don¡¯t have talent for this type of trickery, but Katja seemed convinced. She winced at the thought and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­ I¡¯ll let you try again, but only because you look like you¡¯re in good condition. If your shoulder starts hurting, you¡¯ll immediately stop, okay?¡± In the end, the only thing that¡¯s undeniable is that Katja is really nice. She really wants to teach me more, but she¡¯s also concerned about me.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t wanna cause any trouble¡­ More than I already have¡­¡± I showed Katja a wry smile, and she responded in the same way.


    Katja stepped in the armory for a second, and she came back not with one magazine, but an entire box of bullets. ¡°Here you go. If you¡¯re that eager to land a shot, I¡¯ll do everything I can to help.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Ahahahaha! Thanks, Katja!¡± I grabbed a magazine and ran back to the booth. Katja followed closely behind and helped me adjust my position before firing. With these many bullets, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll be able to hit it one way or the other¡­


    *Bang bang bang!* Between each shot, Katja offered words of advice and encouragement. *Bang bang bang!* She adjusted my positioning, and helped me relax, so I wouldn¡¯t be scared.


    *Bang bang bang!* Reload. *Bang bang bang!* Reload.


    Come on¡­ Come on¡­ Hit! Come on!


    *Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!* Reload Reload Reload¡­


    [New skill available.]


    [Gunslinger ¨C Pistol Mastery (Cost: 10 Skill Points)]


    *Bang bang bang!*


    [Skill ¨C Pistol Mastery acquired.]


    *Bang!*


    ¡°Hm?¡± Katja¡¯s eyes opened with surprise. ¡°That one hit!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The targets were made of cardboard or something, so the sound it made wasn¡¯t that different. ¡°You¡¯re right! I think I can see a hole.¡± Truth be told, I was half expecting this. The game doesn¡¯t have a lot of guns, but with how VISS Driver works, I figured it would give me a skill if I just kept trying.


    How good of a decision it, I¡¯m not sure. But I¡¯ve been considering it since Katja offered to teach me how to shoot, and I think it will come in handy. If I can get some nice pistol skills, I think I¡¯ll become much stronger. But I¡¯ll still need to raise Pistol Proficiency¡¯s level before I can start relying on a gun. At level 1, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be landing many shots¡­


    Now 5 out of my 6 skill trees have been locked in. With only one left, I¡¯ll have to be extra careful about what kind of skills I pick up from now on. I have a skill tree for a melee weapon, one for my ranged weapon, so the only thing missing is magic. I should try learning how to use magic next. I just have no clue how to start¡­ Heh, looks like me and Carol are in the same boat right now.


    ¡°Congratulations! Are you satisfied now?¡± Katja congratulated me, patting my head as she did.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think this is good for now. We can go back. Thanks, Katja. Sorry for forcing this on you.¡± I feel a little bad¡­ I may have acted a bit too selfishly.


    ¡°Well, how¡¯s your shoulder doing? You ended up shooting a lot, so are you still good?¡± She took a step back and looked at me from head to toe.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s hurting.¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine then. You don¡¯t need to apologize. Your training progressed much faster than expected thanks to your persistence.¡± Good¡­ She¡¯s not mad¡­ I have a feeling the same wouldn¡¯t have happened if I tried this last week. I tried to hand her the gun back, but she stopped me.


    ¡°Katja?¡±


    ¡°A gun that small isn¡¯t that hard to conceal, so you should keep it with you. You never know when a portal¡¯s going to appear. It might appear somewhere near you when you don¡¯t have your sword, so take it. Once again, guns are not that effective against monsters, and you should always use your sword first if you can. But if you don¡¯t have anything else, it¡¯s fine as a last resort. Might buy you enough time to get to safety.¡± Katja grabbed my hand, closing my grip on the gun. I looked at her, completely perplexed, and saw a grin on her face. She put a finger over her lips and continued. ¡°Just make sure no one finds out, okay? The girls and Shinji can know, but otherwise, keep it a secret.¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­?¡± Wait¡­ If I¡¯m allowed to keep it, that means that tomorrow¡­ ¡°Alright, thanks, Katja. I¡¯ll take good care of it. It will be our second little secret.¡±

 Chapter 73 – Squeaky Clean

    ¡°*Blurblurblurblur¡­*¡± Nothing¡¯s better than a nice bath. Dipping down to the shoulders and savoring the warm atmosphere covering the entire bathroom. The bath here in the dorms is just perfect. It was around the size of two king-sized beds placed next to each other, having plenty of space to stretch. Really, nothing beats a nice, hot bath when it comes to relaxation. That¡¯s how it should be, but sometimes hot water is not the only source of heat in a bathroom.


    ¡°Why are you hugging your knees, Carol? Don¡¯t be shy. Even with one more person here, there¡¯s space for everyone to stretch their legs. Enjoy the burning sensation to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being shy! I¡¯m comfortable like this, okay?¡± The blushing Carol glanced at Hecate before looking down at the water in front of her. ¡°Mind your own business¡­¡±


    ¡°What about you¡­ Iroha? Do I wanna ask what you¡¯re doing? Why are you blowing bubbles like that?¡±


    I poked my head out of the water just enough to speak. ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m comfortable like this? Yeah, don¡¯t mind me.¡± I waved my hand to reassure her and dipped my head back into the water.


    ¡®Why are you blowing bubbles? Why are you tucking your head into the water?¡¯ Excellent question, dear Hecate. Let me think of an answer¡­


    BECAUSE I¡¯M FUCKING HORNY!


    I was invited for a sleepover. Okay, alright. Sounds fun! But I wasn¡¯t informed we¡¯d be bathing together! It happened so suddenly too! I have no idea how to react¡­ I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be blessed with such an incredible sight¡­


    Like¡­ I knew Narumi was really top heavy, but they look like they¡¯re really soft too! She was full of energy as always, and she pretty much jumped into the bathtub when she got in. There was so much jiggling¡­ She also moved around without an ounce of shame, making it really easy to see everything¡­ Thank you very much, Narumi!


    Yeah, Narumi¡¯s chest is amazing and easily the biggest out of everyone, but Hecate¡¯s not too far behind. She¡¯s much more refined than Narumi, she¡¯s not flaunting her stuff as much, so I didn¡¯t get as good of a look at her. The one thing I can say for her is that the term ¡®hourglass figure¡¯ suits her much better than Narumi. The balance between her chest, hips, and butt is to die for!


    Going in descending order of size, Katja would be next. She¡¯s a lot slimmer than the other two, and her beauties are about the same size as mine. Average-sized. We¡¯re not small, they¡¯re average. Maybe even bigger than average if Narumi and Hecate were not in the room. Not that it matters anyway! Size is not everything, and I can personally confirm that Katja¡¯s springiness makes them perfect for me to bury my face in. Just like I did when we first started training and she carried me back after I got exhausted¡­ ¡°*Blurblurblurblur¡­*¡± Still can¡¯t believe that happened¡­ Gotta release some bubbles to calm down.


    The last one is Carol, and she¡¯s been covering her chest since the beginning. She¡¯s even doing that now that we¡¯re in the bath when the water makes it hard to see anything. Yet another way that she feels inferior to the other girls, but she¡¯s totally wrong. Yeah, her chest is smaller, but so is she! It suits her perfectly, and she looks adorable! Also, they look like they fit perfectly in the palm of my hand. If I were to grab hers, I¡¯d be grabbing more breast percentage wise than with any of the others, making her the obvious correct choice, right?


    In short, I¡¯ve been enjoying myself. But this situation is seriously embarrassing. I may be able to look at them, but they can look at me too¡­ We¡¯re all girls, so I guess they don¡¯t care¡­ And truth be told, neither do I! That¡¯s a lie, I do care. But I gotta calm myself down. If I keep acting like this, they¡¯re gonna think I¡¯m a weirdo, and I know how that ends¡­


    We¡¯re all girls here¡­ I¡¯m not seeing anything out of the ordinary. I don¡¯t feel anything when I see myself. And I can look at images on the internet just fine. It¡¯s only when I start thinking of who the bodies belong to that I get excited. All I need to do is not think about that.


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    I pulled my head up from the water and sat down normally. *Sigh¡­* Mhm! Good. Turns out I can act normal if I try!


    ¡°*Bwuah!*¡± All a sudden, Narumi emerged from the water right next to me. ¡°Iroha, Iroha¡­ Can¡¯t escape now!¡± She sat next to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. What now? Just when I thought I could keep it together, now her boobs are pressed against my arm! ¡°So¡­? You come here often?¡± She glanced briefly at me then started making dumb faces, trying to look handsome and chiseled. What the hell was that? Was that a pickup line? Is this that thing where beautiful people don¡¯t need to know good pickup lines? No¡­ That¡¯s not it¡­ This is Narumi, so this is just her being an idiot.


    ¡°N- n- noo¡­ You know that better than me¡­ Uhmm¡­ It¡¯s my first time here¡­¡± I wanted to play into the joke somehow, but seeing her chest up close like this is too much. I can¡¯t think properly.


    ¡°Are you¡­ looking at my chest?¡± Narumi tilted her neck so she¡¯d appear in my line of sight. ¡°They¡¯re pretty nice, huh? I¡¯m quite proud of them, they¡¯re the result of my hard work as a couch potato.¡± Narumi got a little sarcastic at the end, focusing her eyes on Katja.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. You act like one.¡± Katja responded calmly without missing a beat. Narumi didn¡¯t like the answer and turned back to me.


    ¡°Anyway, I know they¡¯re nice, but you don¡¯t need to be jealous. Yours are pretty big too.¡± Her gaze started descending down to my chest, and I moved my arms to cover it a bit. This is so embarrassing¡­


    ¡°Stop flaunting, you cow!¡± *Splash!* From the other side of the bath, Carol kicked water at Narumi with an explosive movement. Next second, she was back in her reserved sitting position.


    ¡°What was that for? I¡¯m not flaunting. I was just praising her.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± *Splash!* ¡°You¡¯re making her uncomfortable, you idiot.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you wanna play¡­? Hehehe¡­¡± Narumi giggled with a low voice, then a grin appeared on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you like this!¡±


    ¡°W- what?!¡± All of a sudden, I got dragged into the action. Narumi grabbed one of my ankles and one of my wrists and lifted me up just above the water¡¯s surface. ¡°Narumi?!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that!¡± Carol suddenly got worried.


    *SPLAAASH!* ¡°You like that? Huh?¡± She pushed me in Carol¡¯s direction, causing a huge wave to splash her in the face.


    ¡°*Cough, cough!* Damn you¡­ Are you stupid?!¡± Well said, Carol¡­ How did I get dragged into this mess? What¡¯s Narumi thinking¡­? We¡¯re in the bath, not a pool!


    ¡°We¡¯re in the bath, Narumi, not a pool!¡± Wow¡­ Me and Hecate are in sync. ¡°Stop causing so much chaos!¡±


    ¡°Ehh? But it was Carol who started it¡­¡±


    ¡°*Blurblurblurlblur¡­*¡± I, for one, don¡¯t really care who started it. I¡¯m just glad she only pushed me around a little bit. If she had raised me over her head before throwing, I would have been dead. And she wanted to lift me. I could tell!


    ¡°Come on, Iroha. You can get up on your own. Don¡¯t let yourself drown.¡± Katja saw me not making an effort to get up and pulled me by the shoulders to her side. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± She examined my body, still worried about my wound.


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­ You don¡¯t have to look so closely¡­¡± Having her look at my shoulder while we¡¯re naked makes me feel a bit too exposed.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Sit here for now. Narumi won¡¯t drag you into her idiocy if you stay here.¡± Katja sat me down between her and Hecate. Chilling in a bathtub with beauties like them on either side is like a dream come true! Just when I had finally started to calm down, my face¡¯s getting hot again. I blame Narumi for breaking my focus!


    Well¡­ Everything seems fine now. One glance at Katja, and she¡¯s not looking at me anymore. She¡¯s leaning back, her eyes are closed, and her knees are slightly bent. Looks like she¡¯s enjoying herself. On the other side, to my left¡­ ¡°Hecate?¡± I noticed her staring with an absent-minded expression after a quick glance. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Because if there¡¯s not, you¡¯re gonna give me the wrong idea! It¡¯s too early for me to be waking up in the room directly below mine!


    ¡°Ah, no. Don¡¯t mind me. The golden yellow of your hair just happened to catch my attention. Would you mind if I took a closer look?¡± Even in the bath, she wore an amber lens over her right eye. She had a difficult-to-read expression on her lightly flushed face.


    ¡°Uh- uhmm¡­ Y- you can take a look¡­ I guess¡­¡± What¡¯s happening? Why does she want to look at my hair?


    ¡°Thank you, Iroha.¡± She shifted her butt closer to me, and grabbed a lock of my hair, brushing her hand on the skin of my back. ¡°Like I thought, your hair looks nothing like Carol¡¯s. It¡¯s even more noticeable up close. Her beige can almost be called yellow, but it¡¯s really ashy. Yours is much more vibrant and brilliant.¡± She then let go of my hair. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful color.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­?¡± Okay¡­ What was that all about?


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go on ahead.¡± With a sudden movement, Carol stood up.


    ¡°Ah, me too! My head¡¯s getting a bit wonky¡­ Might pass out soon¡­ We¡¯ll be waiting in the lounge!¡± Narumi waved as she followed Carol out of the bath.


    One by one, we all left the bath and changed into loose, comfortable clothes. I never got an explanation for Hecate¡¯s sudden interest in my hair. Not that I can even think about that. I just experienced what heaven feels like. Turns out paradise is just a large enough bath filled with a bunch of cute girls.


    It was still too early to go to bed, so we all sat down on the couches downstairs, talking while watching some television. We all sat around lazily to cool down from the bath. Even at night, a t-shirt and some shorts were all we needed now that it was getting warmer.


    Narumi still had plenty of energy and insisted we all play some video games instead of just talking. As expected, I was the clear winner there. Narumi put up a good fight, and she was a bit upset at the end. Heheheh¡­ Sorry, but I¡¯m kind of a pro when it comes to games. Katja got surprisingly into it, and Carol made the bold proclamation that I¡¯m a better opponent to lose to than Narumi. Maybe the weirdest praise I¡¯ve ever received. Ahahaha!


    I wonder what Ririna¡¯s doing right now¡­ Is she cooking up something crazy with her alchemy? I hope she¡¯s having fun. Will I ever spend time with her like this? Ririna¡­ I hope I get to see you soon¡­

 Chapter 74 – Dawn of a New Adventure

    What an incredible night¡­ I can¡¯t remember the last time I¡¯ve slept this well. I thought I¡¯d have trouble sleeping somewhere other than my own bed, but the complete opposite happened. It¡¯s very fortunate, though. Today I¡¯m going to need all the energy I can get.


    I spent the night at the dorm, and now I¡¯m leaving for the other world. I woke up earlier than everyone else and went downstairs, trying not to make a single sound. I don¡¯t wanna trouble them too much, so I want to leave before any of them wake up. I should leave them a letter saying I¡¯m gonna be away for a while. Hopefully, they¡¯ll understand.


    ¡°Now¡­ Where can I find a piece of paper around here? I think I saw some near the dining table.¡± I circled around the table and yep, just like I thought. ¡°Let me grab that real fast¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? Iroha? Is that you?¡± Suddenly, a sharp yet sleepy voice called out to me. Why? It¡¯s so early! Why is Carol up already?!


    ¡°Hi, Carol¡­ Uhmm¡­¡± This is awkward¡­ There goes my plan of sneaking out stealthily.


    ¡°What are you doing? Why are you up so early?¡± Carol rubbed her eyes from a distance before coming closer. The sun¡¯s barely out, and it¡¯s still dim here in the lounge. It¡¯s that time of morning when staying in a warm bed feels the best. By all means, neither of us should be here.


    ¡°I¡­ uhmm¡­ I was just going out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°With those clothes? Likely story¡­¡± Carol saw me wearing the repaired battle dress and immediately pointed it out.


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡± Hmm¡­ Well, Carol found me, but that¡¯s not the end of the world. If it¡¯s her, I think I can tell her where I¡¯m going. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m actually going to the other world today. Why are you here, though? Why did you get up so early?¡±


    ¡°Me? I wanted to speak with you, and I was scared you¡¯d go home without saying a word. Turns out my hunch was not that far off.¡± Carol crossed her arms with a slightly annoyed look.


    ¡°For what¡¯s worth, I was gonna leave a letter¡­ Anyway, what do you need?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking we could go train in the other world soon, just like we talked about. But since you¡¯re going today, I guess I¡¯ll tag along.¡± Carol lay back against the table, speaking with her head turned in my direction.


    ¡°Oh¡­ You want to train together? Uhmm¡­ Sorry, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m not going over there to train.¡± The idea of having Carol accompany me on my journey and fighting alongside her is interesting. She did well when we fought together against the mermaid. She was severely outmatched, but she always found a way of landing nice attacks on her. She might have taken a few too many risks, though. But it¡¯s a bad idea. I can¡¯t drag her along with me for that long.


    ¡°Why are you going there then? Am I gonna get in the way?¡± Carol lowered her head as she asked.


    ¡°No, no! I actually think you¡¯d be a great help¡­ It¡¯s just that it¡¯s the kind of thing where it¡¯s probably better if I was alone¡­¡± Carol seemed a bit confused, she thought I was just being nice. Guess I don¡¯t need to be so vague¡­


    I took a deep breath and continued. ¡°Well, I guess I can explain it since it¡¯s you. Do you remember Ririna? She was the girl who stayed in the back when we rescued you.¡± Carol was dazed after the pumpkin monster captured her, so she might not have noticed her.


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    ¡°Yeah¡­? I think I know who you¡¯re talking about. She¡¯s a friend of yours, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I haven¡¯t known her for that long, but she¡¯s a very important friend to me. I¡¯m worried about her. She had something left to say last time we met, but I haven¡¯t been able to reach her ever since. I need to see her again, so I¡¯m gonna travel to a different city in the other world. I should be able to find her there.¡± I take a breath. Feels nice to take this off my chest. There¡¯s no doubt now. I need to do this! Something must have happened to her. Maybe she got in trouble with someone in the capital for the accident with the horde. Either way, I need to see her again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long the trip¡¯s gonna take, but it¡¯s probably gonna take multiple days. The others would worry about you if you were gone for that long, so it¡¯s a bad idea for you to come with me.¡± I lifted the bag I had prepared with supplies and headed for the door. Carol had a thoughtful look on her face as she leaned against the table.


    ¡°I see¡­ You¡¯re going on a journey then¡­¡± Carol stepped away from the table and walked behind me. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. It¡¯s probably not a good idea for me to accompany you then. I¡¯ll walk you to the portal.¡± Oh¡­ That wasn¡¯t that hard. I guess I¡¯ll have some company a little while longer.


    Me and Carol made some light conversation on the way to the portal. She was curious about my plans and how I thought my trip was gonna go. I really had no idea apart from the fact that I may fight some monsters along the way. I¡¯m getting a bit nervous now too¡­


    We arrived at the portal, and Carol ran ahead of me. ¡°¡­¡± She stopped right beside the portal and looked in my direction with a conflicted face. ¡°I¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± She stepped into the portal before my words could even reach her. Why did she do that?


    I ran into the portal and quickly followed her. ¡°Carol? What was that for?¡± As I crossed the portal, I saw her standing next to a tree.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? I¡¯m not going with you, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t come to this side. I can handle everything that shows up in our forest. If monsters there come from here, I don¡¯t have anything to be scared of.¡± Carol shrugged, then crossed her arms.


    ¡°Sure¡­ I guess that makes sense¡­ I haven¡¯t seen any monster nearby that you wouldn¡¯t be easily able to defeat.¡±


    ¡°Right? I was thinking of coming here to train while you¡¯re away. Since I can¡¯t go with you, I might as well take this opportunity to get stronger and catch up to you. Then I¡¯ll be able to go with you next time.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± That¡¯s actually very flattering. ¡°Good luck, Carol¡­ I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    ¡°You better be waiting. Your jaw¡¯s gonna drop when you return. I¡¯m gonna pass you again in no time!¡± Carol pointed with a somewhat cocky grin. ¡°Oh, but¡­ Knowing you, you¡¯re probably gonna have another bullshit growth spurt while you¡¯re away¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ I won¡¯t deny it¡­¡± The VISS Driver makes that kinda easy¡­ ¡°But I¡¯m technically only going to see a friend. I may not even end up fighting any-¡±


    *Rustle rustle.*


    ¡°?!¡± Before I could finish, I heard something rustle behind me. Carol¡¯s head snapped in the direction of the sound, and she ran past me in a flash.


    ¡°There!¡± By the time I turned around, all I saw was an oversized bug split in two by Carol¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Wow¡­ That was a fast reaction.¡± Faster than the time it took me to turn around. ¡°If you can kill those that easily, you¡¯re gonna be fine here on your own. Just try not to get lost again, alright?¡± I pitched up my voice sarcastically. If she somehow ends up in the Forest of Illusion again, I¡¯m gonna lose my mind!


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± But Carol didn¡¯t react. She looked at the dead bug pensively before turning back to me. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯m going with you after all!¡±


    ¡°What?! You can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I have no other choice. If a weak little monster like that can get the drop on you, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to finish your journey safely. You need my help!¡± Carol declared with an enthusiastic voice.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®get the drop on me¡¯? You may have reacted faster, but that¡¯s just because I had to turn around!¡± Yeah, she was a little faster, but that didn¡¯t make any difference! The monster was dead meat regardless!


    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m going with you whether you like it or not! Why do you want me to stay so badly? Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯d be helpful if I came along? Were you lying? Were you just trying to make me feel better? I hate it when people do that!¡± Carol glared, but it seems like a bit of an act.


    ¡°N- no! I wasn¡¯t lying!¡±


    ¡°What are you complaining about then? I¡¯ll stay with you and help you on the journey or whatever. If anything, you should be thanking me for the help.¡± Carol put her hand on her hips and puffed up her chest.


    ¡°What about the others? They¡¯ll be worried about you.¡± Carol went silent for a moment.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± But she quickly perked up again. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say you sent a message to Katja after you took me to the inn? That means phones get signal in this world, right?¡±


    Phones, huh? That¡¯s her solution¡­ ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on that too much¡­ But yes¡­ They work¡­ At least here and in the town nearby.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just give Hecate a call later and everything will be fine. She¡¯s not gonna be happy, but she¡¯ll understand if I say that it¡¯s something important.¡± Carol waved her phone triumphantly. I guess she¡¯s made up her mind.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure about that, then I guess you can come.¡± At this rate, she¡¯s gonna follow me if I say no, so it¡¯s safer to bring her with me. ¡°Just don¡¯t accidentally reveal too much to her, and don¡¯t walk around with your phone out in the open.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Carol pocketed her phone while shaking her head. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± Carol was the first one to move and went in the direction of Rocky Ridges. Nice sense of direction. She¡¯s growing.


    Ahahaha¡­ The journey hasn¡¯t even started, and my plans are already falling apart. I guess Carol¡¯s coming along with me to the capital. That¡¯s gonna make things more interesting¡­

 Chapter 75 – Which Way?

    The first stop after we arrived in Rocky Ridges was the market, and there were a lot of people around. Since it¡¯s early in the morning, all of the town¡¯s housewives are here for their daily grocery shopping. It¡¯s very¡­ lively¡­ a bit too much in fact. Every few steps we take, we overhear a heated haggling match between a feisty woman and a troubled shopkeeper. It¡¯s like we¡¯re in the middle of a battlefield with shots constantly flying over our heads.


    Cleaning up the mess caused by Ririna¡¯s alchemy led to a large quantity of overgrown crops entering Rocky Ridges¡¯s economy. Everything is being hastily harvested by the soldiers and population to clean things up as soon as possible, leading to a lot of damaged produce. But these housewives love it. Every little defect is a reason to drive the price down, and there are a lot of defects.


    I prepared food and plenty of supplies for my trip to the capital. However, I didn¡¯t prepare them with Carol in mind, so we had to make a stop here before heading anywhere else. It¡¯s been hard¡­ We¡¯re like fish out of water here. I¡¯m not great around big crowds, and Carol literally knows nothing about this world.


    ¡°Is this normal here? How can anyone do business when every single person is trying to haggle?¡± Carol has been acting like a complete tourist. Head constantly swinging from left to right, getting distracted every couple seconds, non-stop questions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how any of this works either!¡± I was walking ahead, but I had to turn around and wave my hand in front of her face to grab her attention. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter to us, does it?¡±


    ¡°What are we doing here anyway? Weren¡¯t we going to another city?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we first need to buy food and other stuff for you since I only packed for myself. Or should we go back to the other world to get more stuff?¡±


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t go back now! Let me take a look at what you have. We¡¯ll find a way to make it work.¡± I handed Carol the bag I prepared, and she crouched down to take a look. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got enough for the two of us for three days. How far away is that other city?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I have no clue¡­ I think it¡¯s reasonable to walk there.¡± In Ririna¡¯s letter, she mentioned us going together by foot. Maybe it¡¯s less than a day? Two days? I¡¯ve just now realized how poorly prepared I was.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ What¡¯s up with this tacky pouch? What¡¯s in here?¡± Carol pulled out the red pouch I got as a prize the other day from inside the bag.


    ¡°That¡¯s for potions. I put some potions I had leftover in there.¡± Ririna lent them to us when we were rescuing Carol. It¡¯s all simple and inexpensive stuff, so I might as well put it to good use.


    ¡°Okay, I got. Let¡¯s take a look around. Katja had me learn how to survive in the wilderness, so I know what we¡¯ll need the most.¡± Carol said confidently, and I decided to let her take the lead.


    We roamed the shopping street, and, with her help, we were able to buy the stuff necessary to travel for as long as we wanted. At least if we were willing to forage and hunt, but we were both hoping it wouldn¡¯t come to that.


    ¡°Wow, Carol¡­ I would have been completely lost without you.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much. Can¡¯t believe Katja¡¯s survival training actually came in handy. She always wants us to learn the weirdest things.¡± Carol complained with a nostalgic smile on her face.


    ¡°Like how to shoot guns?¡± I flashed her my pistol with a small grin.


    ¡°No way! She already gave you one?! Since when?¡±


    ¡°It was just yesterday. I barely know how to shoot, so it¡¯s pretty much only for show.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Carol crossed her arms and gave a nod of approval. ¡°Well, your sword works better anyway. We got everything we need, so it¡¯s time to get going, right?¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really know in which direction we¡¯re supposed to go.¡±


    ¡°What!? Are you kidding me? How are we getting anywhere then?¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s someone I can ask¡­¡± Ririna should be back in the capital, and Sarasa disappeared at around the same time. They probably went back together. Flanne is the only one who stayed behind, and she should be able to help me if I can find her. If she¡¯s still around, where would she be¡­? ¡°Come with me, Carol. I know where we should go.¡±


    With some luck, we should find her in the Gathering of Flowers, sipping some tea. I explained where we were going to Carol, and we set off.


    ¡°A coffee shop? Here? In this world? Isn¡¯t it supposed to be tavern?¡± Carol knows a bit about the cliches of fantasy worlds, and she noticed it was strange.


    ¡°It should be, but the people who made the game decided to mix things up. Don¡¯t ask me why, I have no clue. They¡¯re probably just crazy.¡± I shrugged, and Carol shook her head in response. I peeked in through a nearby window, hoping we¡¯d get lucky. ¡°Oh? She¡¯s there! Let¡¯s go in.¡± I opened the door, and we went inside.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Flanne was sitting on the same table as always. She was by herself, placing the teacup down elegantly just as we approached. ¡°Iroha, it¡¯s been a while.¡± She gestured for us to sit with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Hi there, I¡¯ve been a bit busy¡­¡± I took up Flanne¡¯s offer and sat down. Carol followed my lead and did the same.


    ¡°Oh, and you¡¯re the girl from the other day, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m happy to see you¡¯ve recovered.¡± Flanne is nice and approachable, but she¡¯s also the kind of person to be wearing a chest plate even in a peaceful place like this. Carol noticed the weirdness and looked a bit troubled when Flanne spoke to her.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine now, thanks to your help.¡± It¡¯s not strictly the first time they¡¯ve met, but it¡¯s the first time they¡¯re talking to each other. Carol usually takes a hostile stance with strangers, but she¡¯s being surprisingly polite with Flanne. How cute¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Helping those in need is my duty.¡± Flanne flashed a smile, and Carol forced a smile in response. ¡°What brings you here, Iroha? Were you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I really needed to talk to you. Uhmm¡­ Have you seen Ririna around?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ As far as I know, she hasn¡¯t come to Rocky Ridges for a few days now. Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, we had some vague plans to meet up, but she never came back¡­¡± I was disappointed to learn that Flanne hadn¡¯t seen her, but that¡¯s not gonna stop me. ¡°We were supposed to meet in the capital if we didn¡¯t run into each other, so I have another favor to ask you. Can you tell me how to go to the capital? Without fast-travel.¡±


    ¡°Sure! That¡¯s an easy one. You know the mountain off in the distance shaped like a ring? If you stay on the path that passes through there, you¡¯ll get to the capital after a hilly area.¡±


    ¡°Oh, cool!¡± A lot of the mountains nearby have weird shapes, but only one of them is shaped like a ring. I know exactly which one she¡¯s talking about. ¡°I guess we know where to go now!¡± I stood up in a hurry and exchanged glances with Carol.


    ¡°Are you planning on leaving right away? How are you getting there?¡± Flanne wasn¡¯t done and signaled with her hand like she was asking me to wait.


    ¡°We were planning on leaving right away.¡± I sat back down before continuing. ¡°We¡¯re going by foot, by the way. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Well, I got a proposal for you. I was wondering if you¡¯d like to join our convoy? Since the soldiers have gathered here already, we¡¯ve decided to do Rocky Ridges¡¯s trip to the capital earlier this year. We¡¯d welcome you two as additional guards.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Traditional trip? What?¡± I¡¯ve never heard of that before. Carol looked just as confused as me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Flanne tilted her head. ¡°Perhaps it had another name where you¡¯re from. This is an event similar to a pilgrimage where the army escorts people of various towns and cities to the capital. This is an event mainly targeted at children to open the capital as a fast-travel location for them, but other people are allowed to join. Being able to fast-travel to the capital will help them as they turn into adults. Having a high portion of people with a variety of fast-travel locations available to them will make Ebrilyon more prosperous.¡±


    Oh, wow¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of that before¡­ Is this one of those things that¡¯s different from the game? It has to be. It¡¯s because fast-travel didn¡¯t exist in the game for regular people.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be using carriages for the trip, so it will be a lot faster than going by foot. Not to mention safer.¡± Flanne continued. ¡°So? Are you interested in joining us? We¡¯ll even pay you if any monsters show up.¡± She finished with that and gracefully rested her chin on her hands.


    Sounds pretty good¡­ I¡¯m not really opposed to it. Carol¡¯s giving me a look like she doesn¡¯t care either way. A nonchalant ¡®you decide¡¯ is the message I¡¯m getting. It¡¯s unanimous. ¡°I think we¡¯ll accept your offer, Flanne. When exactly are you leaving? We¡¯re in a bit of a rush, so we can¡¯t wait too long.¡±


    ¡°You came at just the right time then. We¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow morning. Can you wait that long?¡± That would be a whole day down the drain. But a faster pace will make up for any losses. I gave Flanne a short response, telling her we¡¯d wait. ¡°Good. Come to the barracks first thing in the morning tomorrow. We¡¯ll be waiting for you two.¡±


    With all the preparations complete, me and Carol left the Gathering of Flowers, and we went to the town center. ¡°Looks like we have a lot of time to kill now, Carol. Should we go back to the dorm¡­?¡±


    ¡°No way! I already called them, saying we¡¯d be gone for a few days. Can you imagine how embarrassing it¡¯d be for us to show up there now? ¡®Oops, turns out we¡¯re only leaving tomorrow haha!¡¯ Fucking ridiculous.¡± Carol was quick to shut down my suggestion, but I agree. It¡¯d be weird for us to go back now.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to rent some rooms at an inn then.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have money for that? A- are we going to have to share a- a room!?¡± Carol protested with a red face.


    ¡°Nah¡­ Inns are ridiculously cheap in this world. With the fast-travel Flanne was talking about, the people of this world can teleport between cities at any time. No one needs an inn when they can just teleport home, so they rent them for dirt cheap.¡±


    ¡°Why did they build inns if no one¡¯s gonna use them in the first place? How does anyone in this world turn profit?¡± Carol shook her head in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, they¡¯re all crazy! But honestly, I think the inns exist because they existed in the game. I don¡¯t really get it, but it works out for us. The smallest currency I have right now can probably get us two rooms for three days.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Carol crossed her arms and thought to herself. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go with that. We¡¯ll have to find a way to kill some time, and we¡¯ll have to stay overnight, but we¡¯re not off to a bad start, huh?¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± I totally agree with her. If I hadn¡¯t made up my mind yesterday to head to the capital as soon as possible, we would have probably missed Flanne. What a close call¡­

 Chapter 76 – Motion Sickness Leads to Incredible Things

    So this is what it¡¯s like to travel by carriage¡­ It¡¯s awful!


    On the outside, there¡¯s the constant sound of wooden wheels being pulled forward by horses. On the inside, motion sickness. It¡¯s a bit cloudy today, which also lowers our spirits. And having nothing to do makes it really hard to take our minds off this pain.


    Carol¡¯s sitting next to me with a face just as bad as mine. I think it¡¯s safe to say neither of us is enjoying this experience that much.


    ¡°Never realized how good we had it with cars.¡± We weren¡¯t the only people in the carriage, so I had to whisper to Carol. Together with us were a couple kids and their parents who were accompanying them. Flanne¡¯s out in the front driving, so it¡¯s just me and Carol here in the back.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ This is awf-¡± Carol stopped midsentence, covering her mouth with her hands in a hurry. Whew¡­ And we¡¯re going to have to endure three days of this? I hope it gets better soon. It¡¯s only gonna get worse if I keep thinking about this¡­


    Me and Carol killed some time yesterday by exploring Rocky Ridges together. I knew the place better than her, so I acted as a sort of guide for her. We had fun, but we ended up going to bed early. We set our alarms for 5 a.m. and went to the barracks to meet with Flanne. The carriages were all ready to go when we got there, and Flanne briefly introduced us to the soldiers we¡¯d be working with.


    Everything was fine so far. Everyone was looking at us indifferently, but Flanne just had to go ruin everything. ¡°I see you¡¯ve forgotten her face already. Iroha here is the one responsible for clearing the horde from a while ago. Try not to upset, okay?¡± I swear she did it just to mess with me! After that, they all got weirdly fired up, and it was really embarrassing¡­


    I subconsciously turned my head to the right, and there was a man in light armor riding behind our carriage on a horse. He noticed my gaze and immediately bowed his head with a dumb smile on his face. This is the second problem. They all formed some kind of weird respect for me, and I have no idea how to respond. ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± I waved my hand and quickly looked away.


    ¡°Iroha¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna make it¡­¡± Carol¡¯s voice was so raspy that I almost couldn¡¯t hear her over the sound of the carriage and the children nearby. ¡°Help¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do? We¡¯re on the same boat here. Want some water?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can even handle water right now. Just talk about something. I need something to distract myself¡­ What was that thing with you and a horde?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? I got into a situation where I had to fight a lot of monsters together with Ririna. That¡¯s what Flanne was talking about.¡± I went on to explain the full story to Carol.


    The conversation let both of us forget nausea, and her face was looking far better than before. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. More than a thousand monsters? All by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Not by myself. I had Ririna with me.¡± I brought my face closer to her so I could whisper the rest. ¡°I also have a skill that gives me a burst of strength every time I kill a monster. The monsters were individually weak. I managed to snowball that strength, and that¡¯s how I managed¡­¡± Carol opened her mouth and responded with a quiet ¡®ehh¡­¡¯


    ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re the one who defeated the horde, aren¡¯t you? I can¡¯t believe I get to travel in the same carriage as you.¡± A girl across from us suddenly spoke up. ¡°Ah! Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to overhear your conversation. I just got curious after I heard some soldiers talking about it.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­¡± This is awkward¡­ I never expected someone to recognize me like that. Am I some kind of celebrity now? I don¡¯t need this at all. ¡°But it¡¯s not like I defeated the horde on my own. It¡¯s not as impressive as what you¡¯re imagining.¡± I don¡¯t know what exactly people are saying, but I tried to clear up any misunderstandings that the girl may have heard. She didn¡¯t seem to care and continued looking at me with an enthusiastic face.


    ¡°Really? Oh, my name is Bea, by the way. It¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± She introduced herself with a bright and innocent smile. Bea was wearing a simple green and brown dress. She should be one of the ¡®kids¡¯ we¡¯re escorting to the capital, but she¡¯s much older than the other kids. She¡¯s a bit on the short side, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was mine or Carol¡¯s age. Her eyes were green and her hair was blonde¡ªkinda like my own, but very different. Her hair was normal yellow, while mine¡¯s golden yellow. Completely different colors whose only similarity is the name.


    Her hair was particularly glossy. It¡¯s kinda impressive for an average town girl like her to have such a brilliant color. She must take really good care of it. I can¡¯t imagine that it¡¯d be easy¡­ or cheap.


    ¡°I¡¯m Iroha. And this is Carol. It¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡± I answered her introduction with an introduction of my own, and Carol played along with a small nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s still impressive even if you weren¡¯t alone. Wasn¡¯t it an alchemist that was with you? Everyone knows alchemists can¡¯t fight very well, so you still had to do most of the work, right?¡± The girl continued asking questions to satisfy her curiosity. ¡°How did you do it? Was it a skill? What kind of skills do you have?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­¡± Bea looked at me with an honest look in her eyes, and I have no idea how to answer now. How much can I reveal to people of this world without it being weird? People clearly talk about it, but how much is too much? ¡°I guess you could say it was a skill¡­ It was just very suitable for the situation, but it¡¯s a secret technique, so I can¡¯t go into too much detail.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ Adventurers really are cool¡­¡± Turns out acting all secretive backfired¡­ She¡¯s looking at me like the soldiers do now. I¡¯m not an adventurer, though. ¡°They say you fought just like the Violence Witch. Are you the Violence Witch?¡±


    What? Me? A Violence Witch? What even is that? Ririna explained a little when she told me about the Torn Violence Potion, but I still have no clue what that is. ¡°Ahahaha¡­ No, I¡¯m not a Violence Witch. I¡¯m just a normal girl.¡±


    The girl tilted her head to the side. ¡°But wasn¡¯t the Violence Witch a normal girl too in the legend?¡±


    Was she? What legend is she talking about? Is that common sense in this world? It¡¯s not something from the game, so I don¡¯t know anything about it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you then¡­ I- I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the Violence Witch.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ What¡¯s a Violence Witch?¡± Carol had been listening the whole time, resting her face on her hand with a bored expression.


    ¡°What?! You don¡¯t know!?¡± Bea was completely surprised by Carol¡¯s question. I was right. The thing about the Violence Witch is common sense in this world. You can¡¯t just come out and ask about it! What¡¯s Carol gonna do now?


    ¡°Nope¡­ I don¡¯t know anything about it. Tell me everything you know so I don¡¯t get bored, okay?¡± She played into it¡­ Hmm¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone who doesn¡¯t know about the Violence Witch¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡± Looks like Bea took the bait¡­ Well done, Carol! Maybe now I¡¯ll finally understand what that¡¯s all about. ¡°The Violence Witch appeared because of the war a thousand years ago. The various human nations united to defend against the humans who had settled in the Endless Silver. The remote villages on the border between Ebrilyon and the Endless Silver got caught in the fight, and a lot of people died. Then one day the Violence Witch showed up on the battlefield and mercilessly slaughtered both sides. They say she was a girl from one of the villages who lost everything and went insane, but what¡¯s certain is that she was unstoppable. Apparently, she consumed the souls of everyone she killed, so she could fight forever, and she became stronger after each kill.¡± Bea gestured dramatically as she explained.


    ¡°It finally ended when the people of the Endless Silver stopped attacking, and the human alliance sent the hero of the time who finally managed to put an end to her life.¡± Bea finished her story, and both me and Carol had no idea what to say.


    ¡°H- had you heard about this before?!¡± Carol suddenly turned my way and whispered in my ear. It¡¯s an interesting legend, that¡¯s for sure.


    ¡°N- no¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you played this world when it was a game?¡±


    ¡°I did, but this wasn¡¯t in the game. It¡¯s all news to me.¡± Bea looked at us while we whispered to each other, then wrapped up things.


    ¡°Well, according to the legend, the Violence Witch was crazy, and you don¡¯t look crazy to me. Guess you¡¯re not actually the Violence Witch.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Of course I¡¯m not¡­ Ahahaha¡­¡± A girl that went crazy and started rampaging on the battlefield? What part of that is supposed to be me?


    We talked for a while longer, and eventually the conversation died down and it was back to us struggling to endure the motion sickness.


    It did leave me thinking, though¡­ The Violence Witch, the Torn Violence Potion, the Violence skill tree, and the Violence Impulse skill¡­ It all has to be connected somehow¡­ The Violence Witch grew stronger with each kill? Isn¡¯t that what Violence Impulse does? It¡¯s just a temporary boost, but there¡¯s no way that it¡¯s a coincidence, is there? What¡¯s the connection? Did she have it as one of her skills? Why would the VISS Driver give me that skill? Answers always lead to more questions, huh? And Bea, just who is she? She asked some really interesting questions, didn¡¯t she? She¡¯s pretty clever¡­

 Chapter 77 – How to Learn Magic

    It¡¯s currently nighttime. The whole caravan¡¯s gonna be camping out in the wild for the second night in a row. Everything has been going well, but it has been a bit boring. Luckily, we¡¯ve been getting along with Bea, who made the journey much more interesting. After telling us about the legend of the Violence Witch, she started hanging out with our group. Me, Carol, and Flanne.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice up here. We¡¯re so close to the stars!¡± Bea looked up at the sky while our group sat around a small bonfire. The path to the capital passed through a lot of mountains. We set up camp in a flat open space surrounded by cliffs.


    A place like this made it easy for the soldiers to keep watch during the night. Pretty much the only monsters that can get all the way up here are the ones who can fly. But apparently there¡¯s nothing in this area that would approach a group this big.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful¡­ Maybe I should stay on night duty again to enjoy the view¡­¡± Flanne and Bea got along pretty well, especially when it came to enjoying the various sights. Flanne has always been one to savor the moment. Even out here, she warmed up some tea in the fire and has been taking occasional sips in her usual carefree manner. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll arrive at the capital tomorrow evening. It¡¯s a shame it¡¯s ending so soon¡­¡±


    Easy for her to say. Two and a half days is a lot for me and Carol. ¡°We¡¯re almost there¡­ That¡¯s good¡­¡± It won¡¯t be long now until I can finally see Ririna.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any more work today, right, Flanne?¡± Carol leans forward as she asks that. ¡°You promised you¡¯d tell me about magic yesterday.¡± That¡¯s right. Last night, Carol made the connection between Flanne and the girl she saw using magic in the Forest of Illusion. Carol has that weird magic around her ankles that she learned how to control the other day, and she wants more. She figured that she could learn more by asking Flanne for some lessons.


    ¡°I should be free today, yes.¡± Flanne looks down from the sky with a relaxed smile. ¡°You wanted to talk about magic, right? What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I wanna know how it works. How can I learn how to use magic?¡± Carol went straight for the kill. She was still looking for ways to get stronger, and Flanne was going to help her.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m also curious about it.¡± I raised my arm. ¡°Can you teach us how to use magic?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s not really something that I can teach¡­ You can do it if you have the skill for it. You should know, Iroha. Those quick slices of yours are a skill, right?¡± Slash Flurry¡­ It¡¯s a skill, but it¡¯s not magic, right? It uses MP, I guess¡­ Maybe what she¡¯s saying is that magic works in a similar way?


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­? I¡¯d still like to learn how to do something like that light slash of yours. Can you help us somehow?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, but there isn¡¯t much I can do. You need a skill to use magic, so you just need to get lucky to get it. If you have the skill, it should come naturally to you.¡± Flanne shrugged with a resigned smile. ¡°People who claim to know how to get a specific skill are always full of it. It¡¯s never that simple. You know how skills are.¡± I don¡¯t, actually.


    Flanne¡¯s answer was not what Carol wanted to hear at all. She looked down with a frustrated look, but she wasn¡¯t giving up just yet. ¡°What do you suggest then? How do you think skills work? Even if it¡¯s not certain, I¡¯m sure you can still give us some tips.¡± I would welcome that as well, but I¡¯m not sure how useful it¡¯d be for me since I have the VISS Driver.


    ¡°I think my view is in line with the standard one. The skills someone gets are mostly related to the things they¡¯re close to, with some exceptions. Children of blacksmiths tend to get blacksmithing skills. Children of farmers get farming skills. And children who play too much end up getting skills related to their games. That¡¯s how a lot of adventurers and soldiers get started.¡± Flanne looked to the side, in the direction of the other soldiers. Must be a common backstory. Kids who get into a lot of fights get combat skills.


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    ¡°Since there are some exceptions, your best bet is to imitate what magicians and sorcerers do and hope for the best. You probably have some combat skills already, so getting a magic skill isn¡¯t that farfetched.¡± That¡¯s interesting¡­ So the skills the people of this world get are decided by their environment and their actions, right? That¡¯s surprisingly similar to how the VISS Driver works¡­ It just gives me the option to buy them instead of just getting them instantly. VISS Driver, what exactly do you do?


    ¡°Is that how you learned your magic?¡± Flanne flinched slightly when she heard Carol¡¯s question.


    ¡°I guess you could say that¡­ I grew up in an environment with a lot of magic.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Alright, how do I imitate a magician or whatever? I can¡¯t use magic, so how am I supposed to do that?¡±


    ¡°You can try pretending like you¡¯re using magic. But I¡¯m not entirely sure how you¡¯d do that either¡­ I¡¯ve heard that some of them use incantations, others manipulate some kind of energy in the air, while others say they control a power that comes from the inside. Maybe try them all?¡± Flanne gave Carol a weak smile of encouragement. ¡°I could never cut it as a proper mage, so I can¡¯t really tell how it works for me. I can use magic on my sword, but I can¡¯t explain how it works. It¡¯s just my skill.¡±


    ¡°Incantations, inner and outer energy¡­ That¡¯s something, at least. I guess that will do.¡± Carol leaned back and eased up on Flanne after an approving nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I could help.¡± Flanne smiled before standing up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, so we should all go to bed soon. I¡¯m going to check if everything¡¯s alright, then I¡¯ll tuck in for the night.¡±


    ¡°You do that. Me and Iroha were about to return to our tents anyway.¡±


    ¡°We were?¡± Why is Carol speaking for me? ¡°It is late, so we¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Good night, Flanne. Good night, Bea.¡± I waved them goodbye, and we walked away from the bonfire. Bea and Flanne put out our group¡¯s fire, and Bea stayed with Flanne for a while longer.


    Our tents were a bit more isolated than the others, but the whole caravan stayed roughly together. The tents we were using were the same given to the soldiers, and they were pretty simple. The weather¡¯s warm and the ground is dry and hard, so the tents aren¡¯t even necessary, but they¡¯re nice to have. Especially for us.


    ¡°Lend me your bag, Iroha.¡± Carol dove inside my tent and pilfered my bag for some modern-day amenities that I had packed. ¡°That should do.¡± She pulled out with her hands full and discreetly carried what she needed to her own tent. She didn¡¯t have time to prepare her own things, so we¡¯ve been sharing what I brought. We¡¯re modern-day girls, so we gotta take care of ourselves and look out for each other, right? ¡°What do you think about what Flanne said?¡± Carol asked from inside of her tent.


    ¡°About the skills?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think I may actually be able to learn how to use magic. She told me to try all the different methods, but I think it comes from the inside for me. You¡¯ve seen how I can turn the anklets on and off, right? That¡¯s something I do on the inside¡­ I think¡­ The whole thing is still weird to me.¡± Carol explained without leaving her tent.


    ¡°It would be great if that happened, but do you think learning magic is gonna be that simple?¡± Even I can¡¯t shoot any fireballs yet. Maybe I should make up some incantations later¡­


    After a moment of silence, Carol spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe the way we and the people from this world work is completely different¡­¡± She poked her head out from the tent and looked up at me. ¡°What do you think? Think I can get a skill that will let me use magic?¡±


    I have no clue¡­ Can she? Does whatever skill system that exists in this world work for people from our world? Hmm¡­ If it does, her odds might be pretty good¡­ If whatever¡¯s on her ankles is some sort of skill, then it would lock in one of her skill trees. So if it¡¯s like the VISS Driver, then getting a skill in the same skill tree shouldn¡¯t be that hard. Something that would allow her to use the same kind of magic on her ankle, but more freely. But then again, what kind of magic is on her? Light magic? Is she gonna become a light magic user like Flanne? I can¡¯t really tell, but¡­


    ¡°I think it¡¯s possible.¡± A huge smile suddenly appeared on Carol¡¯s face. ¡°If you keep experimenting with the thing on your ankles, you¡¯ll probably get some kind of skill.¡± That¡¯s how I¡¯ve gotten a lot of my skills.


    ¡°You really think so? Hehehehe! You better not be messing with me! I¡¯m gonna figure this out in no time, you¡¯ll see!¡± With giddy movements, Carol went back into her tent before popping out her head again for a second. ¡°Good night, Iroha.¡±


    She¡¯s so excited¡­ I really hope she can do it now. I don¡¯t want her to accuse me of lying to her and start hating me again. ¡°Good night, Carol.¡± And good luck. Carol immediately started thinking of how to put Flanne¡¯s information to practice, didn¡¯t she¡­? She really is a hard worker.


    ¡­


    Next day arrived, and we¡¯re back on the road.


    ¡°It¡¯s been really fun getting to know you two. It¡¯s a shame the trip will come to an end soon.¡±


    ¡°Just because the trip is over, it¡¯s not the end. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again someday, Bea.¡± The carriage was going down the mountainous terrain, heading for Ebrilyon¡¯s capital. Today¡¯s the last day, and everyone is getting tired from all the traveling. Bea, Carol, and I spoke to pass the time, but we had talked so much these few days, that there wasn¡¯t much left to say.


    The motion sickness was gone, and the sound of the wind cutting through the mountains had become really relaxing for me. Our conversation came to an end, and the silence settled in, but something felt off. Instead of a relaxing feeling, I felt some tension in the air. That¡¯s weird.


    I peeked out through the carriage¡¯s cloth and noticed something. Where did the other carriages go? Did we fall behind? The soldiers weren¡¯t oblivious to that fact because they all had very serious looks on their faces. Hmm¡­


    Something was definitely wrong¡­ I was trying to puzzle it out, but then¡­ ¡°E- enemy! An enemy¡¯s approaching!¡± A panicked shout from one of the soldiers rang out. Of course something had to show up now¡­ The whole trip had been suspiciously quiet¡­

 Chapter 78 – Escaping with the Prize

    ¡°E- enemy! An enemy¡¯s approaching!¡±


    ¡°From our right! They¡¯re here! They¡¯re sliding down the cliff!¡±


    Panic spread through soldiers due to the unexpected attack, but someone managed to keep them in line. ¡°Quickly! Get into position! Engage them as soon as they land and prevent them from moving!¡± With a confident voice, Flanne rallied the soldiers, and they formed a line between the caravan and the cliff.


    A handful of cloaked, hooded figures landed on the wide road, and the sound of metal clashing quickly followed. ¡°Take this!¡± Our side had the number¡¯s advantage, but not by much. ¡°Th- they¡¯re strong! Gyaaaah!¡±


    ¡°Sounds like one of the soldiers went down¡­¡± What¡¯s going on out there? I can¡¯t really see what¡¯s going on from here.


    Besides me, Carol, and Bea, there were only a couple children together with one of their parents. The adults worried for the children and covered them for their protection, using their bodies as shields. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m heading out.¡± Without hesitation, Carol grabbed her sword and was ready to jump out.


    ¡°Wait, Carol!¡± I reached for her shoulder. ¡°Are you seriously going? That¡¯s crazy!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Iroha. I¡¯m still going. You can¡¯t achieve anything without being a little crazy. Fighting was the reason Flanne let us tag along, remember?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re guards, Carol! We¡¯re supposed to guard the people. You¡¯re gonna leave behind the people you¡¯re supposed to protect?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why you¡¯re staying there, and I¡¯m heading out. Everyone will be safe if everything¡¯s dead.¡± Carol brushed off my hand and jumped out.


    Dammit¡­ I gotta go after her¡­ If something happens to her, I¡¯ll never hear the end of it when I go back. But¡­ what about the people in here? What about Bea? They can¡¯t fight, so if I leave them here alone, won¡¯t they get¡­ scared? I glanced at Bea¡¯s face, and I saw something strange.


    She¡¯s not scared.


    The adults holding onto the children had worried looks on their faces, but Bea seemed perfectly calm. Maybe that¡¯s just how she reacts to tense situations. Maybe she¡¯s the type to freeze up. But that¡¯s not what it looks like to me. It looks more like the face of someone who¡¯s ready for battle, not unlike the one Carol had. What¡¯s going on?


    Before I could make a decision, I heard one of the soldiers again. ¡°T- two more enemies sliding down the cliff. Th- they jumped!?¡±


    *Tear!* A second later, the top part of the carriage was sliced off. The two new fighters jumped over the soldier¡¯s formation and came straight for us. After the first hooded figure opened the lid of the carriage, the second jumped down from above, trying to get to the people inside. ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± I quickly drew my sword then¡­


    *Clink!* The hooded figure slashed down with a short, curved sword, and we both got pushed back. The two of them were very agile. They were able to move with sudden bursts of speed, similar to what I do with Agility Burst. A- are these ninjas or something? They probably have skills from the Momentum skill tree like I do.


    ¡°Ouch! Let go!¡± While I was recovering from the recoil, the one who had ripped open the carriage returned and forcefully grabbed Bea¡¯s arm.


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    Slash Flurry! I tried to protect Bea, but the mysterious figure swiftly pulled her up and jumped away with her before my sword could reach. What? Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit! I can¡¯t let them get away! I jumped out of the carriage to go after Bea.


    ¡°We got who we came for. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± I stepped outside and heard the two figures exchanging some words. Bea was their target? Why? Who are these¡­ people?


    Now that I was outside, I was finally able to get a look at the situation. The soldiers formed a line, and they were tied up with their fight. They couldn¡¯t chase the two who got past them without showing their backs to the enemy.


    The two figures didn¡¯t try to rejoin their allies and instead started running to get away from the carriage. There should have been no one to stop them, so they should have been able to get away easily. But there was someone in their path who they didn¡¯t take into consideration. ¡°I was gonna join the fight over there, but stopping you two seems much more important. If you¡¯re in such a rush to leave, how about you start by dropping the girl?¡±


    ¡°Carol!¡± She pointed her sword at the hooded duo in a challenging manner. The two of them stopped and looked at each other. ¡°They¡¯re surrounded, so we gotta stop them here! We can¡¯t let them kidnap Bea!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no¡­ I stopped them, but I was actually gonna let them go.¡± Carol said sarcastically. ¡°Of course we¡¯re not letting them kidnap Bea. Why are you stating the obvious?¡± Harsh¡­ At least we¡¯re on the same page. Let¡¯s do this.


    Each of the hooded figures drew a short sword, and they both rushed Carol. She ran in the opposite direction of the one with their hands empty and locked sword with Bea¡¯s kidnapper. We¡¯re no longer surrounding them like this, but if someone¡¯s gonna escape, it¡¯s the one without Bea. Wow¡­ well done!


    Agility Burst! The one Carol ignored maneuvered around their ally to get an angle on her, but they were too slow. ¡°You¡¯re up against me!¡± *Clang!* Slash Flurry! The first clash stopped their attack, and the following flurry forced the figure to jump back with a stumble.


    The small sword couldn¡¯t handle too many strikes from my katana, and it looked damaged. Quick! I gotta finish this before they find a way to escape! I gave chase with a second Agility Burst and activated Butterfly¡¯s Wings for my next attack. *Snap!* ¡°Gahh!¡± Two slashes with a single motion. One of them broke the damaged blade, and the other downed the enemy. Huh¡­ I could tell it was a good skill from the get-go.


    Out of the two kidnappers, only the one who snagged Bea was left. ¡°You idiot¡­ How did you go down so easily?¡± They looked at their fallen ally while locking swords with Carol. After a swift step back, a stronger slash was aimed at Carol. She got into position to block, but the attack never landed. It was all a feint by the hooded figure who dashed away without missing a beat.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d let you go?¡± The whole point of Carol¡¯s way of engaging them was to prevent this exact scenario. A little head start was nothing, and Carol was able to keep up with the figure. She kept getting closer, and at this rate¡­ she¡¯s gonna kill them! Would she really?


    ¡°Leave it to me, Carol!¡± Agility Burst! I quickly passed Carol as she was about to swing her sword and got in range to attack. The kidnapped blocked the attack, but they now had to stand and fight.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ Where the hell did you two come from!?¡± The hooded figure threw a series of knives to keep us at bay, but that was nothing to me. Slash Flurry! I knocked the knives out of the air and dashed forward. ¡°Just need one more second¡­¡± The figure held up a sword while muttering to themselves. I hit it once, then Slash Flurry for good measure. They couldn¡¯t handle the barrage, and their sword went flying. Heart Piercer now would finish them off. Wouldn¡¯t it¡­? But¡­ That¡¯s overkill¡­ Do I really need to- ¡°Finally!¡± The kidnapper once again activated the skill similar to my Agility Burst and managed to put some distance between us.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Shit! I hesitated! Why? I thought I¡¯d be able to finish things off. ¡°Agili-¡± *Puff!*


    ¡°They¡¯re escaping!¡± The soldiers nearby suddenly shouted. ¡°Smoke bombs!¡± The ones fighting in the line blinded the soldiers, and the one I had downed threw a bomb in my face before following the one with Bea.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± I ran through the smoke, but when I arrived at the other side, it was completely empty¡­ No way¡­ Did they seriously get away? Just like that? It¡¯s all my fault¡­ What do I do now? What¡¯s gonna happen to Bea?


    ¡°Iroha! *Cough cough!* What did you do?!¡± Carol emerged from the smoke behind with an angry voice. ¡°Why did you get in my way? I fucking had it!¡±


    ¡°I- I¡­¡± This is such a mess¡­ What was I even thinking? ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to kill anyone¡­ You came with me to help, I felt bad forcing you to spill blood because of me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Are you fucking serious? I don¡¯t want that kind of consideration from you! I don¡¯t have problems killing anyone! I¡¯m like, the person for the job. What am I doing here if you don¡¯t let me do what I can do?¡± Carol seemed more sad than angry. She wants to be useful, and I just robbed her of that opportunity. All that only for me to hesitate at the last moment¡­


    ¡°Sorry, Carol¡­ I thought I could do it¡­ But you¡¯re right¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have butted in.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, then you¡¯d better do it properly. You¡¯re always going to fail if you take half-measures.¡± Half-measures¡­ Right¡­ I got distracted by other thoughts instead of doing everything I could to save Bea¡­ Damn it¡­ I can¡¯t believe Narumi was right back then¡­


    ¡°Sorry, Carol. You¡¯re right¡­ I won¡¯t hesitate anymore.¡± I bowed slightly to Carol since I felt honestly bad. In hindsight, I think the kidnapper would have escaped regardless of whether I interfered or not. Carol¡¯s attack might have gotten blocked, and it would have probably gone the same way. But I interfered, and now it¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s all because I hesitated.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, I guess it¡¯s fine. But what are we gonna do now?¡± Carol sighed and let it go.


    While we were talking, the soldiers in the background were moving and reorganizing after Flanne gave them some orders. Once she was finished, she came over to us. ¡°I¡¯m glad you two settled things up. Can you still fight? We¡¯re gonna give chase.¡± That answers Carol¡¯s question. Me and her exchanged a glance, then turned back to Flanne with a nod. It¡¯s not over yet. Let¡¯s do it!

 Chapter 79 – We Love the Chase

    ¡°This way! Jump in, and we¡¯ll catch up to them in no time!¡±


    ¡°Ehh? What?¡± Me and Carol were following Flanne when she stopped in front of a steep cave. We got attacked by hooded figures earlier, Bea got kidnapped, and it¡¯s all my fault! Flanne led us here for a shortcut to catch up to them, but is this really safe?


    ¡°Follow me. Try not to lose balance.¡± Flanne jumped into the cave and quickly slid down the steep incline. In less than a second, she disappeared into the darkness¡­ Are we really doing this?


    ¡°Does this really lead somewhere?¡± Carol looked at me for some reassurance, but I knew as much as her. Still, if there¡¯s a chance that we¡¯ll be able to rescue Bea by jumping into this hole, then I¡¯m gonna take it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± With a confident nod, I turned to the tunnel and jumped in. ¡°Woah!¡± Damn! It¡¯s hard to balance on this! If we fall here, it won¡¯t be pretty¡­


    ¡°Fuck fuck fuck!¡± Carol¡¯s voice echoed behind me. She¡¯s also having trouble staying upright, but looks like she didn¡¯t get cold feet. I expected no less from her.


    The tunnel started twisting and turning as we got deeper. It¡¯s like a water slide where you gotta stand up or you die. The polar opposite of what you find in some pools. We kept speeding up and just standing continued getting harder. If we fall and get injured here, we won¡¯t be able to rescue Bea! We can¡¯t fall¡­


    The angle of the slope eventually decreased. Finally, light! It¡¯s blinding, and it comes at us fast. Whatever, though. We¡¯ve made it!


    ¡°Ouch!¡± I was trying to slow down, but my front foot got caught on a rock, and I landed on my face. Could have been worse. But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Ouch!¡± A few seconds later, a soft weight fell on my back. Carol¡¯s butt. I feel like I just protected something very precious.


    ¡°Ugh! It¡¯s finally over! I never wanna do that again!¡± Carol quickly got up on feet, and I did the same.


    ¡°Good job making it down unscathed, you two.¡± Flanne extended a hand to me and helped me get up. ¡°Can you see them over there? Let¡¯s go. We should be able to catch them now.¡± Flanne¡¯s shortcut seemed to work, and the hooded figures were visible again.


    A little ahead of us, a group of seven was running up a zigzagging path to a cliff. Without wasting any time, the three of us sprinted after them. We followed them up the cliff, and they finally noticed us. We were closing the gap. They had to do something or we¡¯d catch up. Up ahead was a long, rope bridge with a river further below. Their group then split into two. Four of them turned around to face us while the others kept running using the bridge. The one carrying Bea obviously ran away.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re gonna have to fight!¡± Carol reached for her sword with a fiery grin.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna lose Bea if we waste time fighting them¡­ But it¡¯s not like they¡¯re just gonna let us through¡­¡± Flanne was also ready for a fight, but even a victory here would lead to our loss. She didn¡¯t want to stop, but she knew there was no choice.


    ¡°It¡¯s over! We¡¯ll be taking your princess now, so just give it up. You can still get away without getting hurt if you turn back now.¡± Princess? The hooded figures drew their weapons and got ready to attack. They have the numbers, but we have the quality. Having fought one of them before, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll lose to them. But we don¡¯t have time for that.


    What do we do? Is there still any way to save Bea? The bridge¡¯s too narrow to try to sneak around them. We¡¯d have to go over them, but¡­ how? I have some ideas but every single one is crazier than the last.


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    ¡°Hmm¡­ Sorry, Carol.¡± What was it she said earlier? You need to be crazy to get shit done? Something like that. Can¡¯t afford to hesitate anymore, so I¡¯ll do whatever I have to. Even if means doing something crazy.


    ¡°Wha?¡± Carol was slightly ahead of me. She turned my way when she heard my voice, and I¡­ Agility Burst! ¡°Arggh!¡± Agility Burst! I jumped up her shoulder, then used it as a springboard to get over the kidnappers. Carol flinched a little, and everyone else was speechless. Good luck, Carol. Take care of those four! I¡¯ll cross the bridge and bring Bea back!


    ¡°Damn you! You¡¯re too persistent!¡±


    ¡°The others have finished crossing. Cut the bridge and kill the bitch!¡±


    ¡°Die, human!¡± The kidnappers spoke among them, but I was too focused to pay attention to it.


    I suddenly heard something snap loudly behind me. The planks below my feet started violently shaking. Shit! I quickly realized what¡¯s going on. It¡¯s gonna fall!


    ¡°Iroha!!!¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Iroha! No!¡± Carol watched as the bridge got cut and Iroha sank into the precipice. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that!¡± She dashed ahead of Flanne and engaged the enemy. Her first swing was a feint, and the follow-up cut through her opponent.


    ¡°Gyaaaaah!¡± With one of the hooded figures down, Carol kept up the pressure. With one swift motion, she pushed through and locked blades with the one who cut the bridge.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Her back was exposed, and her other enemies weren¡¯t going to pass up on that opportunity to attack her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got your back!¡± With her claymore, Flanne joined the fight to cover for Carol. She took down one of the two remaining figures with a single blow, then her sword started glowing. The blade glowed with a magical light, peaking right at the moment the other hooded figure tried to avenge their ally. A short sword hit Flanne¡¯s claymore, and an explosion of light sent the attacker flying back.


    ¡°They¡¯re too strong! Nwoahh!¡± The kidnapper slid across the cliff until they fell down the ledge. At the same time, Carol exchanged blows with her opponent in a contest of speed. She deflected and countered repeatedly, until she landed a blow on their arm. The short sword dropped to the ground, and Carol finished the fight.


    Iroha¡­ You¡¯re so stupid¡­ You can¡¯t die from this! You just can¡¯t! Carol thought as she ran up to the ledge. She quickly looked down, searching for any signs of her. ¡°I- Iroha?! Seriously¡­?¡± She was shocked when she saw what Iroha was up to¡ªnot on her cliff, but on the opposite side where the bridge collapsed into as it fell.


    <hr>


    ¡°Oh shit oh shit oh shit!¡± I closed my eyes and braced for impact while clinging onto the planks of the bridge. It¡¯s gonna slam into the wall! It¡¯s gonna hurt! Will it kill me? Can I die from thi-


    *THUD!* ¡°OUGH!¡± Fuck! As expected, it hurt like a bitch! Wait, it actually hurt more than I expected! Whatever, I survived, and I can still move. That¡¯s all I need¡­


    I was left hanging with one arm after the impact, letting me get a good look at my situation. ¡°The river is still that far away?¡± There was a long way to the top, no doubt, but I was surprised to see that the river was still far from where I was. Just how high up was this bridge?


    I¡¯m suddenly hit by a strong gust of wind, and I quickly cling onto the bridge with my whole body not to fall. With my current HP, maybe I could survive the fall, but I¡¯m not gonna test that. Besides, there¡¯s still something I have left to do. I contracted my body into a ready position, tensing up my legs.


    Wall Artist! Agility Burst! I¡¯m gonna get you¡­ No one¡¯s kidnapping Bea on my watch! I ran up the bridge, climbing the cliff with a series of explosive movements.


    ¡°Iroha?!¡± I climbed up to the surface, then I faintly heard someone call my name. Carol, huh? Looks like they¡¯ve finished on their side. Well done. You can leave the rest up to me! Agility Burst!


    Like the name would imply, Agility Burst only gives me a burst of speed. It¡¯s great for small movements but not ideal for a long chase like this. It works like a toggleable ability, but it drains a lot of MP when used continuously. Still, after all the levels I¡¯ve gained, I have more than enough MP for what I need.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone behind us! We¡¯re still being chased!¡±


    ¡°What? How is that possible? Who the hell is that? How did she survive after the bridge was cut?¡±


    ¡°Sh- she¡¯s getting closer!¡±


    ¡°Dammit¡­ Did they hire a high-ranking adventurer to escort them? Go stop her! We have to do whatever it takes to secure the princess!¡± Ahead of me, the person carrying Bea shouted out orders to their two companions. They nod, then jump backwards, turning in the air to face me. They both reach into their cloaks, but I¡¯m going to act first!


    Heart Piercer! ¡°Guh!¡± That¡¯s one down. Whatever plans that one may have had won¡¯t come to pass. Now for the next one. Bea will be out of reach if I take too long, so¡­ Agility Burst into Slash Flurry and a second Slash Flurry. ¡°Gah!¡±


    After dealing with the two stragglers, I chased Bea¡¯s kidnapper again. The hooded figure is not too far now, and the distance is rapidly closing. I considered shooting at them with my gun, but if I miss and hit Bea instead, it¡¯d be the worst-case scenario. I¡¯m gonna catch up regardless, so Bea just needs to hold on a little longer.


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t even slow her down? How useless¡­ Looks like I have to do everything on my own.¡± The figure tossed Bea to the side into some nearby bushes. With a small click, a cloak flew into the air, covering my view.


    ¡°What?¡± I cut the cloak in two with a slash, and¡­ Slash Flurry! *Ping!* A little knife flying in my direction was the first thing I saw through the cut in the cloak. I barely had time to think about it, but that¡¯s what the kidnappers were using to hide their identity, wasn¡¯t it? That means¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think you are, but I¡¯m gonna make you regret standing in our way¡­¡± A red-haired woman with two small horns above her forehead and a scar over her right eye, stood in front of me while holding a short sword in each hand. I- is she a demon? What¡¯s she doing in human territory? I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised since they also caused a lot of problems here in the game¡­


    I gripped my sword and took on a fighting stance. She looks much stronger than the others¡­ She was the one carrying Bea, so she must be their boss. If I¡¯m gonna do this, I¡¯ll have to give it everything I¡¯ve got!

 Chapter 80 – Princess on the Frontline

    ¡°Whew¡­ Iroha survived that fall¡­¡± Carol was on her knees, looking across the gap in the direction Iroha ran off into.


    ¡°I had a feeling she¡¯d be alright. I wasn¡¯t expecting her to run up the broken bridge like that.¡± Flanne stood next to Carol and looked over in the same way. The two had just finished a small fight, and she lightly stretched her body to release some of the tension.


    ¡°You had a feeling she¡¯d be alright? After a fall like that?¡±


    ¡°She always manages to pull some kind of ridiculous stunt when she needs to. That¡¯s just how she is. Compared to the horde of monsters she fought, a fall like that should be nothing to her.¡±


    Yet she was such a wimp when she first showed up¡­ Carol immediately thought to herself. She doesn¡¯t know anything about Iroha, does she? The only reason Iroha can pull off the things she does is because of the VISS Driver she told me about. Iroha probably didn¡¯t tell Flanne about it.


    ¡°What now? Iroha might be in trouble while on her own.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know about that. Iroha should be fine on her own. But it is very important that we get Bea back safely, so we must move. I know of a detour nearby. Let¡¯s go.¡± Flanne lent Carol a hand, and the two ran to catch up to Iroha as soon as possible.


    She¡¯s really clueless¡­ Does she think Iroha¡¯s immortal or something? Iroha can¡¯t do everything on her own, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I mean, she did say she wasn¡¯t going to hesitate anymore, so she might do a little better now, but¡­ If she settles everything on her own by the time I catch up, then what am I doing here?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    <hr>


    A demon, huh? They were pretty hard fights every time one appeared in the game, but that hasn¡¯t been the case thus far. They had the advantage against a larger number of our human soldiers, but they couldn¡¯t overwhelm them. Demons are probably stronger than humans, but not by much. Which is why I was able to beat them relatively easily before.


    But this woman¡¯s different. Just like there are humans like Flanne and Sarasa, it¡¯s obvious that the demons too would have people who stand out from the rest. Unless I¡¯ve mixed something up, I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s the one that escaped because I hesitated. I sent her sword flying before, but she was probably holding back for some reason.


    And she still has two swords! The red-haired woman in front of me has a short sword in each hand, even though she left one of them behind. No¡­ That¡¯s not it¡­ Her current pair of swords has a different design. The quality on them looks much higher. Why didn¡¯t she use them before? Was she trying to hide them? To conceal her identity? No wonder I didn¡¯t have any trouble before.


    ¡°Dammed little girl¡­ Causing me so much trouble. You just don¡¯t know when to give up, do you?¡± She glared at me while tensing up her body. I readied myself for an attack, but her body turned into a shadowy smoke. ¡°Die!¡± The next second, I heard a voice behind me.


    Sh- she¡¯s fast!! Much faster than before! She was just in front of me¡­ When did she get behind me? Agility Burst! I dodged one of her swords, but the second one hit me in the back. My black dress prevented the sword from cutting me, but the impact still caused me some pain.


    Damn¡­ That was a bad start¡­ With that type of attack, she should have said ¡®nothing personal, kid¡¯ instead of ¡®die¡¯, though. I guess we¡¯re one to one on mistakes. Can¡¯t let her catch my surprise like that again, though.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like that¡­ What kind of fabric is that?¡± The demon lady stood in the place where she attacked me and looked between me and her sword.


    ¡°I wonder¡­¡± We have pretty cool tech in our world, it¡¯s only natural that she wouldn¡¯t know. Even I have no clue what it¡¯s made of.


    ¡°Hphm¡­ So you¡¯re not gonna tell me¡­? I¡¯ll figure it out once I rip out of your dead body!¡± She suddenly broke into a dash, and I did the same.


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    I can¡¯t let her keep the initiative, so I used Heart Piercer during the approach. She could tell it was a stronger attack, so she blocked with both swords. A small cut tore through the clothes on her belly, and a thin red line appeared on her skin shortly after. Now we¡¯re even.


    I followed that up with a regular attack. She blocked it with one sword, then swung at me with the other. Why isn¡¯t she using that shadowy movement skill? I can actually keep up with her like this. Does it have some sort of cooldown? She used it to grab Bea, then again to escape, but it seemed like she had to wait for a while. I see¡­ That¡¯s how it is¡­


    Our exchange of blows continued for a while longer. My attacks were stronger, but she could block and attack at the same time. I couldn¡¯t commit to anything without taking a big risk, so I was at a disadvantage like this.


    Okay¡­ How about this? I attacked, my sword was blocked, then Slash Flurry! The sudden barrage of quick attacks interrupted her swing, but she still managed to block everything. What the hell? Last time I was able to disarm her with this. Why is it so hard now?


    ¡°I see now¡­¡± She put some distance between us after deflecting my flurry. ¡°Armand-sama isn¡¯t going to be happy so many of our troops had to die during what should have been a simple operation¡­¡± Armand? ¡°But if it means taking a nuisance like you out of the picture, then it will all be worth it.¡± Armand¡­ huh?


    Where did I hear that name before? Armand was the merchant who set Ririna up to attract the horde. He was the one who gave Ririna the fake recipe that attracted the monster, and it turned out he was associated with the demons. This woman is working with him? Is he a demon as well? Why is his name popping up again now? Is he causing problems for Ririna again?


    While I was thinking about unnecessary things, the demon lady went on the offensive again. She attacked with both swords at the same time, making it hard for me to defend. If I tried to counterattack, it¡¯d get blocked, so there was only one thing I could do. Heart Piercer! Even if she blocks this, she¡¯s still gonna be receiving some damage!


    ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Another cut appears on the woman¡¯s body. ¡°The thrust is some kind of skill, huh?¡± Seems like she figured it out, but who cares? It¡¯s not like she can block them.


    Heart Piercer! I lunged forward once more, but this time I didn¡¯t stab into any blades. What the hell? She didn¡¯t even try to block. I glance at what my sword has stabbed, and I see a shadow. Not a person, but a shadow. That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s her skill!


    I turned around just as I made sense of the situation. There¡¯s a sword coming straight for my neck on both my left and my right. Dammit! Slash Flurry! I deflected both attacks, but I wasn¡¯t safe yet. The demon lady pressed her attack, and I couldn¡¯t do anything but block her long string of attacks.


    This isn¡¯t good¡­ Because of her two swords, there¡¯s no opening for me to turn things around. She¡¯s too fast! This is why it¡¯s so important to be on the offensive¡­ One sword is not enough for this! If I had a second sword, would I be able to match her?


    ¡°I got you now, you pest!¡± With a swing and a thrust coming at me at the same time, I was faced with a difficult situation. I was still recovering from deflecting her previous attack. Even if I use Slash Flurry, I don¡¯t see how I¡¯m gonna stop both swords. I¡¯d have to hit both at the same time from two different angles. It¡¯s just not possible. Do I just have to take a hit and hope it doesn¡¯t kill me? No! It¡¯s too early to give up! I¡¯m not used to this. The angle¡¯s too precise, but I have to try!


    I swung my blade between the demon¡¯s short swords, not hitting either of them. *Clink!* The sound of two different sword clashes overlapped. At the same time, both her attacks veered off course and missed me. ¡°One? Two? Three? How many swings was that?!¡± My opponent couldn¡¯t understand what just happened. Butterfly¡¯s Wings. My newest skill that can turn a single slash into two in a V shape. Since I don¡¯t have much experience with it, I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d be able to aim it so that both slashes would hit, but I guess it worked out!


    The demon lady was flustered, and I took this opportunity to turn things around. She took a step back, and I chased with Agility Burst. She went for symmetrical downward slashes, and I used Butterfly¡¯s Wings again. This one was a much easier read, and she was disarmed this time. I sent the swords into the air and kept up the pressure. I¡¯m not gonna commit the same mistake as last time! Agility Burst, Heart Piercer! The black mist again?! Where did she go?


    I found her on one of her knees near her swords. She hasn¡¯t given up yet. She still wants to fight! But¡­ It looks like she didn¡¯t escape my last Heart Piercer unscathed. Time to finish this then¡­ Agility Burst, Heart Piercer!


    ¡°STOOOOP!!¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡± I immediately froze. From a nearby bush, a sudden, high-pitched voice screamed out, demanding that I stop. B- Bea?!


    ¡°She can¡¯t fight anymore. Capture her alive, Iroha. We lured out the demons for more information. I have a lot of questions I need to ask her, so don¡¯t kill her.¡± Bea stepped out of her cover and walked to my side, closely observing the wounded demon.


    L- lure? What? Is that really Bea? What¡¯s she talking about? ¡°Tch¡­ I guess this is the end for me¡­ You got lucky, princess. A little more, and we would have taken control of capital. If it wasn¡¯t for your last-minute guards, you¡¯d be our puppet right now.¡± The demon looked up at Bea with a glare. Why is she calling her princess? Is Bea actually a princess? No¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I also wasn¡¯t expecting my new guards would prove to be this useful. Now, are you ready to spill what your kind has been up to? What are you doing in the capital? What¡¯s your goal? You¡¯re gonna tell me everything you know¡­¡± The innocent girl I knew from earlier now had a scary look on her face.


    ¡°Kuhuhu¡­ Ahahahahaha! Did you think it¡¯d be that easy? I¡¯m not gonna tell you anything! None of us are! It¡¯d be nice to have more human territory under our control, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if you try to oppose us, you can¡¯t stop us. No¡­ not anymore! We¡¯ve already won!¡± The demon laughed maniacally even when faced with defeat. *Crunch!*


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± The lady started convulsing, and Bea crouched right next to her. ¡°It¡¯s poison! Iroha, do something!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Do something? Did she poison herself? What can I do? Was there an antidote in my bag? I reached over my shoulder, but there was nothing there. Right¡­ I left it in the carriage¡­ ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡­ It¡¯s back in the-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late¡­ She¡¯s already dead¡­¡± Bea stood up while shaking her head.


    ¡°S- sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. With poison that strong, I doubt that there was any way of saving her. I would have liked to have gotten a little more out of her, but no such luck. Hopefully we can still get some information out of this attack.¡± Bea thought while looking at the body, touching her chin with one of her hands. I¡¯m so confused.


    ¡°Is that so¡­? Uhmm¡­ Bea, wh- who are you?¡±


    After my question, Bea turned my way. She stared quietly for a second, then smiled just like she did on the first day we met. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯d be fine to tell you. I think you¡¯ve earned. I introduced myself as Bea, but my real name is Beatrize Elablyon. As you may be able to guess, I¡¯m the princess of Ebrilyon.¡±

 Chapter 81 – Stepping into the Ring

    So Bea turned out to be the princess of Ebrilyon, whose real name is actually Beatrize Elablyon. Why was she hiding her name with what sounds like the most natural nickname for her, I have no clue. It¡¯s so dumb that it actually kinda works.


    The demons who attacked us seemed to know who she was. They were referring to her as a princess, so I should have figured it out. But it¡¯s not like I know anything about the royalty of this world. In hindsight, she may have made an appearance in the game, but she¡¯s not a major character, so nothing really clicked for me.


    But the reason the demons knew about her is not because they were able to see through her disguise. No, they already knew the princess would be present during the trip. Apparently, the whole thing was some kind of ploy orchestrated by Bea herself to bait the demons out of hiding and gather information on them. But that didn¡¯t go too well since they all died in combat or poisoned themselves.


    Either way, we got to capital safely. I think some of the soldiers got injured during the fight, but nothing worse than that. Bea invited us to the castle tomorrow so that she could explain the situation to us. We got the rest of the day to ourselves, so me and Carol are going to explore Ebrilyon¡¯s capital. Maybe¡­


    We were dropped off together with the other passengers near the fast-travel station, and the carriages left for the castle. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll come pick you up tomorrow. Make sure you get up early.¡± With that, Flanne got her carriage moving and left. Bye bye¡­ Looks like we¡¯re on our own now.


    ¡°So¡­ Do you wanna take a look around first or try to find the inn Flanne recommended?¡± Carol was staring blankly at the carriage, not paying attention to a single thing I said. ¡°Carol? Are you there?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± She suddenly heard me and flinched a little. She¡¯s been really quiet since a few hours ago when she caught up to me and Bea.


    ¡°I was just asking what you wanted to do. What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! I think I¡¯m just a little tired from all that fighting. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more tired from all the time we spent sitting on carriages than from the fight."


    ¡°Even though you did so much? You even killed the three who tried to escape all on your own.¡±


    ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t exactly hesitate at that point, could I? Something bad would have happened to Bea¡­trize¡­ if I did. Also, the demon lady poisoned herself. It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Carol responded with a dry chuckle.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t hesitate, huh¡­?¡± Carol looked down for a moment before looking at me. ¡°So? What were you saying earlier? Something about exploring?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ We should have some time to take a look around before heading for the inn. It¡¯d be nice if we could stop by the fast-travel station too just to make sure it works.¡±


    [Location: Hithboll City registered. Fast Travel unlocked.]


    Well, that part seems to be working, at least for me. Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s the same for Carol.


    ¡°Are you sure we have time to look around? The sun¡¯s already going down. We¡¯ll get lost if it gets too dark.¡± Carol turned her back to me and started walking. ¡°We¡¯re right by the fast-travel station, aren¡¯t we? We should knock that out of the list right away.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah, it should be right here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s get going- The hell? What¡¯s that? Is that real?¡± Carol stopped mid-sentence and pointed ahead.


    ¡°Huh? What are you¡­ Ah! Wait!¡± Before I could see where she was pointing, Carol ran ahead by herself.


    ¡°Is that supposed to be a castle? What the hell? It¡¯s huge!¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I chased after her, and we arrived at a huge fountain with a big castle off in the distance. The street leading up to the castle was wide with big symmetrical decorations. They framed the castle as an imposing figure that watches over the entire world. Is this for military parades or something? Ebrilyon sure knows how to put on a show¡­


    ¡°Hey, is that where we¡¯re going tomorrow? Are we really allowed somewhere like that?¡± Carol pointed again with an excited look on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Beatrize invited us to the castle, but maybe there¡¯s some kind of catch. We might go somewhere else that¡¯s technically part of the castle but somewhere else. I hope I¡¯m wrong though¡­¡± Th- that¡¯s actually a real video game castle¡­ I¡¯ve never been to one in the real world either, but this looks really impressive! I really wanna go! I hope Bea doesn¡¯t pull a fast one on us!


    Wait, we¡¯re not supposed to be sightseeing right now! I fell into Carol¡¯s pace without noticing! ¡°Carol, weren¡¯t we supposed to hurry? We can¡¯t be getting distracted like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Distracted?!¡± Carol coughed as she composed herself. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really getting distracted or anything. This place just reminded me of my time back in Europe.¡± She crossed her arms with a slight blush.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to Europe before?¡± That¡¯s news to me.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t just there¡ªI was born there. Can¡¯t you tell just from my name? Carol Angelis? I¡¯m from Italy.¡± She said it like it was obvious, but she saw nothing but surprise on my face. ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard to tell from an outside standpoint.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I had no idea¡­¡± I knew it was a foreign name, but that¡¯s about it. ¡°That¡¯s cool, though! Is it hard for you to live in Three Records City?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not hard. Do you know how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve moved? I¡¯m perfectly fine now.¡± Oh, that makes sense. I¡¯ve never really seen her struggle with anything. ¡°But enough about that. It¡¯s all in the past, so there¡¯s no point in talking about it.¡±


    I was kinda curious to learn more, but Carol didn¡¯t seem interested in talking more about herself. ¡°Alright¡­¡± What a shame¡­ Maybe she¡¯ll tell me more some other day. I hope so¡­ ¡°Uhmm¡­ Should we go check in at the inn here then? Wait, we still haven¡¯t tried fast-traveling.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we gotta hurry. The fast-travel station is still nearby, so let¡¯s head there first.¡± Carol made the decision, and we ran back before it got dark. The line to fast-travel in the capital was longer than the one on Rocky Ridges, but it didn¡¯t take more than fifteen minutes until it was our turn.


    ¡°Is this really gonna work, Iroha? Is teleportation safe? We aren¡¯t going to be killed and reassembled on the other side, are we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Fast-travel works using magic. It¡¯s different from what you¡¯re thinking¡­ Probably¡­¡± Carol was a bit nervous, and I couldn¡¯t really reassure her too well since I also didn¡¯t know how it worked. Regardless, we had to make sure the fast-travel was working for both of us so we could return to our world eventually. We quickly hopped over to Rocky Ridges, then returned and left the building.


    ¡°Whew¡­ I¡¯m glad that¡¯s over¡­The people of this world sure are brave. Can¡¯t believe some of them do that multiple times a day.¡± Carol was freaking out, but fast-travel is nothing to be scared of. You step onto the altar, you get surrounded by light, then the light fades and poof! You¡¯ve arrived.


    ¡°See? I told you it would be fine. Let¡¯s go find our inn now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Carol yawned. ¡°This might be the longest day I¡¯ve had in years. I¡¯m so tired! Can¡¯t wait to finally sleep in a bed again.¡± The carriages and the fighting certainly took a toll on us. I also just wanna lay down once and for all¡­ Haven¡¯t been able to think about anything else since we were so busy¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Have you learned anything yet? What happened to the team sent to capture the princess?¡± In an inconspicuous mansion sitting on the edge of Ebrilyon¡¯s largest city, a group of horned people was gathered in a large room. The door suddenly flung open, and everyone flinched as a man with a loud voice entered while complaining. ¡°Why did the princess arrive like nothing was wrong? What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°A- Armand-sama, it seems like that team got completely wiped. We had people search their last known locations, but we didn¡¯t find anything. The princess¡¯s soldiers most likely took the bodies with them.¡±


    The man who stood out as the leader quietly looked at the others before speaking. ¡°Have you confirmed that they¡¯re all dead?¡±


    ¡°N- no doubt about it, sir!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ It¡¯s a shame we lost them, but we can¡¯t risk the princess learning about our plans yet. Finding a new place for the ritual would really set us back¡­¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ There¡¯s something else you might want to know about.¡±


    ¡°Ohh¡­? What is it?¡±


    ¡°The team who spotted the princess saw two unaccounted girls with the convoy who had weapons with them. They clearly weren¡¯t soldiers, but we have no idea who they are.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­? Who could they be?¡± After hearing the report from the subordinate, the leader thought for a second. ¡°The plan to kidnap the princess should have been perfect¡­ Normal humans wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop her¡­ Since she was leading the team, the princess should have been ours¡­ Could those two girls be the princess¡¯s secret weapon? Yes¡­ That must be it!¡±


    The others watched as the leader muttered to himself, coming up with a solution on his own. ¡°Listen up, everyone! I want you to find out who those two girls are and kill them! They¡¯re too wild a variable to start the ritual while their around, so finding them is our priority. Don¡¯t hesitate to attack them, even if it leads to a commodity. That will work as the signal to start the ritual¡­¡±

 Chapter 82 – Beatrize Elablyon

    ¡°Are you skipping again today, Iroha?¡± I woke up to a call from Miyuki. I haven¡¯t met up with Carol yet, and Flanne¡¯s gonna come pick us up soon, but I can talk for a while.


    ¡°I¡¯m not skipping. I¡¯ve been busy.¡± The inns in the capital are much better than the one in Rocky Ridges, but the prices are just as cheap. This one that Flanne suggested is more like a hotel than an inn. The beds are very soft, so I used it as a seat while talking on the phone.


    ¡°What kind of excuse is that? If you don¡¯t show up in class, that means you¡¯ve skipped.¡± Miyuki said with a playful tone on the other side.


    ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re right, but¡­ I¡¯m not doing it for fun. I¡¯m in the other world right now. I have something I need to do here¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to skip all the time, but I gotta hurry and find Ririna first. I didn¡¯t have time yesterday, but I¡¯m gonna look for her right after talking with Beatrize. Once I find where the Alchemists¡¯ Guild is, I¡¯ll finally be able to talk to her. It won¡¯t be long now! ¡°By the way, have you learned something new yet? Had any new prophetic dreams?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about calling them that, but no. Nothing. What are you doing there anyway, Iroha? Is it something that takes multiple days?¡±


    ¡°Considering I¡¯ve had to travel between cities by horse, I¡¯d say so. I¡¯m looking for someone. Didn¡¯t I tell you that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­ You¡¯ve mentioned you wanted to find someone. I just didn¡¯t know that meant you¡¯d be gone for multiple days.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know how long it¡¯d take either.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I can come back at any time now. I¡¯ll probably be back tomorrow. Just have to meet with a princess first.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?! You¡¯re meeting princesses over there? That sounds fun! It¡¯s very fantasy-like! Damn¡­ Are you trying to make me jealous?¡± Her reaction caused me to laugh.


    ¡°If you want, I might be able to arrange a meeting for you. You¡¯d just have to come to this world with me someday.¡± She was scared of this world before, so I decided to tease her a little.


    ¡°N- no¡­ that¡¯s fine¡­ Just tell me how it went later. That will be enough for me¡­¡± She¡¯s so cute! Why is she so scared of this world? It¡¯s not like she would get immediately jumped by some powerful creature. Then again, her reaction is probably the normal one. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s a weirdo who played too many games. ¡°Will you be alright after skipping so many classes, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°Why? I¡¯ll be fine. Attendance doesn¡¯t matter if you do well in tests.¡± That¡¯s the norm for most schools in Three Records City. They give you the freedom to do whatever you want, and everything¡¯s fine if you do well on the tests. On the flipside, if you do poorly, schools will show you no mercy. ¡°I¡¯ve always been able to get passing grades even while skipping sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­? Well, good luck meeting the princess. Try not to get beheaded or something.¡± Hahah¡­ Wouldn¡¯t be the first time with my head on the chopping block. ¡°Oh, and Iroha¡­¡± She paused before finishing her thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I haven¡¯t seen any bad futures, so I¡¯m sure everything will work out somehow.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Really?¡±


    ¡°Yep! I¡¯m sure! Good luck, and see you tomorrow!¡± Is she trying to reassure me? That¡¯s nice of her. The way she puts things can be a bit weird, but I guess she really cares.


    My call with Miyuki ended, and I went outside. Flanne¡¯s gonna be here soon, so we gotta get ready to head to the palace.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Carol!¡± Standing right outside the hotel, Carol was waiting with her arms crossed, warming up in the morning sun.


    ¡°Hi, Iroha.¡± Carol greeted me, and I lined up next to her. ¡°I was so tried that I forgot to ask, but when are you going to meet that girl you wanted to meet? Was it fine to not go yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ It was already late when we arrived, so she probably wasn¡¯t at the Alchemists¡¯ Guild anymore.¡± Though knowing Ririna, she might have stayed late to work on one of her experiments. She seemed really excited last time we talked about it. ¡°I also don¡¯t know where the guild is yet, so we would have wasted too much time looking for it. I¡¯m gonna check on her after meeting with the princess.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah¡­?¡± Carol looked at me with a lazy gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with that.¡±


    ¡°Carol, Iroha, good morning! Are you two ready?¡± It really didn¡¯t take for Flanne to show up. She approached with a slight jog, wearing the same chest plate as always, even in the early morning. There¡¯s only one girl with wine-red hair and a chest plate that I know, and this made her very easy to recognize.


    ¡°Good morning, Flanne. I think we¡¯re good to go, right?¡± I greeted Flanne with a smile before looking at Carol for confirmation. She nodded, and Flanne continued.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get going then. The princess¡¯s time is precious, so we gotta hurry.¡± Now this is getting serious. Carol and I followed Flanne who moved with a quick pace. Now that I¡¯m thinking about it, there¡¯s no way in hell Flanne is just a normal knight or whatever she said she was at first. She was giving out orders and making decisions back in Rocky Ridges, and she was very chummy with the princess during the trip. That also explains why she can use magic when the other soldiers couldn¡¯t. She has to be some kind of elite. I¡¯m sure of it!


    After a bit, we walked down the broad, heavily decorated avenue that led to the imposing castle off in the distance. I was a bit worried we¡¯d have the meeting somewhere else, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. I¡¯m getting excited now! ¡°Hey, hey, are we really going to the castle?¡± With some enthusiasm, Carol quietly asked next to me.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Flanne glanced back for a second. Well? Are we? Are we going to the castle? ¡°Of course we are. That¡¯s where the princess is.¡± Yes! I can¡¯t wait to see what a fantasy castle looks like in real life! Carol had a smile on her face just like mine.


    ¡°Ahem! Oh, okay, that¡¯s good.¡± Carol coughed out loud and put on a poker face. ¡°Seems like it¡¯d be an interesting place to get to know.¡± She can pretend all she wants, but no one can resist a good castle, can they?


    ¡°A lot of people say it¡¯s an interesting place. Ebrilyon¡¯s castle works in a different way from the other human countries.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Without hesitation, Carol immediately posed the question.


    ¡°Unlike in the other countries, in Ebrilyon, the princess is the one in charge of the kingdom¡¯s affairs instead of the head of state. Since we border the Endless Silver, our country is a lot more militarized, and the king serves at the head of the army. Since the king has a different role and the queen passed away a long time ago, the duty right now falls onto the princess.¡±


    ¡°So the princess is the one who runs the country¡­¡± I had no idea. Ebrilyon is a militaristic country, huh? That explains the wide street leading up the castle. It¡¯s for military parades, right?


    We soon entered the castle, and we arrived at a big hall with pillars on both sides. The ceiling was tall and dark and made it seem like the castle went up into infinity. Both me and Carol were looking around in a daze, but Flanne had to cut it short. ¡°Come on, this way. We don¡¯t have time to stop.¡±


    Because of her, we had to leave the cool hall in a rush and enter a series of much simpler corridors and hallways. What a shame, I wanted to look around a bit more. Maybe some other time? Might be able to come back together with Ririna at some point.


    ¡°Princess, Iroha and Carol are here.¡± Flanne knocked on a door.


    ¡°Oh, Flanne, is that you? Please, come in.¡± We heard Bea¡¯s voice from the other side of the door. Flanne opened it, and we went into a bright, welcoming office. I was expecting something a bit more imposing given how the castle looks from the outside, but this isn¡¯t bad at all. There¡¯s a desk ahead of us made with a bright type of wood and a big window behind it. Beatrize was standing behind the desk, and she looked very different from before. Instead of the simple village girl clothes from before, she was now wearing a green dress that matched the color of her eyes. Her whole vibe was completely different too. She welcomed us to her office with a polite and dignified posture. She really is a princess, isn¡¯t she?


    Flanne walked around the desk and stood next to the princes, while the two of us remained on the other side. ¡°Iroha, Carol, thanks so much for heeding my request to come here. Let me introduce myself properly this time. My name is Beatrize Elablyon. I¡¯m the first princess of Ebrilyon.¡± She smiled and spoke in a polite yet natural way. Then again, the way she spoke to us during the trip also felt natural¡­ They¡¯re both natural?


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I- Uhh¡­ It¡¯s a pleasure to be here! Thank you so much for inviting us!¡± It¡¯s finally sinking in¡­ She¡¯s the princess of this country, right? I can¡¯t believe I was treating her like a normal girl before¡­ That¡¯s not allowed, is it? I¡¯m not sure how to act in this situation¡­ I¡¯ve never had to be this polite to anyone before back at home. ¡°Wh- what did you call us here for?¡±


    ¡°I believe I owe you two an explanation, don¡¯t I? That¡¯s what I promised.¡± After the demon lady poisoned herself, it didn¡¯t take long for Flanne and Carol to catch up to us together with dozens of soldiers on horse. There seemed to be some kind of conspiracy at play, so I asked Bea to explain what was going on. Instead, she started giving out orders and didn¡¯t have time to explain anything. Two of the soldiers escorted me and Carol back to the carriage on her orders after she promised she¡¯d explain later. She stayed behind with Flanne to clean up and gather information, and here we are now.


    She called us so she could explain, just like she promised, but somehow, I have the feeling there¡¯s more to it. She said she¡¯d explain, but she¡¯s a princess. She doesn¡¯t owe us anything. There has to be another reason why she called us.


    ¡°We dragged you two into our problems, so I believe you¡¯ve earned the right to know what¡¯s going on. Also¡­¡± Also? ¡°My meeting with you was long overdue, Iroha. You¡¯re the one who threw a wrench in the demons¡¯ plan by defeating the horde of monsters they amassed in Rocky Ridges. I¡¯ve wanted to congratulate you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Th- that was nothing! I- I¡¯m happy to be of service, Be- your¡­ majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°Puhu!¡± Giggling? Who¡¯s giggling? I¡¯m out here dying of nerves, and you¡¯re laughing at me, Carol? I looked over at her, and she looked very serious. I- it wasn¡¯t her? Then¡­? ¡°*Sigh¡­* I think we can drop the act now. You don¡¯t have to be so formal with me, Iroha. Just call me Beatrize. Or Bea. Whichever one you prefer.¡± Huh? Bea loosened up her shoulders and softly sat down behind her desk.


    ¡°Princess, don¡¯t forget your manners. You¡¯re going to get in trouble for acting too casually. Asking her to address you so lightly will cause trouble for Iroha as well.¡± Flanne admonished the princess with an exasperated tone. Bea? Bea was the one giggling?


    ¡°You know I¡¯ve never gotten in trouble for that before. You worry too much. Whether I can or cannot be casual depends on who I¡¯m talking to. Iroha and Carol can be trusted. They¡¯re our friends, right?¡± While talking to Flanne, Beatrize glanced at us for confirmation.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The one we made friends with was Bea, not Beatrize, but making that distinction doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°I understand that very well, princess, but what will others think if they see you speaking like that?¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s in private? Hear that, you two? Feel free to call me Bea when we¡¯re in private, okay?¡± Flanne wasn¡¯t too happy with Bea¡¯s convenient interpretation of her words. I¡¯m still a bit hesitant about this, but it feels wrong to start treating Bea like a stranger now.


    ¡°Okay, Bea. I¡¯ll keep talking to you like a friend.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Bea simply smiled. ¡°Now, let me give you a quick rundown of our situation. We¡¯ve recently discovered that there¡¯s a group of demons who¡¯s become active here in the capital for some unknown reason. They¡¯ve been slowly gaining influence among some nobles and other important figures. They know how to hide themselves, and we haven¡¯t been able to catch them. My authority has been slipping away because of them, so I used myself as bait to lure them out of hiding.¡±


    She used herself as bait? She¡¯s pretty brave, huh? ¡°If we had managed to capture one of them alive and get them to spill their secrets, driving the rest of the demons away would have been easy. With them all dead, all we¡¯ve managed to find were some ties to some important people, which is not bad. It won¡¯t be as easy for humans to oppose us if we have evidence that they have ties with the demons. *Sigh¡­* It¡¯s ridiculous, really¡­ Having the demons around is already bad enough. Why do our own people have to side with them for their selfish desires?¡± Their selfish desires? Are the demons bribing them? Is that how they gained their favor? The demons were more technologically advanced than the humans in the game, so they probably have a lot they can tempt humans with¡­


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make disparaging comments about our nobles without evidence, princess. You¡¯ll get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, though. They¡¯re all just greedy.¡± Flanne was worried that Bea¡¯s comments could reach the wrong ears, but she waved her concerns away. ¡°With all that being said, I have a favor for you now. Can you help us drive the demons away from Ebrilyon?¡± I knew it! The real reason she called us here was to ask for this.


    ¡°How do we help with that?¡±


    ¡°For now, I just want to know that you¡¯re willing to help. If you learn anything that could help us find out where the demons are hiding, make sure to tell us.¡± So like, she wants our help in a possible future fight? From what I¡¯ve seen before, I should be able to handle that¡­ I also have some beef with them from before¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but I have a request of my own.¡± Bea¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°A request? You really helped us out, but there¡¯s only so much I can publicly do. I¡¯m not sure I can reward you appropriately.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ It¡¯s not like that. It just wanted to know where the Alchemists¡¯ Guild is. I¡¯m trying to meet up with a friend named Ririna. I think she¡¯s an apprentice there.¡±


    ¡°The one who was framed¡­¡± Bea immediately knew who I was talking about. She thought for a second before smiling at me. ¡°We have a deal then. I¡¯ll make sure you can meet up with your friend. In fact, I could show you the way there right now!¡± Bea got up from her chair and tried to go around the table, but Flanne grabbed her by the collar.


    ¡°No way. You¡¯ve been away for multiple days, so your work has piled up. I¡¯ll find someone to show them the way. You stay here, Princess.¡± Flanne forcibly sat Bea down in chair, who pouted in protest. W- wow¡­ She¡¯s pretty cute¡­ Flanne then came over to us. ¡°The meeting is over, so let¡¯s not distract the princess anymore.¡±


    Flanne seems stricter than usual. She¡¯s always so easygoing when she¡¯s not working that this seems pretty extreme for her. ¡°Thanks, Bea!¡± I said one final word of thanks before Flanne pulled us outside. Once she found someone to show us the way, she said she had to go back to Bea to help out with her duties. Strict or not, she¡¯s as kind as always.

 Chapter 83 – Scheduled Meeting

    After speaking with Bea as the Princess of Ebrilyon, we¡¯re now in front of the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. I¡¯ll finally be able to talk with Ririna again. Bea told us about how she used herself as bait during the trip to lure the demons out of hiding. Apparently, they¡¯ve been active here in the capital, and she wanted us to help. We¡¯re friends now, so I have no reason to refuse, but in exchange I asked for her help meeting Ririna. One of the soldiers from the castle gave us directions, and it wasn¡¯t too hard to get to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild.


    ¡°Do you really think we can trust Bea? She knew we were gonna get attacked, but she didn¡¯t tell us anything. Why? And she said she wanted to meet you too. That means the fact we were invited to join the convoy wasn¡¯t a coincidence. They were looking for you, and they used us for their plan!¡± We were finally alone after we left the castle, and Carol had some comments to make.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not gonna deny that it was probably all part of her plan in some way¡­ But that doesn¡¯t make her bad, does it? She¡¯s the princess, so she¡¯s gotta be careful. The two of us are probably very suspicious from their perspective. We showed up out of nowhere, then did things that caught their attention. I fought off a big horde of monsters, and you showed them you¡¯re on a level higher than a regular soldier. Of course she¡¯s not gonna trust us blindly. What if we were spies?¡±


    The Alchemists¡¯ Guild was located in a busy street with other guilds nearby and a few street vendors. All of the buildings here were bigger and looked far better than the regular houses of the city. All the guilds stood out for one reason or another, and the Alchemists¡¯ Guild had the largest and prettiest windows. I guess that¡¯s how guilds show what they¡¯re good at. When we arrived, we stopped in front of the Alchemists¡¯ Guild since that was our destination. We were in the middle of the street, so we stepped to the back to get out of the way.


    ¡°Even if she had her reasons not to trust us, it¡¯s still unacceptable!¡± Carol looked at me with her arms crossed, but then she pointed at me. ¡°Listen, Iroha. She used us! If someone tricks you, then that¡¯s it. It¡¯s over! We can¡¯t trust Bea or she¡¯s gonna do the same thing again. Trust is everything, remember that!¡±


    Spoked like a true girl from the House of Imaginary Boundaries. I¡¯ve experienced it myself how hard it is to earn their trust. Makes me feel bad for Bea. ¡°I don¡¯t think her intentions were bad, though. Is it really that bad if she didn¡¯t mean any harm? I mean, I lied to you about my powers, and I¡¯m still lying about it to Katja, Hecate, and Narumi, right? But you all still trust me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Th- that¡¯s different¡­¡± Carol got flustered for a moment. ¡°Y- you¡¯re just too much of an idiot! You rush into danger like an idiot, so you¡¯re not smart enough to plot anything. Yeah¡­ That¡¯s right. You¡¯re easy to read, so we can trust you.¡± Fufufufu¡­ What a convenient explanation from this blushing cutie.


    ¡°Okay then¡­ If that¡¯s the case, then you don¡¯t have to trust Bea completely. I¡¯ll work with her, and you can focus on spotting any red flags for me.¡± Carol¡¯s face lit up.


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­ I can do that. You¡¯re dumber than Narumi sometimes, so I guess it¡¯s up to me.¡± I guess that¡¯s settled then¡­


    ¡°Are you going back now, Carol? Getting to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild was the goal, so I guess this is the end of our journey.¡±


    ¡°You mean going back to the real world? The messages from Hecate have only been getting more frequent, so I really should hurry¡­ But it¡¯s not over yet. I said I¡¯d accompany you to the end, and you haven¡¯t met Ririna yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but the hardest part is over. I¡¯m just gonna meet with a friend, so you don¡¯t really have to stick with me anymore.¡±


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    ¡°¡­¡± In response, Carol looked at me blankly. ¡°I guess so¡­ I¡¯ve helped you get here, so my job¡¯s done, huh?¡± She crossed her arms again and thought for a second. ¡°Still, we should probably go home together, right? I think I¡¯m just gonna take a look around while I wait for you. Might even go back to the hotel. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I might lose track of time while talking to Ririna. I don¡¯t know how long it will take.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll wait for you. We need to talk and get our stories straight before heading back anyway.¡± That¡¯s true¡­ I didn¡¯t even consider that. How are we gonna explain our secret mission to the others? ¡°See you later then.¡± Not giving me time to respond, Carol waved her hand and walked in the direction we just came. She¡¯s gonna check out more of the city. Maybe she does get some kind of nostalgia from this place.


    Now then, the Alchemists¡¯ Guild is right in front of me, so it¡¯s time for me to go in. Ririna said she wanted to talk to me, then just disappeared one day. Why? It¡¯s time to ask her and find out. Part of me is still a bit scared that she actually abandoned me. I was the one convinced herself she was gonna confess and got too shy to meet her. She could be mad because of that¡­ No point in jumping to conclusions like that. She said she still wanted to talk, so let¡¯s talk!


    I approached the big building with the pretty and unique-looking windows. Okay¡­ How do I meet Ririna now? Do I just go in? At that moment, a young man stepped out to the street and lifted a box next to the building. ¡°Uhmm¡­ This is the Alchemists¡¯ Guild, right? Are you an alchemist? Can I ask you a question?¡±


    The young man was startled and averted his gaze. ¡°W- wait a moment. I¡¯ll call one of the masters for you.¡± With the box in his hands, he scurried back inside before I could say anything else. What was he so nervous about?


    I must have waited for five minutes before an older man stepped outside. He was a black-haired man with a well-kept mustache. His clothes looked expensive, and he wore plenty of jewelry, making it easy for everyone to tell how rich he was. He stepped outside with his hands behind his back, and his nose turned up. ¡°And who do we have here¡­? What does a girl like you want with the Alchemists¡¯ Guild? The Adventurers¡¯ Guild is on the way to the castle.¡±


    Adventurers¡¯ Guild? Why would I want to know that? Does he think I¡¯m looking for work because I have a sword or something? ¡°I¡¯m not looking for work. I have a friend named Ririna who¡¯s an alchemist here. I¡¯m just here to meet her.¡±


    ¡°R- really¡­?¡± His initial pompous look turned into a bit of a glare. ¡°Do you have a scheduled meeting with her?¡±


    Huh? ¡°No¡­?¡± I just want to see a friend. Why would I schedule a meeting for that?


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have a meeting scheduled, then I can¡¯t help you. The Alchemists¡¯ Guild is currently not taking requests directly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here with a request! Ririna¡¯s a friend of mine, and I just wanna talk to her. She¡¯s the one who told me to come here. Just ask her, and you¡¯ll see I¡¯m not lying.¡± The man sighs in response.


    ¡°If she invited you, does that mean you have an officially scheduled meeting with her?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I cannot let you enter.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°I cannot help you if you don¡¯t have a meeting scheduled. That¡¯s the policy, and it¡¯s not going to change no matter how much you try to argue. Now, why don¡¯t you be on your way before I¡¯m forced to call someone to stop you from disrupting our business?¡±


    This prick¡­ What an insufferable bastard! I just wanna see my friend! What¡¯s wrong with that? Is he stupid? Looking down on me with a pompous smile on his dumb face¡­ Who does he think he is? Dammit!


    I turned to the side and walked away, so that I wouldn¡¯t punch him on impulse. After a few steps¡­ ¡°This is¡­¡± There was a narrow alleyway between the Alchemists¡¯ Guild and the one next to it. The man who turned me away went back inside, so no one would notice if I went in here. I think I can climb up some of the walls and look into the guild through some of the windows. If Ririna¡¯s here, I might be able to find her.


    Okay, let¡¯s do this!


    I climbed up the walls of the alley with my skill and looked through the guild¡¯s windows. Unlike the ones in the front, these ones are much smaller and only exist to circulate air into some of the rooms. Not single a sign of Ririna, though¡­ One of the windows near the top was larger than the others, but it didn¡¯t really help me. It looked like a bedroom for someone, but it was empty right now. Oh well¡­ I guess I have no choice but to go back to Carol now. Sigh¡­ How am I gonna meet Ririna now? Dammit, so close yet so far. Maybe I¡¯ll run into her if I come back later. It¡¯s not like I have any other choice¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Armand-sama, a girl showed up earlier today in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild asking for the alchemist girl.¡±


    ¡°The princess¡¯s new pet, I presume. We¡¯re finally making progress, huh? We can¡¯t be sitting around in this mansion forever. Good job finding her. Maybe now we can put our plan into action.¡± The demon man laid back in his chair with a smile. ¡°What happened to her then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good¡­ Our guys followed her to an alley, but then she disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Disappeared? How¡¯s that possible? Teleportation magic?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe she had time for that, but it might be possible. They said she vanished into thin air.¡±


    ¡°Did she know she was being followed? I knew she¡¯d be trouble. She¡¯s even after the alchemist¡­ Just how much does she know? Good thing we didn¡¯t start the ritual while she¡¯s around. We need to get her out of the picture as soon as possible. Worst-case scenario, we may need to find a way to keep her distracted while the ritual is going on.¡± The man then laughed confidently. ¡°See? Two distractions. Didn¡¯t I say we¡¯d need a second one? With this, our promotions are pretty much guaranteed!¡±


    ¡°W- wow! Incredible foresight as always! I can¡¯t believe how foolish we all were!¡±

 Chapter 84 – Back and Forth

    I couldn¡¯t meet with Ririna, so I returned to the hotel to tell Carol the bad news. Only she was out exploring and hadn¡¯t returned yet. I sent her a message asking her where she was, and a while later we met up on some kind of plaza in front of a big statue. We were surrounded by all kinds of plants arranged beautifully, like a large garden.


    ¡°There you are, Carol! How¡¯s it going? Seen anything interesting?¡±


    ¡°Interesting, huh¡­?¡± She rolled her eyes while thinking. ¡°Well, this is an interesting place, isn¡¯t it? Looks like the kind of place people pay a lot of money to go visit in our world. I wonder what¡¯s the appeal¡­¡± Carol slowly walked over to the garden, and I followed alongside her.


    She¡¯s right¡­ This would definitely be some kind of tourist hotspot in our world. It¡¯s kinda interesting because no matter where we are in this garden, if the statue is in view, it always looks like the plants are intentionally positioned to frame it. Every shot is a perfect shot here. Now if only the people of this world had cameras.


    ¡°Looks good from here too¡­ I guess I can see the appeal.¡± Carol had some moments yesterday where she was very excited, acting like a complete tourist, but she¡¯s much calmer now. I wonder why¡­


    ¡°Does it make you feel nostalgic, Carol? Visiting these kinds of places.¡±


    Carol turned her back to me to look at some flowers. ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t have much to be nostalgic about¡­¡± Ughh¡­ Sounds like it¡¯s a sensitive topic¡­ It didn¡¯t seem like something she wanted to talk about yesterday. Why did I have to bring it up again? Iroha, you idiot! ¡°*Sigh!*¡± Then Carol turned back to me. ¡°So? How did your meeting with Ririna go? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to take a long time? Why did you ask to meet up so early?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­ It didn¡¯t go great as you might imagine¡­ I asked them if I could talk to Ririna, but they just told me to get lost. Apparently, I needed to have a meeting scheduled to meet up with her. But that¡¯s dumb! She¡¯s my friend, and she¡¯s the one who asked me to come. Why do I need to schedule a meeting?¡± Just thinking about it infuriates me, and I pouted without even noticing. ¡°The guy there was a total jerk! Pompous asshole with a stick up his butt! He wasn¡¯t even listening to what I was saying!¡±


    Carol looked confused, then then let out a short laugh. ¡°Hah, sounds like you had it rough¡­ A guild is a business, isn¡¯t it? Why would they turn away a potential customer just like that?¡±


    ¡°I think he thought I was an adventurer because I had a sword. Adventurers aren¡¯t rich, so he wanted nothing to do with me. The way Ririna talked about them gave me a pretty bad impression of the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. I think they care more about money than helping people and take advantage of new recruits to line their own pockets.¡± Ririna told me some of her ideas didn¡¯t get the credit they deserved for dumb reasons. Ideas that were helpful for the people, but not very prestigious. ¡°Oh, Ririna¡¯s fine, though. She¡¯s kind and caring and doesn¡¯t do alchemy just for the money.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it. Aren¡¯t you a little too agitated?¡± Am I? She¡¯s right¡­ Not being able to meet Ririna when I was so close got me a little riled up. ¡°What are you gonna do about Ririna then? Do you need my help for something now?¡± Carol leaned against a fence as she asked.


    ¡°Actually, I have no idea what to do now. I¡¯d probably get in trouble if I forced my way inside, right?¡±


    ¡°You would. I bet you would. YOU would, but Bea could probably do it.¡± Carol pointed at me. ¡°You should ask her to make some kind of decree so you can go inside.¡±


    ¡°I- I can¡¯t ask her for help again¡­ She already had someone show us the way there. It would be too shameless to ask for another favor so soon.¡±


    ¡°You can, trust me. In exchange for your help, she promised she¡¯d help you meet with Ririna, not just show you the way. Those were her words, so if she refuses, she¡¯d be breaking her own word.¡±


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    ¡°S- she did say that, didn¡¯t she¡­? I¡¯m surprised you remembered¡­ Uhmm¡­ Are you fine with me asking her for help again? I thought you didn¡¯t trust her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one thing, and this is another. I don¡¯t think she can be trusted, but this is the perfect opportunity to find out. She promised, so if she doesn¡¯t follow through, we¡¯ll know for sure she¡¯s not trustworthy.¡± Carol¡¯s not only clever, she¡¯s ruthless. Remind me to never make any half-baked promises to her¡­ or any of the girls from the House for that matter¡­


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try to meet Bea again. Think we can just strut back into the castle?¡±


    ¡°I think I saw Flanne go into the city earlier¡­ We can ask her to get us inside again.¡± With that in mind, we left the statue¡¯s gardens and went back into the city to look for Flanne. Let¡¯s see how this goes¡­


    ¡­


    It was surprisingly easy.


    ¡°Welcome back, Iroha. Good timing. I needed a break from all the paperwork. How did it go with the Alchemists¡¯ Guild?¡± We¡¯re back in Bea¡¯s bright office. She¡¯s sitting behind her desk with Flanne on her side, while me and Carol are on the other side, same as last time.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t go. They said I couldn¡¯t meet Ririna and told me to leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Really¡­?¡± Bea had a tired look on her face, like she had dealt with this before. ¡°Did they at least give you a reason why?¡±


    ¡°Kinda, they said every meeting had to be scheduled ahead of time. Apparently, they¡¯re not taking requests directly from people anymore.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I should have seen that coming.¡± Bea pinched the bridge of her nose.


    ¡°You should have?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I should. Let me explain a bit more about the current situation here in the capital. You see, we¡¯ve learned that a group of demons infiltrated the capital a while ago. They have some kind of plan they¡¯re trying to execute, and they¡¯ve been harassing us since they got here to try and create an opportunity for themselves. I set up a team of soldiers to be ready to launch an attack on the demons as soon as they try something, and so far, they haven¡¯t done anything directly.¡± Bea looked over at Flanne, who continued the explanation.


    ¡°Because our team can be deployed at any time, the demons have been trying to find a way to distract our forces by any means necessary, going as far as causing trouble in Rocky Ridges to divert some of our forces there.¡± So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. Even now, there¡¯s a large number of soldiers back in Rocky Ridges to clean up the mess.


    ¡°Like Flanne said, they¡¯re trying to get us to deploy our special team so they can start their plan. But the flipside is that they can¡¯t act until they get us to deploy. Simply put, they¡¯re trying to get us to waste our trump card. We only have one chance to get them, and if our team is deployed incorrectly, they¡¯ll win. This means we have to wait until we¡¯re absolutely sure of where they¡¯re located, how many there are, and what exactly it is that they¡¯re planning.¡±


    I see¡­ The princess and the demons are keeping each other in check. And whoever moves first loses. If the demons try to start whatever their plan is, Bea can stop them. And if Bea deploys her forces incorrectly, the demons can execute their plan while the soldiers are distracted. ¡°And what does this have to do with the Alchemists¡¯ Guild turning me away?¡±


    ¡°You know how I said they¡¯ve been harassing us even though they haven¡¯t done anything directly? The demons have managed to bribe a variety of nobles, guild representatives, and other important figures into supporting them. We don¡¯t have any proof, but the Alchemists¡¯ Guild is one that became hard to reason with around a year ago. They weren¡¯t turning people away like that before, so that must mean something changed recently. They¡¯re trying to hide something.¡± Hiding something¡­


    The Alchemists¡¯ Guild is really suspicious¡­ Everything me and Ririna had to go through in Rocky Ridges is technically their fault. They were the ones who accepted the job to make that weird magical dirt, then assigned it to Ririna. Did they know it would attract monsters? Did they intentionally give the job to Ririna to frame her?


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do something about it? You have a way to help Iroha get into the guild to find Ririna, don¡¯t you? Since you¡¯re the princess, they still have to obey you, right?¡± Carol spoke up, making demands without reservation. ¡°I remember you promised you¡¯d help Iroha meet Ririna.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Even if they¡¯re trying to act rebellious, they can¡¯t just ignore a letter from the castle. I think now¡¯s time to put our alliance into play.¡± Bea answered Carol¡¯s demands with a smile.


    ¡°Ehh? What do you mean?¡± I don¡¯t really understand what she¡¯s getting at. Our alliance? Wasn¡¯t I just supposed to keep an eye out for demons?


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, Iroha. I¡¯ll give you a letter that grants you permission to enter the Alchemists¡¯ Guild on my behalf. You can meet Ririna that way, and in return, you¡¯ll tell me everything you see there. If you can find any evidence linking them to the demons, it would be a huge help.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. That doesn¡¯t sound too hard. I¡¯m happy as long as I get to meet Ririna.¡±


    ¡°Good, let me get a letter ready for you then.¡± Bea grabbed a piece of paper and started writing something down on it. Without lifting her head, she then said to me. ¡°And be careful, Iroha. Some of the higher-ups there are a bit unsavory. If you end up speaking with one of them, don¡¯t fall for their lies.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­ I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± Bea signed the paper, then rolled it up into a scroll before handing it to me. ¡°I¡¯ll get going then. Thanks for the help, Bea!¡± Finally! I¡¯ll finally be able to see Ririna again! Why did this have to be so complicated?


    ¡­


    ¡°You again? You sure are persistent. Didn¡¯t I say you were a nuisance? Go away.¡± The mustached man stopped me at the entrance again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m not going anywhere. This time, you¡¯re gonna let me in.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­? Am I?¡± The man had his nose turned up and didn¡¯t even notice me pulling out the scroll. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The only thing that¡¯s going to happen is you getting taken in for disturbing our-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna let me in because I have this!¡± With my chest puffed up, I shoved the scroll right into his nose.


    ¡°Hmm? This is¡­¡± He looked at the paper with an arrogant look, only for it to quickly turn into a cold sweat. ¡°F- from the castle?! Signed by¡­ Her Highness!?¡± Hehehe¡­ Let¡¯s see you turn me away now¡­

 Chapter 85 – Killer Waiting Room

    A- am I gonna get murdered?


    After receiving the letter from the princess, I rushed back to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild to force my way inside and finally reunite with Ririna. The pompous asshole from before was shocked when he saw Bea¡¯s signature on the letter. He had no choice but to let me in now. Serves him right.


    But instead of taking me directly to Ririna, he made me wait in some kind of room, saying he needed to prepare. From the looks of it, this must be a room to receive guests. There are two couches facing each other with a low table between them in the center of the room. The curtains, the carpets, and everything else looked really luxurious. The way it¡¯s set up is probably to impress guests, hence why I thought it was room to receive them. I¡¯m impressed, at least. The room had plenty of windows, with the biggest one having a really intricate design and a perfect view into the street down below.


    Still, where the hell is Ririna? That guy told me to wait here, but it¡¯s been almost half an hour and Ririna¡¯s still not here. He is fetching her, right? I don¡¯t get it. To make matters worse, I¡¯ve been hearing footsteps outside like crazy the whole time. I¡¯m getting nervous. I¡¯m not gonna get killed, am I?


    ¡°I should have had Carol come with me¡­¡± She asked if she was supposed to come along on the way here. I said I was only coming here to talk with Ririna. There was no need for her to come, but she could tag along if she wanted. But she didn¡¯t. She went back to the hotel. And now I¡¯m regretting it¡­ ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡±


    At that moment, the door finally opened. The man was back with a woman behind him. It¡¯s¡­ not Ririna. What the hell?


    The two of them calmly entered the room and sat down on the couch in front of me. Is that his wife or something? They sat right next to each other, and the man laid back comfortably. One of his arms on the armrest, and the other wrapped around the woman¡¯s shoulder. Why? What¡¯s he trying to do here? Show off? Is the jewelry not enough for you? Ugh¡­ Rich men sure love showing off their women, don¡¯t they?


    Although¡­ That¡¯s kinda nice¡­ I¡¯m jealous now! I want a cute girl to wrap my arm around too! Not that the woman he¡¯s with is particularly cute. Carol¡¯s infinitely cuter. Sigh¡­ I really should have brought her with me¡­ Then again, she¡¯d probably try to bite me if I tried to do that to her¡­


    ¡°Ahem! Greetings, visitor. Welcome to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild.¡± Once he had settled into his seat, the man finally spoke up. Strange, though. Here¡¯s now, but the commotion outside still hasn¡¯t stopped. There are footsteps on the other side of the door, and I can even hear them on the floor above and below. The Alchemists¡¯ Guild must be really busy¡­ ¡°My name is Philip Wealworth, and I¡¯m the head of the Alchemists¡¯ Guild branch in Ebrilyon.¡±


    Branch? Is that how guilds work? Do they have a headquarters or something? ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m Iroha Shinohara.¡±


    Unlike before, the man was now focused on the conversation. His dismissive attitude was gone, and he seemed a bit nervous. I guess the letter really rattled him. ¡°So? What business do you have with us today?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve said before. I want to meet Ririna.¡±


    ¡°Ri- Ririna¡­ And why do you want to meet with her? If you need our services, there are plenty of other alchemists who can take on your request.¡±


    This asshole really wasn¡¯t listening last time, was he? ¡°It¡¯s not a request¡­ Ririna is a friend of mine. I just wanna talk to her. She¡¯s the one who told me to come here if I ever wanted to see her.¡±


    Philip doesn¡¯t immediately respond. He taps his finger repeatedly on his armrest then glances to the side. Oh, a clock¡­ He was looking at the clock in the wall¡­ ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have some bad news for you.¡± He looks down with a solemn look. ¡°There¡¯s no easy way to say this, but Ririna passed away recently. She suffered an unfortunate accident and is no longer with us.¡±


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    ¡°¡­¡± Pa- passed¡­ away¡­?


    ¡­


    H- he¡¯s sweating¡­ On his forehead¡­ It¡¯s a lie¡­? It¡¯s like Bea said. The higher-ups of the Alchemists¡¯ Guild are liars. Right¡­ Ahahaha¡­ I was so shocked by what he said that I couldn¡¯t even see how obvious it was. Am I an idiot or something?


    Whew¡­ I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t immediately freak out¡­ But what do I say now? I don¡¯t really have any evidence, so I can¡¯t just claim he¡¯s lying. From his attitude and Bea¡¯s warning, I¡¯m pretty sure it is a lie. But without any evidence, I can¡¯t pin him down.


    Why is he lying about Ririna? Is he trying to prevent me from meeting with her? Why? Could it be that she really is dead, but they¡¯re the ones who killed her? And now he¡¯s trying to hide it? Ughh¡­ I hope I¡¯m wrong about that part¡­ ¡°She died in an accident, huh? Can you tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Unfortunately, we don¡¯t know the details yet. We¡¯re still trying to find out exactly what happened. We¡¯re not ready to share any information with the public until everything is known.¡±


    Huh¡­ With that response, I think the idea of them having murdered Ririna is wrong. If it was a murder disguised as an accident, he¡¯d probably want to give some kind of information that would match the accident set-up. Like, if she was stabbed, he¡¯d probably say she fell on a shard of glass or something. Then, when the information came out that she died because of a stab wound, I¡¯d immediately think it was the glass. Either way, I think the fact that Ririna¡¯s dead is a lie. Something happened to her, and they don¡¯t want me seeing her.


    Oh¡­? He¡¯s looking at the clock again. Is he waiting for something? Is he in a rush? Oh well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna get anymore out of him, so I¡¯m done here. I slowly got up from the couch. If Ririna¡¯s here somewhere, once I tell Bea how he lied, she should be able to storm in here and find Ririna for me¡­ He has no idea how over it is for him.


    ¡°Please wait! Don¡¯t leave yet.¡± Philip interrupted me just as I was getting up. ¡°You work for the princess, correct? Why hasn¡¯t our guild¡¯s latest request been approved yet?¡±


    Is he an idiot? I guess he wouldn¡¯t know my relationship with her just from me having a piece of paper. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Back on the couch, I answer. ¡°Me and the princess a-¡± Are friends¡­ Flanne seemed worried about others¡¯ perceptions of Bea, so I can¡¯t say that out loud. ¡°a- are working together, yes¡­ B- but I¡¯m only a helper. I don¡¯t know anything about requests and things like that.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± The man looks down in a disappointed manner, but at the same time, I catch a glimpse of a smile on his face. Why would he be smiling? He didn¡¯t say anything else, and the room was dead silent.


    Wait¡­ Dead silent? What happened to the footsteps outside? They¡¯ve stopped¡­ They completely stopped


    *SHATTER!* The next second, all the windows of the room broke and the door slammed open. Multiple men with hoods over their heads swarmed into the room from every entrance.


    ¡°KYAAAAH!¡± The woman who was with Philip screamed, and they both ducked. Crawling between the intruders¡¯ legs, both of them headed immediately for the door. What¡¯s going on he-


    *Clash!* I didn¡¯t have time to think. One of the men swung a short sword at me. I barely managed to draw my katana in time to block. They¡¯re after me! Guess we¡¯re doing thi- ¡°Grrr!¡± A sharp sting on my back. Before I could counterattack, someone else attacked me from behind. My clothes protected me from the worst, but this won¡¯t do. I can¡¯t fight like this. They have me surrounded! I have to get out of here!


    I desperately blocked attacks coming from every direction, but some still hit me. This is an emergency situation. I have some extra MP, so I can imbue my blocks with some magic using Parrying Strike. I need all the help I can get if I¡¯m going to get out of here alive.


    The following series of the enemies¡¯ attacks got parried with extra power. *Snap!* I even broke some of their blades! I managed to weaken their encirclement and headed straight for the door. I used Agility Burst, then Heart Piercer. I wasn¡¯t trying to get anyone with that, I just wanted to get out. The attack itself wasn¡¯t that good. I was in a rush and couldn¡¯t really move properly. Two enemies managed to get in the way and block, but the impact was so strong that they got knocked back and hit the wall. That¡¯s my opening!


    I ran out of the room straight for the stairs down. Hooded figures fighting with short swords¡­ That¡¯s the same as the ones who tried to kidnap Bea¡­ Am I fighting more demons then? If they¡¯re here, then this is proof the Alchemists¡¯ Guild is working with the demons! Oh, Philip¡­. Just you wait until Bea hears about this¡­ You¡¯re gonna regret not letting me see Ririna when I asked!


    I got to the stairs, but it wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. There was a group of four climbing up the stairs with weapons in hand. I guess I gotta make my way past them¡­? ¡°I got you!¡± I felt someone swiftly catch up to me from behind. ¡°How?¡± I turned around just in time to block the attack.


    Agility Burst! I jumped while our swords were locked, and I flipped over the man. I pushed him down the stairs, hoping to create a gap for me to leave.


    But that didn¡¯t work.


    The group climbing up efficiently leaned to the sides, letting their comrade fall straight down. Their eyes were focused on me, and their resolve was unshaken. Scary¡­ Can¡¯t believe how cold they are! I need to find another way out of here!


    Can¡¯t go downstairs, can¡¯t go back to the room¡­ The only way left is up! I turned my back on the stairs and ran in the opposite direction. After a turn down the hallway, I found another set of stairs. This time, one that goes up. That¡¯s good¡­ That¡¯s exactly where I wanna go¡­ They weren¡¯t expecting me to come this way. As proof, there was only one demon guarding these stairs.


    ¡°Out of my way!¡± I didn¡¯t stop for a second and ran straight at him while swinging.


    ¡°Woah?!¡± Good, I made it through to the top floor. Now¡­ Where was it¡­? I ran along the hallway, kicking down doors, and looking for the large window into the alley I found earlier.


    ¡°Oh! There it is!¡± The bedroom with the window. Time to get out of here! I jumped out through the window, grabbed onto the wall of the building next to the guild, and climbed up to the rooftop.


    ¡°Where did she go? Why¡¯s the window broken?¡± I heard the pursuers¡¯ confused voices from behind. I didn¡¯t have time to turn around and ran without looking back. ¡°Sh- she¡¯s on the roof! She escaped through the window!¡±


    ¡°After her! Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± Damn, they¡¯re persistent! At least I got a nice head start!

 Chapter 86 – Rooftop Shadows

    ¡°Come on¡­ Work, you stupid thing!¡± Back at the hotel, Carol¡¯s sitting on her bed by the window. She¡¯s sitting with her legs flexed so she can see her own ankles.


    ¡°Why did I say I didn¡¯t want to go with her? Now I¡¯m stuck here and making no progress¡­¡± The weird thing on her ankle that looks like a tattoo lights on and off as she thinks to herself. ¡°Would it even make a difference if I was with her, though? Not even standing on a rope bridge as it falls does anything to her. What can I even do for her?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Arrgghh! Dammit! Stop thinking about it! I just need to get this magic thing to work once and for all! Hurry up, you stupid thing. Just give me a skill already!¡± The magic turned on and off. On and off. ¡°*Sigh¡­* Maybe people from our world just can¡¯t learn magic. Skills for magic rather. Nothing¡¯s happening. How long is this gonna take?¡±


    Carol gave up for the moment and stretched her legs. Annoyed and disappointed, she rested her chin on her hand and looked out the window in a daze. The sound of metal rustling filled the street.


    ¡°What¡¯s that noise about? Soldiers? Flanne? Where are they going? Did something happen¡­?¡± Not like it has anything to do with me¡­


    <hr>


    The sun¡¯s going down, and, from a certain angle, we look like a bunch of shadows jumping from roof to roof. If the people down on the street were to look up, they¡¯d worry that some kind of crime was taking place right in front of their eyes. And they¡¯d be absolutely correct. This is a crime! These demon freaks are trying to kill for absolutely no reason!


    Or maybe they¡¯re out for revenge¡­ Oops¡­ Either way, I managed to escape the Alchemists¡¯ Guild, but this isn¡¯t going too well. These guys seem used to running on these roofs, and they¡¯re catching up to me. Whenever I get to a ledge, I gotta stop and see where I¡¯m jumping next, but they just send it. I can¡¯t match that!


    Oh well¡­ I¡¯m not surrounded anymore, and their numbers have gone down since they¡¯ve ambushed me in the guild. Maybe it¡¯s better to stand up and fight now than to keep running until I get surrounded again. Also, I bet they¡¯re not expecting it!


    With that in mind, I slammed my foot down at the same moment I used Agility Burst. My momentum came to halt, and I shot out in the opposite direction after the loud impact. ¡°Huh?¡± The demon closes to me only had time to gasp before I struck him with my sword.


    The others all stopped in their tracks as soon as they realized what was going on. Okay¡­ I might be able to this¡­ Which one of them is their leader?


    They all stood still with their swords drawn, staring at me from under their hoods. None of them really stand out. Do they have no leader? That¡¯s good to know. Having to face someone with a crazy skill while dealing with their numbers would be hard.


    ¡°Just surrender! There¡¯s no way we¡¯re letting you escape.¡± One of them suddenly stepped forward, remaining ready to fight the whole time.


    ¡°Do you have any idea who we are? A human like you has no chance against us!¡± Said one of his buddies.


    Surrender, huh? Like hell I¡¯d surrender. Are they seriously asking that? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m looking for a fight. I just wanna see Ririna. But there¡¯s no way I can back down, is there? They¡¯re the ones who set her up in Rocky Ridges, they tried to kidnap Bea, and now they¡¯re coming after me? I thought I was just here trying to defend myself, but now I realize I gotta make them pay!


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d surrender, you idiots!¡± I pointed my sword at them. ¡°You really think I¡¯d just surrender? After everything you put me through? We¡¯re fighting! And I¡¯m gonna go until every last one of you is dead! War! This is a war now, you hear me?!¡±


    There was a moment of silence, but they didn¡¯t take me too seriously. ¡°Baffling how humans always manage to be less intelligent than unintelligent races.¡± They all laughed.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager to die, die!¡± As the second finished speaking, the whole group dashed forward to kill me. They¡¯re really not taking me seriously, are they?


    Parrying Strike! As the first slashes arrive, I block with particularly effective blows. Now that I¡¯m not surrounded anymore, I can actually counterattack without being interrupted. Slash Flurry! The first few attackers stagger as they desperately block against my swings. I¡¯m doing much better, but they¡¯re not exactly idiots.


    While I¡¯m busy dealing with the enemies in front of me, their allies move around the rooftop to try and flank me. I can¡¯t let them get a good angle on me, so I have to retreat to prevent them from getting behind me. Step by step until I¡¯m forced to jump into another roof.


    This truly is just like a war. I¡¯m losing ground, but they¡¯re losing men. Wonder which of us is gonna break first¡­ I could crush them so easily if I could get some Violence stacks going, but with all this repositioning, it¡¯s impossible. Even if I cut down one or two of them, my stacks wear off by the time I can attack again. I should have tried to go for a chain right after I changed directions. If I could quickly kill a lot of them while they were surprised, I would have been done by now. Now I have to grind them down slow-


    ¡°Huh?¡± Oh crap¡­ Looks like I¡¯m the one who broke first. There¡¯s nothing else behind me now. I have to jump down onto the street next. Do I just fight here? I¡¯m kinda cornered, but at least they¡¯re can¡¯t get behind me here. If I go down and they keep chasing me, they might actually corner me in a dead end somewhere.


    ¡°Woah!¡± I didn¡¯t really have time to think as one of them attacked me. ¡°Get away!¡± I dodged his short sword and retaliated with a slash of my own. I gotta make a decision fast. What do I do?


    I desperately fended off all of their attacks. My MP was going down faster than ever because I was spamming Slash Flurries and Parrying Strikes. Maybe I really ought to take my chances and jump down¡­


    Then suddenly, a light. I saw something shining out of the corner of my eye. Metal reflecting the light of the setting sun. Soldiers? Humans? That¡¯s it!


    ¡°She jumped down! After her!¡± One of the demons immediately shouted, but none of them followed me.


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s too late. We¡¯ll have to let her go for now.¡± Another demon pointed at the soldiers, and they all quickly understood the situation.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this our opportunity to start a commotion as a signal for Armand?¡±


    ¡°There are too many unaccounted threats right now. It wouldn¡¯t make for a good enough distraction. Let¡¯s get out of here for today.¡± They¡¯re not chasing¡­? What are they talking about?


    I looked back towards the rooftop as I ran in the soldiers¡¯ direction. The shadows on the rooftop disappeared into the sunset one by one. Looks like I¡¯m safe now¡­ Heh, they got lucky! If I caught them by surprise, I would have wiped the floor with them! Probably¡­


    ¡°Iroha?¡± What? Suddenly, I hear Flanne¡¯s voice. She¡¯s the one leading the soldier. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°F- Flanne?! Good timing!¡± I can get Ririna out of there now. ¡°You gotta go to the Alchemists Guild! They¡¯re hiding Ririna somewhere, and they¡¯re working with the demons.¡±


    ¡°Quiet down, Iroha.¡± She covered my mouth with her hand, then started whispering. ¡°Did something happen in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild? We were already on the way since we¡¯ve received a report about some kind of attack. Do you know anything? Why do you think they¡¯re working with the demons?¡±


    ¡°I got attacked by a bunch of hooded people that looked just like the ones who tried to kidnap Bea. The guild¡¯s head also said that Ririna died, but I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s just some kind of lie. They gotta be hiding her somewhere.¡± We gotta go back now and catch them before they can cover anything up.


    ¡°Okay, Calm down. You can tell me all the details later. Just leave the rest to us for now.¡± Flanne signaled the soldiers to move again, even though she was still talking to me.


    ¡°I can help too, you know? I got attacked, but they didn¡¯t really hurt me. I can still keep going. I have a score to settle with them.¡± Flanne shook her head in response.


    ¡°You should go back to the hotel and wait for us. I get that you¡¯re worried about Ririna, but the situation is different from when you helped us during our trip. If anyone sees you working with us, it may trouble Beatrize.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ But what about Ririna? They said that she was dead, but¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure it was just a lie. What exactly happened to her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if she¡¯s in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild like you suspected, I¡¯m sure that we will find her.¡± Flanne pat my head with a gentle smile. ¡°Everything will be alright. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°O- okay¡­¡± She quickly caught up with the rest of the soldiers with a quick jog. She¡¯s treating me like a little kid now¡­ I guess I was panicking a lot. My heart is still racing¡­ Kinda inevitable when these armed dudes burst through every window all of a sudden to try to kill me.


    Oh well¡­ I guess I should go back to the hotel now¡­ I really thought today was the day I was finally going to see her again¡­ Just what¡¯s going on? This whole thing¡¯s completely messed up.

 Chapter 87 – News, Discoveries, and Waits

    Flanne was supposed to have found Ririna. These annoying times should have come to an end with her investigating the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. It should have been over, but a few days have passed, and Ririna was still nowhere to be found.


    Nowhere at all¡­


    ¡°Are you taking another break, princess?¡± In a balcony high up in the castle, Flanne approached Beatrize, who peacefully leaned against the railing. ¡°The investigation needs you to do your part so it can continue to run smoothly.¡± With a cheeky tone, Flanne stopped behind Bea at a respectable distance.


    ¡°For someone who¡¯s always nagging me to watch my tongue, yours might be the most insolent in the whole castle.¡± Bea slowly turned around while still leaning against the railing. ¡°The documents are all finished. You know I don¡¯t slack off during important matters, you goody two shoes. Always making me do more work while asking for promotions and less work. The nerve on you¡­¡± Bea pouted and glared at Flanne with an accusatory glare.


    ¡°It¡¯s during moments of peace that one¡¯s able to appreciate life. Only by working less can one live more.¡±


    ¡°You mean, sipping tea in my office while I¡¯m buried in paperwork? Is that how you appreciate life?¡±


    ¡°Those aren¡¯t moments of peace for me. They¡¯re work. It¡¯s called moral support. It¡¯s hard work, which is why I¡¯m paid for that time.¡±


    ¡°Hard work? Yeah right¡­¡± It is for me, thought Bea to herself. ¡°*Sigh¡­* Either way, good work out there. You met with Iroha today, didn¡¯t you? How did she react?¡±


    Flanne briefly shook her head. ¡°Just as expected. She wasn¡¯t happy to learn that we couldn¡¯t find Ririna. We combed the whole place, and while there were signs that she had been there recently, she was not there anymore.¡±


    ¡°Could she have gone home?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely.¡± Flanne immediately said. ¡°As soon as we finished our first investigation, I looked through the fast-travel station records. She arrived in the capital a few weeks ago and hasn¡¯t left since then. Pretty unusual considering she used to go back to her hometown pretty much every day before. Regardless, she hasn¡¯t left the capital through the fast-travel station. Iroha was relieved to know she was looking for her in the right place.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hurry up the investigation, Flanne?¡± Bea¡¯s voice started getting heated, and she stopped leaning against the railing. ¡°It¡¯s so infuriating having to play games with these idiots who side with the demons. Just find a reason to arrest someone already!¡±


    ¡°Funny you say that, princess, because Iroha said almost the same thing. But you know it¡¯s not that simple, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Bea leaned back again as she calmed down. ¡°The floating city, Alcester, the origin and center of all human civilization. And the reason why we need to find proof to arrest someone who obviously let demons into their own guild. If the Alchemists¡¯ Guild Headquarters in Alcester has an issue with the way we do things, the Alcester government might get involved, and they¡¯ll sanction us. It¡¯s such a pain, Flanne!¡±


    ¡°I understand it¡¯s a lot to deal with, but at least we can be sure that Alcester will always oppose the demons. If we¡¯re able to find proof of their involvement with demons, we can get away with almost anything, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we need to find the evidence first.¡± Bea walked past Flanne back into her office. Flanne followed, and Bea sat on the couch meant to receive guests. ¡°I feel bad for Iroha. Is this really all I can do for her? I finally found myself a friend. What if she starts hating me? Maybe I should use myself as bait again.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Flanne was brewing tea for the two of them when she heard something outrageous. ¡°Please think of your position before saying things like that. Iroha said she¡¯d wait until the investigation was done. Why don¡¯t you do the same?¡±


    ¡°It was merely in jest, Flanne.¡± Bea said ironically. ¡°But I really don¡¯t want to disappoint her¡­ I finally found someone who treats me as a friend. She even called me Bea! How clueless is she? Not even daughters of nobles were willing to do that for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see someone that unaware of titles and customs. It¡¯s like she lived in a whole other world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. It¡¯s been a real breath of fresh air. We and the demons have been poking each other for such a long time¡­ It¡¯s great to have someone show up and make things move again. Even if we have our hands full now because of it.¡±


    Flanne approached Bea¡¯s seat with a teapot in hand. She served the princess, herself, then finally sat down. ¡°I miss the peaceful times where I could just sit down and relax. Now I have to worry about you making friends with bad influences and suggesting using yourself as bait for the second time. You¡¯re not even thinking straight anymore.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean! You¡¯re the one who introduced me to Iroha, Flanne. It¡¯s all your fault. Don¡¯t you know that when people in high positions meet whimsical people, they get whimsical ideas? That¡¯s why everyone was always careful of who I was allowed to meet growing up.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who orchestrated the meeting with her?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to see if she was the Violence Witch or not. It¡¯s not my fault we ended up becoming friends.¡± Bea shrugged.


    ¡°Okay, princess, whatever you say. Just don¡¯t say you¡¯ll use yourself as bait again. Once was more than enough for everyone involved.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­ But we need to figure out what to do next and quick. The investigation isn¡¯t going to give us enough proof to arrest anyone. We need to find out more about the demons directly. Their location is important, but we really need the details of their plans.¡± Bea placed down an empty teacup, and so did Flanne.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over that now then. Maybe we can find a way to gain a new ally while saving the capital from the demons¡¯ schemes.¡± With renewed determination, the two girls smiled. They were resolved to find a path forward that would blow all their worries away.


    <hr>


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go hunting again.¡± That was the response I gave when Carol asked me where I was going.


    I had just left my room, ready to leave the hotel we¡¯ve been staying at, when Carol called out to me. Telling her I was going hunting wasn¡¯t too well received, and she stared at me in silence for a moment.


    ¡°Are you an idiot, Iroha? You¡¯re not hunting anything! You¡¯re just playing with fire.¡± Carol crossed her arms.


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡± She¡¯s not¡­ totally wrong¡­ Ever since I was ambushed, I¡¯ve been looking all over the city for clues about the demons¡¯ whereabouts. Bea can¡¯t arrest that Philip guy from the Alchemists¡¯ Guild without information, so it¡¯s up to me to find Ririna somehow.


    Apparently, it was only recently that Ririna stopped showing up at the guild. It happened right after the day we were supposed to talk. With the involvement of the demons and the fact that she disappeared all of a sudden, it¡¯s pretty obvious that there¡¯s some kind of link there. I have to investigate that!


    Thanks to Flanne, I learned two important pieces of information. Ririna is not dead, and she has not left the capital. With that in mind, I know I am on the right track. ¡°Sorry, Carol¡­ I don¡¯t really have any other choice, do I? I have to hunt them down. If they have Ririna, then I have to save her. And if they don¡¯t, maybe I can at least get enough evidence to get Philip arrested. Then it¡¯s just a matter of getting him to spill what happened to her.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re gonna solve anything by roaming the city around like a zombie? The longer we stay in this world, the harder it¡¯s gonna be to explain to the others when we eventually go back.¡± Carol said with a high pitch. She took a deep breath, then continued. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to our world and come back later. I¡¯ll talk to Hecate and Katja, we gather some supplies, then we come back after we¡¯ve thought of a plan.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I can¡¯t do that¡­¡± Time¡¯s too precious for that. If I stop, even for a moment, then everything¡¯s gonna go wrong again¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t go back until I find Ririna. At least until I know she¡¯s alright.¡± I turned my gaze away from Carol. ¡°You know, I¡¯m always like that¡­ I hesitate when it matters the most, and then something goes wrong¡­¡± That¡¯s right! I¡¯m not hesitating anymore! I promised that to Carol and myself! ¡°I¡¯m not stopping now.¡± I looked Carol straight in the eye.


    Carol was stunned for a moment, conflicted and worried.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against you if you go back. I¡¯m really thankful you came with me this far. Thanks, Carol¡­¡±


    Carol was moved, then her face quickly filled with anger. ¡°Why are you assuming I¡¯m going back? If you¡¯re not leaving, neither am I! I¡¯m sticking around until we find Ririna! That¡¯s the promise I made, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m gonna do, dammit! Save your thanks until after we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡­ ¡°Ahahahahaha, thanks¡­ I¡¯m sorry for dragging this on for so long. I thought it was going to be a quick trip, but just hold on for a little longer. I swear I¡¯m gonna find them today.¡±


    ¡°Of course you are, but that¡¯s because I¡¯m tagging along!¡± Carol confidently walked past me, heading outside.


    ¡°Oh, actually, I was thinking of looking for them from the rooftops today. I have to use a skill to get up there, so it might be hard for you to come with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Carol turned around, but her confidence didn¡¯t waver. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to split up then.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± I was expecting her to insist on us sticking together. ¡°Thanks for the help then. If you find any demons, call me immediately. Be careful you don¡¯t get caught.¡±


    ¡°The House of Imaginary Boundaries may be an independent organization, but our training is on par with that of most special forces, you know? There¡¯s no way the primitive people of this world can catch me by surprise in an operation like this.¡± She should know by now the demons aren¡¯t exactly primitive¡­ And with magic in play, who can say what¡¯s possible and what¡¯s not? She¡¯s cute when she brags like that, so I¡¯m not gonna say much.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± We walked side by side until we reached outside. ¡°Good luck, Carol.¡±

 Chapter 88 – Vacation for Two

    ¡°Hecate! You know where my phone is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s next to the television where you left it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you~!¡±


    Narumi skipped past the girl in a black dress sweeping an already perfectly clean floor.


    ¡°Wait, why aren¡¯t you freaking out, Narumi?¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­ Do I have to?¡±


    What kind of answer is that, Hecate thought. Both Narumi and Katja have been going on with their lives like nothing happened, and it was driving her crazy. It¡¯s like she was the only one in that house who was paying attention and worrying about what matters the most.


    ¡°It¡¯s been more than a week since Carol vanished! Do you really think she¡¯s gonna return if we don¡¯t go looking for her?¡± Hecate posed dramatically with a broom in hand. ¡°Shadows are covering our everyday lives. If nothing changes, it won¡¯t be long until we succumb to darkness.¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­ It¡¯s pretty bright outside. I think it¡¯s almost summer, right?¡± Narumi tilted her head in response to Hecate¡¯s exaggerations. ¡°Also, is Carol missing again? I thought she was with Iroha, and¡­ Hasn¡¯t she been answering our messages?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s answering, but that doesn¡¯t mean everything¡¯s fine. What¡¯s taking her so long to come home? It¡¯s not normal.¡± When faced with Narumi¡¯s spaciness, Hecate had to be a little more objective.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you to figure it out. If you want me to help look for her, just say the word.¡± Narumi waved with her phone and sat on the couch. ¡°She answered one of my calls yesterday. That means she¡¯s alive, right? She said¡­ *Yawn.*¡± Narumi laid down and started scrolling on her phone. ¡°She said I shouldn¡¯t tell you when she answered because she wasn¡¯t ready to talk yet.¡± ¡­ ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?!¡± Hecate rapidly approached the couch. ¡°She answered one of your calls!? This is a tragedy! And why didn¡¯t she want you to tell me?¡±


    ¡°She probably didn¡¯t want to worry you¡­ Or maybe she thought you¡¯d get angry. Kinda like that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only angry she left without properly explaining herself! Why didn¡¯t you tell me she answered your call right away?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ She told me not to tell you.¡±


    ¡°This is absurd¡­¡± Hecate slumped her shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Hecate.¡± Narumi looked up at Hecate with a reassuring smile. ¡°Summer¡¯s around the corner, so just think of this as her taking an early vacation. Everything¡¯s fine, and she will come back soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Without us? What part of her going on a vacation with Iroha without us is supposed to be fine? The ties we share are much stronger than that.¡±


    Narumi didn¡¯t immediately respond, but then she furrowed her brow when she realized the implications. ¡°Yeah¡­ That pisses me off somehow¡­ I wanna go to the beach and have fun too! How dare she fool around without u-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± Hecate interrupted Narumi, who looked at her blankly.


    ¡°Why are you two acting like she really went on a vacation?¡± The dorm¡¯s entrance doors opened, and a new voice chimed in. ¡°In her first messages, she said she was training with Iroha. As long as nothing bad happens to them, I don¡¯t think we need to concern ourselves with anything.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it bother you, Katja? It¡¯s been more than a week. I can¡¯t remember the last time we¡¯ve been apart for that long.¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t bother me. I¡¯m just really curious and hopeful.¡± Hecate reacted to Katja¡¯s choice of words. It wasn¡¯t often that Katja expressed those kinds of emotions.


    ¡°Curious and hopeful? That¡¯s a strange thing to say.¡±


    ¡°Carol¡¯s training with Iroha, so there¡¯s a chance she may learn Iroha¡¯s secret to growing so fast. If everything works out, I may be able to put together a new plan to make you and Narumi even stronger!¡±


    ¡°More training?!¡± Narumi complained. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna train more! You do it.¡±


    ¡°Me training is pointless.¡± Katja shook her head. ¡°A sword doesn¡¯t get stronger based on the number of times it is swung. I¡¯m merely a weapon, so it¡¯s the same for me.¡± That¡¯s the same explanation Katja always used. Narumi was ready to yell that it was just an excuse but she knew better.


    ¡°So it¡¯s about training¡­ That¡¯s what¡¯s got you excited. I should have seen that coming.¡± Hecate let out a sigh.


    ¡°With some luck, we may be able to get both of them Matching Weapons.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Carol¡¯s been training for that for a long time, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be ecstatic, but is Iroha ready? It¡¯s a big strain on the body. Can she handle one so soon?¡± Hecate¡¯s expression became very serious.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see. If they can¡¯t handle it, then it¡¯s out of the question. But it is a fact that Iroha¡¯s roughly on our level without one. I can¡¯t even imagine how strong she¡¯s gonna be with a Matching Weapon.¡±


    ¡°And can we trust her with that much power? I think we should be more careful. Who knows what might happen because of secrets.¡±


    Katja thought, then nodded quietly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to be careful, but it¡¯s not Iroha herself that we have to worry about.¡± Hecate understood what Katja meant and agreed. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt anymore that she¡¯s on our side.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°That¡¯s a cloak¡­ Could it be¡­?¡± I was lying on my belly on the rooftop of a building near the Alchemists¡¯ Guild when I saw someone with a hood on the alley next to it.


    ¡°A demon! I finally found them!¡± They might get away at this rate! That¡¯s not good. Has anyone seen me? I don¡¯t think so¡­ Okay, I can do this.


    With Agility Burst, I jumped across the street from one roof to the other. If whoever¡¯s wearing that cloak is really a demon, I can get straight to Ririna by following them! I hope¡­ I kept my head down and peeked down to the street without making a sound.


    The cloaked figure blended with the crowds in larger streets and spent most of their time going through dark alleyways. I would have definitely lost them if I was on the ground, so staying on roofs was the right call. It also makes me harder to spot. Maybe? In my experience, it¡¯s easy to forget to pay attention to things from above in games.


    After some minutes, we had moved into a dense residential area where the common population lived. It was surprisingly well kept compared to what I was expecting. It¡¯s just¡­ simple and run-down? I think that¡¯s how I¡¯d describe it. It¡¯s not like the streets near the guilds or the castle with beautiful pavements and lots of decorations, but it¡¯s not bad either. I think I¡¯m just too used to seeing these places being filled with misery in anime¡­


    My target stopped in front of a basic house made of wood and stone. The door opened shorty after knocking, and the figure went inside. ¡°Is that their hideout? I found it!¡± Is Ririna in there? By the time I noticed, I was already on top of the building. I climbed down while holding onto the wall. Crap! My skirt¡¯s gonna flip like this! Ugh¡­ No one¡¯s supposed to see me, and nothing¡¯s visible from below. It¡¯s just for a second.


    I was in the awkward position of being upside down on the wall with a hand trying to hold my skirt. I climbed down until I was able to look into a window. ¡°Just like I thought¡­¡± Inside was a small room with two people. One was the cloaked person from before, and the other was a green-haired man with an uneven pair of horns. ¡°Demons¡­¡±


    They weren¡¯t the only ones there. Other demons entered and left the room, but I didn¡¯t see Ririna anywhere. Is she in another room? Either way, I don¡¯t have any time to waste! ¡°¡­¡± Time to start a massacre!


    ¡°They were looking for Ririna. Philip just confirmed our suspicion from the other day.¡± I had my sword drawn and was about to break through the window when I suddenly heard Ririna¡¯s name. The cloaked man removed his hood and started talking to his friend. ¡°The soldiers mentioned her name, meaning the princess is probably looking for her now.¡±


    ¡°Ririna? Who the hell is that?¡± The green-haired demon asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s the alchemist in the mansion. The girl that¡¯s under Armand¡¯s custody. How do you not know this?¡± Ririna¡¯s in a mansion? This isn¡¯t a mansion, is it? I took a look at the worn-out walls to make sure, and damn right! This isn¡¯t a mansion! She¡¯s not here then?


    ¡°Oh. She¡¯s that human¡­ Of course I don¡¯t know. Why would I bother remembering a human¡¯s name? Ahahahahahha!¡±


    They also mentioned Armand again. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be just a merchant? Is he leading the demons somehow? Damn him¡­ He¡¯s gonna pay once I find him¡­


    ¡°She¡¯s not just another human. She¡¯s the whole reason why we¡¯re here. She possesses the skill of removal that Armand has been looking for this whole time.¡± The green-haired demon heard the explanation and waved it off nonchalantly.


    ¡°Whatever. Just tell me when it¡¯s time to get to work already. I just wanna burn this city down already.¡± Burn? They¡¯re gonna burn down the capital? ¡°You know, Armand truly is wise. Who¡¯d wanna work for Tarthrus or some other boring ass company when you could be out here fucking up human cities? Not me, that¡¯s for sure. Once we get our promotions, I¡¯m gonna start my own company and rise up to the top. Bet not even Armand¡¯s gonna see it coming.¡± Tarthrus¡­? I feel like that¡¯s a name I¡¯ve heard before¡­ From the game? More importantly, are they really gonna burn down the capital? That¡¯s really bad news!


    ¡°Be patient. Our job as distractions will come soon enough. Once the ritual at the mansion begins, you¡¯ll be able to cause as much chaos as you want. You can also forget about your idea since you¡¯ll probably die during the chaos.¡±


    ¡°Nah, the princess¡¯s dumb, so she¡¯ll send her troops after the other team. Or I can just kill whoever she sends after us. Got nothing to lose.¡±


    Distractions¡­? Ritual at the mansion¡­ What does this all mean? Wasn¡¯t Ririna supposedly in some mansion as well? The ritual is probably related to Ririna somehow. That means the mansion is our main target!


    I gave up on the idea of attacking them and rushed back to the rooftop. If I work with Bea to find which mansion they¡¯re talking about, it¡¯s just a matter of time before we can wrap everything up. The only thing she needed was the location of their real base before she could send out her elite troops! This is it! The final piece of the puzzle! Everything¡¯s about to change!


    I gotta get back to Bea as soon as possible!

 Chapter 89 – Ticking Time Bomb

    After she and Iroha split up, Carol went to a part of town she hadn¡¯t been to before. She had to carry her own weight and find something to help Iroha find Ririna. Otherwise, she¡¯s nothing but talk. ¡°What is this place? Am I really gonna find anything here?¡±


    ¡°Stalls¡­ That¡¯s not gonna help.¡± Carol strolled down a street somewhat far away from the castle. The houses were pretty basic, so they were probably for normal folk. There were some merchants around, and the people on the streets were carrying food and other goods. Is this some kind of storage district? Carol wondered. No¡­ They¡¯d need carriages if they were moving large quantities around. There¡¯s nothing like that here.


    ¡°Right¡­ Fast-travel¡­¡± There¡¯s no carriages because of fast-travel, of course. With long-distance transportation being uncommon, carrying bags and crates by hand becomes the obvious solution! But this still doesn¡¯t look like a storage district. There are too many houses here. Then again, separating cities into strict districts is probably more of a modern thing. This mishmash is just what naturally happens, I guess.


    ¡°!?¡± While pondering the nature of her location, Carol heard a small sound coming from a gap between houses. ¡°Cloaks?¡± For a split second, Carol spotted two people turning a corner in an alley. ¡°Are those¡­¡± Demons? She thought to herself. They look just like the ones who attacked us on the way here.


    ¡°Time to put the tailing training into action.¡± I gotta check if they¡¯re demons or not. With perfectly natural moves, Carol entered the alley. If anyone was watching her, they would think she¡¯s a local with a destination in mind who knows her way around. To make the matter even easier, the floor was dirty enough that she could easily follow their footsteps. She was able to tail them while remaining at a distance that made it impossible for them to spot her back.


    ¡°Another barrel¡­¡± There were some barrels between the buildings that looked out of place. Every once in a while, she¡¯d pass by a gap and bam, another barrel. There weren¡¯t a lot of them, but they were frequent enough for her to take notice. Their condition was pretty decent, meaning someone must have placed them recently. ¡°And this smell again¡­ What is this?¡± An intoxicating yet familiar scent occasionally reached Carol as she moved forward. She couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on what it was, but she knew she had smelled it before.


    ¡°Woah¡­ Stop¡­¡± She was about to turn a corner when she saw the two people from before had stopped. She peeked around the corner and saw one of them knock on a door. A few seconds later, the door opened, and they quickly went inside. The place they entered was a modest house with two floors.


    ¡°Were those really demons? Why would they go into a random house? Could it be some sort of hideout?¡± I¡¯ll have to check with Iroha later. I got the location down. We can figure out what to do later. Before Carol was satisfied, there was one thing she wanted to check.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with these barrels? This one stinks, but¡­ I can¡¯t get it open. How about this one¡­? Oh? Opened.¡± Some of the barrels were made in a way that was impossible to open, while others had a detachable lid. ¡°Powder?¡± Carol reached inside with her hand and recognized the contents. ¡°G- gunpowder!? Are these all filled with gunpowder?¡±


    She put the lid back and went back to one she couldn¡¯t open. The weird smell was back, and it was coming from the barrel. The gunpowder one didn¡¯t have the same smell. ¡°Nope¡­ Can¡¯t open this one¡­ Is it fine if I break it open? Isn¡¯t this an emergency?¡± Carol wobbled the barrel left and right and felt something strange. ¡°It¡¯s liquid?¡± It¡¯s not gunpowder then¡­ There was a small gap at the top, so she turned the barrel to the side, and a small pool formed on the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s black¡­ I remember now! This is like the smell at a gas station! Is this gasoline?¡± Carol put the barrel back up, and her heart began to beat faster. Barrels of gasoline and gunpowder lying around¡­ This place is a ticking time bomb! Carol took a few steps back when she felt her phone vibrate.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Is it Hecate again? Iroha? Let¡¯s go to the castle?¡± Why? Carol asked in reply to Iroha¡¯s message. I found something important to tell Bea, was more or less the next message she received.


    ¡°Well¡­ I need to get out of here before an explosion happens.¡± And she¡¯s probably gonna wanna know about what I found. Guess I¡¯ll meet up with her.


    <hr>


    ¡°That¡¯s very valuable information, Iroha. Unfortunately, it restricts our movements even further.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± After reuniting with Carol, we went back to Bea¡¯s office for yet another visit. I told her how I found one of the demons¡¯ hideout places and that Ririna was in some kind of mansion. All that was left now was to find which mansion she¡¯s in and save her. At least that¡¯s what I was hoping for.


    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for the information, Iroha. It¡¯s a very important part of the puzzle. Who would¡¯ve guessed the demons were planning something like that? We might have made a big mistake without you. We need to take things slowly and carefully plan our every move.¡± Bea frowned while crossing her arms. She looked like she was in a really hard position.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we stop their plans right away now? All that¡¯s left is finding where Ririna is.¡± With a sorrowful smile, Bea shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. You heard the demons talk about a distraction and burning the city to the ground, right? Do you understand how much of a problem that is?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ You obviously don¡¯t want them burning the city to the ground. But now that you know it¡¯s a distraction, we can go after the main target and solve everything.¡± Seemed pretty obvious to me. I glanced over at Carol. She was quietly focused on Bea, like she was trying to figure something out.


    ¡°The problem is that they have a distraction like that ready. Even if their primary goal is something different that we can stop, spreading chaos in the capital is something that needs to be addressed. From what you¡¯ve said, they¡¯ve infiltrated into the general population and are in position to cause damages at any moment.¡±


    Bea got up from the chair, straightened her dress and looked out the window behind. ¡°It¡¯s an absurd but robust plan. Truly something that only the demons with their fancy gadgets would come up with. Now, even if we find where their main base is, we still can¡¯t go after them. We need the bulk of our elite troops ready to quell their potential rampage rather than trying to stop them. It¡¯s an incredible deterrent.¡± Bea shrugged her shoulders and turned back to us. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder they¡¯re still waiting for the right opportunity. They clearly have the advantage. Are they scared of something? They¡¯re usually not the type to hesitate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awful¡­ What about Ririna then? Does that mean you¡¯re not gonna save her?¡± The mansion has gotta be their main base. If we can¡¯t go after it, we can¡¯t save Ririna!


    ¡°Our goal is still to rescue Ririna and stop their plans. We¡¯re just going to have to take things slowly. We need to uproot the demons and tighten up security around the capital first. It might take a while, but we¡¯ll do whatever it takes to stop them.¡±


    Ughh¡­ This is not how I was expecting it to go¡­ But I understand¡­  It¡¯s so frustrating! I don¡¯t wanna just sit around and wait. I wish we could just go after them and finish things off for good. We¡¯re at war with them after all! Well, I¡¯m the only one at war with them, I guess¡­ I was the one who spouted out in the heat of the moment¡­ I meant it, though. I won¡¯t let them mess with Ririna¡¯s life anymore. ¡°What should I do, Bea? I can try to spy on them again. See what else I can find. Maybe even infiltrate their hideout?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Bea shot down my idea with a sympathetic smile. ¡°It¡¯s probably better if you don¡¯t involve yourself in this for a while.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°A single mistake can lead to thousands of people losing their lives. I¡¯m thankful for your help, but you should stay put for now.¡± Stay put? How am I supposed to stay put when Ririna¡¯s in trouble?! We now know for sure the demons have her¡­ We have to save her before it¡¯s too late! ¡°Are you unsatisfied? Sorry, but the situation is really dangerous right now. I promise you one thing, Iroha. When the time to save Ririna comes, you¡¯ll be the first one to know.¡± Yeah¡­ That doesn¡¯t make me feel better¡­


    ¡°Can we really afford to take things slowly? Something bad might happen to Ririna while we¡¯re sitting around doing nothing!¡±


    ¡°We can only hope that whatever is making the demons hesitate continues to do so. I wish I could help more, but I can¡¯t put the lives of my people at stake because something bad might happen to one individual. I hope you understand, Iroha.¡± Bea looked genuinely sorry, and, well¡­ I do understand. She¡¯s the princess of Ebrilyon. Her duties and her goals are different than mine. I don¡¯t want anyone to die because of me if I can avoid it, but if it means saving Ririna, then¡­


    I understand her decision¡­ I understand, but I hate it. I think Carol may have had a point¡­ Bea¡¯s not a bad girl, but right now, I can¡¯t count on her. If I want to save Ririna, it looks like I¡¯m on my own. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll try not to cause any trouble then.¡± I briefly bowed and turned to leave.


    ¡°Eh? We¡¯re done here? Wait!¡± Carol was startled by the sudden shift and left Bea¡¯s office after me. Wait for me, Ririna. I¡¯ll find where they¡¯re keeping soon enough.


    The doors closed, and Bea was left alone. She let the tension escape her body and sat down sloppily. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the look of somebody who¡¯s going to stay out of trouble¡­ *Sigh¡­*¡±

 Chapter 90 – Treasure Map

    ¡°What¡¯s your plan now, Iroha? You¡¯re not actually giving up on Ririna, are you? Do we wait?¡±


    I told Bea about the hideout I found, but her response was not what I was expecting. Me and Carol left the palace, and we were heading back to the hotel¡­ Maybe? I don¡¯t know. We¡¯re kinda just wandering around while talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving up on saving her¡­ No shot.¡± We were walking side by side. It was early in the morning when we split up to look for the demons¡¯ hideout, and by now the sun was going down again. ¡°Bea may not be able to help us, but I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll find Ririna on my own and save her if I have to.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Well¡­ That¡¯s the reason we came all the way out here in the first place. I don¡¯t blame you. But are you fine with that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Carol looked at me with a serious look, but I didn¡¯t really get it. Fine with what? What is there for me to be fine with?


    ¡°Have you thought about what¡¯s gonna happen if you go through with that? The demons are going to retaliate if someone attacks their main base.¡± Carol explained with a detached tone. ¡°Sometimes a mission is worth a few sacrifices. I get that¡­ But what do you think? What if the demons kill a lot of people because you attack them? What if they actually manage to destroy the capital? What are you gonna do then?¡±


    ¡°Ughh¡­ I- I¡¯d rather no one die because of me, but¡­ I already decided I¡¯m not gonna give up Ririna. And I promised I wouldn¡¯t hesitate anymore, right? Maybe I can take out their leader before they have an opportunity to retaliate. Then everything would be fine, right?¡±


    ¡°You tell me. What if Bea claims you¡¯re a criminal for disobeying her orders? Maybe no one dies, and the demons only manage to cause material damage. But are you no one¡¯s gonna pin those crimes on you?¡± Carol¡¯s tone became a bit confrontational as she stopped in front of me.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all, that¡¯s fine by me. I can just hide my identity when I come to this world or something.¡±


    ¡°What about Ririna? You won¡¯t be able to meet her again then. And even if you were, what if she gets blamed as well? She can¡¯t just leave this world like you can. What then?¡± That wouldn¡¯t happen, right? There¡¯s no way, right?


    ¡°If that happens, I¡¯d just bring her with us to our world! Anything¡¯s better than just leaving her to die!¡±


    ¡°You think that would work?¡± Carol scoffed. ¡°Where would she even stay?¡±


    ¡°She could stay with me¡­ Or the dorm! There are free rooms in the dorm.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s impossible¡­ We wouldn¡¯t be able to keep her hidden in the dorm for a long time, and it¡¯d just cause problems for us. Or are we just another worthwhile sacrifice for you, Iroha?¡± Carol smiled sarcastically.


    ¡°No!¡± I don¡¯t want to put Carol and the others in danger. But still¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t want to sacrifice you, or anyone¡­¡± Knowing Ririna, she probably wouldn¡¯t accept me sacrificing anyone for her sake. If she was blamed for a massacre caused by the demons, she¡¯d probably accept the sentence. Even if it doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°What should I do, Carol? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s the right thing to do. I just wanna help Ririna.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Carol lowered her head. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going happen. It¡¯s possible that you might take down their leader before they can do anything. But it¡¯s also possible that it ends up being a catastrophe.¡± She looked up and smiled. ¡°I think you should do whatever you believe is right. I¡¯m just here to support you, so I¡¯ll go along with whatever decision you make. You¡¯re on your own if you have to bring her to the real world, though.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°¡­¡± Whatever I believe is right¡­ I hate to admit it, but if I have to, I¡¯m fine sacrificing people I don¡¯t know about. As long as that means I can protect the ones I care about, I¡­ If I can save Ririna without doing anything that would get Carol, Flanne, or even Bea to hate me, I¡¯d be happy. ¡°What if something goes wrong? I know what I believe is right, but what if a problem I didn¡¯t consider pops up?¡±


    Carol shrugged and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s a risk you take whenever you do anything, right? Whenever you make a choice, you can only pick what you think is right and hope for the best.¡± She¡¯s right¡­ That¡¯s how it always is. I did what I thought was right and sometimes it went well, sometimes it went poorly. The only certainty is that it was always better than doing nothing. Whether I decide to relentlessly pursue Ririna or wait for Bea, I have to be decisive.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Carol continued. ¡°If we work together, we may be able to find a way to save Ririna without any complications. In fact, I have some ideas that might prevent any retaliation from the demons. I need some time to prepare, and I need you to warn me before you do anything crazy.¡± Sh- she has an idea? That was a bit vague, but that¡¯s my Carol for you!


    ¡°Wow¡­ Okay, that¡¯s reassuring. I think I¡¯m going back to the hideout I located to find Ririna¡¯s location tomorrow. Even if I find where she is, I¡¯ll make sure to tell you before I go after her.¡± I¡¯m not surprised Carol came up with something so quick. She always does whatever she can to be helpful, even if it means biting off more than she can chew. That¡¯s how it was with the mermaid. And it¡¯s even what caused her to get lost in the Forest of Illusion. She always does her best, though. And if that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°Thanks for the help, Carol. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    In response, Carol blushed. ¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯s just a coincidence that I¡¯m helping you. I¡¯m only doing this for my training. You just got lucky.¡± Yeah, right¡­ Ahahaha!


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s that plan that you¡¯re thinking about? Can you tell me?¡± Carol just grinned mysteriously.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say they¡¯ll get a taste of their own medicine.¡± That doesn¡¯t explain anything¡­ That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave it to her. I have to prepare for tomorrow.


    ¡­


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve made it. I¡¯m in.¡±


    No, I didn¡¯t hack anything. I only managed to get into the enemy hideout. I split up with Carol again this morning. She went god knows where, and I went straight for the hideout I found yesterday. I spent some time observing the building until I saw a group of four demons leave.


    The building felt pretty empty afterward, so I quickly searched for a way to get in. It wasn¡¯t exactly the prettiest option, but the bathroom window was open¡­ The smell was pretty terrible¡­ I did what I had to do.


    With the hardest part out of the way, I went around the main hallway, peeking into the various rooms. I finally found one that seemed promising and decided enter that one after making sure no one was there. I doubt empty bedrooms are going to yield better results.


    Still, this room is pretty weird¡­ There are chairs, tables, couches¡­ It¡¯s clearly a place to hang out, but there are also lots of boxes and letters around. There are envelopes and papers on the tables and shelves, along with all sorts of junk¡­ Where the hell do I start? ¡°It¡¯s not that hard of a choice, is it?¡± Close to a window was a desk that stood out from the mess.


    ¡°Guess I should check the drawers.¡± I circled around the desk and found papers like the ones laying around the room inside the first drawer. It was as good a place to start as any, so I picked up the paper on top and started reading. There was a date, some names, designation numbers that I just didn¡¯t understand, and¡­ ¡°No anomalies reported.¡± Huh? Why bother reporting that then? I looked through one, two, three different documents, and they were all like that. Menial bullshit that didn¡¯t help at all. Was this a bad idea?


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Next to a stack of documents was a folded piece of paper. I wasn¡¯t expecting much, but it was different than the rest. I placed it on the desk and opened it. ¡°What is this?¡± It looked like some sort of drawing with lines and lots of small boxes. ¡°Am I stupid? This is a map!¡± Looks like a map of the capital. After looking at it for a few seconds, I spotted a shape that looked like the big castle with the wide street leading up to it.


    ¡°This is it, isn¡¯t it? I think this infiltration idea really paid off!¡± There are scribbles on the map, but I don¡¯t really know what they mean. This should be this hideout, right? It¡¯s circled in red, but there are two other circles. Could the mansion be in one of the other locations? What do all the other crosses and lines mean? I gotta make sense of this fast!


    ¡°What¡¯s that noise?! Didn¡¯t you guys all leave?¡± Huh!? ¡°The hell, man? There¡¯s no one here?¡± A sleepy green-haired demon suddenly entered the room, walking sloppily. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m hearing shit¡­ Why did they leave the map on the desk?¡± He focused and swept the room while heading for the desk. ¡°No one, huh¡­? But this window¡­¡± He turned to face the window behind the desk, the only window in the room.


    ¡°Why¡¯s it open!?¡± He aggressively poked his head out the window, looking down for any intruders trying to run away. ¡°Fuck¡­ There¡¯s really no one then? None of the soldiers have even come close to finding us. No way they could have sent a spy.¡± His head retreated back inside, and the window was closed.


    Th- that was close! He really caught me by surprise! I was pretty sure they had all left! It felt so quiet inside¡­ I rolled around on the rooftop and let out a deep breath of relief. Good thing I can climb up walls so easily¡­ That was way too close!


    Heheheh¡­ It¡¯s my win¡­ I win this time! I didn¡¯t have time to bring the map with me, but even if I did, I didn¡¯t want it. They¡¯d probably notice that it was missing, and who knows what that would lead to¡­ So¡­ I took a photo with my phone! Now I can show Carol my findings, and we can pin down Ririna¡¯s location together! The lesson for today? Don¡¯t forget to bring your phone for your adventures in a fantasy world! It will come in handy!


    ¡°Whew¡­¡± Now then¡­ Time to get out of here before the rest of their squad returns. I wonder if Carol¡¯s done with the preparations for her plan. It won¡¯t be long until we can go after their main base now.

 Chapter 91 – Bluff x Prophecy

    ¡°Carol! Are you back yet? I found something amazing!¡± Back at the hotel, I knocked on the door to Carol¡¯s room.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She quickly opened her door and greeted me with a doubtful expression. ¡°Come in.¡± She stepped to the side and gestured. ¡°You can tell me more inside.¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­ Cool room you got here.¡± I entered the room, and Carol closed the door behind us. ¡°Looks just like mine!¡±


    ¡°Of course it does! We¡¯re at a hotel. What did you expect?¡± It was just a little joke, Carol. Don¡¯t get mad. ¡°Stop messing around and just get to the point. What did you find?¡± Carol leaned against a wall while crossing her arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna believe this¡­ I found a map!¡±


    ¡°A map? From the hideout? That might be good¡­ Lay it out. Let me take a look.¡± Carol sat down at the dining table, and I sat across from her.


    ¡°I infiltrated their hideout and found a map in there, but I don¡¯t have it with me¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why would you leave the map behind? Are you finally going crazy?¡± What do you mean ¡®finally¡¯?


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I didn¡¯t need to take the map. I heard someone entering the room when I was looking at it, so I just took a photo and got out. It was really close, you know? I was scared I was gonna get found and cause the demons to go crazy.¡± I waved my phone and let out an awkward laugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable¡­ You didn¡¯t tell me you were going to sneak in¡­ Not like it was hard to see coming.¡± Carol scoffed, then moved her chair closer to me. I put the phone down on the table so we could both look at the map.


    ¡°It looks like a map of the capital, but I don¡¯t really get what all the scribbles mean. This here is probably the castle, then there¡¯s the wide street¡­¡± My interpretation that the map was of the capital should be right. At least Carol nodded in agreement. ¡°The most important thing is probably these three circles then. This one is where their hideout is, so the mansion has gotta be one of the other two, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I figured it out.¡± Carol said with a nonchalant expression. ¡°This one¡¯s the mansion, and this one is another bait hideout.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?! How do you know that?¡± There was nothing on the map that would allow her to come to that conclusion. How can she be so sure?


    ¡°You see this other bait hideout?¡± She pointed. ¡°I went there. I just happened to find it when we split up. I wasn¡¯t sure what it was at the time, and I was gonna tell you, but I didn¡¯t find the right opportunity.¡±


    ¡°You found it that easily? I had to spend days looking for demons to trail, and you found one on your first try? Seriously?!¡± A smug smile grew on Carol¡¯s face.


    ¡°I told you not to underestimate my skills, didn¡¯t I? You may have surpassed me in brute strength, but you still have a lot to learn, you know?¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± My reaction fueled Carol even more. ¡°That¡¯s impressive!¡± She¡¯s so cute. I¡¯m glad I brought her along! ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it without you. I guess it¡¯s time then.¡± I put my phone away and got up.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going there right away, are you? It¡¯s getting dark.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°I have to¡­ I can¡¯t leave Ririna there alone any longer. They¡¯re gonna pay for everything they¡¯ve done¡­¡± I can¡¯t hesitate when the life of someone I care about is at risk!


    ¡°¡­¡± Carol looked up at me without saying a word.


    ¡°I- I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s the correct thing to do. I don¡¯t want to cause problems for you, Ririna, Bea, or anyone. I don¡¯t want the demons killing random people, but¡­¡± It¡¯s a very simple truth for me. ¡°Ririna¡¯s life is more important.¡± I think I¡¯d be just as upset if Carol, Flanne, or Bea died. I may end up making life harder for them, but that¡¯s not the same thing as someone dying. There¡¯s no doubt in mind¡­ ¡°Whatever happens, happens, I guess¡­ Did you find a way to prevent their retaliation? I told you before I acted, so¡­ Can I count on you?¡± I focused my attention on saving Ririna so much that I¡¯ve neglected everything else. I don¡¯t regret it, and I¡¯m ready to accept the consequences. But if there¡¯s a chance of reaching the perfect ending, it¡¯s in her hands.


    ¡°¡­¡± Carol remained quiet, but this time she looked away in thought. ¡°Can you wait like half an hour?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Does she have something set up? Or is that the time she needs to finish preparing? I¡¯d really love to know what her plan is¡­


    ¡°When you get to the mansion, wait for a while. I¡¯ll give you a signal for when you can attack.¡±


    ¡°A signal? What kind of signal?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Carol grinned. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡±


    <hr>


    Where am I¡­? In the middle of a dimly lit room, a girl hazily wakes up. The light from the sunset can barely be seen from a window up high on the tall wall.


    ¡°Do we really need to set up candles? Why do we need to do a primitive ritual like this?¡± Around her, she heard multiple sets of footsteps and the sound of people working.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it kinda fun, though? It¡¯s just like our ancestors did it back in the day. A ritual like this is something you¡¯d normally only ever see in a museum.¡± A feminine voice replied to the guy¡¯s complaints.


    ¡°Less talking, more working, you two. If I see any mistakes, you can say goodbye to your heads.¡±


    ¡°Armand-sama, this is too much! Why do we have to use such a primitive ritual? We could use our machines if we just took her back to our land.¡± The man said with an immature tone.


    ¡°And risk the alchemist dying during the trip? We only have one chance to extract her skill. As long as you do your job properly, we won¡¯t have any issues!¡±


    ¡°Al- alchemist¡­? What¡­?¡± The hazy feeling subsided, and the girl¡¯s thoughts leaked out. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she noticed was that all the people around her had horns. ¡°!?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re awake again? That¡¯s too bad. You¡¯re gonna wish you weren¡¯t.¡± There was man in the middle of the ritual circle. He was next to the girl on the altar, so he noticed as soon as she opened her eyes.


    ¡°Y- you¡¯re the merchant from before¡­ I remember your face¡­¡± This is the merchant who asked me for the magical dirt that attracted that horde of monsters¡­ ¡°Yo- you¡¯re a demon?!¡± Flanne told me he was working with the demons, not that he was one as well¡­


    ¡°And I remember your face too. Can¡¯t believe the girl the Alchemists¡¯ Guild decided to give that job to would be the one we needed. Ahahahaha! It¡¯s a small world, isn¡¯t it?¡± Armand laughed arrogantly in Ririna¡¯s face. She wanted to get out of there, but her body was weakened, and she lacked the strength to move.


    ¡°What are you trying to do? Why are you doing all this?¡± Ever since she returned to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild, she had spent more time unconscious than awake. While she didn¡¯t know exactly what was going to happen to her, her body had more or less accepted its fate.


    ¡°You have a skill we really want, so we¡¯re gonna extract it from you. While we¡¯re here, we may as well try to raze this country¡¯s capital to the ground.¡± The demon was confident yet indifferent, like massacring an entire city was no different from eating a meal. ¡°You¡¯re scared, huh? Ahahahhaha! You¡¯re right to be scared. Without your little hero, humans stand no chance against us. But none of this is any concern to you anymore. Your old life is over, and you¡¯re going to die when the ritual¡¯s over. Blame fate for the skills given to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re never going to succeed¡­¡± Ririna had no evidence for saying that. She was just trying to resist in the only way she could.


    ¡°Right, right¡­ And who¡¯s gonna stop us? A human? Not your hero, that¡¯s for sure. Still a long time until your hero gets the strength necessary to oppose us.¡± Armand and the other demons laughed. ¡°There¡¯s no way our plan¡¯s gonna fail. Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡±


    Ririna was shivering, but she didn¡¯t give up. ¡°But the horde didn¡¯t work. You wanted to wear out the army by having them fight the horde of monsters, didn¡¯t you? Too bad they got wiped before the soldiers even got to them.¡±


    ¡°You sure are an impertinent one, aren¡¯t you? If it wasn¡¯t for the ritual, I would have killed you already!¡± Her comment struck a nerve, and Armand tried to intimidate her. ¡°That reminds me¡­ You were there when the horde was wiped, weren¡¯t you? Just what kind of people did you find to help you? How does a mere alchemist like you have connections with high-ranking adventurer parties?¡±


    ¡°Parties? Heh¡­¡± Ririna¡¯s small laugh was deeply unsettling for Armand. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. It wasn¡¯t a party¡­ It was a single girl.¡± Armand words got caught in his throat. ¡°She¡¯s unlike anything you¡¯ve ever seen before. No matter how strong and how many of you there are, you don¡¯t stand a chance against her.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true¡­ Stop bluffing!¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen it? Have you ever seen a person shine while they¡¯re covered in blood? I saw it¡­ The red blood on her blonde hair, shining brightly and thirsting for more¡­¡±


    ¡°S- sir, isn¡¯t that the Violence Witch? There are rumors saying that she has revived! She¡¯s the one who killed the horde!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid!¡± Armand reprimanded his subordinate. ¡°The Violence Witch is just a legend! Besides, the Violence Witch was an irrational creature incapable of directing her strength at any specific target. It¡¯s nothing we have to concern ourselves with!¡±


    Ririna giggled again, spreading more panic. ¡°The same thing that happened to the monsters is gonna happen to you. The new Violence Witch is nothing like the one from the legend¡­¡± Ririna paused, and the silence paralyzed everyone in the room. ¡°And she¡¯s coming for you.¡±

 Chapter 92 – Burden no Longer

    Where am I¡­? Ririna hazily wakes up in the middle of a dimly lit room. How did I get here¡­? She tries to recall. I remember¡­ The Alchemists Guild¡ªPhilip offered me up to the demons¡­ I got back, he pointed a weird monocle at me, someone wearing a hood showed up, and¡­ I don¡¯t remember¡­ Everything¡¯s just kind of a blur¡­


    This is probably it for me¡­ I know the demons are planning to do something with me, but I can¡¯t even move anymore. I feel like I¡¯ve been under some kind of spell from a long time¡­ I don¡¯t wanna die like this¡­ I still haven¡¯t accomplished anything¡­ I was so close to a breakthrough in my alchemy. I had so many ideas, but¡­ There¡¯s nothing I can do, is there?


    Sarasa had to go back to her hometown. We¡¯ve been friends for a long time, so she¡¯d probably try to help. But by the time she hears I¡¯m missing, it¡¯s probably too late¡­ Flanne¡¯s a good person. She¡¯d probably help too, but she still had work in Rocky Ridges. I got lucky last time¡­  I had Iroha helping me when I got framed, but there¡¯s no way she¡¯s coming for me¡­ It¡¯s gonna be hard for her to get here without fast-travel. Besides¡­


    She¡¯s probably mad at me. I promised I¡¯d return to Rocky Ridges to meet her, but I couldn¡¯t keep that promise¡­ I should have stayed back until her friend got better. I got too excited because of her ideas. Why couldn¡¯t I just have waited? I wouldn¡¯t have gotten kidnapped, and none of this would have happened¡­


    Was it really love¡­? Like Sarasa said?


    I¡¯m sure she was just messing with me, but why did I get so nervous? Why couldn¡¯t I just ask her if she wanted to travel together? It¡¯s true that even now, I¡¯m still thinking about her. Our conversation was one of a kind. Showing her my creations, sharing ideas, joking around¡­ I would never forget that. And now, our time together is what I¡¯ll remember in my last moments.


    ¡°The new Violence Witch is nothing like the one from the legend¡­ and she¡¯s coming for you!¡± Hoping to get saved by the Violence Witch¡­ Looks like even my head¡¯s not working properly anymore. Iroha¡¯s not the Violence Witch, but that makes no difference. She¡¯s still not gonna¡­ Ririna didn¡¯t finish that thought. She wanted to cling onto that last sliver of hope.


    The demons don¡¯t know that about her. For all they know, she could be the Violence Witch. They¡¯re afraid of the possibility, so maybe I can get them to give up¡­ ¡°Ahahahahaha! That¡¯s an interesting one¡­ The Violence Witch is coming for us?¡± Armand broke through the tension with a loud laugh. ¡°Fine, let her come. We¡¯ve always known how risky this operation is. The fact that it¡¯s risky is what makes it worth it in the first place. We put it all on the line, and if we win, we win big. That¡¯s what it¡¯s all about! High risk, high reward.¡± Armand raised his arms confidently. Ririna¡¯s plan had backfired. Her bluff didn¡¯t scare them off.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I lost sight of something so simple¡­ All this planning and back and forths¡­ All useless! We should have just done the ritual immediately. It¡¯s in situations like this that stars rise¡ªthat gods are born!¡± The couple other demons in the room looked up at their leader, and their fear subsided. ¡°Listen up guys, we¡¯re starting the ritual as soon as possible. Hurry up and finish the preparations already! If the Violence Witch decides to return from the dead after hundreds of years to stop us, we¡¯ll put her back in her place. We¡¯ll show her the demons she fought are not the same as us.¡±


    Armand¡¯s lackeys let out a cheer, and their hands started moving at full speed, setting up the necessary props. Armand smiled, pleased with the situation and himself. He turned back to Ririna, now free of worries. ¡°As thanks for making things interesting, I¡¯ll give you one last chance, human. If you agree to work together with us, there¡¯s no point in performing this ritual, and we can even leave this country alone for now.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? Work with you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Your hero, or savior, or whatever you people call it, has a thing that we want. A certain traitorous demon is trying to work together with you humans, and she offered your destined hero a little something¡­ A device that¡¯s mean to aid the hero¡¯s growth, a thing known as the VISS Driver.¡± The what? Ririna had never heard the name before.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°You have a skill that allows you to isolate and remove certain things in your alchemy, don¡¯t you?¡± She did. Ririna didn¡¯t understand the full extent of the skill, but she knew from experience that she had something like that. ¡°The VISS Driver combines with its user on a level that¡¯s impossible to remove with any conventional methods. But if we combine your skill with our technology, there is a way to extract the VISS Driver from the hero. Then I can take it for myself and flip this world on its head! We¡¯ve shared this world with others for far too long. It¡¯s time for things to change!¡±


    ¡­ ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d ever agree to that!¡± The existence of humanity¡¯s hero was crucial for the safety of all humans. Stealing something like that from the hero would be the same as betraying all of humanity. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than you help you take over the world. I¡¯m an alchemist. An alchemist¡¯s purpose is to help others and make things to make the world better, not spread bloodshed.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! How ignorant. Do you even know how your own superiors are?¡± Ririna bit her lip in frustration. It was true. Not all alchemists saw things the same way as her. Some were more interested in their own gains. ¡°Oh well, I gave you a chance. We can extract your skill with this ritual and have one of us learn it. The outcome is not gonna change¡­¡±


    No way¡­ I just wanted to create things to help people¡­ I never asked for a weird skill like that¡­ Why did I have to get something like that? If I had never learned that skill¡ªif I had never been born, humanity wouldn¡¯t¡­  Please¡­ Someone¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Looks like this is the place¡­¡± I went to the spot marked on the map, and sure enough, there was a mansion waiting for me.


    This part of the city looks wealthier than the other places I¡¯ve been to. The houses are much bigger, and they¡¯re not packed as closely together. This mansion was surrounded by walls, and the plot of land was larger than it needed to be, leading to a spacious garden that isolated the house from the rest of the world.


    Walls are obviously not enough to keep me out, and the various trees make it easy for me to move around and get closer without getting spotted. ¡°Not like it matters. With how dark it is, no one¡¯s gonna notice me anyway.¡± Not a single sliver of light could be seen from the mansion, making the moon my only source of light. It was late, but not late enough for the lights to be completely off. ¡°That¡¯s weird¡­ Why are their lights off?¡±


    For me, that was all the evidence I needed. ¡°The demons are here.¡± No doubt about it! ¡°Arggh!¡± I just wanna burst in there already! I can¡¯t, though¡­ Carol told me to wait¡­ ¡°Wait for her signal¡­ Patience, Iroha. Patience¡­¡± Even so, I can¡¯t just sit still right now. I¡¯m gonna run some reconnaissance while I wait.


    I approached the mansion, jumping from tree to tree. I investigated every window I could, and I saw a lot of people inside. They weren¡¯t using any lights, but the curtains were wide open, so they could see. More importantly, they were all demons¡­ Maybe not all, I don¡¯t know. It was kinda hard to tell with how dark it was. Some of them had horns, though. I¡¯m definitely in the right place, but¡­


    I haven¡¯t seen Ririna yet. She should be here, right? Am I too late? The only place left to check was some kind of tall annex with some windows on top. ¡°Can¡¯t really see anything from these trees¡­¡± No other choice, I¡¯ll have to climb up the wall. There was no one patrolling outdoors, so I was able to jump down from the tree and get up to the window unnoticed. ¡°Ughh¡­ I still can¡¯t see anything¡­ It¡¯s too dark in there.¡± Still, if Ririna¡¯s gonna be somewhere, it¡¯s probably in here.


    I hurried back to the trees to hide while I waited for Carol¡¯s signal. I can¡¯t afford to mess things up at this point. ¡°Time to come up with a plan¡­ I could enter directly into that annex, but that seems like a bad idea. I¡¯d probably get surrounded right away¡­ That¡¯s right¡­ Fighting them on even ground is not gonna work. There¡¯s a lot of demons here, and without Violence stacks, I don¡¯t really stand a chance, do I?¡±


    Probably not given how things played out on the rooftops. ¡°That means I have to catch them by surprise¡­ Take out a small group of them before they can react, then try to build up stacks while making my way to the annex. If I enter through the opposite end, I can take out everyone on the way there, and there will be no one left to attack me from behind!¡±


    All that¡¯s left is to wait¡­ ¡°What are you doing, Carol? Hasn¡¯t it been half an hour yet?¡± I check my phone while looking down to the lower part of the city. ¡°Come on, Carol¡­ Hurry up¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°So this is the hideout she found. It¡¯s kinda like the one I found. They sure know how to blend into the environment.¡± After asking for some time, Carol ran straight to the enemy base she found. That wasn¡¯t her real destination, but she had to finish something there first. She discretely moved some things around, then left as soon as possible for her real destination. The other hideout¡ªthe one Iroha found.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any barrels here¡­ How is this group planning to cause damage?¡± She silently walked through the dark alleyways that led to the location marked on the map. She eagerly carried her sword out in the open in one of her hands, while the other held a small remote with few buttons.


    ¡°Can I pull this off? Can I take down all the demons here on my own?¡± She was pushing herself. She knew that. She kept her plan a secret to hide that the last step was a one-man raid. ¡°I have to. Iroha¡¯s going to their main base. She has it way worse than me. If I can¡¯t even handle this much, then why am I even here? She¡¯s counting on me.¡±


    Carol looked off in the direction she just came, to the other base. ¡°I hope what I¡¯ve done is enough to involuntarily enlist the princess¡¯s help.¡± Carol¡¯s plan involved using Bea¡¯s forces to handle the demons at the hideout that neither she nor Iroha could cover. ¡°Flanne reacted to their attack on Iroha at the Alchemists¡¯ Guild pretty quickly. I saw it from my room.¡± Let¡¯s hope she acts just as fast this time.


    She turned to the simple house where the demons were supposed to be and took a deep breath. Iroha¡­ Everything that¡¯s chaining you¡ªthat¡¯s trying to hold you down, I¡¯ll get off you¡­ I¡¯ll blow it all away¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s give them hell.¡± Carol looked at the remote on her hand, and¡­


    *Click.*


    ¡­


    *BBOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!*


    A violent explosion far behind Carol shook the whole city and illuminated the dark sky. ¡°Go crazy, Iroha.¡±

 Chapter 93 – A Night to Remember

    ¡°*Cough cough!* What the hell just happened?¡± Panic had settled in Ebrilyon¡¯s capital. A large explosion started a fire that illuminated a big chunk of the city despite the night sky. The whole neighborhood ran outside their houses in a hurry to get away from the fire.


    ¡°O- our barrels were staked at our doorstep! Someone moved the barrels then blew them up!¡± As the victims tried to escape, they passed by a small group of people on the floor, coughing from the explosion that hit their house.


    ¡°They¡¯re demons!?¡± Some of them wanted to help those caught in the explosion, but one look at their heads caused them to run away even faster.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ How did this happen? It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this¡­¡± The demons ignored the cries of the humans and tried everything they could to get things on track. ¡°Get up, guys! We need to spread the damage around! It¡¯s not too late!¡± They tried to lift themselves off the ground, but it was no use.


    ¡°Enemy located!¡± Then they heard dozens of footsteps coming their way. A group wearing the highest quality armor had just arrived at the scene of the explosion. ¡°Rescue any civilians and capture the assailants! If the demons resist, kill them! Don¡¯t give them an opportunity to harm anyone!¡±


    ¡°The princess¡¯s special force, huh¡­?¡± Strength escaped them as they realized they were surrounded. ¡°Hehehe¡­ At least we drew them out here¡­ Just as planned¡­ Goodluck, Armand.¡±


    <hr>


    From an alley in a different corner of town, a girl looked up to the sky with a raised arm to block out the bright light. ¡°Ahahahahaha! It worked! Take that! That¡¯s what you get for leaving so much explosive shit unattended.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh¡­ I¡¯m feeling great!¡± All according to plan. Carol thought. ¡°Ahahaha!¡± How¡¯s that for being useless, Iroha? Did you see that? I did it! That¡¯s one of their bases gone! If the princess cleans up the stragglers, we might actually get through this without casualties.


    ¡°Katja¡¯s gonna be so mad though¡­¡± If she finds I sneaked into the armory to steal explosives, I¡¯m never gonna hear the end of it. ¡°I hope Iroha¡¯s not disappointed I went back to the other world. I promised we¡¯d go back together, but this doesn¡¯t count, right? It was just for a bit¡­¡± The excitement of her plan working out had Carol¡¯s mind racing with useless stuff.


    ¡°It was a genius move, if I do say so myself.¡± Using their own explosives against them while minimizing the spread of damage. Pure genius. Iroha better be crying rivers of joy right about now. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t stop here. I still have to finish things up on my side.¡± With one of their bait bases destroyed, the other base is sure to take notice and start spreading chaos. ¡°Meaning it¡¯s up to me to clear this place before they can do anything.¡± Carol looked at the supposed hideout. This was the location Iroha had found. A warm yellow light seeped through one of the windows, with multiple shadows frantically moving around. They¡¯re panicking.


    ¡°That makess thing easier¡­¡± Carol smiled, barely able to contain her excitement. ¡°What was I scared of? I can definitely do this. I bet I could even win against Iroha now!¡± Leave it to me, Iroha¡­ She approached the hideout¡¯s door, taking something from out of her pocket. ¡°Leave it to me to solve all your problems for you.¡± She held up a flashbang and pulled the pin.


    *THHUUD!!* The hideout¡¯s door was forcibly swung open with a powerful kick.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    *Rooooll~~~* *PIIIIIIINNNGG~*


    ¡°ARGH!!¡± ¡°MY EYES!¡± The flashbang went off, and Carol heard the demons¡¯ scream from the outside. ¡°It¡¯s so bright!!¡± ¡°Another explosion?!¡±


    With her enemies blinded, Carol ran into the building with her sword in hand. ¡°Guh!¡± That¡¯s one down. Four of them in total. Three more to go.


    ¡°What was that? He- hey! There¡¯s someone here! We¡¯re under att- Argh!¡± Carol stabbed a man holding onto a table. The room had a counter and looked sort of like a bar, but it didn¡¯t advertise itself as one from the outside. It was strange, but she put those thoughts aside for now.


    ¡°You¡¯re next!¡± Her third target had tripped on a chair was clinging to it while trying to get up. The only one left was a green-haired demon near a hallway that leads to the rest of the building. Carol pulled her sword out of the body and got ready to finish things off.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Before she could do anything, two demons ran down from a spiraling staircase and another from the hallway. It¡¯s one versus four again, and these ones are armed and ready for battle.


    ¡°You bitch¡­ You¡¯re gonna pay for this!¡± The three new arrivals all had short swords and walked slowly towards Carol. ¡°Just buy me time, you idiots.¡± The green-haired man ordered from the back. ¡°I¡¯ve almost recovered. I¡¯ll deal with her soon!¡± Not four, just three. Carol stood still as they approached.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ Okay¡­ Let¡¯s do this.¡± Carol giggled and readied her sword. Catching them by surprise and wiping them easily is no fun. Be it three or four, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not losing to anyone today! ¡°Come on!¡±


    Carol lowered her stance and rushed forward. She immediately swung as at the enemy when she got in range, and¡­ ¡°A feint!?¡± The demon tried to defend only to receive a hit in the shoulder. ¡°She got me! Careful! This bitch is tricky!¡± The man stepped back to escape from his bad situation.


    That didn¡¯t kill him, but he shouldn¡¯t be a threat anymore. ¡°Ahahaha!¡± More¡­ Show me what you can do! Carol stepped towards her next opponent, who exchanged blows with her. Her opponent had the initiative, but both his skills and his sword were inferior. Carol dodged one of his attacks after a series of parries, which caught him by surprise. Her next attack was blocked but pushed the enemy back until¡­


    ¡°Woah!?¡± A stool on the floor caused the man to fall. She moved to finish off the fallen enemy, but the last guy stood in her way. ¡°Not so fast!¡± He swung his sword down at Carol¡¯s position and she jumped back. She dodged a desperate flurry of slashes until her back was up against a table. ¡°I got you now!¡± With a sword quickly coming towards her, she jumped on top of the table to dodge. ¡°Huh?¡±


    The sword scratched the top of the table, but that was it. Carol moved her foot backwards, placing her weight on the back of the table. With a swift movement, she flipped the table into the air, disarming the guy. ¡°There you go.¡± Still in midair, she kicked the spinning table towards her opponent. The demon got knocked to the ground, and she landed on a nearby couch.


    ¡°Buuuhh!¡± Seeing his friend and a table sliding across the floor, the man from the stool charged forward for his next attack. ¡°Stop playing with us!¡± Ahahaha! Playing? That¡¯s a surprising way to put it. She was having fun, but what was happening was the result of her using everything she could to her advantage. Could she really afford to play around?


    ¡°Gotta move!¡± She was about to get attacked, so she got up from the couch and ran towards the charging man. She held her sword for a swing, but that¡¯s not what happened. While focusing on Carol¡¯s sword, the demon loses track of Carol who lowered her stance and swept his legs with a kick. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± And stab! She brought her sword down on the fallen man¡¯s chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m only getting started.¡± She can¡¯t stop a smile from forming on her face. The party was never over as the injured guy from before now attacked her from behind. She didn¡¯t have time to pull out her sword, but the enemy¡¯s attack was pretty slow. Must be the injury she gave him earlier. Carol dodges and retaliates with a roundhouse kick to the chest. The man gets pushed back, then hits a wall and bounces back forward. Just in time for Carol to pull out her sword with the spinning momentum and land a deep slash to his chest.


    ¡°Fuck! Can¡¯t you idiots last one minute against a single girl?!¡± The green head in the back rubs his eyes while holding onto a corner for balance. He¡¯s recovering fast. I don¡¯t have time to waste.


    The guy hit by the table is the only one left. He just pushed the table to the side, and he¡¯s about to get up. Before he can do anything¡­ ¡°Take this!¡± She swung, but her attack was blocked in hurry. He stepped back to put some distance between them, but Carol had taken that into consideration. The only thing behind him was a bar counter. The surprise left him defenseless, and Carol finished him with an upward slash, causing him to flip over to the other side. ¡°Ahahaha! Maybe I am playin-¡±


    ¡°You bitch!¡± *SMASH!* A heavy impact suddenly hit her head. The sound of wood breaking filled the room, and splinters shot out in every direction.


    ¡°Arghh¡­¡± A chair? The green-haired demon had more or less recovered. When Carol finished off the last guy, he grabbed a chair and smashed it over her head. ¡°Heheh¡­ I can take worse than a chair¡­¡± Carol wobbled for a second before staring down her opponent. ¡°I knew I was probably gonna get injured, but I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± She involuntarily smiled. She wiped her forehead after feeling a liquid slowly run down. ¡°Good.¡± Her hand was red, but she only smiled more. ¡°The real fight¡¯s about to start.¡±

 Chapter 94 – Illusion Turned Victory

    ¡°I need to get there fast¡­ Before anything bad happens.¡± Under the night sky, Flanne ran towards the hideout that hadn¡¯t been exploded. The streets she ran through were mostly empty, with the few people outside looking up at the sky in fire¡¯s direction, confused about what was going on. Flanne paid them no mind as she passed by.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to buy us time. Reinforcements will come as soon as they can stop the fire from spreading on the other side. Until then, I have to stop the demons here on my own.¡± That was the result of her earlier conversation with Bea. The princess was on the balcony when the explosion happened. It caught everyone by surprise, and she immediately sent her special elite to the location of the explosion.


    By the time Flanne arrived in Bea¡¯s office, the decision had already been made. ¡°Flanne¡­ Did you see the explosion? I sent them¡­¡± Flanne recalled Bea¡¯s anxious state. ¡°I sent our trump card to the location of the explosion. Was that a mistake? Was that just to lure us out?¡±


    ¡°You did well, princess. Regardless of what their intention may be, the explosion we saw was very real. Someone had to be sent there.¡±


    ¡°But now we don¡¯t have anyone to deal with the other hideout. If they launch an attack now, it will be devastating.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll buy us some time.¡±


    ¡°You want to go there alone? You can¡¯t handle them all on your own. I can¡¯t tell you to do that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, princess. My goal is not to defeat them. I just have to buy us time and prevent them from causing too much damage. I can handle that much. Just give me the order.¡± Flanne smiled as she recalled their earlier interaction. After running all the way from the castle, she had finally arrived at the hideout.


    In the end, she never gave me the order. Bea¡¯s clever enough to know this is a suicide mission regardless of how I frame it. She remained silent until I left¡­ ¡°I became the princess¡¯s knight in pursuit of a peaceful life, and now I¡¯m involving myself in human conflict¡­¡± Flanne shook her head with a smile. ¡°I think I may be too soft¡­¡±


    Flanne started sneaking, ready to fight as soon as she reached the hideout. But then she heard something strange. *Clink clank clink* ¡°A fight? Someone¡¯s fighting in there¡­¡±


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, Carol was exchanging blows with the green-haired demon. Getting hit with a chair had her reeling for a bit, but she was more pumped than ever. This was her opportunity to prove to herself and to the world just what she¡¯s capable of. She wasn¡¯t about to lose to anyone.


    I see now¡­ He¡¯s a mace user. It¡¯s better than fighting someone with two swords, but he¡¯s skilled. The handle is impossibly tough. It¡¯s made out of wood, but I can¡¯t seem to cut it no matter how hard I hit it. What a strange material. My sword keeps getting stuck¡­ I see what Iroha meant now. Demons can¡¯t be underestimated¡­


    ¡°Not bad for a human.¡± His downward swing had just gotten blocked when the man opened his mouth. ¡°So you¡¯re the princess¡¯s secret weapon that had everyone quaking in fear. You¡¯re pretty good, but you¡¯re no match for me.¡±


    Secret weapon? Carol was surprised. He¡¯s probably talking about Iroha¡­ How the hell did they learn about us? ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not me.¡± Carol put her strength into her sword and pushed back his mace. ¡°The ¡®secret weapon¡¯ went after your boss. She probably cut off his head right about now.¡± Carol grinned, and the demon laughed in response.


    ¡°You serious? Lucky me! She¡¯s just making my ascent that much easier!¡± That was an unexpected reaction. He swung again, and she blocked. He then tried to grab her with his free hand while their weapons clashed. How annoying.


    Carol jumped backwards to escape the man¡¯s grasp. That was exactly what he wanted, and he immediately gave chase. He grabbed another chair as he got closer and swung it down at her. ¡°What a savage¡­¡± Carol cut the chair with her sword and got ready for a follow-up attack. The chair practically exploded, then Carol blocked a hit coming in from a bad angle. The weight of the mace knocked her sword away and left her defenseless. ¡°You wanna fight like a savage¡­¡± I¡¯ll fight you like a savage!


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Carol used the furniture to her advantage as well and ran behind a table. The demon had no intention of giving her time to recover. He jumped after her and smashed his mace down on the table. Carol ran as the table exploded behind her. I gotta do this! I¡¯m killing this guy no matter what! Carol was getting chased. She tossed a chair to slow his chase, and he smashed it. ¡°Now!¡± Then she turned around with a sword attack. His mace stopped the blade, and the two exchanged blows once more.


    This fucker¡¯s a monster¡­ It¡¯s like I¡¯m fighting Katja or Narumi. His movements are not normal. Is his body enhanced? It¡¯s his stats, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t really get it, but what a pain in the ass. Am I still too weak? But I can win¡­ I just need the right opportunity¡­ Even if he¡¯s stronger than me, I¡¯ll kill him!


    Their exchange ends with Carol at a disadvantage. Carol gets pushed back until her back is up against a counter. He was ready with a swing aimed at her skull, when she threw a bottle from the counter at his face. ¡°Fuck!¡± He turned his head and closed eyes. That was all she needed. In that instant, she stepped forward and lunged at his chest. ¡°Guh!¡± Her attack landed, but the man did not fall. After a few steps backwards, he dislodged the sword. ¡°That hurt¡­ You¡¯re gonna pay for that¡­ Don¡¯t think that¡¯s gonna work on me again.¡±


    Why didn¡¯t that work? This really is like fighting a monster. How can he still stand after being stabbed in the chest? Carol threw a second bottle and dashed forward. Just like he had said, that didn¡¯t work. The bottle was hit with the mace, splashing both parties. Carol closed her eyes and stopped in a hurry, but she was left unable to react. ¡°Aaagh!¡± A heavy impact hit her right shoulder, and she almost dropped her sword. Just like Iroha, her clothes protected her against the worst, but she could barely move her arm to swing her sword.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! I got you now! Still trying to resist? Where did all that vigor from before go?¡± The demon swung his mace down repeatedly, and Carol did whatever she could to hold on. It wasn¡¯t good enough. Her back was up against the wall, and she had no strength left. She fell to the floor. Her right arm was limping at her side, and she weakly held up her sword with her non-dominant hand. ¡°Goodbye!¡± The demon raised his mace high above his head. He was about to swing when her limp arm moved again. Something was flying straight at his face. ¡°You had another bottle?!¡± He was surprised but not worried. Smashing the bottle then smashing her head was pretty much a guarantee.


    ¡°Dumbass~!¡± Instead of shattering, the bottle vanished like smoke as it was hit. Before the man could react, Carol was already lunging at him. ¡°Die!¡± She stabs his chest again, but even that was not enough. He pulled back before the sword pierced all the way through and tried to hit her. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lose! No way!¡± With her last bit of strength, Carol dodged and slashed his arm. The mace fell to the floor, and she followed up with another cut to the chest.


    ¡°You fucker¡­¡± The demon finally falls to the floor, clutching his chest. ¡°The bottle¡­ Was just an illusion¡­ You could use magic all along? You were just playing with us!¡± He looks up at her while grinding his teeth.


    Magic¡­ That¡¯s right¡­  That was magic. I pulled it off¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ An illusion spell¡­¡± Carol could barely talk from the exhaustion. She needed to rest soon. ¡°Though to be fair, that was my first time trying something like that.¡± She had been training, practicing, ever since she heard it might be possible for her to learn magic. But she had never gotten that far. She caught glimpses of success before, but they were always out of reach. Until today. ¡°I finally did it¡­¡±


    ¡°*Cough cough!*¡± A puddle of blood formed on the floor near the man¡¯s mouth. ¡°Just my damn luck¡­¡± And his remaining strength left his body.


    Carol hazily looked around the room. It was filled with scratches and debris. She was happy to see the results of her hard work. She wiped her forehead again before looking towards the door. After gulping, she raised her sword once more. ¡°Who¡¯s there? You can come out of hiding already!¡±


    ¡°You can put your sword down, Carol. It¡¯s just me.¡± Flanne shows herself at the door and slowly enters the room. Carol doesn¡¯t lower her sword just yet. The sight of Flanne worries her.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Why aren¡¯t you dealing with the explosion? My whole plan¡¯s gonna fall apart if no one¡¯s there to take care of the demons.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯m here on my own. Most of the soldiers were sent to the explosion.¡± Carol hadn¡¯t lowered her guard, but Flanne didn¡¯t really care. She stopped a few steps away from her, far enough that the sword wouldn¡¯t reach her. ¡°Was the explosion your doing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ It was the only way to take down both bases at the same time. I couldn¡¯t be at both places at the same time, so I used something flashy to make Bea send her forces there.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you were thinking¡­ You used us to solve half of the problem and took on the other half yourselves. With this base cleared, the problem is officially solved with minimal damages. Bea will be very happy about these results.¡± After a second of silence, Carol lowered her sword with a sigh. It was obvious at this point that Flanne had no bad intentions. ¡°Is Iroha here too?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Did she leave already? The mansion was her real goal after all. That was fast of her.¡±


    ¡°Iroha went straight for the mansion. I came here on my own. I didn¡¯t even tell her what my plan was.¡± Flanne was surprised.


    ¡°Wait a second. This is one of their hideouts, isn¡¯t it? You did all this on your own?¡± Flanne¡¯s gaze turned to the various bodies. Carol nodded in response, with a smug grin almost showing on her face.


    ¡­


    ¡°Fufufu¡­ You¡¯re a lot stronger than we thought. You¡¯re a lot more like Iroha than you let on.¡± Flanne giggled while smiling. ¡°Also, didn¡¯t you ask me how to use magic? I saw that last bottle you threw. That was an illusion, wasn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t tell me you actually learned a magic skill in such a short amount of time.¡±


    Carol lavished in Flanne¡¯s surprise and failed to contain her excitement. ¡°What can I say? Don¡¯t underestimate.¡± She spread her arms in a boastful shrug. Her right shoulder still hurt, but this joy was more important to her. ¡°I told Iroha she could count on me, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯d fail. Whether it¡¯s magic or a savage demon with a mace¡­ It¡¯s all nothing to me.¡± This is just a starting point. After dragging down the others for such a long time, I finally did it. But I need more. I need to get much stronger. Strong enough that I can be there for Hecate, Narumi and Katja. And strong enough that I can stay by Iroha¡¯s side¡­ The one who trusted me despite my weakness.


    Exhaustion washes over her, and the excitement dies down. But that more is for another day¡­ Carol takes a deep breath and looks at the night sky through window, with a wishful look.


    I¡¯ve done my part, Iroha. Just like I promised. The rest is up to you.


    <hr>


    ¡°What the!?¡± While on top of a tree, a sudden explosion in the city almost made me fall off. ¡°An explosion? Did Carol do that?¡±


    A burst of excitement sent an intense chill down my spine. ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± It¡¯s time to go. ¡°That¡¯s the signal!¡± Thank you, Carol. I knew you could do it. It¡¯s time to finish this!

 Chapter 95 – Start the Feast

    The plan was simple. Perform the ritual in the altar room and have enough bodies patrolling the mansion to slow down any intruders. And so, there were more than thirty demons moving between the various dark hallways and rooms. Keeping the lights off surrounded the mansion with an eerie silence. No one would approach it without a very good reason.


    In one such room, a large group of demons stood on standby, barely illuminated by the light of the moon. ¡°Did you guys hear that?¡± After hearing a loud noise coming from the lower part of the city, a horned, black-haired man standing near the balcony moved his head around, trying to find the origin of the noise through the window. ¡°It sounded like an explosion. Was that one of ours?¡± The man opened the window to go to the balcony. The rest of the group was on edge, and some of the others gathered around the window.


    ¡°Did you see anything?¡± A woman, who was the closest to the man, called out to him but received no answer. ¡°Did something happen?¡± She went outside, and a chill ran down her spine. ¡°No one¡¯s here? Hey! Where did you g- Ughhg!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Are you okay? What happened?¡± The next in line was from a white-haired man with long hair and an unevenly large right horn. ¡°Guys, we¡¯re being attacked!¡± When he didn¡¯t receive an answer from the woman, he turned to the group, and everyone drew their weapons. ¡°There¡¯s someone outside! Get ready. Let them get in- Sahh!¡±


    *Thud!* The furtive mood quickly vanished. All of them could tell. A storm had entered the room. It threatened to kill all who fought with anything but their all. ¡°Ki- kill ¡®em! The bastards are already inside! Get them!¡± A fiery cry transformed the tension into desperate bloodlust. It¡¯s on now. They cannot rest until their attackers are dead.


    ¡°Gaaah!¡± ¡°Guhhh!!¡± It took less than a second for their numbers to start going down. The cries of pain caused panic to spread. If they don¡¯t do anything, they¡¯re gonna die. They gotta go on the offensive! ¡°Yahhh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me, you idiot!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dark! I can¡¯t tell who¡¯s who!¡± ¡°How many of them are there? How can they tell us apart?!¡± A shadow¡­ All any of them could see was shadow jumping from person to person. Their allies fell one by one, until only a few of them remained. ¡°Retreat! Pull back and turn on the lights! Arrgh!¡± Realizing their loss, the remaining demons run out of the room while they can. ¡°Are they getting faster?!¡± The last to reach the door keeps looking for the shadow. ¡°I- it¡¯s a bloodbath! They¡¯re getting faster and fast- Errrhh!¡±


    It¡¯s a disaster. Everyone in the room is dead, and the enemy is in. The commotion alerted everyone in the mansion. The demons gathered in the hallway between the attacker and the altar room. The few survivors joined the rest in a rushed formation. One of them raises a light, and everyone looks to the door, waiting for the attackers to pop up at any moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one girl¡­¡± It¡¯s only a moment, but the sight of the blonde girl walking out of the room gets burned into their eyes. ¡°It¡¯s glowing?¡± The blood. Vibrant red. It made no sense. It was pure madness. And just like a delusion, the girl disappeared. A burst of wind passed by the demons, and their lantern was broken.


    ¡°The darkness works better for me.¡± They heard a sweet sounding voice. The hallway returned to darkness, and the moonlight reigned supreme once more.


    ¡°Gyahhh!¡± The screams of demons returned right as shadows covered the hallway. The formation stayed together to not lose track of their members, but that singular girl seemed to be attacking them from every side. ¡°Stop her! Stop her at any cost! We cannot let her interfere with the ritual!¡± The tight formation worked against them. No one wanted to take a step forward and attack. The man in the middle was annoyed and shouted a second order. ¡°Go get her! We can see her now, so we can fight her!¡± It was still dark, but it was different from before. The bright red. The blood. And the shining red eyes. They could all see it now. A monster. Reveling in the massacre. The fear stopped everyone in their tracks. ¡°The red! Attack the red glow! Go! We¡¯re all gonna die at this rate!¡± The ¡®commander¡¯ bravely ordered his men, but he wouldn¡¯t move either. Shouting was the extent of his bravery.


    We¡¯re all gonna die. The last part resonated with the demons, and the formation loosened up. Instead of helpless screams, two new sounds joined the fray. *Clink! Snap!* It was the sound of their short swords clashing against metal, and the sound of them snapping. ¡°It¡¯s impossible! We¡¯re no match for her! We¡¯re getting overwhelmed!¡±


    ¡°This is payback!¡± Between the screams, the echoing sweet voice could be heard. ¡°This is what you get for touching my girls!¡± The red glow grew faster and faster. Becoming completely unstoppable. ¡°I promise¡­ Every single one of you is dying tonight! I¡¯ll take back what¡¯s mine!¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡­


    The commotion was heard by those deeper into the mansion. In the altar room, Armand and his men were working to start the ritual. ¡°What¡¯s taking those idiots so long? We¡¯re the best of the best. Why are they struggling to stop some measly intruders?¡± Armand turned to the girl on top of the altar, who got put to sleep. She went on an impertinent rant, but she was right about one thing. There were people crazy enough to come save her. But who? Those girls the princess brought with her? It didn¡¯t matter. ¡°No matter who it is, if it comes down to it, I¡¯ll stop them myself. No way I¡¯m letting someone interfere with the ritual.¡± Armand crossed his arms, looking off to the hallway, where the rest of his men were fighting.


    ¡°A- Armand-sama, e-everything¡¯s in order. We¡¯re ready to start at any moment.¡± A cowardly man crouched near the altar spoke.


    ¡°Get started then! We have no time to wast-¡± *Step¡­ Step¡­* The echoing screams died down. A set of approaching footsteps took their place. Everyone in the altar room turned to the entrance, and their hearts began pounding. Then, a hazy red figure slowly emerged from the darkness.


    ¡°A- a girl covered in pulsating red blood¡­ Th- th- that¡¯s her, sir! It¡¯s the Violence Witch!¡±


    ¡°Shut it, you fool! The Violence Witch isn¡¯t real. Your fear¡¯s making you see things!¡± Armand silenced his cowardly subordinate and took a step forward. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear any more nonsense from any of you! Start the ritual and hurry it up. I¡¯ll take care of this!¡± Armand unsheathed a pair of short swords and faced the approaching figure. The men and women behind him gulped but did as he ordered. The altar was at the center of a circle drawn with blood, and the markings started glowing. ¡°Good¡­ Let¡¯s finish this once and for all.¡±


    Armand looked at the figure with a confident, eager smile, but that was pure arrogance. The figure instantly disappeared from his sight. A red blur passed by him before he could react and headed straight for the altar. ¡°Gahh!¡± His eyes opened wide as he heard the screams of his men from behind.


    ¡°Ririna! Ririna!¡± Everyone died. Instead of going for his neck, the monster who swept through the room stopped next to the altar. She clutched the alchemist¡¯s hand. She checked her pulse and her breathing, then heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m so glad.¡±


    Armand was surprised by this development. ¡°Someone really did come for the alchemist¡­¡± The girl caressed the alchemist¡¯s head with a gentle smile. ¡°I never expected that it¡¯d be you.¡±


    ¡°Armand¡­¡± She looked up without letting go of the other girl¡¯s hand and locked eyes with him. Iroha was nothing but a speck when he first met her, but it was different for her. Even with his different looks having his horns exposed, Iroha recognized him as the one who framed her friend. ¡°Ririna¡¯s mine!¡± Iroha pulled out a small object and pointed it at him from the other side of the altar. ¡°I won¡¯t let you jerks do with her as you please!¡±


    ¡°A pistol? How did you get that? We didn¡¯t bring anything like that into human territory.¡± Armand was worried about demon weaponry falling into human hands, but he noticed something upon closer inspection. ¡°No, wait¡­ That¡¯s not one of ours¡­ It¡¯s just a replica!¡±


    ¡°A replica?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a replica. And a poor quality one from the looks of it. What the hell is that even? Whatever the case, I should take that from you. Allowing even a replica of our great weapons in humans brings immense shame to our-¡± *Bang! Clink.* ¡°People¡­¡± With just his arm, Armand swatted away the bullet aimed at his head. ¡°You have no manners¡­ But that¡¯s good. No hesitation. Firing while I¡¯m in the middle of speaking¡­ It¡¯s a good idea. Would¡¯ve worked if you had anything but a shitty replica.¡± Armand bent over and grabbed the bullet from the ground. ¡°I mean, look at this! This bullet isn¡¯t even imbued with magic! Something this worthless wouldn¡¯t even have hurt me. Is this seriously the best you can do?¡±


    <hr>


    What¡¯s wrong with this guy? What a snob¡­ I¡¯m not surprised he knows what a gun is. They existed in the game. After all, I have a skill tree just for them. But my pistol is damn cool! Who gave him the right to talk trash? Also, it was a gift from Katja, so insulting it is the same as insulting Katja, right? I can roll with that. Just another good reason why this fucker has to die. ¡°I can do much better. Don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t my main weapon.¡± I put my gun back in the holster and stood up. The altar with Ririna was in the way, and I couldn¡¯t risk getting her caught in our fight. I stepped to the side, and Armand moved in the same direction.


    Dammit¡­ My Violence stacks are almost all gone¡­ I got tunnel visioned when I finally saw Ririna. I completely ignored Armand and went straight for the people surrounding her. I should have killed him right away.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Paired short swords¡­ Just like the woman who I fought before¡­ Since he¡¯s their leader, does he have some kind of movement skill as well? I gotta keep an eye out for that¡­ Well, it¡¯s just one person. How strong could he be? Let¡¯s finish this! I raised my sword for a thrust and shot towards him with my skills.


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± Armand stopped the tip of the blade by crossing his swords in front of him. ¡°Hey hey, what¡¯s this? Are you holding back on me now? You¡¯re fast, but you were much faster when you got here. Did you already tire yourself out?¡± Armand pushed back my sword and swung downwards with both his swords. ¡°If this is your best, then you¡¯re no match for me!¡±


    I held my sword horizontally above my head and stopped both his blades. He talks a lot, but his attacks are nothing special. Why is he so confident? Is he about to teleport behind me? With his attack blocked, we were back in a neutral position. ¡°What about this then?¡± I accelerated my sword to the max with Slash Flurry and hit him with a rain of blows. ¡°And another one!¡± My attacks were getting blocked, but his cocky look was gone.


    What¡¯s going on? The woman I fought was much better than him. Is he really their boss? Maybe it¡¯s one of those cases where subordinates are stronger than their boss. Either way, he¡¯s clearly sweating now. It¡¯s hard for him to block all of my attacks. ¡°I see why you¡¯ve been causing us so many problems¡­ That¡¯s a lot of skills you got there¡­ Maybe it¡¯s about time I show you my own.¡± Armand created an opportunity to catch a breath by taking a step back, but I immediately pursued. I had to keep up the pressure to stop him from doing anything. Gotta stay on guard. He might teleport at any moment.


    ¡°Grrr¡­¡± He groaned after blocking another one of my flurries. They¡¯re cracking. His swords are about to break! Was I worried for nothing?


    ¡°This is it! You¡¯re done!¡± *Shatter!* Ahahaha! What was all that talk for? This was much easier than I expected! I shattered his sword with an upward slash. His hands were forced up along with his shattered blades, and his chest was completely exposed. Heart Piercer should finish him.


    ¡°!?¡± A shadow? There¡¯s something tall in the way of the moonlight. A tower? Dodge!


    *THUD!* ¡°Ehh¡­?¡± What the hell is that?!¡±

 Chapter 96 – Closing the Tomb

    Does that even count as a sword? I broke his swords! Where the hell did he pull that from?


    Lodged into the ground, at the spot where I just was, was a massive sword. Like, really massive. One of those that are only possible in anime and games. A giant lump of metal shaped vaguely into the shape of a sword. I was not expecting that¡­ Yeah, we¡¯re in the world of a game, so it¡¯s perfectly reasonable here. Still, how the hell can he wield something that big? It doesn¡¯t even fit his neat, classy look.


    Whatever¡­ His terrible fashion sense is none of my business. What worries me more is the fact that the sword appeared out of thin air. ¡°A skill, huh?¡± Did he summon it? Was it created with magic? I¡¯d love to figure it out, but I gotta hurry. Before he can pull it off the ground. Agility Burst!


    Now! Heart Piercer! There¡¯s no way he can lift the sword up in time to block. I win! I thrust my sword forward, but Armand disappeared. All I saw was a wall right in front of me. ¡°What?!¡± My blade stabbed into the dry surface and stopped. ¡°Dammit!¡± I pulled my sword out and jumped back. It was hard to see since it¡¯s dark, but I finally understood what happened after gaining some distance. The wall is¡­ ¡°Magic¡­ Earth magic?¡± Yes, the wall was nothing more than a barrier slightly larger than a person. It grew from the ground and stretched the floor below as if molded on the spot. Then Armand should be just behind the wall.


    *SMACK!* I heard a loud impact as I realized what was going on. The barrier Armand created cracked and got torn apart by his absurdly large sword. ¡°Ouch!¡± The earth barrier broke into numerous shards, and the impact sent them flying at me. ¡°Ungh¡­¡± I raised my arms to block, but there was no escape. The shards pelted my whole body until they eventually stopped. That was awful¡­


    It hurt, but the damage was not that bad. I can still move, so I gotta stop him before he can do that again. Shake it off¡­ I took a step forward, still feeling the sting from his attack, and charged him again. He had a cocky look on his face, like someone who had pulled off a successful prank. Try using the wall again then. It¡¯s not gonna be as easy this time.


    A barrier popped up right in front of him, but I was ready for it. I took a step to the side and positioned myself for a Heart Piercer. Armand held his sword behind him, clutching the handle with both hands. It was only for a split second, but I saw the handle glow with blue light. That¡¯s¡­ a charge attack! The light turned red, and the gigantic sword instantly started moving. Forget Heart Piercer! Parrying Strike! He unleashed a vicious 360 slash that even my best defense couldn¡¯t stop. My skill prevented the sword from breaking, but the impact was so strong that it sent me rolling to the ground.


    ¡°Gotcha! How about this next?¡± I looked for the voice, but he was no longer there. Above me. He jumped after me with that ridiculous sword and went for a leaping attack. There¡¯s no defending against that. Agility Burst! I slid to the side, and the sword opened another crater. I turned with a second activation and rushed him. Before he can recover his sword. This time I¡¯ll hit him. Heart Piercier! ¡°Ughh¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? Go in!¡± I hit the side of his chest, and it worked¡­ I think¡­ He was bleeding, but that was it. The stab didn¡¯t go past the surface. There was nothing protecting his chest, so why? Why is he so tanky? What the hell am I dealing with here?


    ¡°Get off me!¡± He finally pulled out his sword and hit me with the side of his giant blade. The weight alone delivered a hard punch and knocked into a nearby wall.


    This is gonna be harder than I thought¡­ He¡¯s resistant, but I managed to damage him. It may take a while, but I just need to wear him down one attack at a time. ¡°Get up! Are you done already?¡± Armand breaks into a run, dragging his sword along the ground. Arghh¡­ What a pain¡­ *Bang bang bang!* I dumped the whole magazine in his direction, but he was unarmed. Just as I expected¡­ Still, it slowed his charge enough to give me an opening. Time to dump my MP on him!


    Agility Burst, Slash Flurry, Butterfly¡¯s Wings. I gave it everything I had and just started spamming. Skill after skill after skill. He couldn¡¯t retaliate against my speed with his sword. He had to try to grab me or something, but if he did, I¡¯d just get out of the way. I¡¯d get behind and slash, slash, slash! Faster! More! More! More! More Slash Flurry! More Butterfly¡¯s Wings.


    ¡°?!¡± Did I just¡­? Let me try that again. I activated Butterfly¡¯s Wings, followed by Slash Flurry. At this level, each Slash Flurry attacks 5 times, but¡­ ¡°10?¡± That¡¯s 10 slashes! I knew I wasn¡¯t seeing things! I can activate both of them at the same time! This changes everything¡­


    Death by a thousand cuts, was it? Heheheh¡­ I can get to a thousand in no time! Take this! ¡°ARGH!!!¡± Every second, from every direction, Armand was getting hit by dozens of slashes. With no way of interrupting me easily, he had to endure my onslaught. He grabbed his sword in a ready position, and the handle started glowing again. This guy¡­ He¡¯s going for a charged slash while I¡¯m attacking him. Can he last long enough to finish it? It¡¯s a race now!


    In a matter of seconds, his whole body was covered in shallow cuts. I could tell I dealt significant damage from the frustrated look on his face. But I was out of time. He finished charging his attack and unleashed a powerful slash. I had plenty of time to get out of the way, but that gave him some time. I tried to get close and continue the onslaught, but he didn¡¯t let me. ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± He raised his hand, and a second later, multiple earth barriers rose from the ground. He completely surrounded himself. There was no way around this time.


    ¡°He¡¯s going for the shard trick again.¡± While the walls were going up, I caught a glimpse of him charging up for another attack. ¡°There¡¯s no escape.¡± If he spins now, he¡¯s gonna send shards out in every direction. But if he does that¡­ ¡°He¡¯s gonna hit Ririna!¡± Agility Burst! I can¡¯t let that happen! I have to finish him off now! He was completely surrounded, except for one spot. Wall artist! The barriers counted as walls, so I ran up in the blink of an eye and got in from above. ¡°Heart Piercer!¡±


    He should be weakened now! Please! Stop him! ¡°H- how!?¡± He was in a low stance. His back was turned up, and he turned his head to try and look up. With a thrusting motion, I fell onto him from above and stabbed his back. Deeper! Go! Pierce him! Kill him! ¡°NO!¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I poured all my strength into it. Come on¡­ Come on¡­ ¡°GO!¡±


    ¡°UGHH!¡± The sword finally pierced his chest. The glow in the handle disappeared, and the magical walls crumbled. ¡°This can¡¯t be! This can¡¯t be¡­ Get off!¡± He had enough strength left to swipe me off his back with his arm. ¡°How is this possible?¡± He tried to raise himself up, but fell down. ¡°I was supposed to be the one¡­ The VISS Driver¡­ Almost in my grasp¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± VISS Driver? He said that, didn¡¯t he? He¡¯s not moving anymore. Is he dead already? Why did he say that name? Could I get something out of him? Maybe he¡¯s not dead yet. No¡­ That¡¯s not what matters the most right now. I need to get Ririna out of here. The combination of Slash Flurry and Butterfly¡¯s Wings burned through my MP like crazy. I cleared out everyone in the mansion, but they might have incoming reinforcements.


    I shook my head and ran straight for the altar. ¡°Ririna!¡± She¡¯s unharmed. My fight with Armand caused a lot of destruction. I was worried she might get hit by some debris, but no. She¡¯s fine. Good¡­


    ¡°Nghh¡­¡± Ririna twitched, and her eyes softly opened. ¡°I- Iroha¡­?¡± Her voice sounded like she was sleep talking.


    ¡°Ririna! You¡¯re awake! Are you alright? Can you hear me?¡± I wrapped my hand around her back and lifted her slightly. She was very sluggish and barely reacted to anything.


    ¡°I- is that you, Iroha? There¡¯s no way¡­ Am I still dreaming¡­?¡± I shook my head in response with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a dream, Ririna. I came to save you. Everything¡¯s fine now.¡±


    ¡°Save¡­ But you¡¯re so far¡­ How can you¡­? It¡¯s not possible¡­¡± Ririna blinked, trying to snap out of her daze, but it wasn¡¯t working. She was more aware now and actually engaged in conversation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now. Let¡¯s get you out of here first. Can you move?¡± She answered no with her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m very tired right now¡­ Armand¡­ He cast a spell on me¡­ To make me sleep. It should wear off eventually¡­ I¡¯ll be alright. Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± She must have seen my expression and smiled to reassure me. This damn cutie¡­ This is not the time for you to be worrying about me.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll carry you out of here then. Just relax. Everything will be fine.¡± She looked directly at me and smiled back before closing her eyes. Even staying awake was a struggle for her, and I felt her strength fade as she leaned against my arm.


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± She murmured. ¡°Thank you¡­ Even if it¡¯s dream¡­ I¡¯m really happy you came for me¡­ I got to see you one last time¡­¡± Then she went back to sleep. You silly girl¡­ It¡¯s not a dream, and this is not the last time you¡¯re gonna see me¡­ This girl¡­


    All I had to do was lift her and get out of here, but there was something else I had to take care of first. I don¡¯t know if Armand¡¯s dead, but he may have something that will help me make sense of this whole situation. His goals, his plans, anything really. Any information about the VISS Driver and the demons¡¯ society would also be very helpful. But it wasn¡¯t going to be that easy¡­ While I was talking to Ririna, I saw some kind of shadow sneak in through one of the windows on top. And this shadow was going straight for Armand¡¯s body.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?! What do you think you¡¯re doing sneaking around like that?¡±


    ¡°Geehh! Y- you noticed me?¡± A girl with dark blue hair turned in my direction. She had long, messy hair, and her bangs were particularly messy, slipping down to her face. The moonlight illuminated her. She had an expression like that a child caught snacking before dinner. There were eyebags under her eyes, and she had a visible fang. She slumped while averting her gaze. There were no horns on her head, but instead she had a small pair of bat-style wings behind her ears, with a larger pair on her back. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± She bowed. ¡°Sorry for making you look at something so unsightly! I- I just need to retrieve something, and I¡¯ll disappear right away! S- someone who¡¯s lower than a bug shouldn¡¯t be noticed at all.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡± Who the hell is this? Her self-confidence is so low that I feel a kind of affinity with her. Unsightly, though? If we had met under any other situation, I¡¯d be gushing about how cute she is. Is this chick crazy? No, she¡¯s definitely crazy! ¡°How did you get in here?¡± I raised my sword out of instinct. I¡¯m not about to let any mistakes ruin everything now. She¡¯s wearing some kind of armor. A small, blue, metallic chest plate and a similar-looking short skirt that¡¯s longer on the front and the sides. Honestly, it¡¯s kinda like that ridiculous bikini armor that appears in games. Not like I have much room to talk. I fight with a dress that can stop bullets.


    ¡°Eeek! D- don¡¯t attack me!¡± She waved her hands in front of her. ¡°I- I¡¯m not here to fight¡­ But I understand. O- of course you want me to die. Who wouldn¡¯t want a nuisance like me to die? Yes, of course¡­¡± She touched her index fingers together in front of her with a gloomy expression.


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± I¡¯m so confused¡­ Who is she? Is she a foe or an ally? I get that she¡¯s nervous. It happens to me a lot. But I was never this bad, was I? ¡°You¡¯re not exactly a nuisance¡­¡±


    ¡°Y- y- y- you mean it?! Ghehehehe¡­ You¡¯re so nice! I know you¡¯re just saying that to make me feel better, but I¡¯m so happy!¡± She spoke enthusiastically and moved in place energetically. Like a sudden burst of energy that she had no idea what to do with. ¡°M- my name is Lythea Heart Kamellia! It¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± She had a weird smile on her face, but it was kinda charming. Then her energy suddenly vanished.


    ¡°No, wait¡­ Please don¡¯t remember my name. I- it¡¯s disgusting to remember the name of someone like me, I know¡­ A- and¡­ So- sorry! I¡¯m about to do something bad to you¡­ Sorry for making you be nice to me.¡± She stopped in the middle of her rambling like she had just realized something. ¡°W- wait! I don¡¯t need to hurt you? C- could it be that¡­ y- you¡¯re attracted to me?!¡± The pitch of voice increased drastically at the end.


    ¡°Attracted?¡± Am I? Well, I am. She¡¯s a cute girl. She looks like she¡¯s smaller than me, but that¡¯s just because she¡¯s hunched over. She¡¯s a bit crazy, but when you put everything together, she¡¯s my type. Under different circumstances, I¡¯d be the one trying to get close to her. How did she know, though? Was I really that obvious?


    ¡°Yes¡­ I can sense lust¡­ Hehehehe¡­ Lust is good. I don¡¯t have to hurt you¡­ I can just do this.¡± She pulled her bangs to the side and looked straight at me. Then, her eyes glowed pink for a moment. She let go, and some strands of hair fell back onto her face. ¡°Good good¡­ Please stay there for a moment. I need to bring the man with me¡­¡± The girl turned to the side and went over to Armand.


    She wants to take Armand? I can¡¯t let her. ¡°¡­¡± What the hell? I can¡¯t move! Her eyes¡­ That¡¯s what that was¡­ Sh- she¡¯s a succubus! It¡¯s so obvious now! The wings, the skimpy outfit, now that she¡¯s turned around, the tail with a heart at the end, sensing lust¡­ The signs were all there¡­ How did I not think of that until now? Her personality threw me off¡­ A succubus is supposed to act more seductively and be confident¡­ Did she hit me with charm? I can¡¯t move because I¡¯m mesmerized¡­? I should have just attacked her right away.


    ¡°Oh! He¡¯s dead¡­ That¡¯s good¡­¡± Good? Is she not with him? Maybe she was here to silence him. I really can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s an enemy. The girl sifted through his pockets and took something with her. ¡°Th- that should be it¡­¡± I want that¡­ I need that information. I can¡¯t let her get away that easily! Charm, mesmerize, whatever that¡¯s called, it¡¯s a psychological attack, isn¡¯t it? What¡¯s taking so long? Psychological Attack Resistance. Aren¡¯t you supposed to protect me against these things? Let me move already!


    ¡°Huh? Woah!¡± I managed to break free and swung my sword down at her location. ¡°The charm didn¡¯t work?¡± With a flap of her wings, she glided across the floor and avoided my attack. ¡°Heh¡­ Of course, it didn¡¯t¡­ Who¡¯d be attracted to a failure like me? Who¡¯d get aroused by a failure like me? I¡¯m not popular like the others¡­ Of course my charm wouldn¡¯t work¡­ Heheheh¡­ Sorry for getting cocky! Sorry for getting carried away. Sorry for thinking you liked me. I- I didn¡¯t mean to imply you had bad taste.¡± She looked dead inside as she apologized.


    I¡¯m getting a headache¡­ She¡¯s damn hot! She is, but now¡¯s not the time for this. ¡°I- I could be popular as well¡­ If I had time to play around, I¡¯d be popular as well¡­ B- but I¡¯m not a trashy bimbo¡­ I¡¯m too busy saving the world. Otherwise, I¡¯d be popular too!¡± She continued rambling, sounding a bit bitter this time around.


    ¡°Stop talking to yourself and hand over what you took from Armand! I wasn¡¯t done with him!¡± I swung my sword at her, but I was stopped by something.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Th- that¡¯s not something I can do¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but I have a job to do.¡± She blocked my sword with something like a needle the size of a javelin. The whole thing was made out of metal. One of the ends was sharp, and the other had a chain attached to it. I knew it¡­ I could tell by her armor. She can fight.


    It wasn¡¯t really my intention to start a fight with her, but at least now I know what¡¯s going on.

 Chapter 97 – Alluring Shadow

    She blocked my attack¡­ She knows how to fight. I knew she was a threat¡­


    Before I could get Ririna out of the mansion, Lythea, a mysterious succubus with dark blue hair, showed up. She took something from Armand¡¯s body while sneaking around. And I can¡¯t let her escape with whatever that is. It might hold some important information.


    When she first spoke up, her personality threw me off guard. She had zero self-confidence despite being a succubus, and I couldn¡¯t decide if she was an enemy or not. I attacked to stop her from getting away, and she blocked with a strange javelin without breaking a sweat.


    ¡°So- sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to offend you¡­ There¡¯s no reason for us to fight¡­ A- and personally¡­ I- I don¡¯t to harm you¡­¡± Her voice was shaky, but her grip was firm. Even with her thin weapon, she had no problem stopping my blade.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to fight, just hand over what you took from him. Whatever it is, it¡¯s an important piece of information for me. I can¡¯t let you steal it like that.¡± The moon shone from the high window behind me. We stood face to face with one shadow¡¯s length between us.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stealing it¡­ I¡¯m only retrieving something he stole from someone else¡­ I know it makes people feel bad to give an insignificant person like me anything.¡± She slumped. ¡°But please don¡¯t be mad! I- it¡¯s not for me or anything¡­ I¡¯m returning it to its original owner.¡±


    ¡°Even so, I can¡¯t let you take it. If he had it, then I need to check it out. I might learn something very important from it.¡± Either about the VISS Driver or about the demons¡¯ society. The one responsible for the portals is there, right? That¡¯s what Miyuki said. It might help me get closer to the truth. ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna hand it over, we have no other option but to fight!¡± I closed the gap again and swung down at her.


    ¡°Eeek!¡± She dodged. ¡°Wa- wa- wait! Please wait!¡± She waved her hands in a hurry, but I attacked again. Another dodge. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna learn anything from this! Look!¡± She showed me a badge-sized mechanical device. ¡°Even if I gave it back, you won¡¯t get any use out of it! We don¡¯t need to fight!¡± My attacks continued the whole time, but she kept speaking without missing a beat. Looking at the thing she¡¯s shown me, she¡¯s right. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t get any use out of that. It looks nothing like the technology from my world. I wouldn¡¯t know where to start. But¡­ She¡¯s pissing me off! Why can she dodge my attacks so easily? Is she messing with me?


    ¡°I¡¯ll decide if I can get any use out of it myself. Just hand it over!¡± I slammed my foot on the ground and switched from my basic slashes into a serious attack. Heart Piercer!


    ¡°Uhuh! It¡¯s because I¡¯m worthless, isn¡¯t it?¡± She cried as she moved her weapon. She hit my sword as it thrust forward and knocked it away from her. ¡°You want me to die because I¡¯m worthless¡­ Of course¡­ That¡¯s only normal. It was my misunderstanding that ruined everything in the first place. How could I suggest anyone possibly be attracted to me? I¡¯m such an idiot¡­¡± She jumped back, and the wings behind her waist flapped softly.


    ¡°She¡¯s flying?¡± Her nonsense never stops, does it? She was right when she said I¡¯m attracted to her. She¡¯s my type¡­ I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s freaking out now, but¡­ No! What am I even thinking about? This doesn¡¯t matter right now! Focus on the battle!The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake! I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯ll try not to hurt you too much, so please forgive me!¡± While flying at a low altitude, she threw her javelin in the direction of my legs. I was distracted, but I saw it in time to dodge. The javelin stabbed into the floor, but it was tied to the girl with a chain. With a movement of her arm, she pulled the javelin from the ground and threw it at me again.


    ¡°I can do this¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t easy to reach while she was up in the air, but this attack of hers was easy to dodge. After a couple more throws, I had gotten the hang of it. Now, how can I get close to her¡­? ¡°¡­¡± The javelin then stabbed the floor right next to me. ¡°Like this!¡± I waited for her throw and grabbed the chain before she could pull it back. If I can¡¯t approach her, I¡¯ll bring her to me!


    ¡°Huh?¡± When my hand reached the chain, I didn¡¯t feel anything. My hand phased through the chain, and I stood there dumbfounded. ¡°What¡­?¡± At the same time, she unearthed the javelin, and it flew back to her hand. It doesn¡¯t have a physical form? The chain is a skill?! ¡°Gahh!¡± I misjudged the situation, and she landed a blow on my leg with her next throw. The wound was not serious. With my high HP and the thigh highs providing some defense, I can still move. Still, what a blunder.


    ¡°Ahh! S- sorry¡­¡± Lythea pulled the javelin back. ¡°At least now you won¡¯t do anything else¡­¡± She flew in place and wobbled nervously. Huh¡­ She thinks I can¡¯t move, doesn¡¯t she? Well, isn¡¯t this a great opportunity for me¡­ I faked limping and approached a piece of debris for support. Then I brought one leg on top and used it as a jumping pad. Agility Burst! Heart Piercer! Let¡¯s see you react to this!


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Where¡¯s the speed? Where¡¯s that satisfying burst of speed that happens when I use my skills? I jumped, but¡­ I¡¯m not getting any closer to her¡­ ¡°Ouch!¡± I fell down face first and let out a funny noise. Why? Why didn¡¯t my skills activate?


    ¡°Uh- uhmm¡­ Are you alright? Hehehehe¡­¡± The succubus awkwardly laughed while looking down at me. ¡°Well¡­ It was nice knowing you¡­ Even if it was all a misunderstanding on my part¡­ Maybe we¡¯ll see each other again¡­¡± She flew closer to the window and turned around before leaving. ¡°N- never mind! You wouldn¡¯t want to see me again! Obviously¡­ I- I¡¯ll disappear right away! Sorry!!!¡± With a panicked voice, she flew out the window and vanished into the night sky.


    ¡°Dammit¡­¡± I got up and sat on the floor while frustrated. ¡°*Sigh¡­* What the hell am I doing?¡± Now that the excitement of battle was wearing off, I realized just how stupid I was. ¡°She could have killed me if she wanted¡­ She was just playing around, but if she was serious¡­¡±


    [MP: 3/1650]


    I knew it¡­ My skills didn¡¯t activate because I was out of MP. Why did I start a fight with her when I was already so low? I¡¯ve gotten better, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m invincible¡­ I need to stay sharp.


    ¡°I think I got too greedy¡­¡± It was that and the heat of battle. Even if Armand did have some kind of important information, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not something worth losing my life over¡­ It¡¯s not even just my life¡­ Ririna¡¯s here too. I should have used everything I had to take her out of here. She¡¯s what matters most here. I should have known better.


    I got up and went over to the altar where Ririna was sleeping.


    ¡°I really am greedy¡­¡± I looked at Ririna¡¯s face and bitterly smiled. Why isn¡¯t being friends enough for me? Why do I want more than that? Hell, I¡¯m so greedy that even Ririna¡¯s not enough. I have my eyes on too many girls, don¡¯t I?


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± I leaned over and reached for her legs and shoulders. I lifted her and headed for the exit. Armand¡¯s dead¡­ There¡¯s nothing more to get out of him, so I moved on¡­ Returning to the corridor made me smile. Sure, it was a horrible sight with bodies and blood all over the place, but it was worth it. The weight of Ririna on my arms, her warmth, her peaceful sleeping face¡­ I don¡¯t regret anything.


    This part of the city is relatively high. A lot of the city became visible as soon as we got outside. The fire around the explosion was gone, and the sky was much darker now.


    I wonder if Carol¡¯s plan worked. Is Ririna going to be a wanted criminal when she wakes up? Will someone come to take her away? I won¡¯t let them take her¡­ I¡¯ll take her back to our world if I have to, but¡­ I¡¯d rather not¡­ At least for now, I think she¡¯ll be happier here, in this world. If some problems do pop up, I¡¯ll help her again. Just bring on another horde of monsters. If that¡¯s all it takes to prove her innocence, I¡¯ll kill as many hordes as I have to!


    ¡°Ahahahaha!¡± A cold breeze interrupts my idle thoughts, making me even more aware of Ririna¡¯s warmth. ¡°¡­¡± Maybe I need to make a decision¡­ Who do I love the most? Who should I focus my efforts on? If I keep acting without thinking, I¡¯ll ruin everything, won¡¯t I? Then again¡­ Hesitating has screwed me over too many times¡­


    ¡°But that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± That recklessness will only take me so far¡­ If I keep being greedy, I have no doubt that will one day be my undoing. No matter how much I want it, my ideal is just a na?ve pipe dream¡­

 Chapter 98 (Volume 1 END) – Unattainable Dream

    It¡¯s a new day. Full of new wonders and opportunities. ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± In a cozy room, on a cozy bed, Ririna twitched as light made its way through the curtains and illuminated her face.


    The morning glow warmed her skin and invigorated her for the first time in a long time. After spending so much time as a captive, waking up in such a carefree manner felt strange to her. She felt like she should be on edge. Ready for anything. But she¡¯s not. She¡¯s calm and relaxed. Like she¡¯s floating in a dream.


    Only one possible explanation. She thinks. This is the afterlife. She took a deep breath without opening her eyes, and took in the soothing sensations.


    ¡°Ririna? Are you awake?¡± A familiar voice called out her name next to her. Her heart started pumping. She sat up in a hurry and opened her eyes. It can¡¯t be¡­ That voice¡­ No way!


    ¡°Iroha?!¡± On a chair next to her bed. Is this a dream?


    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± Iroha rose up with a jump. ¡°You¡¯ve finally woke up! I¡¯m so glad! How are you feeling?¡± She leaned close to Ririna.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m fine¡­ I think¡­ Am I dreaming?¡±


    ¡°Dreaming? Ahahaha! No, you¡¯re not dreaming. It¡¯s the opposite actually. You finally woke up after a long sleep.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Ririna leaned back on the bed. ¡°What happened? How did I get here? The last thing I remember is¡­ the demons and¡­ you in the ritual room. Was that real? It¡¯s all so hazy to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything else?¡± Iroha sat back down, matching Ririna.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ I¡¯m just a bit confused¡­ Everything is just sort of a blur to me¡­¡± Ririna thought for a moment before looking at Iroha. ¡°You came for me, didn¡¯t you?¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Of course¡­ I somehow managed to get there in time! Sorry it took me so long.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. You didn¡¯t have any obligation to save me in the first place. Just knowing that you tried would have been enough.¡± As Ririna¡¯s thoughts became clear, some questions popped into her head. ¡°How did you get here in time, though? We¡¯re in the capital, aren¡¯t we? I thought you couldn¡¯t fast-travel.¡±


    ¡°I hitched a ride with Flanne.¡±


    ¡°Why would Flanne travel normally instead of using fast-travel? She told me she came from the capital when we were in Rocky Ridges.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, it was because of some kind of tradition. Something about having children go on a trip to visit the capital and unlock new fast-travel locations.¡± Ririna knew what Iroha was talking about. Something was off, but she quickly understood why. ¡°Since there were a lot of soldiers already there, they decided to do the trip earlier this year. We just kinda tagged along as extra bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ You came here by carriage¡­ Good thing they decided to do the trip earlier.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Iroha couldn¡¯t believe how lucky she had gotten either. ¡°Somehow, everything worked out, and you¡¯re safe now. I couldn¡¯t ask for a better outcome.¡± Everything did work out, right? Iroha wondered. Bea hasn¡¯t sent anyone to arrest me or Ririna yet, but that doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s over¡­ Carol said it¡¯d be fine, so I¡¯ll have to trust her word for now.


    The two of them stared at each in silence for a moment. Iroha¡¯s thoughts had been so filled with Ririna until now, that she couldn¡¯t hold eye contact without getting flustered. Not like that had ever been her specialty.


    ¡°Ah! That reminds me!¡± To break the awkward silence, Iroha started with cheerful voice. ¡°Do you have any idea why the demons were after you?¡±


    ¡°I do, but my memory¡¯s still hazy¡­¡± Ririna looked down at her sheets while thinking. ¡°I also don¡¯t really understand what it means¡­ I think their goal was to steal one of my skills with a ritual¡­ Probably the one that allowed me to make the Torn Violence Potion safe. It¡¯s a skill that lets me remove certain aspects from my creations, but they wanted it to extract something from the hero¡­ What was it called¡­?¡± The name was right on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn¡¯t remember it. ¡°Ahaha¡­ It was a weird name¡­ ISS Driver?¡±


    Iroha¡¯s face froze. ¡°ISS Driver¡­? D- do you mean VISS Driver?¡±


    ¡°VISS Driver? Yeah¡­ I think that¡¯s it! Do you know anything about it?¡±


    Her face was frozen, but her brain was working overtime. VISS Driver!? Is Ririna serious? The demons were trying to extract the VISS Driver? Is that even possible? There was nothing like that in the game¡­ Are they after me then? No¡­ She said the hero had it¡­ That¡¯s how it was in the game. The hero¡¯s the one supposed to have the VISS Driver. But! I stole it! I stole the VISS Driver! How can the hero have the VISS Driver when I stole it? I¡¯m definitely not the hero, right? Is there a second VISS Driver? According to the game, there shouldn¡¯t be! But since when have my memories from the game been a reliable source of information? That¡¯s right! Never! Who knows what¡¯s possible at this point? I have no clue anymore! But I see now¡­ That¡¯s why I heard Armand mention the VISS Driver.


    ¡°Not really¡­ I¡¯ve heard the name VISS Driver before, but that¡¯s it¡­¡± Or so Iroha said, but her reaction was strange for someone who knew nothing but the name. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter right now. Can you stand?¡± Iroha lent Ririna a hand to help her out of bed.


    ¡°I think I can.¡± Ririna took up Iroha¡¯s offer and accepted her help. Her outfit had mostly been left intact, so she pushed the sheets aside. She turned to the side on the bed and stood up while leaning on Iroha. ¡°Thanks, Iroha. I¡¯m fine now.¡± Ririna took some time to check on her condition. She still hadn¡¯t fully recovered, but she¡¯d be back to normal soon enough. Only one thing felt off¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Iroha was paying close attention to her and quickly picked up on her discomfort.


    ¡°Well¡­ You see, my main pouch is missing? Did you take it off?¡± Both her boots and accessories were missing, but she was able to find them around the room. Iroha took them off before putting her to bed, so that she would be comfortable while sleeping. Her pouch was the one thing she couldn¡¯t find.


    ¡°N- no! I didn¡¯t touch it. It was already gone when I got to you.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense¡­ I think I remember the strap ripping at some point¡­¡± Ririna was a bit down, and Iroha was a bit worried.


    ¡°Was there anything important in there?¡±


    ¡°It was where I kept my potions. I don¡¯t like losing the things I made, but it¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be replaced¡­¡± Ririna shifted uncomfortably. ¡°It¡¯s just that it feels weird not having the pouch on me, you know?¡± She tapped her waist, highlighting the missing accessory.


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Iroha felt bad for her. ¡°I have an idea! Come with me!¡± She suddenly ran out of the room.


    ¡°Where are you going? Wait!¡± Ririna ran after Iroha, and stepped out into the hotel¡¯s corridor. Iroha entered the room next to hers. Ririna followed her hesitantly and found her crouched near wardrobe, rummaging through some stuff. Is this her room? I guess she got a different room just for me¡­ ¡°So¡­ What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°I got it! Here! What do you think?¡± Iroha got up while showing Ririna a red pouch.


    ¡°Huh¡­ I think it¡¯s a nice pouch. Looks good, and it seems very well made. You must have paid a lot for it.¡± It came naturally to her, so Ririna shared her thoughts freely.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ Also, I got it for free, so don¡¯t worry about the price.¡± Iroha cleared up the misunderstanding before continuing. ¡°I was asking if it would work as a replacement for your pouch. You can have it if you want.¡± Iroha extended her hand towards Ririna.


    ¡°Ehhh? I can¡¯t accept a gift from you after everything you¡¯ve done for me¡­ I¡¯d feel bad¡­¡± It would be an amazing gift for her. Especially considering the one who¡¯s gifting it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just don¡¯t think of it as a gift.¡± Iroha extended her hand again, aware that Ririna was interested. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit me either way, so it¡¯d be great if you took it. Much better than leaving it rotting in a closet, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ If you insist¡­¡± Ririna accepted the gift and put it on right away. The red pouch rested on her waist, and stood out nicely from the green skirt and brown leather belt.


    ¡°Ohh! I knew it¡¯d suit you! You¡¯re so cute!¡± That was way too blunt. Ririna was all for honesty, but having Iroha call her cute so directly was something else.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Thanks¡­ Iroha¡­ Thanks for the gift. I like it a lot.¡± While blushing, Ririna turned to the mirror to regain her composure. ¡°There¡¯s only one problem now.¡± Iroha tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to be extra careful now when I¡¯m out on my own. Since this is a gift from you, I really don¡¯t want to damage it.¡± Ririna smiled, and now it was Iroha¡¯s time to blush. Ririna was just so darn adorable!


    ¡°I- it¡¯s fine! You don¡¯t have to worry about that. If it gets broken, I¡¯ll get you another one.¡± Ririna was pleased with Iroha¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Iroha?¡± Then suddenly, there was a new voice from outside the room. ¡°Are you in here?¡± Carol knocked at the door to Iroha¡¯s room, then noticed it was open. ¡°What happened to the other girl? Her room¡¯s empty, you know¡­?¡± Carol stopped when she saw the two girls in front of a mirror and nodded. Guess the mystery¡¯s solved.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Both Iroha and Ririna looked towards Carol, and surprisingly, Ririna was the first one to speak up. ¡°You¡¯re the girl from the Forest of Illusion, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    With a confident swipe of her hair, Carol entered the room. ¡°Yep. Carol Angelis. That¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve recovered completely since last time. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you. My name¡¯s Ririna Windfiel. Did you team up with Iroha to rescue me?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°I- it¡¯s not like that! Don¡¯t flatter yourself. I only helped because I felt like it.¡± Carol crossed her arms. ¡°But I don¡¯t like owing favors to people, so now we¡¯re even.¡±


    Iroha wrapped around and put a hand on Carol¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s right. Carol was a huge help! I wouldn¡¯t have been able to save you without her!¡± She was already flustered, and Iroha¡¯s praise didn¡¯t help Carol stay calm.


    ¡°Y- you idiot! You¡¯re the one who actually saved her. I don¡¯t need her gratitude!¡±


    ¡°Even so, who knows where we would be right now without your help? Thanks a lot, Carol.¡±


    ¡°Drop it. All I did was tie up some loose ends. Nothing worth broadcasting to the whole world.¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­? But it was a huge deal!¡±


    Ririna giggled while watching the two girls¡¯ back and forth. ¡°You two sure get along, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Get along?! I- it¡¯s not like that! I¡¯m only accompanying Iroha as part of my training. Nothing more.¡± Carol¡¯s tsundere loveliness didn¡¯t elicit the usual reaction from Iroha. She let go off her shoulder with a calm smile and turned to Ririna, who looked like she had something to say.


    ¡°I guess this is a good time.¡± After a deep breath, Ririna spoke. ¡°I wanna thank both of you for your help! I¡¯m very grateful for everything you did for me. It¡¯s thanks to you two that I¡¯m alive right now.¡±


    Carol kept her mouth shut since she couldn¡¯t refuse such heartfelt gratitude. A certain someone else, however, couldn¡¯t help but make a big fuss. ¡°Uuuu¡­! It¡¯s fine, Ririna!¡± Iroha blushed ecstatically. ¡°You don¡¯t have to take it so seriously! We¡¯re friends, right? You¡¯ve helped us both before, so you don¡¯t owe us anything!¡±


    ¡°Is it really that simple?¡± Ririna chuckled. ¡°Oh well¡­ If you insist, I guess we can leave it at that.¡± She straightened up when she saw Iroha smiling warmly.


    ¡°By the way, Carol, what are you doing here? Were you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You do remember we don¡¯t have all the time in the world, right? I wanted to check if you were ready to go home yet.¡± Hearing the other two talking about going home, Ririna got worried.


    ¡°Are you leaving, Iroha? We haven¡¯t even had time to¡­¡± Do anything, really¡­ She had just reunited with Iroha. It would be sad for them to be separated so soon.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Don¡¯t mind Carol. We have to go back eventually, but we¡¯re not going yet.¡± Iroha didn¡¯t like to see Ririna worried. ¡°And even when we leave, I¡¯ll only be gone for a while. Now that I can fast-travel to the capital, I¡¯ll come back as soon as possible.¡± Ririna weaved a sigh of relief, but those same words only served to stress Carol.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®don¡¯t mind me¡¯? We can stay for a little longer, but don¡¯t push it, Iroha. The more we delay, the bigger the headache waiting for us back home¡­¡± Ririna didn¡¯t want to interfere, so she quietly observed. What kind of circumstances did Iroha have? Family troubles?


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me, Carol¡­ I don¡¯t even want to think about it¡­¡± Iroha let out an exasperated laugh. ¡°It¡¯s just for a bit. I just want to spend some time with Ririna before going back. Like¡­ How about we go out for lunch, Ririna? I bet you¡¯re probably hungry!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Ririna quickly cleared her thoughts and smiled. ¡°That sounds great! They kept me asleep most of the time, so I wasn¡¯t given much to eat.¡±


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Carol uncrossed her arms and put a hand on her waist. ¡°I guess I¡¯m tagging along then¡­¡± Somehow, Iroha got startled. ¡°What? Is there a problem with me coming with you? Why are you so surprised?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s nothing! It¡¯s just that¡­ Me and Ririna have a lot to catch up on¡­ It probably won¡¯t be any fun for you to come with us.¡±


    ¡°And what? You want me to stay in the hotel by myself, bored out of my mind?¡± Carol was starting to get heated when Ririna interrupted.


    ¡°I think you should come with us, Carol. I¡¯d feel bad leaving you out after you helped rescue me. That, and I¡¯d like to know more about you since you¡¯re Iroha¡¯s friend!¡± It was hard to deal with someone who said sappy things so easily, but Carol didn¡¯t mind the honesty.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Iroha shrugged and turned to Carol. ¡°If Ririna¡¯s fine with it, then fine by me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯re really taking her side, huh, Iroha? You don¡¯t want me to come along, but when it¡¯s her, you¡¯re suddenly fine with it. I see how it is¡­¡± Carol has a sarcastic, teasing tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about taking anyone¡¯s side, and I never said you couldn¡¯t come! You¡¯re welcome to come with us. Let¡¯s all have lunch together!¡± Iroha clapped, and the other two nodded.


    With the decision made, the three girls left the hotel and headed outside. Ririna was the only one who knew where good restaurants were, and she took the others to a nice, strangely modern restaurant with outdoor tables. Yet another vestige from the time that world used to be just a game and followed aesthetics over logic.


    ¡°Hey, Carol.¡± Ririna had something on her mind, so she asked Carol while they ate. They had chosen to sit outside under the bright sun, enjoying with a nice breeze. The restaurant had a cloth roof over the tables, protecting them from direct sunlight. ¡°You said you tied up the loose ends, but what exactly does that mean? Were you together with Iroha last night? If you were, sorry for not remembering you. My memory¡¯s still fuzzy.¡±


    Carol finished her bite before answering. ¡°No. Iroha went to the mansion to rescue you by herself. I was taking care of something else that was very important.¡± Carol tooted her own horn, but she was not wrong.


    ¡°You see, Ririna, besides the mansion they took you to, the demons had two other hideouts¡­¡± Iroha opened up with an explanation to get Ririna up to speed. From the demon¡¯s planned retaliation to the princess to the intense deadlock that had seemingly formed to prevent Iroha from meeting Ririna. ¡°In the end, Carol managed to take down both of their hideouts all on her own!¡± Iroha¡¯s attention was focused on Ririna, but Carol appreciated the recognition.


    ¡°Ehhh?! You met with the princess!?¡± How did a situation like that get started just because of me?


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Yep¡­ We did¡­¡± Iroha wasn¡¯t expecting that to be the part that surprised Ririna the most, but it made sense. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. We met her through Flanne.¡±


    ¡°Flanne¡¯s connected to the princess? That¡¯s an interesting one¡­¡± Ririna had an amused grin as she tried to make sense of the situation. ¡°About the hideouts, what did you do to them, Carol? How did you stop them both from causing damages?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ You haven¡¯t told me about your plan yet. Were you in both places at the same time somehow?¡± Carol told Iroha the gist of it when she returned, but she was too preoccupied with Ririna.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t. That¡¯s obviously impossible. I had to pull off a little trick¡­ Around one of their hideouts, the demons had explosives planted around the neighborhood. My trick involved using that against them. I moved all their explosives right up to their doorstep and then set things up to blow their hideout remotely! When the explosion happened, I was already at the other hideout. At that point, all that was left was for me to defeat the demons there, and voila, problem solved.¡± Carol had a smug grin on her face.


    ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s clever¡­¡± Iroha then turned back to Ririna. ¡°I¡¯m a bit of an idiot, so I was ready to be branded a criminal for saving you. I knew the demons were planning something bad, but I couldn¡¯t just wait around anymore. I ended up running straight for the mansion without thinking. Ahahaha¡­¡±


    Ririna appreciated the sentiment, but she didn¡¯t want to imagine the possibility. ¡°You gotta be more careful, Iroha. I¡¯d feel terrible if other people had gotten hurt because of me. And I don¡¯t want you getting in trouble because of me. Almost getting executed once should have been enough, no?¡±


    ¡°No, no! I gotta draw the line there! Getting other people involved was bad, but if it¡¯s my life for yours, it¡¯s not crazy. That¡¯s what friends do, right?¡± If their situation was reversed, Ririna could imagine herself doing something similar. After a moment of staring each other down, the two girls cracked up laughing.


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­ I can¡¯t say I approve, but that¡¯s fair enough. I¡¯ll just give extra thanks to Carol for making sure it didn¡¯t come to that.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha! You¡¯re right. Thanks, Carol! You really saved us.¡± The two girls turned to Carol, but she didn¡¯t seem too pleased. Ririna didn¡¯t know her well enough, but Iroha could see a small pout on the girl¡¯s face.


    ¡°It was no big deal for me.¡± They had all finished their meals when Carol suddenly stood up. ¡°I need to go to the bathroom. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    What¡¯s going on with her? Iroha watched as Carol went inside the restaurant. She was now alone with Ririna, which sparked a panicked thought. Date¡­ Oh no! This is just like a date now! I gotta say something! Fast! ¡°Uhmm¡­ Ririna, is¡­¡± Opening her mouth without thinking was not a great idea. ¡°Ah! How has your alchemy been going? Did you have any new ideas recently?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a weird question¡­¡± Iroha tried to pick a topic Ririna would like, but Ririna was at a loss. ¡°I was taken captive by the demons, so I couldn¡¯t really work on anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Of course. What a dumb thing to ask. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Sorry, I don¡¯t know what I was thinking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can get back to it now thanks to you.¡± The fact that Iroha would ask was enough to make her happy. ¡°You¡¯ll be the first to know of any interesting developments.¡± Ririna smiled, and Iroha was glad she hadn¡¯t screwed up too badly.


    Iroha still had no idea what to say¡ªwhat to talk about next. Ririna was perfectly happy just to stay by Iroha¡¯s side, but Iroha was clearly uncomfortable. She was trying too hard. ¡°Hey, wanna go for a walk?¡± Ririna tried to relieve some of Iroha¡¯s tension.


    ¡°A walk? What about Carol?¡±


    ¡°Just a short walk. We¡¯ll come back soon.¡± Ririna was the one suggesting it, and Iroha didn¡¯t want to say no to her.


    ¡­


    Why now all of a sudden? Iroha walked beside Ririna, accompanying her. Why hasn¡¯t she said anything? This is so awkward¡­ Iroha¡¯s face was getting red. Why was she getting nervous now? She didn¡¯t like it. She¡¯s finally alone with her.


    Ririna turned a corner and stopped under the shade of a building. Iroha looked at her, expecting something to happen. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going to happen when I return to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. Will they let me go on as normal after offering me to the demons? Maybe they¡¯ll think I¡¯m a ghost or something!¡± Ririna giggled just by imagining the chaos.


    ¡°I hope everything goes well, but they¡¯ll probably try to cover things up. If anything happens, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. To be honest, I don¡¯t really care as long as I can continue learning more alchemy. I¡¯d rather not go back after what they did, at least not to the Ebrilyon¡¯s branch, but I don¡¯t have much of a choice. They¡¯re the ones with the best books, and if they blacklist me, I might be forbidden from officially working as an alchemist ever again.¡±


    That¡¯s not fair! Iroha wanted to say, but Ririna was so calm that she stopped herself. ¡°You don¡¯t need their books, do you? As long as you¡¯re alive, you¡¯ll always keep learning new things. You can talk to me whenever you need new ideas.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­ Even if I can¡¯t work, I can still help people¡­ and you¡­¡± Ririna glanced at Iroha, causing both their faces to go red. ¡°Ahahaha! But let¡¯s not talk about serious stuff for now. Now¡¯s the time to celebrate.¡± Ririna went back to normal, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for Iroha.


    Iroha nodded, agreeing to put any worries to the side. Around the corner, Carol was leaning against the wall, waiting for the right time to rejoin them. They¡¯re quiet now, so¡­ ¡°All that talk made me thirsty.¡± Carol stopped, startled by Ririna speaking up again.


    ¡°Oh! I can get you something to drink! Wait here!¡± Iroha was ready for a quick run back to the restaurant, but someone pulled her back by the arm.


    ¡°Come on, Iroha¡­ I¡¯m not that thirsty. No need to go out of your way.¡± Iroha was confused. She only wanted to make Ririna happy. She was confused, but Ririna was even more confused. ¡°Are you okay, Iroha? What¡¯s wrong with you today?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean? There¡¯s nothing wrong¡­ I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± Ririna wasn¡¯t the type to bottle up her thoughts. Her question put Iroha in the lead of who¡¯s more confused.


    ¡°Seriously? I think you¡¯re acting weird. It¡¯s like you¡¯re being extra nice to me today. It¡¯s a bit weird¡­¡± Ririna used a light, inoffensive tone while speaking. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. You don¡¯t need to do anything for me. Not only did you save my life, but you even gave me this pouch earlier. Anything else, and you¡¯re just gonna make me feel guilty. I¡¯m the one who should be repaying and doing things for you. Is there anything you want?¡± Ririna took a step forward, clenching Iroha¡¯s hand with her own hands.


    ¡°Y- you don¡¯t have to do anything!¡± Iroha turned her face away. ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re friends. You don¡¯t need to repay me¡­¡± Somehow, getting Iroha flustered was a lot more fun than Ririna remembered.


    ¡°See how I feel?¡± Ririna stepped back. ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual. I don¡¯t want you going out of your way for me. I like you the most when you¡¯re yourself. Just treat me like you always do, okay?¡± Ririna meant to put Iroha at ease, but Iroha gave an awkward laugh, still looking down. ¡°I guess you¡¯re still worried about me after everything that happened, huh? I don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯m alright now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Ahahahah¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to get worse while you¡¯re still recovering.¡± Not a bad response, but Iroha¡¯s still not smiling.


    ¡°Come with me, Iroha. There¡¯s a cool spot nearby I wanna show you.¡± Ririna grabbed Iroha by the hand, who gasped as she was dragged away.


    ¡­


    ¡°Where are we?¡± The two girls stopped in a small opening between some houses after weaving through a couple of narrow alleys. One of the sides had a railing with a big fall on the other side.


    Ririna let go of Iroha¡¯s hand and ran to the railing. ¡°Come here. Take a look at this.¡± She gestured ahead as Iroha approached.


    ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± Below her was an expansive garden with a statue in the middle. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize this is where we were.¡± With a second look, Iroha finally connected the dots. That was the garden she had visited with Carol. She now got a panoramic view of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it? I figured you wouldn¡¯t know about it since you¡¯re new here. This isn¡¯t the kind of place that¡¯s easy to find for non-locals. Though, I¡¯m technically an outsider too.¡± Ririna leaned on the railing next to Iroha. Her smile and proximity made Iroha acutely aware of her. They¡¯re alone. In a place like this¡­ ¡°Did that help you loosen up?¡±


    ¡°Loosen up? Yeah¡­ I guess¡­¡± Iroha looked tenser than ever. Ririna smiled at yet another failure.


    ¡°You know, I realized something since last time¡­¡± After a deep breath, Ririna opened up with a calm voice. Ririna looked off into the distance, preparing herself. ¡°I realized I want you to be happy.¡± Iroha started staring in shock. What was that supposed to mean?


    ¡°Remember the last time we met?¡± Ririna continued. ¡°I remember I got in my own head and screwed everything up. I wanted to invite you to travel to the capital with me, but I got nervous and didn¡¯t do it. I even promised I¡¯d come meet you only to not show up¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright! It¡¯s not your fault. I get nervous a lot too, so I know how it feels¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Ririna shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I only got nervous at the time because I was confused about my own feelings.¡± Ririna turned to face Iroha. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what was going on in my own heart at the time¡­¡± Ririna was blushing adorably, causing the heat to spread to Iroha¡¯s cheeks. Ririna fidgeted in place before earnestly locking eyes with Iroha. ¡°I- if you don¡¯t mind, can I say something weird?¡±


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­¡± I¡¯m going crazy¡­ I can¡¯t keep up! My face is on fire. My heart is racing. Is this¡­ But Iroha shut down that inner voice¡ªthat fervent lust threatening to escape. She calmed herself down and focused on Ririna. No matter what comes next, she can¡¯t allow herself to return to that.


    ¡°Okay then¡­¡± Ririna took another deep breath. ¡°I know we¡¯re both girls, but¡­ I think I love you, Iroha. No¡­ That¡¯s not right. I love you, Iroha!¡±


    Ririna closed her eyes, trembling in anticipation. Iroha had forgotten how to breathe. Something inside her was about to shatter, but she resisted. No more mistakes. No more hesitation. This is it!


    ¡°Ah!¡± With Iroha¡¯s hands suddenly on her shoulders, Ririna gasped. Her glistening green eyes opened, and she raised her head. Iroha closed her eyes, leaned forward, and placed a kiss on her lips. ¡°!?¡± Ririna closed hers again, holding back tears of joy.


    Iroha pulled back, staring straight at a flustered Ririna. She still has something she has to say. To do things properly. ¡°I¡­¡± Iroha! She heard Carol say behind her. Why was Carol there? It doesn¡¯t matter. She was going to focus on Ririna and Ririna only. ¡°I love you too, Ririna!¡±


    With that, Ririna smiled blissfully. Iroha saw the most beautiful sight in the world. She¡¯s now the happiest girl in the world. Such a beautiful scene¡­


    ¡®I like you the most when you¡¯re yourself.¡¯ Yet for some reason, Ririna¡¯s words from earlier popped back into her head. She should be the happiest girl in the world right now, but she¡¯s on edge¡­ There¡¯s turmoil in her mind.


    Myself¡­ Who am I? I¡¯m supposed to be happy with this development. This is what I wanted all along, isn¡¯t it? I made Ririna my goal. The one who settled on that should be happy. That¡¯s me. That¡¯s supposed to be me, but¡­ Is that the real me? What if I am the one who wants¡­ more? More¡­


    Greed would be her downfall. She knew that and sealed it away. To suppress the ruinous voice inside her. I decided I wouldn¡¯t be greedy¡­ Ririna is great! I love her¡­ There¡¯s no doubt in mind that I¡¯d be eternally happy with her. I don¡¯t need more¡­


    ¡°I- I love you¡­¡± Iroha repeated. I¡¯ll be happy with Ririna. I don¡¯t need anything else¡­ Harems are just a fantasy¡­ A bad idea¡­ Too greedy¡­ If I can be happy, I don¡¯t need it¡­


    I don¡¯t need it¡­


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    But¡­


    I want it¡­


    With those words, the illusion shattered. The fervent lust inside broke out and took control. After all, that¡¯s who I am! I want it! I can¡¯t lie to myself. From the very beginning¡­ That¡¯s all I ever wanted! I¡¯m scared. But if I am to be myself¡­ Even if it leads to ruin, I can¡¯t hesitate! I won¡¯t run away anymore! I want it!


    ¡°Sorry, Ririna! I love you! But I have other girls I also love!¡±

 Chapter 99 – Awakening

    Azcester. The city of peace. The city of hope. Swaying gently across the open sea, on top of a magic platform from ancient times, lay the city Azcester. A bright city protected by a translucent barrier, home to more than 100 000 people.


    Known as the origin point of humanity. To some, a cozy home to return to. To others, a distant dream destination. Away from the conflicts of the world. Where even the most unfortunate were treated with kindness and lived with hope in their hearts.


    There, amidst the densely packed residential area, was a white house with a modest backyard surrounded by tall walls. A black-haired girl stood there next to a basket filled with wet laundry. Equally covered by shade and sunlight, the girl picked up a piece of clothing and put it up on wire to dry. She did so with a smile on her face. One by one by one. Without any rush.


    ¡°Galene~!¡± Without warning, a gate behind suddenly opened. Galene. That was her name. There weren¡¯t many who could open that gate, and the only one who¡¯d call out to her like that had to be¡­


    ¡°Abby. You¡¯re back!¡± Galene turned around, and her long, flowy hair fluttered along. It was Abby, her childhood friend, just like she thought. She was the same as ever. Wearing an oversized pointy sorcerer¡¯s hat, supported by a pair of red twin tails. Abby skipped her way, and her black cape flapped behind her.


    ¡°Yep! I¡¯m back!¡± Now closer to Galene, Abby looked up with a wide smile. The same as ever¡­ Meaning as short as ever. But it was not that simple, was it? Abby was on the shorter side, but she wasn¡¯t that short. It just happened that Galene was bigger than average. Regardless, calling Abby short, even if it was just from her perspective, was a terrible idea. ¡°You¡¯re doing the laundry today, huh? I¡¯ll give you a hand.¡±


    With a small jump to the side, Abby reached for the basket and picked up a piece of clothing. ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Galene smiled while watching her friend, then resumed her task. ¡°Really, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re back so soon. How was it on the continent? Did your job go well?¡±


    ¡°It went perfectly! Thanks to me, of course!¡± Abby faced Galene proudly and pounded her chest. ¡°Honestly, it was only a handful of monsters. It was nice, but the quest lacked the two most important things for an adventurer.¡±


    ¡°Which are¡­?¡± Galene felt like she already knew the answer.


    ¡°What else could it be? Money and fame! Come on, Galene. What else does an adventurer need?¡± Morals? Galene wanted to say but kept her mouth shut. ¡°I wanna take on a bigger job soon, but I haven¡¯t met anyone at my level yet. How am I supposed to make it big like this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how life is, Abby. Those things take time. You¡¯ll get there one day if you work diligently.¡±


    Galene spoke with a peaceful tone, but her argument caused Abby to pout. ¡°What about you, Galene? How long are you going to stay in the orphanage? You can¡¯t stay here forever. You can use a sword, so just come with me already! Become an adventurer, and let¡¯s work together!¡± With a powerful voice and vigorous gestures, Abby tried to convince her friend. The black-haired girl, however, was more than used to this and smiled.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Abby. Right now, I¡¯m happy helping Mother and taking care of the little ones. I¡¯m not as talented as you think I am anyway. I wouldn¡¯t make a good adventurer. The only reason I learned how to swing a sword was to protect myself. But here in Azcester even that¡¯s not necessary.¡± Galene was grateful for the offer, but she didn¡¯t envision adventuring as her future.


    ¡°I knew you were gonna say that, but it¡¯s such a waste!¡± Abby was bent on persuading Galene. She sounded selfish to an outsider, but Galene knew Abby¡¯s kindness better than she herself did. ¡°Think about it for a second, Galene. We¡¯d make such an awesome duo! The unparalleled swordswoman and the ultimate sorceress! Two unrivaled beauties sweeping the world by storm! We¡¯d get famous in no time! We¡¯d be swimming in money!¡±


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! Sounds fun, but¡­ Since when are you a sorceress? You¡¯re a healer, remember?¡± Abby physically reacted to Galene¡¯s retort like she had been stabbed. Sorceress is cooler! She¡¯ll be more famous as a sorceress. ¡°And unrivaled beauties? Is it weird to call ourselves that?¡± Another strong reaction.


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t get caught up on the details. The point is, we¡¯d make an awesome duo! We¡¯d get to take on the best jobs, make a lot of money, get famous¡­ travel the world¡­¡± She started off enthusiastic but slowed down towards the end. ¡°We could even¡­ go back to our hometown¡­¡±


    The two stood silent for a moment next to each other, facing the hanging clothes. ¡°It would be nice, but¡­ There¡¯s nothing there anymore.¡± It had been over a decade. They¡¯d be lucky to find a single house still standing.


    ¡°Galenee!¡± The door connecting to the orphanage opened, and a group of children ran into the backyard. ¡°Ah! Abby!¡± ¡°Abby¡¯s back!¡± ¡°Did you fight a dragon yet?¡± Abby quickly got swarmed.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me!¡± Abby waved frantically as a greeting. ¡°I slew a lot of monsters this time, but no dragons yet.¡± She placed a hand on her chest and continued with a magnanimous voice. ¡°All the dragons are scared of me. One look at the great sorceress Abby is all it takes to scare them off.¡± Abby¡¯s farce was as amusing as always. Galene smiled, watching the awed looks on the children¡¯s faces. The kids barraged Abby with all sorts of questions. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll tell you all about my adventures. Stop pushing, okay?¡±


    Galene finished hanging the laundry and went into the orphanage together with Abby. Adventures, money, fame¡­ Who needed any of that when they could experience moments like this? Galene was more than satisfied. Her life was already perfect. All she wished was for the peaceful days to go on forever.


    But peace can only exist with people to protect it. An honor, a duty, a calling, a burden. Which one is it?


    ¡­


    ¡°Galene, you are the promised hero- no, heroine of humanity!¡±


    All the important figures of Azcester gathered inside a grandiose cathedral in the heart of the city. Aside from the powerful voice echoing through the tall halls, all solemnly observed the black-haired girl kneeling on one leg in front of the altar. After a thousand years, she was to be the next hero of humanity. The girl, who humbly lowered her head, was illuminated from every window like a spotlight, etching into the minds of all observers the visage of the new hero.


    ¡°Our people need your power. We are approaching turbulent times, and the power of the hero is our only salvation. The Endless Silver has begun calling for its blood. More and more people have been migrating south. According to the records, this means the Endless Silver will likely go on another rampage soon, starting a war similar to that of a thousand years ago.¡± The war all intelligent beings remember as giving birth to the catastrophe known as the Violence Witch.


    ¡°But that is not all. Even now, our lands are not safe. Monsters all over are getting numerous and more aggressive. Seems like they too can sense the uncertain times ahead and lash out at us and our people. Only you can remedy this, Galene. Are you willing to accept this duty? To begin your training and become humanity¡¯s hope? Will you accept the role of humanity¡¯s heroine?¡± After the final question, a tense silence settled in the cathedral.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Under the spotlight, Galene responded. ¡°I, Galene Laithmay, accept the role of humanity¡¯s heroine.¡±


    Even for someone destined to be the next hero, accepting the duty was only the first step. From that moment onwards, she began learning from humanity¡¯s brightest and strongest before setting off on her own. Her identity was kept secret from the rest of the world to protect her until she was ready.


    The first month was the hardest. She was asked to focus exclusively on training, but Galene couldn¡¯t abandon her life in the orphanage. She understood and accepted the duties of the hero, but even then refused to ignore the duties to herself.


    ¡°Seventy-four! Seventy-five!¡± Under the night sky, Galene swung her sword through the air over and over again. She trained by herself in the orphanage¡¯s backyard while everyone was asleep. ¡°Seventy-eight! Seventy-nine!¡± Then suddenly, the gate creaked open. ¡°Abby?¡±


    Galene turned in the gate¡¯s direction, but it wasn¡¯t her friend that she saw. Only a hooded figure stood there, making Galene get into a fighting position. ¡°Galene Laithmay, correct?¡±


    The mysterious visitor quietly closed the gate behind them and pulled back the hood on their head. ¡°Horns? Are you a demon?¡± The shocking sight of the demon girl put her on edge. What was a demon doing there? How did she figure out her identity?


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a demon, but I¡¯m not your enemy.¡± With a hint of worry in her voice, the blue-haired demon girl quickly clarified without trying to get any closer.


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    ¡°But you¡¯re a demon, right? Aren¡¯t you trying to destroy humanity?¡± Galene held her sword up but waited to hear the demon¡¯s explanation first.


    ¡°No. Believe it or not, not all demons are bloodthirsty murderers who want to destroy the world.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Galene felt relieved to hear and loosened up. ¡°And are you supposed to be one of those peaceful demons?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. My name¡¯s Velvet Power Tarthrus. I have something important to talk with you. With the influx of people into the Endless Silver, it¡¯s evident that war will soon break out. With our weapons, our side will have no problem defending against their attacks. The problem is that there are some demons who will take advantage of the situation to invade the human territory.¡±


    ¡°Just like what happened in the last war¡­¡± Much of what happened a thousand years ago had been lost to time. Galene only knew about that detail because she had learned it recently as part of her training. The Endless Silver is the territory separating human and demon lands. It¡¯s a seemingly never-ending expanse completely covered with silver flowers. Even in its few cities, there are silver flowers almost everywhere. Only the insides of buildings are free from them thanks to the constant work of the people there.


    The Endless Silver is a mostly peaceful region without any strong governing bodies. Before the last war broke out, there were records of people from all over the world migrating there, almost as if drawn by something supernatural. Then war suddenly started. The people of the Endless Silver simultaneously marched north and southeast, attacking both the human and demon territories. Both sides suffered huge losses, but the demons were the first to stop the Endless Silver¡¯s offensive. They then put their efforts into worsening the situation for the humans, leading to the chaos that gave birth to the Violence Witch.


    With help from both sides, the previous hero slew the Violence Witch and put an end to the war. Just as there were some demons who exacerbated the chaos, there were also those who helped stop it. Galene felt like she could trust the girl, at least a little.


    ¡°Exactly. Just like what happened in the last war.¡± Velvet responded. ¡°But there are people like us who¡¯d rather prevent the war from breaking out again in the first place. Or at least stop it before there¡¯s time for something like the Violence Witch to appear. And for that, we¡¯ll need your help as the new hero.¡± This confirmed the demon knew Galene had the potential to be the next hero. Something that was supposed to be a secret.


    Galene looked at Velvet with an understanding look on her face. ¡°I see¡­ If possible, I¡¯d like to prevent the tragedy from a thousand years ago from repeating itself. But I haven¡¯t received the title of Hero officially just yet. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll be able to help.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You have the potential, and we wish to support your growth just like the humans who have been training you. Your willingness to hear me out is proof that we can work together.¡± Velvet let out a sigh of relief. Galane found herself sympathizing with the girl. ¡°I¡¯d like you to take this. It will help you with your training.¡±


    Velvet opened a small briefcase for Galene. Inside was something she had never seen before. It was a palm-sized metallic ring with a glowing crystal in the center. ¡°Wh- what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°This is the finalized version of a one-of-a-kind device I created. I call it the VISS Driver.¡± Galene saw a caring smile on the demon girl¡¯s face. She could see Velvet had put a lot of effort into creating the device she was offering her.


    ¡°What does it do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated, but its main purpose is to optimize growth. It interferes with the rules of reality as we know it to change how the user interfaces with skills. If you take it, you¡¯ll be able to control which skills you and your companions obtain while also speeding up the process of getting them.¡±


    ¡°I could choose which skill I get? Is that even possible?¡± Whenever people heard things like that, their first instinct was to think it was some kind of con. Galene was no different. Even while giving the girl the benefit of the doubt, it was still hard to believe.


    ¡°It has some limitations, but I promise you it works. Please accept it. Your potential as the hero combined with the VISS Driver is the only way humanity can protect itself against the demons. Some among us are obsessed with taking over the world, and I can¡¯t stop them on my own. If you¡¯re determined to fulfill your duty as the hero and protect the world, take the VISS Driver.¡± Velvet¡¯s final request sounded almost like an order. Galene found that weird at first, but it just showed the girl¡¯s determination.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Galene took a deep breath and took one last look at the device. ¡°I accept your support.¡± She reached for the VISS Driver, and it started shining as soon as she touched it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She heard the girl¡¯s voice from the other side of the light, then felt the unfamiliar power fill her body. The pieces were falling into place, and destiny was moving along.


    After that night, Galene didn¡¯t see Velvet again. They agreed to cooperate, but it was probably impossible for Velvet to contact her again while she remained in Azcester. A demon meeting her there in the first place was already a ridiculous feat, and she did all that just to offer something so precious to a potential enemy. Galene couldn¡¯t help but admire Velvet¡¯s determination and couldn¡¯t wait to meet her again.


    The VISS Driver worked exactly like described, and over the next few months, Galene grew at an explosive rate. She got numerous skills from her training and felt her swings grow stronger with each day.


    Then, one day, it was time for the final trial. Behind the cathedral, there was an arena reserved for special occasions. Two girls stood in a dark hallway leading to the cemented open area shaded by the tall, looming building. ¡°Are you ready, Galene?¡± Abby was there next to her. She was ecstatic when she learned Galene was set to become the next hero. She gave it her all to support her friend and managed to gain the approval to take on the role of the hero¡¯s companion. They were already a party before their adventure had even begun.


    ¡°Yes, thanks, Abby.¡± Galene smiled as she patted the oversized hat of the girl next to her.


    ¡°Good! After all the training, no way anyone can match up to you.¡± Abby jumped back excitedly, but also because getting pat made her feel short. ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re going to be facing, though?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I don¡¯t know the name, but I heard it¡¯s supposed to be someone strong.¡±


    ¡°Someone strong is a total understatement, Galene! You¡¯re up against Leo Valk. He¡¯s a wolf beastman and the second son of the beast king. You should be a little freaked out, you know? People have been saying he¡¯s like the third or fourth strongest person in human territory.¡±


    ¡°I get it, I get it. Calm down, okay?¡± Abby¡¯s enthusiasm reached Galene. This trial was a bigger deal than she thought. ¡°Are you trying to scare me or something? I thought you were on my side.¡±


    ¡°I am! I¡¯m totally on your side! If you don¡¯t win, we won¡¯t be able to go on adventures together. You have to win, you hear me?¡± Abby then slows down. ¡°Sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to scare you¡­ I just wanted you to know who you¡¯re up against.¡± Galene knew as much. ¡°Even if he was the strongest, I think you¡¯ve got a good chance to win. I¡¯ve seen how much you¡¯ve improved. After all the training we¡¯ve been through, I believe in you!¡±


    ¡°Abby¡­¡± Her trust made Galene very happy. ¡°Thank you. I promise I won¡¯t let you down!¡± With a confident smile, she turned to the arena and walked towards the light.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± After one last cheer, Galene left the tunnel and stepped out onto the ring. It was a wide-open space with enough seats for hundreds of people to watch. For this fight, however, only a handful of very important people were allowed inside. The atmosphere reminded her of a slow, lazy summer day, even though a very important event was about to take place.


    Across from her was her opponent. A white-haired man with wolf ears wearing a full set of armor and a sword by his waist. Behind him, up on the stands, was the head of the church that had spoken to her before. ¡°Heroine Galene, before you stands your last trial. Clear it, and you shall receive the title of hero. Now, please get into position.¡±


    Both Galene and her opponent drew their swords while looking closer at the other. One look at the way the other carried themselves was all it took for them to know they were facing a strong opponent. ¡°Ready¡­ Start!¡± A loud voice resounded throughout the arena, but neither fighter moved.


    ¡­


    ¡°Did they not hear?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± It didn¡¯t take long until the small audience started murmuring. From their perspective, it looked like nothing was happening, but it was a different story down below.


    This match is going to end in a handful of moves. Both of them arrived at that conclusion right away. For a girl that just helped at an orphanage a few months ago, Galene had an overwhelming presence. There were no gaps in her stance, and her awareness was very polished. The moment Leo showed her an opening, he was certain she would strike it. His heightened instinct allowed him to see the perfection created by her pure and earnest soul.


    But he was no slouch either. In terms of raw strength and reaction time, he had Galene beat. Even with a good opening, Galene wasn¡¯t sure if she would be able to beat him. She needed something better than good, but a warrior of his skill was never going to show an opening like that naturally.


    With that perfectly clear, Galene charged forward. If she wants a better opening, she¡¯s going to have to be the one to create it. Most of the people in the audience couldn¡¯t keep up. They heard a clang between blades, then saw both fighters back in their original positions. Without a perfect opening, a quick exchange was the best Galene could have asked for. She swung down her blade while her opponent immediately retaliated. She jumped back as his sword swung towards her belly, and they were right where they started.


    The murmurs had completely died, and everyone held their breaths. Abby was watching the fight from the tunnel and clenching her hat over her chest, wishing for Galene¡¯s success.


    The two fighters stood face to face, making constant adjustments to their swords as they searched for their opening. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it looked the same as when they first started, but the situation was completely different. The little exchange from before changed one very crucial thing. Expectations. Their fight is no longer on a blank slate. It has a past. A history. Her opponent¡¯s expectations are different.


    They¡¯ve both learned from their short exchange. Her opponent learned how to eliminate the small opening she attacked before. If she adjusted her weapon to indicate that she was aiming for the same opening, the opponent would adjust his into the perfect position to counter her attack. Galene could work with that.


    A small smile escaped Galene¡¯s face, imperceptible to anyone but herself. Her opponent was strong, and she respected that. But she was confident in the opening she had created. With similar motions to before, Galene charged forward. If she attacked the same way as before, she would lose, and at first, it looked like she did.


    Galene swung down her sword diagonally, and Leo was shocked. It was the exact same thing. Had he misread Galene¡¯s skill? He swung at the sword to block it in the same way he had done before. The angle this time guaranteed that his counter would hit Galene, resulting in his win. He swung with all his might, planning on using the momentum of Galene¡¯s sword to stop his swing and line up the counterattack.


    *Clang¡­*


    But the impact was far weaker than he expected. Galene¡¯s swing was the same, but it had no strength behind it. He successfully diverted her sword, but now he couldn¡¯t stop his swing. That was Galene¡¯s plan all along. She used the momentum from the impact to move her sword around and strike her opponent¡¯s out-of-control sword from below.


    *Whoosh~*


    ¡°The match is over!¡± Leo was disarmed, and his sword spun through the air. The man behind him declared the end of the match. ¡°Victory goes to Galene. With this, Galene¡¯s trials have finished, and she has rightfully obtained the title of hero!¡± The people in the crowd applauded, and Galene offered a hand to her opponent.


    ¡°It was an honor to fight you.¡± He said with a smile, then stood to the side, allowing Galene to speak with the head of the church directly.


    ¡°Hear me, heroine Galene. The world is moving towards turbulent times. There¡¯s not much time to prepare, but humanity¡¯s counting on you. Travel the world and build up your strength while helping our people. Eliminate all the monsters and demons and evil threatening our peace, and save us from any coming tragedies.¡± Galene looked up all of a sudden, like she had something to say. The head stopped for moment to give her a moment to speak.


    ¡°With all due respect, as a hero, my duty is to eliminate evil. It would go against the hero¡¯s duty to eliminate those who are not evil, be they monster or demon.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ You¡¯re correct¡­¡± There were some among the audience that wished to use the hero¡¯s power to eradicate all demons, but they had no choice but to stay quiet. ¡°That too is part of the hero¡¯s mercy. We¡¯ll stand by your decisions and support you on your journey. Now go, heroine Galene. Protect our people and save our world. Our lives rest on your shoulders.¡±


    Feeling that weight clearer than ever, Galene felt a mix between anxiety and pride. ¡°Understood! Leave it to me!¡± Galene knelt one last time, and she was again showered with applause.


    The following day, there¡¯d be a ceremony similar to this one but open to the public, and then Galene would leave Azcester and head to the continent. Destiny was already moving. It wasn¡¯t the destiny she had chosen, but she accepted the role given to her. It was a big burden, no doubt, but there was no bigger honor than being the hero.


    <hr>


    The heroine Galene had her awakening, but she was not the only awaking girl shouldering a heavy burden.


    In a comfy hotel room, near the fast-travel station of Ebrilyon¡¯s capital, the morning light peeked in through the blinds. It gently warmed up a certain girl¡¯s face, causing her to slowly wake up. Just like the destined heroine, she too had a heavy burden on her arms, namely, Ririna and Carol¡¯s heads, who were using her as a pillow.


    ¡°Ngnn¡­¡± Am I dreaming? I looked to the left, and there was Ririna resting her head on my arm. I¡¯m convinced. This is a dream. And on my right¡­ Carol! She looks so cute while she¡¯s asleep¡­ I could probably die happy now¡­ Ahahaha¡­ I see¡­ So this is bliss¡­ Ahh¡­ How wonderful¡­

 Chapter 100 – Dreams Under Sheets

    *Knock knock.*


    ¡°Katja, is that you? Come in.¡± Shinji¡¯s office was located on the second floor of what they called the House of Imaginary Boundaries main building. He spent most of his time out, working closer to the Paranormal Defense Forces offices. That way he would distract any potential troublemakers and keep them away from his organization. He was technically the girls¡¯ handler, but he gave them unprecedented freedom for their industry. This made him very beloved even though his presence wasn¡¯t the strongest.


    ¡°Thanks for getting here so quickly. Take a seat. I hope I didn¡¯t bother you by calling you all of a sudden.¡± He was working on some documents when Katja entered the room. After lining them up neatly, he opened one of the shelves and put them away for the conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I wasn¡¯t doing anything important. How may I help?¡± Katja sat down with perfect posture. She was acting like a soldier trying to look good in front of a superior.


    ¡°That¡¯s too formal, Katja. You don¡¯t need to be so tense.¡± He told Katja, even though he¡¯s the one who always speaks politely. What a ridiculous man to take on the role of a handler. Katja smiled. ¡°I called you here to ask some questions about the current situation. There are some rumors going around of how supernatural threats are getting worse. Some say there have been more monsters appearing recently, others say portals are opening more frequently¡­ Maybe there was some kind of jump recently. I want to know your perspective as someone who¡¯s actually down on the field. What do you think, Katja?¡±


    Shinji intertwined his fingers and rested his hands on his desk. Katja saw worry on the man¡¯s naturally calm face. ¡°I agree. There does seem to have been a jump recently. It feels like there are reports of small monsters roaming around every single day now. We definitely started getting more small jobs around two months ago.¡±


    Katja crossed her arms to think, then continued. ¡°The portals too. We had one just before Iroha joined us. We should have been fine for a few months, but the portal in the harbor appeared barely a month later. If this continues, I think it will be safe to say that portals are opening more frequently.¡±


    ¡°Just like I thought¡­¡± Shinji let out a troubled sigh. ¡°One of the PSF squads recently ran into some problems on a mission, and now they¡¯re all panicking. They¡¯re scared of making another mistake, so they¡¯re scrambling to put together a better team to try again. Who knows how long that will take them¡­¡± Shinji shook his head. Katja picked up on what he was getting at.


    ¡°Meaning there¡¯s a high likelihood that they¡¯ll try to dump the unfinished job on us, right? You want us to be ready just in case.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly it. Thank you, Katja. Please make sure you¡¯re ready if we get called.¡± Shinji was proud of how efficient his team was, especially when most of the work he did didn¡¯t directly contribute to that. ¡°Speaking of which, where has Carol been? I haven¡¯t run into her recently¡­ Or Iroha for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Th- that¡¯s¡­ a complicated situation¡­¡± Katja was stumped. If the House played by the books, both of them would be in serious trouble right now. Might even get accused of desertion. ¡°They disappeared together to training, and we can¡¯t reach them consistently. Are they in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Trouble?¡± The question shocked Shinji. ¡°No no no! The House of Imaginary Boundaries exists to escape the PSF¡¯s stiffness. You know I don¡¯t poke my nose into the members¡¯ behaviors. I trust your judgment.¡± Katja¡¯s worry was silly in the first place.


    ¡°Of course. Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    ¡°So Carol¡¯s training on her own now¡­¡± Shinji let out a delightful sigh. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see our newcomer motivating her. Hopefully she gets some nice results this time. It¡¯d be nice for her to gain some confidence and stop beating herself up over not reaching your levels just yet.¡±


    ¡°I hope so too. Maybe she can find a new source of strength. She always pushes herself so hard¡­ It¡¯d be nice if she could just smile for once.¡± Katja smiled in agreement to Shinji. Their sudden training trip was a weird situation for everyone at the House, but Kajta was hopeful. I wonder how their training is going¡­?


    <hr>


    It¡¯s real! It¡¯s actually real! Waking up next to Carol and Ririna is such an unbelievable situation that I seriously thought I was still dreaming. I¡¯m not! This is not a dream! Still, it¡¯s not healthy to get this excited so soon after waking up.


    Is this enough for me to die happy? Wait¡­ Not yet! Carol to my right, Ririna to my left, both using my arms as pillows. I¡¯d be happier if they weren¡¯t completely numb, but it¡¯s a fair trade. They¡¯re both so cute¡­ Ririna¡¯s adorable sleeping face¡­ I could stare at her forever¡­ And her lips¡­


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    Huh¡­ I wonder if I could kiss them¡­? They look so soft¡­ So tempting¡­ Yesterday wasn¡¯t enough. I want more. Can I? Would she like it? My cheeks grew red as I argued with myself. It¡¯s fine! Why the hell am I hesitating now? I didn¡¯t get this far by being a coward! I gently wiggled my arm from under Carol¡¯s head and turned to Ririna. Here it goes!


    *Chhuuuu~!!*


    ¡°?!¡± My kiss woke her up, and her eyes widened in surprise. The next second she softly closed them again and leaned into the kiss. ¡°Good morning to you too, Iroha.¡± She whispered with a smug grin on her face as our lips parted. ¡°You¡¯re a naughty girl kissing me first thing in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. You looked so so soooo cute that I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Ririna¡¯s smile became even more delighted.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You called me cute, so I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡± She giggled before letting out a troubled sigh. I held my breath in suspense. ¡°This isn¡¯t good though, Iroha. Getting woken up by my prince charming is too good. It¡¯s like I¡¯m living in a fairy tale. I might get addicted to this.¡±


    Sounds like a good problem to have! Why is she getting me all worried for nothing? ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked it, but I think you meant princess.¡±


    ¡°Wooowww¡­ She even has the gall to call herself a princess. How vain¡­ Just who did I end up falling in love with?¡± Great, she¡¯s teasing me now. Will a second kiss shut her up?


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Just as I was coming up with contrived plots against Ririna¡¯s teasing, a sulky Carol called out to me while grabbing my shoulder.


    ¡°Sorry, Carol. Did we wake you up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± What¡¯s she unhappy about then? Well, knowing her, it must be because¡­


    ¡°Did you mean the kiss?¡± Ririna asked Carol boastfully. Why is she tossing more wood into the fire? This isn¡¯t going to end well¡­ ¡°It shouldn¡¯t bother you, though. Weren¡¯t you the one who said you couldn¡¯t accept a relationship with Iroha if she¡¯s also with me?¡±


    Ouch¡­ She angered Carol, and now she¡¯s clenching my shoulder. ¡°Shut up!¡± She snapped back at Ririna then pushed my shoulder down, rolling me to my back. She raised herself while holding down my shoulder and went straight for a kiss. Hehehe~


    ¡°Yeah¡­ You¡¯re right¡­¡± Carol broke off the kiss and continued with an irritable voice. ¡°I can¡¯t accept it¡­ After all, I want Iroha all to myself! I can¡¯t accept her dating somebody else at the same time. But I¡¯m not backing down. I won¡¯t let you do as you please and get ahead of me. I¡¯ll put up with it until I decide how to clean up this mess¡­¡± She laid back down while clinging possessively. Carol sure is a cutie¡­ I knew that from the beginning, of course!


    This is our relationship now¡­ No wonder I thought I was still dreaming. This is too perfect to be true! I know this is the arrangement we settled on yesterday. But even though I remember how we got here, it still doesn¡¯t feel real. After Ririna¡¯s confession, the rest of the day was so emotion-rich that the rational part of my brain hasn¡¯t caught up yet.


    At first, Ririna almost ran off in tears, thinking I was rejecting her. I kinda screwed up by telling her sorry. I could have phrased that better. Carol somehow managed to find us after Ririna brought us to that isolated spot with the nice view. Her appearance stopped Ririna in her tracks as she was running away.


    ¡°Wait¡­ you said ¡®other girls¡¯¡­¡± She stopped to think while staring at Carol. ¡°Like her? Do you like Carol too?¡±


    ¡°Hahh!?!?¡± Ririna shocked Carol by pointing at her while asking that question. Carol being there really caught me by surprise. She had overheard everything. There was no point in pretending, so I answered Ririna truthfully. I didn¡¯t like Carol, I loved her.


    ¡°Are you serious?! You gotta be joking!¡± Carol turned into a tomato in an instant. I thought she was just embarrassed, but she approached me while fuming. ¡°If you love me, then why do you also love someone else? Do you think I¡¯m not enough?!¡± She was extremely mad, and honestly, who could blame her?


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Ririna being there, the situation would have been completely unsalvageable. Just as Carol was getting heated, Ririna realized something else. ¡°Wh- why ¡®sorry¡¯ then? I¡¯m not one of the girls you love? But you said¡­¡± Ririna had a mix of worry and hope on her face.


    ¡°No! I love you! I just thought you¡¯d be disappointed in me. That¡¯s why¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I don¡¯t care about others! I wanna be with you!¡± Ririna ran back to hug me.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it weird? That I love multiple girls?¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m weird too by confessing to a girl. There are nobles who have lots of wives. Even some ladies have multiple lovers. Sure, I¡¯ve never heard of a woman with lots of female lovers, but it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s a first time for everything. I don¡¯t care about anything else as long as I can be with you!¡± Ririna hugged me tightly while making her point. It was a huge relief, but Carol was totally confused.


    ¡°Y- you¡¯re fine with it? How the hell can you accept that? Don¡¯t you want her all to yourself?¡±


    Ririna answered Carol without turning her way. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that. I¡¯ll be happy if I can stay with Iroha. My dreams will come true if we¡¯re together!¡±


    Carol gritted her teeth in frustration. This is why I always tried to take things slow. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone¡­ ¡°Sorry, Carol. I didn¡¯t want to spring this on you like this¡­ You must be disappointed now that you¡¯ve seen the kind of girl I am¡­¡±


    Something inside Carol snapped. ¡°Who said you could speak for me?! That¡¯s not enough to change how I feel! Don¡¯t talk like you understand anything. I still love¡­ you¡­¡± Her voice was barely audible at the end as she blushed more intensely.


    ¡°Wha¡­?¡±


    ¡°I love you, you idiot!¡± She pushed Ririna to the side and went in for a kiss of her own. I couldn¡¯t believe what had happened¡­ It was such a ridiculous situation. These girls are seriously cute, though. I¡¯m so lucky I get to date both of them. Carol couldn¡¯t accept that as a final resolution.


    We went back to the hotel and talked for hours, trying to settle on something, but we still couldn¡¯t figure out anything. We got tired at some point and fell asleep like this. It¡¯s a temporary solution right now, but I¡¯ve never been happier. I can¡¯t believe both of them accepted my fucked-up desires. Kinda¡­ Carol¡¯s not fully on board¡­ She¡¯s hoping to make me fall for her even harder and give up on Ririna.


    I have to return the favor from now on. I have to make them happy. No more mistakes from now. I must be perfect now not just for mine but also their sakes. I owe them for their wonderful gift!


    ¡°I love you, Iroha. I¡¯ll cook for you every day¡­¡± Still riding on the high from yesterday, Ririna cuddled up to me, still half asleep.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you cooked.¡± Hearing her random declaration helped me loosen up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you potions.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Am I meant to survive on just potions? Make some food too, okay?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ I might be able to handle that¡­ I¡¯ll give it some thought.¡± While Ririna was babbling, Carol tugged my dress.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Iroha. I¡¯ll cook all your meals for you, so just forget about her.¡± Carol looked up, blushing lightly.


    ¡°You know how to cook? Hecate¡¯s the only one I¡¯ve ever seen in the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. I¡¯ve helped her a few times. I can pick up in no time.¡± Wow¡­ I can foresee a tragedy already¡­ ¡°What¡¯s with that face? You don¡¯t want me to cook for you? Say something already!¡± She picked up on my worries and snapped back.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing! I¡¯d love to eat your cooking. I¡¯m sure it will be great!¡± Carol, Ririna, I¡¯ll make you happy without fail.

 Chapter 101 – Lovely in both Worlds

    ¡°We¡¯re finally going back today, right? No more surprises, got it, Iroha?¡± The three of us finally got up from bed after messing around for way too long. I was so happy with how things had been going that I was in a bit of a daze. Ririna wasn¡¯t doing much better, and Carol seemed like the only one who was functioning properly. We were standing around in the room when she immediately got the ball rolling.


    ¡°*Nod.* It¡¯s about time, isn¡¯t it?¡± I answered while stretching.


    ¡°Ehh? You¡¯re actually leaving?¡± Ririna was surprised even though she should have known already.


    ¡°Sorry, Ririna. I told you before we had to go back home. I¡¯ll come back soon, okay?¡±


    ¡°You did say it, but we weren¡¯t lovers back then. Married couples are supposed to stick together. I thought you¡¯d change your mind¡­¡± Ririna went straight to the point while blushing lightly. She looked up at me optimistically while shuffling in place. Absolute cutie!


    ¡°Hehehe~ I want to stick with you all the time too, but that¡¯s impossible¡­ Besides, we aren¡¯t exactly married.¡±


    ¡°Not yet¡­¡± So bold, so honest, so lovely! We¡¯re getting married for sure!


    ¡°Right? I can¡¯t wait!¡± She made me so happy that I started getting carried away. ¡°Can we even get married?¡± Is that allowed in this world? ¡°Either way, I¡¯m not going away for long. We have people back at home waiting for us, and we¡¯ve been unreachable for a while. We just need to tell them that everything¡¯s fine, then I¡¯ll come right back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± When she got kidnapped, Ririna was the one who left Iroha hanging. She wanted to stay together, but it was only fair for her to be the one to wait this time. ¡°While you¡¯re away, is it fine for me to go outside? Is it safe, or is there still anyone after me?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure¡­ I think Carol and I defeated all the demons in the capital. If there are any survivors, it will take them time to regroup. They shouldn¡¯t have the manpower to go after you¡­ Right?¡± I turned to Carol for a second opinion. She looked a bit annoyed with how we¡¯d been talking leisurely.


    ¡°If there were any demons left, they would have launched their counterattack when the mansion was invaded. We took out all their forces, so you should be fine. You probably wanna try to be careful or whatever regardless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. I¡¯ll be careful then.¡±


    ¡°Were you planning on doing something?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I think I should return to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild.¡± Huh?! She¡¯s going back there? That¡¯s not good! ¡°They claimed I died, right? I gotta clear up the misunderstanding before they revoke my membership. It will get harder to continue practicing otherwise.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go! Not after what they did to you!¡± What¡¯s the right choice here? I can¡¯t let the same thing happen to her again. ¡°At least wait until I come back. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Alchemists¡¯ Guild under investigation right now? They can¡¯t do anything. You¡¯re making too much of a fuss, Iroha.¡± Ririna smiled reassuringly. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m taking smoke bombs and other things with me this time! I¡¯m an alchemist who can gather materials on my own. I can handle myself!¡±


    She¡¯s not wrong¡­ Whenever she supported us during battle, she never really got herself in trouble. Without the demons there, perhaps she¡¯ll actually be fine, but¡­ ¡°You¡¯re my girlfriend, Ririna. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you again¡­¡± Though I¡¯m going to cause trouble for her if I start telling her how to live her life¡­ What exactly should I do?


    ¡°Girlfriend¡­¡± Ririna blushed. ¡°How about this then? I¡¯ll try to contact Sarasa or Flanne before going. Nothing¡¯s gonna happen if I¡¯m with one of them, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± They¡¯re both good people¡­ If she¡¯s with them, she¡¯ll certainly be safe¡­ ¡°Fine, I guess¡­ I¡¯ll try to come back as soon as possible to accompany you if they¡¯re not available. If the guild does anything to you, I¡¯ll slaughter them all! You can count of that!¡± I said that last part with a silly tone, and Ririna laughed.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Okay, let¡¯s do that!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ughh¡­ I¡¯m so nervous¡­ And worried! Is this what it feels like when you¡¯re losing a war? Surrounded on both sides with no way of escape?¡± Carol and I crossed the portal back to our world and walked in the direction of the dorm. I can already picture it. Hecate¡¯s gonna be so mad! And Ririna! Will she be alright? I¡¯m surrounded on both worlds.


    ¡°If you were going to worry this much, you should have just stayed with her. That¡¯s what you wanted anyway.¡± Carol was walking in front, pouting.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯d be causing problems for you then¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Now you care about causing problems for others? After forcing me into this weird arrangement?¡± She¡¯s jealous, isn¡¯t she? What do I do now?


    ¡°Ahahahahaha¡­ Sorry¡­ Uhhmm¡­¡± How can I cheer her up? ¡°Our journey took longer than expected, huh? I¡¯m really glad you came with me. I don¡¯t know what I would have done without you.¡± Carol twitched, but she didn¡¯t respond. I think she liked it¡­ ¡°I still can¡¯t get over the fact that you took down both of the demons¡¯ hideouts on your own. That was really impressive!¡±


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    ¡°¡­¡± Carol suddenly stopped. Did I say something wrong? ¡°I¡¯ve got something to show you.¡± She turned around and threw something my way. ¡°Catch.¡± Wha? A water bottle? I panicked and reached forward, only for the bottle to dissolve into mist when it touched my hands. ¡°Huh?!¡± How? What? My hands are empty. Carol¡¯s laughing. What happened to the bottle?


    ¡°I figured it out, Iroha. I learned how to use magic. Pretty cool, huh?¡± Carol asked with a smug smile.


    ¡°You mean the bottle? It was made out of magic?¡±


    ¡°It was an illusion. Somehow, that¡¯s the type of magic I ended up learning.¡± I can¡¯t believe it¡­ She really did end up learning magic. We weren¡¯t even sure if that was possible or not, and she managed it so quickly! And without help from the VISS Driver!


    ¡°Wow¡­ Congratulations!¡± Her proud face was so cute I lunged forward into a hug. ¡°This changes everything, doesn¡¯t it? Who knew people from our world could use magic without the VISS Driver? Although¡­¡± I let go of her as a new thought popped into my head. ¡°It¡¯s a shame it wasn¡¯t something more practical. Like tossing fireballs and stuff.¡±


    The sudden hug startled her. Carol tried to act composed, but her face was red. ¡°Heh¡­ What¡¯s wrong with illusions? They can be amazing if used right¡­¡± Carol grinned. ¡°Hands up or I¡¯ll shoot!¡± WHAT?! All of a sudden, Carol was pointing a gun at me with a perfect poker face! My gun, to be precise! When the hell did she take it? I tapped the holster in a panic, but my gun was still there. What? ¡°See?¡± She lowered her arms. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just an illusion, normal people can¡¯t tell the difference.¡± The gun was a lie?


    ¡°Damn¡­ You got me. I guess I shouldn¡¯t underestimate illusions.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ You shouldn¡¯t¡­ Fufufufu¡­¡± She responded with a creepy voice. She hung her head, causing her hair to fall over her face, and stepped forward. What¡¯s she planning? Then, the fake gun turned into a knife, and she lunged at me. ¡°How dare you cheat on me?! You¡¯re mine! Mine mine mine mine!¡± Ya- yandere?! Great! She was going for a scary expression while speaking with an unhinged, raspy voice.


    ¡°This is the part where you were supposed to be scared. Why the hell are you smiling?¡± My reaction didn¡¯t match her expectations, and she stopped.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ That was just¡­ hot! And cute too!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Pervert.¡± The knife disappeared, and Carol crossed her arms.


    ¡°What can I say¡­? I like what I like. Can¡¯t really do anything about that¡­¡±


    ¡°What you like¡­¡± Carol muttered to herself. ¡°Wait wait wait! You told Ririna you liked other girls! Girls, plural. If it was just me and Ririna, you would have said another girl, not other girls! Meaning there¡¯s more!?¡± She hadn¡¯t noticed yet? I¡¯m screwed, aren¡¯t I? ¡°You flinched! I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? Who else do you like? Is it someone I know¡­?¡± She thought about other girls we both knew, and her beautiful companions instantly popped to mind. ¡°Katja!? Narumi? You wouldn¡¯t go for Hecate, right? Though you did try hard to earn her trust¡­ Knowing you¡­ No¡­ It couldn¡¯t be¡­ All of them?!¡± She grabbed me by the collar.


    ¡°Uhhmmm¡­ Ahahahaha¡­¡± There¡¯s no way out of this, is there? I¡¯ll just bite the bullet and try to make it up to her later. ¡°You nailed it¡­¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ Why? I can understand accidentally falling in love with two people, but all three of them too?¡± Carol let go, feeling dejected.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I never expected things would turn out like this. I¡¯ll be honest with you. You four are actually the reason I started working hard to get stronger. When I first came to the house, you four immediately caught my eye. You were all very pretty, and your personalities were all uniquely charming. All I could think about was how to get you to like me more, so I trained hard just for that.¡±


    Carol listened closely, but so far, she was still looking down. ¡°But at some point, the way I felt about you changed. You actually accepted me as part of the group, and you all became very important to me.¡±


    Carol closed her eyes and turned around before crossing her arms again. ¡°You damn perv. I can¡¯t believe you were that shallow all along.¡± After getting that out of the way, she relaxed and let her arms down. ¡°But I guess I can forgive you since you¡¯ve helped us out a ton¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Our relationship is still something very provisional. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if Carol broke it off after she heard this. I¡¯m glad she didn¡¯t¡­ Good thing I decided to be honest with her.


    ¡°I forgive you for joining us with bad intentions. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m fine with you looking at other girls, though. I¡¯ll make you drop that idea soon enough.¡± Carol pointed with renewed vigor.


    ¡°Thanks, Carol¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I¡¯m out to ruin your silly fantasy, you know? Either way, if your real goal when joining us was just to get in our pants, did you say you wanted to solve the mystery of the portals just to please me?¡± That¡¯s one way to put it! ¡°Do you still care about that or what?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I still care, but¡­ Can you not put it like that? You¡¯re making me sound like I¡¯m a completely obscene girl.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Is it obscene to wish for the people you care about to be happy? I¡¯ll have you know at least 50% of my feelings are pure!¡±


    ¡°Hmph¡­ Could have fooled me¡­¡±


    ¡°My focus right now is on you and Ririna. I can¡¯t relax with a mysterious phenomenon looming over our lives. I actually have a lead on the portals I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you. The source of the portals is apparently in the other world, somewhere in what they call demon territory. Don¡¯t ask me how I know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable¡­ More secrets?¡± Carol shook her head in an exaggerated way.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ Just trust me on this one, okay?¡±


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* Fine¡­ So is our next goal to go to demon territory? Any ideas how we¡¯re getting there?¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ Nope, I have no idea. We¡¯ll have to figure it out first.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just great. Wasn¡¯t the other world from a game that you played? Is there anything about it that you do know?¡± Ouch! That one hurt.


    ¡°Give me some time, okay? I¡¯ll figure out something.¡±


    Carol shrugged her shoulder. ¡°What else can I do? Take your time¡­ We¡¯re not in any rush. No supernatural event disrupting our normal lives or anything.¡±


    We¡¯d been walking for a few minutes, and the dorm was finally in sight. We both stopped before continuing. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re back¡­ Time to go get lectured, huh? Ready?¡± She shrugged while looking at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡­


    Then there we were. Sitting on the dorm¡¯s table while hanging our heads apologetically. Katja sat in the middle on one side with Hecate standing behind her. Across from her were me, Carol, and Narumi. Which is strange if you think about it. Why are there three girls on this side when only the two of us disappeared? It¡¯s the kind of thing that makes one think, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Uhhhhmm¡­ Did Narumi do something bad too?¡± Her sitting here didn¡¯t help the serious mood Katja and Hecate were trying to create.


    Katja blinked calmly and answered. ¡°She said she missed the two of you and wanted to sit there. She¡¯s distracted with her phone, so just ignore her.¡± Right¡­ I can just laugh it off then¡­ Hard to do with Hecate glaring.


    Somehow, Katja ended up as their spokesperson. Hecate was right behind her, looking like a small but ferocious puppy that spends the whole day growling at passersby behind a gate. It¡¯s scary¡­ I wish Katja would just say something already.


    ¡°So- sorry¡­ Sorry for disappearing all of a sudden. We didn¡¯t mean to worry anyone.¡± Silence again¡­ I can¡¯t get a read on Katja. Is she staying quiet because she¡¯s really mad?


    She looked at me for a while, then at Carol, then let out a sigh. ¡°Was your training worthwhile?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Carol looked up in confusion. She was expecting something else. ¡°Yeah¡­ I think I improved a lot with Iroha.¡± Katja closed her eyes in response.


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I needed to know.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment. You can¡¯t be that lenient with them.¡± I don¡¯t really get it, but Katja was happy. It was the girl behind her who wasn¡¯t. ¡°Our group¡¯s bonds are forged in blood. There can be no teamwork if our precious members disappear without notice.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve returned safely, and their training was a success. What else do we need?¡±


    Hecate didn¡¯t like the method, but she couldn¡¯t really complain. The safety of the people she cared about was the most important thing to her. They were safe, and they were stronger, meaning they¡¯d be safer in the future. She just didn¡¯t like being made to worry. ¡°I suppose they can have an opportunity to redeem themselves.¡±


    ¡°Right. Redemption is important. You worried us all by suddenly disappearing for a training trip. Your method was wrong, but the results might make up for it. Before we can settle this issue, we need to check if your training really paid off. Does that sound fair?¡± Katja asked me and Carol. Both of us nodded back.


    ¡°It¡¯s fair, but¡­ How do we show that?¡± Katja continued to answer my question.


    ¡°Very soon, we¡¯re going to be receiving a new mission from the PSF. There¡¯s a monster in a cruise ship docked here in Three Records City, and they¡¯re gonna ask us to go and eliminate it. I want you to be ready for action so you can show off your training when the request arrives. Understood?¡±


    Isn¡¯t that just a normal job? She¡¯s being really lenient with us¡­ How nice of her. ¡°Understood!¡± Carol and I replied in sync. We really got off easy¡­ I¡¯m ready to go at any time, and I¡¯m betting it won¡¯t be that different for Carol.


    I wonder how much time we¡¯ll have until then¡­ Will I be able to go to class tomorrow? I should say something to Miyuki now that I¡¯m back.

 Chapter 102 – Early Summer Troubles

    ¡°Oh! Look who showed up today. It was so long since I last saw you, I almost forgot that you existed.¡± Uuughh¡­ It¡¯s too early in the day to have my heart broken. Miyuki had a point. My adventure to save Ririna took much longer than expected.


    ¡°A- are you serious? Were you actually about to forget me?¡± I approached Miyuki before class started to thank her for her help. I wasn¡¯t exactly the best friend to her, but I don¡¯t want her to forget about me. She¡¯s a seriously pretty girl, and like¡­ didn¡¯t she predict I was important to save both worlds from this mysterious phenomenon?! You can¡¯t just forget me!


    ¡°Ahahahaha! It was a joke, Iroha! I was joking. You really think I¡¯d forget about you?¡± Miyuki tapped my shoulder energetically while laughing. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back though.¡± She said with an ironic, mushy tone. ¡°I missed so much I thought I was gonna die of loneliness¡­ Like a rabbit.¡±


    *Sigh¡­* She really likes messing with me. ¡°I had some things to do in the other world, and it took longer than I expected.¡± I leaned on her desk and whispered so no one else would hear. ¡°Thanks, Miyuki.¡±


    She looked up from her seat, tilting her head in confusion. ¡°Why are you thanking me? You went to save some girl, right? Wasn¡¯t that the thing I said I didn¡¯t have any information about? Am I mixing something up?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not mixing up anything. You may not have said anything about Ririna, but you said everything would work out. I wanted to thank you for that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nothing, Iroha. We¡¯re friends, right? A little encouragement is nothing.¡± Miyuki smiled gracefully, and I was once again reminded why she set my heart into motion. She¡¯s like a silver-haired angel. An out-of-this-world beauty. Completely out of reach. I used to think she was the prettiest girl in the world, but now my Carol and Ririna are definitely the cutest! She¡¯s on their level, though¡­ I hate to admit it, but she is¡­ What were we talking about?


    ¡°Right! Miyuki, do you have any new information for me? I¡¯m apparently going on another mission soon. I don¡¯t know much other than that it¡¯s taking place on some kind of cruise ship. Any advice?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going on a cruise? How lucky¡­¡± Miyuki completely ignored my question. ¡°That sounds fun. I wanna go on a cruise too!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I¡¯m going there on a mission, not to play around. I could bring you along, but we¡¯re likely going to run into a monster. You in?¡± Miyuki absolutely rejected the idea of going into the other world because she was scared of monsters. She was immediately frightened after I mentioned them.


    ¡°No no no! You can have them, Iroha!¡± She switched topics in a hurry and closed her eyes in thought. ¡°Let me see if I can remember any dreams about cruises¡­ That¡¯s a bit random, isn¡¯t it? Why would there be monsters on a cruise ship?¡± How would I know? I don¡¯t make the rules. ¡°Oh! I remembered something. If you gather a lot of people in a pool, something good will happen.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Now that¡¯s random. How many people do I need? And what is it that happens? Don¡¯t you have any more details?¡± Something good in a pool? On a mission with Carol and the others? Could it be¡­!? Stop, Iroha! Don¡¯t start salivating. Not in class!


    ¡°That¡¯s all I remember. The rest is up to you. Good luck, Iroha.¡± She¡¯s pretty nonchalant about this. That¡¯s just like her.


    The teacher then entered the room, and I had to hurry to my seat. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s better than nothing. Thanks.¡±


    I sat back on my desk feeling good. I thanked Miyuki like I wanted and got a new hint for the future. Things were going pretty well, then I heard something weird from the teacher. ¡°We¡¯re receiving two transfer students today.¡± Totally weird. Didn¡¯t Miyuki just transfer? Isn¡¯t it too soon? Summer vacation is only a few weeks away. Why would anyone transfer in right now? Oh well¡­ It¡¯s not like it has anything to do with me. ¡°Come on in!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I was lazily following along when the two new faces snapped me out of it. ¡°Huh!?¡± I covered my mouth in a hurry before I said anything dumb. The transfer students are¡­ Carol and Katja! What!?


    ¡­


    As soon as the first class ended, both Carol and Katja were surrounded by my classmates. They were the new shiny thing in class, and everyone was curious about them. No surprises there.


    But dammit! I have no clue why they¡¯re here! It¡¯s obvious it¡¯s because of me, but why? I wanted to go and ask, but I was particularly bad with that type of crowd. Katja spent the whole class paying attention like a proper student, so I couldn¡¯t get any info out of her. On the other hand, Carol started giggling and grinning whenever I looked at her. Is this just some kind of prank? Is she having that much fun seeing me panic? *Sigh¡­* What can I do?


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    ¡°Hey, Iroha¡­¡± Miyuki was one of the few who wasn¡¯t interested in smothering the new girls to death. She whispered to me from behind. ¡°Those are your friends from your organization, right?¡± Even with the fragmented dreams she saw, Miyuki was able to piece together some details like this. ¡°Keep my ability a secret from them, okay?¡± Miyuki said with a nervous tone. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna get dissected alive.¡± That¡¯s exactly what I said! See? I¡¯m not weird for worrying about that. Either that or she saw a dream of a future where she was dissected. Now that¡¯s a terrifying thought.


    As I turned to answer Miyuki, I saw Carol staring our way. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t say anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay! That¡¯s enough questions for now!¡± With that, Carol grabbed Katja¡¯s wrist and broke off from the crowd. Everyone was left staring, and now she¡¯s coming towards us. Ughh¡­ Dammit, Carol! I could do without the attention! ¡°We¡¯re here, Iroha. Surprised?¡± Carol was somehow proud of herself, but this was pure torture for me.


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ Y- yeah¡­ Didn¡¯t see it coming at all¡­¡± I feel really self-conscious in this classroom. I thought I was doing better, but I never wanted anyone to see me in this environment. Especially Carol. I didn¡¯t want her to see me at my worst.


    ¡°Who are these girls, Iroha? Are they your friends?¡± So this how Miyuki wants to play it. Makes sense. Even takes the heat off me a little.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I know from outside school. These are my friends Carol and Katja.¡± I gestured to the two of them. Miyuki pressed her hands together cheerfully.


    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s nice to meet you! I¡¯m Miyuki Eis. Iroha¡¯s friends are my friends too. Let¡¯s get along! I¡¯m a transfer student too, so we gotta stick together.¡± Miyuki extended a hand, but Carol was getting mad. She hid it with a smile, but I could tell.


    ¡°So- sounds like you get along with Iroha¡­ What¡¯s the relationship between you two?¡± Carol asked with a stiff smile, not reaching for Miyuki¡¯s hand yet.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± With her other hand, Miyuki brought a finger to her chin and looked away thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯d say it was destiny. We became friends on the first day we met and hit it off immediately. Iroha¡¯s my best friend!¡± Am I? That¡¯s kinda flattering.


    ¡°Ehh¡­ Is that so?¡± Though, Carol¡¯s glaring at me now! ¡°She never mentioned you before¡­ It¡¯s nice to meet you, Miyuki.¡± Carol stiffly shook Miyuki¡¯s hand. Why did you have to go and say it like that, Miyuki?! That¡¯s my girlfriend you¡¯re making jealous, you know?


    ¡°Looks like this is going to be more interesting than I thought.¡± Giggling at a small distance from them, Katja spoke next to me.


    ¡°Katja!¡± I screamed in a desperate whisper. ¡°What are you two doing here?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me anything?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­ Carol wanted it to be a surprise. I thought we could learn more about you by spending more time together. With a job as important as ours, constantly improving our teamwork is very important. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± Katja leaned against my desk with her arms crossed.


    What a shitty explanation. I have so many questions. ¡°What about Hecate and Narumi? Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re in another class.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. What would be the point?¡± Is she aware school has a point besides being her teambuilding exercise? ¡°Hecate said she was too busy taking care of the dorm, and school¡¯s too boring for Narumi.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Even then, why would you transfer now that summer vacation¡¯s just about to start?¡±


    ¡°Is it? Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter to us. Carol was curious about what school¡¯s like here, so we came to check it out. None of us have spent a lot of time in normal schools, so this is all new to us. Though in my case, even this kind of improvement is wasted on me.¡± Huh¡­ I remember Katja saying something like this before¡­ Saying that training is useless for her¡­ They¡¯ve never been to school before, so how do they learn? I¡¯m guessing they learned everything they needed as part of their training.


    ¡°You mean that school¡¯s wasted on you? Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s true. I¡¯m not like other people. I¡¯m a tool¡ªa sword whose purpose is to slay monsters and protect the people.¡± Katja said with an unchanging expression. ¡°Swords and tools don¡¯t improve with training. If anything, they get dull. That¡¯s why I focus on training others.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t really make any sense. She¡¯s obviously not a tool¡­ ¡°But you¡¯re a person too, Katja. Are you telling me you don¡¯t improve at all when you train?¡± Sometimes improvements are hard to see, but still¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Katja smiled and softly patted my head. ¡°That matter has been settled a long time ago. No matter the strength I possess, I¡¯ll always do my best to keep you and the others safe.¡±


    Is it really settled? Sounds like there¡¯s still something wrong with her. How can I not worry when someone I care about is in pain? I¡¯m not reading too much into it, am I?


    ¡°Grrrr¡­ If you crunch the numbers that way, I guess you met Iroha before I did¡­¡± Somehow, Carol and Miyuki had gotten into a contest over who was closer with me. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter! My relationship with her is way stronger. She actually relies on me for important matters.¡± Carol puffed up her chest.


    ¡°Geez¡­ That¡¯s nothing¡­ Iroha relies on me too, you know?¡± Carol I get, but why is Miyuki not stopping?


    ¡°Fufufu¡­¡± Katja was giggling again. ¡°I knew it¡¯d be amusing¡­ Oh, Iroha, let¡¯s go back to the House together after school. The job has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    ¡­


    The rest of the day went somewhat smoothly. Carol didn¡¯t say much about Miyuki, but she was particularly clingy, drawing a lot of attention to me. Miyuki knew something was up from the fact that the girls from the House had shown up at school. She wanted to hang out, but she understood when I told her something came up.


    ¡°The goal for our mission is to find and eliminate any monsters on the ship.¡± We were on our way back to the House while Katja shared the newest details. The streets were quiet enough that we could talk about this out in the open without worry. ¡°The cruise ship is currently docked in the harbor. The passengers and crew were evacuated as soon as the ship reached Three Records City. Two people were killed by some kind of monster, and the PSF already tried to eliminate the threat, but they failed. They were unable to find the monster, and one of their members got injured.¡±


    Injured, huh? Even the PSF struggles sometimes¡­ I thought they were the best of the best. Are we actually the best? ¡°We will board the ship on the weekend and sleep there for three days or until the monster¡¯s eliminated.¡±


    ¡°The mission starts this weekend then¡­ Got it.¡± Should be enough time to meet Ririna before then.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look? Are you planning on going to the other world?¡± Carol slowed me by grabbing my shoulder, and Katja got ahead of us. She spoke with a low voice so Katja wouldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess¡­ I promised I¡¯d meet with Ririna soon, right? I¡¯ll probably go after we get to the house.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You think I¡¯d let you meet with her by yourself? If you¡¯re going, I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you serious?¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting this, but it¡¯s actually good. If she and Ririna spend more time together, they might actually start getting along. I have to make this work somehow! Get ready, Carol. I¡¯ll make you accept this relationship! Onwards to the other world!

 Chapter 103 – Triple First Date

    ¡°Let me get this straight¡­ You want to meet up with Ririna, but you don¡¯t have anything planned. Are we supposed to find her just by walking around?¡±


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! It will work out, I¡¯m sure¡­ I know it sounds silly, but minor convenient coincidences happen more frequently than you think. Ririna¡¯s waiting for me, so if we check out some important spots, we¡¯ll find her in no time.¡± Carol and I walked side by side through the streets of Ebrilyon. The time in this world more or less mirrored ours, so we were entering the late afternoon. The sky was still bright, and it was just the right temperature to walk around in light clothes.


    ¡°Whatever you say. You¡¯re the one who wants to find Ririna, so good luck. It¡¯s actually better for me since I won¡¯t have to worry about her getting one over on me if you don¡¯t find her.¡± Carol was right to complain. I should have worked something out with Ririna yesterday. It¡¯d be nice if she had a phone so I could message her, but¡­ They don¡¯t exactly exist in this world, do they? Ours still get signal. Funny.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna find her. You can trust me a little, you know?¡± We arrived through the fast-travel station and passed by the hotel and restaurant from the other day. No signs of Ririna there, so now we¡¯re headed to the garden with the big statue. Even though Carol was right to not believe me, sometimes lucky bullshit leads to some funny moments. ¡°Ah! Look, there she is.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! How!?¡± Carol looked where I was pointing in complete disbelief. ¡°This makes no sense! Did you set this up? Are you trying to mess with me?¡± Carol skeptically looked up my way, somewhat annoyed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t set up anything! It was pure coincidence, I swear!¡± I took a step to the side and moved past her. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m gonna say hi to her.¡± Carol clicked her tongue and followed me.


    ¡°Ririna!¡± She turned my way and saw me waving while running her way. ¡°I¡¯m here! It¡¯s been so long! I missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ You saw her yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Iroha!¡± Carol¡¯s nagging was completely ignored, and Ririna¡¯s face filled with joy as she saw me. She ran my way and went for a hug. ¡°I missed you too, Iroha!¡± After a tight squeeze, she went for a quick kiss on the cheeks.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Ririna¡­! She¡­ She¡¯s so gosh darn adorable! I can¡¯t believe such a perfect girl fell in love with me! Ririna loosened her grip on me with a satisfied smile. No way I¡¯m letting go! I haven¡¯t had enough! There¡¯s so much I want to do!


    ¡°Hey! What do you two think you¡¯re doing? What happened to self-control?¡± With a red face, Carol pried the two of us apart. ¡°Kissing so easily in public¡­ Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡±


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Ririna was surprised by Carol¡¯s strength. Only now did she notice she was there. ¡°You can only say that because you¡¯ve spent this whole time with Iroha. I finally found someone I love. Of course I wanna be close to them all the time. Must be nice for you¡­ I bet you¡¯ve done all sorts of things with her¡­¡± She was jealous of Carol, but not because she wanted to monopolize me. Having to be apart during her honeymoon phase was what hurt her.


    ¡°Haah?! We didn¡¯t do anything! I¡¯m not a pervert like you two!¡± Carol crossed her arms and looked away. That¡¯s right¡­ Even though we were together since then, we didn¡¯t do anything special. Just talking and being together with someone you love is nice, but¡­ it¡¯s not everything. Ririna¡¯s honest with her feelings, so she has no problem sneaking in a kiss whenever she can. Carol¡¯s different. For all her posturing, she gets embarrassed rather easily. It¡¯s not really fair, is it?


    ¡°Carol¡­¡± I called her name and leaned forward. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°Gaaah!?¡± She pressed her hands against her cheek in a panic after receiving a sudden kiss. ¡°Wh- wh- wha- what was that for?!¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Well¡­ It¡¯s to keep things fair. This is how I feel, so I thought it¡¯d be nice for me to be honest sometimes.


    Carol moved in the direction of the statue, turning her back toward us. ¡°Who asked to do something like¡­ *mumble mumble¡­*¡± Whew¡­ I think she liked it. She turned back to us the next moment, now fully composed. ¡°So? What¡¯s next? You¡¯ve found Ririna like you wanted, so what are we doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with whatever you want, Iroha.¡± Ririna grabbed my hand. ¡°Even just talking would be nice.¡± My two girlfriends are too adorable¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯d be nice if the two of them got along better, but I also just want to have fun with them¡­ What do lovers do for fun? Lovemaki- No, wait! That¡¯s a couple steps ahead¡­


    ¡°Ah! I know! Let¡¯s go on a date!¡±


    ¡°Ohhhh¡­ Our first date¡­¡± Ririna¡¯s eyes filled with wonder.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°A d- d- date?! No one told me about this!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to come, Carol? I guess I get to go alone with Iroha!¡±


    ¡°Who said I wasn¡¯t going?! Grrr¡­¡± Carol was annoyed by Ririna¡¯s question and somehow ended up complaining to me. ¡°Iroha! You should have told me before we left!¡± Her glaring stopped, and she brushed her hair cutely. ¡°I would have liked some time to prepare, you know?¡± Guhhh! You¡¯re cute enough already, Carol! You don¡¯t have to worry about anything! Oh! But the thought of a Carol who¡¯s going all out for a date is also incredible. Did I actually screw up?


    ¡°I love you¡­¡± Did I just blurt that out? That¡¯s not really a good response, is it? ¡°Ah! I mean, sorry, I came up with the idea on the spot. You look great, though. You don¡¯t have anything to worry about, okay?¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°No way! Why should I have to get along with her?¡± That was Carol, lashing at me after I took the plunge and said I wanted both of them to get along. For this relationship to eventually work, I think both of them have to at least be friendly with each other.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get along with anyone. I just want you two to talk.¡± I squeezed her hand tighter, and she mellowed out. ¡°Please, Carol. Like, isn¡¯t there anything you¡¯re curious about Ririna?¡±


    After we decided to go on a date, we started by taking a stroll through the gardens that surrounded the statue. It got quieter as the three of us got deeper into the garden, and we started holding hands.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* I guess we can talk, but only because you¡¯re asking.¡± Carol liked holding hands, and she squeezed back. ¡°I guess I have something I wanted to know¡­¡± With some reluctance, she focused her gaze on Ririna. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be some kind of alchemist, right?¡±


    ¡°Not supposed to, I am an alchemist. Why do you ask?¡± Ririna was a lot more open to the idea of me dating the two of them, but she was by no means on good terms with Carol. She was open to the idea of being friends. She wasn¡¯t the type of person to hate others for no reason. But Carol¡¯s hostile attitude made things harder for Ririna. Carol¡¯s not a bad girl, but it¡¯s easy to misunderstand her.


    ¡°Is that even a real thing? Isn¡¯t alchemy just mumbo jumbo about turning random crap into gold?¡± Carol¡¯s question caused Ririna¡¯s jaw to drop. She was shocked. How could someone say something so awful and ignorant?


    ¡°It¡¯s not! Are you dumb!?¡± Ririna raised her voice to a point I had never seen before and launched into a rant. ¡°Gold?! Where did you even get that idea? Listen, the potential of alchemy is limitless! Alchemy is about discovering and figuring out the patterns that govern the world to arrive at your desired destination! With enough research, anything is possible, making master alchemists the true saviors of this world. Capable of curing any disease and solving any problem no matter how hard! Gold is nothing compared to the creation of literal hope and joy!¡±


    Ririna¡¯s enthusiasm was so strong that Carol completely froze. ¡°You see, Carol, Ririna has helped me out a lot with her creations. From bottles that let you shoot thunderbolts from your hands to a variety of useful potions.¡± Potions! I bet Carol will like this one¡­ ¡°She even made a potion once that temporarily increased my strength exponentially.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ It made you stronger?¡± Like I thought, Carol took the bait, then looked to Ririna again, who turned her nose up at her.


    ¡°Forget it. All my creations are my babies! I can¡¯t make anything for people who can¡¯t appreciate them!¡± Now Ririna¡¯s pouting¡­


    ¡°Uhhmm¡­ Ririna, Carol didn¡¯t really mean it like that. She honestly just didn¡¯t know. Just like me, she¡¯s also not scared of the Torn Violence Potion, you know? She¡¯s interested in getting stronger too, so she might give it a chance.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­¡± Ririna calmed down and looked at Carol. ¡°You¡¯re not scared of it either¡­ Maybe I can give you another chance¡­¡± Whew¡­ I¡¯m glad we settled this¡­ Carol, on the other hand, was a bit uneasy. Somehow, she had been roped into taking some sketchy-sounding potion.


    ¡°Hey, Ririna, after today, we might only come back after next week.¡±


    ¡°Really? You two have to go home again? Sneaking off on your own doing who knows what?¡± Ririna was a bit sad but played it off lightly and teased us about it.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to you¡­ It¡¯s just that a job popped up at home, and we have to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Guess there¡¯s nothing you can do.¡± Ririna shrugged her shoulders and accepted it. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about something too. What do you two do? You¡¯re both stronger than average soldiers, but for some reason, you¡¯re not adventurers, and you¡¯re really secretive about it too.¡± Wow¡­ This is the hardest question ever¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Actually, we can¡¯t tell you because it¡¯s confidential.¡± Carol quickly said, trying to put an end to Ririna¡¯s question.


    ¡°It¡¯s a confidential job? I guess I shouldn¡¯t ask then¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as Carol made it seem.¡± I wanted to cheer Ririna up, and when thinking about it, telling people of this world won¡¯t get anyone in trouble with the PSF. ¡°It¡¯s a bit too early right now, but I want to tell you everything soon. It¡¯s just better that we wait until we have more time.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that, Iroha? Don¡¯t blame if something bad happens.¡± Carol looked away to avoid any of the potential fallout, not that there was any to begin with¡­


    ¡°When there¡¯s more time, huh¡­? Okay! I guess I¡¯ll be waiting then!¡± Now it was Ririna¡¯s turn to squeeze my hand with a wide smile.


    We held hands quietly for a moment, then another important topic popped into my head. ¡°How did it go with the Alchemists¡¯ Guild? I promised I¡¯d go with you. Do we have time to go now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. I got Flanne to go with me, and everything was settled.¡± It should have been a weight of her shoulders, but Ririna didn¡¯t look happy.


    ¡°Did something go wrong?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Well¡­ Kinda¡­¡± She spoke with a calm voice to avoid worrying anyone. ¡°You met Philip before, right? The head of the guild? He and everyone with ties to the demons left Ebrilyon and disappeared. They probably knew Flanne was going to arrest them and ran away at some point. With them gone, I should be fine for now. There¡¯s no one left to target me. The only problem is that I ended up getting banned from the guild¡­¡±


    ¡°Banned?! No way¡­¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s okay!¡± Ririna forced herself to smile. ¡°Even if I¡¯m banned, I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m doing my own research right now, so I won¡¯t need the guild for a while. Not being an official member will make it harder to get jobs, but I can still get some work in my hometown.¡±


    A sudden wind blew, causing the whole garden to rustle. It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. I almost forgot where I was until I heard a whisper from behind me. ¡°Hey, Iroha! Do something! Can¡¯t you cheer her up or something?¡±


    ¡°Carol? I thought you didn¡¯t care about Ririna.¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡­ I still don¡¯t just for the record. It¡¯s just that she sounded really passionate about it¡­ Even I can¡¯t help but feel bad¡­¡± Carol didn¡¯t want Ririna hearing her, so she kept whispering.


    ¡°Hey, Ririna, no matter what, you¡¯ll always be the greatest alchemist for me. You¡¯re the only alchemist I¡¯ll ever need. If I ever need anything alchemy-related, you¡¯re the only one I¡¯ll ask. And I¡¯ll help you with your research whenever you need, okay?¡±


    ¡°Iroha¡­¡± Ririna looked like her heart had skipped a beat. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Her mouth formed a beautiful smile that for some reason became smugger with each passing second. ¡°That almost sounds like you want us to be exclusive¡­ I accept, of course! I couldn¡¯t ask for more.¡± She winked.


    ¡°Geh!¡± Ririna¡¯s words struck a nerve with the girl behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t twist Iroha¡¯s words! Exclusive alchemist, not exclusive. Don¡¯t get carried away, you alchemy maniac!¡±


    Ririna¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Alchemy maniac¡­ I wonder if I should take that as a compliment¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± This is nice¡­ They¡¯re so cute! I couldn¡¯t hold back and pulled them in for a double hug. This is exactly what I wanted. Things might get difficult in the future, but I can say one thing for sure. It¡¯s gonna be fun.

 Chapter 104 – Cruise Mission

    ¡°W- wow! What is this place!? I had no idea a cruise ship would be so big.¡± The girls from the house and I arrived at a tall, open hall with multiple floors. A huge chandelier illuminated the blue of the soft, carpeted floor. Many white pillars held up various sets of stairs and higher floors. Gold-colored railings and miscellaneous details stood out against the white base. ¡°Incredible! It¡¯s like we¡¯re in a mall!¡± With no one else around, my voice echoed through the tall ship.


    ¡°Look, Iroha!¡± Narumi ran around without a care in the world and slammed open every door she came across. ¡°They even got a cinema in here! And a gym!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you two act like normal people? You¡¯re not children anymore! Act like it!¡± Carol tugged on my sleeve while complaining about me and Narumi. You got the wrong girl, though, Carol. I¡¯m just taking a look around. Nothing wrong with that. Narumi¡¯s the one running around like crazy.


    Today was Friday, and just like we had planned, it marked the start of our mission. As soon as school ended, Katja, Carol, and I got in a car, and Katja drove the five of us southeast.


    ¡°It¡¯s an impressive sight¡­ Even I didn¡¯t know a ship could be so big¡­¡± Right? Even Katja, who always takes things more seriously than the three of us, can¡¯t help but be impressed. See, Carol? I¡¯m not the problem here.


    ¡°¡­¡± Huh? Why is she staring at me? Did Carol read my mind? Was I getting smug? Before Carol could say anything else, Katja clapped and focused us on the task at hand.


    ¡°But let¡¯s leave the gawking for later. Iroha, Carol, come here. And¡­¡± Katja took a deep breath before Narumi ran off. ¡°Narumi! Get your ass over here now!¡± Narumi recoiled and actually sprinted back right away. Damn¡­ Katja¡¯s got that drill sergeant in her.


    Once everyone got closer, she continued. ¡°We have a lot to do, so let¡¯s split up like we agreed. Does everyone still remember what they¡¯re supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Huh? We have things to do on vacation? I never agreed to anything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± We all stared at her, and Narumi tilted her head, confused.


    ¡°Vacation, huh¡­? That¡¯s what you think this is¡­¡± Poor Katja shook her head in disbelief.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Carol shrugged. ¡°Yeah. Good luck with that one. I¡¯m out here.¡± She waved and walked off with a purpose. She¡¯s not the type to forget her job.


    ¡°You two are together, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Katja looked at me and Hecate before grabbing Narumi¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what to do again, so accompany me for a second.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Hecate and I were left behind as Katja took Narumi with her. ¡°Not off to a great start, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to cast judgment, Iroha.¡± Hecate had a smile on her face the whole time we¡¯d been here. Her black dress spun gently as she turned to face me. ¡°Narumi will do what she must even if she¡¯s like that. No need for concern.¡± With one dark and one bright yellow eye, Hecate was a serious cutie when she smiled honestly. Too bad she¡¯s hiding a demon most of the time. Some of her smiles send chills down my spine¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s good then. We gotta do our part too. The bridge is our first destination, right?¡± Hecate nodded. ¡°Do you know the way there?¡±


    ¡°There was a map together with the documentation. Did you not see it?¡±


    ¡°I saw the map, but it was too complex, and I didn¡¯t have the time to memorize it.¡± Hecate and I started walking towards some stairs.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, I suppose. I imagine you didn¡¯t have time to read the rest then?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­ Ahahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a quick rundown. From what we know, the foul creature we¡¯re looking for is perfectly capable of moving freely around the ship. One of the two victims was found in a changing room near the pool area, and the other in a bathroom on one of the higher floors. Then there¡¯s the PSF soldier that got wounded. He was attacked during his sleep. Since we don¡¯t know where this beast could be hiding, we have to look to check everywhere.¡±


    On our way to the bridge, we entered a surprisingly cozy hallway. Bright wooden walls and a fully carpeted floor that still smelled fresh. ¡°I remember that part. But the full search is only tomorrow, right?¡±


    ¡°Katja taught you well. That¡¯s right. Today is more of a set-up day. We can take it easy, but since we have the time, we might as well check the most unlikely spots off the list. *Sigh¡­* If it weren¡¯t for a monster hiding around somewhere, we¡¯d be allowed to rest our weary souls. What a waste¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ Are you actually tired, Hecate? I¡¯ve never heard you complain even though you¡¯re always busy around the House. I can take care of the search if you wanna take a break.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    We arrived at the door leading to the bridge. Hecate put a hand on the handle while scoffing at my worries. ¡°Please, Iroha. I¡¯m an elite. It would be unbecoming of me to dump my duties on my junior.¡± Hecate opened the door, and we went inside.


    ¡°Seems clear¡­ Unlucky¡­¡± The ship was anchored and wasn¡¯t going anywhere any time soon. But it would have made our job easier if the monster was just there, sitting there behind the steering wheel.


    ¡°Fufufufu¡­ Everyone¡¯s subject to whims of the fate, Iroha. Never expect fortune to be handed to you on a silver platter.¡± Hecate stepped forward, her heel clacking against the hard, metal floor. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look around. Keep an eye out for any scratches or dents you see. They may give us a clue about what we¡¯re dealing with.


    I followed her lead and started investigating. The vibe of this place was different from that of the cruise. It wasn¡¯t as spacious or as flashy, but the conditions weren¡¯t bad. The machines were all very high-tech and there were a handful of high-quality chairs for the crew. The front side of the room was filled with windows, and we actually got a pretty nice view of the city from up here.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. I think everything¡¯s in good condition here.¡± Oh! These chairs spin nicely¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t play with the chair just because there¡¯s no one on board to tell you off.¡± That was my logic too, yet here you are doing just that. ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree with you, though.¡± So that Hecate wouldn¡¯t be too angry, I stopped the chair and sat down normally. Seems like she was fine with that, as she did exactly the same, only she chose the one that looked to be the captain¡¯s chair. She¡¯s having fun too, huh? ¡°The crew was working until the ship was evacuated at Three Records. In this condition, I think it¡¯s safe to assume no one¡¯s been here since the ship docked.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re done here then?¡± Hecate thought while tapping her fingers on a machine. Her polished nails made a pretty sound.


    ¡°We are. Let¡¯s check with the others and see if we can help with their tasks.¡±


    The two of us got up at the same time and left the bridge. We headed towards the back, where Narumi was supposed to be. After walking for a couple of minutes, we passed through a glass door and arrived at a large outdoor pool. It really smells like the sea now that we¡¯re outside. Now¡­ where¡¯s Narumi? She should be around here somewhere. Did something happen to her?


    I need to keep my guard up here. Miyuki predicted something would happen in a pool. I haven¡¯t told the others yet, but my guess is that this is where we¡¯ll find the monster. Probably in the water¡­ In the pool¡­


    ¡°Where is she? Do you see Narumi anywhere, Iroha? She better not be slacking¡­¡± Rather than a pool, it¡¯d be more accurate to call this place a water park with multiple different types of pools. This area was big and busy enough that Narumi doesn¡¯t stand out even without anyone else around.


    ¡°No¡­ I haven¡¯t seen her¡­¡± Hecate swept the place with her head multiple times, but I couldn¡¯t stop looking at the water. My sword¡¯s ready¡­ If anything suddenly jumps out, it¡¯s dead! ¡°Oh!¡± Then suddenly, something orange popped up between me and the pool. It¡¯s Narumi¡¯s head! She was lying down in one of the long beach chairs. ¡°There she is.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s she doing¡­?¡± Hecate followed my gaze and finally found our little friend. ¡°What are you doing, Narumi?! Aren¡¯t you supposed to be searching for clues?!¡±


    ¡°Zzz¡­¡± When we got close to her, we saw her sleeping on her belly with a blue string swimsuit on. Wow¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting such a nice sight all of a sudden. Did I call her ¡®little¡¯ earlier? I was wrong! Totally wrong! She¡¯s as stacked as always! With a figure that nice, it¡¯s no wonder that she¡¯s bold enough to wear a swimsuit so sexy. ¡°Ah¡­? Hecate? Good morning¡­¡± She absentmindedly rubbed her eyes while raising her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®good morning¡¯ me! Why were you sleeping out here? We have a monster to track down. Wasn¡¯t your job to look around the pool for clues?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Katja did say that, but¡­ there wasn¡¯t anything¡­ and the weather was nice¡­ and I got sleepy¡­¡± She rested her head on her arms like she was planning on drifting off to sleep again.


    ¡°Wake up! Did you report back to anyone that you didn¡¯t find anything? You can¡¯t let your guard down until the creature¡¯s eliminated. What were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°You see, I thought I could stay here as a sort of lookout¡­ Maybe bait it out of hiding by acting defenseless¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Narumi wasn¡¯t thinking about what she was saying, as always, and she hit a nerve. ¡°Using yourself as bait?¡± Hecate¡¯s tone became creepy, and she started speaking faster. ¡°Get serious, Narumi. You¡¯re talking about your life¡ªyour well-being. What would you do if you got hurt? We¡¯re a safety-first group. Our members aren¡¯t allowed to get hurt on my watch. Have you forgotten about that? Do I need to teach you everything all over again?¡±


    ¡°Guhh!¡± Narumi continued lying down, but her eyes were wide open. Hecate¡¯s scary mode woke her up right away. ¡°I- I said act defenseless, Hecate. I wasn¡¯t really defenseless¡­ I was paying attention, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, and what¡¯s the swimsuit for? Where did you even get that?¡±


    ¡°I borrowed one¡­¡± Narumi pointed to a door with a ¡®Rentals¡¯ sign over it. ¡°The swimsuit is just to make things fair! It¡¯s not fair that Carol and Iroha are the only ones who got to go on a vacation! I want a vacation too.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a vacation, we were training-¡± I tried to explain, but Narumi interrupted.


    ¡°Shut up, Iroha! It¡¯s unfair! Unfair!¡± She suddenly thrust a white bottle my way. ¡°Put sunscreen on me. You got to rest, so you have to make up with extra work!¡± Ehh? She shoved the sunscreen onto my hands and lay back down. I get to touch her all I want? I mean, she wants me to spread sunscreen on her back? Seriously?


    ¡°Stop acting spoiled, Narumi. And don¡¯t take it out on Iroha. If you just want someone to spread sunscreen on your back, I can take care of that.¡± Hecate gracefully pulled her sleeves slightly back.


    ¡°No! Iroha¡¯s gotta do it! It¡¯s only fair! You stay out of this, Hecate!¡±


    Without reaction, Hecate backed off and turned to the pool. ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll let Iroha take care of it then. Since you¡¯ve finished the work you were assigned, I¡¯ll let you take a rest for now.¡±


    ¡°Really? Hehehe¡­ I knew you¡¯d understand, Hecate¡­ Now, Iroha, get to work!¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡± I quickly spread sunscreen on both hands and reached for Narumi¡¯s back. Wow¡­ Her skin¡¯s so soft, but there¡¯s a nice spring to it. Is she more toned than she looks? It¡¯s not easy to tell by looking at her, but you can definitely feel it. ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She said with a grave voice. ¡°You¡¯re doing good, soldier, but you¡¯re not done yet. Keep it up!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± If only she knew how much I¡¯m enjoying this¡­ She doesn¡¯t know, right? I finished taking care of the top part and moved onto the lower back. Guhhh¡­ It¡¯s gonna be over soon¡­ I could go for her sides next¡­ I could get away with poking her boobs a little. Or the legs¡­ Her plump butt could use some sunscreen as well¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m done, Narumi.¡± In the end, I decided against doing anything else. She only asked me to spread some sunscreen. I don¡¯t wanna take advantage of her.


    ¡°Thank you~ Now I can sleep in peace¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too relaxed, or you¡¯ll get in trouble with Hecate again¡­¡± Narumi didn¡¯t pay too much attention and laid her head down. Hecate was still staring in the pool¡¯s direction. Looking up at a jumping board and moving her head like she was trying to find something. ¡°Hecate?¡±


    *Boing~*


    A sudden noise caught our attention. Did someone just jump into the pool? In an instant, Hecate burst forward while staring at the sky. Where¡¯s the monster? I can¡¯t see anything! The sun was too blinding to say for sure, but it really doesn¡¯t seem like anything¡¯s in the air. Hecate¡¯s too focused on the air to pay attention to where she¡¯s going. At this rate, she¡¯s gonna fall into the pool. That¡¯s too dangerous!


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Agility Burst!


    ¡°Huh?¡± Hecate barely had time to react before my arms were around her waist. I pulled her back with all my might and stopped her momentum.


    *Splash!!*


    Whew¡­ Hecate¡¯s safe¡­ I¡¯m the one in danger. I forced my eyes open despite the slight sting of the water and grabbed my sword while floating sideways. Where are you¡­? Which side are you going to attack from? The cold yet refreshing feeling permeated my skin, but I ignored it to focus on my target.


    ¡°¡­¡± Any moment now¡­


    ¡­


    Nothing?! Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a monster here? ¡°Brblrlbblr!!!¡± Breathing! I almost forgot! Gotta get back to the surface! ¡°Bwuah!!¡±


    ¡°Iroha! Are you alright? I thought you were drowning.¡± I held onto the edge of the pool with my other hand still on my sword. Where¡¯s the enemy¡­?


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! What about you?¡± Hecate looked fine at a glance. I had to focus on the water and couldn¡¯t get a proper look.


    ¡°Thanks to you. Come on, let¡¯s get you out of there.¡± Hecate reached for my hand and helped me out of the pool. Now! If I were the monster, now¡¯s when I¡¯d attack!


    ¡°Eh?¡± Hecate finished pulling me up, and nothing attacked me. What the hell? There¡¯s nothing there? Really? Was Miyuki wrong? *Sighh¡­* Did I get drenched for nothing?

 Chapter 105 – The Swimsuit Craze Spreads

    For the duration of our mission, we had been given permission to use whatever was on the ship as we pleased. The cruise wasn¡¯t making any money while there was a monster on board, and the owners were willing to cover any expenses if it meant cleaning things up sooner. Even destruction was okay to a certain extent.


    While we were sent to eliminate a monster, no one really expected us to succeed. The PSF only gave us this mission to keep up appearances. They can¡¯t afford to repeat the mistake they did before, so now they¡¯re assembling a better team before going all in. However, they also can¡¯t leave a problem that falls under their jurisdiction unattended while they take their sweet time preparing. That¡¯s where we come in¡ªas an excuse for someone¡¯s higher-ups. This way they can say they sent someone without taking any risks. If we actually eliminate the monster, they¡¯ll take the credit for it, and if something goes terribly wrong, Shinji can be used as a scapegoat.


    It¡¯s a terrible deal for us¡­ But that¡¯s the price the House pays for its freedom. We can¡¯t do anything about the credit, but as long as we do our job right, we also don¡¯t need to worry about any consequences. And we¡¯ll do it right¡­ As long as I have anything to say about it.


    We were given three days because that¡¯s the time they think it¡¯s gonna take them to get ready. Since we¡¯re spending some nights here, we snagged two neighboring rooms for ourselves. One of the PSF guys got attacked in his sleep, so individual rooms are a no-go, and cramming all five of us into a single one is just as ridiculous.


    I¡¯m partnering up with Hecate, so the two of us are sharing one of the rooms. I¡¯m nervous, but it might be fun to sleep with her. I would have been scared of sleeping in the same room as her before, but we¡¯re getting along much better now.


    ¡°Iroha? Are you done changing?¡± Hecate asked from outside the room.


    ¡°Wait! Give me a couple more minutes. I¡¯m almost done.¡± This is a bit of a predicament. My clothes got drenched after I fell into the pool, so I had to take them off, but¡­ ¡°A swimsuit¡­? Really¡­?¡± Is this really the only option? It¡¯s so embarrassing!


    At least it¡¯s much better than that string thing Narumi was wearing. I managed to find a simple, white bikini that fit me. With how hot it is today, wearing a swimsuit is not that bad, but it¡¯s still embarrassing. Good thing we¡¯re the only ones here. ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Don¡¯t wanna keep Hecate waiting. With one last look, I grabbed the swimsuit and got changed.


    Seriously¡­ It¡¯s such a ridiculous idea. What if we end up running into the monster while I¡¯m wearing this? I have my levels, so I¡¯m not too worried about my defenses, but it¡¯s not ideal. It happens often in games and anime, doesn¡¯t it? Characters fighting in swimsuits¡­ I¡¯ve always appreciated the aesthetics of it and found it funny, I just never thought it would happen to me one day. Is this what it feels like on the other end of the stick?


    ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± My face is getting hot. I hope it looks okay on me. I opened the room¡¯s door, and Hecate was there waiting for me. ¡°He- Hecate?¡± But things took an unexpected turn.


    ¡°Took you a while.¡± After a glance from head to toe, she smiled. ¡°Delightful. It suits you perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Ah- uhh- Thanks¡­ You too¡­¡± As soon as I opened the door, I got an eyeful of Hecate¡¯s pale skin and supple body. For some reason, she was wearing a black, lacy swimsuit. A black, see-through fabric around her waist, giving off the idea of a skirt, and a black and white umbrella in the style of her usual dresses. ¡°Why are you wearing a swimsuit too?¡±


    ¡°Why, you ask? Solidarity. I thought you¡¯d be more comfortable if you were not the only one baring your skin.¡± Hecate swiped her hand, causing the skirt fabric to flutter. ¡°That, and the fact my dress is too precious to be careless with it. You have my thanks, Iroha. You saved me from a very tragic heartbreak.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing¡­ I¡¯m just glad you didn¡¯t trip and get hurt.¡± Though it seems like she cares more about her dress than that. ¡°What happened back there at the pool, Hecate?¡±


    ¡°It was all my fault, I¡¯m afraid. I must have seen a shadow and mistakenly assumed it was our target. It put me on edge and caused me to act carelessly.¡± Hecate lowered her head, feeling regretful.


    ¡°Really? It might have been something. Wasn¡¯t there a springy sound? I also thought something was jumping into the pool.¡±


    ¡°Hm?! You heard it too?¡± Hecate thought momentarily. ¡°That means I wasn¡¯t hearing things, but¡­ then it was just a misunderstanding. Nothing jumped off the board, and I didn¡¯t find anything around the pool. My guess is that it was Narumi moving around in her chair.¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a shame¡­ I thought we found a lead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. We have two full days to find our culprit. We have plenty of time.¡± True¡­ I guess I was too focused on what Miyuki said about the pool. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, how about we check in with Katja? She should be working next door.¡± I nodded, and we paid her a quick visit.


    When we entered the room, we saw a stepladder near one of the walls and a butt dangling out from high in the wall. The juicy bits were covered by a white skirt with pink vertical stripes. ¡°Katja!?¡± What was she in charge of again? Defenses? Yeah¡­ That explains why she¡¯s crawling inside a vent, right? ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    After the initial shock, Hecate and I got closer to the ladder. ¡°Is that you, Iroha? Just give me a second. I¡¯m almost done here.¡± Their room was similar to ours. Three beds instead of two, and it looked like a nice hotel room. The walls were white with some sections made with rich, glossy wood. The floor was carpeted here too, making the room very cozy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt yourself. You can tell us if you need a hand.¡±


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re here too, Hecate?¡± The pounding of metal resounded through the walls as Katja made her way out. ¡°Some of these vents are surprisingly large. This must be how the monster got our friend from the PSF. I just finished blocking it off, so we should be safe. If anything tries to break through, the noise should wake us up.¡±


    ¡°Nicely done, Katja.¡± Hecate and I watched as Katja¡¯s foot dangled around, searching for a foothold.


    ¡°Woah!¡± As her next foot reached the ladder, the shift in weight caused the whole thing to start wobbling.


    ¡°That was a close one.¡± I reacted before anything bad could happen and held the ladder in place.


    ¡°Thanks, Iroha.¡± She climbed down, taking care not to bump into me. She was covered in dust from going into the vent and patted her clothes to wipe herself. ¡°Swimsuits¡­? That¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± She said after looking at Hecate and I. What is she thinking? Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s gonna change too.


    Hecate stepped forward and pushed her way between me and Katja. ¡°That was a bad move, Katja. You could have hit your head if Iroha wasn¡¯t here.¡± With a handkerchief in hand, Hecate helped Katja wipe the dust. ¡°You¡¯re worse than Narumi sometimes¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you, but getting hurt is part of the job description for us. As much as I try to be careful, it¡¯s only inevitable that I get hurt sometimes. You just worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Save that for moments with bloodshed. You fail your duty if you get hurt on a stepladder.¡± Hecate flicked Katja¡¯s forehead before returning the handkerchief to a suitcase in the corner of the room.


    ¡°Ouch¡­ Anyway, what are you doing here? Have you finished checking the bridge?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Not a single scratch.¡± I answered. ¡°The pool area¡¯s clear too. Narumi didn¡¯t find anything, and neither did we.¡± But¡­ What about the prophecy? ¡°Then again, that area¡¯s pretty big, so I can¡¯t say for sure.¡±


    ¡°I see. It was worth taking a look anyway. Good work.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Katja? Are you done?¡±


    ¡°I still have to fortify your room. The doors and windows in our rooms are strong enough to delay any intruders, so all I need to do is block the vents.¡± Katja knocked on the window a few times, and sure enough. They sounded sturdy.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave you to it then, Katja. Iroha and I have yet to check how Carol¡¯s doing. We¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    The two of us left their room and made our way to the kitchen. Carol was in charge of finding us food and other random things we were likely to need. She¡¯s a cutie, so I¡¯m sure that will be a breeze for her!


    ¡°You seem happy, Iroha. Are you hungry?¡± Ehh? Was it showing on my face?


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ I guess you could say that.¡± I can¡¯t tell her I¡¯m just happy I get to see Carol. ¡°Yep! That¡¯s it! It¡¯s nice that we finally get to have a snack.¡±


    The cruise was big enough to house multiple kitchens. We were approaching one of the staff entrances to the largest one when the door suddenly swung open. Carol used her shoulder to open one of the doors with a plastic container on her hands. How cute¡­ I was getting withdrawal already.


    ¡°Carol! Whatchu got there? Did you find their stash?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did¡­¡± Her eyes suddenly widened, and she rushed over to us with pink cheeks. ¡°What the hell are you wearing, Iroha? Why are you two in swimsuits?!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ It¡¯s a long story, okay? Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± She¡¯s looking, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s totally looking!


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it¡­?¡± She clearly wanted to press the subject, but stopped after glancing at Hecate. ¡°Ahem! I made sandwiches for everyone with some of the stuff I found.¡± She maneuvered the container around and opened it for us to see. Simple yet generous sandwiches made from square bread and cut into pretty triangles. Does she actually know how to cook? Maybe I judged her a bit too soon the other day. ¡°Want one?¡± She aimed one of the triangles at my face.


    ¡°Can I? Ahhh¡­ *Mhm!*¡± Savory and a bit sour. Yep¡­ It¡¯s nice! I wasn¡¯t expecting Carol to feed me out of nowhere. We gotta do this more often.


    ¡°Was that necessary, Carol?¡± Hecate said and caused me to jump. I may or may not have forgotten that she was here. Why didn¡¯t Carol stop me? ¡°I¡¯m sure Iroha can feed herself.¡±


    ¡°Ye- yeah¡­?¡± Carol blushed intensely and pushed the sandwich onto my hands. ¡°Well, you never know. She¡¯s such an idiot sometimes that she might even forget that.¡± She turned her nose up and looked away. Why is my girlfriend suddenly calling me an idiot? She¡¯s so mean! Is it because of the two-timing? My harem tendencies? There¡¯s actually a lot, huh? Could it be that she¡¯s right?!


    ¡°We were just messing around, right, Carol?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡± She closed the container. ¡°Since you two are here, I don¡¯t have to go around distributing these anymore. Take it!¡± Carol pushed the container onto Hecate before turning around. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the kitchen.¡±


    Ahh¡­ No¡­ There she goes¡­ It¡¯s too soon¡­ We watched as Carol opened the door and faded from sight¡­ ¡°You and Carol have gotten pretty close, huh? The others too¡­ Fitting in nicely, are you?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ You think so? I want to get along with everyone, so I¡¯m happy they¡¯re friendly with me.¡±


    ¡°Friendly¡­? More like seduction¡­ Narumi asked you to spread sunscreen on her back, Katja had a damsel moment with you, and Carol started feeding you with a smile. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unnatural?¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Who¡¯s supposed to be seducing who?¡± Hecate¡¯s pretty sharp, but she can¡¯t be seriously accusing me of trying to seduce them. Well, I am, but that isn¡¯t evidence of that. Narumi was the one who was seducing me, if anything! ¡°They were just coincidences.¡± Carol aside. That one has an explanation. ¡°I¡¯m part of the group, so I want to help out my friends. I helped you too when you were about to fall into the pool, right?¡±


    Hecate diverted her gaze and didn¡¯t say anything for a second. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Thanks for the help today, Iroha. Would you mind sharing these with Katja and Narumi?¡± Now the container was being pushed my way. ¡°Once you¡¯re done, you can rest for the rest of the day. I¡¯m joining Carol in the kitchen to get started on dinner.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ I can take care of that.¡± I received the container from Hecate, and she left. I still can¡¯t get a good read on her. I didn¡¯t feel any hostility between us. She said I earned her trust, and I think she meant it. What was she thinking just now, though? How does she actually feel about me and the others? There¡¯s something strange about her¡­

 Chapter 106 – Living in Luxury

    I¡¯m so glad I¡¯m alive! Being a part of the House is such a blessing! I can¡¯t believe I get to experience something this nice¡­


    ¡°Wow!! That was awesome! I could eat food like this forever!¡± While I was basking after our meal, Narumi said what we were all thinking. ¡°When was the last time we had beef this juicy? I want more¡­ That fish thing was incredible too!¡±


    ¡°Fish thing? You mean the lobster?¡± Hecate asked.


    ¡°Yeah, that! I¡¯m literally melting from how good it was! I love you, Hecate!¡± After the loud outburst, Narumi plopped back onto the chair and started ¡®literally¡¯ melting.


    It truly was an incredible meal¡­ Might be the best I¡¯ve ever had... We have permission to use whatever¡¯s on the ship, and since this is a cruise ship, it¡¯s filled to the brim with delicious and luxurious ingredients. Left here completely unguarded for us to enjoy. ¡°Thanks, Hecate. It was really tasty. You could probably get a job here and fit in just fine. I¡¯d appoint you as the head chef if it were up to me!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Iroha, but I¡¯m not that outstanding. The excellent ingredients available did a lot of the heavy lifting. The actual chefs that work here do a much better job than I did. You¡¯d probably agree if you ever tried their food.¡±


    Hecate smiled while resting her chin on her hands, like she was enjoying watching our reactions to her cooking. Cheeky girl. She was still wearing her swimsuit, just like everyone here. Narumi and I just didn¡¯t change, but both Carol and Katja got changed at some point. Katja¡¯s clothes got dusty from her work in the vents, so that¡¯s her reasoning. As for Carol¡­ well¡­ I have no clue.


    Katja¡¯s swimsuit had a simple design just like mine, but she wore an open hoodie jacket with it. Much more sensible than me and also more stylish. The black jacket was pink on the inside and matched her hair. It gave her a cool, sporty look while also preserving the sexiness of the black swimsuit. I love it!


    Carol¡¯s swimsuit is technically on the opposite end. She¡¯s wearing a pink, frilly swimsuit that fits her petite physique perfectly. It¡¯s absolutely adorable and makes her look so cuddly! I can barely resist. It¡¯s almost like she¡¯s going all in for cuteness, but there¡¯s a twist. That being Carol herself! The cute exterior is the perfect contrast for the feisty glares she gives me whenever she catches me staring for too long. Now that¡¯s driving me crazy! Almost as much as this food did!


    ¡°These are all expensive ingredients, right? Won¡¯t we get in trouble for using them as we please?¡± I turned to Hecate again, continuing on the topic of dinner. None of us wanted to eat in a big hall by ourselves, so we snagged a third room on the cruise and moved a small table here. We had plenty of space for everyone, and the meal was much cozier this way.


    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t go overboard. Instead of letting some of the ingredients go bad, it¡¯s much better for us to use them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that we have a talented cook like you, Hecate. It really opens our tactical options.¡± Katja said, perfectly composed. Seems like she¡¯s the type that doesn¡¯t ¡®literally¡¯ melt no matter how good the food is. ¡°The ingredients may have excellent quality, but they still need someone able to handle them. Good thing we have the talent required to not waste them.¡±


    ¡°What kind of flattery is that? Almost sounds like you value efficiency more than the delicious food. Maybe I¡¯ll make something simple for you tomorrow. You always say you have no preferences, after all.¡± Hecate¡¯s tone was playful, teasing Katja.


    ¡°Th- that¡¯s a misunderstanding! I¡¯ll eat whatever food I have to to survive, but I enjoy your food a lot. No need to go out of your way to make something different for me.¡±


    I stood up while the two of them were settling that. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna go for a walk.¡± We don¡¯t have anything to do for the rest of the day, and I¡¯m curious about this place. I¡¯ve never been anywhere like this, so I want to explore everything while I can! I¡¯ll probably never get to explore another empty cruise no matter how much money I ever make.


    ¡°On a walk here? By yourself?¡± Katja furrowed her brows. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Right¡­ We¡¯ve been taking things so easy that it¡¯s easy to forget there¡¯s a monster on board. I¡¯m confident I can handle whatever comes my way, but it looks like that won¡¯t be necessary¡­


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­* It¡¯s alright¡­ I¡¯ll go with her.¡± Carol stood up, acting like she was reluctantly doing me a favor. What¡¯s with her? She doesn¡¯t need to come if she doesn¡¯t want to¡­ It¡¯s all an act, though, isn¡¯t it? To keep our relationship from the others?


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s acceptable. Be careful out there.¡± Katja waved, and the two of them watched us leave. Narumi was maybe asleep? She looked so relaxed¡ªso ¡®melted¡¯¡ªthat she didn¡¯t even react.


    We stepped outside without saying much. We turned a corner, then another, and¡­ We¡¯re finally alone, aren¡¯t we? I don¡¯t need to hold back anymore, right? Carol won¡¯t mind? I reached for her hand and squeezed tightly. ¡°Carol! I missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°Wh- what are you saying, you idiot?!¡± I caught Carol by surprise. ¡°That¡¯s what you said to Ririna last time! Are you gonna act like that every single time?!¡± Well¡­ No promises¡­ ¡°How can you even miss me when we were together just now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we had to keep it down in front of the others. Now that we¡¯re alone, it¡¯s completely different! Like, we couldn¡¯t even hold hands like this.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, yes¡­ Holding hands¡­¡± Carol rolled her eyes as we walked. She acts like I¡¯m the silly one, but she hasn¡¯t tried to let go. ¡°The big game changer. How could anyone live without it? If it makes you that happy, go ahead.¡±


    We walked through the hallways like lovers until we arrived at an interesting place. Some kind of lounge that Carol said looked cool when she was investigating earlier. I let go of her hand to open a set of doors before running inside.


    ¡°Ehh¡­ Good taste, Carol!¡± Part lounge, part bar. The room kept the bright, rich wood seen in other places of the ship while mixing a cool black from smooth stone to some surfaces. There was a countertop with some stools lined up, tables, and long couches down a couple steps. Naturally, I dived right in. ¡°This is great We can do whatever we want here!¡± I started rolling in the couch just because I could. Is this what it is like to be rich?


    ¡°Why are you such a child sometimes? Were you always like that?¡± Carol approached the couch like she wanted to sit too. There were plenty of other spots, but she must have wanted to sit next to me. I composed myself right away. ¡°I swear you were a lot more reserved before.¡± She sat down.


    ¡°I mean¡­ I like to have fun like anyone else¡­ I always get a bit shy whenever I¡¯m in public, but I¡¯ve always had a lot of energy at home. I guess it just means I¡¯m comfortable around you now¡­¡± It gets a bit embarrassing when I put it into words.


    ¡°Is that so? This is what you¡¯re like at home? Hmmm¡­¡± Carol averted her gaze bashfully. ¡°What do you do when you¡¯re at home? I¡¯ve seen how you act in the dorm, but you probably do other stuff at home, right- mhm?!¡± A sudden kiss interrupted Carol¡¯s question.


    I wasn¡¯t exactly doing it to avoid giving an answer, but it worked out that way. She was so inviting sitting next to me in a swimsuit that I noticed too late that I was reaching for her shoulder. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready to tell her about my obsession with games and anime yet. It¡¯s a bit too embarrassing.


    ¡°Did you seriously need to do that?¡±Carol blushed with a happy look on her face. ¡°There¡¯s still a chance we could get caught.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ doesn¡¯t it feel extra nice to kiss right now? In this place that would be normally inaccessible to us while hiding from the others¡­ It¡¯s like we¡¯re doing something we shouldn¡¯t. Doesn¡¯t it make it more exciting?¡±


    ¡°We technically shouldn¡¯t be doing this¡­ Have you forgotten we¡¯re here for work?¡± We were sitting next to each other, and Carol leaned against me. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t get it. It was a bit lonely to be separated from you.¡± Ahhh¡­ She¡¯s so nice¡­


    We hung out for almost an hour before going back to our rooms. My soul¡¯s healed now¡­ We talked about a few random topics while lightly cuddling. She¡¯s so soft¡­ I wish I could just hold her forever¡­ But we have work to do, and we can¡¯t go to bed too late.


    When I entered my room, Hecate was sitting outside the bed wearing a black nightgown. ¡°Took you a while. Has Carol returned to her room?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ We came back just now. What about you? Were you waiting here for me the whole time?¡± I sat down on my bed across from her.


    ¡°Not at all. I was talking to Katja about our plan for tomorrow until a while ago. I finished taking a shower just now and was about to go to bed.¡± Unlike her usual dresses, her nightgown made her look very slim. She gave off a very refreshing feeling.


    ¡°O- okay¡­ I don¡¯t wanna bother you, so I¡¯ll try to be quiet then.¡± Should I take a shower before going to sleep? I took one after I fell into the pool, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take another.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush. The night is still young. Why don¡¯t we talk for a while?¡± Talking¡­ yeah¡­! That¡¯s a good idea! I still want to figure out why she was acting weird earlier.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s talk. I actually had something I wanted to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what a coincidence. I had a question for you as well.¡±


    ¡°Ehh? Really?¡± Why now all of a sudden? Hecate was smiling like normal, but for some reason, I started feeling nervous. ¡°What kind of question?¡±


    ¡°I was just curious about what you and Carol were up to. The way she offered to accompany you was unusual.¡± She¡¯s worried about Carol? Is this her overprotective side coming out again?


    ¡°It¡¯s just like I said, I wanted to explore the ship a bit more, so we took a look around. Nothing else.¡± The later it got, the eerier the small moments of silence became. Every pause drove home the idea that this little corner with our two rooms was the only safe space in this monstrous behemoth. We can only rely on each other. It¡¯s just me and Hecate¡­


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Is that so? Sounds nice. Sounds like you two had fun.¡± Hecate paused like she was expecting something. ¡°You two got a lot closer while you were away. Incredibly close given the short amount of time¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha¡­ I don¡¯t know if I would say that we¡¯re that close¡­¡± We totally are¡­ ¡°After spending a few days with someone, it¡¯s only natural that you start to know them better, right? It wasn¡¯t easy at first. It took a while until we understood how to act around each other and get along. But after figuring that out, of course we¡¯d get closer. Just like how I got to know Katja well at first from how much time she spent training me.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Getting to know your teammates better is a wonderful thing, especially given the work we do.¡± Hecate was all smiles and spoke with a particularly nice tone. ¡°It¡¯s necessary for relationships to change and evolve, and since I trust you, I know this will improve our performance on the battlefield. But there are some downsides to these changes¡­¡±


    ¡°Downsides?¡± From me getting closer with Carol? More fights? Those are a given in romance, aren¡¯t they? Ughh¡­ I don¡¯t wanna think about that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a commonly overlooked phenomenon. Some relationships appear better and stronger on the surface but are rife with problems underneath.¡± Hecate straightened her back and continued confidently. ¡°Your relationship with Carol underwent a big change recently, hasn¡¯t it?¡± My shoulders grew stiff after a quick glint in her amber eye. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear more about it. How do you feel about her now? What is she to you? I¡¯d like to hear the details of your new relationship with her. For everyone¡¯s sake, of course.¡±

 Chapter 107 – Past Meetings

    It was more than five years ago when Hecate first met Katja and Narumi. ¡°Wait, Narumi. Someone¡¯s here.¡± Those were the first words she heard either of them say.


    During one chilly, early spring day, school was out for the day, and Hecate made her way home. There was an abandoned construction site that she always passed by on the way. The other kids said it was a mall that was finally opening in their growing town. While the adults claimed a rich businessman bought the land for a retirement home. She didn¡¯t know who to believe, but in the end, the construction was shut down before her questions were answered. All that remained was an unusual place that she would sneak into whenever she wanted to be alone.


    *Clack! Clack!* Wood knocking on wood was what she heard on that day. She was just passing by with no intention of sneaking in, but the sound caught her attention. Maybe the construction project resumed. That was the only explanation for there to be sound in such a place. But if that was the case, where were the heavy machines? Curiosity got the better of her, and there was a quick change of plans. It¡¯s just a peek. If the workers don¡¯t find her, there¡¯s no issue.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± In the middle of the evened-out terrain was a small cement platform. Two girls around her age were engaged in an intense battle using wooden swords. Their skilled and precise movements looked like magic for Hecate¡¯s na?ve eyes. This must be that one sport¡­ What was it called¡­? Kendo! They¡¯re doing kendo!


    The two girls suddenly stopped when they spotted her. The girl, she¡¯d eventually come to know was Katja, spoke first. ¡°Oh no! Shinji¡¯s going to get mad at us! What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Th- that was kendo, right? Were you practicing? You were so good!¡±


    ¡°Kendo?¡± Narumi was stunned by the girl¡¯s misunderstanding, but she cleverly took advantage of it. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re just practicing for a tournament. You¡¯re smart. What are you doing here?¡±


    The duo needed a place to train, and Hecate didn¡¯t yet know much about the world. They bought her silence in exchange for letting her watch, accidentally making a new friend. Their stay in Hecate¡¯s town was a temporary one, and it was just a matter of time before they¡¯d vanish. Naturally, they didn¡¯t share this with her, nor any other details about themselves.


    Every single day for over two weeks, Hecate went over to the construction site to watch them train. Little by little they talked with her more and even accepted some drinks she had bought as refreshments. There was a huge disconnect between her and the two other girls that Hecate couldn¡¯t look away from. How could girls like her be so dazzling and untouchable?


    Then one day, the curtains closed. Her window into that fantastic world suddenly closed.


    <hr>


    Hecate didn¡¯t go into much more detail after that. Katja and Narumi stopped showing up until a portal appeared at the spot she met with them a few days later. Hecate got caught in the mess, and the two of them saved her. Since she was too young, apparently, they weren¡¯t worried about her leaking information.


    ¡°That¡¯s almost the same thing that happened to me, huh?¡± The way we were both given a choice to join. ¡°Only I was told I¡¯d be under surveillance if I didn¡¯t join.¡± Hecate was a bit surprised, like she hadn¡¯t realized it yet.


    ¡°I guess you could say that¡­ It¡¯s not entirely different¡­¡±


    I got nervous earlier when Hecate started asking me about my relationship with Carol. I thought she had figured something out, but I think I¡¯m safe for now. I commented on how she thought about the others a lot with all her talk about relationships. Eventually, it led to her telling me how she met Katja and Narumi. Seems like Carol wasn¡¯t part of the House at the time.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad everything worked out for you in the end. You get along so well with the others that I actually thought you were childhood friends, somehow¡­¡± With just the two of us here, sitting face to face, I could feel some tension between us. Her story must have been an attempt to reduce the tension, but I¡¯m still worried that she knows about Carol.


    She said before she¡¯d trust me even if I kept some secrets, and she¡¯s not pressing me about anything. She¡¯s keeping her word, but I bet she¡¯s still curious. She might stop asking if I told her it was a secret, but saying there¡¯s a secret between me and Carol is the same as confessing everything, isn¡¯t it? I need to find a way out this¡­ ¡°Hey, Hecate, did I do something wrong with the others earlier today? You were acting a bit weird before¡­¡±


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°No¡­ You didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­ You were just being friendly, right? Just like what you said was your relationship with Carol. Just friends.¡± I nodded back nervously. How do Hecate and I always get into these sorts of complicated conversations? Was this self-inflicted? ¡°It¡¯s all good then. I see that now. An absurd idea just popped into my head at the time. Don¡¯t pay it any mind.¡±


    ¡°An absurd idea?¡± Hecate smiled and relaxed, but I had a feeling it was too early for me to do the same.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ For some reason, when I saw you getting touchy with Narumi, Katja, and Carol, I thought you might be interested in one of them romantically.¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha¡­ You really think so? Is the House like one of those jobs where they forbid romance in the office? That¡¯s explains why you¡¯d be worried¡­ It¡¯d be bad if someone got distracted by romance when they should have been paying attention to the monsters.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Hecate shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, romance is not that bad of an idea for any of us. The power of love is otherworldly and can give people strength during our battles.¡±


    ¡°I- is that so¡­? But isn¡¯t that a good thing? How is that unfortunate?¡±


    ¡°Because it would be an issue for me personally.¡± Hecate took a deep breath with her eyes closed, before opening them again. ¡°You know, Iroha¡­ Since you¡¯re someone that I can trust, there¡¯s something I must confess to you.¡±


    Gulp.


    ¡°The truth is that I love them. Katja, Narumi, and Carol. I have kept this hidden for the longest time, but I love them all.¡± My heart pounded, and every defense mechanism in my body went off. ¡°You said you were trying to be friendly with them, but from my point of view, it looked as if you were flirting. That would be a problem for me. I can¡¯t bear the thought of giving them to somebody else. If you were romantically interested in one of them, I would be forced to treat you as my rival. That would be very unfortunate, don¡¯t you think?


    Wh- wh- wawawhat the hell?! She likes them in that way!? Is she telling the truth? Maybe she¡¯s just messing with me. She hasn¡¯t told them anything, so it¡¯s not like I¡¯m too late. If anything, the fact that Carol and I are more or less dating means I¡¯m doing quite well. Still, what the hell?


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Ahahahaha¡­ That makes sense¡­¡± So in the end, she was never overprotective, she was just in love. She wasn¡¯t doing the chores for anyone just because she felt like it, she was just in love! And all her hesitation about thrusting me was all because she was jealous!


    I see, though¡­ I think she suspects that I¡¯m interested in the others, and this was her way of keeping me at bay. She¡¯s smart, but she didn¡¯t figure everything out yet¡­ She hasn¡¯t realized I¡¯m already dating Carol. Or maybe she just doesn¡¯t want to realize it¡­ That makes me feel bad somehow¡­


    I never wanted to hurt her or anything! I didn¡¯t know! What should I do? I don¡¯t want Hecate as my romantic rival! That¡¯s ridiculous! This whole thing is ridiculous. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve said what I wanted to say, so I think I¡¯m going to bed. Can you turn off the lights soon, Iroha?¡±


    ¡°S- sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Good night.¡± Hecate got into bed and pulled up the sheets. I stood in place in a daze and eventually turned off the lights before going to bed myself. What should I do? Truth bombs at this hour are terrible for good sleep¡­


    Was she being serious? This is such a crazy revelation¡­ What am I going to do? I need to come up with something fast!


    No, come on, I gotta stop thinking about this, or I won¡¯t be able to sleep. I need something else¡ªsomething to distract myself with¡ªa mental reset! Uhhh¡­ Oh yeah, I can combine skills now.


    I hadn¡¯t realized it was possible until my fight with Armand. It¡¯s not something that was doable in the game, but it seems like I have a lot more freedom now. Slash flurry and Butterfly¡¯s Wings can combine into a flurry of two slashes for each swing. It¡¯s like a two for one deal, except it¡¯s actually pay full price and it¡¯s damn expensive. I wonder if I have something else I can combo right now.


    Speaking of skills, now¡¯s the perfect time to go over the new stuff I got. It is a good time, right? I know there¡¯s a pressing issue right now that I can¡¯t ignore even if I want to, but that¡¯s the point. I¡¯m trying to run away here! I¡¯ll think about it tomorrow. Ah, yes, skills. I finally bought the Parkour skill. I was already doing lots of parkour thanks to Wall Artist, but now I can do other jumps and moves that don¡¯t involve walls. Agility Burst already helped with that, but Parkour is a passive unlike the other two, meaning it doesn¡¯t use MP.


    Other than Parkour, everything else I bought was also new unlocks. Charge Shot, Burst Dash, and Blade Dance were the three skills I bought as soon as I unlocked them. Charge Shot lets me use some MP with my gun, meaning it might be able to actually damage things from the other world now. Would have been very useful against Armand. Burst Dash is a special case, meaning Blade Dance is the last one to take a look at. It¡¯s an attack buff. That¡¯s it, that¡¯s all, let¡¯s go to sleep now.


    ¡­


    Not yet, huh? I was just joking, of course. It¡¯s not just any attack buff. Blade Dance increases attack based on the number of consecutive hits. With how I was chaining hits with my new combo, I can see it becoming very useful very soon. At this point, can I even call myself a hybrid build anymore? It¡¯s like I¡¯m going all in on speed and agility¡­


    [Iroha Shinohara: Lv.35]


    [HP: 3400/3400]


    [MP: 1700/1700]


    [Strength: 185; Defense: 154]


    [Magic: 86; Agility: 355]


    I may be able to choose which skills to get, but I don¡¯t have any control over how my stats are distributed. Agility¡¯s growing like crazy, so maybe this is just my fate. Not that I¡¯ll give up on Heart Piercer.


    The last thing is how some of my skills reached the level cap. Agility Burst, Slash Flurry, and some of the passives like Nimble and Sword Mastery are all maxed. This unlocked some upgraded variants, which is how I unlocked Burst Dash. It has a different use from Agility Burst since it¡¯s not a toggleable skill, but its effect is much stronger.


    Maxing out Nimble doesn¡¯t unlock a specific skill and is more like a requirement for even more unlocks. Sword Mastery unlocked Divine Swordsmanship, while Slash Flurry unlocked Flowering Flurry. At level 10, Slash Flurry allows me to chain an infinite number of slashes for as long as I have MP. Flowering Flurry is a strictly better version with more speed and fewer costs. Either way, those last two skills were too expensive to get. After all that, I ended up with 20 skill points left.


    Whew¡­ I feel a bit more relaxed now¡­ What exactly is going to happen between me and Hecate? There¡¯s a lot to think about¡­ I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to get any sleep today¡­

 Chapter 108 – Something Good

    Our second day on the cruise ship started, and we started looking for the monster immediately after breakfast. I must have been more tired than I thought because I ended up sleeping without any problems. After the bomb Hecate dropped last night, I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to get any sleep.


    ¡°Iroha, can you check the shower section next?¡± Hecate and I were pairing up again, and it was a little awkward.


    ¡°Sure¡­ Leave it to me.¡± The two of us were investigating the changing room near the pool area, a spot where we had to keep our guard up the whole time. This is where one of the passengers apparently got attacked.


    The changing room was split into two sections. One with multiple showering units and the other with lockers and rooms to change.


    I checked the showering units one by one with my sword by my waist. Something that was really hard to achieve, because we¡¯re all in swimsuits again. Hecate woke up before me to make breakfast for everyone, so I couldn¡¯t see what she was wearing. Imagine my surprise when I arrive at the table for breakfast, and I¡¯m the only weirdo wearing normal clothes! Why? Makes no sense. They¡¯re the weirdos for wearing swimsuits for no reason.


    In the end, I succumbed to peer pressure and changed. After searching through a couple of empty showering units in this getup, I finally found something. ¡°Ughh¡­ I think I found something, Hecate. There¡¯s still blood in this one¡­¡± Dry blood and scratches on the wall. At least someone was kind enough to remove the body¡­


    ¡°The scratches lead outside, don¡¯t they? Seems like this isn¡¯t our target¡¯s nest. What a barbaric creature¡­¡± Hecate stood next to me, inspecting the dry blood and the mess.


    ¡°At least we found some clues¡­ Do we go to some other place now?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Hecate walked away from the unit. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find any more clues here before meeting back with the others.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± And so resumed our quiet and awkward search. What am I going to do about Hecate? I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m supposed to feel about her anymore¡­ We¡¯re rivals now, aren¡¯t we? Not yet? I don¡¯t know¡­


    I need to like, simplify my thoughts first¡­ What¡¯s at stake here? Love¡­ Mine and hers. We both love the same people. We¡¯re competing for the affection of the same people, so usually, we¡¯d be rivals. But is it really that simple? I don¡¯t want my relationship with her to be like that¡­


    If it¡¯s a competition, best case scenario, I somehow win and end up dating the other three. Is that even a good outcome? I¡¯m already dating Carol, and it¡¯s awesome. I¡¯d be super happy about dating Katja and Narumi too. But¡­ Hecate would be all alone, wouldn¡¯t she?


    What if we split them? Maybe two of them like me more, one likes Hecate more, and everyone wins. It¡¯s possible that either Katja or Narumi would just not be interested in relationships. Then it¡¯d be one for each of us¡­ They shouldn¡¯t be forcing themselves into a relationship if they don¡¯t want to. But no¡­ this isn¡¯t really a good option, is it? It would just raise more barriers between all of us. The fun and wonderful connections we have now would be gone.


    Then what? Do I have no choice but to hurt someone? To hurt Hecate? Choices are necessarily about prioritizing one thing over another. If I prioritize my happiness, someone will end up suffering as a result of that. Isn¡¯t there a way to make everyone happy?


    I was looking near the side of the lockers when I stopped to think, staring at the blue tiled wall in front of me. A way to make everyone happy¡­ That¡¯s what a harem is for, right¡­?


    A new option popped into my head. I love both Carol and Ririna with all my heart. That¡¯s not enough by itself, but it¡¯s probably needed for them to be happy. I can love more than just the two of them, and Hecate¡¯s clearly the same¡­ Someone who loves too much¡­ But who¡¯s to say the others are different? That means¡­


    Hecate and I should double-team Carol! My face burned red. Wait, wait! What kind of perverted conclusion is that? I don¡¯t think poor Carol would be able to take it! She¡¯d break! Ahh¡­ well¡­ where was I? I¡¯m starting to think my thoughts are getting lewder and lewder. Not that that¡¯s anything new for me.


    That¡¯s one possibility, though. I do like Carol, Katja, and Narumi, but I also like Hecate. I don¡¯t wanna hurt her. In fact, I want the opposite. Maybe it¡¯s fine if we all love each other without stressing about who¡¯s whose. But then again¡­ I do want my girls to be my girls¡­ I think I¡¯d end up getting a little jealous if we shared them. And at the same time, isn¡¯t this what I¡¯m asking of Carol and Ririna? I may actually be a monster¡­


    I don¡¯t know¡­ I can¡¯t find the correct answer. This is a very important decision, isn¡¯t it? What does my ideal harem look like? This is a lot more complicated than I thought¡­


    ¡­


    It was the middle of the afternoon when we gathered to talk about our findings. This was the second meeting of the day, with the first one used to narrow down the area of our search. All the clues we found were in the back of the ship, so we stuck to searching that part.


    ¡°We found nothing even after we narrowed it down¡­ Is there really a monster here?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It felt like we wasted our whole day for nothing. We stood outside near the pool around one of the tables. Carol and I sat on the side of one of the long chairs while Narumi sat on the table itself.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°If the monster vanished, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± Said Katja. ¡°We can only say that the ship is safe if we can find and eliminate the monster. We¡¯ll have to keep searching.¡±


    ¡°But we looked through every possible location, haven¡¯t we?¡± Continued the cute girl next to me. ¡°Unless it¡¯s actually hiding in the front of the ship¡­ But that¡¯s unlikely.¡±


    ¡°Just because it¡¯s unlikely doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Katja crossed her arms. ¡°Given our manpower, focusing on the back was the right decision with the evidence we found. If the monster ever went to the front, we¡¯d expect to at least find some scratches. But it¡¯s completely possible that we just missed them¡­¡±


    ¡°What if the scratches at the back are just bait?¡± This might be a wild idea, but I¡¯ll say it. ¡°Maybe the monster¡¯s smart enough for that. What if it hides in the front but moves carefully to avoid leaving any scratches there? It makes us think it only acts in the back while disappearing without a trace. Could that be it?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha! No way, Iroha!¡± Narumi looked over her shoulder while swinging her legs. ¡°If the monster was that smart and able to move without leaving a trace, it wouldn¡¯t leave any trace at all. Mysteries are harder the fewer clues there are. Even a red herring is a clue.¡±


    ¡°O- oh¡­ I see¡­¡± W- wow¡­ Is this the power of her brain when she¡¯s not distracted with her phone? Damn, Narumi¡­


    ¡°I suppose we have no choice but to accept our fate. Even if unlikely, we¡¯ll have to search the front.¡± Hecate turned to Katja while holding her parasol.


    ¡°It really should be here in the back¡­ Is there anywhere we¡¯ve forgotten to look?¡± Katja turned in place, trying to come up with more ideas. ¡°Maybe we should give up for the day and look in the front tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Somewhere we haven¡¯t looked¡­?¡± I enter into thought together with the others. Are we missing something? Am I missing something¡­ Hmm¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go in the pool!¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡± In the instant after I said that, Narumi raised her hand cheerfully.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ Sorry, but did you two forget we¡¯re not here to have fun¡­?¡± Katja and the others looked at us in disbelief. ¡°Then again¡­ It doesn¡¯t look like we¡¯re gonna find anything else today, so I guess we can take a break¡­ Just a little irresponsible to suggest that out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Katja, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Something good will happen if you gather a bunch of people in the pool. That¡¯s what Miyuki said. ¡°Maybe the monster¡¯s hiding underwater. We haven¡¯t searched there yet. If I¡¯m wrong, then we can just have fun.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s worth a try¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Bwaah!¡± One after the other, the five of us emerged from our dives in a circle. The water we flung into the air created a short-lived rainbow over our heads.


    ¡°Did any of you see anything?¡± Katja shook her head, flinging her pink hair from side to side. ¡°It was a good idea, but I had no luck.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s one more place off the list. Too bad it didn¡¯t work out, huh?¡± Carol turned to me with a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ I really thought it might be hiding in here. It¡¯s easy to overlook, so it would be an amazing hiding spot. Then again, it¡¯s not like most monsters are able to survive underwater, right?¡± We left our weapons outside before going into the pool, so at least it¡¯s nice that we didn¡¯t get attacked. Other than Carol¡¯s, all their weapons have lots of mechanical parts with them extending and whatnot, so it¡¯s better if they don¡¯t get too wet.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright! I think your guess was good.¡± Narumi said energetically while floating in a weird sideways pose, resting her head on her hand. How is she even doing that? ¡°For the monster to be on a cruise, it makes sense that it would like water. Either way, now that we¡¯re all here, we can finally have fun! Right, Katja? You said we were done for the day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine. Spending all day on this would be unhealthy. Let¡¯s take a break for a change of pace.¡± Katja stretched her arms, preparing herself to swim.


    *Sigh¡­* What a bummer. Wasn¡¯t something good supposed to happen once we gathered in the pool? I guess Miyuki¡¯s predictions are not infallible¡­ I took a look around and a light bulb went off in my head. Something good¡­ I thought ¡®good¡¯ was us finding the target for our mission, but she never said that. Getting to swim together with a handful of beauties might be what she was referring to! That¡¯s right! When it comes to good things, bathing with them is like heaven on earth! I get it now! My eyes have been opened! Thank you, Miyuki! I¡¯m so sorry for doubting you! I hope the day I can see you in a swimsuit too is not far!


    ¡°Hey, hey, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Narumi whispered to Carol.


    ¡°No idea¡­ Probably something dumb.¡± Carol answered, and Narumi shrugged it off.


    ¡°Okay, I got an idea!¡± She continued. ¡°Let¡¯s all play together!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Play? How old do you think we are, Narumi? Do whatever you want. Just don¡¯t try to drag me into yo- Brblrbl!¡± Narumi splashed Carol with a big wave, and her last words came from underwater.


    ¡°Come on, Carol. Why are you being such a killjoy? Is there any rule that says people above a certain age are not allowed to play? There isn¡¯t, right? No reason for you to complain. Unless you have a rule that says you have to complain?¡±


    Carol was so annoyed that a funny angry vein popped up in her forehead. ¡°Narumi¡­ you little¡­ The only rule I need for you is paying you back threefold!¡± Carol splashed Narumi back and started chasing her around the pool.


    Katja, Hecate, and I got dragged into their fight as either Narumi splashed us while running or Carol hit us by missing Narumi. We retaliated when splashed, but then collateral damage would hit someone else until we were all splashing each other.


    ¡°!?¡± D¨¦j¨¤ vu! Narumi was still running around, and she was getting close to me. I suddenly remembered something. This is just like that time when we bathed together at the House. It all started with small splashes until Narumi lifted me up and tried to throw me! I can¡¯t let her catch me! ¡°No way I¡¯m falling for that again!¡± I prepared myself to dodge the moment Narumi got close. Fufufu¡­ I can see through you with ease!


    *Splash!*


    Boom! Out of nowhere I got hit in the face by a cannonball! That¡¯s not right¡­ I¡¯d be dead¡­ A water ball, not a cannonball. That¡¯s what I meant. Felt like a cannon, though¡­ After me, Narumi, Carol, and even Hecate got hit too. Looking for the culprit, Katja was standing there with a huge water gun in her hand. When the hell did she get that?


    ¡°Woah! That¡¯s not fair! I want one too!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re right there.¡± Katja pointed to a basket behind her. It wasn¡¯t there before¡­ Did she sneak off to get it for us? How considerate of her.


    ¡°Here it goes!¡± Narumi rushed to the basket and swung it, tossing its contents flying before diving back in. Before one of the plastic guns hit us in the head, we all dove to avoid Narumi¡¯s bombardment.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! What the hell? I guess we¡¯re doing this!¡± I grabbed one of the guns to shoot before I got shot. Katja¡¯s blasts were really strong¡­ Weren¡¯t water guns supposed to be very weak? I can¡¯t remember the last time I¡¯ve used one. The water gun industry must have had a crazy boom while I wasn¡¯t looking! ¡°Carol, let¡¯s take out Narumi and Katja together!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good! You wanna go?¡± Narumi readied her gun. ¡°Join us, Hecate! Let¡¯s punish them for their escapade!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! Did you have to phrase it like that?!¡± With red cheeks, Carol opened fire, and a huge war started in our private cruise.


    ¡­


    ¡°Whew¡­ I¡¯m beat!¡± Narumi spread her arms and leaned against the ledge of the pool. I don¡¯t know how many shots were fired during World War II, but after firing what felt like more, we were all exhausted. Having done their job, our colorful guns floated around in the pool while we unwound around in a circle.


    ¡°Seriously¡­ I can¡¯t believe I let myself get dragged into this.¡± Hecate placed a hand on her cheek and sighed.


    ¡°What¡¯s important is that we were all able to take a break. I hope this helps us work hard tomorrow.¡± Katja seemed pleased with the results of our activity.


    ¡°What? Work tomorrow? No one told me anything about that.¡± We all stared at Narumi. Again? We were so synchronized that we started laughing.


    ¡°Something good, huh¡­?¡± Turns out Miyuki was absolutely right. Feels great to have fun like this into the late afternoon. It¡¯s getting late, but it¡¯s still so sunny outside¡­ This summer¡¯s coming at us with full force¡­


    I closed my eyes and relaxed while covered in a cool shadow¡­ Shadow? There shouldn¡¯t be anything around to cast a shadow¡­ Oh, it¡¯s the jumping board, tall and looming over the pool. Was it always leaning that much? Either I¡¯m really tired, or I¡¯m seeing things¡­ The plank seems narrower towards the end but also thicker. It¡¯s starting to look like a spike¡­


    ¡°Watch out!¡± The spike slammed into the pool as I pushed Hecate out of the way. I was next in the trajectory, so I grabbed it with both hands and got pushed to the bottom of the pool. I wasn¡¯t seeing things! The jumping board twisted into the shape of a war pick. That¡¯s not all. Before sinking, there was some kind of lizard standing next to the pool. Don¡¯t wanna jinx anything, but¡­ I think we found our target!

 Chapter 109 – Something Reptile

    Found you¡­ Sinking, surrounded by oppressive blue, the sun continued shining on me. Glorious rays of sunshine brilliantly pierced through the water of the pool just for me. I won¡­ Ahahahaha! We won! We found the monster, and I completely stopped its ambush.


    The pool¡¯s jumping board turned into a war pick, and the monster tried to use it to crush Hecate. We have a no-touching policy, so I pushed her out of the way and caught the spike before it stabbed into me instead. My back hit the bottom of the pool, and a gentle cough of bubbles escaped my mouth. The water reduced most of the impact, and by the time I sunk to the bottom, I was able to stop its momentum with my bare hands.


    Then again, maybe I was celebrating too soon¡­ I stopped its first attack, but nothing¡¯s over yet, is it? If I don¡¯t find a way to get out of here soon, I¡¯m gonna drown. But if I let go of its weapon, it might attack someone else. The spike wiggled left and right and also tried to go deeper, to stab my chest, as if to prove my point.


    This thing is dangerous. I can¡¯t just let go of it. Could I get it stuck to the bottom of the pool? I moved around the spike as quickly as I could and got into position to slam it down. Is my strength enough to do this underwater? I gotta do it to protect the others!


    ¡°Brl! Brlbrl! (Hey! Wait!)¡± As soon as I got my weight above the giant, war pick shaped springboard, it started pulling up. ¡°Brl?!¡± Too quick!


    *Splash!*


    ¡°Wait wait wait wait! Too fast! That¡¯s too fast!¡± I clung onto it not to fall, only to get flung into the air. ¡°Woaaaah!¡± There it is¡­ That¡¯s the enemy¡­ While in the air, I got a good look at the monster. It looked like some kind of giant lizard. It reached about chest height, being also twice as wide. Its tail was longer than its body and was shaped like a weapon.


    Uhmm¡­ Where am I gonna land? I was going over the lizard and getting away from the pool. There are other pools this way, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going that far. I adjusted myself and landed in front of the lizard, right between some tables and chairs. It hasn¡¯t moved since the ambush attack, and its back was turned to the pool where the others were.


    Looking at it again, this is not just any lizard, is it? It¡¯s a chameleon! Or at least something related. It had a horn on its forehead and looked more like a monster from a game than an animal. Which it is.


    ¡°Iroha! Where are you? Are you okay?¡± Carol jumped around in the pool, looking for me. ¡°Hold on, we¡¯re on our way!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right in front of it. I stopped the spike before it reached me, so I¡¯m alright. Just bring me my sword, Carol, okay? Please hurry!¡± This is kinda scary otherwise. I ended up on the side opposite of where our weapons were. I don¡¯t know if I can do anything like this!


    ¡°We¡¯re on our way! We¡¯ll join you as soon as possible!¡± Katja said as the four of them quickly swam towards the edge of the pool with Carol in front. Okay¡­ Guess I just have to survive for a while. ¡°Wait!¡±


    *Thud!* At some point, the chameleon¡¯s tail had turned into the shape of an axe and stopped the girls in their tracks. They stopped in time, and no one got hurt. Is it focusing on them? Does it not see me as a threat?


    I¡¯m not really a fan of being underestimated like this¡­ They can¡¯t get to our weapon with the monster getting in their way. But more importantly, they might get hit at this rate. I gotta do something! ¡°Here it goes!¡±


    I closed the gap with Agility Burst. I can¡¯t go all out since it¡¯d give away my magic and get me in trouble. But I can still use my skills if I¡¯m careful. ¡°Look at me, you stupid lizard!¡± When I got close, I brought my hands together and smashed them down on its head. The chameleon¡¯s skin was hard and protected it from any damage. Its head wobbled for a moment. It worked.


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    The monster finally looked my way and focused on me. Tables and chairs were sent flying. Still in the shape of an axe, the monster spun and swiped with his tail along the floor. ¡°Nice dodge, Iroha! Keep it occupied!¡± I jumped over the tail, and Katja and the others finally made it to the edge.


    ¡°It¡¯s working¡­ Woah!¡± The lizard repeatedly slammed its tail on the deck of the ship, breaking furniture with each slam. What exactly am I dealing with here? The tail had a spike at first but now is shaped like an axe. A chameleon that can change the shape of its body? Just its tail?


    The answer to that question arrived right away. The claws on its front legs turned into scythes, and it lunged forward into a hug. ¡°Nope! No touch! You can keep those to yourself!¡± It repeatedly lunged after me while I ran around the pool. I gotta find a way to defend myself!


    I grabbed a chair to attack, but it ate right through it. I dodged out of the way of the following lunge, and it crashed into some tables. This monster is not very smart, is it? It¡¯s buying me time, though. Before it got up, I noticed a bartender stand near a railing to my side. That¡¯s used to mix cocktails, right? I have an idea¡­


    I ran towards the stand, and the monster lunged ahead of me, leading his shot. I used Agility Burst to stop and turn my momentum around. The chameleon crashed into the wooden stand, and I smiled. There it was, flying through the air¡­ A small metallic object reflecting the bright sun. A kitchen knife!


    I jumped to grab it but got too close to the lizard. It slashed with its tail at me before I had time to grab the knife. I gotta be fast¡­ I really need this one to work! Parrying Strike!


    I hit the axe from above with the knife and smacked it into the ground just before my feet. Almost scratched a toenail. It¡¯s a miracle the knife didn¡¯t break against an axe the size of someone¡¯s torso. Parrying Strike has that effect, right? Either way, I can put up a fight now!


    I rushed the chameleon down, and it pulled back. The tail transformed into a long blade for more maneuverability up close. It swung as it backed away to stop my advance, but I dodged its attacks while closing the gap. Even with Parrying Strike, I get the feeling this knife can¡¯t take many more hits. I have to finish this soon! Heart Piercer!


    With a burst forward, I moved past its defenses and hit the head with the knife. Before resistance even reached my wrist, the blade snapped, and only a small wound appeared on its skin. ¡°Arggh! Dammit!¡± I knew this was gonna happen too! I got too carried away! Were there other knives?


    ¡°Iroha! Here.¡± Just as I was thinking about retreating, Carol arrived at my side and tossed me my sword.


    ¡°Sorry we took so long. You held out well!¡± Katja jumped between us and the monster and stopped the counter to my thrust with her two-handed sword.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you, Carol.¡± I unsheathed my sword, ready to join the fray. After Katja blocked the attack, Narumi followed up with her axe, aiming for the monster¡¯s legs. The two of them hit multiple attacks while buying time for Hecate to set up. The tail was still in the shape of sword, and the chameleon used it like a scorpion¡¯s tail, but- Bang! From the other side of the pool, Hecate knocked it away with her sniper before Katja and Narumi were harmed.


    The enemy was out of options and resigned itself to withstanding the attacks. The three of them were clearly damaging it, but its skin started transforming. ¡°It bounced? Why?¡± Narumi tilted her head after the spot that she hit before became harder than steel.


    ¡°Yeah, it can change shape in the middle of a battle. Careful, girls!¡± Now was a bad time to charge in, but I approached regardless to cover their retreat. Katja took longer than Narumi to pull back and received the monster¡¯s full attention.


    ¡°There!¡± She hit its left leg once, but it hardened before the second hit, growing thicker and bulkier. ¡°Bad timing¡­¡± Since her sword did nothing, the lizard followed up with a step forward and a swipe. Katja put her sword to block it and got pushed back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try!¡± It moved to either grab or crush Katja, but I arrived just in time to deflect its claws away.


    ¡°Sorry, Iroha. You saved me.¡± We finally managed to put some positions between us and the monster and regroup. ¡°The situation is not looking great¡­ Who knew we¡¯d run into something so strong?¡±


    ¡°Even my shots stopped having any effect.¡± The five of us stared the monster down with Hecate standing in the back with her sniper. ¡°It¡¯s an interesting specimen. If even we lack the firepower to damage it, isn¡¯t this a real threat? Do we have a plan?¡± No matter how sturdy it is, I can always spam Heart Piercer to take it down. There¡¯s Blade Dance too! It buffs consecutive attacks, so if I could just hack at it away for a while, it might work. I might be able to bulldoze through its defenses. Is that really feasible though?


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Hecate.¡± Carol took a glimpse at me and grinned. ¡°Iroha has a plan.¡± H- hey! Why are you saying that? You¡¯re putting me on the spot here!


    ¡°Do you?¡± Katja tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯m out of ideas, so if you¡¯re that confident, tell us what we should do. Otherwise, we have to call for help. Before it transforms into something even more dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Well¡­¡± How can I land consecutive hits uninterrupted? We¡¯d have to find a way to restrain it. If only we could do that¡­ The only other option is¡­ ¡°If I could get on top of it, it might work. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d be able to kill it if I had enough time.¡± I need to stop it from interrupting me. ¡°If Hecate could prevent its tail from knocking me off and someone else kept the limbs busy, we could do this. Like¡­ What if Narumi covered Hecate while the two of you attacked its legs?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too risky?¡± Asked Narumi.


    ¡°¡­¡± Katja took a moment to think about my proposal. ¡°It seems like we¡¯re asking you too much, but we have no other choice. This is a good opportunity for you and Carol to show the results of your training.¡± Katja took a step forward and signaled Carol to follow her. ¡°We¡¯ll create an opening for you to jump on its back. You¡¯ll be the one in most danger up there, so get away if things get iffy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ With you covering for me, I don¡¯t have anything to worry about, do I?¡± I followed the two of them to be close enough to jump when the opportunity showed up. They smiled without turning back and drew their swords confidently. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ Let¡¯s make it pay for attacking us while we were having fun!¡±

 Chapter 110 – Strange Mirror

    This is completely different from how it is in games. Cute, cute, cute! Girls fighting in swimsuits are so cute!


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be the same after this. This is nothing like seeing them on a screen. Every time Carol or Katja swing at the chameleon monster, there are jiggles and flutters that you can only see from up close. It¡¯s so cute!


    I wonder if I can make this the new standard. It¡¯s so nice¡­ Oh, but what if it gets boring after a while? Yeah¡­ I think the novelty would wear off after a while¡­ I guess it¡¯s the type of thing you save for special occasions. ¡°Now, Iroha!¡±


    Between the two pools, Katja and Carol were fighting the chameleon to create an opening for me to jump. ¡°G- got it!¡± I was able to focus after Katja¡¯s signals, ran forward, and jumped on top of it.


    Even though we¡¯re in the middle of an important mission, it¡¯s such a good day outside that it feels kinda like a dream. If anything, it¡¯s this thing¡¯s fault that we can¡¯t sit back and relax anymore. Time to make it pay!


    The chameleon¡¯s body was cylindrical and uneven, but it was wide enough that I was able to find a way to place my feet. ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± I held my sword high before swinging it at its exposed back below my feet. The first strike barely did anything. As expected¡­ I need to stack Blade Dance first, don¡¯t I?


    Swing after swing, I moved my arms as fast as I could. Each consecutive attack increased the power of the next by such a small margin that it was barely noticeable. But it¡¯s fine¡­ No matter how long it takes, we can do this!


    ¡°The tail¡¯s moving!¡± After a few swings of my sword, the chameleon tried to stab me with its tail sword.


    ¡°I can see, Narumi. Leave it to me.¡± The next second, a shot from Hecate¡¯s sniper caused the sword to whiff.


    ¡°Is it working?¡± Carol stared as the monster¡¯s movements grew desperate. She and Katja were at a safe distance, out of range of its claws yet close enough to react if it tried to interrupt me.


    ¡°Not yet!¡± It¡¯d be so much easier if I could use the Butterfly¡¯s Wings Slash Flurry combo! Too bad Carol¡¯s the only one I can show my powers to. I could be hitting it like five times faster!


    The damage was steadily increasing. Eventually, the creature raised the left front leg and extended its claws for an attack. Katja ran forward and smacked it back down with her sword. ¡°Focus on the enemy and forget about Iroha, Carol!¡± With its attack interrupted, it tried to retaliate against Katja. She had finished her objective, so she just backed away. ¡°We can only trust that her plan will work.¡±


    ¡°I- I know! I don¡¯t need you telling me that!¡± Carol focused and saw the legs on her side twitch. Stupid thing is gonna try this side now¡­ You¡¯re not lifting a single finger on my watch!


    Carol approached before the lizard even did anything. Isn¡¯t she moving a bit too early? I can almost damage it¡­ Just need a few more hits¡­ If they can hold on a little longer, it will all be over soon!


    Both legs looked like they were about to do something. Carol looked between them, ready to strike whichever moved first. ¡°Woah!¡±  Then, Carol heard someone¡¯s wobbly voice. The legs weren¡¯t going for an attack this time, but for a big movement.


    ¡°What?!¡± With a violent jolt, the chameleon¡¯s whole body jumped to the right. Carol tried to stop it but got pushed back until she fell back into the pool. ¡°Iroha?¡± Dammit! She fell in the pool. Even the water could not cool her frustration. Katja was able to do it. Why can¡¯t I? Was Iroha at least able to hold on? As long as she¡¯s not interrupted, we¡­


    *Splash!* Her eyes widened as a face appeared underwater, falling roughly in the same spot as her. Iroha¡­ Dammit¡­ She was actually knocked off¡­ Carol was ready to drown in her sorrows when she got pulled up by the wrist.


    ¡°*Bwah!* Ahahahahaha! We were so close! The chameleon got pretty lucky¡­ One wrong move and it would have been toast.¡± Carol looked frustrated even though the plan went great. We were pretty close to a perfect ending.


    ¡°Sorry, Iroha¡­ It was all my fault¡­ I ruined everything at the last second.¡± Carol looked at the water, trying to hide her face behind her wet hair.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± With one hand, I gently swept her hair to the side before continuing. ¡°You just got unlucky¡­ It¡¯s not your fault. Who knew it¡¯d be able to move so quickly after getting so bulky?¡±


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    ¡°But your plan¡¯s ruined now¡­ All because of me.¡±


    ¡°Ruined? I¡¯m not hurt, and it¡¯s all thanks to you and the others. It may have managed to knock me off its back, but we can just start again.¡± That said, I did lose my consecutive hit bonus. It will take a while to rebuild those stacks. ¡°Don¡¯t get discouraged, Carol. Let¡¯s try again, okay?¡± Carol and I managed to get out of the pool. The other three were still fighting the monster, keeping it in place while waiting for us to return.


    ¡°Right¡­ We have to show the others the result of our ¡®training¡¯ too, or we¡¯ll never hear the end of it. I¡¯ll cover you properly this time, Iroha. Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish it off this time. I¡¯m counting on you, Carol.¡± I smiled, and she responded with a nod.


    On the other side, without me on top of it, the chameleon monster was now able to go on the offensive. It knocked Katja to the side and rushed straight for Narumi and Hecate. Narumi took a step forward and met the monster¡¯s charge head-on. The handle of her axe slid under its head and locked in front of its shoulders. ¡°C- can I get a hand here? This guy¡¯s hard to stop!¡± Narumi leaned forward while sliding across the deck.


    ¡°Huh? I did it?¡± Her struggle paid off, and she managed to stop the charge by herself. ¡°Wow¡­ You¡¯re even uglier up close.¡± Her positioning resulted in her being face-to-face with the monster. Then, its mouth opened. ¡°Stinks too! Hey! Watch it!¡± Just like a bullet, the chameleon shot its tongue at Narumi from point-blank. Even more insane was Narumi¡¯s reaction time. She dodged it. Without any issue. The tongue retracted, and she dodged it again. And again, and again. What the hell? I need to learn how to do that!


    ¡°Hold it right there, Narumi.¡± I shouted as Carol and I returned to the fight. ¡°Let¡¯s try the same thing again, everyone! Buy me some time!¡± By jumping on its back again, the monster lost balance, and the clash with Narumi broke off. It immediately responded with a tail swipe over its back, but Hecate was in place to shoot it down again.


    From there, Katja and Carol surrounded it, and we settled back into position. Time for me to start hacking away at it again. I think I can finish it off faster this time. ¡°How are you after that hit, Carol? Can you keep going?¡± Katja asked her as the two of them got busy keeping the monster in place.


    ¡°It was just a tackle. Keep an eye out for when both its legs twitch. That means he¡¯s going to jump.¡±


    ¡°Like what¡¯s happening right now?¡± Before Katja could receive an answer, the monster started rampaging. As if moving my sword wasn¡¯t hard enough already, I now had to make a big effort not to fall. If our progress resets again, we might need to give up on this idea. ¡°Stop right there¡­ Your turn, Carol!¡±


    Like Narumi, Katja slid through the floor until the lizard stopped pushing her way, then Carol did the same. ¡°I¡¯m trying! Guuuhhhh!¡± One of the chameleon¡¯s eyes was focused on her, and that gave her an idea. She was stronger now, but what was her new strength? She sneakily looked and confirmed the other three¡¯s positions.


    From a dead angle, she made a knife appear in her mouth. She flicked her head and threw it at the monster¡¯s eye. ¡°You reacted.¡± Nothing ever reached it, but that was all it took to slow its momentum. She sure likes playing with fire¡­ What if the others saw her using magic? Either way¡­


    ¡°Well done, Carol! Now that it¡¯s stopped in place, I can¡­¡± Heart Piercer! And Heart Piercer! And another one. Instead of relying just on the small portion of damage that goes through defenses, with Blade Dance right now, I can actually cause some good damage with these. They¡¯re probably doing full damage. ¡°Go! Down! Already! Stop! Reinforcing! That! Part!¡± The last thrust went all the way through, and I jumped off the monster, landing next to the other two.


    ¡°Did you finish it off?¡± Katja asked. Something told me the monster was dead after the last thrust, but its body was yet to go limp.


    ¡°Y- yeah¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I did¡­¡±


    ¡°Why is it still standing then?¡± Carol looked at me for an explanation. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± She covered her eyes as the monster suddenly started shining.


    ¡°It¡¯s glowing?¡± We were blinded for a moment, then we heard a small metallic object hit the floor. ¡°No way¡­ It¡¯s gone¡­?¡± In its place, all that was left was a small hand mirror. I- is that some kind of drop? Since when do monsters turn into drops? That¡¯s not how this usually goes!


    ¡°What just happened? I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.¡± Katja cautiously took a few steps forward. ¡°Did the monster¡¯s body dissolve? What was that light?¡±


    The five of us then gathered around the small object. ¡°It left behind a mirror. That¡¯s a bad omen.¡± Hecate commented.


    ¡°Why would it leave behind a mirror? Are we sure the chameleon didn¡¯t transform itself into the mirror just to trick us?¡± The unusual situation caused Carol to be on edge.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± On a whim, Narumi grabbed the mirror. ¡°Looks like a regular mirror to me¡­ It did manage to turn into a jumping board flawlessly, didn¡¯t it? Can I break it?¡± Narumi raised her hand, ready to slam the thing into the floor.


    ¡°No no no!¡± Katja rushed to grab Narumi¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s take the mirror back with us. I¡¯ll ask Shinji what to do. We should rely on him in a situation like this.¡± She took the mirror from Narumi¡¯s hand and took a closer look before speaking again. ¡°For now, I think we can say we accomplished our mission. Good work, everyone!¡±


    ¡°Really? It¡¯s over?¡± Hearing that made me breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Finally! That was such an annoying monster¡­¡± Constantly hiding then turning almost immortal¡­ My arms are sore from swinging my sword so much¡­ That¡¯s what happens when I can¡¯t use skills.


    ¡°Are you tired?¡± Katja smiled faintly. ¡°You did a lot of the work today, so you definitely deserve a nice rest. Going into the pool was also a great idea. I didn¡¯t expect that would be what brought the monster out of hiding. Well done, Iroha.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Going into the pool wasn¡¯t exactly my idea, but I¡¯ll take it. ¡°Are we going back to the house now?¡± We can still make it in time for dinner if we leave now. Though, we might need to grab something along the way.


    ¡°Well, we were given three days to finish this mission, remember? We defeated our target on the second day, but no one needs to know that¡­ If you¡¯re all fine with that, I think we can stay another day here and take tomorrow off. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re staying! This is my summer vacation, and I¡¯m not letting anyone end it early!¡± Narumi stepped in front of us, speaking for everyone else.


    ¡°Fufufu¡­¡± Hecate held up her umbrella again, quickly slipping back into vacation mode. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, leave dinner to me. I¡¯ll prepare a celebratory feast tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes! More rich people food! Hey, Hecate, what ingredients are there? Can you use the most expensive things today? We deserve it, right?¡± Narumi started pestering Hecate with dinner requests, and Hecate was more than happy to oblige. She really is good at taking care of the others¡­


    ¡°You did great, Iroha, but you did just as well, Carol. Your awareness during battle has always been good, but you focused your strength on the right things better than usual. Your raw power has also increased¡­ I think we can say your training trip was a success. You should ask for permission next time, but it¡¯s alright. You two did great.¡±


    ¡°Really? We¡¯re not gonna get in trouble? I¡¯m so glad¡­¡± Another day, another dissection ending avoided.


    ¡°Hmph! What did you expect? Iroha and I were together, so of course the training was a success. This is only just the beginning, though. I¡¯m still going to catch up to Iroha and you one day.¡± There was happiness in her voice from having her efforts acknowledged, but Carol tried really hard not to let it show. I¡¯m happy for her.


    Our time here has been incredibly fun¡­ We had the monster to worry about and whatnot, but even then, I can¡¯t complain. But what Hecate told me yesterday is still in the back of my mind. I¡¯m not afraid anymore. The five of us being together is something good. Something really good¡­ I want it to last forever. But I also want to be true to my feelings. And so, there¡¯s only one path. I need to take a step forward and take a chance. No¡­ I want to take a chance. A chance to create something great¡­

 Chapter 111 – Love like Gold

    Still on the same day as our fight with the chameleon monster, while waiting for dinner, Carol and I went back to the pool area. Narumi tagged along, and since we weren¡¯t planning anything obscene this time, we didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that we ended up making such a big mess. The pool might be out of commission for tomorrow.¡± There wasn¡¯t any structural damage to the ship. Just wooden pieces of chairs and tables all over the floor and water. Will we be able to relax?


    ¡°Excuse me? ¡®We¡¯? I don¡¯t remember any of us breaking anything. If you wanna accuse anyone of making a mess, accuse that dumb lizard.¡± Carol crossed her arms.


    ¡°Right¡­ It¡¯s still a shame, though. The ship¡¯s big enough, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something else to do tomorrow. But it would have been nice to play in the pool again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much, Iroha. This place is big! There are many pools here.¡± Narumi pointed towards the back of the pool park. ¡°The ones at the back are probably fine. I¡¯ll go take a look!¡±


    ¡°I completely overlooked that¡­ You¡¯re a genius, Narumi!¡± Kinda ironic to say that¡­ Given that she was speaking in her usual ditzy tone and how free-spirited she was acting. She¡¯s probably in brain-off mode right now.


    Narumi ran off, so Carol used the opportunity to ask a question important to her. ¡°Hey, Iroha¡­ A- are you planning on exploring the ship again today? It¡¯s not really dangerous anymore, but I don¡¯t really mind keeping you company again.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­ Sorry¡­¡± She was blushing so adorably that it broke my heart to say no. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really planning on it today¡­¡± Narumi returned before Carol could let out a disappointed sigh.


    ¡°Hey, hey, that lizard was crazy strong, wasn¡¯t it? Do you think the monsters are training just like us?¡±


    ¡°N- no? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works¡­¡± Unless we¡¯re talking about monster-raising games, I¡¯ve never heard of any monsters hitting the gym.


    ¡°Really? Whatever¡­ I¡¯m just glad the monster disappeared instead of dying. Should be a lot less painful.¡± Narumi had a serious look on her face before she remembered her original goal. ¡°Oh! The pools at the back are clean by the way.¡±


    ¡°Even that reptilian freak makes you think things like that¡­?¡± Carol muttered mostly to herself and shook her head. ¡°The way the monster dissolved was really strange. Did it actually turn into the mirror? You¡¯ve been doing this longer than me, Narumi. Have you ever seen this happen before?¡±


    ¡°No¡­  I don¡¯t really think about monsters after they¡¯re defeated¡­ Katja said it was new to her, didn¡¯t she? This might be the first time it ever happened.¡±


    ¡°Either that or yet another well-kept secret¡­¡± Carol muttered. ¡°We should probably head back now. Hecate should be done by now.¡± And so, we went back to our makeshift dining room.


    After what Miyuki said about the portals, it almost seemed like we were close to solving all the mysteries. So what¡¯s with this mirror business? It seemed like a completely ordinary mirror. Just like that, we¡¯ve found yet another mystery¡­


    ¡­


    The reason I wasn¡¯t going to see more of the ship today is because I wanted to talk with Hecate. After we ate dinner together, I went to my room while waiting for her to return. Life is nice inside these warm, luxurious rooms. It¡¯s a shame we¡¯ll have to go back tomorrow.


    Hecate didn¡¯t really say it, but she¡¯s suspicious of me. I think she can tell that I see the others as more than just friends. At this rate, she¡¯s gonna start seeing me as a romantic rival sooner or later. I have to stop that before it¡¯s too late. This is one of those moments where I can¡¯t hesitate.


    I need to find a way to make sure Hecate doesn¡¯t see me as a threat, and I have an idea. But it won¡¯t be easy. If she ends up steering the conversation, I might say something out of order and ruin everything. How can I take the lead this time?


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here early, Iroha.¡± Hecate¡¯s swimsuit had a fabric that looked like a skirt. Even now she looks as elegant as always. She placed her fashion umbrella in the corner of the room as she entered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out tonight? With the monster gone, now would be the perfect time to explore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really planning on it today. I actually had something I wanted to talk about with you.¡± I stood up to better face Hecate.


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    ¡°Is that so? You look like you¡¯re about to confess to a crime. How amusing.¡± With a light tone, she closed the door behind her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ It¡¯s about what you said yesterday. I also have something I have to confess to you. Just like you, I also have someone I¡¯m interested in.¡±


    Hecate¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, and she didn¡¯t immediately reply. She moved past me and sat down on her bed. ¡°Well¡­ No surprises there.¡±


    ¡°So you knew?¡± Did I actually underestimate how much she figured out?


    ¡°Of course. Your reaction yesterday gave you away. What I told you yesterday was something that a normal person would find unusual, isn¡¯t it? A normal person would have laughed in disbelief or at least been a little astonished. But you did none of that. That meant it was either something you were familiar with or that it posed a problem for you somehow. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Finally, the fact that you decided you had to tell me about it means the person you¡¯re interested in is one of the other three.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s righ-¡± I nodded, but Hecate didn¡¯t even give me time to finish.


    ¡°Who is it? That¡¯s the one thing I haven¡¯t been able to figure out. At first glance, Carol seems like the most obvious answer given how close you¡¯ve grown. But it¡¯s hard to know for sure. The way you go after Katja and Narumi¡ªthe way you look at them¡ªis too strange. Are you just nice to everyone? Is that what¡¯s going on here? Or are you befriending them in order to get closer to someone is particular?¡± Hecate leaned forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicate-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re my teammate. I¡¯m not gonna do anything to you. You¡¯re the one who brought it up, so you should speak up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll tell you, so listen up.¡± I gathered my resolve and sat across from her. ¡°You got one thing wrong. You can¡¯t figure it out because you¡¯re overlooking a possibility. You said you liked all of them at the same time, so why wouldn¡¯t you consider it¡¯s the same for me? I like all the girls from the House. That¡¯s why I¡¯m nice to everyone.¡±


    Hecate¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°I- is that so? That¡¯s unexpected¡­ I didn¡¯t even consider that possibility¡­ Who would have thought you¡¯d feel the same way as me about them¡­?¡± She took a second to compose herself. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you were brave enough to tell me that. You have my respect. But that settles it. We¡¯re rivals from now on. I won¡¯t outright attack you, but I¡¯ll do everything in my power to prevent you from getting any closer with them.¡±


    ¡°You got it wrong again!¡± I instantly rejected her rivalry, and time froze for a second. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to be rivals¡­ I¡¯m not planning on us being rivals¡­ I don¡¯t want our relationship to become like that!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? But if we like the same people, then it¡¯s inevitable for us to be rivals. I¡¯m not about to hand them over to you. In fact, thanks to you, I¡¯ve just now realized I¡¯ve been too passive. I took them for granted¡­ If you don¡¯t want me to see you as a rival, you should give up on dating any of them right away. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re considering that given you¡¯ve decided to bring this up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overlooking something again. You¡¯re letting your emotions run wild, and you¡¯re not thinking straight.¡± Little by little, her hostility is breaking away.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m being emotional?¡± Hecate paused. ¡°This is an important matter to me¡­ It¡¯s only natural that I¡¯d be feeling something¡­ But to say I¡¯m not thinking straight¡­ Just what are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Now for the killing blow. ¡°I said I liked everyone from the House. I love all the girls from the House. That means you¡¯re included, Hecate. I love you too! That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you to see me as a rival.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Hecate was stunned. ¡°Is that some kind of trick? A diversion? You don¡¯t think I¡¯d fall for something like that, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious here, Hecate. I wouldn¡¯t lie about something like this¡­ It¡¯s true that I love the others, but I also love you just as much. I¡¯m dead serious.¡±


    Then she stopped. She looked down, and her expression became hard to read. I waited in silence until she raised her face again. ¡°Is your hair color natural? Do you paint your hair?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡­


    ¡°Huh?¡± That was maybe the last question I was expecting. ¡°N- no¡­? I don¡¯t paint it¡­ Why are you asking that all of a su-¡± With a serious face, Hecate reached forward with one hand. I flinched.


    I¡¯m gonna get killed, aren¡¯t I? ¡°Ehh? What?¡± Hecate grabbed a lock of my hair and brought her face extremely close to mine.


    ¡°No way¡­ There¡¯s no way this is true¡­¡± She muttered. ¡°This must be a dream¡­ A genuine golden-haired beauty saying she loves me¡­ I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Her face looked absolutely blissful all of a sudden.


    ¡°He- Hecate?! What are you¡­? Kyah!¡± As I leaned back, she leaned forward until I fell onto the bed, and she ended up on top of me.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a lie, right, Iroha? Do you actually love me?¡± Hecate asked, cautiously optimistic.


    ¡°Ye- yes¡­ I do.¡± Hecate closed her eyes and shivered, savoring those words. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you acting like this?¡± I don¡¯t get it! Is this really happening!? I can feel myself losing the ability to think!


    Still smiling, Hecate put on a more serious expression. ¡°You see, I really love blonde hair like yours. I have no doubt that it¡¯s the most beautiful thing in the whole world. I wish I could just admire it forever.¡±


    ¡°I- is that so?¡± Is that so?! Is that it?! That¡¯s all it takes? ¡°Well¡­ If you like it that much, I don¡¯t mind letting you touch it as much as you want to¡­¡± I¡¯ve just seen a completely new side of her¡­ Was she always this superficial? It does feel nice¡­


    She was so entranced by my hair that a full minute must have passed in this awkward position. ¡°Uhmm¡­ What now, Hecate?¡± I was hoping she¡¯d forget about the rivalry thing if I told her I loved her, and I think that worked, but¡­ What kind of relationship is this? Seriously¡­ What now?


    ¡°Well¡­ There¡¯s no need to complicate it¡­ If you love me, we should become lovers. No, I think we were fated to become lovers.¡±


    ¡°Do you also love me?¡±


    ¡°Truth be told, I had resolved myself to see you as a rival, so I haven¡¯t had the time to properly think about it yet. I already know you¡¯re a good and reliable girl, and with this beautiful hair, there¡¯s no way I can resist a confession from you.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s good¡­ I¡¯m happy to hear that¡­¡± My already red face got even redder. ¡°What about the others? Are you expecting me to give up on them? I still love them, and I¡¯d rather try to convince you to accept it than give up on them.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm¡­ You¡¯re putting me on the spot here¡­ That is a really complicated question¡­¡± Hecate thought it through with a conflicted smile. ¡°I think I can allow it¡­ If you¡¯re my lover, the idea of you dating one of the others doesn¡¯t bother me as much. I¡¯m fine with it, as long as you don¡¯t demand I give up on them either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± This is where my choice comes in¡­ In the end, I think I¡¯d rather everyone be happy. ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± I smiled, and Hecate smiled back.


    ¡°And now, to seal the deal.¡± Huh? A kiss? She doesn¡¯t waste any time¡­ I followed her lead and closed my eyes. Romantic sounds filled the room, and she pulled back after a few seconds. Guess we¡¯re officially a couple now.


    Hecate pulled me up, and the two of us sat up and stared at each other. Yet another unbelievable turn of events¡­ ¡°I had no idea you were so superficial¡­ Did your feelings change that much just because of my hair?¡± I guess I¡¯m not a saint either on this front¡­ All the girls I like have wonderful personalities, but their looks are definitely great too¡­ Everyone has their own reasons to fall in love, and not all of them make total sense.


    ¡°Your hair is beautiful, but I wouldn¡¯t date someone just because of that¡­ I¡¯ve seen a few people with perfect hair before who were terrible on the inside. Makes me want to rip it off their head since they clearly don¡¯t deserve such a blessing.¡± Rip it off?! Is this a bullet dodged, or am I still in danger?


    ¡°Carol¡¯s also blonde, isn¡¯t she? Is that why you like her?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ Her hair is ash, ash-yellow at best. It¡¯s pretty, and she knows how to style it, but don¡¯t get me started. She¡¯s not a real blonde. And not even remotely close to the perfect golden that¡¯s epitome of beauty!¡±


    Ahh¡­ I see¡­ Guess we¡¯re gatekeeping blondness now.

 Chapter 112 – Magic Words that Shouldn’t be Said

    ¡°Fufufufu¡­ Stop clinging to me, you mischievous little thing.¡±


    ¡°Nghh¡­ Is it morning yet? Why are you getting up so early?¡± Only a small amount of light made it in through the blinds. Our room was still too dim for any reasonable person to consider getting out of bed.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you up. I have to make breakfast for everyone.¡± Hecate whispered while sitting on the side of the bed. I was clenching her nightgown, but she removed my hand gently before getting up.


    *Sigh¡­* Is this what it feels like to let go of happiness? I don¡¯t think my heart can take it¡­


    My momentary depression was quickly washed away by what Hecate did next. She took off her nightgown with her back turned toward me and started changing into her swimsuit. Yes, we¡¯re still doing that. She¡¯s so bold! I gotta burn this sight into my memory!


    But alas, it was too dark to see anything. There was only a blurry silhouette amidst the alluring rustling of clothes. Well¡­ It still gives me the chills. The idea of being in bed with a lover changing in the same room is really nice¡­ It¡¯s the same tingle I get when something comes out and is just as good as expected. Makes my legs all giddy!


    ¡°Do you wanna come with me, or should I let you stay in bed? I can come wake you up when breakfast is ready.¡± Hecate finished adjusting her hair and turned to me. There was a little glow in her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t really think I can go back to sleep, but¡­ I can still feel your warmth here¡­ It¡¯d be such a waste to get up now!¡± What an embarrassing thing to say¡­ I covered my face with her pillow and rolled around under the thin sheets.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± It was Hecate¡¯s first time watching me like this, but she shrugged it off. ¡°We¡¯re lovers now, so we¡¯ll probably spend more nights together in the future. If you want to get up, I¡¯ll help you get ready.¡± And then, I sat up and slammed the pillow on my lap. Not because I wanted to get pampered or anything¡­ It just felt like rolling around in bed wasn¡¯t going to lead anywhere.


    ¡­


    But yeah, the swimsuit thing continues. I put mine on, and we opened the blinds just enough to let some of the morning light in. It¡¯s a bit chilly right now, but at this time of the year, it won¡¯t be long until it¡¯s nice enough to walk around in a swimsuit. The nights are getting pretty hot, so the chill is actually a bit refreshing now.


    ¡°Stand still, Iroha. I¡¯ll brush your hair for you.¡±


    ¡°Kay~¡± I sat in front of a dressing desk with a mirror reflecting Hecate behind me. The way she was brushing my hair looked like a maid taking care of a rich, young lady. You see that a lot in anime. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but when I see how her eyes glow, I can¡¯t really say anything.


    ¡°Hey, Hecate¡­ We kinda glossed over it yesterday, but I think there are some things you should know as soon as possible. You always said I had a lot of secrets, but I don¡¯t want to keep things from you anymore¡­ At least if you promise you won¡¯t get mad¡­ You won¡¯t break up with me if I drop some truth bombs, will you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I can¡¯t even imagine what you could possibly say that would get me upset¡­¡± It was a good idea to ask her now, while she¡¯s over the moon taking care of my hair.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I¡¯m glad you feel that way. You see, Carol and I¡­ we¡­ we¡¯re already a couple.¡± She froze, and her peaceful expression showed a small crack for a moment.


    ¡°Really¡­? Carol agreed to something like that¡­? I had no idea¡­¡± She then continued brushing my hair. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t complain about that¡­ Congratulations, Iroha. But won¡¯t Carol be angry that you started dating me too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ She¡¯ll probably be a little angry¡­ But it¡¯s fine. I told her I was interested in multiple girls, and she still said she loved me. I¡¯m dating someone besides her, and she¡¯s mostly fine with it.¡±


    ¡°Someone else? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also dating Narumi¡­ It¡¯s not Katja, is it?


    ¡°It¡¯s not someone from the House¡­¡± Hecate twitched again. Somehow, that was a smaller shock to her than learning about Carol. ¡°It¡¯s a girl named Ririna. She¡¯s a kind girl who¡¯s very honest. It might not be easy for you to meet her, but I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t hate her¡­¡± Did I say too much? I do want her to know everything eventually.


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    ¡°I had no idea you were such a player¡­ It¡¯s a bit uncomfortable knowing you¡¯re seeing people I don¡¯t even know¡­ I wonder where this is gonna go.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I know how weird it is, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get along with Ririna just fine. I¡¯ll try to think of a way for you to meet her as soon as possible.¡±


    Hecate resumed brushing my hair, and the undisturbed, blissful look returned to her face. ¡°Hey, Hecate, isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait¡­ Just a little more¡­ I finally have the chance to brush such a beautiful hair. I have to make sure it¡¯s perfect.¡± Hecate brought her face closer to work on the finer details. ¡°I¡¯ll tie your side tail too. Just wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever brushed any of the others¡¯ hair? Which one is your favorite?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve helped everyone here and there, but you¡¯re the first one I¡¯m brushing like this. Carol¡¯s hair is the best right after yours, but she would never let me touch it like you do.¡± She finished taking care of my hair and put the brush down. She tied my hair slightly differently from how I do it, but it looked the same as always. ¡°There. All done. I have to go to the kitchen now, or I won¡¯t be able to finish before the others wake up.¡±


    She ran her hand through my hair on the back and placed a kiss on it. She then turned to the door to leave. This girl¡­ This goes beyond liking blonde hair¡­ She might have a fetish for it! What a perv! Still, somehow, this new side to her kinda suits her. In weird way¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t leave without me!"


    ¡­


    A lot happened after that, and eventually, we were all out hanging out near the pool. Carol was sitting at a table under the shade of an umbrella. Pouting, with her arms crossed and refusing to look me in the eye.


    ¡°Sorry, Carol¡­ I brought you a drink to make it up to you¡­ Cheer up, okay?¡± She found out about Hecate. Or better yet, I told her. I had to. Now I¡¯m standing out in the sun next to her, holding cans of soda.


    ¡°Hmph! I already told you not to talk to me! I don¡¯t wanna hear it.¡± Ahahaha¡­ I really had it coming, didn¡¯t I? She¡¯ll probably forgive me if I keep trying, right? Behind her, Narumi and Katja were playing in the water, but they were too far and busy to hear us.


    ¡°I love you, Carol. I swear¡­ I wasn¡¯t trying to make you upset.¡± The one saving grace is that she¡¯s probably exaggerating how mad she is. She¡¯s giving me the cold shoulder, but she hasn¡¯t tried to break up. ¡°Let¡¯s make up, okay?¡±


    I pushed one of the cans closer to her, and she gave me a look of disgust. Am I making progress? She¡¯s looking my way now. She ripped the can off my hand as rudely as possible. ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. You¡¯re unbelievable. I can¡¯t believe you hooked up with Hecate. Hecate, of all people!? How the hell did that happen?¡±


    She sipped half of the can before slamming it on the table. Then her rant continued. ¡°I thought I could trust her. She was supposed to be the last person to ever become interested in you. Who came up with the stupid idea of deciding room assignments with rock-paper-scissors? I can¡¯t leave you alone for a second, can I? If I were in the same room as you, this would never have happened!¡±


    ¡°Ahahahha¡­¡± That¡¯s it, Carol¡­ Get it all out¡­ If it¡¯s for our relationship, I¡¯ll tank it all!


    ¡°It¡¯s unfair for you to place all the blame on Iroha, Carol.¡± Hecate showed up next to me and put her tiny umbrella between me and her. ¡°Our relationship was something the two of us decided, so I also share some of the blame.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do! Why would you fall in love with Iroha? Are you okay in the head? It makes no sense. How does someone like you fall for an idiot like Iroha?¡± Yep¡­ I¡¯m an idiot¡­ In hindsight, I should have come up with a better way to break the news to Carol. I was a bit too excited and told her everything plainly¡­ There are times when being honest and straightforward is not the best thing to do.


    ¡°That¡¯s a complicated question, Carol. If I had to give an answer, I¡¯d say that it¡¯s a combination of multiple factors and circumstances. Iroha¡¯s a good person and a charming girl. And it just so happened that things turned out like this.¡± Charming, huh? You¡¯re making me blush. Still, why doesn¡¯t she just say she likes my hair?


    ¡°Stop squirming, you idiot.¡± Carol glared at me, then turned to Hecate. ¡°Did Iroha trick you, Hecate? Do you know what she¡¯s really like? You probably have no idea what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into. The way she acted in front of us is nothing but a lie. She likes to act like she¡¯s a hard worker and a reliable person, but she¡¯s actually just a reckless idiot. And I¡¯m not just talking about her stupid idea of dating multiple girls. She does things without thinking and somehow manages to make it all work out. But she¡¯s absolutely stupid. Worse than Narumi at her worst!¡±


    ¡°Gahh!¡± Her all-out slander shocked me. I¡¯m worse than the girl who tries to act dumb on purpose? What does that make me? Oh well¡­ At least Carol¡¯s a cutie even when she¡¯s insulting me¡­ ¡°??¡± She¡¯s cute when insulting me? Why do I feel like this is the beginning of a very dark path for me? Can I still take that back?


    ¡°Look at her dumb face right now. This is who Iroha really is. Can you really put up with that, Hecate?¡± Hecate moved her head and took a look at me, her face filled with curiosity. She was seriously considering what Carol was saying.


    ¡°Well¡­ I may not know everything about Iroha, but I¡¯m sure it will be fine. If any of those things turn out to be a problem, I¡¯ll tell her off and set her on the right path. That¡¯s what a good lover¡¯s supposed to do, right?¡± She¡¯s an angel! The girl who constantly looks like a fallen angel is glowing like a pure angel right now! I love love you!


    ¡°*Sigh!* It¡¯s hopeless! She¡¯s already acting like they¡¯re married¡­¡± Carol facepalmed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Carol. Nothing¡¯s gonna change that much. I¡¯m gonna keep paying attention to you, so don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯ll do whatever you want if we make up.¡± Those words caught both of their attentions. Right¡­ You¡¯re not supposed to say that, are you?


    ¡°Anything?¡± Carol grinned.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Yeah¡­? Y- you wouldn¡¯t force your precious girlfriend to do something outrageous, ri- right? What should I do?¡±


    ¡°I have an idea, but I¡¯ll have to save it for later. I¡¯ll take you up on your offer, though. I forgive you, Iroha.¡± Carol stood up and extended her hand. What now? I have a feeling that I¡¯m walking to my own demise if I shake her hand.


    ¡°Ahahaha¡­ Thank you, Carol¡­¡± I did it¡­ It¡¯s over¡­


    ¡°What are you three doing over there?¡± With a loud voice, Narumi called out to us from the edge of the pool. ¡°It¡¯s the last day of our precious vacation, you know? Don¡¯t blame me when you regret not making the most of it!¡±


    ¡°Going!¡± I shouted back. ¡°Narumi¡¯s right.¡± I stealthily reached for Hecate¡¯s hand and held both their hands. ¡°It¡¯s our first summer together. We should put the complicated stuff to the side and enjoy ourselves while we can!¡±


    ¡°Fufufu¡­ Well said¡­ Let¡¯s make some memories before it¡¯s too late.¡± Hecate nodded with a smile and put her umbrella down.


    ¡°Sure¡­ It¡¯s annoying, but whatever¡­¡± Carol let out a sigh, but it looks like she¡¯s in! She grinned again after looking at me. ¡°I¡¯ll put up with it just to see that big dumb smile on your face.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡± Was I smiling like that? I touched my face in surprise, and Hecate nodded as confirmation. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me like that! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± I turned my back on them and ran towards the pool to cool my head. How embarrassing¡­ Still¡­ It¡¯s not even over, yet I¡¯m already sure I¡¯ll never forget our time here.


    *SPLASH!*

 Chapter 113 – Is New Always Better?

    ¡°Yesterday sure was fun.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°What, what? Something fun?¡± That was Carol, me and Miyuki, having the most generic conversation possible. Real-life NPCs hanging out before class started.


    Not that I disliked it or anything. Talking with my friends like this is something I¡¯ve never done much before¡­ well¡­ meeting Miyuki. Everything changed after she transferred in.


    Her predictions have been pretty helpful. Prophetic dreams¡­ I wanted to thank her for telling me about the pool, but Carol¡¯s been smothering me since yesterday. After she learned I started dating Hecate, now she¡¯s worried about letting me talk to anyone on my own. It¡¯s pretty cute.


    ¡°Hey, Iroha.¡± Suddenly, I heard a voice that sent a chill down my spine. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re back for real, huh?¡± It was Ayumu¡­ The uncontested top beauty in class before Miyuki showed. Someone who, even all I¡¯ve been through, I am not good at dealing with. My stomach immediately started churning.


    She barged into our conversation with confidence and spoke while resting one hand on her hip. She looked at me with her purple eyes. Her brown hair settled in front of her shoulders.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ What do you mean?¡± She technically didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It¡¯s not illegal for her to talk to me. We just have a bit of a history¡­ Because of her and her groupies, I feel like everything I do in this class is always under great scrutiny. They had a hunch about my past crush on Ayumu, and I feel I narrowly avoided getting picked on because of that.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You skipped so many days in a row that the whole class was starting to wonder if you had finally become a shut-in.¡± She was speaking loud enough for her groupies to hear and start snickering.


    ¡°I got kinda busy with something else¡­ It doesn¡¯t really matter anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I kinda respect how you don¡¯t care about failing tests. Or are you that confident that you¡¯ll ace everything without attending a single class?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not expecting to ace anything, but I think I can at least pass.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, are you sure you aren¡¯t getting too full of yourself? You can¡¯t hog all the new girls, you know? You¡¯ll ruin the vibe of the class if the transfer students don¡¯t get along with everyone.¡±


    This is the reason I wanted to avoid getting put in the spotlight. Ayumu always comes up with a reason to pester me whenever that happens¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not hogging anyone. Everyone¡¯s free to talk to them, and they can talk to whoever they want.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain it. I don¡¯t really care, personally. I¡¯m just letting you know what the rest of the class is thinking. Thought I¡¯d give you some advice.¡± Ayumu shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Oh well, later!¡± With a curt wave, she turned and left.


    She¡¯s just the messenger¡­ huh? Yeah right¡­ If there is anyone complaining about me getting along too well with Miyuki, Carol, and Katja, it¡¯s because of her. She and her groupies are probably the ones who spread that idea.


    *Sigh¡­* At least I think I¡¯ve grown a little. I think I handled her way better than the last time she came up to me¡­ I think I didn¡¯t look too bad in front of Carol¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s her problem?¡± Carol expressed some annoyance while resting her chin on her hand.


    ¡°Carol, Iroha, I have some news for you.¡± Katja suddenly joined the conversation. ¡°Oh¡­ Good morning, Miyuki.¡± What an awkward entrance¡­ You can do better than that, Katja¡­


    ¡°Hi there. I just remember I had something to do before class starts. Do you have news for me too?¡± A normal person would have been upset after being treated like an afterthought, but Miyuki understood. She sensed it was something related to the House and tried to excuse herself right away.


    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s just to these two that I have something to tell.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± Miyuki stood up and offered Katja her chair. ¡°Here. I have to leave right away or I won¡¯t be back in time. Later, Iroha. And you too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miyuki. Good luck with your endeavor.¡± Katja smiled, being thankful for more than just her chair. Then Miyuki left. I was actually hoping I could speak with her alone, but oh well¡­ I¡¯ll try again later.


    ¡°You said you had news for us?¡± I looked at Carol, who looked just as confused as me. ¡°Is it something related to the cruise?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. What did Shinji say about the mirror?¡± Carol asked, looking a bit bored.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t about that, but I guess I can tell you how things turned out first. In regards to our mission, the PSF sent their forces in today to confirm that the ship is safe. After they confirm that there are no more monsters on board, the ship will resume operating as normal.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t just take our word for it, huh?¡± From what I¡¯ve gathered, they¡¯re pretty strict about doing things right. They probably can¡¯t afford to make any mistakes. I shrugged my shoulders. Sucks to be them. ¡°What about the mirror?¡±


    ¡°Nothing so far.¡± Katja shook her head. ¡°Shinji didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with it either. He said he had never heard of such a thing happening before. He¡¯s planning on taking the mirror to a researcher he knows. It¡¯s out of our hands, so we should forget about it for now. If they find something important, he¡¯ll tell us later.¡±


    Carol sat up straight now that we were getting to the point. ¡°So? What was the news you had for us?¡±


    Katja leaned forward, and the three of us huddled closer. ¡°After your performance during our last mission, I think it¡¯s time to get you two an upgrade. You can probably handle it now that you¡¯re stronger.¡±


    ¡°Upgrade? You mean Matching Weapons?¡± Carol got a lot more energetic all of a sudden. I¡¯ve heard that name before, haven¡¯t I? What kind of weapon are they?


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I sent a message to Professor R, and she said she¡¯s available today. I was thinking of scheduling a meeting for later today. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes! We¡¯re in, right, Iroha? Finally¡­ A chance for redemption. I can finally catch up!¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ I don¡¯t have anything going on¡­¡± She was getting so excited, but I just wasn¡¯t really following. ¡°What are Matching Weapons by the way? Is it like the sword you use, Katja? Those retractable and transforming weapons you all have?¡± Except for Carol, I guess¡­ I think she told me she couldn¡¯t use one before, but she never explained what they are.


    ¡°Right¡­ I guess no one told you yet. Matching Weapons are more than just retractable toys. They¡¯re highly advanced weapons that assimilate with the user¡¯s consciousness to grant them extra strength. They¡¯re the reason me, Narumi and Hecate can pull off seemingly inhuman feats.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­?¡± Oh no¡­ I¡¯ve been keeping my powers a secret by matching their level¡­ If they can only do that because of their weapons, yet I did it without, then I¡¯m completely busted! How come they never said anything? Has Katja not noticed, or¡­?


    ¡°The downside of such powerful weapons is that they put an immense strain on the body. Especially in the beginning, when you first match with your weapon.¡±


    ¡°Match?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like I said, Matching Weapons assimilate with the user¡¯s consciousness. Before you can properly use them, you must first enter a meditative state that will create the connection with your weapon. Successfully establishing that connection is not easy, and it¡¯s the hardest part of using a Matching Weapon. That process puts a lot of strain on the body. That¡¯s why we first need to measure if your body can withstand it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Then the reason Carol doesn¡¯t have one of those weapons yet must be because her numbers were not high enough¡­ Are mine gonna be fine?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Iroha. You don¡¯t need to understand everything right away. I¡¯ll explain it to you as we go.¡± Katja patted my shoulder. ¡°Since you¡¯re both free, let¡¯s go to the House right after school¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡­


    I now had plans for the afternoon, but I still had something to take care of. During lunch, I managed to find an opportunity to be alone with Miyuki. ¡°What you said about the pool really came in handy. It was vague, but it helped.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice, Iroha. What did I say exactly? To pay attention while in the pool?¡± Miyuki lay against the wall with her hands behind her back. We were in a hallway that barely anyone ever used. It only led to one of the emergency exits, so it was a nice place to talk.


    ¡°You said something nice would happen if I managed to get a lot of people in a pool. At first, I was a bit skeptical, but you were right.¡± We played around in our swimsuits, and it was awesome. There was also something else.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure it¡¯d help, but I¡¯m glad it did. Is there anything else you wanna know, Iroha? I had some new dreams, but nothing stood out to me.¡± Miyuki tilted her head with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­ Everything¡¯s fine for now. I think I¡¯m gonna get a new weapon soon, but that¡¯s all. A Matching Weapon, or something like that.¡± What happened to my caution? Is it alright for me to be leaking state secrets like that? I guess this is why they use beautiful women to get information out of people¡­ Miyuki¡¯s good at this!


    ¡°*Gasp!* A Matching Weapon?¡± Miyuki was thrown for a loop.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Before I could reach out to her, she broke into a panic.


    ¡°Iroha, listen to me. Whatever you do, you can¡¯t match with your weapon! You can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wh- what? Why?¡± Miyuki took a breath and continued. Looks like she¡¯s calmed down, but this is a first. Did she see something that bad?


    ¡°You just can¡¯t¡­ Didn¡¯t anybody tell you those weapons are dangerous? I saw it¡­ You¡¯re gonna get a reading wrong, and it will go terribly when you try to match with your weapon. Don¡¯t do it, okay?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± It seems like she knows the basics of how the process works¡­ I have no reason to distrust her¡­ Haven¡¯t all her predictions come true so far? ¡°I mean¡­ I don¡¯t think I can back down at this point. I already told the others I¡¯d try to get a Matching Weapon.¡± Either way, I at least wanna know what the big deal is¡­


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Miyuki closed her mouth, and we stood there in silence. ¡°Can¡¯t you throw the matching process somehow? At the very least, try to stop it right away if you notice something wrong. Worst-case scenario, you might die from this, Iroha.¡± She grabbed my shoulders while pleading with me.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be extremely careful.¡± This was a shocking turn of events. But if the worst-case scenario is me dying, that means there¡¯s hope. I can¡¯t be taking risks for no reason, but I need to keep getting stronger. To protect my precious girls. If there¡¯s a chance for me to get my hands on a stronger weapon, I gotta take it.


    ¡°Sorry, Iroha¡­ I guess that was weird of me. Getting all worked up all of a sudden.¡± Miyuki adjusted her hair, and her face looked composed once more. ¡°Can you go back on your own? I wanna stop by the bathroom first.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ Take your time.¡± Whatever she needs to feel better again. ¡°Thanks for your help once again. I¡¯ll definitely keep it in mind.¡± I smiled to put her at ease. She smiled back, then turned around. Looks like there¡¯s more to these Matching Weapons than I thought. How am I going to handle this?

 Chapter 114 – Crazy People

    ¡°There you are, Sarasa!¡± Ririna watched as her friend came out of the fast-travel station and ran up to her.


    ¡°Hi there! Hope you didn¡¯t get into a lot of trouble while I was out. I know how much you love getting caught up in problems when you¡¯re by yourself.¡± With a cheeky grin, Sarasa poked Ririna from the side with her elbow. A while ago, Sarasa left Ebrilyon and went home for a few weeks. Seeing her catgirl friend as energetic as always was a good sign. Ririna couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°I did get into a lot of trouble, actually¡­ You can¡¯t imagine how much.¡± Her bangs look particularly sharp. They were always cut straight, but they¡¯re very clean right now. Sarasa must have gotten her hair cut before coming back.


    ¡°Nyahahaha! I was just messing with you. I know you¡¯re not the kind of girl that gets herself into big messes.¡± Sarasa initially laughed it off. She thought Ririna was just saying that to get back at her. ¡°Wait, seriously? You weren¡¯t actually supposed to get into trouble. Is it over already?¡± Since Ririna was standing in front of her, it had to have been solved already, right?


    ¡°Yeah¡­ But I did get into a lot of trouble. I was being serious.¡± Ririna pouted to get back at her. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty long story, but everything¡¯s okay now. Either way, it¡¯s nice to have you back.¡±


    ¡°Things are gonna get busy around Ebrilyon soon, so I just had to come back. Maybe I¡¯ll finally find what I¡¯ve been looking for. Maybe just some treasure. I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m gonna make the most out of it!¡± Sarasa¡¯s excitement stood out against Ririna¡¯s perplexed expression.


    ¡°Ebrilyon¡¯s gonna get busy? Why? There aren¡¯t any celebrations at this time of the year, are there?¡±


    ¡°Woah, haven¡¯t you heard? There have been some interesting rumors going around lately.¡±


    ¡°What rumors?¡±


    ¡°You really haven¡¯t heard? I¡¯m talking about the Hero! People have been saying the Hero finally left for the continent! His first destination is not far from here, so he might come to Ebrilyon! With some luck, we might run into his party!¡±


    ¡°Oh! I remember hearing people saying that someone finally received the title a few months ago. That was actually true, huh?¡± Ririna giggled. ¡°Still, I had no idea you were such a big fan of the Hero.¡±


    ¡°Kinda¡­¡± Sarasa shrugged. ¡°I was just thinking I could probably get scouted. Since I¡¯m kind of a big shot, I bet I could join the Hero¡¯s party no problem!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! If the Hero¡¯s looking for someone who¡¯s an expert at ditching their friends, I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s anyone better than you!¡±


    ¡°Nyahahaha! You¡¯re as full of yourself as always, Ririna. I think that one deserves some payback!¡± Sarasa spread her arms in the middle of the street and lowered her stance. She was ready to jump Ririna.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna do that?¡± Ririna matched Sarasa¡¯s pose but with a less polished stance. ¡°I¡¯ll make all your future potions bitter. Any gadget too¡­ They¡¯ll be all permanently sticky. Deal?¡±


    <hr>


    The laboratory we¡¯re going to later is in a research district of sorts, situated in the densest part of Three Records City. The district had multiple universities and research centers for both science and engineering. With how technology focused our city is, some people call it that district the heart of Three Records.


    The PSF apparently owns a few of the research centers there, but the one we¡¯re going to is not directly owned by them. They have a partnership with the PSF but only contribute to the research of weaponry.


    But before that, we¡¯re going to have a video conference¡­ A video conference with the so-called Professor R. It sounds so ridiculous when it¡¯s said out loud that I almost want to laugh. For now, Katja, Carol, and I are in Shinji office. He¡¯s out of the House because of work. Katja¡¯s sitting on his desk to set up the conference, and I¡¯m a bit nervous¡­ What even is a video conference? Didn¡¯t those die like 10 years ago? Are we just supposed to stand here?


    ¡°Are you two ready? I¡¯m entering the room.¡± After a quick mouse click, a window with the feed of a webcam appeared, covering most of the screen. ¡°Good afternoon, professor. Thank you for making time for us today.¡± The video was pretty dark. I could only see a dark silhouette of a girl in an equally dark room. This is kinda funny¡­ It¡¯s like we¡¯re the underlings of a villain that never shows her face.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. Are those two the ones for today?¡± The voice coming from the other side was heavily distorted. Is she using some kind of voice changer? Does she really need to protect her identity that much? Is it just the aesthetic¡­ I respect it.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This is Carol, and this is Iroha. If possible, I¡¯d like you to prepare two Matching Weapons for them today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible. We have good materials stocked right now. What kind of weapons do you want?¡± Is she talking to us from her bedroom or something? That¡¯s a shelf behind her, right? That¡¯s a design that would look at home in a bedroom¡­


    ¡°Oh! Uhmmm¡­¡± She¡¯s talking to us now! I was so distracted that I didn¡¯t even notice. ¡°Matching Weapons, please.¡±


    An awkward silence filled the room. ¡°Of course, Iroha. She meant the shape of the weapon.¡± Katja smiled, trying to help me recover from my blunder. ¡°Given how you¡¯ve been using your sword, you probably wanna take a one-handed katana. You can choose something else if you want. But this is an important decision, so I¡¯d recommend you stick with something you can use.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± I turned back to the silhouette. ¡°Sorry for the misunderstanding. I¡¯d like a one-handed katana, please.¡± Professor R vaguely nodded.


    ¡°¡­¡± Carol¡¯s arms were crossed, and she was deep in thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Carol? Aren¡¯t you gonna get something similar?¡± She always fights using a katana that¡¯s the same as mine. She switches between one and two hands more often than me, so maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s stuck.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I only used a katana to train, but I don¡¯t know if it fits me¡­ Maybe I could do better with something other than a sword¡­¡±


    ¡°The different weapon frames put strain on the body in different ways, making compatibility vary from person to person.¡± The distorted voice started explaining unprompted. ¡°A rare few have bodies strong enough to withstand the strain of any kind of weapon, but most have to pick from what they can handle. I believe Katja and your other companions are part of that exception.¡±


    Katja nodded, and Carol spoke up. ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯ve heard this spiel already. I tested my compatibility before, but I was still too young. I just don¡¯t wanna pick something that my body can¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a compatibility test for a one-handed katana, and simultaneous tests for common weapon types. Come to the lab in an hour. Katja will show you the way.¡± Professor R made the choice for Carol, which left her surprised. It¡¯s a good outcome for someone who hasn¡¯t decided. She probably just wasn¡¯t expecting the preferential treatment.


    ¡°Is it alright?¡± Katja didn¡¯t want to impose. ¡°Simultaneous tests are more expensive, aren¡¯t they?¡± Things were more or less settled and their conversation turned into background noise for me. There is something in the video that I couldn¡¯t look away from.


    ¡°The difference is small. Oh¡­ It used to be more expensive. In the past.¡± Another silhouette. A silhouette of a tiny person on the shelf behind Professor R. That¡¯s a figurine of a character from a game, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Koko Madoka¡­¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± After a gasp, Professor R instantly left the conference.


    Iroha and Carol were both stunned. ¡°I- Iroha? What did you say?¡± Katja asked, completely confused.


    ¡°Eh?¡± I didn¡¯t mean to say anything out loud! The words just came out of my mouth! ¡°Sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to!¡±


    A text message arrived right after from Professor R, saying she¡¯d be waiting for us. ¡°Well, looks like she¡¯s not upset¡­¡± The tension dissipated and Katja relaxed her shoulders. ¡°Why would she disconnect so suddenly? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Sounded like some kind of name.¡± Carol added. ¡°Did you figure out her real identity or something?¡± That possibility interested Katja too as she looked at me expectantly.


    ¡°No¡­ Uhmm¡­ How do I explain this without sounding weird?¡± This is gonna sound nerdy no matter what I say, isn¡¯t it? ¡°There was like a figurine of a character on a shelf behind her. Didn¡¯t you notice?¡±


    ¡°Was there? It was too dark to see anything.¡± Katja said.


    ¡°Either way, what I said was just the name of the character. I recognized the silhouette and blurted it out without thinking.¡± Not only was the silhouette pretty unique, but the character is also one I really liked. Koko Madoka is the villain of a story about a group of teenagers forced to kill each other. Forced by her. She¡¯s definitely not a good person, but she sure knows how to make things fun. Plus, she¡¯s hot as fuck.


    ¡°So that was just the name of a character, huh?¡± Carol gave me a certain look, but she quickly dropped it.


    ¡°Is that it? I¡¯m surprised you noticed it when her room was so dark. But why would she disconnect just because of that?¡± The chair wobbled back and forth while Katja tried to figure that out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe she felt like we were invading her privacy? She kept her room dark for a reason, right? She probably doesn¡¯t want us seeing anything that could give away her identity.¡± That¡¯s the answer I gave her, but I think the truth is far simpler. She was probably just embarrassed.


    I get it¡­ I truly do¡­ I¡¯m someone whose apartment is decorated in a similar fashion. I too would be embarrassed if someone saw my place.


    ¡°I see¡­ That makes sense.¡± Katja nodded. ¡°Professor R is one of the few contacts I have that work closely with the PSF, and even I don¡¯t know her true identity. She must really care about keeping it a secret if she even hides it from her friends.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re friends even though you¡¯ve never met? What about when you and the others got your Matching Weapons?¡±


    ¡°That was before Shinji created the House. When we got our weapons, we were still working directly for the PSF. It was one of their people who got us the weapons. I met Professor R a few years ago through a mutual acquaintance. So far, she¡¯s only ever done some repairs on our weapons. This is the first time we¡¯re asking for a Matching Weapon from her, so I was looking forward to finally meeting her. I have a lot to thank her for.¡±


    ¡°You sure know a lot of people who work for the PSF¡­¡± Commented Carol.


    ¡°Ahahahaha¡­ Sorry to disappoint, but not at all¡­  I know one or two people, and that¡¯s it. Shinji¡¯s the one with a lot of connections. We could mess up almost anything, and I have faith he¡¯d still be able to get us out of trouble.¡± Friends in high places! That¡¯s good! I¡¯m glad this is where I ended up working! ¡°Well, we should head out to Professor R¡¯s lab. We¡¯re supposed to meet her there in an hour, so we have to leave now if we want to get there in time.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± The two of us answered Katja in sync.


    ¡­


    ¡°Humm¡­ This is strange¡­ Why are you here?¡±


    Katja tilted her head, and a girl with a hoodie over her head mirrored her. ¡°Compatibility test?¡± It was Reia. The girl who nursed me when I got skewered by the mermaid. The same nurse that was playing with a revolver with a patient in bed¡­


    ¡°Oh, you must be here for a compatibility test too. Wait¡­ You¡¯re not a fighter¡­¡± The way Katja described her, Reia was a prodigy with unrivaled medical knowledge for her age. Why was she here? ¡°Where¡¯s the professor?¡±


    ¡°Busy.¡± Reia answered with a poker face. ¡°I¡¯ll run the test.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why would you even be helping out at this lab? This is for weapons, not medicine¡­ Sorry, but can you take it from the beginning?¡± Katja was stumped, and I don¡¯t blame her¡­ Seems like the PSF is full of weirdos¡­

 Chapter 115 – Compatibility Results

    ¡°How was it?¡± Katja asked as soon as I returned from the test. I raised two fingers in a V shape.


    ¡°It was a success. It said I can easily handle a Matching Weapon.¡± Which is what I¡¯d expect. My base stats are much higher than a normal human¡¯s thanks to the VISS Driver. If I had any problems, it¡¯d be because the VISS Driver interfering somehow, not due to lack of ability.


    This lab, or research center, or whatever it was called, was pretty big, but we only cared about two rooms. The place looked like a clinic. One of the rooms combined a waiting room with a doctor¡¯s office. The other had heavy machinery required for the test, which is where Carol is right now.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Katja let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I expected nothing less. You¡¯re much stronger right now than I was when I got my own weapon. It would be strange if you failed.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I sat down next to Katja. ¡°Now we only have to wait for the result of Carol¡¯s test. She¡¯ll pass too, right?¡±


    Katja nodded. ¡°I have no doubt about it. She¡¯s on a completely different level now compared to before. Carol has always been good at using her head during a fight, but that¡¯s only because she had to make up for her lack of strength. With her recent training, she¡¯s got the fundamentals down, and now she¡¯s quite the force to be reckoned with. Not only is she stronger, but she still has her clever tactics from before.¡±


    Somehow, I felt fuzzy inside hearing that¡­ It¡¯s a shame Carol¡¯s not here to hear this. She would have been happy. ¡°She¡¯s on a bit of a streak lately. It¡¯s good to see.¡±


    The door to the other room suddenly opened, and Carol came out together with Reia. Carol showed no emotion on her face, which caused my heart rate to spike. No¡­ She isn¡¯t smiling, but that doesn¡¯t mean anything. She¡¯s the type that likes to act like it¡¯s no big deal.


    ¡°Carol, how did it go? Is there any weapon type you¡¯re compatible with?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It didn¡¯t really work out.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± I stood up, and Katja did the same. ¡°Why? How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense! Not a single type of weapon? Are you sure there wasn¡¯t a problem with the machine?¡± Katja asked Reia.


    Reia nodded. ¡°Her numbers decreased. There might be interference inside her.¡± Her explanation didn¡¯t help much, and the two of us rushed over to Carol.


    ¡°Her numbers decreased? Even though she¡¯s gotten stronger?¡± Katja looked between the two of them, unsure of what to say. ¡°Sorry, Carol. I may have rushed the test too much. There is no way your numbers could have decreased after the training you¡¯ve been through. You must still be tired after our mission. Let¡¯s try again after you¡¯ve rested, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ It doesn¡¯t really matter either way.¡± Carol crossed her arms. ¡°Even without a Matching Weapon I can still fight. I don¡¯t really care¡­¡± She doesn¡¯t care¡­? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true¡­


    Katja went silent, unsure of what to do. The three of us sat down in a row in front of a desk, while Reia fiddled with a computer on the other side. I was between the two of them and tapped Carol¡¯s shoulder discreetly. ¡°Are you alright, Carol?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Of course¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Carol¡­ She was really looking forward to some redemption¡­ She¡¯s been training all this time for a Matching Weapon, so it¡¯s only natural she¡¯d be heartbroken. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand how my numbers got worse. It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± She said with a strained voice.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Carol¡­ I feel really bad for her¡­ If she failed because she was tired, how come I was able to pass without any issues? We¡¯ve had a whole day to rest since our fight. We should be fully recovered. ¡°Could it be because of your magic? Reia mentioned some interference inside you. What if that¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Really? You really think that¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ Why not? It¡¯s the only explanation that makes any sense, isn¡¯t it?¡± Carol remained quiet, but the painful look completely disappeared from her face. A glimmer of light had returned to her eyes. ¡°Either way, don¡¯t be too harsh on yourself, okay? Even if you can¡¯t get a Matching Weapon, you have something else unique to you. You have your own way of getting stronger.¡± Carol nodded with a faint smile.


    Reia, unaware that we were whispering, interrupted us. ¡°Do you want your weapon very strong?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was caught by surprise. ¡°Su- sure¡­? Is that something you can control easily? I don¡¯t really get what makes Matching Weapons stronger than normal weapons in the first place¡­¡±


    Reia looked at me with an apathetic look. ¡°Magic.¡± What?


    ¡°It¡¯s not magic! It¡¯s science. You have to be careful about what you say, Reia. People won¡¯t understand if you don¡¯t explain things properly.¡± Katja interrupted her like the punchline of a joke to clear up the misunderstanding. Reia looked at her for a second before focusing on the screen in front of her again.


    ¡°*Sigh¡­*¡± Katja then turned to me and gave me an explanation in Reia¡¯s place. ¡°Matching Weapons¡¯ cores are made out of materials gathered from the monsters we kill to grant the people strength on par with said monster. The matching process is all about creating the connection that will allow the weapon to channel that power into you when you need it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ So the strength of the weapon depends on how strong the monster that the materials are gathered from is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. But it also increases the strain it places on the body. The stronger the monster, the harder it is for a person to match successfully.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a double-edged sword then¡­¡± I turned to Reia. ¡°So, uhmm¡­ Reia, you asked me if I wanted a very strong weapon, right? What material were you planning on putting on mine?¡±


    Reia placed a glass cylinder on the desk with a small object inside. ¡°This.¡± Inside the tube was a single silver flower. Neither Carol nor Katja reacted much, but I immediately had a realization. Silver Flowers¡­ The Endless Silver¡­ That post-game area in the other world with never-ending landscapes filled with them. Does this flower come from there?


    ¡°Wait, Reia, a flower? Is this a new thing? Matching Weapons don¡¯t use plants. Will this really work?¡± Katja asked.


    ¡°Maybe? It¡¯s an experiment.¡± Instead of explaining anything else, Reia placed a tablet with information about the plant on the table. The three of us leaned over to take a look.


    The first thing on the screen was a rotating model of a hunched monster. It had a large piece of soil on its back with many silver flowers growing on it. Yeah¡­ Looks like it¡¯s a monster that came from the Endless Silver.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t this a monster defeated overseas? If I remember correctly, it gave their fighters a lot of problems, didn¡¯t it? They said it was a blessing it appeared in a desolate place since they had to resort to large scale weaponry.¡± That definitely didn¡¯t make the news though¡­ Almost sounds like humanity could have been wiped because of that one. That¡¯s a monster from a post-game area for you.


    ¡°What else does it say?¡± Carol swiped up, and we saw the full report about the flower.


    ¡°Highly unstable first results¡­¡± Katja summarized what she saw for us. ¡°No one has managed to successfully match with a weapon using it, and some can¡¯t even try. But the numbers about its strength are off the charts. It¡¯s a real wild card.¡±


    Wow¡­ Hearing all that is making me a bit excited, but also scared. Miyuki said I was gonna die or something if I tried to match with my weapon¡­ The flower¡¯s probably the source of that¡­ I should straight up reject it¡­ I should do it, but¡­ What if I can make it work out? Her predictions are not absolute¡­ The first thing she ever told me was how the girls from the House were going to lose against the mermaid, but I changed that. If I brace myself, I might be able to do it.


    ¡°Are you sure about this, Reia? If something goes wrong, Iroha might get hurt.¡± Katja was the one who posed the question, but Carol fully supported her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll heal her again.¡± She¡¯s confident¡­ Also, again? Looks like she remembers me¡­ She shows so little emotion that I wasn¡¯t even sure. ¡°We¡¯ll swap to a normal material if it fails.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Katja. I¡¯ll take the silver flower. I wanna give it a try.¡± That¡¯s right¡­ I finally managed to get some adorable girlfriends. I can¡¯t afford to lose them because I¡¯m too weak. This is an opportunity for me to get stronger, so I¡¯ll take it.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Reia nodded and grabbed the glass tube with the flower. She got up and moved to the door, stopping for a moment before leaving. ¡°Wait there.¡±


    ¡°Wh- where is she going?¡± I pointed at the door, and Katja sighed.


    ¡°If I had to guess, she probably went to work on your sword right away. I wish she¡¯d make herself easier to understand sometimes. I guess that¡¯s how prodigies think¡­ They live in their own worlds.¡± Katja shrugged.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have the sword delivered to the House or something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s too late now¡­¡± Katja answered Carol¡¯s question. ¡°Matching Weapons are supposed to take a few days to be made, but apparently she can get it done in a few hours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s impressive, but does that mean we¡¯re gonna have to wait here until she¡¯s done? Give me a break¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Carol¡­ Looks like that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°How great¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Hey, Iroha, did Reia even ask how you wanted your weapon? Matching Weapons are supposed to be customized to the user¡¯s needs.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ After the compatibility test, there were a few other tests to find out what I found most comfortable and suited me more¡­ Grip adjustments, weight¡­ Stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ I was worried she would have glossed over that¡­¡±


    There was a single window in the room, and the orange sky was quickly growing darker. Ever since Reia suddenly left, our momentum had awkwardly died down. Guess there are times like this in life¡­ Times when you gotta sit around and watch as the sun goes down while car horns occasionally blare in the background. I was so excited after reading about the potential of the silver flower too¡­ At least I don¡¯t have to wait here alone¡­

 Chapter 116 – Flowery Ambush

    I feel like a kid right now¡­ Sitting on the back of a car, eager to get home and play a new game I just bought. I remember looking at every detail on the cover over and over again¡­


    Except this time, it¡¯s not a game but a cool sword that I¡¯m holding instead. Carol and I were sitting at the back while Katja drove us back to the house. We left the lab shortly after Reia got my sword ready. It was getting dark, but there was still enough light outside to examine the small treasure in my hands.


    My sword had a compact form just like Katja¡¯s, so I couldn¡¯t see the whole thing very well. Taking a closer look, I think its length is around half my keyboard in this form. It doesn¡¯t really look like anything when it¡¯s like this. It¡¯s easy to grip and a bit thicker than the handle when it¡¯s in sword form, but otherwise, it just looks like a stick made out of metal. The whole thing was black, and even though it was made out of something metallic, it didn¡¯t shine much. Except for parts of the blade visible through some gaps, that is.


    ¡°Hey, Katja. Is it fine if I extend the sword here? It¡¯s not going to match with me just because of that, right?¡± At this time of the year, we had to drive with the windows open not to melt. I raised my voice so Katja could hear me over the sound of the wind.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe to extend, so you can do it. Just make sure you don¡¯t damage the car. Don¡¯t point it at anyone!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Hehehe¡­ I got the go-ahead. I aimed the front of the sword at a weird diagonal towards the side of the car. Worst-case scenario, the interior gets ruined, and I get a scolding for misjudging its length. It should be fine, though. *Click.* ¡°Woah!¡±


    Just like I thought¡­ It¡¯s beautiful. The sword is almost completely black. The edge of the blade had a slightly lighter color, and the grip had a red light glowing out from a few gaps. It¡¯s a bit basic, but for a sword, I really like it.


    The blade feels incredible to the touch. It¡¯s all metal, but felt pleasantly smooth. Why would this one feel better than my old one? Maybe this it¡¯s psychological¡­ As I ran my hand through the blade, I searched for any gaps in the metal. There¡¯s no way the sword is one single segment. The length of the compact version is smaller than the blade itself. If my guess is correct, the point where they connect is going to be a weak point. I¡¯d rather find it now than during a fight.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Somehow, there were no gaps. I really couldn¡¯t find anything. A thing like this with so many mechanical moving parts should be weaker than a normal sword. But it¡¯s not.


    I applied pressure at different points, and every time I did, this thing got more and more impressive. When it¡¯s unfolded, this is just like a normal sword. No¡­ It''s better than a normal sword. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d call this magic. Reia might have been telling the truth. This is at a point where the science is so advanced that it¡¯s practically magic! I think I¡¯d be able to cut through steel using one of my skills with this sword. God, I¡¯m gonna be gushing over this thing for so long¡­


    ¡°Are you happy with it? You seem really excited right now.¡± Carol had been staring the whole time while resting her chin on her hand.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I froze up. ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to show off in front of you¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you acting considerate for?¡± Carol looked upset for a second. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t care that I wasn¡¯t able to get a Matching Weapon. Whether or not I have one doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m gonna continue training, and I¡¯ll get stronger in my own way. Is that what you said?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I almost forgot¡­ Carol doesn¡¯t like it when people fuss over her. Especially with something like this. I returned the sword to compact mode, not because I was trying to be considerate, but because I had seen what I wanted to see for now. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. We both gotta get stronger. Let¡¯s keep training together.¡±


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    Carol nodded. ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡± The mood was almost getting to a good point when Katja interrupted us. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re both motivated to train, but this time, make sure you leave a warning before disappearing. I let you off easy this time, but I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll do the same next time.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha¡­ Of course, Katja. We¡¯ll do things properly next time¡­¡±


    ¡­


    It was already late when we arrived, so I spent the night at the House. Next morning, Katja and I ate breakfast and headed straight for the dojo. It¡¯s time to match with my new sword. There wasn¡¯t much of a reason to delay it, so we went for it right away.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Iroha? Are there any problems? If you¡¯re not in peak condition, we shouldn¡¯t do this right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling great. I wanna get this done as soon as possible.¡± So much so that we skipped school to wrap this up. Carol skipped too, but that¡¯s apparently because there¡¯s no point in her going if I¡¯m not there. Quite a nice thing to hear early in the morning.


    But enough gushing about her. ¡°Are you sure? Did you sleep well? Was Hecate¡¯s breakfast enough for you? She never gets the portions wrong, but I want to make sure.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ If there was anything wrong, I promise I¡¯d tell you. Trust me on this one. I know how dangerous this can get, and I want this to succeed as much as you do.¡± Especially since I¡¯m destined to fail¡­ At least according to Miyuki¡­ Her predictions haven¡¯t been wrong so far, but I¡¯ve managed to avoid some of the bad things she has predicted. I hope this one won¡¯t be any different if I manage to keep my guard up.


    ¡°I understand. If you feel anything wrong, tell me right away.¡± Katja¡¯s face softened up. In the end, no matter how dangerous things get, I have to do this. For Ririna, Carol, and Hecate. The only way for us all to live happily ever after is to get to the bottom of what is causing the portals to appear. For that, I¡¯ll need to get a lot stronger.


    But that¡¯s too far away¡­ For now, I need to get my hands on whatever it takes to keep what I have safe. I¡¯m gonna tame this sword, no matter what it takes¡­ Tame the crazy silver flower¡­ ¡°So, what¡¯s the process? Why are we in the dojo?¡±


    ¡°Our location doesn¡¯t matter that much, but I brought you here because the dojo is a good place to do this. You need to do something similar to meditation to match with your weapon. Dojos have always been good places for meditation, so here we are.¡± Katja explained with a serious yet casual tone. She went to the corner of the room to grab a cushion.


    ¡°Makes sense¡­ Plenty of sunlight and quieter than anywhere else in the House. I understand why you¡¯d choose this place.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Katja bent over and gently placed the cushion on the floor between the two of us. ¡°I¡¯m gonna stay with you the whole time to support and guide you. No need to worry about things going wrong. I¡¯ll immediately snap you out of it before the worst can happen. Go ahead.¡± With the shape of the cushion and her gestures, I understood what I was supposed to do.


    I calmly knelt on the cushion with my back turned towards her. ¡°Is this fine?¡±


    ¡°Extend your sword and rest it on your lap. Yes, just like that.¡± Katja placed her hands on my shoulders and gave me a gentle massage. ¡°Are you anxious?¡±


    Since my life is on the line, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m not at least a bit anxious. ¡°Not at all¡­ There¡¯s nothing to worry with you looking over me, is there?¡± Katja was a bit taken aback.


    ¡°Wow¡­ Thanks for the vote of confidence. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to make sure you succeed.¡± Katja continued her massage. I didn¡¯t expect this level of service. ¡°Relax¡­ Let yourself feel comfortable¡­¡±


    I let the tension escape my shoulders and enjoyed her touch. ¡°Mhmm¡­ What¡¯s next?¡± Katja stopped her hands with one last tap.


    ¡°Close your eyes whenever you¡¯re ready. You¡¯re gonna want to focus on your sword as much as possible. Pay attention to the way it feels when it touches your hands and thighs. Try to visualize it¡­ What¡¯s important is that you relax while focusing on it.¡± Katja spoke with a particularly soothing voice. ¡°At first your head will be flooded with other thoughts, but don¡¯t worry about it. They¡¯ll be gone after a few minutes. Good luck, Iroha.¡±


    I closed my eyes and did as she told me. Resting it on my lap is making me very aware of its weight. I can still see the beautiful black metal of the blade glowing in my mind. What exactly is supposed to happen? I should have asked her. Is it the kind of thing I¡¯ll know when I see it?


    Maybe that¡¯s it¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll be able to tell the matching is done when it¡¯s done. Where exactly is the danger in this? Is the sword going to start moving and attack me? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s it, is there? If anything¡¯s gonna happen, it will probably be inside of my mind¡­


    Ah! I¡¯m getting sidetracked¡­ Gotta focus on the sword¡­ How it feels¡­ Visualize it¡­ Even these thoughts are just distractions, aren¡¯t they? Can I shut them up for a while?


    ¡­


    The feelings and the image. No comments¡­


    Words again¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­¡­


    The darkness turned to light¡­ Blinding light¡­ Damn it¡­ I got distracted again, didn¡¯t I? No¡­ Wait¡­


    I thought I was once again putting things to words, but this time was different. The light I saw felt different. I slowly opened my eyes and¡­ ¡°Flowers¡­?¡± When did I stand up? The floor before my feet was now completely colored silver¡­ Silver Flowers¡­ As far as the eye could see. Just like the one used for my sword. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­


    ¡°This place¡­¡± It¡¯s the Endless Silver¡­ From the game¡­ From the other world. ¡°When did I get here?¡± It was a never-ending expanse of silver flowers, letting off a hazy glow by reflecting the light of the moon. The flowers stretched to a small hill ahead of me with a weird structure on top. A thin tower that stretched endlessly into the sky, splitting the moon in two with its silhouette. It¡¯s an incredible view¡­ I had no idea a place like this existed¡­


    The next moment, the flowers ahead started rustling. A gust of wind cut through the silence, causing numerous glowing petals to dance in the sky.


    ¡°?!¡± A presence? After the gust of wind hit me, something appeared in front of that tower. Something that seems more than human, but different from the monsters I know¡­ Either way¡­


    I¡¯m not alone anymore.