45-045
Akatsuki ran up the grey stairs, suppressing his bouncing breaths, and stopped moving there. She should have approached straight up as usual, but she couldn't do that because she didn't want Shiroe to realize her disrupted breathing.
Besides, the current outfit was a daughterly outfit that Henrietta had forced her to wear. This garment, which fluttered here and there, looked pretty, but it was too light for Akatsuki, who had become accustomed to the battle gear of this world, to be comfortable with. It's as if he feels like he's defenseless - walking around half-naked, for example.
It's not very covert, either, so it's inconvenient to sneak up on Shiroe.
Leaning against the shadow of an ancient tree that was propped up on the aerial walkway, Akatsuki caught her breath. He didn't want Shiroe to think that he had rushed over in a hurry.
In the past few days, Akatsuki felt a little closer to Shiroe. Last night in the guild hall, I touched Shiroe's hair. It was cooler than I expected, but it was different from my own, a man's hair. It was smooth and strong, tickling Akatsuki's slender fingertips. The feel of that Shiroe's hair still lingers on his fingertips.
It was an experience that made me happy just to touch her and made me smile. I would deliberately tell Shiroe with a mortified look on my face that I was having fun, and she would ask me back with a puzzled look on her face.
It was fun, too.
But as it turned out, that decision to breathe was what led Akatsuki to eavesdrop.
There was one girl next to Shiroe, looking down at the square lit by the bonfire from the aerial walkway. --You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few. Minori, Akatsuki's companion in the Horizon of Records.
The conversation between Minori and Shiroe reaches you faintly on the night breeze across Akiba.
''On purpose........on purpose?
"Yes.
''I'm ... sorry. Shiroe-san.
At first I didn't know what I was talking about.
'It's nothing to apologize for,'
But I..... ''But I meddled and tried to take Shiroe-san out for a dinner party. When I think about it, there's no need for that, but there's no way Shiroe-san of the 11th Guild can't get an invitation. In other words, that means - you were planning to be hated by Princess Reinesia from the beginning, right?''
At those words, Akatsuki's voice almost leaks out.
-- Are you going to hate me? Shilohé?
It was a perspective that Akatsuki hadn't even considered.
The unexpected exchange caused Akatsuki to forget to call out to Shiroe and could only listen attentively as the conversation between the two was interrupted by the autumn wind.
Akatsuki thinks about Minori's words - her intention to be hated - but a small chill runs down her spine as she realizes the implications. Even Akatsuki had heard Shiroe's words, so he understood that some kind of mess was being made of Akiva today.
I'm sure you're aware of the fact that Shiroe prevented that from happening, even if you don't understand the details of her method.
But Akatsuki had never thought of it the way Minori did.
Like Minori, he had never thought about what people thought of Shiroe.
Like Minori, he had never thought about the future of his position in the Horizons of Record, and like Minori, he had never thought about how Shiroe would fare.
I had never left Shiroe and fought for him, as Minori did.
-- like Minori, he had never tried to save Shiroe from her pain.
Her heart began to beat fast in Akatsuki's thin chest.
Wasn't Shiroe, who had felt so close to him last night, getting further and further away from him? It's pure terror.
The heartbreak of being left in the dark, like a young child left in the dark, makes me groan inaudibly in my chest.
Shiroe is getting farther away.
No, he was far away from me from the beginning.
Was it an illusion that I thought he was next to me?
Ever since that day when Shiroe saved me, I've stayed close to it. I've called out to him as my lord, and I've been his shadow, wielding my sword to protect Shiroe. On the other hand, I've also felt myself being protected by Shiroe, but even that felt good.
I'm not sure I've ever seen such a thing before, but I'm sure Akatsuki was the only one who thought they were protecting each other.
(At the very least, I don't understand my lord like that...)
It was hard to admit that.
That I was inferior to that middle school girl who was a fellow member of the same guild.
The bitterness, the bitterness of admitting that he was losing, was accompanied by a sense of falling, as if the earth beneath his feet was freezing and shattering into fragile pieces.
Even the kunai that Akatsuki had unconsciously clutched was now shaking powerlessly. Akatsuki had been dimly aware of it.
He was aware of his limitations and what they meant.
It is true that assassins have the greatest offensive power among all classes. Akatsuki himself has been honing his skills with pride in battle. He has been honing his skills in battle with pride, and his attack and single-handed combat ability is probably one of the highest of all adventurers. I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do with it.
You can't be sure of that.
It's no wonder, then. I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world. The only way for a solo player to participate in large scale combat is to be picked up by a major guild's call for vacancies or temporary participants. Another option is to belong to a special group, such as the Prodigal's Tea Party, but this is a very rare case. It would take a lot of time and effort to create a group of adventurers who had nothing to do with the guild. If that was the case, it would be easier to start a new guild and gain fame.
Large-scale combat is a challenging playstyle that requires teamwork and repeated practice. The only way to do this is to reduce the overall success rate of a guild. The fact that a large scale guild = a large scale battle has some support in that regard.
I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not a fan of this, but I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to say that.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea for a person to be able to get a job as a professional, but I'm sure it's a good idea for a person to be able to get a job as a professional.
(Am I a phony..................
His own body, which he held in his arms, was trembling in small increments.
It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can get your hands on a new one. I'm sure you're not the only one who's been in a position to see that.
But that's all you need to know. I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do that. There are countless inexperienced "adventurers" out there.
However, a low-level, mere "Divinity Officer" (Kanagi) is attempting to stand alongside Akatsuki's lord in a way Akatsuki never expected. This was a shocking fact to Akatsuki, who took pride in his combat skills and spent his life in another world centered around them.
''-- Minori did something more worthwhile than having 10 more people in charge of practical work in the field. -- Minori was great.''
Shiroe's voice refrained.
The girl, Minori, not only saw through Shiroe's thoughts, she fought on her own battlefield to reduce Shiroe's burden. A mere junior high school girl, not even half the level of Akatsuki, wielded the power she had and climbed to a height that surpassed Akatsuki's. And on top of that, Minori was worried about Shiroe.
The loneliness of Shiroe that Akatsuki had never imagined.
She tried to comfort him.
Akatsuki was devastated by the fact. The recognition of the fact, like shattered glass, ate into his heart and snatched the words from Akatsuki, the words to Shiroe.
◆
The dinner party turned into a party in the square, which was welcomed by the residents of Akiba in general.
I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that you'll be welcomed by the entire population of Akiba. A beautiful woman is a blessing in disguise.
I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one. However, Shiroe was still the "chief of staff" in the security system, so he could only talk to Minori once in a while while while sending telepathic messages from the aerial walkway.
Then that night dawned and the festival entered its third day.
During the day on the last day, Shiroe and the rest of the Log Horizons gathered together and decided to visit the Flea Market, since it was a festival of sorts.
Unlike the fall clothing exhibition, the Flea Market will feature weapons, armor, furniture, guild house facilities and furnishings, as well as books and scrolls. There will also be books and scrolls. Food, monster drop items, and a whole host of other things are for sale.
There were also many peddlers, the Daichijin, who came from distant cities to the 'Flea Market'.
Nyanta and Shiroe felt nostalgic and tried to look for any products from the village where they had stopped by on their way back from Susukino, but they couldn't find any. Nyanta seemed to have bought some wonderfully made, salted pork ribs instead.
It's not surprising when you have such a great selection of products, but the members' greed was also in full swing. Touya bought a new Akaito-odoshi star helmet, while Naotsugu bought a potion.
Minori and Nyanta consulted with me and I decided to release the guild funds as Shiroe as well, so I bought a shared water tank and some carpets with it. It seemed that we needed various supplies for the winter, and there were so many products that I couldn't help but look at them.
After last night's feast, Akatsuki had returned to his original sober, black-clad outfit; today, the third day, he was back to his usual gruff, dignified expression, returning to Shiroe's guarded system without a word. Since it was a festival, Shiroe didn't think it was necessary to be so subdued, but after all, Akatsuki seemed to have his own obsession with Akatsuki.
Akatsuki, who looked tired in the morning, seemed to get back on track in the afternoon after being teased by Naotsugu. The sight of him jumping to his face and kicking his knees in the face while calling Naotsugu stupid has become a familiar sight every time. Recently, Shiroe can also watch with a wry smile.
Just as Shiroe had expected, the attacks against the
Soon, the sun was setting and the city of Akiba was plunging into a post-event celebration. Following the banquet held the day before, a full-fledged drinking party was held this time. Since the event was hosted by the Roundtable, a number of sake barrels were set up in front of the guild hall, making it a lively gathering in which anyone could participate.
The Roundtable was planning to take this opportunity to implement some support measures for small and medium-sized guilds. It was to recruit solo players who did not yet belong to a guild. The independence of one division of a large guild was also on the agenda for consideration. At the party, the young adventurers were discussing these issues while drunk with alcohol.
In the midst of the festivities, illuminated by the bonfire, was a dressed-up Reinesia, who was probably in attendance once again. Of course, the stalwarts of the Round Table, such as Michitaka, Krusty, Isaac, Karasin, Roderick, and Marielle, would also be there, drying their cups to renew acquaintances and old acquaintances, and to make new connections.
In spite of its many troubles, the Akiba's Balance Festival has successfully completed its mission. By the light of the bonfire, the members of the Record Horizon must be congratulating each other and recharging their batteries for tomorrow.
The October Balance Festival, a turning point for the city of Akiba, ended with few people knowing about the trouble.
It was the end of the month for the city of Akiba.
However--.
On the last day of the Balance Festival, Shiroe was walking alone in the dark at night, separated from her guild members.
This was an abandoned building on the southern outskirts of the city of Akiba. A damp staircase stretched out behind the iron push-up doors buried in the rubble. When the building had once existed in the old century, it must have housed boilers and receiving tanks. Numerous pipes crawled along the bare concrete walls.
There is a reason why Shiroe visited here.
It was to meet up with his old acquaintance, Oshima, who was planning to join him during this festival. With Oshima, who had asked me to search for information on the Holy Imperial Westland, I refrained from telepathic communication with him, assuming the worst case scenario. He also planned to join up with her because he had some items to hand over, but Shiroe himself felt a vague sense of unease.
In the darkness of stifling silence, Shiroe proceeded cautiously with the weak light of the Magic Light, which he called up with a single whisper. Opening the door marked 'Control Room' on a metal plate, the interior was still a space for humans to spend time in, compared to the outside.
''--''
You're Shiroe, right? My name is Dariela. I'm a travel writer for the Land People.
However, the person waiting for Shiroe in the room was not the person Shiroe had planned to meet.
Long, wavy, wavy black hair. Crimson lips and eyes like polished obsidian gleaming in a white, oval outline. The geometric patterned robe, woven in indigo and red, pushed into a voluminous flesh that seemed to be soft to the touch no matter where you touched it, seemed to wriggle loosely even though it was just sitting on the couch.
You could feel a strong magnetic force at just one glance.
I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's interested in a beautiful girl, but the beauty in front of me is comparable to Akatsuki, but with a different kind of charm.
It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with them. You can't stop your cheeks from heating up without realizing it.
"Oshima-san, who is waiting for Shiroe-sama, is in a situation where she can't help but move at the moment. And then he asked me to come here to give him a message and report on his behalf.
That's right. Shiroe had promised to meet up with the Adventurer, Oshima. He is a young dwarven youth with a small but agile-looking physique, not a dark-haired beauty.
Dariera / Second Class Citizen / Level 10. Shiroe confirms the information that supports his words on the status screen, which is why he shakes his head, which is almost sweet and misty, and squeezes out his voice.
''--I've never heard of that technique. What kind of disguise is it? Nureha-san.
A dimly lit basement control room.
A heavy silence falls between the woman and Shiroe, who sits on the sofa in the not-so-wide room. In front of Shiroe, whose entire body is filled with tension, the woman, who laughed softly at first, continues to make a sound like a tinkling bell.
The woman wriggles around in giggles and draws a small seal in the air with her fingertips.
Countless dark pigeons flew away from her beautiful black hair as she inhaled the light from Shiroe's magic light (magic light). They will be the effect of the unknown magic that melts into the air from the ladder dancing in the air.
The beautiful woman who changed her appearance into a jet-black gothic dress that looked like it was made of raven feathers, with ears and a tail with the tips dyed snow white.
''Hmph. Ufufu. ........How did you know, White-sama? I'm sure there's no information about the information camouflage (overlay) anywhere.
It's a hunch.
Shiroe said, trying to be tough.
Indeed, the woman in the basement was the Daichijin, and her name was Dariela. She was only level 10. Shiroe confirmed it on the status screen. According to the common sense of the Elder Tail, it was a confirmed fact and could not be overturned. The only thing Shiroe could doubt about it was information from a different lineage source than Oshima and a hunch.
Shiroe was certain that Wet Feather was somewhere in the city of Akiba at this very moment. The fact that she appeared in front of him was unexpected, but it was still more probable than believing that such a good-looking person was 'just a 'Daichijin' thing writer'.
"A hunch..... But you know my name, right?
The beautiful woman in front of her, Wet Feather, smiled lustily. Shiroe knew who the other person was, but she couldn't stop her gaze from being drawn to her.
''Hmph. Shiroe-sama. -- How about sitting down?
Wet Feather looked up at Shiroe with wet eyes. At that angle, Wet Feather's white throat looked unprotected, and Shiroe's mouth was drawn into a heckle. She was afraid that if she didn't, she would stare at him.
'Yes, don't be alarmed. I'm not carrying any luggage (magic bag) and I'm not armed. Today, it's just this one body. I only came here to meet Shiro-sama, you know.
Wet Feathers continues to speak softly to Shiroe, who sits down in the office chair next to the door despite his caution.
''Isn't the West Patriarch supposedly being careless?''
I'm not a lord, you know.
Nureha smiles.
The secretive gesture of gently placing her index finger against her own lips was girlish and dainty. Her age doesn't seem to be much different from Shiroe's, but her beauty is intact, and her mood is unsteady, wavering with her gestures. She seemed to be a bewitching woman, but she also showed an innocent, girl-like profile.
She was seductive, but she was also dangerous for all that.
There is a sweet, numbing, crazy beauty there, like a white flower blooming in the pitch blackness.
After all, this woman was the guild master of Plant hwyaden.
A woman who reigns at the top of Plant hwyaden, a giant guild whose identity is no longer known to anyone. This is the "West Nagon" Nureha.
It all started when Shiroe founded the Round Table.
At that time, Shiroe was determined to restore order and vitality to Akiba, a city that had been depressed and disrupted by the Great Disaster.
At the same time, a similar situation was occurring in the western player town of Minami. It was chaos, dissipation and deteriorating security. And just like Shiroe, there was an "adventurer" who tried to change the situation.
That adventurer was Wet Feather, a beautiful woman who sat innocently in front of Shiroe.
However, Nenuha's vision of autonomy and the means she chose were completely different from Shiroe's.
First of all, Wet Feather had approached the Saimiya family. The Saimiya family was descended from the Westlande imperial dynasty, which had ruled over Yamato in ancient times, and ranked first in the hierarchy of Yamato aristocracy. Unlike the East, ruled by the League of Free Cities of Eastar, the Holy Empire of West Runde is governed centrally by the Saigu family and the regent dukes who reside in the capital city of Keogh.
Of course, this rule is that of the Lords, not that of the Adventurers. I have heard that the Adventurers of the West had never paid any attention to the Earthmen or their noble families after the disaster.
But Wet Feather was different. He had approached the nobles and the Saigu family, and had gotten to know them. His methods are not known, but Shiroe is the only one who has some speculation. At any rate, Wet Feather used his Enchantment to get to the Daichijin and spread his poison.
When Shiroe and the others went to Susukino, all the guards in Minami's town had become his private army. In addition, Nureha used the wealth of the Daichijin to purchase the Great Temple Zone in Minami City.
He had the right to create and steal the Great Temple zone, as well as powerful military power. With these two possessions, however, Natsuwa did not stand out in front of the public, but quietly, calmly, and secretly carried out her plans. The guild she founded, Plant hwyaden, gradually gathered supporters, and before long, it had reached a considerable size. Moreover, its members were all the proud members of the West and old-timers.
Then one day, Nureha made a declaration.
--And then one day, he announced that all adventurers living in the city of Minami would be required to join the Plant hwyaden, a single guild.
A city of one guild, with no discrimination between guilds.
This was Nenuha's new form of autonomy.
I don't mean to contradict you, but you are still the Governor of the West. No matter how much you leave the practical work to the Yangtze, Misha, and Zeldus.
It's not up to you, okay? You are all doing what you want to do. I don't want to bind you all. But I'm just giving you a place to stay. ...and in return, you protect me. That is all I want.
The smooth tone of the words sounded like a Siren's song. The sweet whisper was like a mellow word, a temptation that would make a man feel like listening to it forever.
'--Let me ask you what you want,'
You're impatient. Lord White is.
He knows what he's doing.
"Uh-huh. I see. If you say so, I'll do what you guys say. I'll...
Following Shiroe's urging, Wet Feather continued to speak.
''I've come to invite Shiroe-sama to the Plant hwyaden. To Plant hwyaden. --to be next to me. To walk with me and ask you to protect me.
The voice that chanted dreamily resounded in Shiroe's ears like an angel's invitation.
◆
What do you mean by that?
Just as I said. I want to see Master White. I don't mean to be embarrassing, but I've known you for a long time.
It was not an impossible story.
Shiroe and Wet Feather are both enchanter. The enchanter is not a popular occupation in the Elder Tail, with less than half the number of people who play it as the average job.
Back in the days when Elder Tail was still a normal game, there were probably 80,000 or so active players on the Japanese server, but as far as Shiroe knows, there were only about 2,000 90-level Grant-Makers.
If you're a Grantor, for example, you'll be curious about the adventurers in your profession. What kind of equipment do they have on them? What kind of upbringing do you have in mind? What kind of fight do you have in mind? Since this is a game, players in a similar situation to yourself are the easiest to refer to in terms of technique and training policies. If you want to, you can learn more from people who are better at it than you are.
This is close to common sense for a gamer.
If you think about it this way, out of the 2000 or so 90-level "granting sorcerers", there are only a handful of adventurers who belong to large guilds and are able to collect good equipment for large-scale battles. In other words, there would be only about 100 of them. And with about 100 adventurers, it's possible to learn their names.
In fact, Shiroe has some knowledge of the names of the Japanese server's Lanka class (granting magicians). That's why (...) he also knew about Wet Feather.
Like Shiroe, Wet Feather had also walked the path of not belonging to a guild. If you're a 'granting practitioner' who doesn't belong to a large guild, but still participates in large-scale battles and wields skills, you're an endangered species rarer than the Iriomote Bobcat. Thinking back, I'm sure we've met at least once or twice. To Shiroe, an old player, an industry of 100 people was not a large industry.
''........I know what Shiroe-sama is thinking. But that's not the case, is it? I didn't know about it because you are a Grantor, and I don't want it because you are a Grantor.
What do you mean?
Wet Feathers does not avert his gaze.
He continues to spin the words like a knife while staring at Shiroe with an enraptured gaze, as if pouring something into him.
''In Zantorif, you have manifested a new conceptual magic, haven't you? I don't know what exactly it is, though. Large-scale alteration magic. Since Shiro-sama is special, I thought he'd do that much.
That being said, you must be Wet Feather, right? I don't know how he did it, but he reactivated the Town Gate. I don't think we're free yet, though.
In the basement, where the air is so tense you can touch it, Shiroe and Nureha look at each other.
"I didn't think that the matter of the 'contract magic formula' had been leaked, but if you say so, Shiroe has also suppressed the information of the West's 'curative magic forging'. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
''Shiroe-sama is indeed special. He knows everything. -- my cheeks are on fire when I think that he even knows what is in my mail.
It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you'll be able to get your hands on a new one. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
You're not going to be able to get away with flattery.
Plant hwyaden is a tightly controlled, single guild. Its inner workings are highly organized and highly detailed.
I understand what Wet Feather was talking about.
We know what the big guilds are trying to do: to eliminate the discrimination that the big guilds have against the small and medium-sized guilds, to restore security to Minami, and to work together to return to the real world. The most efficient way to do this is to organize ourselves as a single guild. That would be an aspect of truth. Shiroe acknowledges that advantage.
But the Plant hwyaden that was created for them was therefore highly organized and highly disciplined.
In other words, its internal information was extremely difficult to get to the East.
Since the Roundtable is structured as an autonomous meeting of a free guild, it is necessary for discussions to be conducted openly. Disclosure of information is the foundation of discussion. As such, its movements would be completely transparent to the outside world.
On the other hand, the actual state of the guild
The original purpose of today's rendezvous with Oshima was also to hear new information and receive some items.
'No. I told you earlier, didn't I? I'm a laissez-faire person. Misha did this on his own.
And the processing saturation attack on Akiba's Round Table?
'Yes. That was an ill-conceived House of Lords, Lundstad's own runaway.
You can't believe such a thing. It's a very good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
Shiroe, who was unconscious of when she got close, jumped back as if she had been touched by fire.
'I've come to invite Shiroe-sama to come to you. Would you be willing to come to me?
Such a wish should be bestowed on Soujiro. That's not my area of expertise.
Sojirou-san, is it?
A glimmer of swift light danced in Wet Feather's eyes, but it was replaced by a slightly troubled expression in the next moment.
I prefer Shiro-sama to Soujiro-san. I think Shiro-sama is more special than Soujiro-san. I came to this city to beg for Shiro-sama and only Shiro-sama to invite him.
Shiroe's eyes felt like they were going blank at those words.
Shiroe didn't feel any sincerity in the woman in front of him.
Instinctively, Shiroe sensed that this woman was made of lies and sin. But even knowingly, it was a dazzling temptation. I'm too immune to women, I think to myself.
(Still, I've never heard anyone say that I'm more special than Soujiro. I'm so pathetic.
No?
There's no truth to it.
I guess so.
Wet Feather let out a low voice while keeping her gaze down.
The hint of entanglement that had been entangling Shiroe was gone, replaced by a fleeting and fragile presence.
'So, if I tell you the truth, will you come to me?
We can't judge until we hear the truth.
The truth isn't a good thing, is it?
With an expression that remains as fragile as an aged earthenware vessel, Wet Feather makes a snatched laugh.
''........Alright. Because you're Shiro-sama. Because you're special. Because you're special. I'm special because I'm special. I'm going to have to show a certain amount of determination. Yes, I understand. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it, because it's going to be a good idea for you to be able to see through it.
Wet Feather's words continue like a spell.
''I am, Shiro-sama.
What--?
'I'm flattered that you're surprised, but yes, I am. At any rate, I was an ugly child with big, giddy eyes, skinny, and poor - an ugly child who knew nothing but to look up at his surroundings greedily.
No wonder Shiroe was surprised. This is because the beautiful woman in front of him had a dislike for too much power in her eyes, to be sure, but she had a look that anyone who asked would say she was bewitching.
However, the conversation went in a direction Shiroe hadn't even considered.
(That's the earth...)
When I was in elementary school, I was really too skinny. It wasn't like my ribs were floating. My arms and legs were floating. My hair was all over the place and my clothes were all over the place. More than ugly, I was a dirty girl.
When she entered junior high school, she grew taller, but she didn't gain much weight. I think she was still the same gloomy, unpleasant girl, looking up at the world with her big eyes through her bangs.
That changed - it was in the second year of junior high school. By some chance, I got some money and was able to get a decent meal. In the beginning, my body was still unacceptable, but I slowly put on weight... but I was still skinny. I went from being uncomfortable where you could see my bones to just being thin.
Is it.........
Is it some kind of abuse, Shiroe wonders.
And is the story true? .........
You can't trust it now, even if Wet Feather said 'I'm going to tell you the truth'. This is because Oshima is not here. In the event that you are not able to get the information from Oshima to meet up with Shiroe, you can't move that fact. That fact cannot be moved.
And this woman, no matter how shrill she sounds right now, is the guildmaster of the single guild, Plant hwyaden, which rules over Minami.
But on the other hand, if someone tells you "this is a lie," you can't take them at face value. If the only thing a liar can do is lie, that is no different than being honest.
A liar ... is a being who maliciously misleads a subject.
'I, who came to care about my appearance, was still a poor woman, everywhere. Thin breasts, only thin limbs. The thin breasts, thin limbs, and a face with big eyes, just like a tenth person.
The most common assessment of me at the time was that I was a "sinister girl".
Hmmm. Maybe it wasn't just my appearance. Something inside me could not help but be called that.
........And yet.
I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not a good person. I'm not going to say that it's for the sake of survival or that it's unavoidable. I was so happy to be embraced by them that I was able to soar.
A rough, uncomfortable feeling of discomfort washed over Shiroe. It was in the content of this story. Could it be true? If it was true, it was uncomfortable to have such a thing so close to me. Could it be a lie? If it was a lie, this woman who bothered to listen to such stories was offensive.
"Master White?
He found himself surprisingly close to Wet Feather's eyes. Wet Feather looked up into Shiroe's eyes as she looked up and smiled wistfully.
''See, the truth is so boring, isn't it? What good is all this talk going to do? Truth is worthless in a world where nothing but lies exist.
White. If you are willing to come to me, I'll be your lover. You don't want to? I have this body now. This body, white and disgusting, that everyone admires, this body. Or do you hate it? This woman.
I felt a tidal taste in my mouth, and for the first time I realized I'd been biting my lip. Her body temperature rose and her cheeks were hot.
White cleavage peeking out of her black satin dress. The slender fingertips that moved constantly and invitingly. A pampered expression and a melted tone of voice. The sweet scent that made me want to eat the poisoned shortcake, even though I knew it was a poisoned shortcake.
I have had to please your highness with my poor body, so I have training. ........I'm a good liar, you know? If you'll just turn a blind eye to the fact that it's a lie, I'm sure I can make you happy, White-sama. Yes, that is, until you are satisfied. The sun rises and sets. I will serve you in my bedchamber until the sun rises and sets and the world turns to twilight.
Why?
-- do you really need that much of a reason?
What good is it if it doesn't feel real?
So you just have to be convinced that it's a lie. It's just a myth anyway.
Sweet nothings, as if covered in honey, poured from the lips as attractive as cherry blossom-colored water confectionery into Shiroe. In my field of vision, I see a squirming, teasing, unknowable wet-feathered smile and the wavering tails of the foxtail tribe.
''........making up, a story?''
Yes, I'm making it up. It's just a story. I know. It's a fictional story. --It's about my friend's sister. And then one day she met the Elder Tail. It's a far cry from the world she lived in. And yet, she was hooked. Do you know why?
Shiroe doesn't understand.
She can't answer.
'Because in that game, she can have the body of her dreams. As long as she has it, she can protect it, she can ask for it, she can give it to you. Because she will have the happiness that she could never have wished for to the point of vomiting blood. A beautiful face and a body that seduces the opposite s*x. Because she can have it in that world. But you know what? -- it's funny because it's only a game.
Wet Feathers continues to Shiroe, whose sticky tongue sticks to the inside of her mouth and she can't speak.
'She ... she's not hospitable. It's like being ugly, even in a game. You can't get what you want even if you get your immense beauty and body. --It's an MMO. You can be treated to a certain amount of hospitality just for being a woman. You can be treated to a certain amount of hospitality just by saying you're a woman. But even then, she can't get as much as she wants. For some reason, the person she wishes to have is not taken seriously by the person she wants to get.
--Why is that? There are women who get much more popularity than she does, even though they're more normal looking than her. She's just bright and cerebral, and people will protect her. There are girls like that, though.
Wet Feather's eyes, which seemed to be a jet-black cave now, were about to swallow Shiroe.
'I tried my best, even with this. ........I also learned to use ladylike language in an attempt to get men to like me. I also studied the gestures that men like. I trimmed my hair and my clothes. Ridiculous as it sounds, I dressed up and went out for a day off. It's disgusting. Hmmm. Mm-hmm. --But you know what? It didn't work. No, please don't look at me like that. It wasn't a total waste of time. With the skills I've acquired, I'm able to entertain Shiro-sama. ........it's not a bad thing, is it?
It was sweet, muggy, easy on the ears, enticingly beautiful - but it was rotten. Shiroe was fascinated by the disease.
Wet Feather's offer was tantalizingly alluring, despite the fact that there was something fatally warped about it, and it was magical enough to captivate Shiroe's soul.
''She is. .........................Hmph. Still, one such day. One day when I was in the depths of despair, I was told. "You have a good arm," she told me. "You're doing this solo, and you have the respect of a solo artist. And that's what my fellow Grantor told me. Right, Master White? What do you think? Would you be convinced by this 'fiction'?
It's...
Is it true? And Shiroe couldn't ask. It's not in Shiroe's memory. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I can't say for sure that you haven't. I had forgotten about it until we met again like this, but I had teamed up with Wet Feather several times to fight him.
Shiroe had a certain amount of name recognition, so he was sometimes called in as an outside helper in large battles for several guilds. Perhaps the same was true for Wet Feather. A Granting Magician wasn't needed much in normal adventures, but in the long hours of large scale battles, its MP recovery ability could be needed.
It was impossible to say that he had never said such a line to her when they met.
Of course, the fact that Shiroe doesn't remember it means that if she had said such a line, it would have had no special meaning. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. I'm not that good of a guy. But that's why it's possible that he just let it slip out as his true feelings without a second thought.
So Shiroe said, 'Is it true?' I couldn't ask. Forgetting seemed like a terrible betrayal.
"Master White," he said, "come near me. Come near me, Master White. I will arrange a seat for you at Plant hwyaden. I have already taken steps to tell the Saigu family to give Master White the name "Gaiji". The Saigu family is now at our mercy. --I'm sure Master White has already caught on. Fraction. Return to reality.
In those words. Shiroe couldn't help but gulp.
''Haha. She reacted after all. .........After all, Shiroe-sama is special, isn't she? I know that......... The way of return........
She whispered about how far she was reading Shiroe, and licked her red lips with the tip of her tongue. When Shiroe averted her gaze at the seductive gesture, she even let out a giggle and a girlish laugh.
'We've found our way back to the real world.
I can't prove that's the way to return.... As long as it can't be proven, it will be nothing more than a human body erasure.
Isn't it possible to 'make it less so' if White-sama cooperates?
Honestly, Shiroe was almost nodding at Wet Feather's words at this moment.
It wasn't because he was fascinated by Wet Feather.
It was because he was curious about the information that Nenuha had in his possession. It was obvious that if he stayed with Nureha, who had brought the west together, he would be able to obtain far more information than he could in Akiba. Considering the return to the real world, it would be an efficient path.
No, such logic might be an excuse.
What Nenuha offered was too tempting. Not in the sense that Wet Feather's own good looks and body were. Someone to call him special, someone to call him special, brought up a strong sense of loneliness in Shiroe that he had forgotten until now.
And whether Wet Feather's story was true or a lie, wasn't he the only one who could stop Wet Feather? It was exactly a sense of urgency, but it was also the fact that it confused Shiroe so strongly.
Additionally, if Wet Feather was crazy, Shiroe felt responsible for that. Even if Shiroe personally wasn't responsible, the twinge of guilt that Shiroe was feeling was exactly the kind of emotion that stemmed from a sense of responsibility.
''--In the first place, Shiroe-sama would have no reason to do so, right?
Reason?
Shiroe asks back to Nureha, who is staring only at Shiroe as if she were floating in heat.
''Yes, the reason. You don't have any reason to put your trust in the city of Akiba, nor do you have any reason to put your trust in Daichijin, do you? Isn't there only a vague ethic to it? No, it's fine. That doesn't change the fact that I want Shiroe-sama. But, Shiroe-sama is going to find it hard to do so. So.....
Now that they were close enough to touch each other, at a distance that even conveyed warmth, Wet Feather put her lips to Shiroe's ear.
''Me. Use Wet Feather as an excuse for Shiroe-sama. Use Wet Feather as a reason. --then Shiroe-sama will be able to release Shiroe-sama's power completely, right? It can wield all of its intellect in all directions, unencumbered by restrictions and regulations, right? I want only Shiro-sama. So Shiloh-sama can use Wet Feather as an excuse and do all kinds of selfish things, right?
The decisive words of temptation were, as it were, the words of farewell.
All of the conspiracies, he said, were inexhaustible. The temptation was great. For Shiroe, who one day found herself caught up in this other world, caught up in the deterioration of security and trouble, and who had weathered a series of perilous panics, the desire to wield power by tentatively entrusting its direction was as huge as the twitching desire to touch this beautiful woman in front of her.
It was not Shiroe's fault that she had come to this world.
That condemnation is the soul cry of every adventurer invited to this world. I want to know why. I want to know why. I want to know what it means to fight, and I want you to provide me with a reason to fight. You'll never know how strong that feeling is if you don't become an adventurer.
Wet Feather was right.
It was a temptation in the right sense.
But there was no way he could equate reasons with excuses. That would be nothing more than undermining the reason for the action.
If you are feeling fondness for Wet Feather, if you feel even the slightest bit of affection for her, you should never use her as an 'excuse'.
This was the first time Shiroe was able to assert that, now that she had a "reason" to do so.
It was only because Shiroe had obtained the Record Horizon that she was able to say this.
''Huh...?
Looking at Shiroe who had pushed herself away, Wet Feather moved her fox ears that adorned her black hair as if she was confused.
''I've decided that all the 'fiction' you told me is true (,,,,) but I still can't join you.''
The frozen Wet Feather looked into Shiroe's eyes, as if she couldn't give up, disappointed, and yet still hung on, "Why?" with her lips without a trap. I asked.
'It would be better for you to be your enemy than to be on your side, because it would be more palatable to your wishes.
For the first time, Shiroe stared into Wet Feather's eyes of her own volition, and she spoke each word clearly, as if confirming her own will. Shiroe touched Wet Feather's cool cheek, feeling guilty as the words stabbed into Wet Feather like a sword.
''I'll be the enemy for when you eventually find out why.
Shiroe's words became an invisible chain that connected Wet Feather and Shiroe. The chain would eventually lead Akiba and Minami through the Aerial Labyrinth of Imbrium to the Sea of Divine Wine.