Published at 25th of March 2019 11:06 pm

Volume 5: Chapter 2: Swallow and Starling

Part 1

Minori was at a loss in front of the wooden chest that stored her clothes.

This wouldn't do, that wasn't right either. She held each piece to her body to look, but her frantic heart felt none of them would do. She didn't throw the clothes aside but folded them neatly instead; this was just

Minori's style. Her mental state, however, was utter exhaustion.

Minori could participate in the cake-eating contest since Shiroe agreed, but her aim wasn't the free cakes.

This was all for Shiroe and Log Horizon.

(This one feels a bit childish, this one matches with Tohya.. that one is… too plain… I'm not looking for working clothes!)

Minori folded the green overalls carefully.

This was her private room.

Having been forced to share a common room with many others during her times in Hamelin, it still seemed too extravagant for her.

When she joined Log Horizon, she wanted to share a room with Tohya since she didn't want to trouble the others. But Shiroe and Naotsugu said: "The building is big so there is no need to hold back" and prepared this private room for her.

It would be rude to compare her room in Hamelin to this room. The breezes that flowed through the window were one of Minori's joys.

The decorations of the room were not luxurious. It was 10 tatami large even though it was a private room and the floors and walls were made of wood. There were few furniture items in this big room; only a few boxes, a bed, and a coffee table.

Since the guild acknowledged this to be her room, Minori could decorate it in anyway she wanted. If she requested it, everyone would definitely help her move her furniture and might craft something for her too.

But Minori was thrifty and humble by nature, so she was hesitating on buying anything expensive.

Her income was quite luxurious for a mid-level player.

The reason for this was her living here and going out periodically to hunt monsters. The main purpose of hunting was to train the teamwork of Minori, Tohya, Rundelhous and Isuzu. Even if it was training, they still received loot from defeating monsters.

Animal-type monsters leave meat or skins behind and intellectual-type monsters drop equipment and valuable items. There were many rewards from winning battles. These items were known collectively as 'drop items'; most of them could be exchanged for gold or used as crafting ingredients.

For Log Horizon, ingredients that either Nyanta and Shiroe could use as Chef or Scribe would be stored, the rest would be sold for money.

They deposited large amounts of their earnings secretly to the guild account. They didn't do this because someone suggested it, it was a habit the youth group (the name the low-level members called themselves) learned unconsciously as a way to show their appreciation.

But they couldn't do that when Naotsugu and Nyanta were leading them. The money was split evenly to everyone. According to Nyanta, 'Receiving the appropriate reward is how you develop professionalism nya~'. Minori understood what he meant but she was unable to accept it.

It was the same with her comrades; they felt indebted to Shiroe and Log Horizon.

This guild also had Nyanta the Chef.

The biggest expenditure in Akiba currently was food.

Utility bills consisted of lamp oil and half the players could replace it with their magic. Accommodation expenses, either the hotel room fee or the guild hall rental fee, was surprisingly cheap. If one really needed to, there were countless ruins for one to camp in.

So in Akiba, the bulk of the living expenses lay in eating, so the Engel's Coefficient of the Adventurers was miserable.

Most Adventurers spent half their income on food; the ratio was comparable to housing in the old world.

But thanks to Nyanta cooking the meals, Log Horizon members could avoid the money sink for the most part.

Even if Minori and the others deposited money into the guild account, it didn't mean that they had no savings. Minori had accumulated quite a sum of money.

So there was still room for further expenditure.

Furnishing her room was easy… but she needed to restrain herself too.

This world was originally a game, so there was a huge variety of items. Take beds for instance. From simple wooden frames to beds carved from ivory or obsidian, or a princess bed with a canopy like a piece of art, there was a wide assortment of designs. Beds were crafted by production subclass Carpenters, but as they increased their levels, they would continue to create higher-level and more difficult to make beds that they could sell for a higher price. So while the same bed had different varieties, the price might differ by a hundred-fold.

Very expensive items existed, but if you chose the cheaper variety, furniture was not really expensive.

This was something that was available when Elder Tales was still a game, so it could be made in 10 seconds using the game menu. The factor affecting price was the difficulty in getting materials and the level of the craftsman. Time was not an issue.

Beds and wardrobes crafted using cedar or oak trees could be purchased with gold equivalent to 1 meal.

But Minori only bought a few wooden chests for storage, a simple but comfortable bed, a coffee table similar to a kotatsu, a futon set and some cushions.

This room was very plain.

Minori's nature was not suitable for splurging.

And that was why Minori's dresses were all tailored, well-fitted, strong and durable, and gave a clean and neat feeling when you walked by her in the streets. It was not shabby or shameful to wear but… it was not eye-catching enough.

(This won't do…)

Minori placed a light blue dress onto her body but it felt too childish. She felt this dressing would not match well with Shiroe.

(I need to buy better dresses…)

Minori made up her mind and opened her small purse. The traditional style purse belonged to Minori.

When this world was still a game, money was weightless and could only be seen on the character's screen. Now, they had to be carried in wallets, which had become unexpectedly popular items.

Minori's goal was to restore Shiroe's reputation.

Instead of restoring his reputation, it was more like making public appearances and propagating his image.

To be honest, Shiroe's reputation was really bad in Akiba. Shiroe was one of the eleven guild masters of the Round Table Council, so he was more famous now.

The Round Table Council was set up according to Shiroe's plan. Those who were well-informed in

Akiba knew about this. The problem was not about fame, but rather why he was famous.

Shiroe was a tactician-type character and everyone agreed with this. After gaining the nickname 'Black

Heart Glasses', however, the scheming and merciless image had spread all over the city.

The crucial blow seemed to be Raynesia's speech.

Shiroe had looked like he was bullying Raynesia in that speech. Shiroe's image had evolved into 'A competent but cold and merciless tactician'.

This made Minori sad.

Shiroe was a hero in Minori's eyes.

Nobody knew about the kind and gentle Shiroe. Minori believed there were very few players who were as gentle as Shiroe.

Wasn't Shiroe the only one who tried to help the beginners confined by Hamelin? No one but Shiroe was willing to step up and face the situation that everyone else ignored.

Shiroe was a hero in Minori's heart.

Minori was sad that so many people misunderstood Shiroe. Logically, this would also definitely leave a shadow on the future operation of the guild. Log Horizon was one of the many small guilds in Akiba and there was no telling what damage this negative image might cause.

At the very least, Minori knew Shiroe was kind and gentle. She liked everyone in Log Horizon and this was now her home, so she wished to dispel any bad rumors.

This festival was the chance.

Shiroe had to take some responsibility for the outside world's strange view of him.

Shiroe who did planning and research work did not attend professional gatherings like the production guild leaders. He also had no chance to interact with other players like the battle guilds and go raiding.

Guild masters of major guilds treated advertising and recruitment as an official guild activity, at least that was what Minori heard. Even players who didn't like to interact with others would socialize without hesitation at public events. The guild masters were usually friendly and serious players.

Comparatively, Shiroe didn't mind crowds but he rarely attended such activities. He had been buried in his work recently and had been staying indoors all the time.

So the source of the problem was that Shiroe didn't go out enough which could be solved by introducing

Shiroe to Akiba. Take the cake-eating contest for example; if they won in the contest, they would be invited to the large scale dinner party on the last night of the festival. She heard Akikuro (Akiba news) would also be present, if everything went well…

Minori fantasized for a while but pulled herself back into reality.

(But, but, we will be eating cake together, so it will be a problem if I dressed too plainly…)

Usually, the city would not change its perception of Shiroe unless he solved a major problem or gave a moving speech. But Minori remained optimistic.

(Shiroe-san is handsome so that is not an issue.)

She conveniently forgot that this was just her personal opinion. The handsome Shiroe might just be the delusion of a young girl.

At this point, no one thought the truth behind Minori's feelings was a problem.

No one could tell if this emotion was from the trust of a guardian or a faint sense of longing, or something even more concrete.

Minori herself didn't give a name to this feeling in her heart.

Part 2

Akatsuki was aware of her symptoms.

She returned to her room like Minori and sat on the tatami silently like an ornament, but her heart was in chaos.

Akatsuki looked very cute sitting properly on her cushion. Her long black and lustrous hair that flowed behind her along with her petite body gave the impression of a small, prestigious animal.

No matter how small she was, she was still a college student. Her knowledge definitely won over a middle-schooler. But being unable to say she had more 'experience' made Akatsuki sad. She was aware of her lack of experience which made her panic even more.

(Why must I feel pressure from a middle-schooler…)

Akatsuki writhed(?) in depression as she hugged her knees.

With her lack of experience in love and her unnecessary inferiority complex, she was unable to keep calm in this situation. Her restraint had not improved with age.

In the end, the culprit was her height.

Akatsuki sighed and recollected about the past while touching her hair fringe.

Grade school was fine, she had looked her age.

Next, she became a middle-school girl that still looked like a grade-school girl.

When she moved on to high school, she became a highschool girl that still looked like a grade-school girl.

When she had become a college student, she was finally mistaken for a middle-school girl, but she had lost all her strength and will to joke about it.

Akatsuki thought her looks were fine but she didn't have experience with love. Men who approached her misunderstood something and harbored a certain special interest. She had no expectations to date normally under such an environment.

Someone confessed to her before.

(But that is…)

Akatsuki drooped her shoulders dishearteningly.

The year she was accepted into college, a middle-school boy who lived in the neighborhood confessed to her, thinking she was a middle-school girl from another zone. Of course, Akatsuki rejected him, but the impact was so great that she collapsed from illness; it still left an ache in her heart.

Even then, it was not necessary for Akatsuki to get into a relationship. She was interested in boy-girl relationships at her age, of course, but she had not yet reached the point of 'Anyone will do, I want to try being in a relationship'. She also felt foolish to hold such expectations without anyone specific in mind.

Akatsuki wished for a more sensible relationship based on ability instead of appearance. Akatsuki was treated more like a mascot wherever she went because of her cute appearance and small stature. Even her younger sister treated her like a junior sibling at home.

So she longed for a relationships of partners, comrades, or colleagues. Being a subordinate or henchman was fine too; she longed for a relationship that acknowledged each others’ strengths and made up for each others' weaknesses.

Because no one had ever treated her this way.

She was hardworking by nature and would focus tirelessly and sincerely on whatever goal she set. But her efforts did not get the proper recognition because of her cute appearance. That was the reason why she role-played as a silent Assassin in Elder Tales.

(But that was only until the Catastrophe.)

That terrible incident made everything change.

The only good thing that happened in that hellish and confusing event was meeting Shiroe. After Shiroe, there was Naotsugu and Nyanta, as well as a guild she now called home… Log Horizon.

Akatsuki made true friends for the first time in the Elder Tales that became an alternate world. These were relationships that wouldn't ridicule or spoil Akatsuki because of her height.

But she was still being treated like a mascot.

Her appearance was a part of her and wouldn't change in the future. This could not be helped and she had accepted it now. Because she understood strength, ability could be confirmed through 'sight' just like appearance.

Just by simply checking the status screen, one could see strength clearly… 'level' was Akatsuki's gospel.

You could earn the respect of everyone simply by sincerely doing your part in the team. There might be many horrifying or painful things in this world, but Akatsuki thought this point was great.

Shiroe gifted her an Appearance Reset Potion not long after the Catastrophe happened so she addressed Shiroe as 'my lord' to express her gratitude. She wanted her strength to be recognized and was willing to take on the role of subordinate to prove herself.

She would not accept any thoughts of 'I will help you for free since you are a little girl'.

But Shiroe was a 'lord' greater than she had realized. Shiroe was generous, tactically brilliant, had foresight beyond her ability, and had the strong will to choose the future. Akatsuki was very glad to be 'partners' with Shiroe.

And if Shiroe had a weakness, it was his battle prowess.

Shiroe's attack was generally too weak to end battles. Akatsuki was able to assist Shiroe on this point and Shiroe seemed to acknowledge her pro-level performance.

As a person living in the modern world, Akatsuki was afraid of fighting monsters to the death, but she had learned Kendo when she was young, so this was an obstacle that she could tackle. Being acknowledged for the ability to fight well was better than the shameful feeling of not getting acknowledgement anywhere.

She might look like a fiercely loyal shinobi to others, but Akatsuki thought there was a good reason and it matched her goal… But hiding her bashfulness played a big part in it too.

It didn't take long for her feelings to grow deeper along with her trust. What instigated it, when did it start, Akatsuki didn't know. She just felt a ticklish and comfortable space in her heart when she was by Shiroe's side.

(So it started when we rode the griffon?)

Her expression relaxed as she recalled the feeling of riding the griffon.

The feeling of acceleration like you were in free-fall and the thrill that she felt in the strong wind. Her feelings when she clung onto Shiroe's back or stayed in his arms brought her immense excitement and comfort.

This might be the Suspension-Bridge Effect, but that was not important. Akatsuki felt attracted to him.

She would feel happy just by staying by Shiroe's side, she was so obsessed that she was seriously practicing hiding and walking silently.

Akatsuki found it hard to express this feeling in words; it was too embarrassing to say it even in her heart.

Simply put, she liked him. Akatsuki was aware that their genders played a part in liking him.

From the way Akatsuki saw it, it would be fine even if she was not aware.

The 'partner' Akatsuki was searching for was someone who respected her and would accept her as a companion. Even though she liked him, she didn't need him to reciprocate the same way. More importantly, Akatsuki found this comfortable feeling recently.

Like the flower she was nursing in her heart, like music without sound(?), Akatsuki lived everyday filled with happiness as long as she held on to this feeling.

But Minori appeared at this moment.

Akatsuki held nothing against Minori personally. Minori was serious, kind, smart, and hardworking; there was nothing for her to pick on. Akatsuki treated her like a good comrade and a cute junior. Akatsuki's depression came from her own bad luck.

… Or rather good luck.

She got away from the prejudice of being treated like a middle-school girl and met a nice group of companions who saw her as one of them. These companions moved her heart. This was a good and fortunate thing. Akatsuki could feel that these companions did not dislike her. This was a joyful experience.

But her love rival that appeared was a real middle-school girl and it made her wonder what were the causes and effects that led up to this.

(Woo… Am I really the standard-bearer for lolis…)

Akatsuki was tempted to throw her cushion out and use Assassinate.

"Now that I think about it, this is not too bad… probably."

Akatsuki had an inferiority complex about her appearance. She was cute, but that was the cuteness of a mascot, not as an object of love, correct? Akatsuki was unable to wipe away her doubts. That was why it was fortunate that Minori was her love rival. She was a real middle-school girl so Akatsuki wouldn't lose in body figure. But still she seemed to be bound to the middle-school girl category.

Akatsuki raised her head as she thought of this.

Akatsuki took out a similar flyer because she was provoked and her competitive nature stirred. But that meant she needed to go on a date, right? She needed to be totally prepared for this.

Akatsuki panicked suddenly and fidgeted distractedly on the cushion.

Since it was a date, she would need to dress up for it right? Impossible! Akatsuki shook her head. It was really impossible in her situation, she only had clothes that were as black as ink. She had some feminine dresses for social events back on earth, but she only had dark colored costumes used by Assassins in this Elder Tales world.

She had no need to improve her wardrobe seeing as she could perform her duties as a ninja serving her lord, Shiroe, with no problems.

But it would be bad to go on a date in these clothes.

(Wait, how about the setting of a shinobi accompanying her lord on a mission?)

Akatsuki nodded her head. Shiroe was eating free cakes and she was tagging along officially as his bodyguard, this setting would work. Akatsuki shook her head just as she was starting to relax. This setting was too unreasonable no matter how you put it. And the one who proposed this out of her competitive nature when Shiroe was in trouble was Akatsuki herself.

If she changed her stance tomorrow and said, 'Do you want to eat my lord? I am your bodyguard', Shiroe would look at her with pitiful eyes. Shiroe might even be disheartened and give up on her.

(Well then, I will need Henrietta's help…)

Akatsuki thought about that but was reluctant to do so. Even if she ignored Henrietta's doting actions, the problem was her taste in clothes trended towards young girls' fashion. It might be useful in other cases, but she wouldn't stand a chance in winning against a real middle-school girl this way.

In the end, it would be best to pick her own dress.

Akatsuki sprang up from the tatami as she thought of this.

The gentle rain covered Akiba like a mist, but the afternoon sun still shone brightly.

There must be many fashionable handmade dresses she could buy in the central square.

Part 3

An impetuous noisy atmosphere shrouded Akiba.

The Adventurers were rushing to complete the setup of their stalls for the festival, but they were not the only ones who were busy.

Just like Akatsuki and Minori, people would want to do something when there was a festival. Since this was a major event that encompassed the whole of Akiba, not only the production guild players, but all the Adventurers living in the city were involved. Wrong, even the People of the Land were also helping with the preparations.

For example, Chefs who wanted to cook special food that day would need to gather resources, those organizing a banquet would need to buy ingredients or fruits. With resources running low, visiting merchants had become popular in the city. There was a significant increase in Adventurers farming monsters for drop items while female Adventurers worried about buying fashionable dresses just like Akatsuki.

The clearing of debris to widen the space in the city square was also ongoing in concert with the festival preparation in Akiba, albeit less passionately. The notice boards were updated with new official quests announced by the Round Table Council everyday. The guilds would want to revamp the outside of their building to welcome the festival with a refreshing look, as expected of Japanese culture.

The specialized jobs of Carpenters and furniture craftsmen increased as well and the workshop would continue to be lively for the next few days.

The busiest group in Akiba was the Production Guild Liaison Committee and its central figure was

Charasin, guild master of 8th District Shopping Center.

Charasin cursed and swore: 'It's like I have been cursed from everywhere'. But he continued to use telepathy to coordinate all the necessary tasks.

He enjoyed chatting and had many friends, but he did not expect the telepathy calls to flood in like this.

The endless enquirers bound him to the room with no reprieve. This was all the fault of that glasses wearing young man with nasty eyes.

Adventurers revered 8th District Shopping Center as one of the 3 major production guilds, but the truth was a bit different.

8th District Shopping Center was not a production guild.

It was a chatting guild.

As seen from its name, it was a guild used for chatting. When the world was still a game, some of the players played this game in order to chat with others. They still went on adventures, collected and crafted items, but these were just topics they used for conversations, chatting was their main form of enjoyment in this game.

The period with the biggest crowd in Elder Tales was from 8pm to midnight after dinner. Many players logged in during this time to chat leisurely with their friends.

These chatty players were totally the opposite of gaming fan players who enjoyed challenging raids.

The guild formed by these chatty players was 8th District Shopping Center. Doing business was just a channel to talk about things, 8th District Shopping Center started trading because it was interesting to interact with customers.

Compared to The Rodrick Firm that collected phantasmal ingredients to craft rare equipment, or the production guild Oceanic Systems that was formed to deal with the Adventurers' need for ingredients, they had a fundamental difference.

The position of the guild master also differed from Rodrick of The Rodrick Firm and Michitaka of Oceanic Systems. Charasin was the head of a congregation of merchants in 8th District Shopping Center, not a ruler holding great authority. He might be the representative, the face dealing with the outside, but although the members respected him, they didn't swear their fealty to him.

But as the head and central figure of a chatting guild, his friend list had 980 names, barely safe from the system limit.

Charasin utilized this network to receive reports continuously.

"Yes, understood! I will inform Zhuge Liang-kun."

"Hmm? Ahah, that is too expensive right?"

"Wrong… You cannot… do… that. The Liaison Committee must not be biased towards anyone, the position of the stalls will be decided by drawing lots, we need to be firm about this."

Charasin changed his telepathy calls continuously as he made all sorts of notes on the paper in front of him.

There was an enormous pile of planning reports and application forms, the mess was larger than in Shiroe's room.

"Yo."

"Ah, Michitaka-san."

The burly man entering the room was Michitaka. Michitaka dropped the scrolls of documents he was holding under his armpits on the table and looked around the room.

"Hey hey hey, are you doing this alone?"

Charasin replied to Michitaka with a smile.

"This is expected, my organization that is akin to a gathering of individual merchants will be interested in doing business in a festival of this scale, I want to take part myself too."

"Aye, you are right."

Michitaka had a burning smell on him. He was a Blacksmith who came directly from his workshop.

Oceanic Systems might be the biggest production guild in Akiba, but their leader seemed to prefer crafting items personally.

"For my side, it is like a shared workspace with the main focus of making good items for sale, we are not proficient in trading and bargaining. I will leave this part to you, but you should enjoy this exhibition like visiting a festival as well."

There were several types of players who focused on production in MMORPG. Players similar to Charasin who enjoyed chatting; players like Michitaka who mass produced items in the workshop and enjoyed the game like a crafting simulator; or collectors similar to Rodrick who gathered unique and rare items.

The Libra Festival was closely related to all sorts of production players.

"Putting that aside, everything going well?"

"Nope, I have no clue. I can't do anything about the lack of manpower."

Charasin gestured behind him with an annoyed face.

There was an assortment of items stuffed into wooden boxes. There were dozens of boxes and the stuff was piled up to the ceiling. These were all sample items for the participants of the Libra Festival.

Charasin wanted to screen out any dangerous items by asking for samples, but it ended in failure. The participants submitted tons of diverse samples impossible for Charasin to screen through… Even 10 people might not be able to do it in time.

"Ahah, looks like…"

"Impossible right?"

"Impossible."

Charasin and Michitaka nodded in agreement.

The burden was too heavy.

"Seems like this idea has to be scrapped. Can we leave it alone?"

"Guess that will have to do. Heavens, tomorrow will be hell on earth."

The brooding Charasin replied cheerfully. It had reached such a level at this point of time, and this level was a sign of things to come. The Libra Festival was expanding in a scale further than Charasin and Michitaka could ever imagine.

Charasin and Michitaka could feel this obvious atmosphere.

The guild masters of the Round Table Council should be feeling it to some extent. But the rate of growth was faster than anyone could expect.

Charasin who was at the heart of the Libra Festival… Production Guild Liaison Committee office, felt a sense of danger the night before the festival.

But at this point of time, even Charasin was unable to detect the malicious intent bearing concrete goals.

Part 4

Shiroe's battle record should be very impressive to others.

For instance, he provided tactical insight to a group of players that did not form a guild, the Debauchery Tea Party, to be the fastest in the Japanese server to complete the raid 'Fields of Dead Spirits'. For players who were in the know, this record was highly regarded.

In famous raids like 'Rhadamanthys' Throne' or 'The Nine Great Prisons of the Heilos', being the first to complete a raid with their small organization made the Debauchery Tea Party a legend in a way.

Also, well informed people knew that the series of events that led to the formation of the Round Table Council must be credited to Shiroe's effort. His actions during crucial moments of large scale battles made the battle record of tactician Shiroe even more splendid.

But that was what outsiders saw. For Shiroe himself, this was just a part of countless battles. Shiroe had experienced battles that were small in scale and pointless to recce in advance. If you included all these battles as well, he didn't think his success rate was very high.

Shiroe didn't think highly of his tactician abilities.

(My success rate will probably drop today too.)

Shiroe had been feeling uneasy while trying to avoid attracting any attention.

"Please don't daze off my lord."

"That's right Shiroe-san, it will be a pity since you are so handsome."

"Eh…"

"Hmmm. Should be… Very handsome right?"

"My lord is my lord, it doesn't matter if he is handsome."

But the reality was cruel.

The two young girls on both sides wouldn't allow Shiroe to maintain a low profile.

On his right was a bright and cheerful young girl with a slender body that was acting her age. She was Minori, a Kannagi in Log Horizon.

.

She looked more feminine today, wearing a long denim skirt, white blouse, and an apricot pink cardigan.

She gave the image of a daughter from a rich family, very suitable for Minori who liked to take care of people. Her black hair that turned dark brown in the sunlight was tied with a black lace ribbon which also looked cute.

Sitting to his left was an old friend of Shiroe. A self proclaimed ninja with an uncanny sense of loyalty, Akatsuki. Akatsuki let her black hair, which looked even more lustrous today, down behind her back, but gazed at Shiroe in her usual serious manner.

Her dress was different from her usual pure black color. She was wearing a light purple kimono complemented by a blue hakama on the bottom. The young cat-like beauty Akatsuki suited this school-girl style dress exceedingly well.

If you asked 100 people, all of them would agree that Akatsuki was a beautiful young girl; Minori was also a girl that made you bright and happy like a daughter. This was a double blessing.

But Shiroe sandwiched in between looked troubled.

He was unable to explain what happened or point out a clear reason, but he felt as though he was sitting on pins and needles.

This was the center of Akiba, a cafe set up on a major junction. Shiroe was sitting here by the invitation of these 2 girls.

Shiroe was guided by his cautious nature to find out more about this cake eating contest in advance. There would be several rounds of preliminaries, so he could participate with Akatsuki and Minori separately by entering at different times.

But Shiroe was not interested in challenging this free contest twice. Even if this was a festival, this action would be akin to a kid who ate all the food in the sampling area correct? Shiroe came up with a plan while holding this thought in mind.

Since Akatsuki and Minori both liked cake, it would be fine if all 3 of them participated together. The rule was 8 pices for 2 people, so the 3 of them should be fine with 12 pieces.

Fortunately the Round Table Council had met with the guild hosting this cake contest, Danceteria, several times before. He remembered she was on good terms with Henrietta and had the temperament of an artisan.

The guild master Kanako welcomed Shiroe warmly when he went to apply. The reason she was receiving him with a smile was because Shiroe was a member of the Round Table Council, that made things easier so Shiroe made his request directly.

'There are 2 girls in my guild who want to join with me, can we change the challenge to 12?' Something like this. Kanako was surprised at the beginning and asked for the details with squinted eyes. It was not something he should spread around, but there was no point in hiding it at this point. Shiroe thought Log Horizon was a very open guild.

After explaining himself, the kind guild master agreed to the 3 of them entering the contest. But her smile seemed to hold some hidden intention that made Shiroe think something was not right. But since he got his way, he could ignore such doubts. And thus Shiroe obtained the permission to participate in the cake eating contest as a trio.

And so the 3 of them waited for the cakes to be served in the open-air cafe, but Shiroe was feeling a slight tummy ache since morning.

He hadn't eaten anything yet, so this was not caused by the cakes.

Minori and Akatsuki usually got along well, but there was some tension in the air around them. This should be one of the reasons.

'We can eat this together, so don't worry!' When Shiroe reported via telepathy, leaving Minori aside, Akatsuki responded in a weird tone. Shiroe thought it had something to do with shinobi loyalty, but he was not sure of the actual reason.

On the other hand, Minori was all revved up. She had been chatting cheerfully with Shiroe from the start, but her overly passionate and positive attitude surprised Shiroe. Minori who was always so hardworking was looking towards the cake so much just like a middle school girl and Shiroe thought this was very cute.

But Akatsuki was fidgeting with her hakama and peeking at Shiroe occasionally. She took out kunai and other throwing weapons out of nowhere from time to time, so Shiroe had to keep an eye on her all the time.

There were 20 couples seated around them chatting peacefully with smiles on their faces.

The breeze got colder in the evening of October, the open-air cafe looked so peaceful under the orange street lights. There was a Bard somewhere performing a pop song that was a bit old, the music came with the wind and the nostalgic melody filled their ears.

Almost all the couples seated around were lovers, Shiroe thought absentmindedly.

It had been 5 months since the Catastrophe. This was an alternate world, there was enough time for 2 strangers to meet and fall in love.

One side of Shiroe's mind played the straight man and said: "Hey hey hey, this has been a hectic 5 months, it is impossible to find the time in this time of crisis!" but the opposition said: "No no no, it is because this is an exciting and fantastic world, this is why the fire of love is burning bright in young couples, right?"

Shiroe never had a girlfriend before or had been in a relationship.

So he was unable to judge whether 'this situation is being in love', but on the bright side, it was none of his business. Since they were happy, there was no need to go too deeply into it. Shiroe made this conclusion.

Couples were an existence that made you smile and Shiroe didn't hate them. He didn't like to talk about love experiences or giving love consultations, but watching them from a distance gave him a warm feeling in his heart. That was why Shiroe was looking at them distractedly.

"My lord, my lord!"

"Ah, eh, sorry. What is it Akatsuki?"

Shiroe turned to look at Akatsuki who was much more restless than usual. She told him: "Your blank expression is not presentable. ”

Minori also chipped in: "Absolutely right, you need to go all out!" Shiroe thought it was weird to go allout in a cake-eating contest, but he swallowed his words when he looked at Minori's serious face.

Seemed like Minori was all fired up.

Her pose of clenching her fists in front of her chest was cute, like a certain comedy character. She said

'Let's do our best!' Her pretty face and serious expression made her look more like she’s acting mature than actually trying to be an adult. Instead of being encouraged, Shiroe felt a warmth in his heart.

It's a mystery.

"That…"

"Ehh."

"Akatsuki-senpai's kimono is so pretty."

Minori said these words as Shiroe was thinking of what to say. She probably didn't meant to aid him, but she was a great help for coming up with this conversation topic.

"It is very pretty. It's rare to see you in a kimono Akatsuki, did something good happen?"

"It doesn't suit me?"

Akatsuki seemed troubled and was putting on a brave face at the same time, causing both Minori and Shiroe to say 'No such thing'. The kimono was light-purple adorned with bell flowers giving it a mature design, and fit the petite Akatsuki so well it must be tailor-made. She was usually an enigmatic beautiful young girl like some small animal, she looked more stunning dressed in a kimono.

"Akatsuki-senpai looks good in a kimono."

"This is like a gra…"

"The word graduation ceremony is banned."

"Eh…"

Akatsuki struck preemptively, leaving Shiroe speechless. Akatsuki glared at Shiroe and whispered 'I will use my knee even if it is my lord. ' But after Minori and Shiroe repeatedly complimented her saying 'it really suits you well', Akatsuki regained her calm mood and forgave Shiroe.

"Minori also looks good in this dress."

The middle-school girl blushed and smiled at Shiroe's compliment.

This get up seemed to be matched by Isuzu. Including where she bought the blouse and cardigan, how much she spent and the advice Isuzu gave, Minori explained in detail happily. Akatsuki who was tense all the while was also getting interested and listened to her while holding Shiroe's sleeve.

Shiroe finally loosened up a bit at this scene.

(If women are involved, all preparations and tactics are unreliable.)

It was the same during his time in the Debauchery Tea Party. For instance with Nazuna or Saki, any incident related to female Adventurers didn't end well no matter how much homework or planning you did in advance.

But if it didn't cause too much commotion, the problem would resolve itself like nothing ever happened.

This was an incomprehensible and unavoidable result from a tactician's view.

(But 'she' was different.)

Shiroe recollected.

'She' was the founder of the Debauchery Tea Party, sort of like the guild master. Because the Debauchery Tea Party was a gathering of free players and took care of themselves, it was not a guild and 'she' was not an official guild master.

As Nyanta said 'Everyone knows what to do to build a comfortable home', so in a sense there was no need for a guild master.

She was the unofficial leader because she was the most willful person in the Debauchery Tea Party. In a sense, the Debauchery Tea Party was dragged all over the place by her.

(This lady can say something stunning with a straight face such as wanting to see the midnight sun in Iceland…)

'Her' willfulness was at the international level, causing Shiroe's battle record to worsen. The result didn't flatten out or end up with nothing conclusive, they usually ended up dead or on the edge of death. She once led a volunteer group on an overseas server expedition, but lost a key item preventing them from entering the Aurora zone, a really exhausting experience. This was the start of Shiroe's life of hardships.

In contrast, Akatsuki's and Minori's request was much cuter. He could fulfill their wishes if things went well. Shiroe thought.

Part 5

"Wah, it looks so delicious!"

The cakes were being served in front of Minori's wide eyes. They hadn't reached Shiroe's table yet, but cute strawberry shortcakes had been placed on several tables, the strawberries were bright and pretty.

The members of Danceteria humbly apologized their work was not up to the standard of the dessert shops from the original world, but it didn't feel this way at all. Both the appearance and the fragrance piqued their appetite.

"My lord my lord, I am looking forward to it."

"So pretty, I am so excited!"

Shiroe who was stuck between the young girls was starting to feel a bit better. This might be a hectic day, but he should be able to eat 4 slices easily if they were this size. It should be the same for Minori and Akatsuki, the 3 of them had no doubt they could finish easily.

The waitress served the cake to the tables, placing a variety of cakes before each couple. It was finally time for Shiroe's table, the guild master personally delivered the cakes on a silver tray with a big smile.

On the platter were 12 whole cakes. Strawberry, apricot, chocolate, cheese, yogurt, black current, apple pie, and chestnut that was a little early for the season.

12 cakes.

It was not in slices but whole cakes.

"?"

Minori made a surprised face while Akatsuki's expression was starting to cramp up.

"This is…"

Shiroe asked with his gaze, the guild master of Danceteria replied with a big smile.

"This is special service from our guild."

"Wait, this is a bit much…"

"This is our hearty service."

The guild master pushed down the doubts with her smile as she carefully placed the cakes on the table.

The first one was an apple pie. A People of the Land waitress said 'Let me cut this into portions' and started to slice it. The round pie was divided into 8 familiar triangle pieces, the perfect sizing size.

The small table in the cafe couldn't hold all these cakes, a dining trolley has been set up beside the table to hold the other cakes. 8 of them were the same as the other contestants, but the other 4 were specially made for them decorated with a candy figurines of a male between 2 females.

"Shiroe-san…"

"My lord…"

The 2 young girls looked at the slices of apple pie with a cramped expression. The apple pie looked tasty and Shiroe was confident of eating 4 of them. If the girls acted like normal girls and shouted 'I can't eat anymore', Shiroe was mentally prepared to eat one for each of them, a total of 6 slices.

Shiroe knew from experience women who claimed to have a small appetite were lying, but 'she' had educated him strictly that he had an obligation to take it like a man.

But his limit was 5 or 6 slices. But being served the whole cake meant 8 times the amount. And the stunning number of cakes before him was a psychological attack far worse than mere numbers.

"Anyway, let's start with 1 slice?"

Shiroe had no other intention other than to buy time when he said this, and the 3 of them started to eat the apple pie. Delicious. The large amount of apples used gave it a refreshing sweetness, the faint taste of cinnamon soothed both mind and body. He finished one slice unceremoniously as he immersed in the moistness and tenderness of the apples.

(I might be able to finish this…) As Shiroe was holding this sweet optimism, the rest of the apple pie appeared right in front of him.

Akatsuki placed it there.

"Why?"

"This is my lord's portion."

"You said portion, but this is the whole thing!"

"Ah, I am sorry, I will cut it into slices!"

That's not the point. When Shiroe was stopping Akatsuki, Minori had already stood up and was slicing the cake deftly with a knife. As Minori cut with a serious expression, her hair with a black ribbon shook near Shiroe's ears giving off a nice aroma.

(Ah ah, middle-school students are also girls…) As Shiroe thought about this, murmurs of 'Kill yourself', 'Unforgivable lolicon', 'Die', 'Break your glasses' could be heard from all over the cafe.

Akatsuki looked stunned. Shiroe shifted his gaze to her side and saw the cakes were decorated with twisted words that seemed to be written with the left hand. 'How sly to bring 2 girls', 'Die lolicon ❤',

'Two-timer' and other such words were on the cakes.

(Ah…)

Shiroe finally understood the situation he was in.

Minefield.

The moment he understood, this phrase flashed across his mind. The 3 of them were in a minefield set up by outsiders called 'misunderstanding'. Shiroe's reputation was already bad, but he didn't want his 2 precious guild mates to be discriminated against too. too.

(No good, this might affect the 2 of them. It is a shame to call me a tactician like this… We need to stay low profile, quiet, and keep the damage to a minimum. Retreat from the cafe and reorganize…)

Shiroe's mind was running at high speed trying to search of ways to remedy the situation.

He didn't know how bad the misunderstanding was, how it came about and what was their current status.

In this state, even if he grasped the situation he wouldn't be able to control it. Shiroe was unable to use his 'Full Control Encounter' because of this. Akatsuki placed her fork in front of him.

"My lord, here."

On the fork was a cute bite-size portion of apple pie.

"For me?"

Akatsuki nodded. Shiroe almost burst out 'You want to push the rest to me right!'. But under the stare of Akatsuki's black eyes, he was unable to speak. Usually, Akatsuki didn't dress up, but she was wearing a bell flower hair ornament today, making it even harder for Shiroe to talk.

Shiroe pouted to restrain his awkward mood. Akatsuki tilted her head with a perplexed face as her right hand with the fork moved closer.

"Please eat, my lord."

Akatsuki fed him food this way, but it was a big problem for Shiroe.

Feeding someone with a fork was what was known in the world as 'Ah… nh' action. He could tell from Akatsuki's serious face that she was doing this with malicious intent, but the outsiders wouldn't be able to tell.

If this went on, he would gain the reputation of a lolicon.

If he stepped on this mine, not only would his leg be broken, his lower body would be blown away. The stares from the surroundings were stabbing at him painfully. This was an open-air cafe and the highlight of the 1st day of the festival, even the pedestrians would glance here from time to time.

"Quick, or it will drop."

But this piece of pie had been forced in front of him, Shiroe could only accept it. The giggles that erupted in the background and the pointing fingers of the crowd appeared in Shiroe's mind. He just wanted to find a hole and hide inside.

"Shiroe-san!"

He turned around to see Minori with sparkling eyes also feeding him a piece of golden apple pie. Facing the pure and anticipating eyes of a girl 9 years his junior, even Shiroe didn't have the heart to turn her down.

(Aren't they a bit too dense for failing to read the situation? Now is the time to retreat, this is becoming a public execution right?)

"Is it good?"

"It's delicious right, my lord?"

"Hold on, it is tasty… But now is not the time to discuss this."

Shiroe tried replying this way, but the other couples around him were repeatedly doing the 'Ah… nh' action. Shiroe already had a faint feeling about this, but he was devastated when he saw the truth.

Seemed like love was in the air of Akiba, more than he imagined.

The clear sounds of laughter was not directed at Shiroe, but the loving whispers of infatuated couples.

There was still room to redeem himself if he explained it this way… Shiroe consoled himself, but this didn't resolve the issue.

Reality was moving forward with the accumulation of each tiny step. It was symbolized by the cakes piled high in front of him.

Part 6

Reality was not something you could overcome just because you had the courage to challenge it. This was shown by the failure of Shiroe's table in the contest. There was still a chance if the trio took on 12 slices of cake. But 12 whole cakes was outrageous, it couldn't be done unless your stomach was a Bag of Holding.

The 3 of them did their best, but their limit was 18 pieces, 2 cakes and a quarter. Shiroe ate 9 of them, and he was feeling so bad he didn't want to move.

The 3 who lost in the all-you-can-eat battle headed back to their guild house depressed. It was not free since they did not finish, so Shiroe had to pay for all 12 cakes.

The time was about 8pm.

Shiroe was resting on the 3rd floor balcony of their guild house. To be precise, his tummy was so full he didn't want to move.

He planned to kill time by strolling around the festival after the contest, but setting Minori and Akatsuki aside, Shiroe felt like the weight of the cakes was pressing directly on his organs. Shiroe was tired and not in any condition to walk around, so he could only return to the guild house.

According to the message on the dining hall blackboard, Nyanta and Naotsugu went sightseeing in the festival, Isuzu and Rundelhous wrote 'Walking the dog', they must be out on a date.

Shiroe took a glimpse at the board and walked to the balcony to rest on the cedar wood bench.

It could also be described as sinking.

The world would keep spinning at its own pace, it had been an unlucky day for Shiroe.

(This is why doing my homework in advance is useless.)

Now that he thought about it, that was why the Danceteria guild master was smiling so mysteriously. She had planned to attack with the whole cakes from the start. Shiroe did show up with 2 girls, but they were not in this sort of relationship, so there was no need for this level of jealousy.

(How did they calculate 12 whole cakes for the 3 of us… Ah, that's right.)

Shiroe had an inspiration and opened his telepathy, he was going to recommend the cake contest to Soujirou. The open-air cafe would also be running the free cake contest tomorrow, so Soujirou with his harem constitution would be able to enjoy it to the fullest.

Soujirou on the other end of the call seemed to be participating in the festival with his guild members to kill time. Shiroe could hear the faint female voices when conversing with Soujirou, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Shiroe was used to it, but Soujirou was surrounded by ladies right now.

Soujirou thanked Shiroe repeatedly for his recommendation. Shiroe didn't feel any guilt despite Soujirou's straightforward attitude. Shiroe who brought 2 members to the contest out of kindness was mistaken for being a two-timer and was bombarded with cakes. So a real harem should receive the appropriate treatment they deserved, Shiroe convinced himself that way.

Shiroe ended the call and felt better having vented some of his frustration. He leaned on the back of the bench relaxing his whole body and looked up at the night sky.

The unique feature of Log Horizon's guild house was the tree that punched through the floors and through the ceilings. The ancient tree spread its branches over the whole building covering Shiroe's living space in its shade.

It was the same for the balcony Shiroe was resting in, the branches swayed gently in the wind like an extension of the roof.

It was probably because of the festival, the streets had more lights than usual. The sun had set, but the orange glow from the shop lamps and the streetlights shone on the pavement full of moss and the branches decorated with ribbons, creating a fantastic atmosphere.

Log Horizon's guild house was modest in its decoration, but they still hung up some green banners and orange ribbons as ornaments. This was probably Minori and Tohya's style of making the place more festive.

(I have been neglecting my own guild recently…)

Shiroe thought about this after ending the call with Soujirou.

Usually, the most important duty of a guild master was running the guild itself. Being on top of things, providing assistance to members doing activities, planning and leading teams in operations, these were all part of managing a guild.

But Log Horizon was different from other guilds.

First was their numbers. Log Horizon had 8 people, Elder Tales' standard party size was 6, so they needed to leave 2 behind if they wanted to form a team.

Also, the level gap between the Log Horizon members was big, and divided into 2 groups. Shiroe, Naotsugu, Nyanta, and Akatsuki were the senior level 90 team. Minori, Tohya, Rundelhous, and Isuzu were the junior party around level 40.

It was hard to form a party with their level difference.

For normal guilds, they would divide themselves by level and operate separately, this was the natural course of action.

But Log Horizon was full of veterans who liked to take care of others. Thankfully, Naotsugu and the others didn't mind using the mentoring system to match the junior party and fill up the party roster.

From the perspective of training, they were a talented bunch.

Nyanta was the ideal adult that was humorous and patient when guiding the low level players. Protecting the low level players during their adventures was the duty a guild master should take the lead in, but

Nyanta had done it on his behalf splendidly and was enjoying himself as well.

Naotsugu was also very suitable. He was not as refined as Nyanta, suitable for leading a bigger group.

When Crescent Moon Alliance brought their beginners along to form 3 party expeditions, Naotsugu was the most popular mentor for the other guild.

It was the same with Akatsuki, she was shy and not good with words, but she didn't think of leading the beginners for training as a difficult chore. When the beginners hunted monsters and returned triumphantly, they would not see Akatsuki the entire time. But Akatsuki was protecting them from the dark, stopping high-level monsters from ambushing them… She was enjoying leading the party in her own way.

While other guilds needed the guild master to lead and plan the tasks and operations of the group, Log

Horizon members were able to do so in lieu of their guild master. That was why Shiroe could deal with his Round Table Council work.

Leaving the duties of guild master to others was harmless in terms of daily operations, but it would affect the personal connections among guild members.

Shiroe was the high-level member who spent the least amount of time with the junior group. For example, he would make time to eat dinner with everyone in the guild house to improve relations, but Shiroe could feel the questioning looks from Rundelhous and Isuzu that said 'Is our guild master a lazy bum who stays indoors all day?', and thought this needed to change.

(In terms of the prestige of a guild master, I am not as good as Naotsugu or Chief Nyanta… Even Soujirou is in control of his harem… correction, his guild's operation.)

Shiroe felt a bit down. He did not think it was possible to live up to everyone's expectations in performing his duties, even though this was the result of everyone pitching in to help, but he still felt the need to spend more time with his Log Horizon guild mates.

Shiroe thought this was the reason why Akatsuki and Minori forced him to participate in this activity.

(This festival might be a good chance. For the Round Table Council… I can't leave it alone, but I should take a break from it at a good stopping point. I need to make more time to spend with everyone.)

"My lord."

"!"

Shiroe who was thinking about all this jumped at Akatsuki's voice from close range.

"What is it Akatsuki?"

"Nothing, it's just that…"

Akatsuki was still wearing her glamorous clothes as she sat down quietly beside Shiroe. The gentle breeze of October brushed across their faces gently, bringing with it the leisurely sound of string instruments from the city.

"I can hear music"

"Ah ah, hmmm… should be the '7th Marching Band', they have a performance tonight."

"Is that so."

The petite Akatsuki sat on the bench and stretched her legs. Her legs hung in the air even when sitting on this low bench. Her toes could be seen from the opening of her deep blue hakama as she swayed her feet slightly. Shiroe asked.

"It's somewhat quiet here."

"I am always quiet."

"That is true."

In this world without electric speakers, the volume of the sound was dependent on the performers. The music that came with the wind had the hint of a lively atmosphere, but it seemed so blurry and far away.

Shiroe glanced at Akatsuki.

In the chilly wind that gently touched her face, Akatsuki stared into the distance as usual with an expression Shiroe could not see through.

"My lord."

"Hmmm?"

"My lord, that…"

"Hmmm."

Shiroe replied carefully to Akatsuki's every word. His petite friend might be silent but she worried about various things. Shiroe understood her nature, so he didn't rush her.

"Does my lord dislike cakes?"

"…"

Dislike cakes? It sounded like 'You can't finish them because you dislike cake?', but Shiroe was not sure how to respond as well. Shiroe ate 9 slices, which he thought was a commendable effort, did he misunderstand her?

"Still unhappy?"

"No way. Forget about that, I'm sorry. I recall it was the finals? We didn't make it there."

"That is fine, I am not interested, Minori is."

"Is that so."

Shiroe was not sure why Minori was interested in an eating contest, but he felt that she took the initiative to invite him because it was necessary. Minori was 14, but she was a responsible and thoughtful young girl.

"But…"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you fine with just this amount of cake?"

Akatsuki turned and faced Shiroe, looking straight into his eyes. The dark eyes on Akatsuki's petite face that left a deep impression were watery but had no warmth. Being stared at by a beautiful young girl like her was pressurizing.

"Ah?"

"Nothing really, just that you worked hard for the cake eating contest right? Are you fine with just 3-4 slices?"

"I… I didn't enter the contest for the cakes."

"Is that so?"

"…"

"The conversation dries up whenever I am with my lord."

"Even if you say that… But Akatsuki, you don't talk much right?"

Akatsuki was not a chatty person.

Sometimes they ran out of things to say. Shiroe felt awkward about this in the beginning and would try to talk about things, but he was now fine with the silent Akatsuki. Whenever Shiroe was handling administrative work, Akatsuki would erase her presence and stay in his room under the pretext of being his bodyguard. Shiroe was teasing Akatsuki because her tone was so cute, but the 2 of them only started bickering like this recently.

"That isn't true, I have lots of conversation topics."

"Then please provide one."

"Hmmm?"

"Provide a topic for us to talk about."

Akatsuki."

Akatsuki pouted in silence.

Her eyes shifted from side to side hesitantly.

She must be at a loss. As Shiroe was thinking that it was a mistake, the hesitant Akatsuki spoke:

"I am happy with staying this way."

Akatsuki's mouth was trembling in a weird shape as her white and slender fingertips touched Shiroe's forehead.

"You are happy with staying like this?"

Akatsuki nodded.

(Is this part of Akatsuki's shinobi-lord role play… I think I'm misunderstanding something. Wrong, I wouldn't know since I don't watch period dramas.)

"Is that so."

A gust of wind shook the branches in the night with a sound akin to the rides.

The wind mixed with the silence in the green lushes. Shiroe raised his head and looked at Akatsuki repeatedly poke at his head. Akatsuki pouted and focused on stroking his forehead. Shiroe didn't understand the joy in this, but happiness was subjective, so he felt there was no point in asking.

"Are you fine with staying this way?"

"This is an important duty to my lord."

"Is that so?"

Shiroe had spent a long time with Akatsuki now.

The chaos after the Catastrophe; many fights and battles; founding of the Round Table Council; the political drama in the ancient palace; conversation with Ri Gan; the battle of Choushi, and Rundelhous' revival.

Akatsuki had experienced all this by Shiroe's side without complaints. Shiroe thought he only made it through these fights because of Akatsuki's support.

Shiroe recalled all this as he continued to suffer the cute torture of the beautiful young girl in a kimono.

Part 7

Unable to breathe.

The night air seemed to solidify in her chest while her blood seemed to flow like mud noisily near her ears.

'… I am happy with staying this way. '

'… You are happy with staying like this?'

The gentle conversation lingered in her heart.

The young girl with black hair desperately hid her embarrassment as she said tender words of love. The voice of the guild master seemed puzzled but was still very gentle.

Minori's knees seemed to be disappearing like bubbles, as she endured these feelings on her way to the kitchen. She was holding dandelion barley tea on a tray in her hands. She wanted to bring it to the balcony for Shiroe, but she was now walking subconsciously.

She could not stay there. She could not look at that scene.

Thousand of noises seemed to be sounding out in her head, everything seemed so confusing to her. She seemed to be driven by her ethics and had used up all her strength just leaving the scene.

The first was the sense of impact, the next was crushing confusion… Even though there were no concrete problems, her heart was full of questions. She wanted to ask, but didn't know who or what to ask.

Her confused emotions and her desire to seek help filled her chest. It moved slowly to her abdomen evolving into a heavy and uncomfortable feeling.

Minori returned to the kitchen subconsciously, placed the tray on the table, and sat down on a chair. She didn't understand why she was so upset.

But she saw something between Shiroe and Akatsuki just now on the balcony of the 3rd floor. She could see the special feelings Akatsuki had for Shiroe on her face.

It was not visible from her actions but it was obvious. When Minori noticed the love her senpai bore, it felt like she touched an open flame accidentally and shrank back from the shock.

This shock made her run away to this refuge.

It was like a sandstorm went through her mind, blowing her thoughts into a mess and she was unable to construct any specific questions as she sat.

Minori looked at the surface of the table not knowing what to do.

After a long while, the first thing that came to her mind was 'Akatsuki is in love with Shiroe'.

(That's right, Akatsuki-san likes Shiroe-san.)

This was a simple truth.

Today was a sunny day.

After summer came autumn.

The guild house was shrouded in greenery.

Just like these things, it was clear, without doubt, a natural fact.

Even if it were obvious, when she thought about it in her heart, the shock she felt just now returned, its noise nearly obscuring her awareness. The facts constructed from these few short sentences broke down into words and were chopped into pieces becoming a total mess. If you lost focus for a moment, the thoughts and their meaning would fall apart.

Minori picked up the pieces of thoughts scattered on the floor and molded it into a ball as she took several deep breaths.

From her chest to her abdomen, there was a feeling of discomfort, she found it hard to breathe. She felt as though she had hypothermia, even her heart felt like it was being squeezed.

In this anxious mood where she had difficulty breathing and felt as though her chest was slowly being pierced from the back, Minori finally faced another truth.

(I also… like Shiroe-san.)

The first time she acknowledged her feelings, it did not have the faint fragrance of lemons.

It had the taste of burning metal just like her gloom and depression from the start.

All of Minori's joints seemed to loosen as she trembled as if her bones were going to fly off as she faced these unbearable emotions. The last time she felt this crippling sense of helplessness was the night Tohya spent in the hospital's intensive care unit.

She just sat down, but she felt like running and crying, it was so uncomfortable restraining this impulse of hers. Growing up with her twin brother and aiding him with his physical disabilities, Minori knew she was calm, mature, and had a strong sense of responsibility.

But she didn't know about these strong feelings of hers that she couldn't hold back.

… like Shiroe-san.

Her heart was shredded into pieces just thinking like this. Being too fearless and not knowing her own limits. This was a pain caused by her fear of her own arrogance.

But the fact was that there was a sweet feeling hidden in this pain.

This sweetness was not the blissful feeling when imagining about being a couple with Shiroe.

It was the temptation of touching your wounds to feel the warmth of your flowing blood even though you knew it hurt. The temptation of the painful wound had a feeling of decadence and the sweet taste of the agony of her first love.

… Minori couldn't think of any reason why Shiroe will choose her, but she could come up with dozens and hundreds of reason why he wouldn't choose her.

So this sweetness was just an anesthetic for Minori.

The difference in age, difference in ability, difference in practical skills, difference in battle powers, her immaturity, unreliability, and lack of potential. She looked plain compared to Akatsuki… Minori was simply a common middle school girl you could find anywhere.

And for the first time, she realized the ugly side of herself.

When Akatsuki was touching Shiroe, a thought flashed in Minori's mind.

So crafty…

That place belongs to me.

This was not a reason, just a willful excuse. It was natural for Akatsuki to have the freedom to like someone.

Even so, Minori still thought this was 'so crafty' because somewhere in her heart she thought Shiroe belonged to her.

Shiroe who encouraged her when she was confined and suffering in the darkness of Hamelin; Shiroe who freed her from her slavery; Shiroe who she wanted to emulate and his back she was chasing after. Minori had determined Shiroe was 'mine' somewhere in her heart.

(I thought Shiroe-san was always going to be by my side… and be my teacher forever.)

This thinking was too arrogant.

The superficial nature of her ugliness made Minori feel as if her organs were full of mud. Like coal burning her from inside her skin, this agony made Minori feel like rolling on the floor. But crying and screaming would not ease the pain.

It was painful and annoying.

Minori was holding this feeling all this time, she felt dizzy just thinking about it.

Especially thinking of Shiroe as her own belonging, she wanted to kill that part of herself for thinking of something like this. Most importantly was her failure to notice and discard these feelings, Minori was disappointed at her arrogant subconscious self.

(I even thought that was crafty, I really… how…)

After a long while.

Minori endured this grinding psychological pain in the dark and kept breathing. The air was still sticky and heavy, as uncomfortable as breathing sand.

Minori didn't know how many hours passed as she faced the suffering in her heart.

"Minori?"

Tohya came with a 'Bug Light Lamp' and it illuminated the kitchen. Minori didn't notice until her twin was by her side, thinking it was an illusion as she gazed dimly at Tohya.

"What is it Minori, why are you making such a face?"

Tohya took a handkerchief from his bag and wiped Minori's face roughly. He pinched her nose with a handkerchief and shook it side to side. Minori realized she was crying when she heard the sound of her runny nose.

"Tohya…"

"What is it?"

"Tohya."

"Hmmm?"

Tohya sat on a chair beside Minori and loosened his belt strap. His armor and bag fell heavily to the floor. Tohya was the usual brother Minori was proud of. Even though he was acting indifferently, she could still feel his concern.

She just realized her arrogance a moment ago. Even though she had no right to bear this feeling, no matter how much she cautioned herself, she was unable to suppress this feeling of jealousy. The usual profile of her brother's face soothed this jealous emotion slightly.

"Tohya, that, I…"

"Yeah."

"I think… I like Shiroe-san."

"That's right."

"Ah?"

"That's right, you like him."

Tohya tied his armor with his belt and replied without facing Minori, as natural as talking about the weather.

"Eh? Eh eh? Why is your reaction like this?"

"Minori has always liked Shiroe-sensei, you just didn't realize it."

"Didn't realize?"

She didn't realize. She probably didn't. So she didn't realize… Minori's feeling changed gears 3 times and sank deeper. According to Tohya, this agony was also because she 'Didn't realize'. But even so, the feeling of chewing sand had alleviated a bit with Tohya by her side.

"It's so troubling."

"Why?"

Minori's words made Tohya look her way for the first time. He looked more mature than usual, shrouded in white light.

"You ask me why…"

"Don't you feel troubled Minori? It is not troubling, just painful right?"

Her heart jumped.

Those words stabbed into Minori's heart.

A feeling of being seen through.

Minori recalled Akatsuki extending her fingers gently.

She looked hesitant but unable to restrain herself as she touched Shiroe's forehead with her fingertips.

This made Minori aware of her jealousy.

It was an incorrect way of thinking but she was unable to suppress it, as these ugly emotions kept on accumulating.

This bitterness and pain was unbearable.

But she could not leave it alone or throw it away. Minori realized her feelings for Shiroe for the first time through this pain, these feelings bloomed with a sweetness in her heart.

"Is it… okay?"

"You can't help it right?"

(I can't help it?) Minori wondered.

She was not searching for an excuse, she was attempting to find something useful in the abyss of darkness and pain. She was digging through the ugliness filled with mud, hunting for something that had not been corrupted.

Minori imitated Shiroe's action and took a deep breath while listening to sounds from far away.

(Shiroe-san…)

Minori recalled everything about Shiroe.

Shiroe's words and his eyes behind his round-frame glasses.

His cautious use of words when answering questions, how he looked when explaining things with a map.

His slightly troubled face while adjusting his glasses.

His pout when he was putting on a brave face. His pale profile when he set his mind on something.

His steely voice when he said 'Leave it to me'.

As Minori was tortured by confusion and pain, in the deserted plains of her mind, only these memories were bright and vivid.

In order to not lie to these memories, in order to not betray these memories. Minori was willing to give up all the other grey noise in exchange.

From the kitchen, Minori and Tohya could hear the buzz from the city in the distance akin to its breathing.

After spending a long time in the swaying shine of the bug light lamp, Minori nodded her head.

"You are right, there are no troubling feelings, only pain. That is it… I did not lose anything or get anything wrong, or did anything at all… Yeah, I haven't accomplished anything right?"

For the first time she realized her feelings were like a patel-colored candy.

In the darkness filled with crude signals and noise, the flames were spreading like bleeding blood, so sharp that it cut you when you touched. Minori was holding feelings that contrasted so strongly in her heart, but she still managed to squeeze a smile for her twin brother. The tears on her cheeks were still wet, but she didn't want to deny their existence.

Minori thought it was useless to hold on to these worries without doing anything to remedy them. She gave up on thinking it would not have an end if there was no beginning.

She was unable to repay Shiroe or catch up to him. The Minori like this would of course be suffering in pain.

Minori spent the long night accompanied by Tohya.

This was the first night of tempering a strong blade, but Minori knew very well that it was not the last.

Name: Shiroe

Age: 23

Weapon: Prudence

Speciality: Making Proposals With Only One Choice

Birthday:

November 23

Favorite

Food: Saba Misoni

Equipment

Parka Jacket

A parka jacket made of cotton fabric. The parka resembles Shiroe's regular everyday wear in the real world. Its somewhat large size gives off a slovenly feel.

Rainbow Glass Ink Bottle

A Production-class item, the color of ink within the bottle can be changed. A limited production rare item by the Painter guild

"Atelier Armadillo" in Akiba. The small guild exists due to Shiroe's assistance.

Long Kotatsu

A furniture-type item with the magical power to attract indoor gatherings. This large sixseater is made-to-order. Recently, it seems to be used regularly by the People of the Land.

Share