「疲れた......今夜は本当に目まぐるしい......」
全力疾走後の戦闘だったので、これは
実際の肉体を使っている訳では無いのだが、息切れもするし不思議と疲労感のようなものもある。
俺が砂浜に杖を突き刺して五体を投げだしていると、影が差して頭のすぐ横に誰かが立ったのが分かった。
「さんきゅーです、先輩。まさか本当に来てくれるとは思いませんでした。それもあんなメールで」
内容が酷かった自覚はあるのか......あれだと相手によっては冗談と受け取るんじゃないのかな。
「......シエスタちゃん。無謀な戦闘を止められる立場に居た君には、色々と言いたいことがあるんだけど」
言いつつ、視線を逸らしながら半身をその場で起こす。
そのままだと見えてたんだよな、足の間の白い布が......スカートタイプの防具っていう自覚はないのか。
無防備だと指摘するべきか、それとも黙っているべきか。
「もっと見ていてもいいですよ? 特に減るものではありませんし」
「ワザとなの!? ......そういう行為は
ウェーブのかかった長い髪は目立つし、彼女はとても愛らしい顔をしているのだ。
この眠そうな表情も、人によっては癒されるということでプラス要素になる可能性があるだろう。
スタイルも、うん。
トビじゃないけど、嫌でも目に付くよね......危ないでしょ、その分だけ余計に。
しかし、彼女は感情の読めないぼんやりとした目で俺を見返してくるだけである。
「相手は選ぶので問題ないです。先輩おんりー」
「ええ......君は本当に、何を考えてるのかさっぱり分からん......」
「ご安心をー。自分でも時々、分からなくなりますから。感覚優先?」
「駄目じゃん」
「はぁ......文句を言う気力が削がれた......」
或
一方、他の三人はというと大型モンスターを倒した喜びを互いに分かち合っている。
エリアボスだったのかな......あのデカい牛は。
レベルも1上がり、戦闘時間も長かったのでボスクラスなのは間違いないと思うけれど。
現在のレベルはこれで31だ。
「......間に合ったのは、タイミングが良かったんだよ。丁度、他のパーティに誘われたクエストが終わった所だったから」
「へえ、クエスト。先輩、交友広い系ですか? 人たらしマン?」
「何だよ、人たらしマンって。全然そんなことないぞ? フレンドリストの人数は、君を入れて7人だから」
「ふーん......すぐに9人になりそうですけどねー。ふわぁぁぁ......ねむー......」
をしながら、シエスタちゃんが背を向けて数歩進む。
急に距離を取ったことを不思議に思っていると......三人分の走る足音が接近し、俺の前で急停止する。
目の前には砂の波が押し寄せ――
「わぷっ!?」
しこたま砂を浴びることになった。
口の中がじゃりじゃりする......目だけは辛うじて守ることができたが。
「あ、すまんハインド」
「君達ね......」
立ち上がって砂をはたき落とす。
塊で乗っかった砂が、ザラザラと服から落ちて砂浜に返っていった。
そんな俺に、目を輝かせた女子二人が勢い込んで話し掛けてくる。
「絶対勝てないと思ったのに、戦い方一つであんなに違うものなんですね! ユーミルさんのワイルドな動きも格好良かったですけど、私、感動しました! ハインドさんが居てこそユーミルさんも輝くんだって!」
「アローレインの連射、痛快でした! あの、もし嫌でなければ色々と教えて下さい! 参考にしたいです!」
「お、おお......」
余りの勢いに押され、俺は思わず一歩下がった。
助けを求めてユーミルを見ると、腕を組んで一言。
「と、いうわけだ! この二人ともフレンド登録するのだ、ハインド!」
「どういう訳だよ......別にいいけど......」
「「ありがとうございます!」」
しかし、短い時間で随分と仲良くなったもんだ。
シエスタちゃんは三人の中でも常に一歩引いた感じなので、別として。
は元々年下の女子に慕われやすく、学校でも人気者なので納得の結果ではあるのだが。
特に世話好きって訳でも無いのに、不思議といえば不思議な......リコリスちゃんも言っていたように、年下の女子にはアレが格好良く見えるのだそうだ。
理世に言わせると粗暴で野蛮なだけ、となるので受け取り方次第ということかもしれない。
フレンド登録を済ませた後は、さすがに長時間プレイしたこともあって解散の流れに。
中学生が起きているには遅い時間でもあるし......あ、彼女たちはやはり中学生だそうだ。
明日は休日なので、そういう時だけ多少の夜更かしが許されるのだそうな。
全員でヒースローの街に戻り、この日はログアウトするということになった。
部屋から廊下に出ると、
まだ起きているのか......頑張ってるなぁ。
少し遅くなったが、起きているなら予定通りに温かい飲み物でも差し入れようか。
一階のキッチンに降りると、鍋を火にかけて牛乳と豆乳をブレンド。
ココアパウダーと砂糖を入れてかき混ぜ、温まったらホットココアの完成だ。
喫茶店によっては
ココアを持って部屋のドアを弱めにノックするが......返事がないな。
理世は勉強する時に音楽を掛けたりしないので、聞こえないということはない筈だが。
「入るぞ」と一声投げてからドアを開けると――そこには机に伏せて寝息をたてる理世の姿が。
......作ったココアは自分で飲もうかね。
机の上に一度カップを置き、ベッドの布団を先にまくっておく。
中から出てくるカラフルなパッチワーク製の抱き枕は、例によって俺の古着で作られたものだ。
裁縫初心者の頃に理世が配置を考えて俺が作った、思い出深い一品。なので、少し出来が荒い。
幸い理世は
静かに寝かせて掛け布団を掛け、その場を離れようと――
「ん!?」
したが、何時の間にか服の裾をがっしりと掴まれている。
優しく手を解こうとすると、益々力を入れて放すまいとしてくる......本当は起きているんじゃないだろうな?
仕方ないので手を伸ばして理世のデスクチェアを引っ張ると、それを使ってベッドの横に腰掛けた。
ココアも......っと、ギリギリ届くな。
それを飲みながら、理世が手を放すまで傍に居ることにした。
理世の部屋は整理整頓されていて、女の子にしては小物とかが少ないんじゃないだろうか。
いや、理世と未祐の部屋しか知らないんだけどさ。
ちなみに未祐の部屋は俺が掃除しない限り散らかり放題である。
そのまま何とはなしに部屋をぐるりと眺めると、こちらを見ている俺と目が合った。
......鏡や窓に映り込んだ訳ではない。
机の上に写真立てがあるのだが、そこには制服を着た俺の写真が飾ってある。
いつ撮ったんだろう、あれ......少なくとも俺の記憶にはないな。
気が付くと違う写真に更新されているんだよな......理世の部屋に入る度に、違うものを見掛けるような気がする。
家族の集合写真ならばともかく、自分単品の写真が机に飾られているのはかなり恥ずかしい......出る時に伏せとこう......。
いて手を放したので、俺はすかさず椅子から立ち上がった。
ちょうどココアも飲み終わったところだ。
すると心細そうに手をもぞもぞと動かしたので、俺は空いたカップを机に置くと抱き枕を理世に掴ませる。
顔を抱き枕に押し付けるようにギュッと抱え込むと、安心したような表情と寝息に変わったので、そのまま部屋を後に――
「あ、忘れる所だった」
最後に自分の写真をぺいっと机に向けて伏せると、俺は電気を消して理世の部屋からそそくさと自室に戻っていった。
[I'm so tired...today sure has been hectic.]  (Hind)
Since it was a fight after I had sprinted with all my might it had been quite tiring.
It wasn't like I had been using my real body, but you ran out of breath here and it you can feel oddly tired.
Just when I stabbed my staff on the sand and threw myself into it, a shadow was cast over my head and I knew somebody had stood up.
[Thank you, senpai. I didn't think you would really come. With an email like that.]  (Siesta)
Does she even realize how severe the contents of the email were?...Should the other person have taken that email as just a joke?
[...Siesta-chan. I got quite a few things to say to you since you were in a position to stop them from taking fights recklessly but...]  (Hind)
While I said that, I averted my gaze and raised the upper half of my body.
If I stayed like that, I would have been looking at that white piece of cloth in the space between her legs...doesn't she realize she's wearing a skirt type of defensive gear?
Should I tell her that she's defenseless? Or should I keep quiet about it?
[You can look more you know? It's not like I'm losing anything.]  (Siesta)
[It was on purpose!? ...You should stop doing things like that. Something bad will happen to you one day you know?]  (Hind)
Her wavy long hair stands out and she has a lovely face.
Her sleepy expression could act as a sort of healing quality to people and there's the possibility of it being a plus.
Her style too...yup.
I'm not Tobi, but my eyes will wander off even if I don't want to...isn't this dangerous? That last part was completely unnecessary.
However, she just stared at me with those absent-minded eyes that made me unable to read her emotions.
[Since I choose who I show it to there's no problem. Only for senpai.]  (Siesta)
[Eh...I really don't know what's going through that head of yours...]  (Hind)
[Don't worry. Sometimes, even I don't know what I'm thinking about. My intuition takes preference?]  (Siesta)
[Isn't that no good?]  (Hind)
[Hah...I'm losing the energy complain about it...]  (Hind)
Or it could be that this was her aim.
On the other side, the three of them were sharing the joy of having defeated the gigantic monster.
Could it be that it was the area boss?...That gigantic buffalo.
My level had gone up by 1 too and since the fight took a long time, there's no doubt that it was a boss class monster.
My level right now is 31.
[It just so happens that I had just finished the other quest I was invited to join by the other party.]  (Hind)
[Oh? A quest. Senpai, do you know many people? Are you a swindler?]  (Siesta)
[What do you even mean by swindler? It's not like that at all, you know? The number of friends in my friend list is 7 counting you.]  (Hind)
[Fuun...it looks like it's going to become 9 soon enough. Fuwah...so sleepy...]  (Siesta)
While yawning, Siesta-chan turned her back and took several steps.
Just when I thought that it was weird that she was taking her distance...I heard 3 people that were running draw closer and they stopped in front of me suddenly.
A wave of sand was advancing towards me...
[Whapuh!?]  (Hind)
And I was bathed in sand.
The inside of my mouth is gritty...but I somehow managed to protect my eyes.
[Ah, sorry Hind.]  (Yumir)
[You girls...]  (Hind)
I stood up and dusted the sand off myself.
The cluster of sand fell off my clothes and returned to the sandy beach.
With sparkling eyes, the two girls started to talk to me excitedly.
[Even though I thought we would definitely be unable to win, with just being told a single thing to do, it was that different! Yumir-san's wild movements are really cool, but I was really moved! It's only because Hind-san is there that Yumir-san shines!]  (Lyco)
[Firing arrow rain twice in a row was really thrilling! Eh, if you don't mind, please teach me about all sorts of things! I'd love to have them as a reference!]  (Sai)
[O-Oh...]  (Hind)
Being pressured with such vigor, I unconsciously took a step back.
When I looked at Yumir in search for help, she crossed her arms and just said.
[So, there you have it. Exchange friend requests with these two, Hind!]  (Yumir)
[There you have it you say...it's not like I mind though...]  (Hind)
[[Thank you very much!] ] 
However, they sure have gotten along really well in such a short span of time.
Leaving aside the fact that among the three of them, I get the feeling that Siesta-chan is always one step ahead.
To begin with, Miyu is someone that tends to be adored by younger girls, she's even popular at school so I can sort of understand this result.
Even though she doesn't particularly like to look after others, if you told me that it was strange, I would say that it is...just as Lycoris-chan had said, younger girls would probably see that sort of thing as cool.
If you asked Rise, she would just say that she's savage and vulgar, so I guess it depends on the person you ask.
After we finished exchanging friend requests, as expected, we had been playing for a long time so we decided to break up.
It's also quite late for middle school students to be awake...ah, now that I think about it they are middle school students.
Tomorrow is a holiday, so I guess they were allowed to stay up a bit later than usual.
We all returned to Heathrow town and decided to log out for the day.
I entered the hallway from my bedroom and saw light coming out from Rise's room.
So she's still awake...she sure is working hard.
It might be a bit late, but should I bring her a warm drink as I had planned before?
I went down to the kitchen on the first floor, heated up a pot and blended milk and soy milk.
I put in some cocoa powder and mixed it and with that, a hot cocoa to warm oneself up was made.
If this was a coffee shop, they might have put in salt or black pepper.
Carrying the cocoa I knocked the door lightly...but there was no response.
Since Rise doesn't really listen to music while studying, she should have been able to hear it.
While letting out a [I'm entering]  I opened the door...and there I saw the figure of Rise sleeping on the desk.
...I guess I should drink the cocoa I made myself?
I placed the cap on top of the desk for the time being and rolled up the futon on the bed first.
From within it, a hugging pillow with a colourful patchwork made from my old clothes appeared.
It was something I made for Rise when I was still a beginner at sewing, so it holds a lot of memories for me. That's why, it's a bit rough.
Luckily, Rise was studying in her pajamas, so I carried her small body to the bed.
I gently placed her on the bed and put the covers on her and when I tried to take my distance...
[Hnn!?]  (Wataru)
I tried to, but at some point she had grasped the hem of my clothes firmly.
When I tried to gently make her hand let go, she put more force into it and refused to let go...the truth is, she's probably awake?
Since there's no helping it, I reached out to Rise's desk chair and brought it closer, then I used it to sit down next to the bed.
The cocoa too...oh, I can just about reach it.
While drinking that, I decided to stay there until Rise decided to let go.
Things in Rise's room are kept in order and it's pretty tidy, but I get the feeling that there might not be that many accessories for a girl.
Well, I've only know of Rise's and Miyu's rooms though.
Just for the record, if I don't clean up Miyu's room, she would do as she pleases and leave things scattered around.
Like that, I looked around the room for no particular reason, and my eyes met my own self looking at me.
...It wasn't the projection of a mirror or the window.
There was a framed picture on top of the desk, inside, was a picture of me wearing the school uniform.
I wonder when that was taken...at the very least, I don't remember taking that photo.
She changed the photo without me realizing...each time I enter Rise's room, I get the feeling I see a different one.
If it was a family photo it might be fine, but having a picture of just me on top of her desk was quite embarrassing...let's turn it over when I leave the room...
With a moan, Rise released her hand, so without a moment of delay I stood up from the chair.
Just in time, I had finished drinking the cocoa.
When I did, her hand was creeping about lonely so with my empty hand I put the cup on the desk and had Rise clutch the hugging pillow.
She buried her face in the pillow and held it tightly and with an expression of relief then she switched to breathing like a sleeping person, like that I proceeded to leav-
[Ah, I was about to forget.]  (Hind)
At last, I turned over my own photograph placed on the desk, switched off the lights and left Rise's room in a hurry and returned to my own room.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都