Chapter 1215 - Today 8:2
The entertainment following the joining ceremony, or rather, the various things involved in being pulled along, or rather dragged around, by Minalina doing whatever she pleased, continued non-stop from our meeting past noon until, as a matter of course, late at night.
For a while, well, I suppose I should overlook it as something that can't be helped.
Their retirement as idols... and, surprisingly, having also graduated from high school, which they had apparently been balancing alongside both the entertainment world and the virtual world, now that their previous, near-fatal busyness had vanished all at once.
Looking at them, I can somehow guess, but both of them seem at a loss as to how they should use their time and physical strength. Indeed, habits built over several years shouldn't disappear so easily.
So, for a while.
To the girls who are swaying between a sense of liberation and a sense of loneliness that must be two sides of the same coin, who are great seniors whether in terms of their years as rank-holders or their life experience... but are actually one year younger than me, as their junior who is one year older. I am more than willing to keep them company until they are satisfied——
But, as expected, my body won't hold out for a whole day, so let's make that a no-go.
It was fun, it really was, but it took a huge chunk of my physical strength that I couldn't overlook, and I collapsed in both the virtual world and the real world that night. As I closed my eyes while making a firm resolution...
"——............, ...nngh...!"
The next day. Amidst a faint feeling of sleep-deprived discomfort, I welcomed an awakening that could hardly be called refreshing.
That thing peculiar to waking up feeling terrible, where you're sluggish and your body is heavy but only your thoughts are strangely clear, causing the discomfort to seep into your brain all the more.
Taking advantage of the long vacation, I hadn't set an alarm.
And a conviction, sensed through intuition and skin-feel, that it was probably not morning.
And so, kicking off the futon due to the discomfort of sleeping——the heat that had invaded, breaking through even the environmental barrier of the Yotsuya Lodgings, which was supposed to be a basically comfortable space, I,
"............Eh, summer...?"
Groping around my pillow, I caught my smartphone.
While looking with one eye at the numbers displayed on the Today's Weather I had pulled up... I doubted the Earth's sanity at the ridiculous temperature setting, which was truly unfitting for the end of March.
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"Isn't it crazy hot today?"
"It was hot... even though it was almost a bit chilly last night."
And so, since it was past noon rather than morning, I logged in immediately after having breakfast (lunch).
I was enjoying a peaceful time on the veranda of the 【Sword Saint】-sama home inside the clan home with Sora, whom I had met up with after we naturally called out to each other.
No, seriously peaceful. My heart is a calm sea due to the gap with yesterday.
"It's not as bad as the virtual world (here), but lately the climate of the real world is seriously wild too, isn't it?"
"Right. It makes me worry about all sorts of things."
Master-sama is absent. However, the personal alternate space created here by 【True Name: Secret Key of the Divine Mansion that Loves the Outer Heavens《Lia-Tolpha》《Lutemis》】 is currently open for free entry at any time, restricted to clan members.
Of course it's because of trust, but in the first place, this is a dojo that was supposed to be designed to be used by many people. Therefore, believing that for Ui-san herself and for this place, our hanging out here without reservation is exactly what is desired, we are making ourselves at home.
And so,
"Well... shall we head out soon?"
"............Won't you cool off a bit more?"
Lately, we've quite often been sitting on the veranda and relaxing together like this, just Sora and me.
A temperature setting that is cool and comfortable enough not to feel chilly. The gentle breeze strokes our cheeks with an exquisitely soothing strength, and the rustling of bamboo leaves tickling our ears is a BGM we could listen to infinitely without getting tired of.
Because it really is just that comfortable.
"Because the real world was hot today."
"...True. Well then, a little longer."
No matter how close the distance between us is, the additional 'heat' can't help but stand out.
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And so, squeezing out my rationality, I wrapped up the lovey-dovey time with my partner at a moderate level.
"——...! Pwah...!! Hah, ngh... ...!"
"Oh... no, that's good. Seriously, I think it's a really good feel."
This is also undoubtedly being close, but changing the color of the atmosphere, and likewise changing the location, we are currently in the familiar camp base training room (training room). Rather than a young man and woman in a delicate relationship, we were dedicating ourselves to a dead-serious special training as a rank-holder and a rank-holder's partner.
About two hours have already passed since we started, and while it's fine for me on the accompanying side, Sora-san, who is on the 'working hard' side... because the training content is what it is, is heavily exhausted and gasping for breath.
Since the settings of the training room have been tweaked, her sopping wet clothes dry in seconds, but of course her fatigue level doesn't get completely wiped clean——but, as expected of my partner.
The way she steadily piles up results worthy of her fatigue is nothing short of magnificent.
...That being said,
"As expected, this is far beyond just being cool, isn't it?"
"Haa... phuu... ah, haha... right, isn't it... ..."
I don't want to call it a bad habit, and since I possess a similar nature myself, it's a case of 'look who's talking', but once she decides to work hard, Sora-san basically works too hard.
Just as Sora acts as one for me when it's my turn, it is my custom to act as a stopper when it's Sora's turn. If so, parting the freezing 'cold air' filling the space, I walked up to her,
"It's going well. So, take a full break too."
"...Okay."
I draped the cloak I summoned to my hand—the high-class cold-weather gear I had ended up keeping borrowed from Nia—over her back with a rustle. You won't catch a cold in reality from the cold sensation of the virtual world, but, well, that.
It's the thought that counts, after all.
Toward me, who tends to get overprotective in these kinds of situations, lately Sora-san has gotten used to it, or perhaps given up, and has started to show a face that doesn't look entirely displeased.
She shouldn't think I'm treating her like a child. I can read that from the warmth of her back as she leans against me, slightly hesitantly, as if spoiling herself.
The surrounding cold air and such became impossible to feel in the blink of an eye——
"............Will we make it in time?"
"We'll make it. Or rather, I think it's already at a level where it can be put into practical use."
——And so, that.
I love Sora way too much, and Sora embarrassingly loves me way too much as well, so if we let our guard down, it ends up like this, but to reiterate, we are in serious mode right now.
Even so, this is absolutely serious mode. Therefore, we are doing what needs to be done properly, flatly, and clearly, and the words we choose are mainly practical consultations rather than sweet nothings.
As for what we are doing, it goes without saying.
"No, um, it's pretty sketchy... if things go wrong, not just myself but..."
"Well, the surrounding allies would probably be frozen rock-solid along with you. That's true."
The upcoming re-capture of the 【Deep Realm of Blue Source】...——my partner's underwater combat special training drama toward the deadline set for the beginning of May, in other words, after the Four Pillar War at the end of April.
In a pure white room that can naturally prepare a waterlogged environment with performance worthy of the name Training Room, we are currently in the process of diligently developing Sora-san's new techniques, movements, and various other things.
The magic swords possessed by Sora's main fighting force, 【Cradle】, are currently four types.
They are lined up as 'Terra (Sand Sword)', 'Flamme (Flame Sword)', 'Glacies (Ice Sword)', and 'Éclair (Thunder Sword)', but the troublesome thing is that none of these are of any use when operated individually underwater.
'Sand' dissolves in water and cannot be maintained; 'Flame', far from being extinguished, overreacts with water and explodes the moment it is brought out; 'Ice' becomes a block of ice rather than a sword and immediately ceases to function; and 'Thunder', needless to say, bares its fangs not only at enemies but also at allies. It is a clean wipeout.
On the other hand, even Sora-san has not yet mastered chantless casting when it comes to magic.
She seems to be practicing under the guidance of 【Screen】, which is still quietly continuing, but since she is in a similar halfway state as me, underwater execution is currently impossible.
Therefore, with no other options, we are currently developing a composite magic sword that can be operated even underwater.
Since we have already reached a prototype that seems like it could be put into practical use, the rest is just like usual—or rather, it should be fine if we just refine Sora's operational proficiency, same as with her previous magic swords. There is no 'impossible' regarding this, and I'm not worried.
I've said it so many times I'm tired of it, but my partner is more amazing than me, after all.
...Turning that around, well, putting that aside——
"Haru"
"Yeah?"
"I'll do my best."
"In moderation. I'll do my best to support you too, so let's do our best together."
"Yes. ——...Ehehe."
Spoiling her endlessly, making sure not to make her suffer with excessive pressure.
I will carefully, preciously, support my beloved partner.
Today's Haru-Sora, Partner 8:2 Romance.