◇Online◇
The evening of next day, when I logged in like usual, there was only Mashu in the guild house.
"Ah~ Knight-sama~"
"Huh? Where are other people?"
"You see, they have not logged in yet today~"
"……is that so?"
Subconsciously, I looked around for the figure of Shizuku a little anxiety. Truly I didn't know what to say about this.
When I was sure that there was no one else, I heaved a sigh of relief.
"Ummm…"
Mashu started to talk nervously.
"Are you free……right now~?"
"Eh?"
"N-no, it's fine if you are not free. It's just that, if you have a little free time then……um…how about with me……ah, n-never mind, surely you are not free……"
For some reason, Mashu started to get puzzling.
Free time? I am free right now. In this game, there was not much to do when reached level 99. Maybe level up utility skills.
Furthermore, getting ask with an upturn-eyes like that, I would make time even if I were not free.
"In the contrary, I am very free right now, what's up?"
"R-really~?"
Mashu's face brightened up.
"If that is the case, can you help with something~?"
"Help you? Of course, I will try my best."
"Ah, thank you very much~"
While saying so, Mashu's behavior looked like it got covered by a cheerful mood.
"Then, what would you need my help with?"
"It's like this, I want to ask you for help for a quest that rewards a unique item for my occupation~ Even though it is not a difficult quest but I would feel much better if there are 2 people in the party~"
"Leave it to me. Let's go."
"Yes!"
Mashu and I left the guild house together. In particular we did not have to prepare anything, I only needed to follow behind this girl who wore a one-piece skirt.
"Where is that place?"
"Inside the town of Firmus~"
"That near?"
That was a place with a pretty tall castle with the kingdom's flag flying on top.
The town sat right outside the castle. We walked along the commercial street, where there were many kinds of stores such as the blacksmith shop, equipment store, etc.… Many people were walking on the stone-brick street, looking really busy. I was still walking behind Mashu, eyes staring at her provoking figure.
Thinking back to the offline meeting, she also had this kind of hair style. From there I thought about her age. Although I heard she was just a housewife in real life but she did not look much different from us.
Feeling a little interesting, I walked faster to be next to her.
"Hey, how old are you Mashu?"
My impolite question was so direct that she stared at me in surprise.
"Your question is quite direct~"
"Ah no, because… although you said you are a housewife but you look about the same age as me, therefore…"
"Ufufu, because that is so~"
"Eh?"
"I am 16 years old."
"The same age as me!?"
Then the mystery is solved.
"But, you are already married at such a young age?"
"Only on formality~"
"Formality?"
What does that mean?
"Yes~ My husband actually is…… a person who has no interest in woman~"
"No way……is he "that" kind of person……?"
"Um, I am about to say that~"
Uho!
(TN: ウホッ! (Uho!) - often spoken word by Masaki Michishita in “Kuso Miso Technique”. Full line: "ウホッ! いい男…" (Uho! ii toko…) => “Woah! Hot guy…)
(P/s: DON’T google search it)
"This is quite complicate……"
"Is that so~? Ehehe."
She was laughing while talking, I did not know what to show on my face. But when her smile just stopped, the feeling on her face was as if it was covered by a gloom.
"Ah, we are here!"
Stopping suddenly, Mashu pointed at a building that had a smiling face.
That was the inn of the town. A 2-stories building that was built with stones. Inside had a few NPCs for quest.
Mashu stepped inside the inn, moved toward an old man with beard in a corner.
"Is this the person~ Let's talk with her~ Then the quest will begin~"
Mashu told me so, who was still standing on the street right now.
After listened to the story, we moved to the last room on the second floor as the NPC instructed. That was a simple room with a bed inside, something was strange.
Because that was a double bed! With two pillows!
"Uh…then what do we have to do……?"
As she heard my question, I felt Mashu's face began to heat up.
"Umm… this quest's name was [The Wedding Night], according to the quest's detail, 'The quest will be completed after you use this room with a male after a period of time' but……looks like it is not somewhat ok…"
"Who the heck thought of a quest like this!? But hey, how can we meet this requirement……?"
"When the girl uses this item [Proof of Manhood] then the quest will begin."
Mashu said so while showing the furry item in her hand. Then, she gently put them on her lips and closed her eyes.
"Thank you for preparing this wonderful room for me tonight. I am very happy."
"Hah?"
Her voice suddenly changed into that of a man, making me thought that I was in Takarazuka.
(TN: Takarazuka Revue)
But hey, when did I invite her!? Wait a sec, that way of talking? This arrogance feeling…like who? That's right, it's 'him'. Like that Hugues! But, is there a chance that she is Knight-sama?
"S-sorry! I was a little excited…"
After removing the mustache, he voiced turned back to normal, her face blushed as if she was ashamed with what she had just done.
"B-but I apologized. I truly did not mean to do that……"
"Ah, no problem, you don't have to apologize anymore……"
She appeared sorry and apologized in a hurry.
Anyway, I cannot log out before finishing this quest. If that is the case then…
Followed my own bright idea, I sat on the edge of the bed. Mashu immediately became embarrassed when she saw it.
"Ah…um……then…w-we will be staying together?"
"Well I don't have any problem……look like it…"
Mashu showed a smile. Then repeated the same sentence many time.
"Thank you very much! Thank you very much!"
"S-stop doing that. Blame me for agreeing to help you in the beginning. No one could have thought this will happen, right? That is the truth."
"That's not what I mean! Because Knight-sama is a good person! Knight-sama is kind!………a!"
"Basically, from now to finish, we only need to sit like this?"
I hit *psstpsst* to a spot next to me.
"Y-yes……"
Then she quietly sat down on the bed. The sound *psst* appeared and the bed got pushed down. Then, shoulder touched shoulder……"
I got surprised and looked at my side. It was fine to just sit down, but I did not think she would sit this close. When I turned around, my and Mashu's noses touched each other.
""Ah……""
By instinct, we both blushed. But for some reason we kept looking at each other without moving. It was a while before I could escape.
"Ah…um…"
While I still didn't know what to say, looked like she wanted to say something.
"T-thank you."
"H-huh?"
I let out a questioning sound.
"I…always stay home alone……ZX is the only place I can be free……b-because here I always have Knight-sama to talk with……only those have helped me a lot……therefore I want to say thank you……"
"Oh, so it is about that?"
"Furthermore, to me, Knigh-sama is…"
When she was about to say something important then…
A loud noise appeared, the door was opened with a strong force.
Mashu and I were both surprised, hurriedly separated from each other. There was someone standing there, with a familiar face, it was Shizuku. Looked like she had logged in some time but I didn't notice.
When aggressively infiltrated the room, she didn't look toward this direction but continuously opened and closed all of the drawers in order to look for something.
"W-what are you doing……?"
"Doing a solo quest. Don't mind me."
"Um… usually we have to mind."
But wait, can there be 2 quests happening at the same place?
While I was scratching my head, I asked Shizuku, who was tossing the entire room upside down.
"Then, what quest is that?"
"[The Missing Item of Jeff]."
Shizuku answered while not stopping her search.
"R-right now?"
Couldn't believe my ears, I asked again.
The missing item of Jeff. That was a quest received from Jeff (NPC) - the equipment store owner, the quest's detail was: because having loss the important marriage ring, he cannot get marriage and wants to look for it.
The completion requirement was to find that ring that had been dropped randomly in this town in a fixed amount of time. Because that was an easy quest to novices so the reward was very little.
When I started the game, I had also come to this equipment store man a few times to make some money. But this quest was only interested by new players with one-digit level, but now she decided to do it with great passion…
After destroying the entire room, Shizuku finally decided to quit looking.
"Because I thought this is an easy to make money quest that doesn't have risks, why?"
"Uh because…that's right. Even so, about this quest, even though the ring is dropped randomly but you must look at places that make more sense? I never heard of anyone finding it in a place like this!"
Shizuku smirked.
"Hmph, anything unexpected can happen."
"Oi, this is just a game, a product that was pre-designed."
"So what? Then can you guess whether Asopasomaso show that will be air today has Azukian or not?"
(TN: Asopasomaso - Name of a kid program that has many kinds of personified sweets.
Azukian - Red bean paste.)
"Hah?"
"You couldn't have guess the content until you watch it, right? The imagination of elder Jam today can be Shiroan, or it can be Uguisuan."
(TN: Shiroan - White bean paste.
Uguisuan - Green bean paste.)
"What with that strange example!"
"Then let's have a clearer example. Chocolate that you were given in Valentine, 'how to know if this is a homemade chocolate even though she bought chocolate at a store to melt it down and shaped it?', although you guys have guessed like that but you couldn't have known that that girl has to go all the way to South America and perform processes such as collecting cocoa at the harvesting site, fermenting, drying, separating the seeds, grinding the seeds? You couldn't have known if only looking at the outside."
"How could I have known! Besides, this example is not that easier to understand! I mean, I have never received chocolate from a girl! Of course I will like it even if it is not homemade! If it is tirol-choco then it would be even better! Do you know how it feels when you go to an all-boy school but still find chocolate under the table on Valentine? Even though it could have been from the homeroom teacher? Do you know the shame from only thinking about what it could have been for a moment? Do you know the sensitive of human to the stuffs that usually they would never buy at any price?………uh, why do I feel sadder the more I talk……"
"If you like, I can give you chocolate this year?"
"Eh……"
I didn't know what to say before the surprise sentence of Shizuku.
"Ah…ah…right, that's right! Me too, me too! I will also give Knight-sama chocolate!"
Sitting next to me, Mashu also refused to lose, raised her hand to announce.
Suddenly I received the promise of "2 bars" of chocolate in a place like this.
"ah…uh…t-thank you……"
Even though I was really excited when I was about to have my first experience but……this was summer. It had to pass next year New Year to reach Valentine day. I was excited but…too long! It is way too long!! Fuck you, Sun! I hate the summer's blue sky!
While I was deep in my happiness(?), I suddenly remember the problem that was left unsolved just before.
"Although we were off-track but basically, you want to say that we cannot be sure if we don't check, right?"
"Huh…ah…uh, that's right."
Listened to me asking, Shizuku answered unsurely.
"What about you two, what are you two doing here?"
Shizuku began to scrutinize we two. Furthermore, she was looking at the two pillows with suspicious eyes.
"Eh, ah uh, this……"
Fuuuu…… when I didn't know what to say, another guess appeared. That was an old NPC with mustache that we received the quest from. Looked like the required time for this quest had past.
"L-look like this quest is completed."
"L-look like it."
When I told Mashu, she replied with a smile like an angel.
"T-then let's exit?"
"Yes."
We left the room with a nervous feeling. At that time, a *thump* sound appeared from behind us. I as if saw Shizuku using her leg to kick the bed but I thought I was just imagined it. Um, that was surely it.
Our two returned to the first floor. For some reason but Shizuku, who was still doing her quest, was also following us.
When we just got in front of the old man with a mustache, he said:
"Look like you two had a fun night yesterday. This is a gift for staying at this inn."
Finished saying that, he gave us the quest reward item.
<<[Mashumaro] has received [Short Sword of Light]>>
A NPC sound appeared from somewhere……the item received had no relation to the content of this quest.
But, there is no problem? This is just a game."
"Knight-sama, I have received the item~ Thank you very much~"
"Yes, well~ just give me a head up when you need my help for something."
"Yes-♪"
Looking at her all smile while holding the item in her hands made me feel relax.
About Shizuku, she was staring at us with cold eyes.
xxx
[Title] Hello
[Sender] Hugues[[email protected]]
[Receiver] Keita [[email protected]]
[Hello, it's me. Look like you have gotten familiar with the Knight-sama avatar? But hey, I like only you. I don't want you to misunderstand.]