Chapter 20 [【Snow Melting】I, Am Being Forgiven]
TL : Cnine
ED/PF : Kouksan, Timberlord
Part 1Listlessly, I chased after Fuyukawsan who had run to the back of the station building. When I caught up with her, her head was lowered in embarrassment as she was blushing heavily.
Well then, what should be said to resolve this awkward situation. While thinking of suitable words, I couldn't help but think of thanking her for the wonderful sight from before. WAIT, STOP RIGHT THERE! The moment I say those words will be the moment I'll be labelled as a pervert for sexually harassing her! Argh, what should I say?
「Uhm, Blue…」
My mouth hangs open as the words refuse to come to my mind. Although I tried thinking hard, the only thing come to me is that wonderful scene from before. VIVA, TAWAWA. [ED: I have no clue what these two words are, going to leave them here…]
「What should I say, I wonder…」
My deepest apologies, I just can't find any words that fit the current situation. In the first place, a loner like me has a fatal weakness, my communication abilities are less than commoners. Oh God, if I am to reincarnate in another world, please don't give me cheats. Instead, bestow me an OP communication power, so I can get many friends!
【――Power, do you wish for power?】
W-Who the heck is that. Letters were suddenly appearing in my vision. Don't tell me, my wish has reached the Gods?
【If you wish for power, pray for it. For I am Takaha, the one who helps girls with broken hearts!】
This God is quite the blunt one huh. But I believe you nevertheless, so Takahkamisama what should I do?
【First take a deep breath, then raise up your hands, and spread them to the side.】
Understood. How is it? Is this enough Takahkamisama?
【Good, do a backflip next, and do as many turns as possible!】
A backflip huh, understood Takahkamisama! URAAAA！
I decided to do a double spin backflip, following the advice of the God talking to me.
【Hmm, as expected of a real cheat. Then, next is to say「I love you, Aoi!」right next to her ear.】
Roger that, kamisama. So it'll be okay as long as I whisper those words to Fuyukawsan. Yosh――
Then I opened the chat angrily.
【Shinji, I will forgive you as long as you apologize right now.】
【m(_ _)m】
I quietly close the chat. Shinji that bastard, that was close…
After that useless banter, I looked back at Fuyukawsan. She was staring at me with a 'what are you doing' expression. Well, that was to be expected. You don't usually see someone suddenly doing backflips out of nowhere. Yes, it's Shinji's fault. I'll get him later, definitely.
Part 2「――Fufufu, ah m-my apologies! I mean, you suddenly just did such an interesting move.」
Is she sneering at me? Or laughing at my action? Argh, my heart is going to break because of the one kanji difference between the two sounds.
「Sorry for before. But, I've calmed down, and I apologize for the trouble I've caused.」
Well, I'm not alright at all but I won't purposely pursue the story. Totally not because I'm willing to step on a landmine.
「Her face is still as red as before but let's just believe her since the person herself say so.」
「EH!?」
Crap! I just blurted out my thoughts!
「Geez, Sou-kun! Please don't make me remember it! 」
「Ah, I'm sorry! Well then, shall we go back to where everyone is?」
I judged that continuing the conversation would make the situation awkward even further. So, I proposed going back to Shinji and the rest. As I turned to leave though, I felt something tugging onto my sleeve.
「Uhm… Can you give me some time? 」
Turning around, I was met by Fuyukaway-san's meek face. Oh no, what kind of talk will this lead to.
「Okay, what's the matter? 」
Fuyukawsan's expression gradually turned into a dignified one upon hearing my words. Hey, somehow this atmosphere is kinda like… EH?
「Uhm……………… I――」
Wait a minute. Is this about THAT? Could it be that this is THAT? No way, no no no no no. That's impossible, nonsense, completely not plausible! No way, could it be that this is that legend?. Aren't you supposed to do these kind of things under the legendary tree!? Calm down me, at such time, Takahkamisama will――
「I-I! 」
「Y-Yes!」
「――I-I've always wanted to apologize to Sou-kun! 」
Really?
Part 3「Apologize to me? Are you sure it's not the other way around? 」
「Sou-kun has nothing to apologize for!」
Really? So I don't have to apologize for seeing Fuyukawsan 「Tawawa」 from before? Is it also really okay for me to not apologize for the strange expectations in my heart?
「It's okay. When I was still a sophomore in middle school, I was saved by Sou-kun once. Do you still remember?」
Eh, I think I did do something along those lines… Actually, I've saved many girls from delinquents before, I wonder which one of them was Fuyukawsan.
「Sorry, I can't remember at all.」
「No, it's okay. I've changed my appearance since then after all.」
「Eh, is that so?」
「Yes. In fact, my real hair color isn't actually black but ash grey.」
I thought she dyed her hair color since this is inside of a game. Turns out she dyed her hair with black huh. Then, what about her eyes hidden behind her forelock?
「Uhm, did you get that hairstyle in order to hide your blue eyes?」
「Yes, this is my real appearance. I changed it since I got teased a lot when I was a child.」
I can understand her feelings. When I was still a child―― or should I say up till now, I was often involved with nasty people due to my appearance. But, I had the power to do something about that. Imagine if I had no such power, then how frightening it would have been for me.
「When I was still in middle school, there was once I got surrounded by a biker gang, it must have been because of this appearance.」
Huh. Girl with ash grey colored hair, surrounded by a biker gang. Oh! Oh! I certainly encountered that situation 3 years ago.
「When I thought I was done for, Sou-kun came to save me. Yet I-I…」
I remember facing off against a biker gang because of them disturbing Ruri's peaceful nap. Yeah, I think I saved a girl as collateral. I remember that girl cried a lot, was that Fuyukawsan?
「I didn't even express my gratitude after having been saved by Sou-kun, and also did such a cruel thing to you.」
The cruel thing should be her crying non-stop due to fright right? Does she really care about it that much? Either that or she just feels bad to say that she is actually scared of me.
「I don't think you're at fault though. Rather, I'm pretty sure I was in the wrong to show such a gruesome sight to you at that time.」
Part 4「T-That's not true! Sou-kun only did that to save me! Yet I did nothing but cruel things to Sou-kun! I'm the one who was wrong!」
Saying that, Fuyukawsan started to tear up.
「Uhh, I don't really mind you know?」
Fuyukawsan then starts to bawl, as if the overflowing emotions inside of her had exploded.
「But still, I really, really apologize for being cruel to you at that time. Also, thank you for saving me!」
I then understood. The real reason I ran from Fuyukawsan, was because I was not afraid of others, but afraid of myself.
「You're welcome Fuyukawsan. Shall we head back now?」
After that little conversation we had, the calmed down Fuyukawsan and I went back to where Shinji and Wakakussan were waiting. The two had already finished with the registration and were looking at us with wide grins on their faces.
「Hey, what's with that face?」
「It's no~thing!」
Well I don't really understand what was going on but all is fine as long as everyone is smiling I guess? Though for some reason my mood improves whenever I look at Fuyukawsan's smile.
「Well then, let's challenge more quests!」
A quest huh. I decided to risk asking Wakakussan a question, even if things had progressed to the point of no return.
「I kind of figured that we were going to do a quest, but what kind of quest is it?」
「Eh, Hive didn't tell you anything about it? 」
Part 5「Come to think of it, he didn't tell me anything.」
Well so many things have happened. Even I forgot about it up till now.
「Then, where are we going for our quest?」
Wakakussan raised her index finger with an 「ehem」before explaining to me.
「We are going to Pineapple Garden, and the quest we are going to do is pineapple hunting!」
I see…
Haaah?
「Leaf, what do yo――」
「BUMOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! 」
Just as I was about to clarify, an extremely loud roar cut me off. Reflexively looking at the direction of the voice, I saw a living being, one that I've only seen on TV once.
「――A w-water buffalo!?」
「That's right! We were going to get on the ox cart pulled by that water buffalo.」
Well I've heard an isolated island in Okinawa using this kind of transportation before. But this is just――
「Huge, isn't it?」
Yup, it's huge. The real water buffalo is big too, but could this even be called a water buffalo? No matter how you look at it, it's as big as 10 trucks combined! Rather than an animal, you might even call that monstrosity a dinosaur. It'll definitely belong to the same family as the triceratops.
「Well it's monster afterall. This is a docile monster though, so our safety will be guaranteed as long as we don't do something strange to it.」
「Wait, so things will become dangerous if we do something to it?」
「Who knows, all I know is that a certain party tried before, and it lead to mental trauma.」
I see, in others words, we shouldn't ever mess with this thing. Well, we wouldn't even be able to do much anyway if a monster this size comes attacking us.
「Anyway, it's normally a cute and adorable monster-san!」
Saying so, Fuyukawsan pats the water buffalo. The water buffalo who was being brushed seemed to feel good too. I guess it could be adorable as long as I can ignore its size.
Part 6
「Shall we go then? But I've heard that walking and riding the real ox cart has not much difference.」
「Oi Sou, this is a GAME you know? Look, it's already picking up its pace.」
「I see…」
Won't the cart fall apart from the speed the buffalo is pulling it at?
「Well, rather than being anxious, get on it quickly. Hurry, before this thing actually leaves you behind! Don't worry since it's more comfortable than what you think!」
「Y-yeah, okay!」
I then got on the cart, feeling rather anxious.
(~'.')~To Be Continue In Chapter 21 ~('.'~)
[Kouka: I'm the editor for RCO. I just wanted to say, since you readers have been complaining about the quality of the chapters, I've decided to completely rewrite each sentence to sound and look and BE grammatically correct instead of only correcting punctuations, spelling mistakes+minor sentence changes. What you will be reading in the future, may not be what is in the raws. You WILL be reading extra bits that I've added to make the story flow better, and you WILL be missing out on some parts that I've removed because they just don't make sense.]