Vol 2 Chapter 1 (2/2)
Sneaking a glance at Rosalie, he couldn’t help but remember about that “Eternal Armour” that took him ages to win and forge in-game. Rosalie had said that she was equipped with it in real time, but most likely, they were all unable to see it due to the game’s setting, which allowed the armour to be worn by the character, but not seen by the player.
The producer’s probably wanted the gamers to enjoy the visuals.
Who knew it would come in handy in such situations?
–
The television that morning was plastered all over with news regarding yesterday’s terrorist attack.
“It’s amazing! We’ve checked areas of up to two kilometres radius from the National a.s.sembly Hall, and yet, miraculously, not a single person was found dead or injured!”
The news anchor proceeded to cap the report with a summary of how the current half destroyed National a.s.sembly Hall was really just the result of a stray missile colliding into the building at the very end. Then, the news went on to discuss the fates of the apprehended terrorists, as well as the struggles j.a.pan was having with some country or the other.
Phew, safe!
Shun knew from experience that all people would ever take in from the piece just now was that something important had happened, but that was as far as it got.
No one would ever remember the specifics of that night.
“…”
With that relieving, yet strangely awkward thought about the layperson’s attention span, Shun tried to force a closure on yesterday’s incident.
Unfortunately, he was faced with a constant reminder that came in the shape of Rosalie, sitting so peacefully opposite him, all but stuffing herself with hijiki seaweed.
How someone could even eat with all that chaos lying so heavily on their conscience, Shun would never know.
–
“Pooches and Kitties”
Finally, after a straight run of 14 hours, the news regarding yesterday’s terrorist incident came to an end. However, that did not mean that Shun was any happier to see the next programme that was scheduled for airing.
Seriously, didn’t those people have anything better to do than parade their pets around on some stupid reality TV?
“Today, we’d like to welcome to the screen, Tarou-kun! Tarou-kun is 2 years old this year. Standing in front of the shop, Tarou-kun greets all his customers with unadulterated affection and adoration.”
The scene then zoomed in on a s.h.i.+ba Inu dog with a warm wet nose and lolling tongue, as it wagged its tail at the camera.
…
The pair of chopsticks beside him had stopped, hung fused in mid-air.
Rosalie had stopped attacking her food.
Uh-oh.
Something was definitely wrong.
Turning around to face her, Shun noticed blood.
Streaming down from her nose.
Rosalie was having her first ever nosebleed.
“Tarou-kun is happiest when he’s out taking long walks with his owner!”
The bleeding was not stopping.
“Rosalie, your nose! It’s bleeding!”
Reaching for a tissue, he handed it to her before things could get any worse.
“And that’s all for today from Tarou-kun! You lucky dog!”
All that blood was going to dye the tissue red.
And through the entire commotion, cheeks aflame and eyes lit with a wild fire of l.u.s.t, Rosalie sat still as a log, practically glued to that little dog on the television screen.
Strange.
It wasn’t as if there were no dogs in “Dragon Bless”. Quite the contrary, in fact.
However, not once was there a mention of the fact that the main heroine of the game would get a severe nose bleed whenever she met one.
Oh, how her enemies would have rejoiced!
…
Inside, Shun felt his young heart shatter into pieces.
–
He came down again to the sound of Rosalie and his mother, whispering rather busily in the kitchen.
Shun had gone up to grab a few of those new printouts before heading to school, but it seemed that in those few short moments, Manami and Rosalie had already planned something devious.
I don’t want to know.
Seeing as there was a completely new member of the house present today, the Kanda family knew better than to leave her alone at home right from the get go. As such, Manami decided to take the day off of work in order to keep Rosalie company and to take care of her.
“I’m headed off to school!”
Shun called out, hoping to make a quick dash and escape before –
“Oh, Shun!”
His mother was wearing that face again.
She was undoubtedly up to something.
Oh G.o.d, what is it this time?
If not for the fact that Rosalie was standing in front of the kitchen stove, wearing an ap.r.o.n and clutching a ladle, Shun really would have just left his mom mid-sentence.
“It’s. A. Secret.”
His mom grinned at him.
No mistakes this time. She’d already done whatever it was. She always had when she smiled like that.
“Isn’t that right, Rosalie-chan?”
Turning to face him, Rosalie nodded in a.s.sent.
…
And then suddenly
Cook
Don’t cook
Oh, so that’s what they were about.
If Rosalie’s ap.r.o.n and ladle hadn’t already given the game away, it was now dead obvious what they were up to.
After all, whenever Rosalie tried her hand at something she had never done before in-game, for that very first time before conducting said action, a pop-up window would appear in front of Shun, requesting his input.
“You never know, something amazing might actually happen today! Look forward to it and have fun at school, okay?”
Manami threw a look at Rosalie.
Her turn now.
“Antic.i.p.ate it!”
She pointed her ladle at him as if it were a sword.
However, the ladle was not a sword.
Shun watched as that one unrestrained movement caused it to fly out of her grip at an unbelievable trajectory.
s.h.i.+t.
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