Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)
Chapter 4: Deep in palm
1
”Is this really okay?”
Maryele who had coain
This was Ueno Log Castle, a zone where deht noas a scene of beauty with the sky slowly turning white through the mist
The hu air surrounded shi+roe's team, Maryele, and the several Crescent Moon Alliance members who had come to bid them farewell
”Marie-san, don't worry about this That girl is cute, right? I won't let any guy touch her before I hit on her irls expedition festival!”
Naotsugu's words that, in a sense, see with the words 'Shut up, idiot'
”It will be fine, we are used to ca for the past 2 weeks”
shi+roe reassured Maryele
The chance of success with the 3 of theh this was a fact, his showy action last night had been really e, and shi+roe still hesitated to look directly at Maryele
”Er much, but please eat this on your way there shi+ro-senpai, do your best”
”Akatsuki-chan, this is healing salve uild members, take care on your way there”
shi+roe and Akatsuki accepted the sincere support iteh shi+roe only said a sis were successfully conveyed to the Crescent Moon Alliance guild members
”Do take care as well Mary-nee especially with the PK”
”Yeah, ill be fine here and will continue to collate data”
”Marie-san, take it easy and leave this to us!”
”Ahahaha, be safe Naotsugu-yan, alright? shi+ro-bou doesn't need it, so I will let Naotsugu-yan touch them Look here, they are really soft!”
Maryele su's arms with her hefty breasts
”Eh, time out, Marie-san!”
”What is it, Naotsugu-yan hates this just like shi+ro-bou?”
”That's not it”
Maryele was like a bold and candid big sister who took care of others and liked to pull dirty jokes to hide her embarrasshed as everyone ignored her when she pulled dirty jokes like this
(But I think only Mary-nee considers herself to be unpopular)
shi+roe glanced at Akatsuki and saw her covering her'Idiot, idiot, die pervert Naotsugu'
The members of the Crescent Moon Alliance just s her This was probably an everyday occurrence
”Is it fine? Is this chest worthless?”
”Hold up If it's thrown in my face, I will be afraid to accept the offer Ah, really,to do with this! Didn't I prohibit any dirty jokes!”
”That is totally unconvincing when Naotsugu says it”
Akatsuki kicked Naotsugu
The bloas shi+elded by the heavy aru used this chance to break away from Maryele
”I will let you have your ith e, thank you for doing this, take care of yourself”
After hearing this, it was tio
The blushi+ng Naotsugu who had broken free froy street to hide his embarrassment
”shi+ro-bou, Naotsugu-yan, Akatsuki-chan, please bring Serara home”
Naotsugu turned around with his back to the rising sun and lifted his shi+eld up high
shi+roe waved goodbye while Akatsuki drew her blade half an inch and sla a clear sound
The trio bade their farewells and started their journey to the distant north
2
Themist was a temporary scene in the early suht blue sky soon after fading
The three of thehway In ancient times (which was the randest highway of the capital The highway that was like a bridge over land extending far into the north
Looking back froh were relatively peaceful There was more wildlife than monsters out here, you could see herds of deer and bears taking a leisurely stroll
The players believed the world of Elder Tales was set thousands of years into the future of the real world soto the Elder Tales lore, there had been a war so grand it had literally shattered the world And the world was now rebuilt into its current state by thesetting seen in fantasy games
The graphics that improved with each new expansion enchanted the players with its beauty But after the Apocalypse, the scenery they saith their eyes was beyond that of any rendering machines
The trio had no proble that Horses were a common mode of transportation in Elder Tales
All players could ride a horse without any practice A horse could be purchased or rented for a few days from shops It was normal for mid-level players to have their own ride
Horses were treated like suame
You obtained a flute after buying or renting a horse You could su the flute in any place
This setting was recreated in this world Your horse would run to you from far ahen you whistled for them so you wouldn't need to tie it down and worry about your horse when raiding dungeons
Horses were classified as iteame and would not die, but this had yet to be confirht lose your horse if you called for theerous places, so shi+roe had not experimented and confirmed this aspect
shi+roe's group would be traversing through field zones for this journey As the name implied, they were open and vast areas in this world
This world basically consisted of interconnected field zones There were soood condition that were considered individual zones, but ruins and abandoned buildings were usually part of the field zone's background
One of the features of field zones was their vague boundaries
Enclosed zones were connected to others by doors, cave entrances, and stairs But field zones had no clear entry points tozones
You would cross over to the adjacent zone by walking over the zone boundary So being in which zone was not a concern when traveling over open land
You could check which zones you were in by opening the status screen if you wished
The highway the trio was traveling on was in a state of disrepair, debris and collapsed sections were everywhere
They had to traverse soulfed so much of a section that it was practically a forest They had no choice but to go through the dense undergrowth instead
They decided to rest just a short while past noon
The flyover highwaya complicated curve in the sky The asphalt under their feet was alaro this way any further
”Shall we take a lunch break?”
Naotsugu as leading the way sighed deeply at shi+roe's suggestion
”It's nice that riding a horse is automatic, but my butt still hurts”
”That's right”
shi+roe nodded in agree ”Does it?”
The height difference between shi+roe and Akatsuki was about 30cht to be about half of his Being so hter would place less burden on her lower body while riding
”I wonder how far ent”
”It's only been half a day, you are too hasty, stupid Naotsugu”
Naotsugu remained nonchalant despite Akatsuki's words They were used to this type of interaction, a way of bickering and playing around
shi+roe led them down the slope hway This was probably a residential area in ancient times, but only the remnants of telephone poles were left, a wasteland without any trees
On the reddish undulating ground, they found a boulder suitable to be used as a table to rest
They lay a cloth on the surface of the rock and placed food, canteens, tools and a map on top This was a map of japan labelled with names of zones shi+roe still remembered
”Where did you find that, my lord? That's a really nice map”
Just as Akatsuki saw, the map was really detailed and worthy of praise
It was about 1 squareof an archipelago similar to japan the zones under the jurisdiction of the japan server of Elder Tales
Therivers, forests, and even villages, not so an amateur could draw
”My subclass is Scribe, this is a map I copied off the Akiba library”
”I see Nice job, my lord”
”Well, where are we?”
Naotsugu asked as he opened his canteen
”We should be around here”
shi+roe pointed to the north of Tokyo, very near Akiba
”We didn't go very far yet”
”Oh well, it's only been half a day we'llin the afternoon”
”Roger”
Naotsugu chatted with shi+roe as they started digging into a basket of soggy crackers that looked like chicken sandwich
Akatsuki usually kept out of such conversations shi+roe recently thought she acted this way because she trusted them completely, not because she was disinterested Since she didn't ask any questions, that meant she understood the contents of the conversation
The horses grazed on the dry brown grass as the trio had their meals They ran off into the distance after some time The horses would leave by themselves a short while after you dismounted
They would be back when they blew their flutes, so the three were not concerned about them
” Will it always be like this?”
Akatsuki asked as she took small bites out of her chicken sandwich
She looked far off into the distance, straight at the depths of the unta and you would miss it if you didn't pay attention
But shi+roe could empathize with her
This world had recreated the settings of Elder Tales wonderfully, but Elder Tales was a game, not a journey to experience an alternate world There was no sleep or pain in Elder Tales, and this world was not a game
It inherited the settings and logs of Elder Tales, but shi+roe believed they should treat this as a totally different alternate world Since the first day of the Apocalypse, shi+roe had felt a deep sense of unease, telling hi mistake to mistake this world for Elder Tales
(Everyone forgot about so it But no one knohat is really happening Even if this is really related to Elder Tales, this is still an alternate world That's why everybody is acting so strangely)
Security didn't really turn bad
Saying security was turning bad seeood before, which was not true If you treated this as an alternate world independent from Elder Tales, then security did not exist in this world in the first place
The non-co safe This seen to prove that the Elder Tales' settings still existed
But this restriction was not the same as laws
There was no security in the first place, so it couldn't have deteriorated
This was a lawless world
Akatsuki understood this point
But she still talked softly to herself, even though she understood
Were her e in the depths of her serious eyes?
(I can't tell)
shi+roe couldn't see through Akatsuki's thoughts
It ht be unease, homesickness or even despair But if you searched in shi+roe's heart, he thought you would find frustration
This was the reflection of his heart
The irritation that things turned out this way The subject when she said 'Will it always be like this' was this world, but it could also refer to 'us'
(Is this the best we can do? Are we being looked down on? We are killing each other, racketing, crying, and despairing over trivial things Are we being treated like brats?)
This was a question for hi villains when thrown onto a lawless plain?
shi+roe answered firmly because he understood this:
”No, it won't”
He would not fall into despair so easily
Like the rotten fruits falling to the ground, the world was following this natural order and turning cunning, cheap, and unsightly It was allantry which was a bad thing shi+roe didn't accept this natural evolution of the situation
”That will be too boring”
Naotsugu commented curtly
””
Akatsuki looked towards the horizon
shi+roe decided to take over Maryele's quest by hiher than that of Crescent Moon Alliance's team based on their levels and familiarity with battles
This was just one of the reasons
But this reason was more of a 'want', not a 'need'
The Crescent Moon Alliance was an independent guild no ood their relations were shi+roe's party had no obligation to spend so ers to do this on their behalf
This was so that was normally impossible
Maryele requested shi+roe to occasionally drop by and look after her guild because she understood this She probably thought it was the liood friend This was a deduction
Naotsugu and Akatsuki also knew they had no moral duty to aid Maryele's comrades
But shi+roe wanted to take on this quest
Logic and calculations were ih this mission But his as mainly driven by a sense of frustration shi+roe was also surprised to have unearthed such strong elad that his co it into words
That was too boring
Too unsightly
(Although such e words were uttered)
The wind brushed his cheeks that heated up when he recalled the event He could feel joy, unease, and bliss within his undulating emotions
It was a sense of resistance, he wanted to resist this unsightly world
If that were the case, he shouldn't hold anything back
To do the best within his abilities
To work hard in this environment of his
As shi+roe was distracted with such thoughts, Naotsugu tapped his back
”You would help if your fauys are unsightly, we have no reason to dance to their tune”
shi+roe didn't want to accept that he had drifted into an unsightly, dull, and boring world beyond rede cool and flashy like the Debauchery Tea Party out here
It was e to express it in words, so shi+roe tried not to think about it But he could feel that a quest like this was the answer
These were the 'Things they should be doing'
”Really, harassing a girl like this is unrorab their attention”
Naotsugu's speech threw the whole atmosphere off
”Well, what types of girls do you like, Naotsugu?”
Akatsuki gave Naotsugu a condescending look while shi+roe resisted joining this conversation These pubertal thoughts were extremely aard for shi+roe
”My range is wide, like ht? After joining the workforce, the clean and pure juniors joining ht They will even call me 'senpai' That is very important!”
”The basics are important! Teamwork is built on the fundamentals of practice!”
shi+roe didn't really understand what Naotsugu was iu loudly with conviction Akatsuki's glares poked painfully at him
”You are absolutely right, teary at guys when their panties are seen while cli us That is really the strongest”
(That's not being strong, just a nasty excuse, right?)
Even if that hat shi+roe thought, he wouldn't express it to Akatsuki She nagged at hiu, my lord needs to act like a proper lord Stupid lord”
3
Akatsuki was giving them the cold shoulder after that conversation She was stopped by shi+roe when she was about to summon her horse after lunch Akatsuki was puzzled as shi+roe took out a bas
It looked like a piece of art, even though it was just a horse suu had the same flute in his hand
”What is that, my lord?”
shi+roe s the sky The sound haru's flute and was carried across the plains by the wind
”Could this be?”
A high pitch cry interrupted Akatsuki Two huge shadows drew near with the deep sound of flapping wings The creatures as big as a carriage circled twice above shi+roe's party before landing strongly, bowing their heads at shi+roe's and Naotsugu's feet
”Those are griffons!”
The riffon had the head, forelegs, and wings of an eagle along with the body of a lion Its battle prowess differed by variety and age, but was mostly on par with chimeras
”Well, yeah”
shi+roe rubbed the neck of the griffon a couple of tiht these froredients that could be easily hunted in the wild
”You didn't really think ere going by horse to the far north, did you? We would get old by the time we arrive”
Naotsugu teased Akatsuki
”Why did you su them?”
”Yes, we are riding them What is it, Akatsuki-san?”
”It's Akatsuki”
Akatsuki h he had been addressing Akatsuki this way all the time, she still wanted shi+roe to call her by her name
”Akatsuki You'll ride behind me Okay?”
”That's fine, however”
Akatsuki watched the griffon fearfully froriffon expertly as shi+roe fed his griffon while scratching its ears
”I have heard of suiven to players who've beaten the Hades Breath raid on the Fields of Death”
”Yeah, a long tio”
shi+roe answered Akatsuki
This was one of the legacies of the Debauchery Tea Party that was gradually forgotten by the u obtained these flutes froht a fierce battle with the four horseic altar that desecrated the secrets of life
The Spirit King atteain eternal life The 'King of Winged Beasts' who fought alongside the's plan presented these flutes as a symbol of their friendshi+p
”Why do you have these flutes?”
”It's a great party trick to surprise people with, right?”
Naotsugu answered Akatsuki this time
(This is sort of e)
They didn'tthese flutes out was still kind of aard for shi+roe and Naotsugu 'Griffon Flute' was a rare item that made others envious No matter how precious it was, it still served mainly as a memento
”Bind the sheath of your sword tighter, saht be blown off by the wind”
shi+roe extended his hand out to the hesitant Akatsuki
After hesitating a while, Akatsuki reached for shi+roe's hand But she noticed so and started to blush
As shi+roe was starting to feel aard, Akatsuki rabbed his hand
shi+roe pulled Akatsuki up with just the strength in his arht, but the feather-light feeling surprised shi+roe
”All set?”
”Yes my lord, no problem”
Akatsuki's fidgeting figure behind him made shi+roe look back uneasily
”Sit tight and hold on firrab my stomach!”
Naotsugu, who had been holding back, burst out in laughter looking at shi+roe and Akatsuki's interactions Ignoring their accusatory eyes, he patted his griffon's neck
”I'll go first!”
Naotsugu's sentence was followed by a gust of wind, and Naotsugu and his griffon became a shadow in the sky
”Really You ready, Akatsuki? Let's go!”
It felt like being thrown into the sky or falling head first into the ground far below Akatsuki endured this feeling as she held on to shi+roe's slender back
shi+roe's back was lean like that of an old scholar Akatsuki buried her face in it, hiding her eyes froained her composure to look around after a moment
”It's a great view”
shi+roe was deeply concerned about Akatsuki as grabbing his back tightly and told her softly Akatsuki was too sirl as only about shi+roe's shoulder or even chest height ht fly off with the wind, which worried shi+roe
Instead of sitting behind, she would be ht scare off Akatsuki in another way
(Another problem will be where I can hold on to Akatsuki)
After analyzing in his head, the ansould be to grab the reins with his right hand and hold Akatsuki by the belly or chest with his left hand But he would risk touching sensitive parts of her body, which hed at hiht would be bad
”Yeah This is a in the sky,okay?”
The griffon tore through the air
It was not flapping its wings, si steadily in the wind
The air current was split to either side like the flow of a river, alternating between rising and falling The griffonthe suitable currents and cli up the stairs in the sky
Naotsugu's griffon was flying beside the in the sun