Kaiwa mo shinai tsurekko no imouto ga, naganen issho ni baka yatte-kita Netoge no friend datta

After finishing the preparations, we arrived in front of a particular cave. It’s a beginner’s cave in the woods near the Idyllic farming village.

“I’m nervous.”

“It’s not that difficult.”

“Yeah, let’s take it easy.”

I and Philia-san adjusted our levels to match with Cinq before diving into the cave.

Since this was only a beginner’s dungeon, I’ve already experienced clearing it many times. 

Even if I were to close my eyes, I would be able to tell from where, or what kind of monster will come out. 

I slowly captured it while overseeing Cinq’s steps.

“Enemy!”

“Don’t go too far! Kreis-kun will attract them to you first.”

“Slip!?”

“Be careful, there’s a pitfall ahead.”

“Come here!”

“Don’t run away even if you take damage! I will have a recovery spell casted right away!”

Whenever we encounter a monster, I attract its attention towards me while Cinq attacks and Philia-san heals our wounds.

We aimed for the deepest part of the dungeon, while sometimes even avoiding traps.

Even though her chat stuttered as usual, our strategy went smoothly. Her character’s operation was so skillful that it made me wonder. I could see that she had invested a lot of playtime in this short period of time already. 

What surprised me more was how Hiyori was instructing. While giving appropriate advice to Cinq, she takes care of him in a worthwhile manner. 

It was a response that could not be imagined from the quiet and obedient appearance I see at home and school, nor from that perverted old man appearance I had seen until now while playing games together.

It was just like Nanjo Rin as I saw at school― yes, as if following up to everyone just so that they can get and remain into the circle without being swayed by any discrepancies.

Hiyori overlapped with the figure of the girl that she admires.

It felt strange to see a scene that was the opposite of their standing position I had, until now, witnessed at school.

“Guooooooooooooo!!”

“BIG”

“The boss is here.”

“Cinq-kun, be careful not to get caught in its consecutive attacks!”

The bull-headed giant roared and brandished a giant machete. 

Before I knew it, we had already reached the bottom of the dungeon: the boss room.

It seems that Cinq was clearly surprised by its size which could draw a bar higher in size when compared to those small fries that had come out so far.

“It’s okay. I won’t let it attack as it wants.”

“Cinq-kun, do your best!” 

“If you take damage, I’ll get you healed right away!” 

“Work hard!”

Even though it’s a boss, it’s still an early game boss. There were no such special gimmicks that actually made the players disgusted.

Nevertheless, it’s a difficult boss to defeat unless the Tank, Attacker, and Recovery roles work in complete harmony.

Conversely, it is a boss that is not difficult to defeat if each role that the players have are utilized properly.

I guarded my allies so that they wouldn’t get caught up in the array of boss’s area of attack, while every time someone takes damage, Philia-san immediately recovers their health.

Then Cinq sees an opening and rains down arrows.

If we let our guard down even a bit, our battle line could get compromised. Fortunately, we were in perfect sync.

“Bumoooooooooooo!!”

Each of us performed our respective roles properly, and soon after, the cow-headed giant let out a death cry as it fell to the ground.

“Oh, did it! Did it! I beat it! Wow!”

“Yes, yes. Good work.”

“Congratulations, Cinq-san!”

Philia-san was also in high spirits along with Cinq as if it were her own major accomplishment.

–I think they’ll get along well with each other.

With some mixed feelings, I sighed as I went back to the Square of Beginning with everyone.

After returning to the city, we went back to a room in the dormitory where we were based and had a chat. The main topic of our conversation was the battle that had just taken place.

The content was mainly about what happened in the previous battle.

“That’s it! It’s not just about fighting. It’s also about making cute appearances and dresses. Look at this!”

“WHOA!”

Before I said that, Philia-san had already changed into an avatar wearing a sailor suit. 

This is one of the items that can be mass produced by the craftsmen in the game. Its setting is set as the sailor’s outfit in a seaside town.

“Umu, I’d like a version that emphasizes more on the cleavage by removing the breastplate. Also, the skirt is just made extremely short, so I think it would be rather nice to see something with a more realistic length, like something above the knees. But… Ah, the pants are pretty well made. Can you see it as well, Cinq-kun?”

“…Hey, Phi-san”

“A~h, ahaha. But I also want to make something like that.”

Even though today must be the first time Philia-san met him, she was already acting like her usual self.

I hope he wasn’t taken aback… But when I held my head with my hands and glanced at the clock, it turned out to be pretty late already.

“Well, I guess, we can call it a night for today?”

“Eh, already?” 

“It’s eleven o’clock. If you don’t go to bed soon, it will catch up with you the next day.”

“Ugh, that’s right…”

Well, some people do come to school sleep-deprived.

“Well then, see you later.”

“See you tomorrow. Good night~”

“..! good …Night!”

After bidding goodbye, I logged out and turned off the lights in my room. When I looked out the windows from my bed, I could see that the lights in the next room had also gone out.

What did Hiyori think about today?

Introducing Nanjo Rin to her was entirely out of my own convenience. But I do think she went along just well.

‘You did see getting confessed by the other person the other day, didn’t you?’

‘Mari-chan… A girl who was in the same class and has been with me for a long time… She said that she had eyes on that guy.’

‘Thanks to that, I am now called a b***h behind my back. Well, it’s not that uncommon.’

I remembered what Nanjo Rin said the other day. That wry and dry smile of Nanjo Rin, which appeared somewhat self-deprecating, flashed through my mind when I thought that such things could happen even if fellow friends were on good terms on the surface.

I turned over and looked toward Hiyori’s room. I wonder what Hiyori was truly thinking in her mind.

The pitch-dark window outside tells me that I won’t be able to see her again today, even in the game. — I rolled over and turned with my back facing the bed.

 ―♪

(Phone rings)

The smartphone screen glowed in the dark.

《Thank you for today, it was fun》

On it was the message of gratitude from Nanjo Rin. I felt something bitter in the depths of my throat.