ShangriLa Frontier ~ Shitty Games Hunter Challenges Godly Game ~

「Kuuuh…… Fuh.」

I let out a long and huge yawn on my way to school. Even though the summer vacation was over and it was already September, you could still feel the summer lingering in the air, the clouds and the blue sky.

The reason for my yawning was simple: yesterday I went to sleep way later than I initially intended to. And it was all Rust’s fault, for sending me a message in the dead of the night saying: “You haven’t logged into Nephilim Hollow as of late. Why is that?”

I never intended to log into Nephilim Hollow that night, but somehow I let myself to be dragged into Rust’s pace, and we participated in three duels in a row, two of which I managed to win and one I managed to lose.

「What subject do we have planned for the first period today again……? Was it Japanese? I will have to make sure that I won’t fall asleep in the middle of the class……」

If it was the History class it would not be so bad. But the Japanese class is something else. Especially since our Japanese teacher, Horikawa-sensei, tends to mutter under his nose and speak in such a monotonous tone that it can instantly put you to sleep. I need to keep mu guard up. Plus, you never know when he might throw a pop quiz your way and what questions he might ask you there.

「G-Good morning!」

「Uoooah!?」

What is it!? What the hell is happening!?

「F-Fancy meeting you, here?」

「Aaah, it’s just you, Saiga-san? Morning.」

That scared the living sh*t out of me…… Being called from behind all of a sudden like that made my shoulders tremble in shock and I even jumped up a little bit.

Looking right behind me, I could see Saiga-san standing there casually, with her face slightly tinged red. She must have noticed me and wanted to be polite and say her greetings.

「I-If it wouldn’t be too much trouble…… Would you like to talk with me, until we…… get to school……?」

「Eh? I mean, yeah, sure, why not……」

Even though the proposal was as casual as they could get, for some reason I felt like right now I was struck with something akin to a rare or even hidden event. Or maybe it was more like a challenge flag?

But whatever could we possibly talk about……? We could technically talk about ShanFro over and over again, but wouldn’t that get stale pretty fast? Okay then, what are the casual topics that normal students can talk about?

「That reminds me. Saiga-san, are you more of a literary type? Or maybe a science type?」

「Umm, I’d say I’m more of a literary department. That’s what I have chosen……」

「Really now? Same here. It’s not that I don’t like math, but I’m not all that good with it either.」

It’s not that I can’t get good results in it, but they are average at best. And when it comes to getting good scores, liberal arts are far easier to get a good score in them, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t aim at just that.

「T-That’s right! That’s exactly right! Me too, umm…… It’s not that I am bad at math, but I’d much rather do liberal arts……」

Ooohhh, that’s it! That’s what I’m talking about! We are making small talk here! Small talk like real high school students should do! Talking about studying, that is exactly what students should do!

「Say, Rakuro?」

「Hmm?」

I have to admit, coming to school together with Saiga-san was really refreshing of an experience. Making small talk, acting like a student how it at the apex of his youth and enjoys it to the fullest. However, there was one thing that I do not really accounted for. It would be only natural for other people to start talking about it when Saiga Rei came to school together with Hizutome Rakuro of all people.

「Is that true that you went to school together with Saiga-san?」

「Hm? I don’t think it is exactly right to say that we went together. We just happened to bump into each other and we went together the rest of the way while talking.」

There are basically two kinds of friends in this world: positive and negative. And right now one of those friends that are a little bit closer to the positive side rushes towards me with a sparkle in his eyes that reminds me of a housewife that wants to hear the latest gossips from other housewives.

And since my social skills are not all that great to begin with, I was unable to pick up that when I said those words at least the third of the class’s attention turned towards me. But like I said, I was totally unaware of that fact, for better or for worse.

「Dude, about that…… You talk as if it was something completely natural, but it would be easier for any of us to ace the test from a foreign language than just happen to “bump” into Saiga Rei on our way to school. We are talking about THAT Saiga Rei. The one who is always driven to and back from school by car. And you just happened to walk to school together with her?」

「I dunno man, for me it would still be easier to try to read an article in a foreign language than actually be able to understand the woman’s heart.」 𝒇r𝙚𝙚𝓌𝙚𝑏𝗻𝑜𝘷𝗲𝘭.c૦𝑚

「…… Dude, you’d better never dare to say a line like that in front of a girl.」

I cannot be so sure about that, but I think that right about now my face must have had the expression that went something alongside the lines of: “Huh? Why is that?”.

After that I was pestered to spill the beans about that whole “Going to school together with Saiga Rei” stuff, but it was actually more annoying than anything else, mainly because aside from that going to school together the only event we had in common was that one time when we have met in front of a convenience store purely by accident.

Then I told him that if he seems so interested in this subject, he can go to Saiga-san and ask her all about it himself. However, that remark seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, mostly because of the fact that finally the germs from his pierced ears (he did that in secret last year) were finally starting to impair his ability to hear. He also said the following:

「I’m afraid that’s pretty much impossible. Saiga-san is like a beautiful flower, unrivaled in its beauty but also inaccessible to us normal flowers. Only poisonous weeds may hope of getting into contact with her purely by accident, simply because they do not know their place.」

「And who the hell do you call a ‘poisonous weed’, huh? Let’s hear it!」

「Ahhhgh! Stop it! Stop it! Stop pulling on my ears like that! You’ll reopen my piercing holes!!!」

It’s not even about calling me a weed. It’s alright, really. But make no mistake: if you want to call me a weed, at least call me something that is fleeting and unable to be caught, like a dandelion. That’s the kind of man I aspire to be.

BACK AT THE ‘WOLFGANG’S’ GUILD HANGOUT SPOT

King Pencilgton: Hiya! Members of the ‘Wolfgang’ Guild! Thank you all for coming today! This is your friendly Fairy Godmother speaking, Pencilgton!

Sanraku: Say can’t you speak normally? Not everyone in here can understand your weird codes and patters. What are you, a delusional Eight-grader or what?

Kyogoku: So, when do we attack?

Katsu: Why don’t we first discuss about new additions, like that that marital artist that was added to the Guild without us knowing?

Sanraku: More importantly, you really are yet to reach Fiftsia? What are you even doing , man?

Katsu: Because of my job I was forced to take quite a detour and long way around. Also, because of work I feel spent, I feel like I’m about to drop dead.

King Pencilgton: Rust-chan does not seem to be all that interested in ShangriLa Frontier in the first place. And Aki-chan feels so bright that corrupting him feel almost impossible of a feature to me.

King Pencilgton: For the time being, this fine fellow here is Kyogoku-chan, an acquaintance of mine that goes back to the times of Ashura-kai. She’s an anachronist swordswoman who thinks that one sword is all that she will ever need.

Kyogoku: That’s a terrible way to introduce someone, but I can’t really deny any of it.

Sanraku: Don’t worry, I’ll get used to it.

King Pencilgton: Well, for the time being I tried to go to various information brokers to get some intel on “Black Wolves” and their inner affairs, but regrettably I was unable to learn much by doing so. They are really good at keeping themselves to themselves.

King Pencilgton: And with Saiga-0 not logging in herself for now, the point of everyone’s swords and spears is being directed towards us.

Kyogoku: It’s really thrilling if you think about it.