Chapter 284: The Shameless Exhibitionist Confronts the Holy Maiden

Author's Preface

【Sad News】 The complete version of the "Perforated Magic Power Operation Theory of Inventoria" data got deleted. 【I don't remember the contents!】

The cursor position bugged out and I deleted the wrong thing, you've gotta be kidding me... I remember the actual contents, but the exact phrasing... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry...

Gata-gata-gotton, the carriage swayed. I felt just like a prisoner being escorted away, enough to bring tears to my dead salmon eyes.

"...Hey, isn't it kind of messed up to legitimately restrain and escort me just because 'the mood struck you'?"

"Ahaha, don't worry, it's not like we're going to drag you in front of Saint-chan looking like that."

I'm lamenting my current situation, not what's going to happen later!

............

.........

......

Having been hauled in (secured) at the arena, I was meticulously made to spit out my insides (information), and now I was being transported in a carriage arranged by the Shining Knights of the Holy Shield (Saint Fanclub).
That being said, I didn't mention anything about the "Vorpal Epic"... namely, the final Unique Monster "Vysache the Immortal," and I'm still keeping the existence of the "Divine Craftsman" job—which surpasses the Ancient Craftsman—hidden in my hand. Kukuku, continue to dance in the palm of my hand... though they'll probably figure it out eventually.

"Putting that aside, I really just want to sleep..."

"I mean, we don't have enough free time in real life to stay here forever either. Let's just get this over with quickly like a shot, yeah?"

"Mumumu."

Iristella, the Saint of Affection. I had once made meeting her my goal, but since my "Scar" got updated with a "Curse," the necessity of doing so completely vanished.
In other words, since there's no longer any reason for me to meet the rumored Saint-chan, I personally want to bail right this second. But by some twist of fate, she actually called for me by name.

"I mean, I'm basically playing as a hermit, so why does an NPC even know about me...?"

"Oh, did you not know? You're actually pretty famous among the players, you know?"

"Hah?"

ShanFro NPCs possess an AI sophisticated enough to hold a proper conversation with you, even if you couldn't quite call them... 'alive'. If players gossip about "Sunraku," it's only natural the NPCs would catch wind of those rumors as well.

"A wandering warrior of bizarre appearance accompanied by a Vorpal Bunny. I've even heard things about the God of Fate and whatever else... And so, all of that reached Saint-chan's ears too."

I firmly decided to pull Emul's cheeks later, while simultaneously thinking it sounded kind of badass.

"Still, weapons from the Divine Age, huh... Hey, what materials were used for that shield? As a tank, I can't help but be interested in something that absorbs magic and turns it into a self-buff."

"You have to dive all the way to the bottom of the ocean to get the materials, so it's probably impossible for you. Besides, the process of absorbing and turning it into a buff isn't an exclusive technique of the Mirror Shield of the Nether-King (Dis Pater)—'Convert' is a systematic function."

Josette, the leader of the Shining Knights of the Holy Shield, stared at me with wide eyes as if surprised by something. Did I say something strange?

"Ah... So you give out more information when approached with a friendly attitude rather than a business-like one."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nnn, nothing. Just thinking that 'Library's' business-like approach really backfired on them here."

More importantly, Josette casually brushed it off in a way that would make Library's eyes pop out if they heard her, and gave my entire body a long, hard stare.

"It's not that I have any particular personal preferences or anything, but Saint-chan possesses a certain sanctuary-like purity, you see. I can't exactly let her meet a half-naked man, and it's also just really bad for roleplay purposes."

"O-Oh."

"So if possible, could you change your gender?"

"No, I mean, I can put clothes on—"

"Just do it."

What exactly does that mean...
Though I can somewhat understand the reasoning that it's probably better than a half-naked dude, so I used the Chalice.

"...Fuu, is this fine?"

"........."

"Um, hello?"

I nervously called out to Josette, who was staring fixedly at my figure... almost as if she were licking her lips.

"It's not just making the avatar female, the output literally rebuilds you as a woman... Was it the reward from Ctarrnid? I wonder if I can farm it... Ah, yeah, it's fine. Okay, okay, very okay."

"...? As long as it's fine... Ah, should I take off my headgear while I'm at it? It'd probably make me look less like a suspicious person..."

"Ubyopo."

What the hell was that sound? That's not a sound a human throat should produce.

"A coquettish beautiful girl with big round eyes and a transistor-glamour exhibitionist, isn't that the ultimate combo... Hah? A lump of eros? Gender-bender isn't half bad either..."

She was speaking so quietly and rapidly that I could barely catch any of it, but somehow, a bubbling suspicion arose within me that this person might not belong in the 'sane' category.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't intend to stay in that form forever?"

"No, it gets undone when I die..."

"Leave it to me. I will protect you from everything in this world."

Aren't you saying that to the wrong person?

............

.........

......

According to what I heard, Saint-chan was currently in Fifticia. When I asked why we even bothered taking a carriage then, the response was, "It wouldn't look right for an order of knights to just walk, you know."
Well, if they prioritize roleplay, I can actually respect that they don't cut corners on things like this.

"Once we step out of the carriage, we'll enter our roleplay, so please act accordingly, alright?"

The moment Josette told me that with a cheerful smile and stepped out of the carriage, I felt the illusion that the very air had frozen.

"Fuu............ Now then, please come this way, Sunraku-dono. Saint-sama is waiting for you just ahead."

The frank, casual atmosphere from moments ago was completely gone. In its place stood a majestic female knight, exuding an aura that practically declared, "I am the foremost shield that protects the Saint."
Looking around, the other players had lined up in perfectly orderly ranks with a knight roleplay so authentic that if someone told me they were NPCs, I would have believed them.

"O-Oh... Excuse my intrusion, then."

We entered a mansion located in the Light Side of Fifticia—a building that looked like it cost an absurd amount of money, completely incomparable to Ruffian Street. Led by Josette and the Shining Knights of the Holy Shield, I was guided deep inside the mansion, stopping right in front of the innermost room where only a boss or someone incredibly important could possibly be waiting.

"Iristella-sama, we have brought the Pioneer in question."

"───Please enter."

A voice that sounded like rolling bells prompted us to enter. For just a split second, Josette showed her face as a player and whispered, "Make absolutely sure you aren't rude," before immediately returning to her face as Commander Josette and opening the door.

"You are Sunraku... I heard from the rumors that you were a man...?"

Inside that room—which was clearly designed for nobility—was the person in question.
Her translucent silver hair was tied back, and she wore an outfit that, while cleric-like, seemed specifically tailored to elevate her very existence.
But more than anything, it was her eyes that drew you in. Eyes that reminded you of the boundary between the night sky and the blue sky just moments before the dawn, right before the sun rises. Just looking at them made you feel as if your soul or something else might be sucked right in.

I see, this isn't some ordinary modeling. It might sound bad to put it this way, but very few 3D entities could possibly beat this.
No wonder an NPC fanclub was formed. I briefly glanced at Josette, who was still fully in character. Realizing I might actually get PK'd if I acted poorly here, I adapted my anti-Vysache roleplay into a noble variant and responded.

"It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Saint Iristella. My name is Sunraku... a Pioneer of no real importanc—"

The next instant, because three minutes had passed since leaving the carriage to reach this point, my clothes violently exploded.

"........."

"........."

".........Please do not mind it. It is a chronic illness."

No, yeah. I had fully intended to change into different equipment before entering, but I completely forgot... The way Josette was looking at me was kind of terrifying, so I put clothes on just to be safe, but man, I really will never forgive Lycaon.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Iris... Though it is an honor, I am the one everyone relies upon and calls the Saint."

Amazing. You are truly amazing, Saint-chan. Even after staring directly at a sight that would make even Josette struggle to hold back laughter, her Saint persona didn't crumble in the slightest.
Having been shown her strength via this preemptive strike, I was convinced that this audience was entirely on par with an audience with Vysache. This is exactly what they call a "Main Character," isn't it?

"One who has triumphed over one of the Seven Supreme Species... Thank you for humoring my selfish request to meet them just once, Josette."

"...If that is your wish, all of us shall see it fulfilled without fail."

Now then, if that was all, we could just engage in some idle chitchat and be done with it...

"The reason I called for you this time is partly due to my own selfishness, but... I have a single request. A request for none other than you, whose absolute strength is the subject of rumors."

............

.........

......

『Will you accept the Quest "Sword of the Saint"? Yes / No』

Wait a minute, is this actually my first proper Quest in ShanFro?

Author's Afterword

• Quest "Sword of the Saint"
  It is not a Unique Scenario, but a standard Quest. However, it operates on a special system where "the contents of the Quest change every time."
  The shared clear condition is always "Resolution through martial force," and it is a quest that the Shining Knights of the Holy Shield essentially monopolize and clear regularly.
  The rewards are no different from a standard quest, but because success or failure affects Saint-chan's affection rating, it is considered a crucial quest on par with a Unique Scenario for certain players.

By the way, the person with the highest affection rating is Josette, who received head-pats after soloing a rare enemy. Rumor has it she had to struggle immensely to suppress the inner beast within her when it happened.