Ch.61 "Relationship is Something You Have to Go and Grab Yourself" -Elf

Titer Salitari's POV

When asked what my favorite fantasy creature is, the first thing that comes to mind is a cute, small, winged fairy.

A being filled with fantasy elements. How many times did you wish to become a fairy when you were little?

At the time, I was young and seriously believed I could do it.

As I grew older and began to see reality of not being able to be something.

Oh well, I don't live in a fantasy world. I'm just a real person.

However, even though I understood that this was not possible and faced the reality, the feelings of love in my heart did not change or disappear.

If I can't become one, then that's fine. If that's the case, then I want to at least become friends with the fairies I love. That's what I thought.

It was around this time that I came across a VR game called "Mystery of Life 3," which was apparently developed by AI.

As I was watching videos posted by others on social media using my smartphone as usual, an advertisement for Mystery of Life 3 came on.

When I opened the comments on the fascinating and vast world that was shown there, I found myself seeing comments from people who appeared to be beta testers, who said that the game world is home to many different races, all living freely as they please.

There were many other comments made, but that one caught my eye the most.

There could be one, there might be one, there definitely is one. That information alone made me jump into the game. It was intuition.

I Instantly downloaded the game. To enjoy the game and to search for fairies.

And then after many days have passed, I haven't even becoming close to a single one, let alone become friends.

Even though I've managed to meet one of them, but what happened after that...

Hoping that today would be the day, I put on the VR headgear and lay down.

It was 4am, before the sun had even started to rise, and of course, that game was being played in a dark room, requiring the light from the lighting fixtures.

"Where are you, fairies..."

The VR headgear sends radio waves to the brain that help you fall asleep, causing you to fall asleep.

The dream world is a game world. Everything you do in a dream is something you do in a game.

===============================================

12: Wata375

I found something that looked like a fairy...

I'd heard rumors about it, but I never thought it would actually exist. This is the first time I've seen it.

13: LuciferV

>>>8

I've never heard of that

To begin with, goblins are monsters, so I don't think you can be one even if you randomize the race...

14: YAKAN

>>>9

So you like spicy food, I see.

i will try

15: Titer Salitari

>>>12

Where did you find the fairy?

I'm heading there now, so please let me know if you'd like. I've been looking for it for ages.

16: Harumen no Horafuki

>>>12

Ah, fairy, huh.

You can see it almost every day in the royal capital.

Whether you can talk to them or not is another matter though.

17: 63457105-1

>>>13

That's right. So I must have seen it wrong after all.

No matter how many races you can become, you can't become a monster.

18: Wata375

>>>15

I saw her in the grassland in the first area. She was surrounded by 5 other players.

Maybe they're in a party

19: SO-TA

>>>15

It does make you jealous, right? To be good friends with a fantasy fairy.

I understand how you feel, but I don't think you'll become friends if you try to force your way in now. Let's try again another day, okay?

20: Fish is a snack

I want to become friends with the fishmen, but where are they? I can't find them anywhere.

Maybe underwater?

21: Titer Salitari

>>>18

Thanks for the information

Next time I'll definitely become friends with the fairies!

22: Titer Salitari

>>>19

You don't know when the fairies will appear next, so if they do, you have to go. If you wait until they talk to you, you'll never become friends with them.

Isn't that right? If you keep quiet, you're throwing away the chance to get the other person interested.

Therefore I am going!

Sorry for the long message

===============================================

"The grassland area, huh..."

After gathering information from multiple message boards, I identified the location where a fairy is currently located. Perhaps it was the one I met last time.

The previous girl I met, I met her at the wrong timing and we couldn't talk much, so we weren't able to develop a closer relationship.

"She was in a hurry because she had something to do..."

What comes to mind was a green-haired fairy.

As I was walking around town gathering information, I suddenly heard a voice from beside me. When I turned towards that voice, I saw the being I was looking for, a fairy, floating. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say she was flying.

Apparently she wanted to go to the magic tool shop and called out to ask for directions.

I'm sorry, but the panicked look she has while in a hurry was very cute so it keeps floating in my mind.

That was my first encounter with her, and the first time I spoke to a fairy.

To be honest, I want to become friends with the first fairy I met. But I don't think I'll be able to meet the same fairy that many times, so I calm myself down by thinking that it would be nice if that were the case.

Even if it wasn't that girl, a fairy is still a fairy. It doesn't change the fact that they are the same species.

But if it's possible, I would like to become friends with that fairy.

I wrote a reply to the message board and close the window.

I understand what SO-TA is saying, but opportunities don't come to you if you just wait. You have to go and grab them yourself.

I'm not going to sit back and wait.

Believing she is there, I run through the Gate of Marathos and head towards the grassland area.

◇◆◇

I wonder how long I had searched. Because time is linked to reality, the sky was dark when I logged in, but as I was gathering information, the sun rose before I knew it, and when I came to the grassland area based on the information I had, the sun was already directly overhead.

The sun is dazzling now, it's probably 12 or 1pm.

"Where are you...?"

It was only an hour ago that I began to suspect it was a hoax.

From there, I thought, "No, wait, there's a clear description of where she was and who she was with," and I continued looking without giving up.

It seems I was fooled by a false rumor after all.

Even if that wasn't the case, since I've been looking for it for this long, it's possible that they've already gone somewhere.

Thinking that, I slowly started walking back towards Marathos.

"I need to gather more information..."

I have to gather information from the bulletin board again in the town, a safe area with lots of soldiers.

I occasionally hear reports of fairy sightings from the residents, so I should also do that at the same time.

Once I leave the grassland, I can see the town of Marathos, where everyone's journey began. The line to enter the town is quite long.

When leaving town, you can easily exit through the next gate, but when entering, it's a different story. You can't go through the gate without being checked.

I line up at the end and wait for my turn.

It won't take that long to wait.

To be checked, all you have to do is show or hand over your ID or entry tax, and then they'll just give you a quick look at your whole body.

I wonder if that's really safe, but perhaps they're using some kind of device that could identify dangerous people, even though it's not visible.

Now it's my turn, so I show my ID and enter the town.

"For now, let's continue with that message board post... Huh?... What?"

I was about to continue browsing the message board I had last seen, titled "Rare Species Information Exchange Meeting: Let's investigate how many species exist, exchange information, and interact with people of various species," when I spotted something not too far away. It's definitely a fairy-like fairy-ing fairy.

Just like that girl, she appears out of nowhere. Are fairies a species that appear out of nowhere?

Just as the information said, the fairy is being surrounded by 5 players.

I don't get the feeling that she's being harassed or forced to join the group.

They seem close, like friends.

I start blinking my eyes, realizing I've been frozen with my eyes wide open. They're dry.

This is a chance. I want to become friends with her naturally, as if we had just bumped into each other by chance.

To do that, I have to get along with the other players around her, but for me, having more friends is actually a welcome thing. I don't have many friends anyway. Thinking about it kinda hurts though.

The only person I've exchanged contacts with is someone in a random party. That person hasn't played the game since then, so their name is still grayed out.

I want to have friends to play with. It's natural to think that way.

If you don't mind playing alone and in silence in this vast game world, you probably won't mind having friends or not.

But I'm different. I want to exchange contacts and talk about games with my friends, and go hunting together.

My friends in the real world don't like games and won't play them, so I actively try to become friends with other players. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I just can't get along with anyone up until now.

I've had people run away because they said I was being too pushy, but is my pressure really that strong? Is it possible that my desire to become friends is taking precedence over their physical strength?

"I don't know... but..."

If you want to become friends with them, you should go with that kind of attitude, I think.

I nodded, looking at the party of 6, including the fairy.

The setting is that I noticed the fairy's presence as we passed each other and called out to her.

"Yeah, let's go with that."

I clench my hands and then open them, which is my own way of relieving tension.

Okay, let's go.

"Cute,"

"There's that party spirit,"

"No, it's a fairy, right? That one was on the message board,"

"If I become friends with a fairy, will I get a new job...?"

"Vester... I knew it was the one from the message board,"

"Wait, wait a second, did you appraise her?"

"I wonder if she'll join our clan if we invite her,"

"I want to be a fairy..."

As I get closer to her party, I could hear the voices of players from all directions.

It's not often you get the chance to meet a fairy, so it's no wonder everyone is paying attention to her. However, no one seems to have the courage to go and talk to her.

Just as I was about to reach their goal, all 3 men suddenly left the fairy's party.

"W-well, that's within expectations."

That could happen. There's no need to pretend it's a coincidence and talk to someone when the whole party is together.

All that's left are two women - a high school student and a middle school student - and a fairy.

I was about to talk to them, but they seemed to be having a lively conversation, though I couldn't hear what they were saying from here.

There's no point in interrupting a conversation, as it will only make me look bad, so I'll wait until I find a good opportunity to speak up.

I can't be too forceful here. It's important to be discerning.

As I was walking at a comfortable distance, not too close, I felt someone's gaze on me for a moment.

I suddenly turned my head in that direction, but I couldn't find any eyes looking my way. Standing in the spot where she should have been looking my way was a girl with a squirrel-like tail, about high school age, from the party. However, she was facing forward and talking to the fairies.

"Is it just my imagination...?"

I just felt like I did, but maybe it was just my imagination.

I shake my head. Yes, it's just my imagination.

There's no opportunity to join in on the ongoing conversation, and they simply walked right into a public bath.

The building's exterior isn't new, but it's not that old either. I've never been inside, either in real life or in this game.

"This is my first time in a place like this..."

I approach the door as it closes automatically, touch it, wait for the door to detect my touch and open automatically again, and then enter.

I'm following them at a distance, so they shouldn't have noticed me.

Inside, there's a bookshelf as well as a gift shop, and I'm curious to see what kind of books are on display. That's probably because I frequent the library.

I want to know the history of this world, so I go and do research when I'm not looking for fairies. I also research other things.

After checking in, the 3 of them walk to the leftmost entrance next to the reception desk.

In order not to be late, I also pay the adult fee of 60 Monies at the reception and go to the same entrance.

At the end of the corridor is a changing room with a row of locked lockers.

I looked around and found them at the locker next to me.

I walk behind them as if I don't notice them and opens the locker on the other side with my back facing them.

As I removed my protective gear and clothes, I listen to a conversation coming from behind me, and there's a voice, "I can take this off, but I can't. So I think I'll just go in like this."

What does that mean? I wonder as I lift my legs to pick up the skirt I had pulled down and putting it inside my magic bag.

The people listening are saying, "Zen riddle?" and I nodded slightly, thinking the same thing.

Behind me, she seems to be explaining something about her clothes being one with her body, and I could hear a conversation about an MP bar.

I want to turn around and see and hear, but is now the right time to talk to them?

While I was pondering whether I should go or not, the voice disappeared.

Curious, I turned around, but they are gone. They had already taken off their clothes and gone to wash.

I quickly take off my underwear and thrust it into my bag.

I lock the locker, put my hand through the loop attached to the lock and attach it to my wrist, then grab a rental towel from the cart and head to the bathroom.

As I put my hand on the entrance door and slide it to the side, I can see the backs of the 3 people up close.

"Wow."

The small voice that came out of her mouth probably didn't reach their ears. The only reaction they had was the beastwoman's ears twitching.

I had one question: why are they standing here? They came here to wash themselves, right?

The answer lies in her next words.

"Just a little bit. Do you know who that person is? I mean, she's famous enough to be featured on a mural."

They stopped, intrigued by a mural of a woman, a saintess, painted on the wall.

I know about the first saintess, Sasha Altari Harula, depicted on the wall.

She is a member of the hero's party, which was formed to defeat the Demon King. I was also curious about the girl in the stained glass window, so I asked someone connected to the church about her. That's why I know that information.

Isn't this the perfect timing for me to talk to them?

Without thinking any further, I opened my mouth and before I knew it, we were all sitting side by side on the bath chairs, washing our hair and bodies while talking about the Saintess, the Hero, and the Demon King.

The fairy is Vester. The beastman girl around high school age is Sakidori Midori. The child around middle school age is Mimia.

When I saw the 3 of them, the word "youth" came to mind. It's great to be young.

"Uuuuh...!... Mmm... Buheh."

It was all of a sudden. I heard a strange noise, so I turned to see Vester-san's head being covered in shampoo.

"Are you okay?" "You okay?"

"Are you okay?"

I called out at the same tume with the other 2.

"I'm okay. Sorry for worrying you."

She quickly brushed off the shampoo and said she's fine, but from the first sound I heard, it was clear she got her breathing disturbed.

In any case, if she says she's fine, then that's it. It's a bit strange for me, meeting her for the first time, to be more worried than that. There's really no need to worry.

Answer about the Demon King, answer about the demons, answer about the monsters.

On the way there was another accident with the body wash, but there was no need to worry about that either, as Mimia-san is apparently going to help her wash the fairy.

It must be hard to wash such a small body.

She wondered whether she would be able to fly properly if her breasts grew larger, and whether her balance would be okay, but Vester-san asked me with a serious look on her face, putting her hand to her own chest, whether they would grow larger, and I replied that she was still in the growth period.

She looks like a young girl or rather a little girl, so I think she'll grow up, so it should be okay to say that.

You're still in your growth period, right? It's not like your appearance doesn't change even as you get older, right?

As we continued to talk about when the Demon King was defeated , we saw Vester-san fall from a small stone counter where shampoo bottles and the like are kept.etc.etc.

I quickly stand up from my bath chair and reached out. Everyone's thinking the same thing. Sakidori Midori-san and Mimia-san are also reaching out.

As a result, she didn't fall to the ground and was saved by Mimia-san's hand.

Feeling relieved, I sit back down on the bath chair and resume washing my body.

Listening to Vester-san's laughter, I lather up the facial cleanser I had brought with me in a net and apply it to my face.

As I'm patting it on the back and stretching it out, I hear a voice from next to me.

"Titer Salitari-san, you've been following us all around town, haven't you? Are you after Vester?"

That gives me goosebumps.

The gaze I felt then. It must have been hers. I guess she noticed after all.

I remove my hand from my face and explains why I made the mistake of leaving a mark.

This is a great opportunity, and I don't want to waste it.

"Sorry for acting like a stalker. But actually, I've always admired fairies..."

I told her everything I like about fairies, what I admire, and my innocent feelings with no lies in it.

After I finished explaining that, Sakidori Midori-san nodded and said, "I see."

"I don't particularly admire fairies, but on the day I happened to meet them for the first time when I happened to stop by, I was just as worried about how to talk to them. But, well, in the end..."

Sakidori Midori-san, who started the story, had had a similar experience to me, so I felt a sense of kinship with her. From there, our fairy talks continued to blossom.

In the middle of the conversation, she glanced at Vester-san.

"She's treating her like a daughter or a small little sister."

"Yes, certainly."

I thought the same thing. It felt like Mimia-san was taking care of her like that.

I don't know if they've always had that kind of relationship or if this is just the way she's treatimg her this time, but I'm very envious.

I want to be close to that green-haired fairy. I wonder where she is now.

Afterwards, Mimia-san said that she wanted a younger sister, and Sakidori Midori-san said that she wanted a younger brother.

To be honest, having younger brother is quite a handful, and adolescent boys are often rebellious and difficult. I told Sakidori Midori-san about this, but she said that she wanted to experience it all, including that.

I feel like I'd be able to get along better with a younger sister even when she hit adolescence. I don't have a younger sister, so she'll be an imaginary one.

However, it's not easy to come across a clumsy sister. I've never seen such a girl in the real world.

First of all, how bad does someone have to be to be called clumsy? At the very least, it seems that Vester-san falls into the clumsy category.

But she's only 3 months old, so it's only natural that there are things she can't do. It could also be said that actions that seem clumsy aren't really clumsy.

She is amazing, being able to speak difficult words fluently and act as she pleases.

"Wow, that's amazing. As expected of the power of game."

What I was thinking came out of my mouth.

I don't know if that kind of intelligence is a good thing for a race or just a setting, but it's probably due to the game's power.

The AI ​​is acting as God. There is a possibility that the inconvenient parts are being processed in a way that is convenient for them.

The fun time with them flies by. Everyone has finished washing their bodies and is about to soak in the bathtub.

I feel like I want to talk more, but staying too long would be a burden to the other side. That's it from me for now.

Although I don't have any plans for the rest of the day, I pretend I do and decline to soak in the bathtub with them.

So I said goodbye to the girls who had kindly accepted my friend request and left the bathroom.

Returning to the changing room, I take a new towel from the cart, and dry myself. Once there are no more water droplets on my body, I place the towel on the used towel collection cart and go to my locker.

I unlock the door, take out new underwear and clothes from my bag, and put them on.

"What should we talk about next time we meet?"

With my heart pounding at the thought of the next time we'd meet, I took care of my skin, dried my hair, and left the bathhouse.

◇◆◇

"I see. Do you know what the name of that demigod Onee-san was?"

"I, I think her name was Tiner Salmer or something, she was a really beautiful lady... But that's the only thing I remember..."

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm sure we'll find her soon. Let's look for her together."

"Y-yes, thank you. Demigod Princess Meril."

As I left the bathhouse and walked down the street, I overheard this conversation on the side of the road.

When I casually look over, I see the name Fairy Princess Meril floating above someone's head.

I feel like I'd seen that name somewhere before, but I'd never seen a player wearing such a flowing, princess-like dress.

I stop walking, wondering where I'd seen that name before, and then I saw the person she was talking to.

"Eh... eh, really?!"

What a lucky day. I got to meet 2 fairies in one day.

And that fairy is the same one. A green-haired fairy, a figure I've met before.

I'm feeling lucky today. The corners of my mouth turn up with joy.

Don't miss the chance. Grab it.

If there is something you want to get, don't wait for it to come to you, but take the initiative to get closer to it.

So believe in yourself and reach out, believing that you will definitely be able to grasp your chance.

I decided that this time I would become friends with her, so I walk over to talk to her.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

〘Consumable Item: Facial Cleanser〙

A type of facial cleanser used to remove dirt such as sebum from the skin.

It lathers easily, so you can create foam using a foaming net or something similar.

If you use it straight out of the container without lathering it, you may end up removing too much sebum, which could actually make your skin condition worse.

If you show this bubble to a goblin, it will come running over.

It seems that when you hand over the foam, it starts applying it to its body.

〘Furniture Item: Foaming Net〙

A net-like tool used to lather facial cleansers, etc.

You can easily create foam by kneading it.

If you don't add the right amount of water as you lather it up, this can create dangerous foam that removes too much sebum and other substances.

Due to its shape, the net is fragile, so refrain from pulling on it in an attempt to remove all the bubbles that have been created.

Among the nets made by players, there are some made of iron, and it is unclear what the intention behind their creation is.

The countless small holes all have blades pointing inwards, creating a strange shape.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Previous | ToC | Next

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

TL note :

Dear god, this chapter is so long...

Anyway, this chapter should be the end of the bathhouse episode.

Hopefully you enjoyed the story up to this point.