Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Words of a Lolicon

"Ugh... Don't hold me back!" In a patch of tall grass, a black-clad boy was desperately trying to restrain the blue-clothed youth beside him.

"What are you doing? That woman is just one of the members of that organization. If we want to catch the rest, we can't blow our cover," Kirito said, realizing his companion was acting even stranger than usual today.

"I just can't stand her," Lancer muttered, though he was still held in check by Kirito. He grumbled under his breath, "She thinks she's all that just because she has a bit more up front. Flat is the real rare treasure!" He kept biting his fingers, as if trying to keep himself from using them for something else.

Kirito hadn't expected such a "bold" declaration from his companion, and for a moment, he felt as if a barrage of artillery shells had gone off on the map.

"Are you sure you're not just mad because you're also... you know, flat?" Kirito couldn't help teasing, even though he knew he'd pay for it later.

"Would you like to find out what it's like to be my dinner tonight?" Lancer shot back mercilessly. Kirito, seeing the seriousness in Lancer's eyes, wisely decided to hold his tongue.

"Alright, let's go after her." Noticing the little girl had already disappeared from sight, Lancer dragged his still-dazed companion along, who was clearly considering retreating from this mission for the sake of his own safety.

——— The Line of Pursuit ———

"Hey! Kirito, have you found her yet?"

"What do you think I am, a party map? Finding people with skills still takes time, you know!" Kirito grumbled. Based on their earlier analysis, none of the others had anything worth that notorious red guild’s trouble except the girl who'd left—she possessed a rare summoned beast. So, once Lancer gave chase, Kirito had followed as well.

"This is urgent!" Lancer couldn't very well explain that the girl was about to be attacked; he had no good reason to give, so he could only keep hurrying Kirito along.

"What's the rush? Those guys aren't that fast. Let me use my skill—found her! She's back where we used to hunt that monkey wine." As Kirito looked up, Lancer was already gone.

"Damn, I forgot about the obvious marks on those monkeys." Regretting his oversight, Lancer picked up the pace, swapping out his cloak for a speed-enhancing outfit—he'd learned his lesson about escape gear after last time, and had specially made this one for fleeing. As he sprinted, his camouflaging cloak vanished, replaced by a teal jacket.

When he arrived, he saw a small blue dragon sent flying by a savage blow.

"Seriously, this is ridiculous," he muttered, using a skill to intercept the monster and shield the girl.

"Dodge!" He drove his weapon into the attacking monkey's chest with a rapid flurry, shattering it instantly. The other monsters froze, shocked that their companion, sent to torment this reckless intruder, had vanished in a blink.

"Meteor Strike!" Lancer resisted the urge to shout out his skill’s name, deciding to keep his heroic image intact, and silently dispatched the remaining monkeys with precise attacks.

"Are you alright?" Lancer approached the girl, who hadn't moved even after he arrived.

"Yeah, thank you." Even as her summoned beast died, she said little to her savior.

Watching Pina slowly dissolve into fragments, Lancer tried to comfort Silica: "Don't be too sad. To protect you and die in battle is an honor for your summoned beast."

Silica struggled to hold back her tears at his words.

"Come now, don't cry. I swore long ago never to let a girl cry in front of me again. Too much gal-game leaves you like this, always seeking that harem ending..." Lancer spoke without thinking, just trying to comfort her. Silica, hearing this, was momentarily stunned, then stood up, clutching the feather that Pina had become.

"What’s this? Just as I thought." Lancer knew that sometimes, when a pet died, it became a so-called "heart," which could be used to revive it, though the chance was slim. He’d rarely seen it happen—and now, with Pina turning into a feather, he couldn’t tell if it was fate’s inertia or the bond between Silica and Pina.

"What is it?" Silica asked, noticing the look on Lancer’s face.

"You’re lucky. It seems your bond with Pina was strong—this means you have a chance to bring Pina back." As he spoke, he messaged Kirito for details; all he remembered was that the item was on the forty-seventh floor.

While Lancer was focused on messaging, Silica was so overcome with joy at his news that she leapt onto him, nearly shouting, "Really?"

Taken off guard, Lancer was knocked over, and in her excitement, Silica didn’t notice her collar had fallen open, leaving her neckline exposed right before his eyes.

Just as he finished messaging, Lancer realized what had happened. Acting on reflex to protect the little girl, he wrapped his arms around her waist and fell to the ground.

As he lay there, about to rise and ask if she was alright, he caught sight of the unintended reveal and quickly turned his head, his mind racing—was it better to be a beast, or not even worthy of being one?

Silica, having reflexively closed her eyes during the fall, opened them again to see Lancer looking away awkwardly. She glanced down, realized what had happened, and immediately grabbed her collar, sitting up. Lancer’s arm blocked her path, but after a moment, he realized and let go.

The two fell into a sudden, awkward silence.

"So... how exactly do I revive Pina?" Silica, unable to resist the hope of her pet’s resurrection, was the first to speak.

"Oh, that...," Lancer replied, reciting Kirito’s information like an automaton, still distracted by the earlier mishap.

When she learned they would have to reach the so-called Hill of Memories within three days, Silica’s eyes welled with tears once more.

"If you don’t mind, I’ll help you." Whether to build rapport or to catch those red guild members, Lancer decided to stick by her and took on the mission himself.

She hesitated, then recalled that without Pina, she was just another ordinary player. Lancer, meanwhile, thought to himself that any loli was extraordinary—especially as the opening theme of "Impostory" played in his mind. With nothing to lose, she agreed.

"Alright, let’s rest for tonight. We’ll head to the Hill of Memories at dawn." Lancer made a subtle gesture toward the bushes, signaling that everything was under control.

Watching Lancer leave with Silica, Kirito sighed, "Why is it that I always run into girls during quests?" Then, consoling himself, he added, "Well, at least I’m lucky." With that, he too disappeared into the forest of this floor, following after Lancer.

(How wonderful it is to see you all again~)