Chapter 334: Penacony Arc 『 Part Twenty-nine 』,The Indestructible Ledger of the Penacony
〜Sword Art Online World〜
"She actually knew the contents of the invitation…"
Kirito mused, rubbing his chin as he lowered his head in thought.
"Those capable of receiving such an invitation are, without exception, representatives of the various factions within the galaxy. Could it be… her true identity is linked to one of the established powers?"
Asuna gently blew away the steam rising from her cup.
"Could she be with the IPC? What if Hotaru is actually an undercover agent the Company planted by Stelle's side?"
Asuna's eyes lit up, and she lifted her chin with newfound certainty.
"It's a classic… honey trap!"
Kirito couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter, delivering a playful light chop to the top of Asuna's head, eliciting a cute "Aya!" from the girl.
"How could that be? Assuming what Hotaru said is true, she's a patient in critical condition in the real world. Why would the IPC bring a terminal patient to Penacony as a stowaway?"
But aside from the IPC, there were only the Masked Fools, the Astral Express, the Garden of Recollection, the Galaxy Rangers, and the Annihilation Gang…
Judging by Hotaru's attitude and reactions toward those factions, she didn't seem to belong to any of them—except, perhaps, the Annihilation Gang…
"Is Hotaru connected to Destruction…?"
The moment the thought leaped into his mind, Kirito immediately extinguished it.
Setting aside the fact that Duke Inferno had yet to make an appearance, Hotaru certainly didn't fit the profile of any of his progeny.
Asuna set her cup down, the ceramic base meeting the wooden coffee table with a crisp click.
"Kirito-kun, there's one more possibility… the Stellaron Hunters. Do you remember when Stelle first encountered Silver Wolf and Sam in the dreamscape?"
"Sam…"
Kirito's movements faltered. The firelight from the hearth flickered across his profile, leaving his expression obscured in the shifting shadows.
"Impossible. Judging by the voice, Sam is clearly a tall, adult male. Hotaru, on the other hand, is a frail, sickly girl… She doesn't look like someone capable of dismantling the Jepella Brotherhood with her bare hands. Maybe another uninvited new faction especially considering Hotaru's current status."
—
「 "The atmosphere turned so heavy all of a sudden. I'm sorry things are getting all bleak and serious... Let me see what I can do to lighten the mood." The girl suddenly thought of something and looked up at Stelle. "Right—don't you have lots of friends on the Astral Express? What would you guys do if something like this happened?"
"Pam would cool us down with water from a spray can..."
The girl looked a bit surprised. "Spray can? That's a bit… direct. Perhaps we have other options?"
After shooting down the methods used by the other members of the Express one by one, the two finally decided to liven the mood by taking a selfie, March 7th style.
"Selfie, selfie... You're right. I've been here so many times. Why didn't I think of taking a photo? I feel a little awkward taking it by myself. Would you like to join me? Let's commemorate this moment."
"Sure."
When Hotaru handed over the phone, her fingertips still carried the cool chill of morning dew. She tilted her head slightly, her voice as light as a feather landing on water. "Um… I'm a little camera-shy, so don't laugh at me…"
Stelle took the phone, opened the camera app, and switched to the front lens. One fluid motion. Then, she extended her arm, holding the phone out to ensure both of them were within the frame.
"Wait a second, let me get ready…"
"Three, two…"
The countdown grew softer, the final note melting into the morning breeze. The girl quietly leaned half a step closer to Stelle, bowing slightly. Her skirt swayed gently in the wind, casting intersecting shadows on the rooftop terrace.
"One."
"Say cheeeese!"
As the shutter clicked, the girls held up playful V-signs. The morning light hit their faces just right, coating them in a soft glow and capturing this perfect moment for eternity. 」
「 ..... 」
〜KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World〜
"Ah, I was born with eyes just so I could witness this…"
Kazuma slumped onto the bench with a look of pure bliss.
"As I thought, looking at beautiful girls really brightens one's mood…"
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
Aqua turned her head in dissatisfaction, grabbing Kazuma's collar and shaking him violently.
"This Goddess is a beautiful girl too! And a genuine deity at that! Does looking at me not brighten your mood!?"
"…You're asking a question you already know the answer to."
Kazuma's dead-fish eyes slowly drifted toward her.
"Can you manage a healing smile like Miss Hotaru's?"
"Of course! O-Obviously I can!"
Aqua suddenly clasped her hands over her chest, her water-blue hair fluttering as if caught in a phantom wind. She slowly lifted her chin, and a star-like sparkle erupted from the corners of her eyes.
"Behold! This is Goddess Aqua-sama's most perfect—"
"—So disgusting. So fake. So forced,"
Kazuma interrupted expressionlessly.
"It's practically mental pollution."
"Hmph, look at you getting all picky. You have a real-life beauty right in front of you, and you don't know how to appreciate her, yet you fall for some girl in the screen. Tsk tsk, I guess you really are a shut-in otaku…"
"No, I finally understand the joy you guys feel when you're obsessing over Dan Heng or Argenti."
Kazuma let out a long sigh, collapsing into his chair like a deflated balloon.
"Sigh… I want Miss Hotaru to go on adventures with me, too."
—
「 Stelle's phone suddenly rang. The Express crew was in the group chat, sharing and analyzing their findings.
March 7th mentioned meeting a man with a plaster head at an auction, but he left without doing anything, which felt suspicious. Welt also had some unpleasant experiences and expressed a desire to discuss them with everyone in person.
The group agreed to gather first in Himeko's room back in the real world.
Both Stelle and Hotaru were prepared to return to the hotel in reality, but upon reaching the street, Stelle noticed that there wasn't a single soul around.
(…Strange, where did everyone go?)
Stelle arrived at a plaza and saw Sampo standing there with his arms crossed, appearing as though he had been waiting for them for a long time.
"We meet again, my dear..." Seeing Stelle and Hotaru walking side-by-side, Sampo let out a disappointed sigh. "Aww, it seems you didn't take my advice to heart at all… What a shame. Are you so enchanted by that girl?" 」
「 ..... 」
〜Chainsaw Man World〜
"No duh! Of course she is! If I'm not enchanted by Miss Hotaru, am I supposed to be enchanted by you!?"
Denji snorted with a look of disdain.
"I hate people like this, always hiding in the back and stirring up trouble… No wonder the Masked Fools are so unpopular."
"This Great One also hates these gloomy types. Originally, for the sake of that interesting dream, I might have given him an eighty,"
Power pouted.
"But since the dream is over and I've already had my fun, I can only give him a zero."
"So…"
Power and Denji roared almost simultaneously:
"Stelle!… Hurry up and use your bat to bash his brains out! Human trash like this belongs permanently in the dumpster!"
—
( Translator-kun: Are you sure about that, Denji? Planarcadia is around the corner, and it's one of the home bases of Elaton. )