"P-pleased to meet you. I am Musketeer X."
"Nice to meet you too! I'm Ikoma. Looking forward to working with you, Musketeer X-san," Ikoma replied with a friendly wave.
"The honor is entirely mine," she said, her voice stiff with paralyzing nerves.
"Honor? Oh, stop that," Ikoma chuckled. "I could understand if you were talking to Shana-san, but there's no need to be so formal with someone like me."
"Incorrect. You are GGO's greatest craftsman, a man who appeared beside Lady Shana like a celestial event. Maintaining composure in your presence is an impossible task."
Ikoma blinked, looking a bit bewildered. He tilted his head. "So... are you a fan of Shana-san? You call her 'Lady Shana.' To be honest, I feel the same way. I've adored her since the day we met."
"Correct. That makes us kindred spirits, Ikoma-san."
"I see..." Ikoma muttered something under his breath that sounded like, So this is Miss Perfect... or was it 'The Goddess'...?
Musketeer X's ears perked up at the word 'Goddess.' "Yes. To me, Lady Shana is indeed the one true God."
Faced with that overwhelming intensity, Ikoma turned a helpless gaze toward Usushio Tarako and Yamikaze. The two men stepped in to offer a quick explanation.
"Don't mind her, Ikoma-kun," Tarako said. "She's just... a little bit over-invested in her Shana-worship."
"Yeah," Yamikaze added. "But she's a total ally. She'd back Shana through anything, so you can trust her."
"Is that so?" Ikoma's eyes brightened. "In that case, would you like me to introduce you to Shana-san properly?"
"Mm...!"
Musketeer X wavered, her resolve visibly shaking. An introduction from a random player was one thing, but an introduction from a member of Shana's inner circle carried immense weight. However, after a moment of agonizing internal debate, she shook her head.
"It is a tempting offer, but I must respectfully decline."
"Oh, it's okay! I just thought I'd ask. I didn't mean to pressure you into anything uncomfortable," Ikoma said quickly.
"It isn't uncomfortable!" she blurted out, her composure slipping into raw emotion. "I want it more than anything! It's physically painful to say no!"
"I-is it that serious?"
"Yes! However, I believe I must earn Lady Shana's recognition through my own merits. I am currently waiting for the perfect moment to make my formal debut."
"Haha, you're certainly honest," Ikoma said with a wry smile. Most people would have been creeped out, but Ikoma just seemed amused.
"Hey, Musketeer X, maybe wrap that honesty in a little bit of bubble wrap next time?" Tarako whispered.
"Yeah, you're gonna scare him off," Yamikaze added.
"Negative. Deception is a sin," she replied firmly. "I wish to be nothing but truthful in matters regarding Lady Shana."
The two men couldn't help but admire her integrity, even if they feared for her social future.
"Well... just don't overdo it," Tarako sighed. "Ikoma-kun, please don't think poorly of her."
"Not at all!" Ikoma chirped. "It's not like she's planning some weird 'damsel in distress' scheme to trick Shana. Besides, we might actually need her help later. Having her on our side is great news."
"You're a saint, Ikoma-kun..."
"Go on, thank him," Yamikaze urged.
"Ikoma-san, thank you." Musketeer X pinched the edges of her miniskirt and performed a flawless, elegant curtsy.
Ikoma looked impressed. "That was a beautiful curtsy."
"I have been practicing in front of a mirror specifically for the day I meet Lady Shana. I am also undergoing various forms of training in the real world to ensure I can be of maximum use to her."
"In the real world, huh? You really do love her," Ikoma noted.
"I do!" Musketeer X's smile was bright and full of pride.
Seeing that expression, Ikoma felt a surge of inspiration. He decided he wanted to do something for her. "You know, with Shizuka-san, Rosalia-san, and the others around, I try not to play favorites... but your 'love' seems to be of a different breed than theirs. Tell me... would you like to test some new equipment I'm developing?"
"Yes. Immediately."
"That was fast!" Tarako barked.
"Don't you want to know what it is first?!" Yamikaze asked.
"It is unnecessary. There is no problem," she stated with absolute confidence in Ikoma's craft.
Ikoma grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "To be honest, I was hesitating to show it to Shana-san or Shizuka-san. They'd probably master it in five seconds, and I wouldn't get any useful testing data. But with you, I can get a more 'average' baseline. Hehe... hehehe..."
"Ikoma-kun is entering his 'Mad Scientist' mode..."
"I don't hate it!" Yamikaze laughed.
"If this allows me to be of use to Lady Shana for the first time... I will do it," Musketeer X whispered.
Ikoma looked her in the eye. "It might be pretty grueling. You still okay with that?"
She didn't hesitate. "Yes. I will offer my 'first' to Lady Shana."
Tarako and Yamikaze exchanged a look of utter bewilderment.
"Wh-what a choice of words!"
"Dammit, my brain is going to a weird place...!"
Musketeer X looked at them flatly. "Don't worry. There is no misunderstanding. I said exactly what I meant."
"Gah...!"
"Guh...!"
The two men clutched their chests as if they had been struck by an invisible force, slumped over in a heap. Ikoma watched them for a moment, assumed they were doing a bit of comedy, and ignored them. He led Musketeer X toward a rental firing range.
Though their hearts were technically wounded, the boys' curiosity won out. They scrambled up and followed close behind.
"Wait for us, Ikoma-kun!"
"We wanna see the new gear too!"
"Of course! Come along," Ikoma called back.
When they arrived at the range, Ikoma pulled a flat, board-like object from his storage.
"What's that, Ikoma-kun?"
"It's a man's romance," he replied solemnly.
"Ooh! I love the sound of that!" Yamikaze cheered.
Musketeer X looked concerned. "Is it a 'romance' for me as well?"
"Ah... well, I wonder..." Ikoma looked a bit sheepish.
Sensing his hesitation, Musketeer X pivoted. "Is it a 'romance' for Lady Shana?"
"Oh, absolutely."
Her face lit up. "Then it is a romance for me too."
Relieved, Ikoma smiled back. "Alright then, Musketeer X-san. Please stand on top of this."
"Understood."
As Ikoma knelt to adjust the settings at her feet, he happened to glance up. His eyes hit the hem of her skirt, and he immediately squeezed his eyes shut and stood up, blushing.
"Actually! Musketeer X-san, that skirt is going to be a problem. Could you switch to pants or something? Keep the... uh, the other stuff... just for Shana-san's eyes."
"Ah, you're right. My 'contents' are for Lady Shana's eyes only."
"Gah...!"
"Cough...!"
Once again, the boys sounded like they were dying in the background. After swapping her gear for a more practical, balanced combat outfit, Musketeer X glared at Tarako and Yamikaze.
"Do you see, boys? That is what a popular man looks like."
"Ugh..."
"I have no counter-argument..."
"Wait, I'm not popular..." Ikoma stammered.
"You simply haven't noticed, Ikoma-san," Musketeer X said. "You are definitely popular."
"Well, I do get talked to by women fairly often, but I don't know if I'd call that being 'popular'..."
In truth, Ikoma was popular. He was well-bred, polite, and skilled. However, he was so dense—and so focused on his work and his friends—that he was completely oblivious. He would eventually realize the truth after the war, but by then, he'd find himself being fiercely gatekept by his father, Kiyomori, who had already decided that Ikoma was to be the future husband of the Kamo family's daughter, Kaede.
"Anyway, let's get started," Ikoma said, flipping a switch. "Watch your balance!"
As the device hummed to life, handrails extended from the sides of the board, and the entire platform lifted off the ground, hovering with Musketeer X on top.
"Whoa...!"
"Is that a..."
"I've named it the 'Airy Board.' I figured I should avoid any trademarked names," Ikoma explained.
"I see... but it looks like a foldable handcart," Yamikaze noted.
"This was the most stable shape for movement. You can control it with your hands or your feet. I recommend starting with the hand controls. Eventually, you'll need to master the foot controls so you can aim your gun while moving."
"Understood."
Musketeer X tentatively pushed the lever. The Airy Board lurched forward at a snail's pace.
"It maintains a constant altitude, so don't worry about falling," Ikoma said. "Eventually, we'll hide the handrails. That's the goal. Imagine the look on Shana-san's face if you fly into battle on this!"
"I will master it," she vowed. "I absolutely will."
As she began her practice laps, Tarako and Yamikaze followed her like ducklings.
"So cool... Hey, Musketeer X, let us try it after!"
"Ikoma-kun, do you have more than one?"
"Unfortunately, I only had enough rare materials for one prototype," Ikoma said.
"Aw, man..."
"Anyway, I have an errand to run. You three keep practicing for a bit," Ikoma said, stepping out of the range.
Outside, someone was waiting for Ikoma.
It was Shana.
"You almost slipped up at the start, Ikoma," Shana said as he approached.
"Sorry! I almost said, 'You're a fan of Shana-san, aren't you?' I managed to pivot, but I think I stuttered a bit."
"She turned down your introduction, but if she's determined to earn it on her own, then I'm looking forward to it. It's not a problem," Shana said.
"She really is 'Miss Perfect,'" Ikoma mused. "The way she looks at you... it's not just fandom. It's pure, unadulterated respect."
"I've never even met her face-to-face," Shana sighed. "Apparently it started with the first BoB. I was just trying to survive against Satulizer. I had no idea anyone was watching that closely."
It turned out that Musketeer X had already been flagged by Rosalia. Her behavior had been so suspicious that the reconnaissance team couldn't ignore her. While most "suspicious" players were enemies, Musketeer X had passed every single one of Rosalia's "loyalty tests" with flying colors. Within Shana's inner circle, she was already known by the codename "Miss Perfect."
"Well, the investigation was right. She's definitely on our side," Shana said.
"She turned down the 'casual' recruitment offer, though. What's the plan now?" Ikoma asked.
"Well... Shizuka said that since 'Max's' feelings for me are more about loyalty than romance, I should just give her a big hug and thank her for her hard work when she finally shows herself. Shizuka's orders."
"That... would probably be incredibly effective on her," Ikoma laughed.
"You think? I'm still not quite sure how to handle it," Shana admitted, looking slightly embarrassed. Shana hated "acting out" a reward, but she knew Shizuka's intuition was usually right.
Ikoma smiled. "Trust me. No matter how it happens, that would be the greatest reward she could ever imagine."
"If you say so."
It seemed that, without her knowing, Shana had already started calling her "Max"—a nickname that was more than just a shortening of her name. Musketeer X had already won the prize she was seeking; she just didn't know it yet.
That realization would come much later, in the heat of the war's climax. But when she finally found herself in Shana's arms, it would be in a way neither of them expected—a moment that would cement her loyalty forever.
Next time: A shocking revelation!
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