C4

 "Serious Systemic Defense Theory of Self-Deprecation" Part One

04

Rena was dumbfounded.

It was the first thing she saw when invited into the living room, their place of relaxation.

An altar.

A three-tiered altar bought online, with a cover on top. Other than this altar set up in one corner of the living room, the space was completely empty.

The atmosphere resembled that of a place tainted by a cult's influence. However, there was no religious significance to this altar.

Instead of offering sake in vessels, there was a four-liter bottle of whiskey. The ham set, a tribute from the landlord, was left untouched and still boxed. And, in an almost idolatrous manner, there sat a figure of a popular character from an erotic game that they were once obsessed with, holding an unwavering position as the number one favorite in a popularity poll.

It was a scene that would make a monk run away barefoot.

"After all, this is a horror house. I haven't just idly passed the time without doing anything," I responded to Rena, who looked up at me, wondering what was happening.

"Because of  this house's illustrious history and impressive track record until today, I've been able to enjoy this environment. So, what I should show is respect and gratitude."

"B-but... Is, is it... alright like this?"

"Even if an exorcist were to come here, they'd probably end up in an ambulance on the way to a hearse. Being too concerned about appearances is pointless, utterly pointless. You know, what really matters for humans is their feelings. If we cherish and revere this place, it might even become a guardian spirit for us."

Indeed, it chased away those annoying people from the TV. As someone with zero spiritual sensitivity, I couldn't tell, but they seemed to have seen something behind me.

As if embodying my words, Rena clasped her hands together. There was no need to go that far, but it seemed like Rena wanted to show her respect and reverence to this house in her own way.

"Well, for now, have a seat," I said, passing through the living room and arriving at my own room.

I approached the computer chair while Rena hesitantly sat down on the bed. As tempting as it was to lie on a bed ruled by a busty high school girl, I showed restraint with my adult composure.

Sitting down on the bed, Rena lowered herself with an air of solemnity. Her face turned upward slightly, and she looked at me with upturned eyes.

Her awkwardness was not due to feeling intimidated by an adult. She was just hopelessly socially inept. I had come to understand that in this short time.

"Uh, um... That...," Rena stammered, feeling uncomfortable as I remained silent.

It would be difficult to expect smooth communication when facing someone like Rena. She could provide brief responses, but it was evident that having a proper conversation would be a challenge.

So, how could I facilitate a smoother conversation?

There was only one answer.

"Rena, bring out your laptop," I said.

Without any protest or questioning, Rena took out her notebook computer from her carry bag. It wasn't the sleek and trendy type or the one with an apple logo. It was a robust 15.6-inch laptop. It lacked the cuteness befitting a busty high school girl.

When Rena opened it, the keyboard illuminated with seven colors, clearly designed for gaming.

With a "clack clack," Rena handed it to me, having unlocked the password. Even without being told, she seemed to have understood what I was about to do.

Using someone else's computer was often cumbersome, but it was easy to make simple adjustments when using the same OS. With another "clack clack," I returned the laptop to Rena.

"Is it awkward to talk while looking at each other's faces?" I asked.

Rena nodded repeatedly.

I wanted to see her expression as we conversed, but well, for now, it was more important to move the conversation along smoothly.

Closing the sliding door to the living room, I sat down in one place.

About thirty seconds passed.

"I'm really grateful, Senpai," a message popped up on my smartphone screen.

There was no need to mention who the sender was. It was none other than Rena Faldt, the heroine of the game "Flash of the Ten Realms" with whom I had been friends for over five years, despite being separated by a considerable distance between Tokyo and Sapporo. Now, that distance has decreased to merely one meter.

The small, jittery animal, trembling as if its footing could give way at any moment, had transformed into someone with remarkable stability in just thirty seconds.

"You switch too quickly, don't you?"

With a sigh, that was the only response.

"I've been telling you, my real self is a total social recluse. I'm just a keyboard warrior, remember?"

"It's not just being a keyboard warrior; it's beyond that. You practically have a split personality now."

Rena's rapid switches were just too dangerous.

Although she seemed timid and slow-moving, the sound of lightning-fast typing echoed through the sliding door. I wonder what kind of expression she wears while pretending to be her usual self, Lena.

Curiosity tempted me to take a peek, but it would be troublesome if she noticed and withdrew like a crane flying away. So, I decided to endure and resist the urge to look.

"Um... Well, Senpai, first of all, I want to apologize," Rena calmly said.

Apologize? Did she feel bad for being silent about her true self as a girl or her age? Maybe both.

But between us, there was no need for such an apology. We had never been explicit about it. Although I was surprised, I never felt deceived.

As I was about to respond, she continued.

"I'm sorry for pretending to be a well-endowed high school girl. In reality, I am just a regular high school girl."

"That's what it was!"

I thought it was going to be a serious apology, but I was let down.

And behind the facade of a weak and timid small animal mask, there seemed to be a sense of pride as a well-endowed high school girl.

However, something made me go, "Huh?"

Lena confidently claimed to be just a regular high school girl. In that case...

"Then... What about the first-time bonus?"

She acted all pure and innocent, claiming not to know anything about men, but was she secretly engaging in such activities? Indignation welled up from the depths of my heart.

"That, um, that was genuine. Besides, it would be cruel to throw away someone with social anxiety, speech impediment, and NEET tendencies."

"O-Oh, I see..."

I was immediately refuted, and it caught me off guard.

Despite having a five-year-long interaction, today was the first time we met face to face. And this girl confidently asserted that she still had her virginity intact, even from a distance of over one meter.

I genuinely wanted to see what expression she had on her face right now. However, if I turned around and looked, she might turn into a pillar of salt like in the old tale.

"Tricking and luring you in with the beautiful girl act, I apologize, Senpai. I was desperate to somehow hook you."

I resisted the temptation of the lightning-fast typing coming from someone with a despairing level of social anxiety.

"And then, you came, thinking I was a beautiful girl, but got surprised when a damn introvert like me approached you, right?"

"W-Well... Yeah, I was surprised, but..."

 I was indeed shocked to the point that time seemed to stand still. It was probably the biggest surprise in my life.

"When I went to take the bait, I was genuinely shocked to find a busty high school girl. Not to mention, so beautiful."

No matter how much of a loser or socially awkward she might be, there's no mistaking that she was a busty high school girl, a genuine one. 

"What... you mean to say... I am actually a beautiful girl?"

I don't know how she perceives her appearance, but even though she was proud of having big breasts, she didn't seem to be arrogant about being a beautiful girl. In fact, the reply came after a cute sound like "Feh!".

"Yeah, seriously, you are a beautiful girl. You can confidently call yourself a beautiful and busty high school girl."

"S-Senpai...! I'm blushing. At this point, I wouldn't mind having the castle gate breached by Gungnir."

I thought it might be sexual harassment to say that she is a big-breasted JK girl, but I received an even more explicit response.

It's definitely the usual Rena.

"Count the stains on the ceiling. If you do that, it'll be over quickly."

"Okay. I've already prepared myself to open the gates without resistance, so please be gentle during the siege."

They exchange banter as they always do, and the other person responds in their usual manner.

It's exactly the typical conversation, a playful exchange of jokes.

However, right now, I couldn't throw the next joke.

I've prepared myself.

I may not know if it was an intentional line, but I'm not unaware of its meaning.

It's a stupid joke, but it's the price that a runaway girl often pays to an adult. She knows exactly what it means, and she says she's prepared to pay for the lodging.

I couldn't swallow it nor spit it out.

She was socially awkward and had very limited interactions with people, especially men. She never engaged in any questionable activities or played bad games. However, her strong immersion in the online world often shielded her from any criticism she might have deserved. Despite that, her connections with people were so feeble that she felt disconnected, leading her to think she had no friends, let alone bad ones.

And yet, a girl like her had uttered the words, "I've prepared myself," as if she had made a firm decision. What kind of conflicts and struggles were hidden behind those words? What inner turmoil did she experience? As someone with limited life experience, I know I'll never fully understand.

Let me be clear. I want to go along with this flow.

From the beginning, I had decided that the first battlefield where I would wield Gungnir would be when I stood side by side with a pure Valkyrie, a maiden of war.

Since that determination, countless ages have passed. The daydream of a mere private soldier who had been imprisoned in a daydream is now on the verge of becoming a reality.

Moreover, my partner is kohai, whom I've known for over five years, always looking up to me as Senpai, the adorable Rena. And her true form is that of a busty high school girl.

Perhaps Rena had made this decision precisely because it was me she was dealing with. In fact, I doubt she could make such a decision with anyone else but me.

Then there's no longer any need to hesitate.

The day has come to prove that my strategy was not wrong.

"It was a joke. I won't wield Gungnir."

But what came out as an attempt to go with the flow was a beautiful lie that contradicted my true feelings.

From now on, this novel will only be updated on Friday. Every Friday, 5 chapters will updated.

Will be applied from next week.

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