Astral Online: Cursed by the Demon Lord to Become the Strongest Beautiful Girl, I Rapidly Grow and Dominate with Cheat Skills Despite Being the Weakest Profession - Chapter 209
Chapter 209: Dawn’s Confession
When the Great Calamity ?Asmodeus? dissolved into particles of light, my angelic transformation deactivated, leaving me immobilized by skill cooldown as I plummeted toward the ground.
Fortunately, partway down, I was caught by the slime dragon carrying Kuro and the others, sparing me from crashing to my death. From there, we safely returned to the ground as a group.
Surrounded by my comrades, I was showered with praise and words of gratitude. Master Shino, however, chuckled wryly and lightly jabbed me, saying, “You always take things too far.”
“You’ve really outdone yourselves. Thanks to your defeat of ?Asmodeus?, the endless monster spawns plaguing our allies across the land have ceased.”
“We’re receiving victory reports one after another from other groups. It’s all thanks to you and everyone’s hard work,” added my sister Shio with a smile.
Without hesitation, she lightly patted my head in front of everyone. It was a very childlike gesture, but I couldn’t even move a finger to resist in my current state. Embarrassed as I was, I had no choice but to accept her affectionate gesture.
I gave her a pointed look, trying to convey, *I’m not a kid,* but Shio simply laughed it off.
Just then, my ?perception? skill picked up a lone figure sprinting through the castle gates. The girl stopped in front of us and loudly announced:
“Everyone! The interference in the real world has ended, and we’ve successfully overcome this disaster!”
The one delivering the report was none other than Rinne, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed *VR Journalist* I hadn’t seen in ages. Apparently, Shino had asked her to monitor the situation from the real world and relay the news to us when it was over.
With our complete victory confirmed, adventurers and Enoshigaios knights alike erupted in cheers. While everyone celebrated with high fives and handshakes, I remained paralyzed, nearly suffocating as Kuro, Inori, and Laura all hugged me tightly, until Shio came to my rescue.
“Honestly, big brother, you’re so popular,” Shio teased.
“That’s Sora for you,” Shin chimed in. “Even in ?Sky Fantasy?, he’d unknowingly make princesses fall for him wherever he went.”
“It was a real ordeal back then,” added Rou with a nostalgic smile. “Remember how rivalries between princesses from different nations escalated into full-blown disputes over Sora?”
The battle, known among players as the *First Sora War,* ultimately ended when I stepped in and told them to stop. However, the resolution came with one peculiar condition: I had to stay at a hot spring inn in a neutral country with all the princesses. In hindsight, some speculated that the princesses had conspired to use this to keep me around.
Now that I’ve retired, I have no idea what became of those dazzling yet dangerous princesses. I once saw rumors on social media claiming the game admins created a copy of me to accompany them, but I’ve never verified it.
(Not that I’d dare log in to check…)
The thought sent shivers down my spine. If I did log in, I’d probably be captured and subjected to unspeakable horrors.
Just then, King Tobia raised his voice to address everyone present. He expressed gratitude for our efforts in defeating ?Asmodeus? and distributed rewards to all participants through a system window.
Finally freed from skill cooldown, I opened my reward notification. Three options appeared on my screen:
?One million El, adamantite, or the auxiliary skill ?Environmental Adaptation?…??
All three were top-tier rewards for adventurers. It was a tough decision, but I had plenty of El from previous adventures and already owned two pieces of adamantite from defeating ?Charybdis?.
As for the skill ?Environmental Adaptation?, its description suggested it provided bonuses for actions in challenging environments like underwater or in the air, while also reducing damage taken in harsh conditions. Clearly a rare and valuable skill for future adventures.
In the end, I chose the rare skill ?Environmental Adaptation?, reasoning that it was a unique opportunity.
“If I’d gotten this skill before we set out, the sea battle and the final aerial combat might’ve been a bit easier…”
“It’s a classic gaming trope, isn’t it? Not having the skills or items you need when you want them most, only to get them after everything’s over…”
“Exactly, that’s something every gamer experiences at least once,” Inori added with a knowing nod.
Agreeing with her “gaming truths,” I closed the system window in front of me.
Beside me, Kuro had apparently chosen the same skill as I had, and she looked delighted that we now had matching abilities.
Once everyone had finished selecting their rewards and the chatter about them began to lighten the mood, King Tobia spoke up:
“From this moment, the entire nation of Enoshigaios will celebrate! We’ll ensure the adventurers who fought bravely can enjoy all the shops at discounted rates!”
“In the plaza, I’ll perform a song to express my gratitude. Please, everyone, enjoy this special day,” added Queen Sara.
Moments later, a familiar sound of explosions rang out, and brilliant, multicolored fireworks bloomed across the darkening sky.
The fireworks painted the night with mesmerizing patterns, each more stunning than the last.
A festival, huh?
Honestly, I was utterly exhausted, and my energy was almost entirely spent. The thought of joining the festivities didn’t appeal much.
But when I looked around, my companions’ expectant gazes were fixed on me, waiting for my answer.
With a resigned smile and a hint of recklessness, I finally said:
“Let’s go, everyone!”
Immediately, Kuro, Inori, and Laura grabbed my hands, pulling me along to explore the sea nation’s vibrant festival in the castle town.
After thoroughly enjoying the festival, my friends, Shin, Rou, Shio, and Inori, excused themselves, claiming they had errands to run, and disappeared into the bustling crowd.
That left just the three of us, Laura, Kuro, and me. Laura led us to the central plaza, where a stage had been set up.
Onstage, Queen Sara, dressed in a singer’s gown, performed alongside the Siren Orchestra, whose musicians were clad in formal suits. Together, they wove a stunning world of sound.
The adventurers and citizens of Enoshigaios stood silently around the plaza, captivated by the performance.
When one song ended, Laura stepped forward.
“I’ll be back. Please, the two of you, enjoy my song, a tribute of gratitude.”
“Sure, I’ll listen,” I replied.
“I’ll pay close attention,” Kuro added.
Before leaving, Laura approached Kuro and whispered, “Do your best.” Then she walked down the path opened by the crowd and disappeared, leaving the party.
Now alone, Kuro moved closer to me, her arm slipping through mine as she pressed against my left side.
Her sudden proximity made my heart leap, and I felt my face grow warm.
?Master, your heart rate is registering abnormal values?, teased Lucifel, my AI companion.
(Shut up!) I mentally snapped, silencing her.
I took a deep breath to steady myself, convincing myself to let it slide. Something about this situation felt orchestrated, but since I didn’t dislike being with Kuro, I decided not to overthink it for now.
Together, we turned our attention back to the stage, where Queen Sara and Laura sang a breathtaking ballad, accompanied by the orchestra.
The music was so exquisite that someone like me, a total amateur, couldn’t even begin to describe it.
The crowd in the plaza had more than doubled without anyone noticing, captivated by the enchanting scene unfolding before them. As the first song ended, thunderous applause and cheers erupted, and the second song began.
This time, the mood was entirely different. Unlike the emotional ballad of the first song, the second was bright, cheerful, and uplifting.
The people around us clapped along to the rhythm, their joy infectious. Just listening to it filled me with a sense of lighthearted happiness.
The two songstresses continued their performance, moving seamlessly from one song to the next, until finally reaching their last piece.
The melody of the pianist intertwined with Laura and Sara’s voices, creating a synergistic harmony that felt as if it was spreading not just across the plaza but throughout the entire kingdom.
The sheer emotional impact left me speechless, every hair on my body standing on end. Even as I stood in awe, unable to articulate the feelings welling up inside me, Kuro suddenly tightened her grip on my arm.
“Sora,” she called softly.
Her voice pulled me out of the trance I had fallen into while listening to the song. Blinking, I glanced around. Everyone else remained entranced by the stage, still immersed in the world created by the two songstresses.
It seemed I was the only one who had returned to reality.
I turned to Kuro, confused.
She looked determined, her lips trembling as if she had made up her mind.
“Laura and Sara are singing, and I’m sorry to interrupt, but… there’s something I want you to hear,” she said, her voice trembling.
“Kuro…?”
“I… I…”
“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, so take your time,” I said, placing my hand gently over hers.
Kuro took several small breaths to steady herself. After a few moments, she finally calmed down, her eyes meeting mine with an intensity that rivaled even the powerful song reverberating through the plaza.
I’d seen that kind of look before, eyes filled with resolve, from several girls in the past.
Her gaze took my breath away.
Holding tightly onto my arm, trembling slightly, Kuro whispered:
“I love you, Sora. More than anyone in the world.”
Her soft, cherry-blossom-colored lips delivered a confession of pure, undeniable love.
I was stunned. Somewhere in my mind, I had always thought of Kuro as a little sister. Her sudden confession left me completely speechless.
*She… loves me?*
My thoughts were a chaotic jumble, my mind freezing like an overloaded computer.
But Kuro didn’t avert her gaze, silently waiting for my response.
No, calm down.
Kuro was my second cousin and a vital partner in our shared goal of conquering ?Astral Online?. She was someone I needed to protect, at least until we could free her parents, who were trapped in the game.
Dating her… wouldn’t be right. Once everything was over, she’d likely return to the U.S. to live with her family.
As I thought about that, the idea of Kuro not being by my side struck me with a sharp pain in my chest, like being pierced by a needle.
What was this feeling?
The thought of Kuro leaving… felt unbearably lonely.
I’d never felt this way before. Not even when other girls, like Inori or my apprentice Ilya, confessed their feelings for me.
But now, imagining a future without Kuro by my side, the ache in my chest grew stronger.
What was happening to me?
As I wrestled with this unfamiliar emotion, my vision blurred for a moment, and I saw someone else overlapping with Kuro—a white-haired girl from a distant memory.
*“Sora, I love you.”*
Her voice echoed faintly in my mind.
As if a seal had been broken, fragmented memories came rushing back.
Shocked, I stood there, my mouth half-open, unable to process everything happening at once.
But I couldn’t keep Kuro waiting.
Even though I was still reeling, I forced myself to think and arrived at a temporary conclusion.
“K-Kuro.”
“Yes!”
“Thank you… for telling me. It makes me really happy to know how you feel. Honestly, I think being with someone like you would make me incredibly happy.”
“Then…”
“But I need you to wait for my answer. I’m not ready to give you one right now.”
Hearing my response, Kuro tilted her head slightly, her expression puzzled but calm.
“So… you’re not rejecting me? You’re asking me to wait?”
“Yeah. I need some time to sort out my feelings. Once I’m ready, I promise I’ll give you a proper answer.”
“So… there’s still a chance?”
“M-maybe… yeah, maybe there’s a chance…”
“Alright,” she said, her face lighting up with a radiant smile.
“Then I’ll wait for you, Sora.”
Despite having her answer delayed, Kuro’s expression was full of hope, her words brimming with energy.
Her bright smile made my heart race so fast I couldn’t even look her in the eyes anymore.
When I asked why she was so cheerful, she just smiled mysteriously and said, “That’s a secret.” She never told me the reason.