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 30

Chapter 30: A Girl’s Thoughts and Purpose

 

“Hmm…”

 

Kurono Takanashi let out a small sigh as she removed her VR headset and looked up at the ceiling.

 

What filled her heart was the short but enjoyable time she had just spent with the boy she had recently become friends with and the NPC girl.

 

It was warm, fun, and there was a little bit of excitement in not knowing what would happen next.

 

If Shino hadn’t called her, she would have undoubtedly forgotten to even eat lunch.

 

That’s how much she enjoyed that.

 

“It was… fun.”

 

The words slipped out, filled with genuine emotion.

 

She had played various games with Shino and her group, but had she ever had this much fun?

 

Part of the reason was probably because Sora and Aria were close in age to her.

 

The adults around her always treated her like she was fragile, and no one ever interacted with her just as she was.

 

This was the first time since her parents were gone that she had felt truly happy being with someone.

 

Sitting up and sipping the sports drink Shino had taught her to keep by her bedside, Kurono recalled the events.

 

When she first saw Sora, she thought “he” seemed very weak.

 

He was completely off guard, with no sense of determination or intensity.

 

He didn’t look like the kind of person who could move with monstrous skill as she had seen in videos.

 

Was he really that strong?

 

Even with her doubts, she had been instructed by Shino to test any strong player called “Sora” without holding back, if one appeared.

 

So, even knowing she might face a penalty, she didn’t hesitate to aim for his head and unleash her full-power thrust, the ?Strike Sword?.

 

But he avoided it without even looking.

 

To be honest, she was surprised.

 

The only people capable of such a feat were Shino, who had invited her to the game and was her current guardian, and Shiori, Sora’s sister.

 

And without any armor, he had used the sword he had stabbed into the ground as a foothold to perform an acrobatic jump, defeating her impressively.

 

—Sora Kamijo.

 

My second cousin, a boy who lives in Japan.

 

If Shino hadn’t shown me a picture of him, I never would have believed that he had been cursed to take on the appearance of a female character.

 

After all, in this game, you can’t change your gender.

 

Anyone who sees him in that form would undoubtedly think Sora is a girl.

 

Moreover, I can’t believe he’s four years older than me.

 

He’s a first-year high school student.

 

With that appearance, he could only be mistaken for someone my age.

 

And yet…

 

“Even though I know Sora is a boy, why did I…?”

 

As she recalled her actions toward Sora, Kurono’s face flushed with embarrassment.

 

She had resolved not to cling to him so much the next time they met, but when he was nearby, she felt so warm and comfortable that she would unconsciously find herself attached to his arm.

 

It wasn’t just about physical warmth.

 

Being near him just felt… comforting.

 

That’s why, without realizing it, she would cling to his arm.

 

But this behavior was clearly unusual.

 

She had never done anything like that with Shino or Shiori.

 

Nor had she ever acted this way with the men in their clan.

 

In fact, she usually kept them at a distance, intimidating them to stay away. Even with Glen, whose skills she acknowledged, she never let him get too close.

 

And yet, in front of Sora, she let down her guard.

 

“What’s happening to me…?”

 

Murmuring to herself, Kurono got out of bed.

 

Facing the full-length mirror in her room, she looked at her reflection, dressed in a white dress, and bit her lip tightly.

 

Long, platinum-silver hair.

 

Blue eyes as clear as water.

 

Her skin was pale, almost devoid of pigmentation because it never saw sunlight.

 

She resembled a silver-haired girl straight out of a storybook, looking exactly like Sora’s in-game character.

 

In ?Astral Online?, even the real-life scan couldn’t replicate the proud silver hair she inherited from her mother.

 

If they stood side by side in this form, they would undoubtedly be mistaken for twins.

 

That’s how alike they looked.

 

Not even her parents would be able to tell the difference.

 

“…Mom, Dad…”

 

She whispered in a faint voice while looking at the mirror.

 

My parents “disappeared in a flash of light” right before my eyes while playing the beta test of ?Astral Online?.

 

It sounds unbelievable, but it’s the truth.

 

I sought help from Shino, who happened to live nearby, and she came over. Later, the police arrived.

 

But no one could figure out why my parents disappeared.

 

For some reason, there was no footage on the bedroom’s surveillance camera, where they vanished, and there were so few clues that the police eventually gave up, concluding, “They must have abandoned their daughter and vanished.”

 

…No, that’s not true!

 

Kurono’s eyes filled with tears as she clenched her fists tightly.

 

She resembled her mother, who was of Nordic descent.

 

Her parents had always called her their “precious jewel” and loved her dearly.

 

They were always together, wherever they went, living happily as a family.

 

There’s no way they would have disappeared and left me behind.

 

“……”

 

Tears began to flow.

 

No matter how much she cried, the sadness that seemed endless caused Kurono to collapse to the floor.

 

—Someone, please help me.

 

In response to this cry from her heart, the image of Sora’s back appeared in her mind.

 

When she thought about it, his demeanor somewhat resembled her father’s.

 

Calm, gentle, and a dependable presence in times of need.

 

Ah, perhaps I see my mother in his appearance and my father in his heart.

 

That would make some sense.

 

It would explain why I’m so drawn to him—the boy with the appearance of a girl who fills the void in my heart.

 

Feeling the warmth welling up in her chest, Kurono quietly whispered,

 

“…I’d like to meet him in real life.”

 

As soon as she voiced her thoughts, there was a rhythmic knock on the door.

 

That knock—it’s Shino.

 

Hiding her sadness and the faint feelings in her heart, Kurono quickly wiped her tears, hurried to the door, and unlocked it.

 

With a slightly nervous expression, she opened the door.

 

Standing there was Shino Tsukinomiya, a woman with black hair, about 170 cm tall.

 

“H-hello, Captain.”

 

“Hello, Kurono. I’ve told you not to call me ‘Captain’ here, haven’t I?”

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

“Ah… No, I’m not angry. I just want you to be mindful, so there’s no need to apologize.”

 

Oh, I’ve made her worry again.

 

It’s been nearly six months since my parents disappeared, and Shino, my second cousin and the only one who shared a connection with my mother as a fellow professional gamer, took me in.

 

Though we’ve gotten used to each other to the point where we can talk about the game, Shino still goes out of her way to avoid hurting my feelings.

 

Even so, there was one thing Shino felt she had to say. Raising her right index finger, she said,

 

“Sorry for interrupting you while you were immersed in the game with Sora. But it’s important to take breaks when gaming.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“He might be fine playing for 24 hours straight, but you’re not. Make sure to play in a way that doesn’t strain your body or mind.”

 

“I understand. I’ll be careful.”

 

“Good. The rest of the team is waiting. After you’ve had lunch and taken a break, you can return to the game. But for now, let’s head downstairs.”

 

Saying that, Shino turned and started walking.

 

After closing the door, Kurono followed behind her.

 

The “team” consisted of professional female gamers led by Shino.

 

They belonged to a major gaming company and specialized mainly in battle action games. Shino’s team, in particular, was incredibly strong, often competing for the top spot each year.

 

Shino herself had won five consecutive fighting game tournaments, earning the team frequent media coverage and the nickname “Valkyries” from the public.

 

Everyone had mentioned that today’s work would be done by noon.

 

Once lunch was over and the update was complete, they would all dive back into ?Astral Online?, which they had started playing yesterday to join Kurono.

 

They’d be surprised to learn that I’m currently with the princess.

 

Even the professional gamer-centered guild, ?Hell and Heaven?, led by Shino in ?Astral Online?, was currently searching for the missing princess to advance to the next map.

 

While feeling a bit guilty about not being able to talk about her because of her promise to Sora, Kurono was getting restless, eager to log in again.

 

“Kurono, there’s something I need to tell you.”

 

As they walked, Shino spoke in a low voice, as if wary of something, without turning around.

 

“Be very careful in ?Astral Online?. I’m beginning to think it’s not just an ordinary game.”

 

“…Did something happen?”

 

“Yes. The president just informed me that in six hours, there will be a global announcement from world leaders making it mandatory for professional gamers and experienced players to participate in this game.”

 

“What…?!”

 

“The timing coincides exactly with the ‘end of the update.’ There’s no information about what’s in the update, and I have a bad feeling about this. So,”

 

“I understand. I’ll be careful.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Kurono steeled herself.

 

She shook off the excitement she had felt earlier and adopted a serious expression.

 

That’s right… I’m not just playing around.

 

Why did Mom and Dad, who were playing the beta test, disappear in a flash of light?

 

That’s why I decided to play ?Astral Online? with Shino to find out.