Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 112
112. Mari-nee and the Summer Night Sky (Part 3)
The elevator arrived at the rooftop of the building.
The rooftop was spacious enough to accommodate several tennis courts and also served as a helipad.
However, in one corner of the rooftop, a completely out-of-place space had been created.
It was a Japanese rock garden. (zen garden maybe?)
The garden featured areas where the gravel was piled thickly and others where it was laid thinly, creating beautiful ripple patterns.
Large stones were scattered throughout the garden, representing mountains, with the gravel symbolizing water.
This scene reminded me of the dry landscape gardens I had seen in textbooks.
Although I called it a Japanese garden, considering the location, it might be more accurate to call it an aerial Japanese garden.
I couldn’t help but wonder how much it cost to prepare this. It seemed like a display of Caduceus Corporation’s full power, making my face tense up.
In the center of the garden, a long bench was placed on a red carpet.
That must be the viewing area for the fireworks.
But near it were two objects that seemed even more out of place.
The first was a food stall.
While food stalls are common at fireworks festivals and fairs, they seemed somewhat incongruous in the midst of such a meticulously designed Japanese garden.
Moreover, the stall was unmanned, yet it was filled with yakisoba and corn on the cob, emitting the smell of burnt sauce, which only heightened the sense of oddity.
The second was a small white wooden shrine.
This shrine fit the garden’s atmosphere better, but its presence here was puzzling.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the shrine had no legs, with its base directly connected to the rooftop, which felt unusual.
Typically, such structures are elevated, but why was this one different? And where had Yuuki-san and Sawa-san gone? The garden was now surrounded by a two-meter-high fence made of green bamboo, which they must have prepared without my noticing.
It seemed like they wanted to leave us alone as a family, but honestly, I felt more confused than relaxed.
Just as I was thinking that…
“Alright, let’s go! Onee-chan!!”
With the family alone now, Maki suddenly got energetic and began pushing my wheelchair, shoving Masato aside.
“Hey, Maki!?”
Ignoring my surprise, she headed straight for the mysterious shrine.
The wheelchair rolled smoothly into the shrine without getting caught on anything.
Was the lack of legs on the shrine to accommodate the wheelchair? Just as this thought crossed my mind, Maki closed the shrine’s door behind her.
She moved in front of me without making a sound, her face illuminated by the lights inside the shrine, showing a bright smile.
Normally, I would find this adorable, but combined with her heavy breathing and bloodshot eyes echoing in the confined space, it was quite terrifying.
Moreover, her hands were moving restlessly as she approached, making me very anxious about what she intended to do next.
I instinctively tried to back the wheelchair away, but the wheels were locked.
“Don’t worry, sis! It’ll only take a moment… okay?”
What do you mean, only a moment!?
Before I could call out to Masato for help, I fell prey to Maki’s mischievous hands, ending up in a very embarrassing situation…
How much time has passed since then?
Contrary to Maki’s words, a “moment” had not been just that, by my sense of time, it had already been an hour.
Unlike the satisfied Maki, I was slumped in my wheelchair, feeling completely worn out.
Masato hurriedly ran over, but when he saw me, his eyes widened in surprise, and he was at a loss for words.
“Masato, what’s wrong?”
Worried, I called out to him.
“Well, um… it’s just…”
His response was rather vague, but his gaze remained fixed on me.
As question marks filled my mind, Maki interjected,
“He was admiring you, Onee-chan! Or rather, admiring you in a yukata!”
“Wha-? I wasn’t admiring her!”
Masato’s face turned red at Maki’s remark.
What had happened inside the shrine was simply that I had been made to change into a yukata. There were over ten yukatas prepared, and each time I changed, Maki took several photos, which left me completely exhausted.
The one Maki finally chose after making me try them all on to her satisfaction was a white yukata with a single iris drawn on it.
The iris, from my perspective, grew straight up from the right leg, blossoming into a large indigo flower around the chest area, supported by two long, slender leaves from the base.
Since nothing else was drawn, the presence of the iris flower and leaves stood out, giving a dignified impression.
The yukata’s sash was chosen not to interfere with the iris, a thin one in a pale, light purple resembling clouds in a clear evening sky.
Is it really okay for someone like me to wear such a lovely yukata?
After all, my body is, well, small or rather thin… Ugh, just saying it hurts…
“It doesn’t suit me, does it? Someone like me wearing this yukata…”
“That’s not true!!”
His loud voice surprised me.
Masato himself seemed shocked by his outburst, quickly covering his mouth with one hand.
Seeing this, Maki laughed happily and headed towards the food stalls.
“I’ll go get food for everyone, so Masa-nii, take care of Onee-chan!”
Though I had been thoroughly played by Maki, thanks to her, I felt somewhat more at ease.
Maybe that’s why I thought I’d let Masato take care of me and indulge a little.
I beckoned Masato, who still seemed bewildered, to come closer and whispered softly in his ear,
“Carry me, Masato.”
Masato’s face turned even redder, and seeing his innocent reaction, I leaned into him without waiting for his consent.
As Masato fumbled, I couldn’t help but smile.
Before I knew it, it had gotten completely dark, and it was almost time for the fireworks festival to begin…