Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 159
159. Mari-Nee and Days in the Village
As if she remembered something, Roulette-san turned to us about thirty minutes later.
Seeing her apologetic expression, I took her hand before she could say anything.
“Thanks to you two, we didn’t have to spend a night in the forest.”
Roulette-san gave a wry smile and nodded at my cheerful tone.
Was I being a bit pushy?
I worried a little, but felt relieved seeing Roulette-san calmly letting me lead her.
As expected from the state of the buildings, the village was overgrown with plants, and the ground was covered with weeds.
It seemed faster to make a place to sleep than to find one.
Time-wise, it was also close to the time to log out.
I had Gils gather vines, which I then wove with <Thread Manipulation> and tied between high branches of a tree.
With a bit of slack, it turned into an improvised hammock.
I bid farewell to Gils and Vel for a while and climbed the tree with Roulette-san.
Well, more like I was pulled up by the thread wound around the branches rather than climbing.
The freshly cut vines smelled green, but lying down on them felt quite comfortable.
Next to me, Roulette-san also relaxed her body, and it didn’t seem too bad.
For now, we had reached our destination.
I didn’t know what to do next, but I intended to stay by Roulette-san’s side.
With that thought, we agreed on the next time to log in together.
“Good night, Roulette-san.”
“Good night, Maria-san.”
Exchanging our goodbyes, we logged out.
Just before that, I gently squeezed Roulette-san’s hand, which she had reached out.
I fell asleep immediately after logging out and woke up in the morning without dreaming.
The usual days spent with my younger siblings.
In the evening, as the sunlight weakened, I went for a walk with Masato.
Even sitting in the wheelchair in the lingering heat of the day made me sweat.
Returning after feeling the arrival of summer, I took a bath with Maki, who had been waiting for me.
I was grateful for her washing me, but lately, her attentiveness was quite thorough—it made me, her big sister a bit worried.
With a slight sense of unease, I relaxed in my room after the bath until it was time to log in with Roulette-san.
I put on the Blind Circle and logged into the world of Mebius immediately.
When I opened my eyes, Roulette-san appeared almost simultaneously.
We smiled at each other, laughing softly at the perfectly timed log on.
After descending the tree and looking up at the sky, the sun was just before its peak.
Having a simple meal with Roulette-san, I called Gils and Vel again and re-entered the village.
Under the bright sunlight, it became evident that the village was more overtaken by nature than I had anticipated.
We proceeded through the overgrown weeds, passing houses decayed and covered with moss and vines like ancient ruins. Eventually, Roulette-san’s steps came to a stop in front of one house.
“…This was his house.”
She murmured, touching a weathered pillar that seemed to mark the entrance.
Her expression as she gently stroked the surface was soft, almost tender.
After waiting quietly, Roulette-san removed her hand and led us to the outskirts of the village, opposite from where we had slept.
The weeds here were slightly shorter, and several fist-sized stones were piled up at the back.
There was only one possible meaning.
“It’s a grave, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Unlike the other areas, the piled stones seemed less affected by natural decay.
Given the different state of the weeds here, it was likely that Roulette-san had visited and created this after the official service started.
“I thought about preparing a more elaborate grave. But I figured the people of this quietly living village wouldn’t like that.”
In her small additional words, “especially him,” I glimpsed the depth of Roulette-san’s feelings.
I joined my hands in prayer next to Roulette-san in front of the grave.
Gils and Vel did the same.
However, Vel, with his short wings, struggled to touch the tip of her wings to the grave, trying hard.
Seeing her earnest effort, everyone’s faces naturally softened.
After that, Gils, wielding [Dragon Thread], cleared the weeds while Roulette-san and I cleaned the dirt off the gravestones.
Finally, we picked wildflowers from a nearby stream and offered them along with some food.
Having finished everything with time to spare, we listened to Roulette-san’s memories as dusk fell, leading us into another night.
Days passed uneventfully, and four days after coming to the village…
As I gazed at the full moon hanging in the night sky and considered logging out soon, Roulette-san moved suddenly.
“Roulette-san?”
“…”
Without responding to my call, Roulette-san started walking with sluggish movements.
Sensing something unusual, I called for Gils and Vel. Roulette-san seemed to be drawn towards the grave.
Following her, what I saw was Roulette-san surrounded by floating, pale blue flames…