Log Horizon Book 5 Interlude

Interlude


But...

On the last day of the Libra Festival, Shiroe leaves his guild members behind and move alone under the dark night sky.

This is a ruins in the south of Akiba. Between the metal shutter buried in debris, the wet stairs extends endlessly. This building should be a water tank or boiler room during ancient times, countless pipes can be seen on the exposed cement wall.

Shiroe visited here for a reason.

Shiroe came here to pay his old friend Oshima a visit. Shiroe asked Oshima to recon for information regarding the Holy empire Westlande, in preparation for the worse case scenario, they cut down on the number of times they communicated by telepathy. Also, he needs to retrieve something, so Shiroe wants to exchange intelligence with him face to face. But he feels uneasy about this.

In the suffocating silent darkness, Shiroe calls forth a weak magic light and move cautiously. He opens a door labeled 'control room' and sees a space more habitable than outside.

"..."

"Are you Mr Shiroe? I am Dariella, a people of the land traveling writer..."

But the person in the room waiting for Shiroe is not who he expected.

Her wavy black hair, red lips and obsidian eyes shines on her white oval face. The robe that forms intrinsic patterns with red and blue threads covers her soft and well filled out body. She is sitting there, but it feels like she is moving slowly.

She is a beauty that attracts your attention at a glance.

The definition of beauty is broad, Akatsuki is also a beauty, the woman in front of him has a charm that rivals Akatsuki but is of a different nature.

Even Shiroe who don't normally care about the looks of woman feels a little light headed seeing her alluring face, he can feel his cheek heating up.

"Mr Oshima who was suppose to wait for Mr Shiroe is not able to move freely right now... So I came on his behalf to pass the message in his stead."

That's right, Shiroe planned to meet with the adventurer Oshima here, a tiny and agile dwarf youth, not a black hair beauty.

Dariella/ 2nd class citizen/ level 10.

Shiroe looks at her status screen, obtaining information to confirm her words. Because of this, Shiroe's mind who is dazzled by her sweetness squeezed out these words:

"... I have never heard of such magic. Miss Nureha, what is this disguise?"

The dark underground control room.

In the small room, a heavy silence falls between the female on the couch and Shiroe. The beauty laughs and twist her beauty at the tense Shiroe, drawing a small sigil in the air with her finger.

Countless small pigeons take flight from her beautiful black hair, as if they are sucking away Shiroe's light source. The effects of black birds flying and merging with the air should be an unknown type of spell.

The alluring beauty has the same face, but is wearing a black gothic dress made from the feathers of crows. She has animal ears and tail which are white at the tip.

"Fufu, fufufu... How did Mr Shiroe knew? information about 'Overlay' shouldn't have spread here yet."

"It's my gut feel."

Shiroe adopts a strong tone.

The lady in the basement just now is definitely a people of the land, named Dariella, level 10. Shiroe confirmed this using the status screen. According to the common sense of Elder Tales, this is an established fact, there are no 2 ways about it. The only reason Shiroe doubt this is because of his instinct and intelligence that came from another channel other then Oshima.

Shiroe is certain that Nureha is somewhere in Akiba at this moment. He didn't expect Nureha to appear in front of him, but it is more believable for the source of the trouble to turn up instead of a beautiful 'people of the land writer'.

"Intuition... But you knew my name right?"

The beauty facing him, Nureha gives a charming smile. Even though Shiroe knows her identity, he can't help himself from looking at her.

"...please take a seat okay?"

Nureha looks at Shiroe with watery eyes. Shiroe can see Nureha's white and defenseless throat from this angle, making him close his mouth tightly. If he don't do this, Shiroe is afraid he will keep on staring.

"Don't put your guard up. Look... I didn't even bring my magic bag and am unarmed. I came alone to meet with Mr Shiroe."

Nureha says when Shiroe cautiously sits on an office chair near the door.

"Isn't that rather careless for the leader of the west?"

"I am not the leader of anything."

Nureha smiles.

Her pose of putting her index finger on her lips is cute like a young girl. She seems about the same age as Shiroe, but she can change the atmosphere with different actions using her same beautiful looks. She might seem like a bewitching lady, but you can see her pure and naive side too.

Shiroe feels her charm is terrifying.

Like a white flower blooming proudly in the darkness, a sweetness that can numb your senses.

This lady is the guild master of 'Plant Hwyaden' after all.

A renowned gigantic guild that remains a mystery, 'Plant Hwyaden'. The beauty at the top of the guild, 'Councillor of the west' Nureha.

The beginning of all this happened at the time Shiroe was plotting the formation of the round table council.

Shiroe back then was planning to revitalize and bring order to the chaotic Akiba with a depressed atmosphere after the 'Apocalypse'.

At the same time, the same thing is happening to the players in Minami, a city in the west. That is chaos, depression and deteriorating security. An a certain adventurer attempt to change this just like Shiroe.

This person is the defenseless beauty sitting in front of Shiroe, Nureha.

But Nureha's plan for the future and means of achieving it is totally different from Shiroe

Nureha approaches the Itsuki clan. Itsuki clan inherits the bloodline of the rulers of ancient Yamato, Westlande dynasty, ranking first among the clans in Yamato nobility society. Unlike the east which is ruled by the League of freedom cities Eastal, the Holy empire Westlande is ruled centrally by the Itsuki dukedom in Kyoto.

This governance applies only to people of the land, and has nothing to do with adventurers. The adventurers didn't care for the people of the land and their nobles even after the Apocalypse.

But Nureha is different. She approach and won the affection of the nobles and clan Itsuki. Although the means are unknown, but Nureha uses her charms to win over the people of the land, planting her poisonous seeds.

When Shiroe went towards Susukino, Minami's city guards have become Nureha's personal army, and she uses the wealth of the people of the land to purchase the cathedral zone.

A powerful army and control over life and death. With these 2 weapons, Nureha continues to stay behind the scene and plots calmly and adequately in secret. She founded 'Plant Hwyaden' and slowly gather supporters which reaches a colossal scale in no time. The members consist mainly of the elites players of the west.

One day, Nureha made an official announcement.

... All adventurers residing in Minami must join 'Plant Hwyaden'.

"Ruling the with a single guild, a city with no discrimination based on guilds."

This is the governance style proposed by Nureha.

"Pardon me for being blunt, but even if you leave running of the operations to Inticus, Kuina and Misuha, you are still the Councillor of the west."

"I didn't leave it to them all right? Everyone is just doing it the way they wants to. I didn't plan to bind everybody, just giving them the home to live in... And being protected by everyone. This is my only wish."

Her fluent speech is like the song of a siren, the sweet sound tempting men to listen forever.

"...Please tell me why you have come."

"You are so hasty Mr Shiroe."

"You were the one deceiving me in the first place."

"... Fufufu, I get it. Since Mr Shiroe says so, I will cooperate with you. Actually I..."

Nureha continues after being pushed by Shiroe.

"I came here to invite you. Mr Shiroe, please come to 'Plant Hwyaden', come to my side. I wish to work besides you, I want you to protect me."

"Why?"

"I mean it literally, I want you Mr Shiroe... It is embarrassing, but I have known about Mr Shiroe for a long time."

That is nothing surprising.

Both Shiroe and Nureha are enchanters. Enchanters is an unpopular class in Elder Tales, their numbers is only about half the average of the other classes.

When Elder Tales was just a game, the Japanese server has about 80,000 players, but as far as Shiroe knows, only 2,000 are level 90 enchanters.

In MMORPG, adventurers of the same class will take note of each other. What are their equipment? How are they building the character? How are you fighting? Since it is a game, the best research subjects for building your character and using techniques are players in similar positions. It may sound greedy, but you can learn more from players who are better than you.

This is a common perspective when playing a game.

The adventurers who joins major guild to find excellent gears after completing raids, as well as adventurers who research battle tactics only make up a small number. If you limit this to enchanters, the number is about a hundred. Since it is only a hundred, it is possible to know all their names.

Shiroe knows about all the high level enchanter in the server, so he is aware of Nureha.

Nureha is similar to Shiroe, an enchanter that chose not to join any guilds. Enchanters who take part in major raids despite not being in any large guilds are rarer than xibiao cat that is on the brink of extinction. They must have met 2 or 3 times before, an industry of 100 is small for a veteran player like Shiroe.

"I know what Mr Shiroe is thinking about, but that's not it. I didn't know about Mr Shiroe because you are an enchanter. And I didn't want to recruit you because of your enchanter class."

"So what is this about?"

Nureha did not look away.

She looks at Shiroe in dreamy eyes, as if she wants to inject something into him. She continues weaving her words that is as sharp as knives.


"Didn't you develop a new concept of magic in Sand Leaf? I don't know the details, but it was modification magic on a grand scale... Mr Shiroe is special, so I knew you would do such great deeds."

"It's the same for you Miss Nureha right? I am ignorant of the specifics, but you managed to restart the inter-city transport gate, although its use is still limited."

In the basement where the air is so tense you can cut it with a knife, Shiroe and Nureha stare at each other.

Shiroe didn't think news of his contractual magic would leak, but he managed to get new techniques of the west as well. Shiroe reply with his sharp words, glaring at Nureha.

"Mr Shiroe is special indeed, you know everything... Just knowing that everything I hid behind the scenes has been seen through by you makes my cheeks burning hot."

"No need for formalities... The one who instructed the classification of all information from the west was you wasn't it?"

'Plant Hwyaden' is a strictly controlled singular guild, divided into many detailed department and is tightly organized.

Shiroe understands the policy Nureha is pushing.

Wiping out the discrimination big guilds have towards small ones, recovering the security in Minami, uniting them and coordinating their efforts to return home. Using a well organized singular guild is the most effective way of achieving their goal, that's the truth behind the governance of Minami and Shiroe agrees that it has its strong points.

'Plant hwyaden' which was founded with this righteous goal in mind, becoming a highly united and easy to control organization.

And so they are very united against outsiders and is a group that will not leak intelligence easily.

The round table council uses the liberal self governance of the guilds, so they need to be open about the topics of their conference. Disclosure of information is the basis of the council, so outsiders will be able to see their movements and trend in open view.

On the other hand, the one guild governance of 'Plant hwyaden' is operated by the central executive committee, no other person will know the real situation of the central committee. Shiroe is one of the few very information savvy person in Akiba, but 'Plant hwyaden' is like a face in the fog to him. Even more so for the adventurers in Akiba, they only know it is a strange place dominated by a single guild.

Shiroe's purpose of meeting with Oshima was to find out news about Minami and to fetch some items.

"No, I already said it right? I adopted a free reign policy. Sealing off the spread on information was a decision made by Misuha."

"So the satuated attack on the administrative powers of the Round table in Akiba was the same?"

"That's right. That's the shallow thinking of the house of lords and Mavis going out of control"

Shiroe don't believe this, even if she didn't came up with it, she did nothing to stop it. When Shiroe is about to speak, Nureha put a finger to his lips as if to disrupt him.

Shiroe brush off Nureha's hand. He didn't notice Nureha getting so close.

"I came here to invite Mr Shiroe. Are you willing to come to my side?"

"Tell this kind of wish to Soujiro, this is not my area of expertise."

"Mr Soujiro..."

Nureha shows a faint look of danger, but it was replaced with a troubled expression the next moment.

"Compared to Mr Soujiro, I want Mr Shiroe more; compared to Mr Soujiro, I think Mr Shiroe is more special. I came all the way to this city just to invite Mr Shiroe, to beg for Mr Shiroe's companionship."

Her speech makes Shiroe's vision go white.

Shiroe is unable to feel any sincerity from the woman in front of him.

Shiroe can feel from his instinct that this lady is sculpted from lies and sins. But even though he understands, this temptation still makes him dizzy. Shiroe feels his immunity towards women is too low.

(No one has said I was more special than Soujiro before... how shameful.)

"Can't you...?"

"Because this is not the truth."

"I see..."

Nureha gaze downwards and replies softly.

The feelings of being entwined fades away from Shiroe, replaced by a fragile and brittle feeling.

"Then, if I tell you the truth, will you be willing to come to me?"

"I need to hear it before judging."

"The truth is nothing fantastic right?"

Nureha maintains her fragile expression like old earthenware, letting out a hoarse laugh.

"...All right. Because you are Mr Shiroe, because you are special, because you are unique, I need to display the appropriate determination. Yes, I understand, because I have been waiting for this all this while..."

Nureha continues like chanting a curse.

"Mr Shiroe, I... am an ugly girl."

"Ah...?"

"I am honored to surprise you. Anyway, my eyes are scarily big, petite in size and has no figure... an ugly child who only knows how to look around greedily."

It is only natural for Shiroe to be surprised. The beauty in front of him has overly strong eyes, but she has a face anyone will describe as alluring.

But the topic is going in a direction Shiroe did not expect.

"I was really skinny in elementary school. Not only my ribs, even the bones in my limbs were visible. My hair was a mess, my clothes were full of stains, I was closer to a dirty girl than an ugly girl."

"I grew taller in middle school, but my weight did not increase, I am still skinny to the bone. I think I am a disgusting girl who looks at her surrounding from behind my fringe."

"I remember starting to change from my 2nd year of middle school. Because of some reasons, I gain some financial support and starts to have proper meals. Although my body didn't get used to it in the beginning, my body weight still increase gradually... but I am still skinny and frail. Just improving from a disgusting body with visible bones to a skinny body."

This...

Is this some sort of child abuse? Shiroe thought.

Also, he is doubting the truth behind her words.

Even though Nureha announce she will say the truth from now on, Shiroe remains skeptical. Because Oshima is not here. Nureha somehow found out from Oshima about his meeting with Shiroe and came here before him, this fact remains unchanged.

Even if this lady is speaking in such a demure tone, she is still the guild master of the only guild ruling Minami.

But Shiroe won't believe her if she says these are all lies. If liars can only lie, they would've on the same level as honest people.

Liars might tell the truth sometimes.

"I learned how to groom myself, but I'm still a pathetic woman you can see on the streets anywhere. My flat chest, skinny limbs and plain face, only my eyes are unnecessarily big. The comment I hear most often is 'girl who brings misfortune'. Fufufu, probably not only my appearance, it can't be helped if some parts inside me... But even so, there are still who have demands from me just because I am young and a middle school girl. I won't give the excuse that it was necessary for survival. I was happy someone praised me and became arrogant."

A blunt sense of unhappiness wash over Shiroe because of the contents of her words.

This is the truth?

If it is so, he is unhappy such things happened near him.

This is a lie?

If it is so, he is not happy a woman say such things intentionally to him.

"Mr Shiroe?"

When he snap out of his thoughts, Nureha's eyes were so close it make him jump. Nureha look into Shiroe's eyes and smile dimly.

"See, wasn't that boring? In the end, this world is not reality. This body and the skills it possess are all an illusion. In this world, reality has no value at all. Mr Shiroe, I will be your lover if you are willing to come to my side. Are you unwilling? I have this body now, the body everyone praised to be warm and pure. Are you unwilling to accept a girl like me?"

Shiroe taste salt in his mouth before he realise he is biting his lips.

His temperature rises and his cheeks are burning hot.

Her white cleavage showing through her dark dress; Her alluring fingers that is moving gently; Her flighty expression; Her voice that seems to melt away; The poison cake so fragrant you want to take a bite anyway.

My unappealing body won't be able to please men, so I have practiced hard... I am good at lying. If Mr Shiroe don't mind the lies, I will be able to convince you. That's right, until you are satisfied. Be it sunset or sunrise, I will be by your side till the end of the world."

"Why?"

"...Do I need a reason?"

"You need to convince me this is the truth, or else there is no point!"

"I already told you to just accept these lies... Everything is made up anyway."

Her peach pink lips injects sweet honeyed words into Shiroe. Shiroe can see the pleading and playful mysterious smile of Nureha and her gently wagging tail.

"... It's all made up?"

"Yup, it's all made up, a work of fiction... It's the experience of my friend's sister... That lady came into contact with Elder Tales one day. This form of entertainment is far off from the world she lives in. But even so, she grows addicted to it. Do you know why?"

Shiroe don't know.

He is unable to answer.

Because she can get the ideal body in this game. This way she will be protected, wooed, given gifts and receive the happiness she can only wish for. She obtain a beautiful face and alluring body in this world but... It is just a game so isn't it laughable to act this way?" Shiroe's tongue is stuck in his mouth, Nureha continues.

"She... Don't have luck with men. Even with her heavenly looks and figure, she still didn't get what she wanted, because this is a MMO. You will be treated kindly and warmly if you are a girl, but she still didn't get what she hope for. The man she is after, the man she desires ignores her for unknown reasons. Why? Some girls look plainer than her but are more popular. They are loved by others just because they are cheerful and naive. There are such girls out there."

Nureha's eyes are like dark pits, devouring Shiroe.

"Don't look at the way I am now, I put in a lot of effort okay... I learned graceful demeanours and words in order to please men, researching which actions will attract guys spending lots of time on my hair and clothes. It might sound ridiculous, but I even doll up for offline meetings. That was so shameful fufufu... But I failed anyway... No, don't look so sad, my effort wasn't in vain. Thanks to these skills, I can serve Mr Shiroe properly... Sounds good right?"

This is a sweet, fragrant, pleasing to the ears and beautiful temptation... But the words are rotten. Shiroe is confused by these symptoms.

Even though Nureha's invitation is twisted in some ways, it still has a dazzling charm to it, magical enough to captivate Shiroe's soul.

"But she... One day when she fell into the abyss of despair, someone said this to her. 'You are strong' ' even though you play solo, you have my respect'... Another enchanter told her this. How about it Mr Shiroe? Is this work of fiction acceptable to you?"

"Is this..."

Is this true? Shiroe can't bring himself to say it. Shiroe don't remember saying this, and can't conclude whether she is lying. Although he only recall after meeting her again, Shiroe and Nureha partied together several times in the past.

With his fame he built up in the tea party, Shiroe fought in many major raids as reinforcement from outside the guild. It should be the same with Nureha. Enchanters are not necessary in normal adventures, but in the long battles of major raids, their MP recovery abilities are very useful.

Shiroe is unable to say for certain he did not utter these words on the past.

Assuming he did said them, he probably didn't do so out of ill will. It is not Shiroe nature to do such things to get on the good side of women, and he is not skilled at this anyway. Because of this, he could have mentioned his true feelings without much thought.

Shiroe is unable to question her about the legitimacy of this.

He thinks forgetting is a form of cruel betrayal.

"Mr Shiroe, please come to my side. I will prepare a position for Mr Shiroe in 'Plant hwyaden'. I have already prepared the title of 'Royal secretary' in the Itsuki family to be bestowed on Mr Shiroe. The Itsuki clan listens to all my bidding anyway... Mr Shiroe already has made some headway already right? Regarding this drastic change and a way back into our old world."

Her words made Shiroe gasps.

"Ah ah, an reaction... Mr Shiroe is a special person indeed. I know too... I know a way back."

There is no way to tell just how much Nureha have seen through Shiroe as she lick her red lips after saying this. Shiroe averts his eyes from her tempting movements, making her laugh cheekily like a teenage girl.

"I discovered a way to return to our old world."

"It's still too early to prove it as a mean to return... Since there are no evidence, it is just deleting the body from this world."

"If Mr Shiroe is willing to help, we can avoid such uncertain results right."

To be honest, Shiroe almost agreed to join Nureha at this point.

Not because of the temptation from Nureha.

Shiroe is interested in the skills Nureha has gained. Staying in the west dominated by Nureha will open up more information channels than staying in Akiba. Be it gathering data or developing new techniques, it will be much easier to get the things he wants using the influence of Nureha's colossal guild. Considering the goal of returning to the old world, this is the most efficient path. It can be described as the best path to take for the good of all adventurers.

No, this theory is just an excuse.

The terms Nureha offered are too good.

This is not referring to Nureha's beauty and body. But the one who calls Shiroe special make him awaken the loneliness in his heart that he has forgotten about. Shiroe's is weak in declining the request of others, which cause Shiroe to visit many guilds and get hurt in the process.

It is obvious that Nureha is crazy and dangerous. But that is the reason why Shiroe almost give in to her invitation. No matter how true her words are, could Shiroe be the only mine who can stop her? It is a dangerous sensation, a sweet temptation eating at Shiroe's heart.

Shiroe felt obligated.

Even though he is not the cause of this, the feeling of guilt churns like a torrent in his heart. It is an emotion that stems from his sense of responsibility, a feeling of guilt despite not being guilty. The worse thing is Nureha understands this point.


"...In the end, Shiroe is not being rationale right?"

"Rationale?"

Shiroe answers the feverish Nureha who only has Shiroe in her eyes.

"Yes, rationale. Mr Shiroe... is an irrational person right? You do not have any reason to side with Akiba, and no cause to side with the people of the land correct? It is just a vague sense of ethics right? No, it doesn't matter, this has nothing to do with my desire to be with get Mr Shiroe, but I think Mr Shiroe will feel bad about this, so..."

Nureha move her lips so close to Shiroe's ears that it is almost touching, a distance where you can feel each other's body warmth.

"Please use me, Nureha, as the excuse for Mr Shiroe. Please use me as your reason... This way, Mr Shiroe will be able to release your full potential right? You can get rid of limitations and boundaries, allowing you to use your intellect to the fullest correct? I only wish for Mr Shiroe, so Mr Shiroe can use Nureha as the reason, as the excuse, and do anything you want with me okay?"

The decisive words of temptation marks the point they goes their separate ways.

Being able to use his intellect to it's limit is a very tempting deal for Shiroe. He wakes up one day to find himself in an alternate world, caught in the deteriorating security and conflicts, making through horrifying and dangerous crisis. After going through this, Shiroe's desire to wield his power is as strong as his wish to kiss the beauty in front of him.

It is not Shiroe's fault they fell into this alternate world.

Wanting to blame the world is what all adventurers invited into this world wants to scream from their very soul. They want to know the reason for this and a purpose for them to fight for. It is the same for all adventurers, their soul must be burning with anger at this unreasonable reality.

Nureha is correct.

And it is tempting because she is right.

But Shiroe is unable to use reasons as an excuse. This will definitely diminish the fruits of all their actions so far.

The touching fingertips, grateful smile, the banquet that last until dawn, the dessert that comes from both ends, going on an adventure on the vast plains with everyone... all this will be diminished.

If he likes Nureha even a little bit, or feel an emotion that is close to love, Shiroe will never use her as an excuse.

Because he has Log Horizon now, Shiroe is able to assert this with conviction.

"Ah..."

Nureha looks at Shiroe who pushed her away, her fox ears squirming confusly on top of her black hair.

"I have decided to treat all of your works of fiction as the truth... but I can't go with you."

Nureha is rooted to the ground, looking at Shiroe unwilling to give him up. She seems to be pleading even after the rejection and ask with trembling lips: "Why?"


"Instead of being your companion, it is better to stay your enemy, your wish would more likely be fulfilled this way."

Shiroe looks at Nureha with his own will for the first time, speaking each sentence clearly as if to confirm his own conviction. His words stabs Nureha's heart like a sword. Shiroe can feel her pain as he touches Nureha's cool face.


"I decided to continue being your enemy, so you can find a reason in the future."


Shiroe's words became the invisible chains that connects Nureha and Shiroe together.

This chain will guide Akiba and Minami to the 'Sky labyrinth of Inburiumu' and onward to the 'Sea of Nectar'.


Book 5 end