Pandora of Fantasy And Reality Chapter 97

True Feeling

Inside an old-fashioned café at the Capital of Diligence.

There were things like power pole or electric line outside, which gave the impression of similarity to the modern era.

A song with cracky sound could be heard from the radio inside the café. It was bringing about a retro atmosphere inside there.

In the perspective of Ponsuke and others, this café looked like it  was from a very ancient time――which could also be called as classic.

Ashtray was placed in all the tables of that café.

It must be to reproduce the era where people didn’t consider anything like separating the smoking and non-smoking areas.

Anri finished talking about what happened in her agency and laughed thinly.

「I’m really an idiot. When I went through the talent examination, I  was told that even though it’s not at problematic level, it would be  impossible for me to get high grade in education. After that my parents  and everyone around me always said 『You’re stupid after all』 to me.」

Anri was fixated with becoming a model because that was where she got recognized as a person for the first time.

「I also have little brother and sister but, the two of them are made  different from me and I always get compared with them. Then I got  scouted and allowed to work part-time as model……I thought that finally  even I have something that I can do my best in.」

To learn that they had talent was something that those who had it would feel grateful about.

It was fortunate if someone had talent that could be useful for the path that they wanted to take.

However, there were also cases where people got demanded to pick a path that they didn’t like.

People who didn’t have talent just like Anri were the same as having to give up their life.

Ponsuke remembered at this time that this was a world where people  got sorted into the winner group and the loser group even since their  birth.

(In game you can manage somehow if you work hard by raising your level or skill but, the reality doesn’t work like that.)

He had been having fun that he forgot.

He wanted to forget it.

Alfie was about to say something to console Anri, but Mariela stopped her.

「What?」

Mariela spoke to the displeased Alfie.

「You have only known success until now right? It would just feel  irritating to be consoled by someone like you in this kind of  situation.」

Alfie stood up.

「What do you mean by that!? It doesn’t matter whether you have talent  or not, there’ll be always things that you need to make up with hard  work. In fact, there are also those who compensate for their lack of  talent with effort――」

Mariela snorted.

「That’s only because they have the talent to make do somehow in the  first place right? Even I know about that story. I had read the book  many times. That person who took the exam went to a really good school  but, from the start he was someone at the level that can go to good  school.」

Alfie talked back at Mariela.

「Even so it was still the result of hard work! There’s nothing impossible――」

Anri laughed.

「Can you say the same thing even after knowing my level? I’m not at  average level. I’m two or three steps below average. Effort? That’s  stupid! I thought I would give it a try! I tried to prove that even I  can do it if I work hard!」

Ponsuke tried to calm Anri down, but Anri didn’t stop.

「It was when I was in elementary school. I worked hard and got 100 in  my test! And do you know what my parents and the people around me told  me that time!?」

Alfie felt pressured by Anri, even so……

「Y-you really worked hard, or something.」

「――Wrong. They just decided that I must be cheating and scolded me.  After that not only they thought of me as an idiot, they even treated me  like a cheater.」

Talent over everything else.

It wasn’t just the talent owner, but also the society, the surrounding people, and also the parents who held such view.

Ponsuke could still be considered as blessed.

「I’m good with sports. My record is also good. But, it’s not at the  level that I can use to earn money. Art? Normal. It’s so normal it’s  laughable. ……What should someone like me work hard in huh? Don’t just  say I should work hard like it’s so easy.」

Alfie was blessed.

Ponsuke understood that very well because he knew her in real life.

Parentage, talent, look……Alfie had everything.

Even though there was some problem with her personality, Ponsuke thought that it wouldn’t become any problem.

Mariela might be feeling the same. She was criticizing Alfie.

「In the end see……you are blessed, so you don’t get it. Don’t talk  like you know anything when you have never need to give up anything.」

Alfie looked down. Ponsuke stood up.

「Everyone, let’s stop here. For now――」

Alfie leaped at Mariela.

She grabbed her collar, pushed her down from her chain, and mounted her up.

「L-let go!」

Mariela struggled, but Alfie brought her face close to her.

「I never had to give up anything? I’m blessed? Don’t screw around. I  almost never got any time to play around. My schedule is packed from  morning until night, I also have no freedom like you guys. I’ve never  even get a chance to have a dream from the start! Even while you’re  working part time or enjoying your youth, I can’t do anything else other  than what have been decided for me.」

From where Alfie was standing, she had been putting in a lot of hard work.

It was natural for her to feel angry when she got told that she wouldn’t understand because she was blessed.

In the end――it couldn’t be said that human could become happy because they knew what their talent was.

Even if they were blessed, or had to give up midway, or didn’t have any hope from the start, anyone would have dissatisfaction.

Mariela also talked back.

「Don’t act spoiled. You’re talking like you’re the only one who have worked hard. That’s the most――」

Ponsuke slammed his fist on the table.

Warning screens popped out inside the café. The gazes of the NPCs around gathered on them.

Ponsuke was radiating anger.

「……I said stop.」

Alfie and Mariela averted their gazes from the angry Ponsuke while letting go of each other.

Anri too was trembling seeing Ponsuke getting seriously angry.

The figure of a giant――a male with height over two meter and brawny  muscles all over his body would inspire fear if such figure was in real  life.

A mail from Sololy arrived while the atmosphere was turning awkward.

It reported that he succeeded in coming into contact with the player who was using Anri avatar.

It seemed that Sololy had booked a reservation, so it would save them time from searching the player.

「……Let’s login at 10 PM in real world time. I don’t have any more time so I’ll logout now.」

Anri looked down.

「Aren’t you listeing? It’s already pointless――」

「Never mind that. Just come. Come no matter what.」

◇

The clock showed it was 6 AM when he woke up.

Akito muttered 「I’ve done it now」.

Today was a day off and he had no part-time work.

He was grateful that he wouldn’t need to run into Yakumo or Maya, but  it would also be problematic if they didn’t clear up the awkwardness  soon.

It would affect their real world life.

「Everyone have their own discontent huh.」

He realized such thing once more which should be obvious, but  somewhere inside he was thinking that other people were more blessed  than him.

「I wonder who it was? The person in the past who said that a society  where everyone can be happy will come if only it’s possible what kind of  talent you have.」

A world where human didn’t need to do pointless effort had come.

Parents placed their expectation on their children, saying that they didn’t need to do anything pointless in their life.

But, the result of human knowing their talent was that they also learned their limit.

「……What to do?」

The atmosphere within his group had worsened.

It was then.

Akito looked toward the large business use VR machine inside his room.

「……Is that thing, still effective? No, even before that」

If he had an ideal self that he wanted to become, wasn’t it a good  thing to make it come true? Akito held such thought in his head while  taking off his headset and got up.

◇

Anri was there when he logged in at 10 PM of real world time.

The atmosphere of the Capital of Diligence felt completely different.

The players looked somewhat atrocious.

There were a lot of avatars with flashy weapon, flashy armor, and tattoo.

The atmosphere was really different.

Anri looked listless.

He met up with her and headed toward the place that was mentioned in Sololy’s message.

Anri was walking behind Ponsuke.

「……It’s pointless doing this now.」

But, Ponsuke said.

「It has meaning. You will get it after you punch that player.」

He had prepared some paid items to be given to that player.

After all they couldn’t just come with empty hands.

They arrived at the designated street and saw some other players walking through the same alley.

「Who are you going to do today?」

「What about the new girl?」

「That one is no good. Her service is bad.」

「They should be at least as diligent as Anri.」

Anri twitched when her name was mentioned. Her feet stopped walking.

Ponsuke checked his status screen. There were noises running through it.

It was the proof that they were near the player area.

「This way.」

He forcefully pulled Anri’s hand into a red-light district that was created and enjoyed by a lot of players.

The players there were enjoying various things like alcohol or tobacco. Smokes were enveloping the place mysteriously.

Ponsuke and Anri grimaced as they walked toward the designated place. They arrived in front of a store.

The shop assistant’s avatar saw the two of them and raised his hand to stop them.

「Do you have reservation?」

Ponsuke spoke the number of his reservation.

But, the shop assistant made a troubled expression.

「This is a problem. I wasn’t told that two people are coming. You should mention something like this beforehand――」

Ponsuke quietly held up the paid items to the shop assistant. They  were materials with very expensive price. The shop assistant changed his  attitude when he saw that.

「Please be careful next time!」

He handed the paid items to the staff as the fee.

Those items had the value of several thousand yens if converted into real money.

Ponsuke couldn’t judge whether that was cheap or expensive.

They also asked several questions to the staff. The staff nodded even while feeling bewildered.

He guided the two of them to a room where a blue haired Anri was waiting.

The player’s name was [Hotaru].

She didn’t seem surprised. Perhaps she had been told beforehand that two people would be coming.

Hotaru was putting on a lovely smile, her eyes became slightly troubled when she saw Ponsuke.

(Well, it can’t be helped seeing an orc appear like this.)

「I’m Hotaru! Please take care of me today.」

She twisted her body cutely while poking her cheeks with her index fingers.

Even her voice data came directly from Anri.

Ponsuke thought that it couldn’t be helped there was a news about it with how similar the avatar was.

「We want to have a little talk with you today.」

Ponsuke broached the topic. Hotar tilted her head with a troubled expression.

「Ee~, are you perhaps a scout? Or do you want to invite me out of the store? Even if you suddenly……eh?」

Hotaru became surprised.

A screen for duel proposition popped out in front of her.

It came from Anri.

She pulled down the hood that she was wearing and glared at the avatar that looked exactly like her.

「……As I thought, I change my mind. I’ll beat you up with my own hands.」

Hotaru panicked and contacted outside, but the fee had already gotten paid so she only got told to accept the duel.

Hotaru was bewildered.

「P-please wait a second. I, don’t have that kind of hobby should I say~. I can satisfy you with a more interesting service.」

Anri grabbed Hotaru’s hair when she saw the avatar’s fake smile.

「Enough prattling and just accept it already. We already checked with  the staff. He told us we can do as we like as long as the no death rule  is in effect.」

Hotaru broke into cold sweat while accepting the duel request.

Then a field appeared around them.

Nobody else could interfere with them as long as the field was there. Then Anri planted her fist onto Hotaru’s face.

She mounted Hotaru and rained down her punch. Even Ponsuke got scared seeing such sight.

「It’s your fault that I――Iiiiiiiii!!」

Hotaru whose level wasn’t that high immediately ran out of HP. And  then the two were forcefully separated from each other because the match  had been decided.

Anri’s shoulders were heaving.

Hotaru who had gotten beaten up was pressing her hands on her face while laughing.

「Aa~aa, my face is swollen.」

Her voice sounded like Anri but with the tone of a male.

「Even though I earned a lot with this avatar. What? Are you someone  who hold grudge to Anri IRL? Then good for you. I’ll change avatar soon  because its popularity is dropping. You must be satisfied now.」

Anri was opening her mouth, but Ponsuke stopped her from speaking.

He tossed the rest of the paid items.

「Our business here is finished. We’re going back.」

Hotaru seemed to have used healing magic. Her swollen up face returned back to normal.

「Mighty generous of you. I’ll give you plenty of service next time so come again.」

Anri yelled angrily.

「Who will ever come here again, you shitty bastard!」

Hotaru kept laughing the whole time.

.

.

.

Ponsuke and Anri moved from the Capital of Diligence to the Capital of Hope.

They entered the shrine and found a lot of players inside.

Anri didn’t understand why they were coming to this place.

But, he felt like that her expression looked refreshed now.

「What? The church? I hope you aren’t going to confess to me here.」

It seemed that she had regained her cheer. She could at least joke around now.

(It’s good if she’s cheered up now.)

Ponsuke spoke to Anri.

「It’s just a game. It doesn’t have any worth at all in the end. A lot of people like to say that.」

「What? I don’t get what you are talking about.」

When Ponsuke started talking, Anri immediately remarked that he  didn’t make sense. It made Ponsuke wanted to hold his head in his hands.

That was why he immediately got to the point.

「Your avatar right now is set for clearing. We made it without even asking Anri-san’s opinion.」

It couldn’t be helped.

Anri didn’t know anything about game. She completely left it to  Ponsuke and others about her character setting. But, she had at least  learned the basic after playing this long.

「So? I’m not planning to play game any――」

「Continue it. You’ll be able to become the you that you want to be.」

Anri was dumbfounded hearing what Ponsuke said. Then she started  laughing. The surrounding players sent glances at the laughing Anri and  jeered at her.

「What’s that? You aren’t making sense.」

Ponsuke’s face reddened.

「I’m saying that you can at least become your ideal self at least inside game.」

Anri stopped laughing and pressed her hand on her face.

Her expression was covered up. She was also wearing her hood so that nobody could look at her.

「……I, don’t want to get called stupid.」

「I recommend magician or monk for a clever type job. If you’re using spear then perhaps you can just become monk from there.」

Bird girl received positive correction when using spear and the like.

「If you don’t like that then you can change species.」

Anri seemed to be crying. Her hand was wiping her tears.

「No need for that. I like this one.」

「I-I see.」

Ponsuke couldn’t find any word to say.

But, Anri immediately walked toward the facility to reset level.

Her not logging out meant that she was planning to continue playing the game.

「I’ll come back right away so don’t disappear on me.」

Ponsuke nodded.

◇

At the agency where Anri worked before.

The man who made fun of Anri and a woman who was in charge of Anri was walking through a corridor.

The woman sighed.

「Troublesome. If that girl get told by the people around her to talk  to a lawyer, she will really do it. That girl has a real drive after  all.」

The man didn’t talk much.

「Right.」

The woman continued.

「Is this alright? Anri might be able to become our top earner you  know? And even if we want to wash our hands off her, isn’t this way too  forceful?」

They understood that it would be problematic if they got sued.

But, Anri wouldn’t be able to enter the entertainment industry even if she did such thing.

The people in the industry would be wary of her as someone who would immediately sue if something happened.

It would be a different matter if she had more popularity, but she was just an amateur who still hadn’t her debut.

Anri’s junior came to greet the two.

「Good morning! Are you two going to a meeting after this?」

The man smiled to the girl.

(This girl is really sly isn’t she? Well, perhaps she understand that  she won’t be able to survive if she isn’t at least like that.)

Anri’s junior was excellent in paying attention to her surrounding  and her shrewdness. She would do anything if it was for the sake of  making herself popular.

Just like how Anri was using the proper methods to seek recognition,  her junior too was giving it her all using every kind of method.

The woman nodded.

「That’s right. It’s an important meeting but, your debut is mostly a sure thing already so you can rest assured.」

Anri’s junior was making a worried look.

「Even so my heart is still pounding you know~. I’m worried~」

The man smiled while underneath he was thinking.

(I’m amazed you can say that after kicking down Anri. Even though you  debut is guaranteed already……well, this is exactly why we can make you  debut without hesitation though.)

Anri had her charm.

It was to a degree that the big shots would call out to her if her debut was decided.

Surely the earnest Anri would be torn between her ideal and reality.

Even so she would force herself to work hard even then. The man knew that.

(She’s an earnest and kind kid. That’s why, it’s better if she doesn’t live in this kind of world.)

If it was this girl before him, she would surely have no trouble  getting the big shots to like her. She would definitely give it her best  to make them pleased.

「Now then, let’s go. Look forward to the meeting’s result.」

Anri’s junior waved her hand energetically.

「I’ll be waiting for the good news~」

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