The shooting range exclusive to the T-party, considering how many times I’ve visited this place called Trinity… well, it’s definitely in my top ten.
Even though the frequency dropped after preparing for idol activities and starting them, I still made sure to stop by whenever it crossed my mind.
And the second person I encountered the most at this shooting range was Azusa, and the first was…
Thud! Thud-thud!
“Hey. Isn’t that welcome greeting a bit too vigorous today, Saori-chan?”
“…”
Naturally, it was Jomae Saori, the leader of the Arius Squad.
I casually brushed off Saori’s somewhat violent welcome and looked around, but I couldn’t find her anywhere. The lights were all off, making it pitch dark.
This place, modified to be more suitable for combat training than an actual shooting range, had cover set up everywhere. It really was meant for that purpose.
Saori, Nana, and I shared the same sentiment of not feeling the need for static shooting training… well, it was something that definitely needed to be done.
In the meantime, Saori even offered to cover the costs for the modifications and maintenance with money she earned on the service market, but of course, I refused. After all, it would be strange to accept when she isn’t using her own money.
By the way, it seems our Saori is particularly in the mood for tag today. They say she dolled herself up, but why is she welcoming me with bullets instead of a cute greeting?
I wanted to hug her with this beautiful dress intact… but, if it gets ruined, I’d surely find something to replace it anyway.
Thud thud thud!
That’s coming from the right rear.
“If my Saori-chan wants to play, I guess I should play along too, right? Okay!”
I had no firearms on me, but that was alright. In fact, it’s this monster-like body that’s giving rise to the terrifying reality that I don’t need a weapon.
With those light thoughts, I lightly tapped my toes on the floor and planted my feet firmly.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!!
At that moment, gunfire erupted to my left from directly in front of me. That was enough to make me feel uneasy.
Did they just move that far from where they were without me noticing?
There’s no way that’s possible. I checked behind the metal cover where I was originally going to look, and there was a semi-automatic turret installed. A turret designed to replicate the same firepower and shooting sound as Saori’s gun.
I’m sure the other covers are similar. Saori must be hiding somewhere in this place… or maybe she never hid behind the cover in the first place. It’s one of those.
But there are plenty of ways to counter this little prank. It might sound simple, but…
I pulled out my cellphone and scrolled through my contacts. There was a lot of unnecessary clutter, but I quickly found Saori among my favorites… and without hesitation, I dialed her number.
Then, from a distance, I heard a fairly otaku-sounding ringtone…
There was no doubt that it was the debut song of Blooming Buds. Wow, it’s even my part… Is this some sort of cringe play?
I could easily picture Saori hurriedly rejecting the call from over there. It was the moment when her usual cool and charismatic face revealed the domleg behind it.
“Ahaha. So you’re over there, Sa-chan☆”
The ringtone quickly stopped, and there were no further sounds, but now that I had identified her direction, it was just a matter of catching her…
While I was thinking the same thing, a barrage of bullets came showering down on me.
Well, it wasn’t like Saori would let herself be caught that easily.
However, no matter how much time passed, it was merely stalling, and I’m sure it was only a matter of time before I caught Saori.
To think that on a day like today, where I’m feeling so good, I’d be summoned for a silly chase like this. I should definitely give her a proper reckoning!
*
Saori is strong. This isn’t just talk; there’s no way the Saori who eats well and trains hard at Trinity can be the same as the Saori from the Arius days. That’s a given.
Realistically, there’s no way I could win in a fight if we faced off, given that our innate physiques are different. Objectively speaking, I’d say she’s grown to a power level comparable to Wakamo?
So, if you consider Wakamo, Saori, and add Azusa to the mix, we’re talking about the strength of roughly ten FOX squad members…
Hmm, maybe that’s a bit much for Yukino?
Anyway. Even though there was distance, it wasn’t long before I caught up. Saori could dodge and evade by using the covers, but that wasn’t going to work against me.
Crash—!!
It’s clear why: the covers get knocked away if I ram them with my body.
Finally, when I blew away the fourth cover, I found myself face to face with Saori. The moment the cover ripped away, a grimacing Saori flew toward me, her white fabric fluttering. And when I saw that, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Our Saori put on makeup? Despite giving her cosmetics as gifts, she’d never shown me her made-up face even once!
And the flower decorations adorning her hair, plus the fact that today her hairstyle was the same high ponytail as mine…
And what was up with that flowing white dress that seemed like it would come undone at a mere tug? How scandalous! It’s too tempting! This is insane…
Whoosh—
In the moment my eyes were distracted, Saori’s fist came darting toward my face. I tried to raise my arms to block it and even catch her, but could it be that the number of times we’ve sparred isn’t for naught? Saori naturally withdrew her fist and dove right in front of me.
Because I was flustered by her utterly unexpected appearance, my reaction was slower, and I tripped, falling backwards…
Whaam!
I found myself spinning mid-air, still held by Saori.
It all happened in the blink of an eye. When I opened my eyes, I saw Saori looking down at me with a chic smile.
As I was hanging precariously on the edge of touching the ground, relying on her arm, she casually remarked, “Isn’t this a lot gentler than when you slammed me to the floor the first time we met?”
“Wow, could it be that you were holding onto that all this time? Sa-chan, how petty…”
“…Wait a sec. Why are you suddenly calling me that?”
“Ahaha! I dunno, why would I?”
By the way, about the dress Saori is wearing, the thigh slit is utterly ridiculous. The way she’s finished it off with a knife tucked into her garter belt gives it an oddly menacing yet alluring air that only someone like Saori or Wakamo could pull off.
And the hem of the dress trailing on the ground… hmm?
“Hey, Sa-chan.”
“Yeah?”
“…Oh, it’s nothing.”
Could it be that she’s unaware? That her dress happens to resemble that of that woman?
…She must know, right? Unless she prepared it all alone, it seems like she had help from others.
I just feel like, the beauty she radiates is something that mere monsters like Beatrice can’t even hope to compare to. Surely, she’s in another league altogether…
“Hmm. This is a bit bland. Still, it’s not terrible to score a win like this.”
“Um… Is it okay to count this as a victory?”
Even if Saori slammed me into the ground, the ensuing fight would be the kind of brawl based on my physical abilities, which she couldn’t handle with her skills. That would mean victory was already determined…
“Mika, I’m definitely successful in catching your attention.”
“…Ah, so it’s a win on that front?”
Realistically, in a 1v1, there’s no way Saori could beat me, so it seems she has resigned to that fact.
That said, she definitely caught my eye. Without a doubt, what I expected to see from Saori was not like this at all. It truly is evident that people can be changed with styling.
Hmm…
“Hey, Sa-chan. How long am I supposed to stay like this?”
“…Ah. I’m sorry.”
Hearing my words, Saori awkwardly smiled and set me straight. Truly, how cute… The fact that her usual cool expression transformed into that of a cold beauty, and her dress was so uncommonly feminine for her.
Now that I faced Saori properly, the similarities to Beatrice became all the more apparent. It was a slightly simpler design, but still, she wore opera gloves the same way and had a scarf tied into a bow at the back.
Moreover, the general shape of the dress was clearly designed to accentuate her waist and hip lines just like Beatrice, so it was impossible not to feel those similarities.
One thing that stands out, however, is that Saori is a hundred, a thousand… no, even comparing is an insult to just how beautiful she is.
“…Mika.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not sure where to start, so I’ll just speak what’s on my mind. You’ve probably heard countless times that you’re the savior of our Squad, the Arius. But to me, you are more than that.”
Saori placed her hand on my back. Looking into her eyes, which today stood out more due to her attire and makeup, I saw her light blue eyes that always held a frigid chill. Yet, they had completely melted away, now filled with the warmth of spring.
“I’m not just saying you’re the savior of my life. Everything is meaningless, and death comes inevitably. All I wished for was that I wouldn’t meet a pointless death, and for that, sacrificing my life in place of a princess was quite a significant end.”
Saori gradually bowed her head.
“Everyone in the Squad has been family to me, but it took quite a long time to truly acknowledge that. The ones who supported me in that hellish place, who gave me the motivation to move forward while I screamed that everything was meaningless, were my family. So you, to me, are an existence beyond comparison.”
Was it the height difference? As I closed the gap, it felt as if a millennium had passed.
“No, not just me. You’re special to all of us. Atsuko said she would embrace us all… The Squad is one, but today, I want to talk about you, not as family.”
Saori’s eyes closed.
“As Jomae Saori, not as the leader of the Arius Squad, I wish to dedicate my life to you… to become your subordinate. If you don’t push me away, I’ll take that as your agreement.”
In a slower motion than her, I took the initiative to close the distance between us.
