Chapter 457: Recognize Yourself in Them!

On the Virtual World's Continent of Time.

The moment Sonya opened her eyes, she eagerly turned her head. "Tonight I—"

She shut her mouth almost as quickly as she had opened it.

The Watcher was sitting in the back seat with the Witch on top of him. The two of them were practically hugging.

"Huh? How did it turn out like this again? Watcher, Sister White asked me to check whether you are doing this on purpose."

"It's definitely a teleportation error! Probably because we're all squeezing through the Gate of Truth together. If you don't believe me, ask the Swordswoman! This never happened when I was with her in the Sea of Knowledge!"

The Witch turned to Sonya. "Is that true, Swordswoman?"

Sonya replied, "Witch, can you get off him first?"

"Oh, right!"

Lately, this had been happening whenever they entered the Virtual World. The Watcher and the Witch would practically end up tangled together. Sometimes she hugged him from the side, and sometimes she lay across his lap. There were all kinds of ridiculous positions.

Frankly, Sonya could understand it. When three sorcerers teleported into the Virtual World together, it was only natural that minor errors would occur from time to time. In that light, two people ending up in each other's arms didn't even seem that strange. The true problem was... Why am I always the one standing off to the side watching? If it's an error, shouldn't there be an equal chance it could happen to everyone?

Ashe sat back in the front seat and asked, "By the way, Swordswoman, what were you about to say? If I remember correctly, you were supposed to have the Meteor Calamity match tonight."

"Mmhmm," Sonya nodded, suddenly feeling a bit uninterested. "I won the quarterfinals. My last opponent tried to clash Miracles with me, but it seemed he only had half of his Gold Wing condensed."

The Witch chuckled. "So you were basically bullying him, weren't you?"

Thanks to the sports car and the various absorption boosts from the Alchemical Throne, the trio was close to fully condensing their Gold Wings. On top of that, they possessed the Golden Fish Secret Poison, which allowed them to convert Silver Mana into Gold. Their energy reserves were already far greater than those of ordinary sorcerers.

Ashe flipped through the operator menu. "Witch, when did you get the Golden Fish Secret Poison? Was it today?"

Dia nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! A lot happened today, and I suddenly believed that you really did see the Golden Fish. Oh, right! Swordswoman, can you teach me how to flirt with men?"

The Claw-Stretching Club President blinked, meeting Dia's sincere gaze. "Can't you ask your sisters?"

"They just think differently, but we all share the same knowledge. Whatever I know, they know too, and vice versa. Black told me that you look like someone really good at playing men, so I should learn from you!"

Sonya glanced at Ashe, then shook her head. "No, I've never even been in a relationship."

Ashe looked up at the golden rain flowing toward the sky. "Tonight's golden rain is even more dazzling than before. It reminds me of someone."

Sonya said, "Still, I can teach you a few moves for when you talk to him. They might help make a better impression. What kind of person is he?"

"(>▽<) Hmm~" Dia pondered. "Kind, handsome, responsible, funny, cheerful, gentle, considerate... loved by everyone..."

Sonya rolled her eyes. "I get it. In short, someone you're deeply in love with."

She pulled Dia closer and began whispering to her.

Originally, Sonya had wanted to show off her quarterfinal victory, but on second thought, she hadn't taken first place yet. The Meteor Calamity battle might have been her toughest fight so far, but they hadn't witnessed it. Words alone couldn't convey how brilliantly she had fought. Besides... the Watcher wouldn't praise her anyway.

As if noticing her gaze, Ashe added, "A few days ago, I had a little cake dipped in cream and honey. It was so sweet it melted my heart. It reminded me of someone."

Eat, eat, eat! That's all he ever thinks about!

After sharing a few flirting tips, Sonya looked at Dia's perked-up ahoge and couldn't help but smile. "You seem really happy today."

"I am!"

"Did something good happen?"

Dia blinked and shook her head. "Not exactly."

Sonya teased, "So the thing that makes you happy... is the person you like? The one you get to hug and kiss every day?"

"Hehe (≧▽≦)," Dia blushed and hugged Sonya, acting spoiled. "The one I hug and kiss every day is you, Swordswoman."

The Witch was indeed in a good mood. Because of the Assassination Rankings, Annan didn't dare let Pankey leave alone. After all, there were already precedents; Rogue and Heliphas had both been assassinated by agents of the Isa Imperial Family to fulfill the future recorded in the Woven Festival. If she insisted on letting Pankey act alone, Annan might end up seeing news of his death instead.

Since Pankey couldn't leave, there was naturally no reason for Lys to go either. In truth, aside from Ashe, no one else really cared whether she lived or died. Ashe had only casually suggested that Lys stay, and though Iger seemed to have objections, Annan immediately agreed.

What followed was simple. On the day of the operation, she would go with Ashe to the tower and rescue Nina. Once the Woven Festival ended, she would pass the Bronze Dragon's trial, regain her true body, and then... she would finally be able to be with Ashe.

Watching Dia's happiness practically radiating from every strand of her hair, Sonya couldn't help but feel her own mood lift.

Ashe, as if making conversation for the sake of it, spoke up, "I once saw a river filled with starlight, like the night sky flowing through water. It was brilliant and dreamlike, as if someone's forgotten dreams were drifting within it."

Sonya glanced at him curiously. Is the Watcher trying to join our conversation?

However, remembering what had happened earlier, she still wasn't in the mood to pay him much attention.

A moment later, the sports car pulled up in front of a mine entrance. Ashe said, "There's a horde of Fish-Slaying Dragons inside. And they're probably accompanied by a few Overlord-level Violent-Slashing Dragons. We'll need to lure them out first..."

"Leave it to me!"

Dia jumped out of the car eagerly, practically bursting to share the joy in her heart with the creatures. Like an excited child, she rushed straight into the curtain of rain.

The moment the Witch left, Sonya's warm expression vanished. She slowly stepped out of the car without so much as casting a glance at Ashe.

Ashe looked at her, utterly puzzled. "Why did your mood suddenly drop?" 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"None of your business."

"I already did what you asked, you know. You can't keep taking it out on me!"

The Claw-Stretching Club President shot him a sideways glance. "And what, exactly, did I ask for?"

"To praise you!" Ashe said defensively. "The moment I heard you won the quarterfinals, I praised you right away!"

"You did not!"

"I did! It's just that the Witch was right there, so I had to be a bit indirect."

"Indirect?"

Ashe nodded repeatedly. "Mmhmm. The dazzling Ascending Golden Rain, the cake dipped in cream and honey, the river brimming with starlight..." He looked at her earnestly. "I used the most beautiful things in the world to describe you. You just have to recognize yourself in them!"