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There Was No One Inside

On that night.

I was swelling with anticipation, anxiety, and various other emotions, wondering if something would happen.

However, after learning that Ao-chan, who had dinner at an upscale restaurant, could handle the hotel expenses, she drank high-quality sake with abandon and remained sober.

Returning to the room, we each lay on one of the two king-size beds.

Although we had plenty of space, I felt a bit disappointed.

For Ao-chan, it might have been just a casual greeting to kiss on the cheek. 

While I was feeling restless, I fell asleep, and morning came.

When I woke up, as far as I could remember, Ao-chan, who should have been wearing loungewear, was now sleeping in a bathrobe. 

Because it was open, her thighs were exposed up to the roots, and about seventy percent of her selfish body was exposed.

"How fortunate from the morning—no, what a peculiar appearance..."

I covered her with a blanket while stealing glances.

"Sensei, let's go to breakfast."

"Ugh... it's impossible right now..."

Apparently, the alcohol from yesterday hadn't completely worn off.

"I'll go ahead."

Leaving Ao-chan in the room, I headed to the dining area with a buffet.

"Huh—?"

There were many people in the venue, but there was one character I recognized.

"Garling!"

I couldn't help but exclaim. 

I'm approaching the large middle-aged man.

As expected! 

Garling was a character of an acquaintance I often formed parties with and exchanged various things with as a DM when I played Guardians. 

Garling, the heavy magic knight, who was now in casual attire without any equipment, had a face I could never forget.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, right, it's not my character—"

Wait a minute?

In the game, there's an inside person—the player, but this isn't that game itself. 

So, there's no one inside?

"I cleared the final chapter of the scenario together as Molmol."

"What are you talking about?"

Stared at with suspicious eyes, I left the place with a forced smile, saying, "Sorry, it was a mistake."

"It's definitely him, though..."

I muttered as I glanced back at Garling.

If it's him, there's no way he wouldn't recognize my ID name. 

We were best buddies.

"So, Garling is like an NPC, not controlled by a player. But the character itself exists. What a strange world."

Is it just a coincidence, or are there others?

While waiting for Ao-chan and leisurely having breakfast, I saw the disappeared Garling leaving the hotel.

Carrying a sturdy shield, wearing heavy armor, and with his prized magic sword at his waist.

The equipment was what I knew.

His level is 65, lower than what I knew.

"Is this like a parallel world of that world?"

Muttering to myself, since Ao-chan didn't seem to be coming, I returned to the room.

"I have acquaintances here!"

I told Ao-chan about it after her recovery. But she didn't seem to understand much.

"They're acquaintances, but it seems different."

"Was it a mistake?"

"No, it's correct."

"So, they're acquaintances."

"The player himself is a friend of mine. But what was there was the character itself, not the player inside, but with its personality."

"...? It sounds amazing."

She didn't really get it.

That day, we toured the hotel and the area around the sea.

In short, almost like a date.

It was super fun.

But we didn't mention anything about the sea yesterday.

In Ao-chan's mind, it wasn't something special—it became something she thought of as ordinary.