Hai Rondo - Chương 11: 11. Chú hề

11

Bỗng nhiên, từ phía sau backs of Uden và những người khác, một người đàn ông bước ra, và Rize immediately ngước mắt nhìn anh ta với một biểu cảm sử dụng ngỡ ngàng.

"Hey, Rize. Lâu rồi."

"Uh, yeah, hello."

Shao vung tay phải lên, greet Rize. She was startled for a moment, but then smiled and couldn't help but bow her head. He had a friendly demeanor, just like the last time they met.

Beside Rize, Uden let out an obvious sigh.

"Shao, you've been showing up a lot lately."

"Haha! That's fine, don't worry about it. By the way, Cecil, how are you?"

"Fine! I'm doing great. So, Shao, it's been quite a while."

"That's right."

Shao answered with a grin that only showed at the corners of his mouth. He still had that easygoing atmosphere, but Rize suddenly tensed up, remembering what Uden had told her before. He was Joker Shao—the leader of the PK Guild Snow Moon Flower.

Uden said to Shao in a low voice.

"Shao, what did you mean earlier?"

"Earlier?"

"What's so important?"

"Oh. Was it about the Black Knight? I just fought him."

"...What?"

"Didn't I say?"

Cecil and Uden both asked back in surprise. Shao, who had suddenly appeared, claimed to have just fought the Black Knight they were discussing. It was completely unexpected news for them.

"Where did you meet him?"

"I won't tell you. Fufu!"

Shao giggled deliberately. Seeing that, Uden clicked his tongue in irritation. Meanwhile, Cecil listened without changing his expression much.

"You fought him? So, does that mean the Black Knight is still around? Did the administration do nothing?"

"I don't know about that. But the Black Knight still exists. Just..."

Shao looked down. His expression darkened slightly. It was rare for him, who always wore a mechanical smile, and to Rize, it looked like a genuinely emotional expression.

Uden urged him on, impatient with the vague response.

"Just?"

"No, never mind. Anyway, it took a long time, but today is the last day I'll chase after The Hearts."

"...Did you win?"

Uden asked in a low voice, but Shao only gave a vague, dismissive look.

"Hey."

"Shao, what happened?"

Uden and Cecil, having run out of patience, approached again, and Shao spread his hands as if he had no choice.

"Well, Uden, Cecil. Since we're friends, I'll report this to you. It was a draw."

"A draw? What does that mean?"

As Uden asked, Shao shook his small head sideways.

"To be precise, he got bored and ran away."

"Got bored? What are you talking about—"

"It wasn't Rize."

Shao cut Uden off and said it flatly. He stated it firmly, in a sharp, knife-like tone. Uden frowned at the words, and Cecil whistled softly, mocking.

"What's this, Shao? Acting all mysterious only to say that? Didn't you challenge him because you judged he was The Hearts?"

"That's right."

Shao puffed his cheeks and said childishly.

"I intended to do that too, but I'm disappointed."

"...I don't really get it. What do you mean it wasn't Rize?"

"It means exactly what I said, Uden. If you're expecting the Black Knight to be connected to Rize, you'd better stop. That thing is something wearing Rize's skin. It's far weaker than The Hearts."

"Weaker? But in reality, he defeated Fana!"

Uden said, and Shao put his hand to his lips.

"Hmm. Honestly, if it's just Fana, even I could beat him. If I wanted to (·····)."

Rize felt a chill down her spine at his casual declaration. He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And what surprised her most was that neither Uden nor Cecil denied it.

"...Only you or Rize would talk big like that against a Valkyrie."

"Haha! That's why I said 'if I wanted to.' Don't take it seriously."

Shao laughed heartily. Rize realized his smile wasn't the usual fake, mask-like one. He was smiling with his mask off now. She didn't know the reason, but it was the first time she'd seen Shao smiling so freely.

Uden, a PvP freak, evaluated him as a monster, one of the few people in the server with affinity. How strong must he be, if even Fana was easy for him? Rize thought this while staring at his smile.

"Anyway, I'm pulling my hand from the Black Knight. And from The Hearts too."

"Joker's name must be crying."

Cecil said mockingly. It was a defeat announcement from Joker Shao, the leader of the PK Guild Snow Moon Flower, which was known for targeting and eliminating its prey. But Shao didn't seem to care at all and continued.

"Anyway, it took too long, and I've already got my eye on the next target."

"Who are you going to stalk next?"

When Uden asked in an exasperated tone, Shao pointed next to Uden. At the end of his long finger, Rize stood frozen, blinking in surprise.

"Eh...?"

"I'll come play when I get a bit stronger. Look forward to it, Spica."

"S-Spica?"

Hearing that, Rize panicked. She was suddenly called by a name she didn't know and was terribly startled. Watching this exchange, Cecil tilted his head in confusion.

"What's this 'Spica'?"

"Cecil, you don't know? It's her nickname. The newcomer of that legendary guild, Trinity. The successor to The Hearts. The strongest lineage. The superstar who descended upon the Silver Guild, Spica—that's Rize."

"What is this...?"

Uden had known that the Colosseum guys were buzzing about when nicknames were given, but apparently, it was decided. Rize's new nickname was Spica. Uden threw his hands to his head at the mysterious naming, wondering who came up with it and wanting to interrogate them.

Cecil listened to the explanation, nodded, and looked at Rize with interest.

"So. You were that strong, Rize?"

Không, những chuyện như vậy --

Thế thì, Rize. Thôi Trinity và sang Nomad đi. Vui đó.

À, à...

À, dù có là Snow Moon Flower thì chúng tôi cũng hoan nghênh. Một guild cô đơn với một thằng nam vô cảm như vậy, hãy vứt bỏ đi cho nhanh.

Các người...

Nhịn hai người kia nói linh tinh, Udun thì thầm cảnh cáo. Nghe tiếng đó, Rize nhẹ nhõm một chút, đáp lại với nụ cười chua chát.

Ừm, xin lỗi. Tôi thuộc về Trinity.

À, nhưng mà...

Nhìn Rize gạt từ chối đầu cúi xuống, Xiao càng dồn ép. Nhưng lúc đó, Rize bỗng nhiên hướng ánh mắt sang nơi khác, bắt đầu vội vàng vẩy tay.

Elea! Ở đây đây.

À...

Elea tới hội trường, tìm thấy Rize và ánh mắt long lanh của cô ấy rạng rỡ. Nhưng ngay sau đó, cô ấy nhận ra những người đàn ông không quen quen bao quanh Rize, nên lập tức rụt rè tại chỗ.

Vậy thì, anh Cecile, anh Xiao, tôi sau này có việc chuẩn bị, xin lỗi.

Ừm.

Tiếc quá. Tạm biệt.

Cuộc thi yukata sau đó, hãy xem nhé.

Rize nói vậy, ôm mèo đen (Kune) chạy về phía Elea. Nhìn theo họ đi, Xiao đứng thẳng lên.

Thế thì, cũng bị Rize từ chối rồi, thì tôi đi đây.

Chờ chút Xiao. Nói cho tôi biết anh ta gặp Hắc kỵ sĩ ở đâu thôi.

Udun nhìn trừng trọi, nhưng y chỉ một cách thong dong mở hai tay ra.

Tự nghĩ đi, 【Trí tuệ】. Chẳng có gì quá phức tạp cả.

Xiao nói vậy, để lại nụ cười cơ khí, rồi đi mất. Trong đám đông bắt đầu tăng lên trước cuộc thi, anh ta chìm vào đó và biến mất trong chớp mắt.

Hừm...

Thế thì Udun. Khi không hiểu, làm thằng ngốc là tốt nhất.

...

Cecil nói một câu dễ dàng, nhưng Udun vẫn tiếp tục suy nghĩ. Cecil nhún vai một cách đành chịu, rồi lấy bia từ bảng điều khiển và đổ nó.