The Lone Sniper: I Was Just Minding My Own Business Sniping Players, and I Ended Up Becoming a Raid Boss

Chapter 34

After Tsubasa-san left, I was alone with Sheena-san.

"...Um, about that..."

I have to say something. But I can't find the words...

She looks kind of down, so at a time like this, the thing to say is—words of comfort!

"Please don't worry about it!"

"? About what?"

"Well... the whole thing about not having friends. I don't have any either! So it's really okay, don't worry!"

"...I'm not worried. I chose solitude of my own free will."

A dark aura rises from Sheena-san's back.

Huh? Did I make her mad instead?

I'd assumed the only thing that could depress Sheena-san was Tsubasa-san's "no friends" comment, but that doesn't seem to be it. Then why is she feeling down?

"Even now I sometimes regret it—dissolving the team."

"That was... Yggdrasil, right? But wasn't it inevitable? If everyone wanted to be leader..."

"I never particularly wanted to be leader myself."

With a languid expression, Sheena-san continued,

"Tsubasa-san—she was the right person for the job. She has charisma, and she's not stupid. If only I'd had the talent and the tolerance to accept the idol direction for the team, I could've backed Tsubasa-san, made her leader, and kept the team alive."

"You hated the idol idea that much...? But I think you'd be popular if you became an idol, Sheena-san..."

For once, Sheena-san's gaze wavered.

"F-flattery is unnecessary."

"I-it's not flattery! Your voice is cute... and your model is cute too."

A cool girl like her wearing frilly clothes and dancing—that gap would be devastating. Visually and personality-wise she's the complete opposite of Tsubasa-san; the synergy would be incredible.

"The truth is... I just can't do the idol thing. I have a reason I absolutely can't become an idol."

Sheena-san's face is turning red. Ugh... cute. When she makes that expression she looks so young. Could she actually be younger than me? No way.

"May I ask what that reason is?"

"...Yes. If it's you, Shiki-san, I doubt you'll mock me... so telling you should be fine. But please keep it absolutely secret."

"Y-yes."

I have no one to tell anyway.

"I'm tone-deaf."

"Eh?"

"I'm terrible at singing. After Tsubasa-san proposed the idol route, I practiced at karaoke several times, but I never scored above seventy..."

Sheena-san's unexpected weakness! I'd assumed she could do anything.

"How about you, Shiki-san? Are you good at singing?"

"Ah, um, I don't think I'm bad. When I went to karaoke with my little sister I scored over ninety on every song."

"That's... pretty amazing...?"

"But my singing, while technically accurate, apparently lacks humanity. My sister said it sounded like 'machine speech.'"

In a way, maybe that's worse than someone who can't score well. Is a song without passion worth anything?

"Machine speech? That actually makes me want to hear it."

"It's a boring voice."

"I won't know until I hear it."

Sheena-san lowered her face in thought, then lifted it again with faintly pink cheeks.

"Shiki-san, if you'd like... would you go to karaoke with me?"

"Eh—eh!?"

K-karaoke!? I've been asked to go to karaoke!?

"Of course, if you'd rather not, that's fine. I'm... embarrassed to go with anyone else."

"W-why me...?"

"I suppose... with you, Shiki-san, I feel it's okay to let you see my embarrassing side. Why, I wonder. Maybe because we're both loners."

My heart skipped a beat.

Is this the rumored tsundere? No, not quite. That's it—the cool girl's dere, a kuudere!

"R-right... fellow loners..."

"You said earlier that you're a loner. So am I. I have no friends in real life either. I eat lunch alone, and I've never walked home with anyone."

Sheena-san and I are totally different personality-wise. I'm shy and get nervous talking to people. Sheena-san, though polite, is assertive and proactive; she doesn't seem the type to get nervous. And yet she's a loner...

Even if you don't get nervous, even if you're not shy, you can still end up alone. Communication is... complicated.

"I've always been rational, prioritizing rules and practical benefits over other people's feelings. An outdated term, but I'm what you'd call KY. Naturally no one likes me."

"..."

"Shiki... san?"

Before I realized it, tears were spilling out.

"U-uhh..."

"Eh? Ah, um, what's wrong? Could it be you hate the idea of going to karaoke with me that much..."

"That's not it! I'm just happy... it's the first time anyone's invited me..."

It's the first time anyone but my little sister has asked me out to play.

"Besides... I like you, Sheena-san...!"

"!?"

"True, you sometimes don't phrase things well and miss people's feelings..."

"You're very direct..."

"But you never give up on talking to me. I'm terrible at conversation, I stumble over words right away... I get depressed over the strangest things and start crying... Everyone gets fed up, stops talking to me, or makes fun of me... Yet no matter how strange I am, you treat me like a normal person. That makes me really happy... so please don't put yourself down so much..."

"..."

Sheena-san lays her hand on my head.

"You cry a lot, Shiki-san. From now on I'll carry a handkerchief when I meet you."

She speaks in a voice that sounds somehow relieved.

"...Maybe dissolving the team was for the best after all."

"Eh?"

"Nothing, talking to myself. So—will you come with me? To... karaoke."

"Y-yes! S-someday!"

"Yes. Someday."

At that moment, we both unconsciously understood.

The promise of "someday" between two loners would probably never be kept.

"Also—sorry this is late, Shiki-san."

"Wh-what for?"

"This area has always had a problem with player-hunting, but the number of hunters has increased more than fourfold since I last knew. If I'd realized it had gotten this bad, I'd never have brought you here. I'm sorry; this crisis is my fault for not knowing."

"Please don't apologize! If you didn't know, it can't be helped."

"Thank you for saying that. In any case, let's find another hunting spot. This place is dangerous."

I shake my head.

"No. I'll head back to the station for now, but I'm not changing hunting grounds."

It's too good a spot. Nowhere else is this perfect for hunting.

"...You seem to have something in mind."

"Yes. This place is the 'best.' As a training ground for Rank Matches, it's ideal."

"!? Don't tell me..."

Sheena-san seems to have realized. My plan.

"Endless ricochets, as many Space Girls as I can shoot, and I get big money for taking them down. Everything I want is right here."

Sheena-san gives a small laugh. But in that smile I can see fear.

"So you're going to become a hunter."

"Yes. I'll become—a hunter who hunts hunters."

The bandits have given themselves a clear mark. I won't accidentally shoot an innocent player.

I've already measured the bandits' traits. I won't let them get close again.

—Time to hunt the "Konpeito."