Surviving as a Useless Bard in a Game

---

Hikikomori.

People explain this unique group that originated in Japan as those who shut themselves in their homes and avoid social contact to an extreme degree, having sustained such behavior for more than six months.

‘…So this means this person has been doing that for over 150 years?’

I looked at Skylar.

He averted his gaze, perhaps feeling the pressure.

‘Now I understand why he confidently claimed he was safe. And when I asked if he could persuade him, the vague answer makes sense now.’

I slowly began to “observe” her.

While I couldn’t yet read the information of a living being, I could gauge the general influence it could have on its surroundings if I made an effort.

In simple terms, it was a measure of combat power.

‘Weak.’

Of course, I could easily win, and I could probably have a good match against a decent gold-badge adventurer, but… compared to the body holders I’d seen until now?

She’s far too weak to stand against the Mad King.

If we’re talking about strength, I’m no exception either, but I must have something I can do. After all, I need to gather all the bodies. There’s no way around it. I can’t slip away now.

The divinity existing within her body.

Certainly, the total amount of divinity built over a long time wasn’t insignificant.

‘How does she compare to the gold-badge clergy I saw before, and Propertyius and Nisha? Similar or… maybe a bit lower?’

Leaving Fura, who was still muttering to herself at breakneck speed, I slowly approached Skylar.

As I carefully took hold of Skylar’s hand, he jumped, trembling slightly. I held onto his hand firmly and took a few steps further away. To the entrance of the Church.

Now I was convinced we were far enough for Fura not to hear our conversation, and only then did I open my mouth.

“…I don’t think that will help.”

“Calling a person ‘that’ is….”

“Then how should I describe it?”

“……”

Skylar fell silent. Even he didn’t think that the being in question looked anything like a person.

It resembled a magically-powered automaton that rambled on crazily.

To be honest, she was exactly the kind of individual who would be hard to bring back to society.

Beings with bodies are all dangerous, unique, and peculiar. They are the sharpest of those who exist among the ordinary humans in the world.

Like lightning often called down by occurrences, they attract the world’s hatred.

Just as there are those who have faced all that danger and reached the top, there are also those who have been broken due to worldly events.

—And Fura was one of those beings.

As of now, it had been 150 years since she had stepped out of her central church for even a moment, only communicating regularly with the papacy through her crystal ball… such a broken human being.

The Southern Central Church is weak.

The reason for the weakness is their leader’s state.

Simply not hoarding donations and returning them doesn’t mean their influence will weaken. On the contrary, they would have gained public sentiment and grown stronger.

That wing-broken girl, who does not open the church and coldly rejects those who return, is the reason why the Southern Central Church is weakened.

“What’s the reason?”

“…The trigger is simple.”

“150 years ago?”

“You’re perceptive. I was betrayed by those I trusted most 150 years ago. And I killed them all with my own hands. They’re buried beneath this church.”

Though weak, this was still a comparison against other body holders.

She was a member of the formerly celebrated adventurer group, ‘Star Chasers,’ and also a clergy member with equal skills to a gold-badge adventurer.

She is a being who constantly regenerates, reaching the limits of humanity.

A being that can freely and erratically move through the sky, defying the laws of physics.

“—Then you would be of help.”

“Seems like you’re the only one to judge based on hearing that she has killed people.”

“Really?”

“Well, either way, seeing her in person hasn’t improved things at all.”

“Should we give up?”

“That… no.”

“I agree.”

We exchanged a glance and nodded.

Our thoughts were in sync.

We would stay in this city long-term and persuade her.

‘…If there’s no other way, I should consider forcibly bringing her along.’

I thought that as I looked at the cat.

This guy, he must understand human speech, right?

He has a ‘face,’ which is one of the bodies, and is our watchman assigned by the Emperor to kill us if necessary. In other words, he’s strong.

He had acted pitiful, meowing and mimicking cries as a cat, while we had momentarily forgotten about him.

“If things go south, I’ll count on you.”

“Meow.”

A thoroughly meticulous little one until the end.

Skylar reopened the church door. This time it opened a little more softly than when we entered. It was probably because it hadn’t been used in a long while, making it difficult when first opened.

“I’ll come again next time.”

“…Don’t.”

Skylar waved his hand to Fura, and the church door closed again.

The slanted sunlight, the light from the stained glass, and the dim light creeping in through the door all vanished, leaving only the winged girl left in the dark church. The broken girl.

***

As I wandered the streets trying to find lodging, news about the Moon Bard kept reaching my ears.

A figure cloaked in a long black cape who hid their identity, enchanting people with a beautiful physique, an even more beautiful voice, and magical melodies.

Coming and gone in an instant, with no sound or notice, making people’s gold coins slip from their pockets to the ground and then vanishing along with the money.

It was said that the bard, who had recently begun to gain recognition, would visit this city now.

‘Is that the bard Fura mentioned?’

I wanted to meet him once. But I didn’t have the luxury.

Night was gradually approaching.

As they say, humans are creatures of adaptation; I gradually began to get used to spending nights with open eyes as time passed.

Even if I couldn’t sleep at night, closing my eyes and passing the time felt just like sleep.

It was like mimicking the sensation of dreaming, closing my eyes and immersing in daydreams or fantasies. Spending time as if counting sheep when I couldn’t sleep.

Amazingly, repeating such a method led to a moment where I felt my memory abruptly cut off.

Yeah. At last, I could ‘spend’ the night.

“Skylar.”

“Yes.”

“Good night.”

“…You too.”

After saying a casual goodbye to Skylar, who occupied the other bed, I lay down on my own.

I tossed and turned several times. The moonlight filtered in softly through the window. The slanted moonlight coming through the window frame looked incredibly beautiful.

I had seen this view so many times already.

I could no longer fall into sleep, but I was able to gaze at the clean and sparkling sky that wasn’t tainted by modern smoke or yellow dust for a long time; it seemed like a fair trade… maybe.

“Skylar, did you know there were no stars in the sky before?”

“…That’s a famous tale. The story of the wizard who dropped stars from the sky and the young god. The one who showed us a fake sky… the one who managed the curtain of night. They used magic not through scrolls or circuits, but through scales in the olden days.”

“Right.”

“I didn’t think you’d know about a myth from the forgotten age.”

“…I once went to a library while staying in a big city.”

“Oh, I see?”

I just opened my mouth because some sentimental words popped into my head, but I forgot that this was information from past works. After somewhat recovering, I turned my body towards the direction where Skylar was.

He was lying facing the other way, away from me.

At this rate, I wouldn’t get to see his face or eyes. I felt a bit disappointed.

—No, it wasn’t that I liked that guy in a romantic sense. Anyway, I was suddenly deprived of sleep and just needed someone to talk to.

If possible, when exchanging words, it feels closer to look into each other’s eyes, right?

“…Skylar, are you asleep?”

“No. It’s because you keep talking that I haven’t closed my eyes yet.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Skylar, what do you think of me?”

“Sometimes, you’re a bit clumsy, fall, hide the truth about your poor health from others, an ordinary and weak person.”

“I don’t think I’ve hidden much.”

“At least I think I can trust you. Because you’re ordinary and weak.”

“Sorry if I was too harsh earlier. You’re suddenly complimenting me.”

“I mean it.”

I fell silent after that. So did Skylar. Silence filled the room. It became eerily quiet.

Skylar’s breathing slowly began to slow down, and his body movements significantly decreased. He fell asleep.

Meanwhile, I remained unable to sleep, staring at his back as he lay there.

And with that, a sensation of my memory abruptly cutting off came again.

My consciousness dims.

—

Bringing forth possibilities.

—

Eyes — side effect: ‘self’ harmonization.

—