"Linsey, what's happening to you?"
"Something... something I find terrifying is appearing on you!"
As Linsey checked his skills, Girl's worried voice reached his ears.
Wala Wala could even see something like this?
Linsey was somewhat surprised, then explained:
"It's nothing bad. It's an ability I've mastered."
"For example, like when I upgraded my playing skills before, I just gave it a little boost."
"..."
"Tch."
Sure enough, Wala Wala unhappily curled down the corner of her mouth.
For someone who had to study hard and undergo long-term training to acquire outstanding skills, this method of forcibly piling experience points into a skill was downright cheating.
"Oh, okay. I get it."
"Heh, Game Player. Even after waking up from the painting, you're still as ridiculous as ever."
Linsey smiled.
"I saved up these experience points for a long time too."
"After leaving the Seven Seas Alliance, I continued toward the City of Law. I met many friends along the way, and encountered quite a few enemies. The most crucial among them were the revived evil god and the Abyss School..."
Linsey slowly recounted his experiences.
This was also a scene he had imagined many times—telling his story to the person closest to him.
Beneath the azure sky, the two sat on a wooden plank, drifting aimlessly with the waves.
Only when the clear sky had grown slightly gray
did the long story finally come to an end.
Wala Wala quietly listened to Linsey's story from beginning to end.
But the naturally optimistic girl neither marveled at the bizarre wonders of the journey, nor praised Linsey's heroic deeds, much less cursed those hateful enemies.
She merely looked at the love of her life beside her and, with an artist's sensitivity, asked with concern:
"Linsey, do you still miss home?"
"..."
The