I changed dialogue sentences to a new type in this chapter. It became a bit confusing with more than 2 people talking together. I think I'll keep the new style.

Also, I promised you a long chapter and here it is. (It turned out longer than I expected and now I don't have a writing lead so the next will probably be in 2 days)

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Today was a working day and I had to go to school. Though I was worried about Shirley, I couldn't miss school. 2 days will probably pass in game time by the time I return and it'll be the same for every day I have school.

(I really should have thought it through when I let her accompany me on my journey.)

"Haaah..." (Me)

I sighed and got out of bed. 

After doing some stretching and basic exercises I got freshened up and put on my uniform.

"HEY MOM, WHERE ARE MY SCHOOL SOCKS?" (Me)

I shouted from my room on the first floor.

"THEY HAVEN'T DRIED YET. WEAR SOMETHING ELSE." (Mom)

Mom replied from the kitchen downstairs.

I took out another pair of socks and put it on. Thankfully, after getting into high school no one cares to check our uniforms. 

Having eaten breakfast, I grabbed my lunch and dashed out of the house. I was getting late. Playing IO yesterday turned out too long due to the unexpected events and so I had to study late into the night to complete my daily quota, which is the reason why I overslept today.

I could have reached the school easily if I ran, but it wasn't good to run right after eating. So I half jogged - half walked and barely manage to reach on time. By the time I entered, I could see our homeroom teacher walking towards our class from the opposite direction.

(Safe!)

I gave myself a mental thumbs up and got to my seat. 

After that, everything was pretty much according to routine. We had our attendance taken. Then, had our different periods. Teachers came and taught. We listened and made notes. Everything was just like usual until lunch break. Pauli came over with her lunch and we started eating. Then she asked-

"Rota, do you play Infinity Outbreak?" (Pauli)

"Sure, I do." (Me)

Obviously, I told the truth.

"Where are you?" (Pauli)

"What do you mean? I'm right in front of you." (Me)

Was she alright?

"In the game, I mean." (Pauli)

She said without minding my stupidity.

"Oh, near a village called Kinshin, why?" (Me)

"Father gifted me a IO set on my birthday and I was a bit confused where to start from." (Pauli)

Oh yeah, it was Pauli's birthday yesterday. I got her a small muffin cake, by the way. I wanted to get something better, maybe something like a wedding ring but she'd be too embarrassed so I decided to go with something simpler.

"So I figured I should go to somewhere I can find someone I know." (Pauli)

(Wait! Wait! Wait! BAD situation! I'm with Shirley right now!)

I didn't immediately realise that my thoughts resembled those of a man who was having an affair behind his wife's back.

"Its better if you don't come to me. I'm already very high level and far from the village. Also, Kinshin is a pretty bad place to start. Its completely secluded and there's no inn(well not anymore) and there's not even.........." (Me)

I suddenly came to my senses.

(Pauli wants to play with ME!??)

(What the fuck am I making excuses for!!??)

"No wait.. On second thoughts, I'm actually quite near. And you're right. It would be better to start in a place where you know someone. Hahaha.. Haha. Ha.. Ha." I made a quick roundabout in my speech.

She gave me one of those looks that she did when I 'spaced out' but didn't say anything.

"Then I'll select.. Kinshin, right?" (Pauli)

"Yeah!" (Me)

(Two saves in one day! I'm on fire!)

We continued having our lunch while discussing various details about the game. It was a good thing, since I could power level her too. But this meant I had to find a combat job for her too. Living in our modern world, it was stupid to expect anyone to have experience with a weapon. I asked her anyway, if she did, by any chance.

"I keep a taser with me. Does that count?" (Pauli)

(A taser? Haha, she's so cute.)

Though the taser was a good weapon, it wasn't actually a 'weapon', if you know what I mean. It'd be more than useless in the wilderness.

"No, it doesn't count as a weapon. Also, I haven't come across a taser like item in the game anyway, so its better not to get your hopes up." (Me)

I decided I would give her a bow for practice. I had only one and it looked pretty bad but since I was going to go back to the village anyway, I'll just buy a new one from the merchant there.

After a little more discussion, it was decided that she would log in after an hour of reaching her home. This wouldn't give me enough time to reach the village but since I told her to take the tutorial, I just decided it on instinct.

Also, during the discussion she asked what level I was, but I was somehow able to sidestep that question. I decided not to tell anyone of my high level, lest I get into trouble.

After the lunch, everything went back to the same old routine. Teachers came and taught. We listened and made notes. Finally, the last bell rang and school broke. While heading back home I confirmed the details one last time with Pauli and then we went our separate ways.

(I'm the man! I'm the man! I AM THE MAN!! HAHAHAHAHAHA.)

During the entire walk home I kept praising myself. The reason, obviously because I was going to have Pauli all to myself. Haha! I'm sooo happy!

After reaching home, I had lunch and changed out of my uniform and straight away dived in to IO.

I appeared in the same place I had left and Shirley was in front of me cooking.

(Looks like I came at a good time.)

The smell of the food was drafting away and alluring my senses.

" "Welcome Back!" " (Trichia & Shirley)

Two voices greeted me at the same time.

"I'm back." (Me)

I said as if replying to both the voices.

"You hungry?" (Shirley)

This time it was only Shirley who spoke.

I had just eaten before diving in but I was still feeling hungry. The only conclusion could be that everything worked different in VR.

"Bring it on!" (Me) 

" "You're in a good mood today." " (Trichia & Shirley)

Again came the two voices.

"Really? It must be your imagination." (Me)

I tried to change my tone to normal one.

"Umm.. Could be." (Shirley)

"Definitely suspicious!" (Trichia.)

Trichia was sharp. Probably because she had known me longer.

(Being a super computer must have its perks.)

Anyway, I chose not to reply. Trichia would realise anyway once 'she' comes.

While in the middle of eating Shirley's cooking, I decided to start the conversation. I had 2 topics, but I kept the easier and more obvious one for later, so I could change the first when I feel like(smart, right?).

"Shirley, we'll be heading back to Kinshin." (Me)

It was probably a bit too abrupt, since Shirley choked on the food she was eating and started coughing. I quickly got up and rubbed her back(I remember mother doing the same to me when it happened to me). After coughing for half a minute, she started feeling a bit better but there were tears in her eyes, probably due to all that coughing. I gave her some water and she just breathed quietly for a minute. Then she finally looked up, and I could tell that the tears in her eyes had grown. And then came to me an epiphany.

"Oh no! You have it wrong! I'm not going there to leave you behind! We're going to have a new companion, from my world." (Me)

I quickly clarified.

Shirley visibly breathed a sigh of relief and started wiping her eyes.

"A new companion from 'your world'. Based on the way you were grinning earlier..... OH MY GOD! PAULI'S COMING, ISN'T SHE!!!!?????" (Trichia)

(Wha..wha...wha? H.h..how did you come to that conclusion? No, she's not!! I..i..its someone else!)

"That reaction! OH MY GOD!! HOW? WHEN? WHERE? GIVE ME ALL THE DETAILS!!" (Trichia)

(D..d..details? There's no details! Nothing's happened yet!!)

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Nothing's happened 'yet'? So you're expecting for something to happen 'soon'?" (Trichia)

(Okay okay. Pauli's the one coming. Please stop teasing me.)

I gave up.

"Hihihihi. Its better not to hide anything from me, big brother." (Trichia)

(Just so you know, I will definitely have my revenge one day! One day, I tell you!)

"Dream on, big brother." (Trichia)

She just giggled and her voice disappeared.

I finally got back my attention to Shirley, who was now eating happily. 

"You're better now?" I asked her.

She just smiled and gave me a big nod. That act made her seem like a little girl. 

Anyways, I was glad that she didn't ask me any questions about our new 'companion', so I just brought up the second topic without having to use it as a topic changer.

"How did your training go?" (Me)

"Not too well." (Shirley)

She looked a bit down.

"Don't worry it was your first time." (Me)

I tried to console her.

When I left yesterday night, I handed her a few weapons to try and use. I told her to train with whichever one she found more comfortable. Looks like she didn't. I was still a bit sided towards teaching her magic, but I didn't yet have a method to do it.

Having had our lunch, we headed towards the village. On the way, I killed any monster we came across to get EXP for Shirley. While going back, Shirley was strangely quite.

"Are you sure you're alright?" (Me)

I asked with concern.

"I really don't want to go back to that wretched place." (Shirley)

She said that without hiding the hate in her voice.

"Oh, cmon! It can't be that bad, can it? It was your birthplace. You lived there for like....." (Me)

I felt it there for her to finish.

She narrowed her gaze and looked at me with half closed eyes.

"I'm not telling you my age." (Shirley)

"Found out, huh? Whoops" (Me)

I stuck my tongue out as I got caught.

"Anyways, don't worry. We wont be there for long. We'll pick up our new companion and make a final stop at the merchant's place." (Me)

"You mean at Mr. Hardy's?" (Shirley)

"Maybe that's the guy. I'm not really good with names." (Me)

I spoke the truth.

"Yeah, I know. You forgot mine the day we met." (Shirley)

She narrowed her eyes even further and gave me a sharp look.

"Found out about that too, eh?" (Me)

I averted my gaze due to embarrassment.

(Is it just me, or all the women around me are too sharp? Is this what they call a woman's intuition?)

"It was really obvious. Just calling me with 'Hey', 'umm.. Listen' and once when I was set on ignoring you to check if it was true, you even called me 'miss innkeeper'. Also, the tricks you used, also pretty obvious. You started with a random topic to get my attention before shifting to what you needed." (Shirley)

I almost fell down! I always thought I was clever for having fooled her all the while!

(I want to hide my face!)

Now I was REALLY  embarrassed. I actually did this with many people. To think if it was this obvious, how many would have found out!? Its not MY fault I can't remember names!

"Just so you know, I don't care about that anymore."  (Shirley)

She said in a gentle tone and hugged my arm.

Were my feelings THAT obvious that she had to come and console me? Though there was another problem right now.

"Umm.. Shirley.. I can feel your boobs pressing against my arm." (Me)

There was a soft(and a really nice) sensation on my right arm.

"So? Are you getting excited?" (Shirley)

She said that in a teasing manner.

"NO!" (Me)

I denied the accusation.

"Then its not a problem, is it?" (Shirley)

She won, again.

I just let her do as she pleased. Not like I could say anything anyway.

"So tell me a bit about this new companion." (Shirley)

She started another topic. There was still a while till we got back to Kinshin.

"Its just a friend who's coming to your world for the first time." (Me)

"So he asked you to show him around?" (Shirley)

"You can say that." (Me)

"So you'll be power levelling him too?" (Shirley)

"Most probably." (Me)

"What weapons does he use?" (Shirley)

"None yet, just like you." (Me)

Her questions coninued and I replied with concise answers.

"Oh she's here!!!" (Trichia)

This time came Trichia's voice in my head.

(What!? How do you know!?)

"I was going to check out all the users who registered as 'New Players'. She was the only one today and she logged in just now!!" (Trichia)

(Really, how much free time do you have.)

"Being a supercomputer has its perks, you know." (Trichia)

Crap. She probably heard that from me.

"Oh, now she taking the tutorial!" (Trichia)

Trichia started doing live commentary.

"She chose a spear for her first try. But her stance is really bad. Her swings have no power. AND! She just fell on nothing. Oh wait, she's getting up. And here comes the butt cleaning. She's rubbing her butt. Yes, yes, nice and slow. Now she's taking another stance and another swing. Oh, she fell again. But she didn't give up hope. She decides to change her weapon to a bow while thinking about a certain somebody whose name starts with the letter 'R'! She hangs the quiver on her back and takes out her first arrow. While stretching the string of the bow, she aims at the target in front of her. OH, she's not firing! She just looks and aims properly while maintaining a steady breathing. Looks like she might actually do it. AND SHE LETS IT RIP AND THE ARROW HITS ITS TARGET! COULD THIS BE?!?! THE BIRTH OF A NEW CHAMPION??!!!" (Trichia) 

Looks like she got a bit too much into it. Though I wanted to ask about 'the certain somebody whose name starts with R' but I was just as curious as to how she would do so I refrained.

"The trial is not over yet! Another target appears, this time a bit further from the first, and she lets it rip again! Oh, it misses. But she doesn't give up hope! She pulls back another arrow, aims carefully and.. and.. And it misses again! Was the first time a fluke? Was all our excitement all for nothing? She's not giving up hope yet. She takes out another arrow and lets it fly! Itsgonnahit! Itsgonnamiss! AND IT HITS! OHHHH!!! Everyone's going wild!! But wait! What's this? Looks like she's not done yet. She takes out yet another arrow from her quiver and fixes it on the bow. Keeping one eye closed, she looks with the other from over the arrow. Pulling the arrow with her right hand, she fixes the direction with her left. Moving the left index finger 2 millimetres up she relaxes the right hand a bit and gives it a twist and pulls it back again. Oh! Is she trying a new technique!? She adjusts her left hand again and looks, adjusts, pulls, deliberates, concentrates! Calmly, smoothly, carefully, truthfully and beautifully lets it go! What's this? THE ARROW IS ROTATING!!?? Its way faster than the previous ones, but will it hit? And it hits! RIGHT AT THE CENTRE OF THE TARGET!! THIS IS LEGENDARY PEOPLE!! TO SEE A SPECTACLE LIKE THIS, ITS LIKE A DREAM COmmm......" (Trichia)

(HEY TRICHIA!) 

I shouted to interrupt her.

(You're getting a little too excited.)

"Oh, but I am! Its Pauli we're talking about here!"

(But still... I guess its maybe my first time to see you that excited.)

"Thats not true. This is nothing compared to when you came! You can't even imagine how glad I was. To finally meet my big brother again!"

Truthfully, I was blushing a bit when she said that. If Trichia was here right now, I would have inadvertently picked her up in a tight hug.

(I..I.. was really happy to see you too.)

"Aww. Big brother is being shy. So cute!)

(A..anyway. How long do you think Pauli's tutorial will take?)

I tried changing the topic.

"Hmm. She is still practising with the bow for now. Including the descriptions that come after this, probably around half an hour."

(Oh. It'll probably take us about the same to reach there. Its a good thing then.)