After I showed him the medal, Sahzan was in a frantic state, throwing horse feed at me.
“Soma. Sorry to bother you while you’re busy, but I want to receive my reward quickly…”
G Speed King, standing beside me, opened his mouth, and Sahzan froze, looking startled.
“A horse… spoke!?”
Even in this chaotic ‘Nekoneko’ world, a talking horse is apparently a rarity.
Well, that’s understandable.
“W-What is this, Soma! What in the world is this…?”
“Ah, yes, yes. I’ll introduce him now.”
I stood in front of G Speed King, as if shielding him from the flustered Sahzan, and introduced my former partner.
“—Sahzan, this is the Divine Horse G Speed King. He’s an old acquaintance of mine.”
Divine Horse G Speed King was the horse in the stable next to the one I stayed in with Ringo shortly after arriving in Richter.
There was, of course, a reason I immediately went to scout him out after parting ways with Sahzan, who had gone to buy feed.
When I first met this horse, the villagers were only talking about the Hisame Dojo due to an event flag related to the Hisame household’s visit. This horse even exasperated me by whinnying, “Hee-hee-Hisame’s house is in the west of town!”
At the time, due to various circumstances, I didn’t find it particularly strange, but I had always thought it was a bit odd that the horse was influenced by the Hisame event.
In the Game, at the very least, only infants, meaning characters with human-level AI programmed, were influenced by the Hisame event.
Even in ‘Nekoneko,’ ordinary monsters and animals wouldn’t suddenly start talking about the location of the Hisame Dojo.
While the possibility of the Game becoming reality and its specifications changing was considered, I theorized another possibility: that the horse was originally a talking horse.
The result was a jackpot.
When I tried talking to the white horse in that stable, it turned out it was indeed the world’s only talking horse, a horse of the Divine Horse rank.
“…So, all the feed I bought being wasted, and you showing off with that medal, it’s all this guy’s fault?”
After hearing the explanation, Sahzan glared at G Speed King resentfully.
No, why would it be?
Perhaps the combination of two chuunibyous is just incompatible.
Beside me, who was dumbfounded, G Speed King snorted indignantly at Sahzan’s glare.
“Hmph! I don’t need you calling me ‘this guy’!
Do you understand? I am a divine horse, God Speed King!
A chosen one who possesses divine speed that leaves all living things behind…”
“What kind of name is ‘God Speed,’ anyway? So lame.”
“W-Wh-What!”
G Speed King was speechless at the outright negation of his chuunibyou name.
Incidentally, the player is allowed to name a horse freely when they take it in.
In short, it’s not a racehorse, so it shouldn’t have a name. G Speed King is probably its official name as written on the entry list.
The anger of G Speed King, who had his name, possibly a lifelong one, insulted, was tremendous.
He let out a horse-like neigh, pawing the ground as if about to charge at Sahzan.
“O-O you foolish human! You seem ignorant of my divine speed.
Witness me, and my divine speed… BEHOLD!!!”
“Ah, Ch-Wait! Hey!?”
For reasons unknown, G Speed King suddenly started a full-speed dash in the middle of town.
This guy has no tolerance for being provoked!
As expected from a horse that has only ever lived confined to a stable.
“Hey! Wait, G Speed King! G Speed King!
Stop it, G Speed Ki— Dammit, stop, G King!”
I shouted, but this foolish horse, G King, showed no signs of stopping.
He continued to sprint at an incredible speed, weaving through the screams of the people. I tried to chase him, but I couldn’t catch up.
“Damn it! I have no choice!”
I didn’t want to swing my sword around in town, but I couldn’t help it.
I quickly drew my sword and pursued G King with Godspeed Cancel Movement.
“You rasca—!”
A horizontal slash would be dangerous if I failed, so I used Slash and Step to move in short bursts.
Fortunately, the path was cleared thanks to G King. I caught up to G King in a few seconds and moved in front of him.
“Wh-wh-whaaaat!!”
I had considered stopping G King with my own body if it came to that. However, it wasn’t necessary, and G King stopped directly in front of me, stumbling as if in disbelief.
Then, he looked at me with eyes as if he were seeing something unbelievable.
“Eh, ah, no, you… ah, no, you are…”
“What is it?”
“Wh-What was that just now? Th-That movement, and that speed…”
“Hm? Ah, you mean Godspeed Cancel Movement.”
Given how obsessed this horse is with running, he must have been interested in my unusual way of running.
I hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell him the truth.
“That’s a movement technique developed by humans in my homeland.”
“Your… homeland…”
“Yeah. Most warriors who come here can use it.”
“I-Is that so? What an amazing… place.”
As I told him a slightly exaggerated truth, the Divine Horse trembled, as if imagining something.
“Come on, don’t do anything foolish. Let’s go back.”
“R-Right. Uh-huh, let’s do that.”
It seemed my explanation had cooled his excitement.
He meekly nodded to what I said, as if his previous rampage was a lie.
Perhaps feeling awkward, he even seemed to distance himself from me.
And then, it happened.
“…G, Speed King.”
“That… movement… indeed…”
“G. Undoubtedly, it’s G…”
The murmuring voices of the townspeople reached my ears.
“Ah, crap. I messed up…”
Upon hearing those voices, I realized what had happened and put my hand to my forehead.
It seemed that because I kept shouting G King’s name, the townspeople had remembered his name.
And probably not as a horse of divine speed that matched his name, but as a runaway horse that was unnaturally fast.
“Hey, hey, Mommy. G, does that mean cockroach? That person…”
“Shh! Don’t point! That’s rude!”
“As expected of the Hero. I never thought he would…”
Also, it felt like I was getting attention because of G King’s outburst.
At this rate, I felt it wouldn’t be long before the townspeople recognized me as “The Drowning Prince” AND “G Speed King’s Owner.”
“I-I’m sorry. Because of me, you’re being called that…”
“…Haa. Well, be more careful next time.”
Facing G King, who was looking contrite, I waved my hand.
I already had a nonsensical nickname like “The Drowning Prince.”
It wouldn’t make much difference now if people gossiped about me owning a strange horse.
But as we walked along, I thought to myself that maybe from now on, I’d walk away from him when he went out, and then, Sahzan, with his shoulders hunched, approached from the other side.
Sahzan seemed to grasp the situation by looking at our appearance and then at the surroundings.
As if to steal the horse’s thunder, he snorted at G King and declared,
“See? This happens when you call yourself an incomprehensible name like God Speed King.”
“G-Gugugu”
G King gnashed his teeth, though he was just a horse.
He seemed hurt by his name being ridiculed, but he couldn’t retort, burdened by his guilt from the recent incident.
However, Sahzan wasn’t finished.
“Therefore, I will specially give you a new name.
A true name worthy of the title of Divine Horse.”
“Wh-What…?”
To the bewildered G King, Sahzan spread his hands, his black cape billowing, and shouted.
“From this very moment, you are no longer God Speed King!
You are the holy thunder god who slashes through darkness and evil!
—Divine Horse, Sacred Lightning.”
At his impassioned words, G King opened his mouth in surprise…
“—What is that? That name has no sense of style.”
…And naturally, a huge argument ensued.
“The main point is! You’re all about darkness and shadows, so gloomy!
Learn from me! God Speed King! What a name that perfectly expresses my divinity…”
“Don’t say something so idiotic! How could such a vulgar name have any sense of style!
To willingly surrender yourself to darkness, to be stained with forbidden power, that illicit thrill…”
I somehow understood that both of them were chuunibyous, but their axes were slightly misaligned.
And because of that, they couldn’t tolerate even the slightest difference and clashed like this.
Perhaps it was a case of self-loathing or even hate for one’s own kin, but either way, it was unbearable for those caught in the middle.
A walk with a talking horse and a magician dressed in black who argues seriously with the horse—I really wish I hadn’t been dragged into it.
“Hey. Shall we go to the next place soon?”
When I intervened, both of them, or rather, one person and one horse, looked displeased.
Well, with a horse and a mask, their expressions were unclear, but they still seemed that way.
First, G King stepped forward and voiced his dissatisfaction.
“Where are we going now? I want to receive the promised reward quickly.”
“Ah, that’s right. I promised you carrots.”
In exchange for G King’s cooperation, I had promised a large quantity of carrots.
Of course, I had a source for those carrots.
I remembered a lot of rare purple carrots in the mansion’s refrigerator.
Layla didn’t seem to like carrots much and didn’t use them in her cooking, so there should still be plenty left in the refrigerator.
“Then, G King, you go to the mansion first and get carrots from Layla…”
“I’ve been wondering since a while ago, are you referring to me as G King?”
I averted my gaze from G King’s disgruntled eyes and met Sahzan’s eyes, who was standing on the opposite side.
In a strangely calm voice, Sahzan asked.
“The next place… you mean getting that magic called Stardust Flare, right?”
“Ah, ah. I have the medal now, and if it’s like in the Game, it won’t take much longer. So let’s hurry and go…”
To Sahzan’s unusually cold voice, I responded brightly, as if to make excuses…
“—No.”
At those words, I stopped dead in my tracks.
As if sensing nothing from my reaction, Sahzan calmly, and this time clearly, said.
“No. I’m not going.”
“You’re not going, but if you don’t…”
Stardust Flare absolutely cannot be obtained.
I knew that. But Sahzan continued, as if my words hadn’t registered.
“Soma. I’ve cooperated with you this far.
As promised, it’s your turn to lend me your power.”
“Sa, Sahzan?”
I called out his now-familiar name and peered into his eyes from beyond the mask.
His eyes, filled with a chilling light, looked back at me.
“I’ll come to your room tonight. There, you will fulfill our promise.”
And undoubtedly.
With these words, it began.
—Our, just for us, movie-watching party!!
I just forced a conclusion for no particular reason.
Since I’ve managed to write a bit ahead, I’m considering getting serious and updating all at once now.
However, a project I’m currently involved in has reached its critical stage, so I’m a bit hesitant.
Damn it! Series writing or hunting for glorious equipment, which should I choose!!
For now, the next update is planned for tomorrow.
