As everyone started mingling and trying to get connections and the band took over the stage, I used the temporary change to sneak from my corner to the backstage where Eugene was taking a break. I was aiming to get the contact information from him and go straight home.
However, someone grabbed onto my arm before I could find him.
"You...you're in my new class aren't you?" The familiar voice suspiciously asked from behind me.
I reluctantly turned around and faced the Prime Minister's daughter with my unwillingness to talk obviously on my face.
I didn't say anything as I let her stare at me.
This girl seriously does whatever she wants huh.
"Are you.....you're Lynx?"
My heart stopped.
Was it because of that one time I saved her? Wait but I never told her my username...I still have a chance to trick her.
"You must be mistaken. I'm definitely not Lynx." I responded with a face full of confusion.
Her face became the same as mine.
"Huh? But, you're definitely the person that saved me that one time. Although it's true I never got your username, you were wearing that designed glove with the hummingbird on it. Who else could you be."
...
Why am I so easily exposed? Am I really that careless?
"That was just a replica."
"How and why did you get a replica?"
"I like hummingbirds.....Lynx is like my idol."
"Then why did you hide your username."
"As I said, I'm shy."
". . ."
"Can I go now?"
"Tell me your username."
No point in hiding it, might as well erase her suspicions.
"Yuka."
"So you're really not that...Humming Slayer guy?"
"You mean the Hummingbird? I'm obviously a girl."
I can use this chance to change that cringy nickname that they keep calling me!
Seemingly convinced but still a little suspicious, she let my arm go.
I turned around and was about to leave to continue my search before she suddenly called out to me again.
"Wait, what are you doing here?"
Dammit, I thought this conversation was over.
"Er, I was in the same class as Eugene back in America so he was relieved to see a familiar face. He invited me."
"But I saw a guard get replaced after stopping you....."
"I snitched on him after he insulted some uh.....important people."
". . ."
"So can I go?"
"Go where?"
These questions are getting annoying.
"To find that guy of course."
"Why?"
"Why must you continue to ask these meaningless questions..."
Tomoe chuckled all of a sudden.
Chuckled in a very high-class manner in fact. The hand over the mouth and everything.
"Hehe. I was just joking with you, go ahead and find Mr. Franco. Don't mind me."
I don't understand her jokes, but since she said I could leave I won't hesitate.
"Alright, see ya."
I turned my back on her without a thought and immediately dashed off to find Eugene. Unfortunately, I was too late and he had already finished his break and started personally greeting his guests.
Great. Now I have to wait until the end. What the heck do I do now?
I heaved a hopeless sigh and decided to wait for the party to end. The Sapphire servers shut down every night so there was no point in rushing home.
I resign myself to my fate.
As I started heading for my favorite corner looking at my phone, I bumped into someone from behind.
"Whoops, sor-"
Looking up I saw yet another familiar face.
I guess this is what happens when you know so many people from influential families.
"....What are you doing here."
"Hahaha, well if it isn't Akane!" I awkwardly chuckled while breaking out in cold sweat and averting my eyes.
This girl means trouble.
"You really are mysterious, Yuri." She greeted with a scary smile and upturned eyes.
I do NOT have a good feeling about this.
"...Wanna keep this quiet from the school for me?"
"Keep what quiet, you mean how somehow you're at one of the most important parties in the world or something? I thought you were just a nobody. How did you get in? Judging by the clothes you're wearing, you're not supposed to be here. Sneak in?"
Thank the heavens I decided to wear casual clothes.
".....I wanted to see someone."
"You like Eugene Franco? I thought he was the one who was supposedly rejected by you."
"....So that's what the rumors are saying huh." I heaved a sigh.
"It's not true?"
"...Not really."
"Then what's your relationship with Mr. Franco?"
"We just knew each other from America. Used to be in the same class, he was just happy to see me and overreacted."
"Mhm, I see. That explanation does make sense...but I do remember that you always bragged that your family was quite rich. Who are you anyway? Your athletic abilities are crazy, you seem to get full marks even under constant harassment, and you never seem majorly injured when beaten around by guys. And you're Lynx as well...?"
Of course, of all the people I had to bump into, it's one of the crazy smart people at my school.
"Um, just remind me, how did you figure out my game ID again?"
"Don't change the topic."
Stubborn girl.
"Please, I don't think your explanation from before made much sense. I fell for it since I was in a panic, but there's no way that it was true."
"So you don't believe the stupid tattoo story anymore?"
. . .I think she's mocking me.
"No, I don't. So give me the full explanation."
She smirked at me. "I don't think you have the right to know."
Oh she's definitely mocking me now.
"How about I'll answer your question and you answer mine?"
"I could always just threaten you to tell me but...sure this sounds more interesting." She laughed. "I'll go first then, it wasn't the tattoo that gave it away. You see, my family is quite influential you know? My father runs the most prestigious school in Japan and my mom is an important figure of the police force. I have access to all the school records and all the information I need."
Wow, she's really proud of her parents.
"Yuri Mizuki, an extremely talented individual with a mysterious background that even I can't figure out. All I know is that you're rich, well educated and that you moved here from America when you were 7 years old with your family. No information can be found about your family except for a rumor that your mom is dead due to an accident caused by you."
Tsk. Sia really amazed me when she managed to dig up that information. I have no idea how she did it. If Ryan is a genius at erasing info, then she's the opposite and is a genius at finding info.
"I knew that you play Sapphire. That's obvious enough. Judging from your stubborn and prideful personality, I guessed that you wouldn't join a guild or team up with anybody so that means you're a solo player. As for narrowing down the possible solo players, there are few females. Sapphire doesn't let you change gender so I simply looked into all the above-average individual players who were either female or labeled as unknown. Thanks to my title as the vice-leader of Gemstone, it's pretty easy."
She sure likes explaining things. Also, since she works with Kai she probably knew he was going to come to this party. I sure hope she's not one of the people also aiming for him.
"Ahem, you're the one who asked me to explain this to you but you don't seem to be listening."
I quickly shook my head. "No no no, I'm definitely listening. Please keep talking."
"Right, basically I just filtered out all the potential female players on my list after matching their faces to a picture of yours through a program I got someone to create. After that, I realized you must be one of the solo players whos genders were not yet revealed. In this day and age, it's rare to find such people. Most people play with their friends in real life or quickly join some guild hoping to become influential. In the end, I eliminated all the players who were online during school hours and also all the players who rarely went online at all. Thus I ended up with just a dozen players that could have been you."
This is getting really complicated...she did all this just to find information to use against me and force me to participate in the track meet? No way I'm believing that. She probably has some other motive for all this. Akane is really spending a lot of effort on me....thanks I guess? Sure makes me feel important.
"During P.E. class when we were changing I then noticed you had a hummingbird tattoo which seemed to be similar to the one Lynx had. Who was coincidentally on my list! Therefore I took a gamble and bluffed, you fell for it hook, line, and sinker. That other story I told you was a complete lie that I made up after watching you leap over a wall. Tada! Finished explanation."
"Wow...that was uh....."
"Now, it's your turn to answ-"
Suddenly, as if God was helping me, all the lights dimmed and Eugene once again walked onto the stage.
Good timing!
Noticing that Akane was momentarily distracted, I casually backed away from her.
"Right! Well thanks for the explanation, then I guess I'll see you around....."
Grasping my chance, I darted into the crowd of people before she could come to her senses.
How much must I go through just to get one person's contact information?!