Versatile: Alternate World

Sigma can't shake her feeling about it. She has been observing Bladeheart for quite some time, as well as the others around him. Despite being friends in the game, she does not know them in real life but according to Dolly and the others, they know Bladeheart in real life. The only one from the group who they still have not met in real life is Mr. Teddy and herself.

One can argue that Mr. Teddy is a secretive type of guy as he has not shown himself out from the Kigurumi he is wearing until now. And since he likes to be private and no one heard him talk, they can understand if Mr. Teddy refuses to meet in real life. As for her, she is not a girl who is private about her life with her friends. Since the game doesn't allow players to disguise themselves as a woman in the game unless they really try, Sigma knows that every girl part in their ragtag group is also a real girl in real life as well.

Dolly and Harmless Sparrow keep on asking to meet up with her in real life. They at least want to hang out in real life as well and set aside the games for quite some time She had been putting it on hold for some time but nowadays, she realized something.

Harmless Sparrow and Dolly, both are her close friends in the game. However, for some reason, she can see some things that she didn't notice before that she is already seeing in real life. Their behavior is totally similar to her friends in real life she is not sure whether those friends had in real life and these two are the same people. Heck, even Hagane, Iron, and Topaz felt like people she also knows in real life as well.

Sigma has been debating by herself whether she should ask them if they are those she knew in real life. But she doesn't have the chance to ask most of the time as she forgot to do so. So instead of asking, she decided to continue her observation for quite some time.

Then, there's Bladeheart. The person whom Harmless Sparrow and Dolly seem to know very much. Even his parents are present in the game and it seems Dolly and Hagane know them in real life as well. At first, Sigma didn't connect the dots much. She noticed it, but she didn't know that was a big connection to her previous assumptions. After all, Bladeheart is someone who wears a mask and someone who bears a mysterious aura in him.

But then, she noticed one habit of Bladeheart that she noticed in someone before. It's not that clear before but one behavior of Bladeheart caught her attention before. So today, she is going to end all of the assumptions she had and now she's going to try and confirm it. Now that it was relaxation time and everyone are busy grinding for a bit, she decided that it is time to talk to Bladeheart all about this. If anyone has the answer to her question, it is clearly Bladeheart himself.

Sigma entered the little workshop that Bladeheart built beside the little storefront of the cabin. It's not as big as the workshop he had in Resurgia but it is still big compared to most workshops she had seen in the market and some people who make various items in the workshop.

Currently, Bladeheart is synthesizing stuff. Compared to when he is blacksmithing, he will hold a conversation if he is just doing some synthesizing compared to when he is hammering his hammer down because how he needs more focus on the weapons and armor compared to doing a simple synthesis process.

Bladeheart noticed her already but he didn't say anything and continued to do his little task at hand.

"Bladeheart, is it fine if I talk to you for a while?"

"Yeah, go ahead. It's not like I am busy so it's not a problem. What's on your mind?"

"Bladeheart, I want to confirm something, you are Manato Tsukasa right?"

When he heard the name I mentioned, he almost got shaken and he almost spilled the concoction he is making. He then looked at me and asked, "What?"

"I thought I am just imagining things but based on my reaction, it seems I hit a nail," Sigma was surprised as she didn't expect her assumption would immediately be correct.

"Wait, wait, wait...how? How did you know my name? I don't think I know anyone else with whom I have revealed my name in the real world except for those I knew in the real world themselves!"

"Oh, then my assumption is indeed correct. This means Dolly would be Riko-chan and Hagane is Janus-kun, right?"

Bladeheart who didn't expect what he heard was in disbelief when Sigma also revealed the real names of both Hagane and Dolly whom he also didn't reveal unless they also knew them in real life. Sigma is someone who he didn't know in real life so having her know their names, he is immediately on guard whether it is safe to let the secret of them and himself be revealed. It's not like he does not trust Sigma but he barely has any info on Sigma in the real world. Her having the info of them is something he does not like.

"I can already tell what you are thinking Bladeheart. You think I am someone who is a stranger that suddenly got a hold of information about your real self. And to be honest, that is scary but don't be alarmed, Bladeheart. You also know me in the real world as well. You just didn't notice since I am too different in the real world than in my Alternate World self," Sigma revealed.

Bladeheart stopped when he heard that he also knew Sigma in the real world. However, in Bladeheart's mind, aside from the people in the mansion, no one else knew he plays Alternate World and knows the identity of both Dolly and Hagane as well. He knew other people like some of his classmates but he barely talk to them aside from socializing and stuff and he isn't close to most of them. In fact, after he graduated, he lost contact with them as well.

"It seems you are still confused. I might as well give you a big hint that will reveal my identity. Surely you will know me after learning of that clue."

"Well, in that case, go. Give it to me," Bladeheart seriously listened to make sure he does not miss the clue...

"The clue that I am giving you is that "I have a brother."

Bladeheart paused waiting for more, but he never got anything else other than that.

"HUH? THAT'S IT?"

"Hey, don't be greedy. That alone is a big giveaway to my identity already," Sigma shook her head in disappointment.

"What? But that is not narrowing down! I knew some people who have a brother and it's not helping!"

"Well, it's not my fault? If you can't even guess who I am then it's hopeless for you."

Bladeheart frowned behind his mask and started thinking. It's not something he will immediately guess knowing the people he knew indeed has a sibling. But then his mind immediately connects some dots as fast as he can. There could only be a few people who knew how close his relationship with both Janus and Riko and those people should be his close friends or those who know both of our lifestyles, so it immediately eliminates a lot of candidates.

Then, Bladeheart immediately had a guess. After all, he even thought Sigma and this person he was thinking is the same person as before. Not only that, but it coincides with how she knows I am friends with both Hagane and Dolly in real life and knew it was them immediately. I treat both in the same manner in the game and in the real world after all. And the people who only knew about that are the people living with us. Topaz is clearly out of the question so the only person other than Topaz who has a brother is none other than that person indeed.

"You... you are Pandora right?"

Bladeheart is sure on this one. Not only do Sigma and Pandora look alike, but the tone of their voice is the same as when Bladeheart heard her voice in the real world when she spoke. Although she has difficulty speaking, he remembers how Pandora talks and it was identical to how Sigma is speaking if Pandora can just talk straight.

Her avatar as well looks very identical to her real face as well. Just have some minor alterations on Pandora's face and she will be looking like Sigma indeed.

When Sigma heard my guess, she smiled and immediately gave a thumbs-up.

"Looks like you are good at guessing, Bladeheart."