The bell rang the majestic 3 o’clock melody.
Asuna said, while placing the cup of strong kohiru tea onto the table.
"Kirito-kun, you have to eat something. Even candy would do."
"Mm......, yeah......."
Kirito who was sitting with head resting on folded arms, stretched out his hand to the wooden plate of candies, and watched Asuna with a look as if he noticed something.
"W-what is it?"
"No...... I just thought that you often used to say such a thing in the past."
Asuna understood that the words he said with a bitter smile were not about the time they started to live in this world, but rather about the real world. She sat on the chair next to him and returned the smile.
"Because Kirito-kun, if you get hooked on something you can easily disregard meals, without even noticing it."
"Ah... Yui was also often angry"
Despite responding in a casual tone, Kirito quickly turned his line of sight away. But still he felt something changing in Asuna’s expression, stretched out a hand and gently stroke her hair. As she relaxed enjoying that feeling, the pain piercing the chest gradually softened.
The two people could not meet Yui, a top-down AI born in the former SAO and also their ‘daughter’ anymore. Even with Yui's processing speed it would be difficult to synchronize with Underworld, which had been accelerated to a rate of 5 million times, and there was no way to connect for her in the first place.
Lisbeth and Silica who had been logging in to save the Human World defense army from the crisis at the end of the Foreign World War said that it was Yui who led themselves as well as Shinon and Leafa to Underworld. She gathered everyone, explained politely and clearly about the current situation in the Underworld and the importance of Alice, and asked for cooperation.
Without that Yui’s actions, the Human World Defense Forces led by Asuna would be wiped out and Alice would have been captured by the Emperor Vector. Thinking that they could never meet their beloved daughter who worked so hard again ─ even more, that there was no way to even tell her a word of gratitude, was painful, but she surely would understand. Even though Kirito and Asuna had no other way to go and became separated by time and space barriers, they would continue to love Yui forever.
Yui seemed to describe the whole thing about Underworld and Alice as "a proof of the existence for all VRMMO worlds beginning with SAO and the many people who lived there". So Asuna had to do her best to protect this world. Now, when the path of reconciliation has been opened up to Human World and Dark Territory, it was absolutely necessary to prevent another war.
"...... because if we don’t work hard enough…"
Kirito muttered as if feeling Asuna's thoughts. He tapped her back with the hand that was stroking the hair, took some nuts and fruit from the wooden tray, opened the mouth wide and crunched them. Underworld was a virtual world, but unlike Incrad, when the hungry state lasts, Life level begins to decrease and the lack of nutrition eventually leads to a disease, so food was as important as in the real world.
The on-the-spot survey in the Southern Centoria administration held that morning revealed that there were no transfer orders for the three mountain goblins issued, and it became clear that the official who visited the inn did not actually exist. Although the seal of the administration was pressed on the order form, as was testified by the innkeeper lady who witnessed the transfer, but since the seal itself was of a simple design, it was easy to counterfeit it. If one could slip through the Taboo Index which forbids the faking of any signs and signatures, of course.
However, the man who killed the old Yazen with his own hand whom Asuna had seen in the "Past Reflection Art" — to be fair, she only saw an arm holding the dagger, but anyway ─ was clearly not bound by the Taboo Index. If the fake official who took away the mountain goblins was the same person, he could fake any number of stamps.
Investigation in the administration ended after the noon, and as a result Southern Centoria was under throughout search for the three abducted goblins. The city was vast, but it was still only a quarter of the circular central capital. In addition, the Southern Centoria guards tamed 20 desert wolves with sharp sense of smell, and it seems that whether the goblins are held in the building could be known by just sniffing the indoor scent coming from the door. By the evening all the buildings would be searched, so Kirito and Asuna were waiting for the report of discovery in their own Cathedral 's room now.
In fact, both of them wanted to participate in the search, but the knight leader Fanatio, who was concerned about the possibility that this abduction would be a trap to lure Human World Prime Swordsman in as well as the Yazen’s murder case, pleaded them to remain in the Cathedral. Then they wanted to at least gather in the large conference hall on the fiftieth floor, but then Asuna was strongly requested by the head of Sacred Arts division Ayuha so that she stays in her room until she completely recovers from mental exhaustion of the Past Reflection Art.
Even Ayuha Furia, one of the Underworld best arts masters, could not use Past Reflection, and the reason it worked for Asuna, although for a very short period of time, as Ayuha speculated, was related to the power of God Stacia.
Asuna repeatedly explained that she was the Real World person and not a reincarnation of genesis goddess Stacia, but not only staff and clerics of Cathedral, even Integrity Knights did not appear to be entirely convinced. In order to prevent the misunderstanding from spreading any further, she attempted not to use "unlimited terrain manipulation ability" as much as possible... but while trying to prevent the Kirito machine dragon from crash just one week ago, she have shifted the upper floor of Cathedral sideways.
Anyway, Ayuha thought that the spirit of Asuna was tolerant to some extent to excessive information throughput and hence she could endure the Past Reflection. In fact, the burden of the technique itself did not decrease, Asuna could use it because she strongly believed in herself, and because she was aware that the safety of the mountain Goblins is a major problem directly linked to the crisis of all Human World, or all Underworld.
As in the case of old man Yazen killed in Human World, the criminal who abducted the three people for sure was preparing a similar situation, that if three of them were found dead, the peace between two worlds finally getting its shape would receive a devastating blow.
If the mountain goblins are not found during the search of the whole city of South Centoria, there was only one way remaining. Again, at that inn, Asuna would have to use Past Reflection to examine the destination of the carriage. But this was problematic. Since it was impossible to move during the ceremony, it was necessary to repeatedly move to the point where the carriage in the crystal plate becomes invisible and see through the past again, but yesterday she used it once and that seemed to be enough for her to collapse. Asuna did not know how many times she could invoke the art, even taking breaks.
Kirito had a concerned look because he strongly hoped that the goblins will be secured before the Past Reflection is needed. However, those hopes were gradually disappearing. Even though two and a half hours have already passed since the search began, not the missing three people, even the horse carriage used for abduction, have not been found.
Asuna changed topic trying to soften stressed mood of Kirito who got silent again after having a cake.
"By the way, did the apprentice knights go out?"
"Eh......? Ah... yup."
After blinking, Kirito looked out the window.
"As I understand, Ronye's Tsukigake has recently disliked fish, so they went to a suburban lake to fix it."
"Heh...... So, dragons also have preferences."
When she quietly chuckled, Kirito also relaxed his lips.
"Apparently. Hainag, the stable keeper advised them, they should let them eat fish they caught themselves. "
"Ah, it's oddly delicious when you get it with your own hands. The old days I used to gather wild plants and mushrooms at grandpa’s place in Miyagi1...."
Memories of childhood reviving vividly made her to forget recent sorrow, and Asuna exhaled a sigh of relief.
Come to think of it, the ingredients for cooking I have used so far have only arrived from the market of the central city, I never used the materials I picked up. But ingredients of Underworld also begin to lose Life immediately after being picked, and it seems that the value directly relates to taste, so next time let's try cooking in the place where the material is found... thinking so, she casually asked:
"Where is the lake that they two went to?"
"Err, well, I guess it is not in the Northern Empire emperor's domain. Looks like the ice hasn’t melted yet...... although............"
As Kirito's word slowed down and broke off, Asuna tilted her head and looked at him.
Prime Swordsman intently gazed at a certain point in the air with an absent-minded face. Eventually, he slowly frowned and whispered:
"...... Not in the city of Centoria, outside the city...... For example, it’s possible they were taken to the former private territory...... is it not...?"
It was clear that the subject of the words were missing goblins. Asuna instantly shook her head.
"It is impossible. Since Yazen's incident occurred, people and horse-drawn carriages passing through Great Southern Centoria Gate are strictly checked up to the contents of the luggage. No matter how small the goblins were, I cannot imagine anyone missing the three people on board... besides, all of them must have been either restrained or unconscious."
"Yup, I think that it is impossible to go through the South Gate, but...... what about other gates?"
She stared at the face of Kirito and quickly responded with another question.
"... You mean that the carriage has crossed the Timeless Wall and moved to Eastern Centoria or Western Centoria.......?"
"Or it did so twice, to get to Northern Centoria."
"Uh-hu...."
Asuna caught up with the possibility she did not think about at all.
Even Asuna who have seen a number of virtual worlds, could not help feeling awe in front of monstrous everlasting and unbreakable structure extending in total for 3000 kilometers and dividing Centoria and the whole country of Human World into four parts.
They said, Highest Priest Administrator had made it appear overnight with Sacred Art, but even with the unlimited terrain manipulation ability granted to the Stacia account, it was absolutely impossible to imitate the same. The enormous amount of data flowing into the fluctlight could not be tolerated, it would result in unconsciousness after making a wall of about only ten kilometers.
Because of that perception, Asuna has never imagined someone could be able to trespass the Timeless Wall, or walk on top of it like Kirito did yesterday. Therefore, from the very beginning she eliminated the possibility that the carriage containing the mountain goblins passed the wall.
"... In order to pass through the four gates on the Timeless Wall, it is necessary to have a pass issued by Cathedral or a day permit issued by the administration of one of the four empires... but......."
Kirito continued after Asuna’s murmuring:
"....... Kidnappers were able to fake the transport orders of the South Centoria administration. Copper passes would be difficult to fake, but if it is a parchment permit....... ── In which case, the modus operandi finally becomes similar to that of Obsidia..."
The "black robe man" who kidnapped Ambassador Scheta’s and Commander Isukan’s daughter Lisetta, was hiding on the top floor of Obsidia Castle that everyone thought was impossible to make a way into. The reason that person could enter and exit the top floor seemed to have not been clarified yet. However, the behavioral pattern was indeed very similar to the abduction of mountain goblins this time.
For a moment Kirito tightened lips, then quickly stood up.
"Let's extend the search of the goblins to the Northern, Eastern, Western Centoria and the former private territories in the suburbs."
"Well..."
Asuna also stood up, turning her gaze to the south window.
Southern Centoria's red sandstone townscape was illuminated by afternoon sunlight. The sky in the west was already dyed gold.
"... Look, it’s evening already. Is it not difficult to search outdoors in the night? Not to mention that private territories are quite vast... "
"Ah... I see. The search over private territories can wait till tomorrow morning, but it is better for the city one to start at once. I’ll go to the fiftieth floor, Asuna you should stay..."
Asuna stopped his phrase with a fingertip pressed against Kirito’s lips, and said:
"For sure, I will also go, I'm fine, I've completely recovered from the exhaustion of the Past Reflection Art already."
"............... understood."
After nodding, Kirito took a piece of nougat from the wooden plate on the low table and thrusted it into Asuna’s mouth returning the favor:
"Then, Asuna, please eat properly."
I know that — she tried to say, but the only thing that came out of Asuna's mouth was "Omnomne".
When the two who rushed up the big staircase to the fiftieth floor entered the large conference hall, people surrounding the round table simultaneously turned their eyes at them.
It was Ayuha Furia wearing white robe who said first:
"Asuna-sama, please, you have not rested yet!"
"It’s all right, Ayuha-san. I had rest and I feel well."
Quickly answering this way, she somehow stopped the clerics leader who already began to stand up. Then, Fanatio, who was unusually lightly equipped2 this time, said towards Kirito:
"Prime-dono, I'm sorry, but I have not received any good news yet. The search over the South Centoria came up from district ten to mansions in district three, and so fat it looks like this area will be a no-hit as well."
The word "no-hit" which means that the effort is wasted should have come from baseball3, Asuna thought, but what it originated from in Underworld where the game does not exist — anyway it is not the case that I care about such a thing now.
"Here’s the thing, Fanatio-san.",— Asuna said, sitting down on the chair at her place at the table,— "I think there is a possibility that a horse-drawn carriage containing mountain goblins went out of the South Centoria through the gate in Timeless Wall."
The moment she said so the wide conference hall became silent.
In addition to Ayuha and Fanatio, knight Renri, knight Nergius and knight Entokia were the ones who at that time were at the round table. The knight Dusolbert was at the temporary headquarters established in the South Centoria fifth district, and the intelligence department director Xiao Shukas seemed to be searching independently with her own men.
It was Entokia, which was surprisingly talkative as for the senior knight, who began first:
"Well, that is difficult, is not it? To pass the "Four Seasons’ Gates", you need a pass with the Axiom Church insignia, which is supposed to be made in Church by the Highest Priest-sama using Sacred Art."
"Eh… Is that so? Well, then, at present situation, it would be impossible to produce new ones?"
The knight nodded the head with bluish short hair to Kirito's question:
"I think so. Surely, there seems to be something I've heard that it is being created the way so that it cannot be imitated by any experienced craftsman..."
"That's right. When light was cast on the copper pass, the crest of the Axiom Church appeared to be golden, and I was unable to get His Excellency Bercouli to tell me how to make one."
If Fanatio says so, it is no doubt that counterfeiting is impossible. Kirito nodded, combining the fingers of both hands on the desk.
"It is quite possible that passes cannot be faked and let’s think again later on the matter of running out of their stock...... The problem is that there is a way to go through the gate without having a pass."
"One day permit......that’s the one."
— Ayuha pointed out, both Kirito and Asuna nodded at the same time. Nergius, who had kept silent till now, said after other knights also expressed agreement:
"......In other words, the insurgent forged not only the transfer order of the administration, but also the gate permit? How much Taboo Index violation will you put on them...?"
"No need to burn like that, Negi-boy. It's obvious that they are not worried about the Taboo Index at all, as the insurgents already killed people with their own hands."
Nergius abruptly breathed in, perhaps, intending to protest the way Fanatio addressed him, but barely sighed as if he had given up. Instead, Renri spoke after raising his hand:
"But Kirito-san, if the kidnappers passed the Gates of the Four Seasons...... Great Gates other than the one of Southern Centoria didn’t have examination for the luggage in carriages until now, so is there a possibility that they have already left the Central Capital......?"
"That is so."
— Kirito nodded to a young knight and kept on speaking:
"I think that the search for the goblins needs to include the former private territories outside the city and, in addition, the cities of Eastern, Western and Northern Centoria. However, it is quickly getting dark...."
"Let's prepare for the search of private territories to be able to begin with dawn. The city one will start at once, I’ll lead myself."
Kirito quickly bowed his head to Fanatio who stood up saying this.
"Thank you, Fanatio-san. I'm counting on you."
"Easy-peasy. Instead you, boy, stay low here."
Having efficiently pinned down the fidgeting Prime Swordsman, Fanatio walked up to a plain wood cradle, which was placed a little away. She gently stroke the head of sleeping Berchie and after exchanging a word or two with a servant standing by its side, she quickly left the conference hall.
Normally Tiese or Ronye take care of little Berchie during meetings, but if they are not in the Cathedral...... Asuna thought, and at that moment.
After waiting for Fanatio to disappear, Kirito said:
"Ehm....... I am not going to join the search, but can I just go outside for a moment?"
Although he asked for permission, Fanatio and Dusolbert who were in a position to say “no” to Prime Swordsman were not there. Three knights and one cleric exchanged looks, then Nergius said on behalf of all of them:
"Where else do you plan to go to?"
"Actually, the apprentice knights Ronye and Tiese have left for the lake in the Northern Empire Emperor's domain. Something about teaching dragons to catch fish......."
"Ah, is it a correction of unbalanced diet?"
When Nergius nodded, Entokia stretched his lips in a smile:
"Speaking of which, at times long forgotten, Negio's Shionade4,used to never eat melons or anything resembling it, and we had a hard time correcting it. It was in the depths of the South Empire’s jungle where we were going to find the best sweet potato in this world..."
"I should not have asked you to accompany and just depart separately",— Nergius looked at Kirito after casually cutting the speech in the middle,— "If you speak of the lake in the area to the north, it is Lake Norkia. The surroundings there are certainly vast meadows...... Don’t you think there are any criminals lurking in such a place?"
"Well, what if so? From the nature of those two people, if they see a suspicious carriage, I think they would try to find out only by themselves..."
Asuna also nodded unexpectedly to Kirito’s words. Both Ronye and Tiese were obedient and good girls, but as long as they were under the guidance of Kirito at Academy, they could be reckless as well. Indeed, at that time two of them were constantly making efforts to grow from apprentices into regular knights, it is also fully conceivable that their hard work would continue regardless of the danger.
"Since it is just ten kilometers to Lake Norkia, I will just briefly check with them and come back. I’ll return in one hour... no, even in 45 minutes."
Saying that, Kirito quickly stood up. It is probably because he planned to go to the lake by the flight technique from the high floor of the Cathedral, instead of the big South staircase, he went to the elevator shaft at the North. That moment, Asuna also rose from the seat.
"I’ll go, too!"
— she said. Kirito turned around and glanced at the Sacred Arts department head Ayuha.
The woman in white robe nodded lightly as though she gave up, while her face was still shadowed with outrageous concern. Nevertheless, while she briefly added a parting words of "Please return as soon as possible", Asuna shortly bowed to Ayuha and quickly caught up with Kirito.
"Oh, I will update you if there is any sudden movement in the city!"
It was knight Renri who shouted. Kirito answered "Highly appreciated!" and opened the elevator shaft door. They simultaneously jumped into the lift and after quickly closing the door exhaled sighs of relief.
"...... Successfully escaped, that’s what your face looks like."
— She whispered while looking at the one next to her, but Kirito just slightly shook his head:
"It's not like that. I am just worried that Ronye and others are fine..."
"Hu-hu, I understand. Let me move the elevator."
She stepped onto the silver disk on the floor and wrapped the glass tube fixed in the middle with both hands.
This elevator which Airy used to previously operate with Sacred Art was also automated now. The large sealed cans buried under the floor of the elevator shaft were filled with a large number of aerial elements and when the button on the wall is pressed, certain number of elements required to raise the disc to the requested height were burst thus creating pressure which was automatically released from the can. However, just in case, there was also a glass tube for generating aerial elements manually, so that users can operate it on their own. In other words, one could move the lift manually the way they liked instead of an automatic device set at a rather gentle speed.
Asuna produced ten aerial elements inside the cylinder without paying attention to "Hey, safe driving, y’know..." which Kirito standing next to her was saying. When Airy previously lectured them on how to move this disc, she said "I release three units when I start the rise and then one by one when the speed is about to fall down", which would produce a moderate speed when carrying passengers, but she also taught them secretly that if they want to feel more speed the count could be increased.
"Burst!"
With this command, she first release six elements. A green flash blasted in the glass tube, a large amount of air blew out from the bottom, pushing the disk they rode up with a furious momentum.
"U-w-wa....!!!"
— yelled Kirito grasping both Asuna's shoulders. He used to express no emotions when flying in the sky on the back of a dragon or with incarnation, but it seems that he did not like this lift shaft for some reason. Although it is likely to be caused by him nearly falling from the upper floors of the Cathedral, even before Asuna visited Underworld, nothing could be said for sure.
Actually, Asuna had heard about the incident in the middle of the Foreign World War from the mouth of Integrity Knight Alice. She thought that hanging on the outer wall of the 80th floor supported only with one sword when it was not possible to use any flight techniques yet was a considerably fearful experience, but because Kirito displayed mental age of a child only in the elevator shaft, she started at high speed without any bad intentions.
At the time when the sharp rise using six elements began to decelerate, the remaining four were simultaneously released. The disk rapidly accelerated again, and Kirito with "Hye-e-e!!!" stuck to Asuna’s back. Without teasing the poor fellow any more, she just stepped on the floor pedal to lock the disc to the wall as they arrived at the ninetieth floor.
In the past, the elevator shaft was only connecting floors from fiftieth to eightieth, but in conjunction with the automation, the shaft from the first to the fiftieth floor was newly established, as well as an extension of the shaft to the ninetieth. The reason for that was, of course, that the large public bath on this floor was opened to all the staff; since there were no wide gaps in the outer wall on this floor, they run to the 95th floor, the "Lookout of the Morning Star" by the stairs.
Yesterday they had lunch here with Ronye, Tiese and chef Hana who joined them, but as the evening was approaching, the hanging flower pots looked differently. The inclined sunlight entering directly from the outside appeared reminiscent — of course, at the much smaller scale — of the atmosphere of evening scenes in the floating castle of Incrad.
Asuna used to like seeing sunsets from this place, but they didn’t have time for it. She entrusted her body to the right arm of Kirito who rushed to the northern opening:
"Ehm... I understand we are in a hurry, but will it be safe driving?"
Just returning a silent smile to Asuna's question, Kirito transformed the hem of the black leather coat into a shape resembling wings of a dragon. Holding Asuna tightly, he widely spread the wings.
It seems, he is going to fly with a quiet incarnational flight technique, not the aerial elements flight technique that gives speed but also a loud noise...... as she got a little relieved, Kirito casually kicked off the floor. With black wings vigorously flapping, they softly floated in the air ──
The next moment, two people flew the sky with a tremendous momentum that was several times higher than the acceleration of the elevator when using six aerial elements. The cruel air current hit the face as the tallest tower of the Northern Centoria Imperial Palace approached. She knew it was much lower than Cathedral, but they passed over it she closed eyes.
If you can speed up so far with incarnation, what will happen if you use aerial elements flying technique at full power......? After considering it, Asuna remembered that once she had experienced the same.
A year and three months ago, just before the end of the Foreign World War.
Kirito woke up from a long coma and used the maximum speed aerial elements flying technique to catch up with the Emperor Vector who abducted Alice. At that time Asuna did not know the geography of Underworld at all, so it was only after the war when she learned how far they flew, but anyhow, at that time for about five minutes that Kirito held Asuna in his arms they actually moved a thousand kilometers away. If converted to per-hour speed, it is 12000 kilometers per hour, and since the speed of sound is certainly about 1200 kilometers per hour, so it was a ridiculous speed of ten times faster than sound.
The present incarnational power of Kirito is enough to float a steel dragon in the air, but that was equal to the miracle of God. In addition to the flight technique, he returned Alice's dragon and her brother-dragon who were seriously injured in the battle into the form of an egg, and also used the full armament control technique fighting the super account of Emperor Vector that changed the entire Underworld’s skies into the night.
The question is whether Kirito at that time was different — or is Kirito just holding down the power currently? If it is the latter, in a situation where Ronye and Tiese may be in danger, it seems, there is no reason for Kirito to suppress his incarnation.
The next moment Asuna, who thought this, unconsciously clung firmer to Kirito’s body.
As if he had been waiting for it, the field of vision suddenly gleamed bright green and after that loud burst sounds echoed from behind. Asuna shrieked, not ready to a violent acceleration as if being hit by a giant's hammer.
- Prefecture in the northern Honshu, 23% of it's territory consists of natural parks.
- 軽装 could mean both lightweight equipment, say, leather armor, and light dress. Choose your poison.
- Originally 空振り, “karaburi”, coming from 空振り三振 “karaburi san-shin”, which means “strikeout”. But since shortening strikeout to “strike” would rather associate with corresponding bowling term, which has opposite meaning, I just picked up something applicable by nature, “no-hit game”.
- 汐撫, “smooth current”, “tide glider”, etc. Remarkably, it’s the 2nd dragon after Tsukigake name of which does NOT end with -i.