Disclaimer: Sword Art Online is owned by Reki Kawahara.

«Nov 21, 2022 - 9:00 AM»

«Aincrad - 1st Floor - Town of Beginnings»

It's already past nine in the morning and the whole town is slowly being filled with a lot of Players and NPCs doing their jobs, daily necessities or daily tasks that they needed in order to survive a another day, in this world.

As for me, Aya, the blonde haired little girl that I met earlier is now guiding me to her Dad's 'shop', or also their home to ask him about the job that she mention earlier.

Acoarding to her, her Dad is supposedly looking for some assistant to help him for his newly opened «Weapon Shop». And after hearing my money problems, Aya suggested that I should talk to her Dad and ask him to hire me.

It's just as Aya said, their house is very near to the plaza because just after almost 7 minutes of walking, we easily reached our destination.

The «Town Plaza» is the place where all information, shops and other important stuffs that all Players needed are all gathered. That's why getting a house and opening a «Weapon Shop» here was really a good decision from Aya's parents.

The outside structure and appearance of their house is very cozy, it is a 2 story building and mostly made out of «wood» materials aside from what looks like a wide glass window right beside the main door. The bottom floor is probably where her Dad's «Weapon Shop» is and the upper floor must be their main room.

I decided to take a closer look so I headed near the glass window to take a peek inside and my initial thoughts was right, I can see many «weapons» displayed inside, weapons like swords, spears and even armors can be seen here from the outside.

I was busy examining the room from the outside when Aya spoke to me.

"Come on P/N-san, let's get inside" She said.

"A-ah mm yeah.." I replied.

And I realized that this is actually the very first time in my life that I would apply for a job (even though its just a in-game-job) so when Aya opened the door for both of us, nervousness finally hits me.

We both entered inside and I got a good look on how the whole room looks like. The whole room is very wide and various weapons and armors are already displayed almost around the room.

But the whole shop is still somehow looks like a bit of 'incomplete' or kind of 'unorganized'.. Some of the weapons are still undisplayed, scattered and lying around on the floor alongside the piles of materials and some kind of «metals» required for crafting that still haven't sorted out carefully, proving that this shop had really just opened not too long ago. This is probably the reason why Aya's Dad is looking for some kind of helper.

"But where in the world did your dad get all of these? Is he a blacksmith or something?" I asked Aya.

"B-brack-smith? Yeah I guess he is.." She replied, probably not understanding the term that I used.

Behind the counter is where the stairs located and beside it is a another door leading up to a new room, probably their kitchen or probably even his Dad's blacksmith shop.

"Phew.. Finally home." Aya said and finally puts down the thing that she was holding ever since I met her earlier, she placed it down in the table nearby. The basket full of what looks like a mix of fruits and vegetables.

"Umm Aya-chan, what exactly are those things?" I finally asked out of curiosity.

"Fruits and Vegetables" She simply replied.

"Y-yeah I know.. I mean, you were holding that ever since we met earlier right? What are they for?" I asked further.

"Ahh, Mom asked me to get these in her friend's house near the plaza earlier" She answered. "I think these are all ingredients that Mom needed for something. And I can't really put these in my «Inventory» for some reasons that I don't know, that's why I have to carry it all the way home." She continued, pouting a bit on the last part.

Now that explains on why she was carrying it. But it still confuses me on why she can't put it on her inventory, I wonder what's the reason.

"Ahh I see. But Ingredients for what? For food?" I asked once again.

"No, not quite. Actually, those are the ingredients for making HP Potions."

But the one who answered me wasn't Aya at all, it was a voice coming from a adult woman. And after that, a figure slowly appeared coming from the upstairs.

"Mom!" Aya blurted out.

"E-eh?"

It turns out that the woman is actually her Mom. She had a short-bobbed hair just like Aya but it is in dark colour instead of blonde. She's probably on her late 20's or early 30's based on her «avatar's» look and appearance.

"I-is that your mom Aya-chan?" I asked her in a low, almost whispering way.

"Yep!"

Her mom walks towards the opposite side of the table where Aya put the basket down near us. She picked up one of the contents to examine it.

"These fruits and vegetables actually contains something that are required for crafting «Potions»" She said.

"W-wait really? You can craft Potions with those things?" I asked surprised because I didn't really know up until now that you can actually craft «Potions» in this game.

"Yeah, although it's not very well known because the process on crafting it is really not that easy." She answered.

"These things are kind of a bit different from the fruits and vegetables that you can normally get in these game. These things are not edible and also the most annoying thing about them is that you can't store them in a player's «Inventory» at all" She continued and explained.

Game balance, I think. It's not really that surprising.

"That's probably because of the game balance, because just imagine the things that you can do if you can store them freely in your inventory.." I said.

"Haha yeah that's what I thought too" She answered. "By the way may I ask who you are? Are you Aya's friend?"

She suddenly followed that question,making me flinched a bit, and my nervousness switches on once again.

"U-hm no I'mー"

"ーHis name is P/N Mom!"

Aya interrupted and answered for me before I could even finish.

"Oh P/N huh? I'm Aya's mother, my name is Amaya. Nice to meet you P/N-kun." She smiled as she introduced herself.

"Same here, Amaya-san" I bowed slightly and replied her politely.

"So do you need something here? What brings you here today P/N-kun"

"Uhm.. Actuallyー"

"ーP/N-san came here to ask Dad if he can work here!"

Aya being Aya, she suddenly interrupted and answered for me once again.

"Work here? Is that right P/N-kun?" Her mom turned to me and asked again.

"Umm yes it is, that's actually my purpose for being here.." I answered politely while slightly scratching the back of my head.

Amaya-san puts her finger into her chin and gathered her thoughts for a moment.

"It's true that Dad is in need of assistance in our shー Wait, how did you know about that Aya?" Her brows furrowed a bit and turned to Aya.

"Ehe-hehehe.." Aya just slowly turned sideways and smiled awkwardly in response to her mom's question.

It looks like Aya really did just overheard everything from her parents. Seriously, this kid..

"*sigh* Well, it's true that Dad is in need for some assistance, and he's actually planning on looking for someone later today but..."

She trailed her words and turned to face me. It looks like she is examining my whole appearance.

That last for only a few seconds and she stops upon realizing something when she examined my face.

"Aya, where did you and P/N-kun met earlier?" She turned to ask her daughter.

"In the «Town Plaza», P/N-san helped bought me those breads that Dad loved!" Aya answered in her usual tone.

I wonder what it is now.

"Hmm.. I think I get it now.." She muttered to herself but loud enough for me to hear it.

I'm really getting nervous again, I wonder what really is it.

"Umm.. Amaya-san? Is there something wrong? I asked nervously.

"No, no it's nothing.. P/N-kun just wait here, Ill go get my husband in the back"

"O-ok.."

"Aya, wait here with P/N-kun got it?"

"Yess Mom!" Aya replied.

Amaya-san headed to the room that I mentioned earlier to call her husband.

"You seemed a bit nervous P/N-san" Aya said after noticing my behaviour.

"Ha-haha yeah.. A bit.."

"Don't worry, Mom and Dad are both kind persons so just tell them that you really need a work and I'm sure you will be fine!"

"I really hope so, Aya-chan.." I simply replied

Yeah, I really do hope so. Because this is probably my one and only chance right now to get a job and to earn money, a job that doesn't involve any fighting.

Minutes felt like a half-an-hour and after a few more moments, Amaya-san finally came back, along with her husband.

"Now this is it.. Don't screw it now.. Don't screw it now.." I said silently to myself to calm my nerves but I heard Aya snickered a bit, she probably heard all my muttering.

One of the «Sword Art Online's» feature is that our avatar here looks almost axactly the same as our body in the real world. The built, the height and even our face, the «NerveGear» replicated all of them almost perfectly.

So the moment that I saw Aya's Dad, I easily noticed that he's not a Japanese based on his «avatar's» appearance.

He has a well-built body, blonde hair just like what Aya has and based on his looks, he's also probably around the same age as his wife.

"Ah. It's really him.." I heard him said in a low tone as he examined me from a far while they're both heading towards us, to me and Aya.

I wonder what's with that.. That also happened earlier with Amaya-san, do they know me?

When they finally reached the opposite side of the table, Aya's Dad finally speak up.

"Kid.. You wanna work here?"

"Uhm yes sir, I'm actuallyー

"ーJust call me Marco." He interrupted.

"Oh, ah, y-yeah ok.. And Im P/N, Marco-san" I politely replied.

"Ok P/N.. So, you wanna work here?" He asked once again.

I need to be carefull on my answers. I need this, I need money to survive.. I better not screw this up.

"Uhm yeah, I actually just met Aya earlier and she said that you are looking for someone to help you with your shop.." I started explaining myself.

"I'm really in a need for some source of «Col's» income now so I decided to try and come here to kind of, apply for the job.." I continued.

Marco-san started pondering for a moment after that before he responded.

"Hmm, It's true that I'm looking for.. -Wait a minute.. How did you know all about that Aya?"

"Yeah I already asked that earlier.." Amaya-san said beside Marco-san.

"Aha-haha, I j-just happen overheard you talking with Mom last night about that.." Aya awkwardly explains herself once again.

Marco-san just palmed his forhead a bit on his daughter's response.

"*sigh* Well, It can't be helped then, it's AyaAya were talking about after all" Marco-san said in a tone of defeat.

Aya just meekly laughed on his Dad's remarks while Amaya-san just sighed in response. It looks like Aya's attitude is also a little bit overwhelming even for her parents, seriously, what a kid.

"We should go upstairs and discuss everything there, it's a lot more comfortable there than here.." He said.

"Follow us, P/N-kun" Amaya-san said.

We all moved upstairs after that.

Once we are on their main room, Aya made me sit on their couch while Amaya-san sat beside on my left. There is a wooden table in front of us that seperates both Marco-san and Aya that were seating on the other couch on the opposite side of us.

"Back to the main point.." Marco-san said, continuing the main discussion earlier.

"As you can see earlier, there are far still a lot of mess down there so It's true that Im looking for someone to help me here in starting my shop. I'm actually planning on going outside later to find and hire someone but.. "

He trailed his words and took away a quick glance on her wife that were sitting beside me.

"..But, out of all people, who would've thought that it would be.. 'You'."

Now, I am really confused.. Do I know them? Do they know me?

"Uhm Marco-san, Im sorry but I don't follow.. What exactly do you mean by that?" I asked.

"We've actually met you before, P/N-kun" Amaya-san answered my question.

"H-huh? We've met before? B-but I don'tー" I asked, surprised.

"ーIn the plaza's bench.. Third day in this game, we've met you there before." Marco-san answered this time.

"O-oh.. I.. I see.." I replied, finally making sense about everything.

Okay, what to do now..

The «bench» in the «Town Plaza», the place where I first decided on giving up everything, until Diavel showed up.

I mentioned this earlier but that's where I spent the entirety of my first four days on this game. I haven't eaten or done anything that time, my mind back then was at complete state of fear, fear of losing my life that hunger and other kind of things doesn't even bother me.

That's probably the reason why I couldn't remember Marco-san and Amaya-san at all. But I do remember that a 'lot' of people have tried to talk to me back then, maybe out of concern or curiosity but I just decided to ignore all of them because I am so afraid about the thought that I may lose my life anytime.

Marco-san and Amaya-san had probably tried to talk to me back then but I just choosed to ignore them, so there is really no surprise if I can't remember them at all.

"I.. I'm sorry Marco-san but.. I can't really remem-"

"-No don't apologize P/N. It's okay if you don't remember."

"We thought that you might need some help that time so we both tried to talk to you, but you gave us no response at all.." Amaya-san said beside me.

I am right, they're both one of the few people who have tried to lend me some help back then. I just wish that I can remember them, but I guess that's impossible. I don't really care anything aside from my own safety that time, so how could I possibly remember them if I haven't even looked at their faces.

"I.. I was in complete tatters that time, so I can't really remember anything or anyone that had tried to talk to me back then.." I said looking down, still on a apologetic tone.

"It's ok, don't force yourself to remember. We understand." Amaya-san said.

I glanced at her and just nodded slightly in response.

Aya on the other hand is just listening on us and she looks confused about everything.

"I kind of got the gist of your situation, P/N.." Marco-san said.

"You said earlier that you need some kind of source for money right? But we all know that working in a shop like this isn't really the best idea, right?.."

I just remained silent after that.

"P/N, you're afraid on going «outside», aren't you?" Marco-san continued.

I clenched my fist a bit after hearing him, not because of what he said but because of myself, my pitiful self.

But I got this feeling that I need to be honest with them, so I mustered myself and answered..

"Y-yes.."

I was looking down but I can really feel both of their sympathetic looks on me.

"W-what do you mean afraid of outside?" Probably couldn't take anymore confusions, Aya finally speak up. "P/N-san what does that mean?" She then turned to me and asked in her unusual, worried tone.

"Waiー Aya!?" Amaya-san worriedly turned to her daughter, probably because of her question.

Marco-san and Amaya-san are both good persons, and given that they had tried to give me some help before, it only proves that point.

And Aya, if I didn't met her earlier, I probably wouldn't be here right now to get this chance of solving my problem.

For some reason, It makes me want to explain everything to them.

"It's okay, Amaya-san.." I said to her.

She just gave me a worried look after that.

"Aya-chan, you asked me earlier on why I am not fighting monsters outside to earn money just like your mom and dad right?"

Aya nodded.

"The thing is.. I'm afraid on going outside, outside of the «safe zone».." I continued "I don't wanna fight because I'm afraid that even at a smallest mistake, It would c-cost my.. Life.." I said, making Aya to recoil a bit.

My breath is slowly getting ragged as I started explain things to them.

"I-I'm afraid of dying. I, I fear death. I fear it to the point that just imagining myself dying here or me not being able to make it out of this world is making me, crazy.. It's m-making me paranoid about everything.." I continued.

Both Marco-san and Amaya-san just intently listened on me while Aya is slightly open mouthed as she heared my words.

"That's why I decided t-that I.. That I'm never going outside.. I d-decided that I will just 'wait' until the help outside arrives.. Or until someone would f-finally beat this, this game.. This h-hell.."

I am trembling and my voice is now in a complete tatters as I continued on explaining everything to them.

"I, I know.. I know that what I'm doing is very wrong and p-pathetic.. I know that in other p-people's perspective, I'm just a coward.. T-they are not wrong but, but I can't help it.. I j-just.. I just simply don't wannaー"

"ーThat's enough, P/N.. You have said enough." Marco-san interrupted me, sympathetically.

"He's right P/N-kun. It's okay, you don't have to push yourself.. We already understand." Amaya-san said as she rubbed my shoulder as if to calm me down.

And then, it finally hits me on why I wanted to say these things, my 'fear' to them..

"I-I'm so sorry P/N-san.. I d-didn't knew that you feel something like that.. I'm sorry.." Aya said apologetically.

She sounds like she regrets the question that she asked earlier.

I turned and smiled at her after that. "It's okay Aya-chan, don't apologize."

"P/N, you're still a kid, so it's not surprising if you feel that way. But It looks like aside from that, you also have some serious things going on in your back.." Marco-san said.

"..Mm, yeah. A lot.."

I looked down again, understanding what he meant.

"You said earlier that you know that what your doing isn't the 'right' thing.. Am I right?"

I only nodded slightly in response.

"Well, that's actually true. I mean, I think no one else in this world is actually not afraid of dying."

"But still.. They all decided to risk their lives just to beat this game, this game that's been imprisoning us.." He continued. "Waiting.. Just simply 'waiting' until the help arrives.. It's true that what you've been doing all this time, is not correct.."

His words is only reminding me on how pathetic I am, so I just remained silent after that.

"Yeah, it's definitely not correct. But let me just say this to you, P/N.."

"Cherishing your own life is NOT, and will NEVER be wrong.. Remember that."

I lift up my head and looked at him after that.

He just smiled slightly at me and continued. "P/N.. I understand what you've been going through, trust me, I know that feeling very well. That's actually the reason why I decided on building this shop."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"All of us, we all wanted to get out of this world, right?"

I nodded.

"I've always wanted to help on doing that, but at the same time, I'm also afraid of losing my life. I'm afraid on dying and leaving my wife and daughter in this world alone. That's why I decided on becoming a «Blacksmith» and built this shop. I wan't to be part of freeing everyone here by supporting the other «Players», while still being there, for my family.."

I became slightly open mouthed by his words.

"Looking at you.. I think deep down inside, you also feel the same way as me, but you're just too afraid on making a move because of your fear.." He continued.

"That's why if it's alright with you P/N, I wan't you to work here with me. That way, we can wait for the help outside and at the same time, we can help on trying to save everyone in this world.. How about that?"

I jolted up on my seat after hearing him.

"Wha-.. R-really?!!"

Marco-san laughs a bit after seeing my reaction.

"Haha. That's the reason why you're here in the first place right?" He said.

"W-well.. Yeah, but is it alright with you guys?" I asked.

"Of course, I just told you right? Well that's only if you wanted to, if you have already changed your mind, it's also okay." He answered.

"NO! I m-mean.. Yes, I wan't to work here!" I answered hurriedly.

"It's decided then.." Amaya-san said smiling, beside me.

After all the things that I confessed to them, I was actually expecting that they will turn me down. But they didn't. It seems like they really understand my reasoning, especially Marco-san, which is I am very thankful about right now.

The depressing atmosphere around us is slowly disappearing as Aya suddenly jumped band lurted out something..

"Yaaayy!! P/N-san is gonna work here now!" Aya said as she jumped up from her seat.

"Aren't you a bit too excited about this? Aya? You looked much more excited than P/N" Marco-san said making Amaya-san laugh.

"N-no.. I'm actually excited, I mean, happy too. I finally got a solution to my problem thanks to you, I'm just a bit speechless. That's why, thank you, thank you very much for letting me work here.." I said lowering my head to show my gratitude.

"Don't worry Dad! I'm sure P/N-san will do a great job on working here! Believe me!" Aya turned to her dad.

"I bet he will. But it's all actually thanks to you Aya, I didn't have to look for someone anymore since you already brought P/N here.." Marco-san said.

He's right. I'm not going to be here if not because of Aya. So I have to thank that kid later, I really owe her this.

"Now that I think about it, where did you two meet earlier?" He asked.

"In the plaza Dad! P/N-san helped me buy those bread that you said you really liked!" Aya answered, in her usual tone.

She then opened her «Menu Window» and after a few taps, the «Sweet Buns» that she bought in the plaza with me earlier materializes and she places it down in the table in front of us.

"Woah, good girl I really love thi.. ーWait Aya, did you tried to go home alone?" Marco-san's expression and tone changed after realizing that her daughter may had probably came home alone on her own.

"W-what?? Anna's brother was supposed to walk you home!? What happened?!" The change of tone in Amaya-san's voice is also present.

Busted, Aya slowly turned back on her seat earlier.

"Is Aya wasn't supposed to be alone in the plaza earlier" I asked.

"No, of course not. I wasn't actually planning on letting her go earlier in the first place.." Amaya-san started explaining. "As you can see, we have a lot of things to do here since we just opened the shop, and I really need that «Ingredients» earlier so Aya really insisted on helping us.." She continued.

"I really appreciated her thoughts as her mother, so I decided to let her go.. And besides Anna, my bestfriend here in this game and in real life, is also with her when they leave here this morning so I thought that it would be fine since she's with her."

"Anna also said that she would ask «Veislief», her brother to walk Aya back home.." Marco-san said this time.

"Aunt's brother wasn't there when we came back to their house earlier.." Aya started talking, explaining herself. "And it looks like she had a lot of things to do, so I decided to just go home alone since I know the way anyway. And that's where I met P/N-san.." She continued.

This finally clears my worry and confusion about her being alone in the «Town Plaza». It looks like Aya wasn't actually supposed to go home alone earlier.

"But still Aya, you should've waited and you shouldn't have gone home alone, didn't we told you that before?" Amaya-san said.

Aya just nodded after that.

"Aya, don't ever do that again, promise us.." Marco-san turned to her daughter.

"Yes Dad, Mom.. I'm sorry.." She replied, sincerely.

"Well P/N.. This is actually one of the reason on why I wanted to hire someone. I want someone to look after her while we are working because as you can see, she can be a bit of, uncontrollable, sometimes." Marco-san turned to me.

"Ha-haha, it's ok, you can leave her to me, Marco-san." I said.

"W-what do you mean by uncontrollable, Dadー"

Aya tried to speak but got interrupted after Marco-san patted her head playfully.

While watching both Marco-san and Aya-chan like this, it reminds me of how close I am to my 'Mom' back then. As a little kid, Mom always used to play with me whenever I wanted.

So seeing both of them like this really makes me happy, but lonely at the same time.

"..It must be nice to have a family, at a time like this.." I said to myself silently.

But it looks like Amaya-san heared what I just

said.

"What are you saying P/N-kun, you will be a part of this family from now.."

I looked at her dumbfounded.

"..H-huh?"

"She's right P/N. From now on you will be working here, everyday, with us, with this family. Let us both do our very best from now on and get out of here someday, everyone of us.." Marco-san encouragingly said this time.

My heart raced and my eyes lit up as I absorbed his words. That was the words that I wanted to here all this time.

I finally understood the reason on why I didn't hesitated on telling them my 'fear' earlier.. Ever since this «death game» had started, I was alone, alone and afraid.

That's probably why I unconsciously searched for some comfort.. I want someone to tell me that it's going to be okay.. I want someone to tell me that everything would be fine..

A Family. Who would've thought that someone like me, would be so lucky to meet someone like them at a time like this.

This might be a new start for me. That's why I have to do my best from now as long as I can so I can finally get out of here someday, with them.

"Yes!! I will do my best!!"

--

Next: A New Start