WARNING: This story contains mature elements such as manipulation, Non-Con, humiliation.


Chapter 6: Waking Up From Wonderland


Underworld, Rulid Village—6th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

Rulid Village was beautiful, quite literally on the outskirts of the human realm. Close to the plains and far away from more civilised lands, that being the main city where the Central Cathedral was situated, this little village was still far more homely than anything else.

And Alice... wasn't sure what to feel of it.

Of course, she enjoyed being here. It was lovely, and with her memories returned to her, everything that made her love this place back when she was still young long ago was finally returned to her. She was reminded, of just how much she missed this place, and that there was no where else she would rather stay in.

And yet, there was the simple fact that she, despite having been born here, having lived her ten years with Eugeo and Kirito... she had been taken away. Had been the one to have stepped foot into the Dark Realm's territory, and become a criminal. Taken away to the Central Cathedral, and then turned into an Integrity Knight against her own will.

Not really how she expected her childhood to be, but she supposed the world was funny that way.

And now... here she was, once more standing in her home, after so many years of being away. She was with her sister, her father and friends once more, but still, everything just felt so... alien to her.

It wasn't like she disliked being here. Far from it, of course. She was finally home after everything that's happened, but it's like a stranger that entered a new world. What does she do now?

With a firm grunt, the girl gets off the fence she had been sitting on, the vast stretch of the plains beyond them greener than anything she's seen her entire time in the Central Cathedral. It looks wonderful, a scene one could easily imagine to be part of a fairytale. And yet, here she was, reliving such a beautiful story that is really her own home.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, allowing everything to just overwhelm her; the gentle heat, the slow winds, the children's laughing, everything around her... To think, that she had truly missed this for so many years. It felt wonderful to be home.

Back when she was an Integrity Knight, she had dedicated her life to maintaining order. Now was no different, but... but things were different now. Now, she realised that she did indeed have something to fight for, and not just a hollow feeling.

At the end of the day, this was the peace they were fighting for. And nothing was going to take it away from them.

Kirito and Eugeo... they must have fought for this when they climbed the Central Cathedral too, right? With the knowledge of the Human Empire's impending doom, they threw themselves into their fight to ensure the Human Empire had a future. That she, that they, and everyone else had a future.

She wondered, for a brief moment, just what was it that spurred them onwards... but truly, the truth behind it all surprised her, to say the least.

The original reason that they had come to the Central Cathedral hadn't been because they knew of the world's fate. They learnt that from Cardinal a little later, only once they were arrested by her. Her. The sour feeling in her gut made way for slight guilt and gratitude, as the two boys had intended to find her and take her home.

Amazing... That such a small little thing like that was what motivated them to do something as crazy as all of this... she really felt overwhelmed. She had such amazing best friends.

Smiling, the girl turned to look up at the sky, shielding her eyes. Bright, blue, wide... so many things she could say to describe the sky, but ultimately, it was just beautiful. Had she even just spent a single moment to just watch the clouds in the sky, rather than to drift through it atop her mount?

"Hmm... maybe we could have a picnic," she mumbled to herself, unconsciously playing with her hair. "It would be just like old times."

Her memories restored, Alice didn't forget just how much those simpler days had been so much fun for her. Even when she had to do 'Sacred Arts' studies, she always did look forwards to spending her time with Kirito and Eugeo below the Gigas Cedar, as they would trade banter and chop away at the gigantic tree, as futile as it was (although, she couldn't believe that they managed to fell it with a sword! It was amazing!), though she would never say that out loud because she didn't want to douse their spirits.

And always, they had fun.

Fun...

'Maybe Kirito's right,' she thought, deciding that she'd have picnic with her friends and sister for now. 'I'll see if there's anything fun to do.'

There's bound to be something interesting in this world. After all, it was Kirito who opened her eyes to such, so there was just no way things could ever get boring.


North Cave—10th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

The last time she was here, both she, Eugeo and Kirito had gotten lost, somehow finding themselves stumbling into the Dark Territory by accident. Of course, it was mostly her fault since she had taken the steps forward, when her friends had tried to stop her, but then she'd... she'd...

Alice stopped thinking, feeling a headache. As much as she agreed that it was bad enough that she got abducted the following day, she supposed it was a good thing because—

*Shing!*

"S-Shit..!"

"We mustn't let them cross into the Human Realm! Should they make any move to oppose, cut them down!"

It's a weird feeling for her, that the sword feels so natural to her, despite knowing very well that she's never held a sword her entire life. Although, she supposed she knew just why...

Alice Synthesis Thirty. The Integrity Knight persona that had been taking control over her body for all these years, acting like a puppet under the pontifex's control and wielding the sword in her will.

The girl felt sickened, but somewhat glad by this. At times, she adopted her 'Synthesis Thirty' persona when she was leading a squad of men to handle any possible intruders, and because of this, she found herself holding the sword to feel like second nature to her. That she could move so fluidly, so smoothly with the blade of the fragrant olive tree in her hands like a dance.

One that was really deadly and actually cuts down anyone than it served as pastime, but you get the gist!

"Hmph!" Without hesitation, Alice shifted to her other foot, easily cutting down a lax goblin, who had left himself too open to a blow. She turned around, and easily decapitated another with a quick horizontal slash before parrying a blow, striking them in the midriff with a brutal roundhouse kick. "Truly, you are pitiful if you believe you could strike us."

"Kh..! Just you wait, our numbers grow with each passing day..! We'll invade on the day you least expect, and bring ruin to your lands!" Snarled the goblin, raising his club to swat the girl aside—

Only for the hand that held the weapon to suddenly detach itself, falling a good distance away.

The goblin had less than a second to realise what had occurred before his face was split in two, body collapsing backwards as blood pooled beneath his corpse.

Alice sheathed her sword, muttering a silent apology. "Truly, if we could reach a peaceful resolution, then..."

"Can't be helped, miss. We'd never get anywhere with all this fighting," sighed one of the mercenaries that accompanied her. "If anything, we'd be open to diplomacy with them, but it can't be helped."

It can't be helped, he said, and as much as she knew it was true... she wanted to believe the opposite could be true.

She didn't know why she felt that way, although maybe light could be shed on that on another day...


Later—Rulid Village—10th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

It's already been three hours since she and the mercenary group had been dispatched to handle the North Cave, and now, it was nearing the evening. The Sun was beginning to set now, slowly hiding itself within the horizon. A beautiful sight, though she'd get another chance to properly appreciate it another time when she gets her rest time.

Sighing, she bade the mercenary group farewell and made way to return home—

*Boom!*

"Kirito! That's not—You can't just use a 'Thermal' element to cook a pie!"

"Well, you can kiss it! Just watch me!"

Alice paused, blinking at the explosion sound and the voices of argument coming from inside, then sighed—she had a pretty good idea who they were. Returning to her old life, things were getting too hectic in a hurry, and the headaches just keep coming.

Honestly, this world was coming to an end. The end! And the boys were arguing about how to cook a pie?!

The twitching in her eye would increase tenfold when she entered her home's kitchen, seeing the two boys barking at one another—the ravenette holding a bowl with batter, one that had splattered everywhere and made a mess of the kitchen, while his flaxen-haired friend was holding a rolling pin in his hand in a way that he was ready to hit his best friend by the head if necessary—only to stop when they noticed the third presence in the kitchen, robotically turning their gazes to them.

"Kirito, Eugeo, how are things go—Oh my Goddess!" Stacia choosing to walk in at that moment would have been a funny sight, if not for the current circumstances. "W-What in the..? K-Kirito, Eugeo! What did you do?!"

"I-I didn't do it! He did it!" Eugeo was quick to lay the blame on his best friend, who gawked back.

"H-Hey! At the very least, be a man and take the blame with me too!" Shot back the boy, before both started butting heads, baring their teeth at one another.

"Well, it's not my fault the batter exploded and got everywhere!"

"Yeah, well, I tried, at least! Now I learnt a mistake, and I'll just work from there!"

"Oh please, when it comes to you, you'll just make an even bigger mess!"

"Oh ho ho, I'd like to see you try, wise guy! Why don't you—"

"Boys, shut it!"

Alice literally exploding into a shout was not expected, enough to cut the banter short as both boys stared back at her, seeing the totally disappointed look she had on her as she stared at them, crossed arms and raised brow.

It didn't take long, however, for Kirito to keel in first, lowering his gaze with a weak smile and a lost gaze. "I'll... get to cleaning..."

"I'll help..." Muttered Eugeo, getting a soft 'Thanks' from the other boy.

"Mou... Everything is such a mess. Both of you better clean this mess up, or don't expect me or my sister to make you anything ever again!" The dreadful promise of never getting to taste their dishes ever again was enough to spur the boys into immediate action, Kirito diving into wiping the walls with a towel while Eugeo grabbed the mop. The young girl, mature as she was, sighed. "Stacia, you two are such boys..."

And that, Alice realised, was the greatest truths of them all.


Amazingly enough, Selka's threat had motivated the boys enough to finish their task before night fell in. And by the end of that strenuous chore, both of them were sitting outside, both panting and equally tired as the other.

Alice sighed, wondering if perhaps the ravenette's influence was just too much on his friend. She knew just how infectious his mannerisms could be, and she feared the day she might become just as lazy as him someday.

Ah well. At least he still has a hardworking bone in there. As much as he had a lazy bone somewhere in his ribcage.

"Never... doing that... ever again..."

"You said it... brother..."

"Okay boys, you did good enough. Here, chilled milk."

Immediately, they got to grabbing a few glasses for themselves and got to drinking, gasping in delight at the feeling of something cold down their throats. The orange-haired girl chuckled simply, handing one glass to her sister, who took it with a soft thanks.

"So, learnt your lesson?" Asked Alice, looking at the two boys with amusement.

Her two childhood friends both nodded in unison, still focused on enjoying their drinks because, after everything, they seriously needed that.

"So, are there anything that needs to be done tomorrow?" Asked the girl, taking a seat beside the two of them, with Selka joining a moment later.

"...Mmm, not really. Eugeo's going to be training the people for a bit—" Kirito was cut off by a cough from his friend, earning a grumble from the black-haired teen. "Fine... You'll be doing it for two hours. Alice, switch with him next then. And you guys will rotate."

"Oh? And you're not taking shift?" That was a surprise. Before, he had literally been killing himself just to take extra hours without them noticing, just because he wants to. Now, he was suddenly butting out? "That's odd of you. Are you still Kirito?"

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm still the same!" Huffed back the ravenette, sighing lightly. "I'm just going on a trip to the Central Cathedral."

"For?" Selka asked next.

Before answering, he drinks a little bit more before setting his glass down. "About that... Ahem, don't tell anyone else, alright? It's kind of a secret thing, so the less people know about it, the better."

"That sounds ominous," sweat-dropped the other boy of the group, before letting a curious look surface. "What is it?"

"Well... It's probably not going to work on the first try, but I believe I've come up with a formula for an instant-healing potion," at that, the other three stared at their friend in surprise, Kirito opting for a shrug. "Can't be sure, of course, so I'll be taking a week-long leave for the Central Cathedral. A necessary ingredient of this is catalyst, since it'll probably need a lot of 'Sacred Power'. They grow roses there, and I might need to use some of the flowers."

"Whoa, seriously? That would certainly help a lot," hummed the green-eyed boy, chuckling. "Seriously... With 'Sacred Arts', the most we can do is just stop our bleeding, not actually heal ourselves. Only the higher-levelled 'Sacred Arts' allow someone to heal themselves."

"Right. And the most any normal person could do is transfer 'Life' from one person to another," added Selka, getting nods from the three.

"Exactly. So, if I'm right and we're able to mass produce these potions, it'll save us a lot of trouble," then, a deep sigh came from the lad, surprising the others. "I swear, it's probably going to be difficult... I'm not good with biology, so I'm going to need a lot of help."

"Hmm... Maybe Scheta-san can help you with that," suggested the blonde, getting a raised brow from her friends. "She's one of the Integrity Knights, number twelve. She's quite familiar with her herbology, and has helped treat us using herbal medicine before. It would be wise to consult with her for advice."

"I see... Well, if you say so, then I'll see to it if I can find this Scheta-san for help," nodded Kirito. "Anyways, I'll hit the hay early. Gotta' leave early if I'm hoping to arrive at the cathedral early."

"Don't try to run," chorused the other three.

"I won't!" Honestly, they would believe him if he hadn't done that too many times now.

And every time, he's out in the fields doing work. Seriously, that boy needs rest.


The Next Day—Rulid Village—11th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

Once Kirito had packed some light stuff to bring with him, he bade his friends farewell and took off in a fancy carriage with a driver that he swore he never asked for, though a certain few could hypothesise why this was so.

Honestly, it annoyed Alice slightly that Kirito was amazing. Yeah, it made him respectable and awing, but it just felt a bit infuriating whenever she ended up comparing herself to him.

He could do so many things that she herself could not believe. He had somehow escaped the cathedral. He, with Eugeo, had fought and won against all the Integrity Knights before her. And let's not forget how he somehow managed to befriend the pontifex. Like, what?! How did he do that? That's crazy!

Of course, it was a good thing, but she just couldn't help but be curious. Eugeo dropped it, yeah, because he just called it 'Kirito being himself'. Selka agreed with that, liked to think that it was just Kirito working his miracles as ever.

All Alice could ever see was skill.

She knew. She knew just what kind of person he was. He always downplayed his own worth and skills with jokes, offering to others on how to improve instead. And truly, his humility was so nice, but she knew he was so, so much more.

He was a lot of things; a friend who covered your back no matter what, an impressive swordsman that could rival an Integrity Knight (plus, Uncle Bercouli himself said that Kirito beat him in a one-versus-one duel, which was impressive all on its own), and now the pontifex's advisor, in a way.

Yeah, he wasn't given an official title, but that was his job. Everything he suggested, the pontifex seemed to agree, and every part of his orders just kept making things better.

Already, she could see improvement. The people were slowly growing more stronger, more equipped to handle the incoming invasion. In fact, if things work, he might just actually prevent it, if anyone really stopped to think all the impressive feats he had been capable of. The Integrity Knights were properly in order now, and there was nothing to worry about.

And... And Alice hated it. She hated that she disliked this about Kirito, hated that she wished she could have been just as good as he was because... because she felt pathetic in comparison.

Other than being an Integrity Knight, what else had she done? Hah, even then, she wasn't even herself at the time. And what lead to her becoming an Integrity Knight in the first place was accidentally touching the Dark Forces' land. Her own mistake to step forwards and touch the Dark Forces' ground.

It felt humiliating, that she couldn't do much to contribute to her own country and people. Yes, she's maintained order, but even then, it was just a twisted sense of order, spun by the pontifex with the sole reason to maintain her power and position and ensure none others could usurp her, and nothing more.

That was why, she wished she could have done more, but now... now, she wasn't certain.

Of course, that feeling wasn't as strong as she used to feel when she first returned home, confronting her father who looked like he had just seen a ghost. With her task of teaching the people the way of the sword, as well as going out on patrolling missions, she understood that she worked hard.

And always, Kirito did more.

He shouldered the weight of the kingdoms on his shoulders (the entirety of the Human Realm), constantly assessing the current problems faced by the people and sending out Integrity Knights to properly deal with them. He was always spending far too much time training the people. He made certain to find new ways to help everyone, just like how, right now, he was hoping to brew a potion to instantly restore someone's 'Life'. And of course, he may sound like he doesn't do it, but he sometimes goes into the forest to secure some meat for the village.

And all of it because he just... because he wants to.

The selflessness of the boy she's come to know as one of her best friends. How could someone be so kind, so magnanimous and loving? She lived as long as he did, and yet, she hadn't done as much as he did.

People say she did so much. But she couldn't understand just how hard Kirito had worked.

Alice, once more as always, was left to drown in her feelings of unworthiness, wishing for once that she could just do things without worrying so much.


A Week Later—Rulid Village—18th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

A week has passed, and Alice was tending to the crops, helping the farmers. Eugeo was doing drills with some of the villagers, teaching them how to use the sword. While all he could do was teach them the 'Aincrad-style' since that was the style he was most used to, seeing that he had learnt under Kirito and used only that style, it seemed that no one had any complaints.

The girl paused for a bit, watching as he initiated a «Horizontal», before the others tried to replicate the move, coming with mixed results; some failed, some were getting there, and others managed it on the first try.

'Aincrad-style'. A unique style that she was certain she had never heard before, and neither did Eugeo. Perhaps Kirito invented it as always. Nonetheless, the style wasn't entirely as strong as the other styles. But, what it lacked in strength, it made up for using the person's momentum when initiating the 'Secret Moves' to increase the force of one's strikes.

When asked about it, it was totally not like the other styles that focused on the 'beauty of a single strike', as absurd as it sounded. There were some that had multi-hits, and were focused on blocking the opponent's attacks before delivering the decisive blow.

It was a unique way to overwhelm the enemy, in ways that she had never thought of before.

'He did say that his 'Sacred Task' was a swordsman, before he became Vector's child,' to say that he retained all his combat experience even after becoming an amnesiac was still pretty impressive.

Still... things felt odd.

She remembered. Her abduction by Deusolbert, taken away to become an Integrity Knight. She recalled seeing Kirito there, the same age as he was, staring at her in defeat...

And yet, here, it felt like he was treating her as some sort of stranger. Like she was just Eugeo's childhood friend, as if he had been out of the picture this entire time.

So... So he did indeed forget everything. Forget them. Forget the village.

Alice sighed, rubbing her arm. She wondered why it nagged at her so, but she knew that she missed having her friend with them. Kirito as he was could very well be gone, and the Kirito now who was somehow reawakened with the memories of a sword fighter, for whatever reasons.

It does make her wonder...

"Oh, looks like he's back!"

"Huh? Oh, he is!"

Alice broke out of her thoughts, staring to where some of the farmers were staring at, and could make out the shape of a carriage approaching the village.

"Ah, Kirito has returned!" It must have been a success then, right?

Once the carriage had properly come to a stop, she had the chance to ponder on the fact that he came back after a week, which was much earlier than she had expected. Still, all that she thought of was Kirito as he finally emerged from the carriage, wearing a tired but happy look on his face, and yet still finding it in himself to respond to all the younger children's exuberance.

God, can't they see he's tired? He really is going to run himself ragged one of these days.

"So, how were things?" Asked Gasupht, chief of the village as he approached the boy, everyone watching as the carriage drove off.

Kirito didn't respond at first, merely staring at the man in the eyes, before his smile widened. "It... was a success!"

The villagers looked pleased by this, all looking at him in surprise. Eugeo showed up a moment later, a few twigs in his hair. "Kirito! Welcome back."

"Sup'. And hey, what's with you? You look like you were frolicking in the forest," snickered the ravenette with a teasing tone, getting a deadpanning response.

"Har har, very funny. And no, in case you were wondering, I wasn't playing around. I was doing drills, and may have fell down a few times. Some of the younger ones are pretty good with the sword," answered the flaxen-haired teenager, shaking his head to get some sticks out. "Anyways, why don't you tell us what happened on your end?"

"Yeah, I'd tell you..." Then a loud, long yawn left his lips, stretching his arms wide above his head. "But I think... I'm going to get some sleep... The carriage, for as comfy as the pillows were, was a pretty bumpy ride..."

"Ah, of course," nodded the chief. "Everyone, let's get back home. Allow Kirito here some rest."

Immediately after, all the villagers dispersed, returning to their previous work, all bidding Kirito a good night's rest. He, in turn, wished them well and took his leave, all while his friends watched his retreating figure with looks of concern.

"Jeez... He's doing this just to worry us on purpose, isn't he?" Sighed Eugeo, getting a snort from the girl.

"I could believe that if he didn't look genuinely tired," and then, the girl's expression morphed into a softer frown. "Truly, we should just get him to rest for one day."

"Well, it probably wouldn't happen," hummed the boy, getting his friend's attention. "I mean, even back then, during our stay at the academy, he was always a busy bee. Worked day and night honing his 'Aincrad Style', finding new ways to fight properly, always messing around with a recipe he tweaked... Stay cool, he says at me, and he does the complete opposite! The gall."

"Huh..." While it was certainly amusing to hear her childhood friend's perspective on what happened back then, something caught her attention. "Wait, messing around with a recipe he tweaked? I thought he can't cook."

"Oh, right. Well, that's true. He's terrible at cooking, but sometimes, he comes up with these weird recipes that I'd admit I'm afraid of tasting sometimes. But anyways, he gets Ronie and Tiese to make them, and they're just... wow," he sounded warm, as if memories of the time with their valets were beginning to resurface. "Honestly, you'd expect something he can't make to taste terrible, but they're good, surprisingly enough."

"So he just... makes these recipes by theory, and they just work?" And the surprising part about this is how Eugeo just laughs, nodding. "What?! That doesn't make sense!"

"I know! But it still works, crazily enough! It just does," smiled Eugeo, staring at where Kirito last stood. "I remembered, he asked Ronie to make... what was it again? Oh yeah, something he called 'Roast Boar, Just Kidding'."

"Eh?" Of all that she could have expected, that was not it. "I... what sort of name for a dish is that?"

"Exactly! And that's why it's actually pretty funny," chuckled the boy. "I remember... simply put, it's actually baked potato covered by bacon strips. Err, that's what he called boar meat cut into strips, by the way."

"That... sounds weird," then again, there was a lot of weird dishes in the world. Some even stranger than others.

"Oh, definitely. That was a weird one, for sure," nodded the boy. "And again, it just works. I know, he just wrote the recipes and made up the steps, but it just does. It was really good, I tell you. Kirito said he wished he could have made it for our mentors, like a last dinner or something, before they left, but... well, that ended in disaster."

He severely wanted to erase the memory of their shared room, and perhaps the rest of the building, on fire from his mind.

It's amazing that they weren't even expelled because of Kirito's bloody antics.

"I can see that," even now, the memory of her house's kitchen filled with batter, sticking to the walls and ceiling was still something she could never forget.

Still, they learnt their lesson. That's what's important, right?

Although, now that she thought about it, that dish does sound interesting...

She stared to where Kirito had headed to, and frowned. Even in trivial things like this, he's just... damn it.


A Few Days Later—Rulid Village—24th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

Okay, maybe there was something wrong with her, because she was certain she shouldn't have been this careless. Especially in battle.

"Glrk... Guh..."

"Good now?"

How odd, that the source of all her lack of focus was also the same person who had accompanied her in her patrols, also having carried a few vulneraries with him and was now using said tonic to heal her wound.

And they worked amazingly, if she had to note. Just consuming it, and her wound just closes up. It's scarily amazing how effective it worked, and this was just a revolution. She just knew it.

Still, as glad as she was that Kirito had come along, she still felt rather stupid.

To think that she had allowed her guard to drop, enough for an enemy orc to land a blow on her arm, almost dislodging her entire limb from her body had Kirito not jumped in at the last minute and parried the monster's attack and then decided to cut it down with fast strikes, was just humiliating. A rookie's mistake! How could that have happened?

If watching him and his flawless moves had frozen her in place already, then how was just thinking about him going to help?

Fortunately, they were able to quash a possible invasion, and with enough time, the mercenaries were carrying some lumber of wood with them. Enough to last them for three days, then they'll go find some more.

The silence stays along the trip, with Alice giving out orders most of the time when needed, though most of the time she allowed her men to do their tasks on their own. Of course, she still helped in clearing out any goblins, but even then she couldn't help but feel useless.

Damn it, she knew it wasn't true! If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't be able to keep Rulid Village safe! Her strength and skill with the sword were much better than anyone else's here! Perhaps not as good as Kirito's and Eugeo's, even if she did manage to handle them back during their duel in the Central Cathedral, but still!

...It's just not fair.

"Hey Alice," the girl managed to stop herself from tensing, turning her head to look at Kirito, who had a worried expression on his face. "You alright back there? You took a pretty bad slash to the arm."

"Uh? Oh, right. No, it's... it's fine, now," as proof, she showed her arm to the boy. "See? It's fine now. Nothing to worry about. For now, we should—"

"Alice..." His sigh held traces of concern, and she felt her throat tighten. She didn't hate him, and it just made her feel bad that she sometimes felt so, when he genuinely worried about her. "Is... Is something on your mind? Did someone cause some trouble?"

"N-No, not at all! I'm just... thinking," a weak excuse, but it would do. "That's it. I'm just thinking."

"...I did something again, didn't I?" He said, looking at her blue eyes and searching for an answer. When he found none, he shook his head. "Look, if... if I did anything, I'm sorry. I really am."

"Wha—No! No, no, that's not... Kirito, you didn't do anything," sighed the girl. "You were a big help. I fear to think what could have happened if you weren't there."

"Then what's wrong? You look like someone took your sword and snapped it in two directly in front of your face," he hummed, still not smiling. "Tell me, Alice. Is there anything wrong?"

"I-I... I just..." Goddesses, how was it that Kirito could easily corner her with just his words? She ended up sighing, finally letting her shoulders sag. "I just... I'm a little lost."

"Lost?" He blinked out of his serious look, tilting his head with a thoughtful look. "What do you mean? We just got out of the forest, and we're going back to Rulid Village."

...

A silence ensued from there, as the blonde just stared at her friend, who stared back, blue eyes meeting onyx orbs.

Slowly, a minute passed, and Kirito could feel the bead of sweat beginning to form on his brow... before a soft sniffle... and then, Alice laughed.

Kirito ended up staring there, watching as Alice's voice spilled from her throat in a loud laugh, her mouth drawn in a wide smile as she held onto her stomach, body shaking and tears escaping.

"Oh... Oh, Goddesses! K-Kirito, you idiot, I d-didn't mean it that way..." She managed to say in the midst of her laughing fit, screwing her eyes shut so tightly she felt that it was the only way it would help her regain her composure. "Oh, Stacia, haha..."

"Umm... I guess lost in some other deeper meaning works too?" Nervously offered Kirito as he joined in with his own chuckle, mostly embarrassed than anything else. "Soo..."

"Ahh... Kirito, you idiot," sighed the girl, shaking her head. "You really are... I can see why Eugeo calls you such a chore to deal with."

"Wait, he said that?" His mouth widened, his eyes reflecting surprise. "Oh, just you wait, Eugeo. You'll get what's coming for you..."

"Haha... Such a child," chuckled the girl, turning her friend slightly red in the face. "But... thank you for that. I needed that. I suppose that clears my head on some things."

"Oh? Well, I'm glad that I was able to help then," smiling finally, he turned to look to where their village was, beaming. "Ah, here we are! Anyways, Alice."

"Hmm?"

"Listen, I know you don't have much reason to trust me. Not after... a lot of things, really. But I want to think we're friends. Eugeo too, after all. If you ever need help, we can talk. I mean, you were willing to take over my duties for a week. The least I could do is lend an ear."

His words, while seemingly nothing to him, took her slightly aback. That was... seemingly nice of him. Even after everything she thought about him, he just... Goddesses, she felt like an idiot.

With that, he hasted to deliver the logs they had collected from the forest to their respective locations, missing the flush on the girl's face.


Night time—Rulid Village—30th June, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

She didn't know what she felt right now, but she felt that... that this was really necessary. That, if left alone, it was only going to grow into something even more sickly, something of which she couldn't afford to allow to happen what with everything that's going on.

She had duties. And she had to be at her best of bests.

And right now... this was the only solution to end things.

'Stacia, I pray for a little bit of courage...' Her hands clasped into a prayer earlier were now limp by her side, looking around in slight worry as she sat in her room. Her room that she had left for years. 'I'm never going to get used to this...'

Her room was simple, but it was certainly a little more 'fancier' than other rooms. It was quite spacious, with a study, a bed, an armoire that Eugeo helped to make, a makeshift lamp, and a window with curtains that gave view to the farms.

Alice loved that her mother still worked to keep things as they were, always hoping that her daughter would someday return. Goddesses bless her mother, she deserved so much better.

A soft knock on her door broke her out of her thoughts, head snapping in that direction. "Hey Alice, I'm here. Can I come in?"

There was nothing as a response at first, as Alice stared at the door, feeling heat in her cheeks at the thought of allowing another boy into her room, before she shook it off.

Kirito wasn't that kind of person. She was her best friend, just as Eugeo was. And even if he did forget everything about them, he had lived with Eugeo for a long time, and they became brothers.

Eugeo trusted him with his own life, so she could trust him with hers all the same.

Without thinking, she moved forwards, unlocking her door and opening it, staring at Kirito. He was wearing a simple undyed shirt, with brown pants. His hair looked messy, or maybe he had taken a shower earlier.

"Hey," he greeted, grinning. "Needed someone to talk to? I was thinking it was going to be Eugeo."

"O-Oh, no. It's not... I just, I would feel more comfortable discussing this with you, actually," that initial stutter never existed. Not at all. "Anyways, just... just sit on my bed."

"If you say so," he took his steps into the room, looking around, whistling. "Damn. Nice room..."

Certainly a far cry from the room he shared with Eugeo in the orphanage.

No other words said, he took a seat on the edge of her bed, stretching his arms above his head with a soft yawn. He stifled it well, but she knew he was probably tired.

Right, just make this quick.

Was what her mind said, even if her body fell stiff when she finally sat beside him. The floor suddenly looked interesting, as her gaze was only focused on the wooden panels, trying to find her words but suddenly failing to do so.

Come on, she was waiting for this moment! Why was she freezing now?

"Sooo," he drawled, in a weak attempt to break the silence. "You, uhh... you look good."

"W-Wha—I-I do?" That was certainly not what she expected, feeling heat rise to her cheeks again.

"A-Ah, I mean..! Y-Your hair!" Very smooth, Kirito. "It... It looks good. The braid, and... well... you know."

Ah, right. Selka told him that he didn't know a single thing about hairstyles. He was horrible at that.

That was certainly an amusing fact.

"W-Well... thank you. My mother taught it to me once," as a flop of a way to recover as it was, it was still an effort, and she appreciated it. "Anyways, Kirito, I called you here because I... wanted to talk to you about something. Something that has been bothering me."

"Oh? Well, lay it on me. I'm all ears," grinned back the ravenette.

"Well, to put it simply, I'm just..." The words were strangled in her throat, biting her lower lip, but she still forced them out. "...I feel lacking."

"Err, lacking? In what, exactly?" He quirked a brow, crossing his arms. "As far as I know, you've been doing quite a lot. Your skill with the sword isn't a joke. You've helped a lot in scouting missions and handling the invasions. And you've been training the villagers. What's there that you feel lacking in?"

"That's exactly it! That's the problem!" Her laugh comes out as laugh, but it's dry, almost apathetic. "I just can't understand myself. I mean, I know, I'm doing a lot. Everyone says the same thing. And yet... Every time I think about it, I'm left to question my own worth."

"What? Alice, come now, you know as well as I do that you're doing a lot. You and Eugeo both," scoffed Kirito, looking at her with a serious expression. "Did someone say anything? Give me a name."

She didn't answer, finding herself averting herself from those night sky eyes. As black as his own sword. "...You."

That response certainly broke his expression. "E-Eh? What?"

"W-Wait! Before you think it's your fault, let me explain!" Hastily raising her arms and shaking them about, it worked to placate him long enough to prevent him from breaking into an apologising fit, something that he's done a couple of times already. He doesn't say anything, merely waits for her to speak up. "It's just... you're amazing."

"O-Oh. Umm, thanks, I guess," he scratched his cheek, reddening. "But I don't see what's—"

"You're... no matter how much you say what you do isn't important, you're just... you're so much better than a lot of people. More than the Integrity Knights, more than Eugeo, more than the villagers..." Her voice died into a whisper as her next words left her lips. "More than me..."

"Alice..." She hated sounding weak, but she had to get this out of her chest.

"I know, I know. I sound pathetic right now," she didn't need him pointing that out. "I get that I've done a lot to help the Human Empire, and Rulid Village. And yet, I just... Every time, you're always doing more. The potions, the Integrity Knights, for our village... and you're also the pontifex's advisor."

That's as high of a position as one could get. That's not even mentioning the sword she gifted him!

"I hated looking at your face because I'm always reminded that you are indeed so much more capable of a lot more things than I could ever hope to do. No matter how much I do, it's never going to be enough because you're always doing more..." She sighed, finally feeling the weight on her shoulders subside. Not fully, however, but enough. "That's... That's why I needed to confront you about this. I can't possibly allow this feeling to burden myself in my duties, when I might need to carry the weight of people's lives on my shoulders on the battlefield someday. So..."

Kirito remained silent throughout her entire rambling, and she felt bad. All of it was basically meant to insult him, and she couldn't find it in herself to look at him anymore.

Her hands balled in her lap, thinking about him.

Kirito would probably hate her. That would be understandable, what with everything that she's said about him. She did, in a way, say that she hated him. And... And that sounded lonely.

Being back home made things worth it because she had people to protect and love. Her father, mother, her sister Selka, the children, the villagers, her best friends Eugeo and... and Kirito.

The thought of him wanting nothing to do with her scared her.

But... But he had the right to. He had the right to hate her, even if—

"Alice, I... I'm sorry," he breathed out finally, drawing her attention faster than a sword swing. Her head snapped in his way, and she could see the sadness in his eyes. "I didn't know you felt that way. Goddesses, now I feel like an idiot."

"...That makes the two of us," softly chuckled the girl. "Rather, I should be sorry, because... because of feeling that way."

"Yeah..." Slowly nodding his head, he stared into her eyes, unknowingly making her breath hitch in her throat. "Hey Alice... can I tell you a story?"

"Uh? A story?" She asked, getting a nod.

"Three years ago... A boy who was a child of Dark God Vector woke up in the forest without any memories. His name was Kirito," he began, getting her full attention. "He didn't know where he was, nor did he know why he was there. He followed the sounds of metal striking something, and came upon a boy his age; Eugeo—"

"—After spending a lot of time together in Rulid Village, the two became close. Kirito learnt that Eugeo regretted having failed to save his childhood friend, Alice, from getting taken away by the Integrity Knight those years ago," she could sense it. The genuine hurt and regret in his tone. She could only imagine how Eugeo felt. "He felt like he let her down, and lived his days without motivation, constantly chopping away at the Gigas Cedar—"

"—And then, things changed. His willpower grew, picking up the Blue Rose Sword and training himself to wield the sword. He cut the tree with the blade, and chose to become a swordsman. And from there, both Kirito and Eugeo made for the North Centoria Imperial Sword Mastery Academy," he then smiled, the days simple and memories warm. "They became valets to Lady Sortiliena and Sir Gorgolosso. They trained every day, worked to hone their skills, and became Elite Swordsmen-in Training—"

"—They had valets of their own afterwards. Ronye and Tiese. The days were simple and alright, but... but they were convicted of a murder. And, in a way, that wasn't wrong," he would never regret it, so long as he drew breath. "Lord Raios and Humbert were accused of sexual harassment, but they continued it nonetheless. Eugeo went to confront them... and broke his «Seal of the Right Eye» in order to save his valet. Kirito came next, and accidentally killed Raios—"

"—They were then taken to the Central Cathedral as criminals by the Integrity Knight, Alice Synthesis Thirty. They escaped the Central Cathedral, learnt of the Human Empire's fate from Cardinal, and ascended the Central Cathedral to fight the Administrator. To take back Eugeo's friend," the story ended there, as his gaze moved to her. "Well, in a way, you kind of know how it plays out afterwards."

"R-Right. Eugeo and I were thrown out of the building because of our attacks clashing," that was certainly a scary experience. "I'm just glad that we didn't fall... Eugeo managed to climb the outer wall using picks. He was smart."

"Of course he is. He's the smarter out of me and him," snickered the boy. "Anyways, what I'm trying to say is... I don't have much to live for. I'm just an amnesiac who's good with the sword. If I never met Eugeo, I would have probably lived my life wasting away. But..."

"But?" She raised a brow.

"But I met him. I had a reason, to become stronger, to help him save you, to change everyone's lives for the better," that was the mission. "I'm fighting for all of us, and that makes me all the same just like you."

"M-Me?" That was certainly unexpected, and his nod was easy.

"You were the reason Eugeo was fighting. I just followed him. You're back home now," he says, getting a hold of her hand, not knowing the effect it had on her. "But we've still got a lot of things worth fighting for. You're fighting for the people. I'm just doing the same."

"But... But is it really the same, though?" She hated just how much she was denying all of this. It would be so much easier to just swallow it. "I mean, you..."

"I know, I know. You said that I'm doing more, but that's because I have to," they were followed by a sigh. "Because all I can do is just give as much as I want to. And you've been doing a whole heck of a lot too. I think, without you or Eugeo, I'd probably crash running here and there. The both of you help me relax, after all."

That... That was true. He was a workaholic, after all, so she supposed it was true.

"I wouldn't be able to give my all if it weren't for the both of you there to ground me when necessary," he says, smiling at her. "That's why, no matter how much you feel like you're not doing as much as I am, you are. You're my drive for always pushing forwards, always giving it my all, for helping me become who I am now. So thank you, Alice. For everything."

That was just as much as she could take before the girl finally froze, not even registering his words as he wished her a good night, shutting the door behind him before he returned to the orphanage, leaving her well and alone.

And now, all the weight on her shoulders had properly faded away.

And he was right. He was right.

She was Alice Synthesis Thirty, one of the most powerful Integrity Knights. She was Alice Zuberg, a girl from Rulid Village who loved her friends dearly.

And right now, she was Alice... a girl in love.

"...Goddesses, I must be stupid..." She mumbled to herself, her entire face a blushing storm, moving a balled hand to her bosom as she felt the butterflies in her stomach. "...Kirito..."

She did a lot of things. She had fought as an Integrity Knight to maintain order. She was now helping in the preparations for the invasion by the Dark Forces. And she had been there to support the boy she had always looked up to and envied.

And she loved him for helping her be who she was today.


Author's Notes:

Alright! Finally got this chapter out!

Sorry, guys. An idea struck me, an inspiration happened and I wanted to do 'Sins: One Punch Hero'. A part of my newest series on my Wattpad. This series is not dead! I repeat, it is not dead!

Anyways, with that out of the way, we'll be progressing with the story a little more in the next chapter, along with some explicit stuff. The next chapter won't be playing by my warning. Explicit, yeah, but soft still. The chapter after that might just delve into darker roots, so warning there.

Anyways, that's all there is to say. Thanks for reading! And Alice deserves more love!