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


Chapter 18: Future For the Reaching


Underworld, Central Cathedral, Floor 50, Great Hall—30th September, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

"So Lady Cardinal, are you still unable to get anything about the invasion of the Dark Forces?"

"Forgive me, but I haven't been successful. I'm digging up all the records that I can find, but I haven't had much success just yet."

The blue-haired man hummed, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful look.

Integrity Knight Bercouli Synthesis One—he wasn't one to worry so much about a lot of things, but he would have at least liked being prepared for a lot of things. That would at least give them the opportunity to plan for such events much better, then.

Of course, he was disappointed, but he understood that Cardinal was working hard every day. Furthermore, she had to take care of matters in the academy, and he could tell that she's done a damn good job; several students had already been expelled due to their shady backgrounds, and he could only imagine just how that went.

Seriously, with how much stricter she had been, along with how biased she was (she had, at one point, admitted her dislike for nobles, which was further strengthened from what she's learnt about Ronye's, Tiese's and Frenica's situations), a lot of students were immediately terrified, and discipline mattered more than anything else.

Bercouli wasn't sure if he should have been happy and whatnot, but he knew that there was still a reason for everything that happens. And he supposed it's a blessing that Cardinal took up the post.

He momentarily entertained the thought of her having gone there much earlier—after all, Kirito and Eugeo were convicted as murderers because two nobles tried to rape their pages, thus leading to everything that happens up until now. So he could only imagine how things would have been, if those nobles weren't present, and Kirito and Eugeo had graduated from the academy as normal…

'Well, no use thinking about all of that anymore. All we have to do now is simply focus on the upcoming war,' he thought to himself, glancing at the table. "Fanatio, has the sky knights reported on any bizarre activity?"

"None, milord. Thus far, the Dark Forces residents haven't been acting out of line," shook her head the black-haired knight.

Bercouli hummed back before staring down at some documents he received… though his mind was on something else entirely. And it definitely wasn't work.

No, if everyone else knew what he was thinking about, he could safely say that he would never be able to show his face before one person in particular.

'She hadn't worn her helmet since those two boys broke out of the underground prison,' he thought to himself, which was… well, it was a significant change. After all, she's gone through her whole life wearing her helmet to mask her face; her personal inferiority and self-doubting as a woman had prevented her from ever really expressing herself as one, so she had attempted to hide her identity as a man instead. 'And here she is, wearing makeup and everything.'

It's so difficult to notnotice it, because she was actually wearing lipstick. She probably wouldn't have ever entertained the thought of wearing makeup in her life, but since the two boys came… well, it was impressive.

A part of him actually appreciated this new side of her, her ability to just be open with herself, and the other part of him was… well, he kind of hated how it made his heart beat faster.

'…Damn you, Kirito,' he thought with a small chuckle, wishing that he had a pipe to smoke with, or some liquor to drink. 'Told me to settle down after the war… You certainly influenced me and everyone else much more than I would have liked.'

Well, he supposed this is a nice change. He definitely prefers Fanatio as she is now than she was before.

"Lord Bercouli, sir," he shifted his gaze away from the scroll and straight into young Renri's green eyes. There was… something akin to concern in them. "I have a report for you, milord, and it's important. I'd like to bring it up with everyone."

"That so..? Alright then," nodding, he then looked towards Fanatio. "Mind calling everyone in Rulid Village? If Renri say it's important, then we'll need everyone present to hear this."

"Of course, milord. I shall leave at once," bowed Fanatio before proceeding to take her leave, deciding to move to the thirtieth floor, intending to take a dragon to fly to the village.

Bercouli watched her until her figure completely disappeared, then looked back to the greenette.

"Renri, you said you want everyone here, but what's the matter anyways?"

"Well, milord…"


Underworld, Rulid Village—30th September, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

*Thunk..! Thunk..!*

"Do you need any help there, Liz-chan?"

"Not at all!"

Even with all that confidence in her tone, there was no denying the clear sheen of sweat on her brows, both from the heat emanating from the forge and herself burning energy, translating said energy into the swings of her arm as she strikes the hot metal.

Yuna understood that, back in 'SAO', Lisbeth was the blacksmith of the group. She had, on many occasions, been the one to forge most of their gear, including Kirito's famed Night Repulser, which was his trademark weapon alongside Elucidator back then.

But that had been in a game, whereby the system had immediately lent a good amount of assistance in the making of any such objects back then. Liz had explained it herself, after all; to craft a weapon, she would first need an item as a base. Said item would then be heated to an extremely high temperature, then repeatedly beat down on using a hammer until it was enveloped by light and turned into the desired weapon.

Here, however, in a world meant to simulate reality to the point of realism and authenticity, whereby it was practically impossible to distinguish it from the real world, there was no shortcut to things.

It was why, despite the absolute ease in which Kirito executed them, to actually pull of «Sword Skills» in this world was a little harder than back in 'SAO', though putting yourself in the pre-motions does indeed act as the activation method. Still, he was putting his body through the motions, and that could have ended up leaving anyone with a headache and sore limbs from pulling off some of the more complicated «Sword Skills».

To this day, she will never forget just how incredible Kirito had looked when he pulled off his trademark «Sword Skill: Starburst Stream». That was without taking into consideration the massive toll it must have taken on his body, so for him to easily shrug that off…

Well, she could only imagine just how long he had spent on training his body and his mind to be able to pull off such moves so easily.

She knows that it's difficult here now, comparing Liz in the process of forging when comparing both her in the game and here; she has to actually wear proper iron gear and even a helmet to protect herself both from the scorching heat and the sparks that are flying everywhere when she does the second phase; you know, smacking the object. Then again, it's a more complicated process now since, rather than the object magically forming itself out of a single object, she actually had to go through the entire procedures.

A simple sword consisted of a hilt and a blade; the hilt is composed of pommel, hilt and guard. The blade… well, it's the blade, so it shouldn't be too bad.

It was clearly difficult, however, as the weight of the hammer in Liz's left hand and the blade of the weapon she's holding using metallic tongs are incredibly heavy. Still, she strikes the blade as hard as she could with the hammer, forming its flat edge and sharp stature. The collision of the hammer into the heated metal causes sparks to fly, and she's lucky to be wearing the helmet, or else that might have seared into her eyes.

It took some time, as the rhythmic beating of her hammer and the sword continues for a minute or so before she finally dips it into cold water, steam pouring out almost instantly as the hot blade undergoes quick cooling.

"Good job, Liz," grinned the songstress. "That certainly looks nice."

"Yeah, well… Whoo! It's still a little difficult," admitted the pinkette as she flips her helmet up, wiping off the bead of sweat from her brow. Scratch that, her entire face was wet. "But that doesn't mean I'll be giving up anytime soon! I'm still determined to at least get this simple sword done right, no matter what!"

Yuna smiled back, about to make a comment until footsteps came around. Both blacksmith and songstress turned their heads around, spotting Silica. "Girls! A-An Integrity Knight came by."

"Integrity Knight? What, calling us to the Cathedral for a meeting?" Asked the girl, sighing as she puts away her equipment and wiping off her face.

"Mmhm! Said that it was important," her gaze then shifted over to the anvil, where a blade rests upon. "Oh! Are you done making that, Liz?"

"Ehh, not really. And I don't think it's all that good, but I suppose I'll just have to work on it another time," sighed the girl before smiling back. "Alright, let's go!"

Elsewhere, the other visitors of Underworld prepared their equipment and any other belongings. Alice put on her golden armour, bidding her younger sister and parents a farewell before going towards a shed in the back of her house, where Amayori rested.

In another corner of the town, specifically close to where the church was, Eugeo switched out of his simple tunic and donned his swordsman's gear; blue robes with enchantment, similar to Kirito's own. He nods to himself and steps out of his house.

"Morning, Eugeo," greeted the black-haired boy, himself too wearing his uniform. He had both swords clipped to his waist, a proud black and a beautiful gleam of white. "You good to go?"

"I'm feeling better than ever," nodded the flaxen-haired boy with a smile of his own, averting his gaze to another direction and spotting Fanatio in the distance.

He gulped slightly, understanding that she was no longer an enemy who wanted their heads, but it was still almost unbelievable to know that both he and Kirito had actually gone head-to-head with her back in their first meeting. And she certainly wasn't an Integrity Knight just in name—after all, watching his best friend going up against the woman in a showdown of light and dark was almost a spectacle out of one's imagination.

It genuinely sent shivers down his spine to watch Kirito go toe-to-toe with the woman, both of them standing their grounds as they fought against one another.

As if sensing his silent trepidation, the ravenette simply gave him a small pat on the shoulder, a little smile on his face. "Don't worry about it, yeah? You know she ain't gonna' do anything to us."

"I… yeah, I suppose so," sighed the other boy with, rubbing the back of his neck.

Grinning back, the ravenette walked over to the knight, getting her attention with a small wave and starting a conversation with her.

Supposedly, they're being called to the cathedral for an important meeting. What it was about, no one had said anything yet.

'Well,' he thought to himself, clipping the sheathed Blue Rose Sword to the left side of his waist. 'It's important if it needs all of us. Our meetings should be at the end of the week, so for there to be one now…'

Well, he supposed it would be better to find out what it was by going now.


Underworld, Central Cathedral, Floor 100—30th September, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

Being called for a meeting down in the Great Hall wasn't necessarily a problem. Plus, it must have meant something important if it wasn't the occasional meeting—after all, they've always decided on it being the rest day, so it has to be important.

And for that, Quinella had to get ready.

She stood before a tall mirror, larger than her own body height and put on her dress. Soft silk and cloth, gentle purple—she had wanted something more presentable but alas, she hadn't exactly paid much attention to her own wardrobe, considering that she had spent most of her life sleeping the days, perhaps weeks or even months away.

And that she usually slept naked.

'Well, not like that matters anymore,' she thought to herself, looking herself over a few times before pouting. "Hmm… something's missing…"

Nothing was out of place, really. Her hair was in its usual elegance of a river, her dress was clean as always, and she had taken extra care of her skin. And yet, something just didn't feel right to her. Like she was missing something…

"Ah, of course," she blinks, before moving over to a wardrobe that she had moved beside her bed, grabbing something.

Making use of «Incarnation Arm», which is the ability to subject one's will into shifting the position of an object—it does not make use of spatial resources as «Sacred Arts» do or even full control arts, yet it's much harder to achieve due to its heavy criteria of strong willpower and imagination—she moves a chair in front of the mirror and seats herself there, hands going through the motions.

She hadn't understand why it mattered so much, but she remembered a particular time when she had, to put it bluntly, hung out with Linel and Fizel—those two must have been influenced by Kirito, no doubt. Nonetheless, the three of them had been having quite a pleasant time for a while, before it suddenly turned into a…

Hmm… She's not sure how to put it, but it would be best described as a… girls' session?

Makeup, hairdos, and a myriad of other things that she could have hardly cared about prior to that one time, but everything that the girls taught her back then had been engrained into her mind almost immediately, if only because of one single thing that Fizel said.

'Supposedly, guys really like girls who can do all sorts of things, especially this kinda' stuff!' The orange-haired girl said with a cheekiness in her words that her best friend scolds her for.

That had nailed it in the coffin, ultimately spouting a seed of interest in the woman as she pursues to learn even more things from the girls. She was a quick study, really, so there hadn't been need of repetitions and the like, which drew looks of awe from the youngest knights.

Someone had to set the proper example, and what better person than herself?

'Ah… No, don't let it get to your head,' she shakes her head with a small huff, fingers delicately weaving through her maiden's hair. So soft, like swimming through the clouds… How marvellous that would be, someday, to get to experience something like that. 'And… done!'

Satisfied with her handiwork, the woman beams a smile at her reflection and makes to leave.


Underworld, Central Cathedral, Floor 50, Great Hall—30th September, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

"This had better not been a waste of our time, Renri Synthesis Twenty-Seven! If it is, then know that you will be wasting the divine Administrator's time as well!"

"I-It's not, I promise you, Prime Senator."

Kirito could hardly stop himself from going over there and hitting the clown. Of course Renri would know that, and by the sounds of it, it must be really important that everyone had to be present. After all, Fanation had gone out of her way to call everyone from Rulid to come here, so of course there was something going on here.

No, this is just Chudelkin being petty, as always. He does like to run his mouth and listen to himself talk.

'He's just too obsessed with Quinella,' he sighed to himself, rubbing his face. He's not being too overexaggerating; he's got it right on the dot, doesn't he? He really needs to get a hobby. 'I swear to the Goddesses, if his room's an actual shrine to pray for Quinella, I'm seriously putting him in the underground prison.'

Banishing him would just give him an opportunity to return for vengeance, definitely against him—of all the people in the world to hate him the most, it's definitely Chudelkin.

Killing him is just too severe. He isn't too keen on killing anyone just yet.

Everything else probably doesn't work. And yes, he's not trying to pretend that he's a good person; he's probably being an asshole for thinking all of this, but still! It's Chudelkin!

He looked around the table, everyone conversing with one another about a wide variety of topics that he didn't really pay much attention to, all of them waiting for one last person.

Kirito and Eugeo of Rulid Village. All Integrity Knights present. All his friends present.

Kirito nodded to himself, then looked to the opposite doors of the room, where it would lead down a corridor to get to the next floors, his heart in a silent unease.

Quinella hadn't showed her face yet. Probably getting ready, but his self-loathing and frantic thinking wouldn't help him whatsoever; maybe she's sick. Maybe she doesn't want to come because he's here. Maybe she's afraid of him. Yeah, those last two parts are probably true, he should just lea—

*Creaaak…*

"Forgive me for my overdue presence, everyone. Let us start the meeting, shall we?"

'Ahh…'

His lower jaw must have fallen and he'd probably be gasping like an idiot if he hadn't quickly bitten his tongue to keep his jaws stuck together, but the pain was overridden by the sheer shock that he was experiencing.

Quinella smiled majestically as she always had done, her confident yet poise steps forwards accompanying her hair that danced as a trail behind her. Her silvery eyes, calm and clear. Her lips, small and soft all at the same time. Her dress that somehow hugs her figure just right, accentuating her beauty to the absolute maximum.

That is how she had presented herself in almost every meeting thus far. And yet, just one simple difference today changes the usual look altogether.

Case in point; that. Ponytail.

Now, he wasn't entirely good with hairstyles. That's been his weakest point since years ago, never able to understand how people do… anything with their hair. Braids, tails, bobs? What are those?!

Thankfully, he wasn't such an imbecile that he couldn't recognize a simple ponytail. Sortiliena, his teacher, literally has that sort of hairstyle the entire time he's known her, and Leafa's hair is in a ponytail too, so it'd be hard not to recognize it. That did not change the fact that she looked incredibly beautiful, however.

All that hair that was close to flooding the ground (he's glad that this place is immensely clean, so she didn't have to worry about getting dust in her hair. Or maybe she does, and she washes it regularly) is now tied into a single, long ponytail. That had altered the usual image of Quinella that he knows.

Her shoulders are now easier to see, bare for the world. Her neck, too, no longer hides itself within the brilliant mass of silvery-purple hair. And just that change in hairdo alone is… well, its breath-taking. Different than what he's used to, and he can't help but like it.

'…Uurgh. I'm such a loser,' he thinks that when probably millions of others might just say otherwise.

Thankfully, however, he hadn't been the only one to have been gobsmacked, as the others in the room clearly stopped their chatter in favour of staring at the beautiful woman, taking a seat on one end of the table, alone and right in the centre.

She takes note of this, and simply beckons a brow to raise. "Yes?"

"You look gorgeous, Your Radiance!" Ahh, leave it to Chudelkin to spew his only-for-Quinella compliments. "Absolutely divine!"

"Yeah! You make that ponytail look good!"

"A-Ah, yes! Indeed!"

The genuine compliment from both the youngest knights has her laughing slightly. "Is that so? Thank you. Your advise is wonderful, so I have the both of you to thank."

Her gaze breaks from the girls, who were giggling with one another. Her eyes shift towards the left, and makes eye contact with Kirito, who flinches when it happens.

In that single moment, his heart stops and his breath becomes shallow. The room and the people within it become white noise as he stares in her silver eyes, and finds so many emotions and things that he can't begin to comprehend.

Acceptance. Tranquillity. Peace.

Those silver eyes that once held contempt and pride in them were long gone, that much he knew. But now, it felt as if he were staring at her once again, a stranger, though lacking any of the negative emotions he had felt oozing out of her back then.

This… is..?

If she felt his anxiety, she hadn't said anything about it. Rather, she keeps her regal smile and simply nods before she turns her attention to everyone else, and Kirito silently sighs to himself, all the tension in his shoulders dissipating.

He's faced down countless terrifying boss monsters, he's faced off against all Integrity Knights and even got killed back in the caves.

And he's genuinely been terrified by being held at knifepoint by Asuna because he didn't want to eat with her, and now he's been frozen in place because he was just staring into Quinella's eyes.

So girls are going to be the things that'll scare him more than anything else. Not monsters, demons or death; girls.

The irony.

"Now then, to what business are we summoned here for today?" Asked the silverette, whose gaze had been on her first Integrity Knight.

The blue-haired man stroked his gaunt chin, where a stubbled beard was growing. "Well, young Renri here notified me that there was something important that happened today. Judging by his sudden insistence and haste in summoning everyone here, it's certainly urgent."

"Is that so? Very well then. Knight Renri, please share us your findings," spoke the woman.

The greenette nodded once, looking clearly nervous. "Y-Yes, Lady Quinella! Umm… how do I put this… Earlier today, while I was making rounds in Centoria, I came upon this suspicious group."

"Suspicious group? I doubt anyone could be more suspicious than us—Ow!"

"Liz, not the time!"

Renri ignored the banter in favour of continuing. "They had personally sought me out and requested an audience with the Rulers of the Human Realm, that is yourselves, Lady Quinella and Lo—I mean, Kirito."

"Good. I don't like having titles," grinned the black-haired boy, a few soft chuckles resounding around the table. 'Hopefully not too hypocritical since I made Quinella call me master back then… But that was just a one-time thing! I never want her to call me that again!'

That was too kinky for his tastes. that he's complaining, but still.

"So, regarding this group. What about them that you find strange about them?" He asked once a modicum of calm had returned to the group.

At that, Renri's expression turned serious, one that not many of them had seen before. "They're not essentially strange… at a glance. Two of them are commoners, one a nun and the other a mercenary from Agna Village in Eastabarieth."

The mention of Agna's name has Sinon raising a brow. "That so? We actually went there before."

"Oh yeah! That's where we met Emiya-chan!" Chirped Yuuki with her characteristic joy. "Man, that place was really pretty! I wonder what Emiya-chan's doing right now."

"Hmm? How does she look like?" The greenette asked, showing strange curiosity.

Vabel chose that moment to answer. "Emiya Aegir. She has silvery… brownish… hair, and her eyes are red in colour. She had once stated her desire to become an Integrity Knight—oh…"

Kirito's alarms rang in his head, and as he stared around the table, found all the girls paling as one, as if they had just realized something incredibly important. Almost as if an 'Oh yeah…' and an 'Uh-oh' was simultaneously going off in their heads.

Wait, did Vabel say that this person wanted to become an Integrity Knight?

"We forgot to tell Kirito about Emiya-chan…" Leafa chanced a look at her brother, who raised a brow in confusion. She, in turn, shrugged back with a weak smile. "Oopsie?"

"Ah, yes, the girl whom you refer to as Emiya Aegir was indeed in that group!" His words capture everyone's attention, more notably Yuuki and the girls. "The group consisted of three girls. Emiya Aegir was one of the girls in said group. Another one is supposedly her childhood friend, and the other… is a Dark Knight from the Dark Forces."

Immediately, any sense of composure in the room was quickly discarded, a hasty tension now hanging above everyone's heads like a knife. Eyes went wide, muscles tensed, and a few of them sat up straighter than before.

The Rulers of the Human Realm, too, could not deny the shock that they were feeling. A resident from the Dark Forces, here? But that's… they had blocked every possible entrances! But… could there have been an alternative path that they took to get here?

'Had… Had there been a secret tunnel or path that they used..?' Thought the ravenette, staring into the table as countless possibilities filled his head. 'Or did someone..?'

No. There was no way a rat was present in their midst. Not many people knew of the methods of leaving the Human Realm, and even if they did, he hardly doubted anyone would try anything.

So how'd they somehow get in here..?

"What is the purpose of these three showing up?" Asked Quinella, her voice now a little chillier in tone, guarded.

"They… said that they have vital information to pass to us," he says. "Something that could help us for the war. The exact time, the people in their ranks, their motives… I'm not exactly sure if their word is entirely plausible, yet there seems to be truth in the Dark Knight's words."

Everyone went silent immediately after, mulling over his words and flipping them around, realizing just how important this was.

This was their enemy, who was basically leaking info about the enemy to them! This was a literal goldmine opportunity!

Cardinal had been trying to determine the date for when the attack would commence, yet she hadn't been successful on that part. And they knew close to nothing about the enemy ranks, nor who was their supposed leader other than the fact that someone from the real world had dived into the Underworld.

Kirito and Quinella made eye contact for a second time, and unlike before, there was a clear understanding between the two before they nodded, staring at Renri and speaking in clear sync. "Bring them in."

"Huh? Are you sure, Your Radiance?! We will be allowing the enemy into our territory, and—"

"There hasn't been any incidents prior to today. Plus, we've been rather vigilant in our scouting, and no such issue has arisen since. Have faith in them, Prime Senator."

Bercouli's words were coolly directed at the plump white man, though it was deemed rude enough that it got a snarl out of the beast, not appreciating being cut off like that.

That was true, though. Security had been tighter than ever now, so if there was anything that happened, they would know. The fact that this group had chosen to meet them directly and had been keeping their identities secret thus far clearly ascertains their desire for peaceful methods.

Fanatio was quick to agreement with her lord. "Indeed. Besides, this is information on the enemy. We might not have any other chance than this!"

"No kidding. We'll need this more than anything else, at this point," hummed the black-haired boy. "Renri, do us a favour and call them over. Would be rude not to welcome our guests, wouldn't it?"

All that he could hope was for something good to come out of this, and not for any sort of fight to break out.


Underworld, Centoria—30th September, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

Lipia Zancale, a Dark Knight, had often wondered how the human world looked like. Considering how… dreary her own home was, what with the lack of light, its lands barren and almost red to a certain shade of blood itself, she had really wondered how it must be for the Human Realm that had received most light of Solus.

But of course, she didn't want to be ungrateful of her own home. She would forever be thankful to how homely home was, but here… well, the sights she's seen is just beautiful.

The villages are so serene, like a gentle painting made by a man who had lived his whole life amongst the trees, birds and rivers. She felt nothing but tranquillity when she had been passing by these locations with her friends.

Entering Centoria, which was unequivocally the largest and busiest city compared to everything else. Being the capital city of the Human Realm, it made sense that there would be so many people here and that it would technically be the most advanced city there is in terms of architecture and infrastructure.

Centoria is divided into five separate sections; four large cities in each quadrant and the cathedral itself in the centre, with large marble walls that were possibly indestructible dividing each city and cathedral from one another. The buildings, made of white stone, are surrounded by trees and placed in a particular pattern that is symmetric and beautiful, and their designs alone merit compliment.

And with how there seemed no piece of litter in the streets, as compared to the poorer cities back home, was a clear testament to how disciplined these people were. It's impressive.

But if there was one thing that really stood out, it had to be that white tower, and nothing else.

"T-This is…"

"The Central Cathedral. Where Lady Quinella resides, and the place where people become Integrity Knights."

Such short explanation could not be enough to fully explain all the functions of the massive marble tower, as she was certain that there were probably a lot of things that were done here. And seeing just how massive it was on the outside, she could only imagine how it would be on the inside.

The Obsidia Palace was majestic all the same, but with it came a different sense of awe. And considering how she's been there for so many times, it eventually lost its charm—but now, that old feeling of awe and slight trepidation was revving itself within her once more.

She gulped. In there, there would be countless Integrity Knights that would have enough strength to cut her down if she ever acted out of line—one alone might be enough to end her life. And the very rulers of this empire could easily make do with her, she bet. Hopefully, she would be able to avoid such a fate.

Not before she could finish this war. Not before she could stop Vector's reign.

'Not until I can see Lord Vixur again…' She thought to herself, clasping her hand in front of where her heart was. Absence made the heart grow fonder, though in her case, it was distance—after all, she was tens to hundreds of kilolu away from home, within what most would readily assume to be enemy territory.

She has to find him again. That determination alone will keep her going on, no matter what hardships she faces.

Edith's humming slowly turned into a questioning tone, a wide smile on her face that truly shows just how undisturbed she was. "Soooo… what do we say?"

"We just say what we have to, don't do anything crazy… and that's it. We can think of our next steps of action along the way," shrugged Medina, cyan eyes narrowing as she stared at the massive tower. "And don't worry, Lipia. If they try anything, you just get behind us."

"Medina, Edith, please. You needn't be so worried about my safety," even with the worry she felt at such a promise, she couldn't help the gratitude.

They had just met up with Integrity Knight Renri, the same knight that they had met earlier in the day—it took too long, but by the time that he came back to invite them to the Cathedral, it was well into the night.

He explains the reason for this being long overdue as being Kirito, the Secondary Head of the Human Empire, was residing in Rulid Village with his friends. Hence, it took some time for them to move from Rulid to Centoria, which made sense considering just how far these two places are when compared to one another.

Still, couldn't they have just come there a little earlier?

"I would have escorted you here earlier but… I wouldn't want to anger either Lady Quinella or Kirito. I doubted any of them would have liked if I brought strangers into the Central Cathedral without their consent," said the greenette, who had been walking in front of their group.

Edith, though annoyed by this, shot him a curious look. "Kirito? Not Lord Kirito?"

"He… doesn't like having titles added to his name," sheepishly chuckled the greenette, surprising the three women. "We once tried it, but umm… He didn't like it. He was really against being called as such."

As for how he attempted to explain it, it was, to put it bluntly, quite poor.

In comparison to his status to other students back in the academy or even some knights, such as his and Eugeo's valets, the ones whom they had been valets to in turn, and even Eldrie, he was simply a villager; a plebeian with no name or wealth. And with that came a desire to simply be acknowledged and treated as a simple man, and no more.

It was a little hard, but not too impossible. And quite honestly, it kind of fit him more; just Kirito.

"Is that so..? I'm surprised. Your ruler is quite humble," admitted the dark-skinned woman with a hint of surprise.

In return, Renri just lets out a small chuckle. "I'm not exactly sure that he would call it as humbleness, but simply stubborn. Ah, don't tell him that. He wouldn't be mad with me, of course, but it would still be rather disrespectful to him."

"Talking about this Kirito person, how did he become the Secondary Head of the Human Realm?" Asked the woman once more, her two friends nodding in agreement. "Is his position truly on par with Lady Quinella's?"

"Ah… Hmm, that's a difficult question to answer," he brought up his gauntlet-clad knuckles to his chin, keeping his gaze to the paved path before them. "He first took up position a few months ago, having befriended Lady Quinella. That merited him the position that he has now. Though he finds it more fitting to call it as being her advisor, he does take up quite a large number of administrative duties."

The group of three girls let out sounds of acknowledgement, digesting the information that they had just received.

So he simply became friends with Lady Quinella? That sounded rather farfetched, though they supposed anything was possible. They themselves couldn't readily admit that they knew her very well, so that's that.

The boy grinned their way. "If any of you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Well, I'll try to, anyways."

"…What sort of person is this Kirito figure?" Asked Lipia, deciding that that shall be her last question for today. "If you would."

"Hmm… Well, he wasn't too reserved with his personal information. From what I can remember from reading about him, he's supposedly an amnesiac who lived in Rulid Village. He and his friend, Eugeo then attended the Norlangarth Swords Mastery Academy. They were convicted of crimes for the murder of a noble and the maiming of another, though it was simply for the protection of their valets. Anyways, they were then brought here to work," he could only recount the most that he could remember, hoping that his answer was enough.

But his answer wasn't the one they were looking for, as the redhead shook her head in response. "Not who he is. What sort of person meaning what's his personality and stuff?"

"Oh, his personality? Umm… well, I can simply answer only from my experience with him," the girls nodded at him, and the young boy continues. "Let's see… Well, unique is the most appropriate word I can use. He's friendly, kind… he's not that scary. He doesn't have a feel like most nobles too, but he does exert an authority sort of aura. I can't exactly say, but I suppose it would be easier if you meet for yourself."

What an odd person… It's like trying to categorize him into one group of people, yet he clearly sticks to the other. Or more accurately, he's an amalgamation of both types and yet neither of which.

Yeah, they suppose that's the best that they can do now.


Underworld, Central Cathedral, Floor 50, Great Hall—30th September, Year 380 in the Time of the Realm of Humanity

Too. Many. Stairs!

Edith groaned once again as she forced herself up the flight of stairs, unable to believe that she had to climb this tower yet again when she was pretty sure just walking to the tower was tiring, yet here they are, with more exhaustion awaiting them.

She had to admit, though, this place looked incredibly beautiful. The carpets used were definitely of better quality than most, yet the sparseness of the cathedral's corridors made her more nervous than anything else in this place. Seriously, where are all the people?

That thought doesn't last long as she finally finishes another climb, reaching the forty-ninth floor. She lets out an exasperated groan.

"Come now, Edith. Just a little longer," sighed Medina, though with a notable tire in her tone that was a clear sign of her silent agreement with her best friend. This was a little too tiring. "Just one more flight of stairs, and we're done."

"Sorry, but we're in the process of renovation. We'll add something for better movement between floors," spoke the boy with an apologetic tone.

Lipia, despite her bodily wounds (most of which have already healed enough), was clearly the most fit out of the three, shaking her head. "You wouldn't have to worry so much. Until you are able to come up with a way to overcome this issue, we will pertain to simply using the stairs."

"You would, but I don't want to! It's so tiiiriiing…"

"Edith! Manners!"

Despite how impolite the youngest girl there was, the green-haired knight couldn't help but simply chuckle, knowing that so many people (even his fellow Integrity Knights included) had already complained about this. Kirito, especially, had been pretty vocal about that, and it took either a soft hush from Asuna or scolding from Eugeo to shut him up.

It didn't take too long. After all, they simply needed to make one final ascent before they finally reach their destination. Two massive doors stood before the group of four, titans in their own right that certainly evoked the small feeling in the girls.

Renri didn't bother knocking, as they doubted knocking on those large doors would even make much noise.

"I have brought our visitors with me!" He shouted, and the two human girls tensed up. Lipia, however, simply remained calm, already pulling back the hood that covered her hair and ears to reveal herself. "We shall now enter!"

With that, he pushed both doors with his hands, and the group of four are presented with the view of a massive space—white tiles, marble pillars and high ceiling—with a relatively large table in the centre, countless people seated there.

Integrity Knights. Lady Quinella herself, easily recognizable by her radiant beauty. Some other people…

"Eh? Emiya!"

"Wha—Yuuki?!"

And there goes all the anxiety.


"I am Lipia Zancale, a member of the Dark Knights order from the Dark Forces. I am humbled that you have accepted my request for an audience with you, Lady Quinella and… Kirito."

"Oh, Renri told you about me not liking titles thing? Nice. Thank you, Knight Lipia, and you too, Renri."

In return, the greenette simply rubbed the back of his neck with a soft laughter, while the Dark Knight smiled simply. The knight was right; he didn't really have that scary aura. He was surprisingly more approachable than any expectations that she had.

"Anyways, yes. Welcome, Lipia. First off, my own thanks for you not doing anything. That much tells us that you're at least trustworthy enough to not warrant any immediate punishment or judgement," sighed the black-haired boy, scratching the back of his head. He isn't too used to this, everyone in the room could tell—he's done meetings, but never talked to an… enemy? Yeah, this is new. "Secondly, sorry if you're tired from the climbing. Even I don't like stairs that much."

"Oh, hush you. You weren't complaining too much when we first came here and had to climb them," chastised Eugeo as he knocked his best friend in the shoulder.

The boy was about to make a retort before quickly shutting himself up, incapable of saying anything. He shakes his head after, ignoring a few giggles at the table, before looking back to Lipia. "Well, with all that's happened, I'm inclined to believe that all of you are exhausted, so let's just get straight to the point. What are you here for?"

The woman placed a clenched fist to her left breast. Where there should have been armour, now was simply a tunic with a cloak. But within her chest, nothing but her heart ablaze with knightly courage.

"As Integrity Knight Renri has said, I am simply here to pass information that you might find vital for the war," she replies with a sharp nod.

"You'd better not be bluffing, Dark Knight! You might just be here to mislead our ranks, and should such be true, then know that your fate will be immediate death!" Snarled Chudelkin, pointing an offending index finger at her.

She furrowed her brows for a moment, some form of emotion rushing her eyes before shaking her head. "Of course not. I am here for the sake of my lord and his vision; peace. To prevent, or at least end the war as quickly as possible and bring forth a better future for our generation."

"Heh. Of course, you must be Vixur's subordinate," hearing Bercouli's words surprised her. The man waved back. "Hey. We met back then."

"Ah—You are the one that defeated Lord Vixur in the fight!" Gasped the young woman. "Lord Bercouli… You have duelled Lord Vixur before. You would be the one who understands him the most, wouldn't you?"

"Heh… Yeah, that's true," nodded the man, his attention now shifting to everyone else. "I have indeed met this Lord Vixur, who's the commander of the Dark Knights. He's a pacifist, someone who believes in peace more than violence, really. He's a good man, even if he is technically the enemy."

"Well, nothing's as black and white in life, even war. No one is really the hero, and him being a good man, even if he is technically our enemy, is a good thing all the same," shrugged the ravenette. "So, this Lord Vixur. Let me guess, he sent you here as some sort of messenger?"

"No. My coming here is a form of treachery to my own home, and a punishment by our ruler," her words elicit looks of surprise from everyone in the room, her two friends behind her sharing a worried glance. "In truth, I have been exiled from my own home by Lord Vector, thrown here to die after physical persecution… but I owe my life to these two girls, for having spared my life and allowing me to carry out my mission, going so far as to accompany me no less."

"Technically, Edith's the one that found you. Not me."

"Ehh, sharing the credit's more fun than taking it alone."

Kirito could half-agree and half-disagree with that statement, but decided not to comment.

Lord Vector… If he's not wrong, that's a name mentioned in the stories of this world's creation—Stacia, the goddess of creation. Then came forth Solus, the goddess of light, and Terraria, the goddess of the land. With light came darkness, hence Lord Vector. There was also a fifth goddess, aptly known as Lunaria, the goddess of the moon.

So a god has joined the enemy's ranks, and is preparing the Dark Forces for war… This is bad. This is really bad.

But there was still hope. After all, with all his friends present and the two pontifex's present, there was definitely a fighting chance.

Even before he could say anything, though, it had been Asuna who cut in, though with a curious tone. "E…dith, right? When we first met, you referred to yourself as Emiya. You have two different names?"

"It's a long story, but the girl that stands before you now isn't Emiya anymore. I'm Edith Aegir! A pleasure to meet you!" She gives a small curtsey, a beaming smile on her face that reflects pure enthusiasm and friendliness.

Kirito smiles, watching the exchange before looking at the Dark Knight. An enemy… no, she isn't one. To willingly come here despite knowing of the dangers, not to fight them but to help them in order to protect her people back home, he respected that about her.

And he knew that she wasn't coming here half-heartedly. He knew that. But was there ever a certainty to things? There was a need for her to understand just what situation she had placed herself in.

This wasn't a game. No longer 'Sword Art Online' that had the lives of ten thousand people on the line. Or 'ALfheimr Online' that had the lives of several 'SAO' survivors on the line. Not 'Gun Gale Online', where just a handful of people were in danger of dying because of some mass murderers.

No. This time, the fate of two worlds were on the line. And with those, countless lives.

And because of that, he needed to be extremely sure that her conviction was true. No second doubts. He's had enough of those in his few years back in 'SAO'.

'What do I say..?' He thought to himself, closing his eyes as Quinella took over and asked the Dark Knight some questions, some of which were about this Lord Vector person. 'Hmm… Okay. Just... talk, and it'll come into play. It'll probably come out wrong, but I gotta' try!'

There's always a first for everything.

He thought of Asuna, back when she was the Knights of Blood's vice commander, and drew forth inspiration from his memory of the girl to make a new persona of his own.

"Dark Knight Lipia," he called out loud, and something changes. "Before we continue… Answer me this. Are you truly prepared with what you're about to do?"

The shift in his tone cuts the earlier ease in the air, all eyes now directed at him… and genuinely taken aback by the new look he was sporting.

He still looked the same Kirito as he had moments earlier. Young teenager with a friendly demeanour, not at all intimidating whatsoever.

But he's changed now. He had adopted his stance as a ruler of the Human Realm now, eyes sharp and calculated, almost like how Quinella had been years before. His posture was no longer sluggish, and he seemed more intimidating now, something that he hadn't been just moments earlier.

Everyone around him almost felt lightheaded, Lipia especially. His eyes were piercing her soul, looking past her, and she could have thought that she might just go unconscious there and then.

He was right. What she was doing now was basically treason; she was leaking information on her own empire to assist the enemy, and could potentially result in the destruction of her own people, whether she knew it or not. It was a heavy decision to be made by one such lesser being as herself, whose choice will be the deciding factor of her people's fate.

Could she really do it..? She had failed once, but—

"Never give up, Lipia, and I know you'll be a great Dark Knight."

'Ah..!'

Being a knight as a woman was difficult. More so than anything else, but she was stubborn, wanted to prove people who thought otherwise wrong. She simply wished to show that effort and determination could go a long way.

And Vixur had faith in her. Had helped her grow to become the Dark Knight she is today, respected amongst her fellow knights, worthy of her sword, and strong enough to stand on her own two legs—even now, she owes her life to him.

That's when she realized it. Staring at Kirito once more, in the eyes, she sees past them.

Something else is in that coldness. Determination. Hope. Compassion. Feelings that she treasures of her liege. Though these two aren't one and the same, she could tell that they were almost similar, and that at least fixed her conviction.

"You are an exile of your people and your lord, yet in your heart there is clearly love for your nation. In committing to this act, you are willingly making yourself your people's own enemy, and when war comes, there's no confirmation that you won't have to trade blows with the people that were once your comrades," his words aren't mere blathering or such. They're born out of experience, something that both impresses and eludes her all the same. "Are you prepared to take on such a daunting challenge, and to take responsibility in the aftermath?"

"K-Kirito…" She could hear Lady Quinella briefly muttering in surprise, her eyes wide in surprise. To be fair, everyone were feeling the same way.

Even still, Lipia responds with the conviction that she alone has tempered through these years, a sharp nod. "Of course. This is for my country and my people. As long as we remain under Lord Vector's rule, there will be no peace. If it means fighting against them to save them, you shall have my sword, Kirito."

That was the entire reason why she had come here. Why she was still fighting, even if she had been defeated. She came here carrying forth her will and Lord Vixur's will—there was no turning back. Not now, not ever.

Edith and Medina stared at the woman feeling impressed, both of them letting out soft 'Whoa…', while everyone else in the room were just quiet.

It didn't take too long, however, before the heavy air dissipates with a small laughter, courtesy of Kirito of course. Gone was the intimidating ruler, now replaced with the casual teenager once more—but the respect hadn't disappeared. It only grew.

"I see. Alright then," his head lolls to the side a little and his cheek settles on his knuckles, a grin plastered on his face. "Take it away, Lipia. With luck, this war will end before we even know it. Good to have you with us, by the way."


Author's Notes:

Yeah, we're getting back on track here. A lot of winding backwards before this, but we're on the path forwards once more. A little crooked here and there, but forwards all the same!

To DaManWOFear, yeeessss! You got Edith and a lot of good units, very nice! Keep getting awesome units, you have my wishing of luck. And I do hope your luck with weapons is great, because Alicization: Rising Steel seems determined to not give me good weapons up to this point. I'm facepalming right this very moment (-_-).

To a guest reviewer, I'm actually happy with how they've been adding side-stories in Alicization: Rising to feature Edith a couple of times. I agree with you, she's an amazing girl! (Q 0u0 Q)

And yes, Kirito being serious back there was totally intentional. Fanart, man. They have everything you need (XD). That was just me writing something personally to satisfy my need. I'll probably not write him like that ever again.

Sword Art Online: If You Wish It has gotten another translation for its second part! Go check it out, peeps!