Chapter 9: Military Precision
July 6th, 2026
4:56 PM, Somewhere in Tokyo
My beloved Hecate cracked loudly, and I snatched it up from the bipod. There wasn't even enough time to look to see if my shot hit before I ran off. The night was dark and this was the first time I'd fired from this newest sniping perch, so the moving figure down at the ground would never be able to see it coming before my bullet blasted his skull open. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a red icon pop up.
Perfect. Down to just two of us, now.
Since I'd given my location away, I had no choice but to move to a different spot now. I scrambled to my feet and sprinted down the ruined corridor. This was the destroyed city part of the map, and the collapsed buildings made for perfect sniping perches - there was one a building away where I could set up and keep an eye on the surroundings. I racked Hecate's slide as I ran and the spent bullet casing fell onto the ground. The building I was on crumbled away in front of me and I jumped for it.
The ground went away from under me but the next building was right there and I landed smoothly without even having to roll across. I sprinted for the window of the next collapsed building and jumped through it, rolling smoothly. I hit the ground hard and grunted, but turned the roll into a sprawl that ended with me on my stomach and my Hecate out and ready.
I stared down the scope, scanning the ground for my target. Subtilizer wasn't by the road to the left or the right, and my eyes darted back and forth. Where was he? With the hidden bullet line, as long as I saw him first I could take him out and win. But where was -
*Tap.*
My eyes widened and I gasped. A footstep!
I pulled the Glock from its back holster and turned, pointing the gun at the darkness. My breath came in short, quick gasps as I tried to listen past the pounding in my ears. My finger was carefully off the trigger just in case, since I didn't want to give away my exact location. I stared at the darkness, and then exhaled slowly. Maybe that had been just my imagina-
BEHIND ME!
My eyes widened and I bit down a scream of surprise. The shadow that suddenly fell over me could only come from behind me, but how?! I turned around, trying to bring my gun up in time - "Gah!" His foot slammed into the side of my head. Hecate went flying as I tumbled, but I bounced and pointed my Glock at him. I pulled the trigger and bullets sprayed out -
A throwing knife sank into my forearm with a spray of shards and I cried out as my finger spasmed. The impact knocked my aim off and Subtilizer dashed forward. The blond man was fast! Almost so fast that I couldn't follow him with my eyes. But even if I could see him, I couldn't react before he slammed his fist into my stomach. I flew backwards until I slammed into a concrete pillar; the impact made me cry out but I didn't fall down.
I gritted my teeth and yanked the knife out of my arm, and with it gone I could fire my pistol again. Bullets smashed into stone as Subtilizer dashed to my side and grabbed me. The complicated grappling technique slammed me into the ground face-first and my Glock fell from my hand. It was still within distance and I reached for -
"Ah!" He'd slammed one foot down on my arm to keep me from reaching it. My other arm was pulled behind my back, totally preventing me from moving - and then he yanked me up. I gasped and struggled but his arm was locked around my neck before I could do anything. This was how he'd won the last time... I had to do... something...!
He cupped my chin and the strangeness of it made me stop struggling from the shock. Then, he leaned close, and whispered, "Your soul... will be so sweet."
"Ghk! Ghhh! Hnng!"
My health plummeted as he tightened his arm around my neck. I kicked and thrashed but he was strong enough to hold me off of the ground entirely. No no no no!
...
"Gah!"
I gasped as I snapped awake. My forehead felt cold with sweat and I stared unseeing for a few seconds until I realized where I was. I'd fallen asleep in the library...
"Geez... Not him again." Damn it. This is definitely Nick's fault! That idiot was making me have all sorts of weird dreams. First th-that weird one about him, and now this nightmare because he was missing! Idiot. Still, thinking about Nick had me fidgeting with the new silver ring I was wearing on my right hand. N-Not that it was an engagement ring or anything like that! But he'd given it to me one day as a gift, and even if I'd never worn it before it was nice having a connection to him. Now that he was...
My phone buzzed once and snapped me out of my righteous indignation. "Asuna and Kana," I breathed when I saw the message notifications.
Then my phone called and answered itself. If I were anyone else, I would have been scared, but this was a familiar thing. "Hi, Aunt Shino," Din said. "Yui and I have important information we need to share with everyone." I'd taken my glasses off to try to take a nap - funny how that ended up - and picked up my phone. "Could you please log into ALO right away?"
I hummed in thought. ALO, huh? They wouldn't ask if it weren't important.
...
I logged into ALO as soon as I got home from the library. I'd logged out in Leafa's apartment in-game, so that's where I appeared. I wasn't the last one to arrive, but Liz, Leafa, and Silica were already waiting. I sat down next to my fellow Cait Sith and greeted the others, just as Agil and Klein walked into the room from outside.
Light flashed, and Yui and Din appeared hovering in the air over the empty seat to Leafa's left. They shared a quick glance and then looked around at all of us. "Thank you for arriving so quickly," Din said.
"No problem," Klein said. "I have a few vacation days left at work, so it's fine!" He gave a thumbs up.
Yui smiled. "Then we'll begin."
As the two pixies explained everything, our eyes widened in shock and fear. His Fluctlight was damaged, and Rythin couldn't wake up? That idiot! He's always doing things like that. "It's risky, but there's a chance Uncle Rythin's Fluctlights can be repaired," Yui said. "So Mommy and Aunt Argo Dove into the Underworld to save him."
"I hope she can," Leafa said.
"What if she can't?" Silica asked, and lowered her head to stare at the colorful table in the center of our chairs.
Liz grinned. "Psh. Would you guys stop worrying? Rythin's promised he's not going to leave any time soon, so that guy's gonna pull through just like always."
We all sat in silence for a few seconds. Liz had a point, I knew she did, but still... I couldn't help but want to do something. "This sucks," I said after a while. "I can't stand that they're stuck out there! And those hijackers... What if they figure out how to get to them?" I narrowed my eyes.
Klein slammed his fist into his other palm. "There's gotta be something we can do, 'cept sit around and wait."
"...They're safe for now," Din said. "But be ready. If worse comes to worse, Yui and I are going to call on you for help!"
Of course. If there's anything I can do to help them out, I'll do it!
November 2nd, 380 HE
Miss Cardinal had been kind enough to open another door for us after the conversation with Mr. Kikuoka and Mr. Higa, so that we were able to return exactly to where we'd been when we left. Red and Amayori were waiting patiently for our return, and Rythin hadn't moved from his spot on Red's back. "Sorry, Rythin," I said to him as soon as I settled in the saddle. "Have you been waiting? I talked to your girlfriend, you know. She's doing fine, and can't wait to see you again. So wake up soon, for her, okay?" Maybe it was just my imagination, but as Red lifted off it felt like Rythin flinched back into me.
Now that we were back in the air, it was only another fifteen minutes or so to fly to the camp. The army was stationed on a nearby mountain, and I studied what I could see from above. Squads of soldiers were gathered in a few areas, preparing for the upcoming battle. Large white flags with blue swords were rallying points, and I could see tents dotting the ground of the plateau. Small groups of black dots were moving in tiny clusters, and I realized they must be the soldiers training. There were seven shining dots with colored armor, who must be the Integrity Knights.
These were the forces that would be going up against the forces of the Dark Territory in a few days... I sighed and tightened my grip on Rythin to hug him a little closer.
At the center of the camp, there was a large clearing. The size of the field reminded me of a plane runway, and since there were tents at the side... "That must be the landing field," Alice called out, and I nodded. Like I expected!
Amayori flapped her wings and called out a loud, "Kururu!" Even as the cry echoed through the air, an answer called out, slightly lower. I recognized it from Rulid, so it must be her brother, Takiguri.
Our dragons wheeled around and landed in the clearing, kicking up a cloud of dust with the force of their wings. Takiguri was nearby and chirped happily at Amayori. As soon as Amayori landed, Alice hopped down with Kirito right behind her. While they were unloading the heavy load on the dragon's back, I picked up Rythin and slid down off of Red's back. Alice and Kirito came over to help me with the items tied on Red; free of her burden, Amayori shot towards the tent and started rubbing heads with her brother.
Alice and I giggled at the excited reunion, until I heard footsteps right behind us. Alice stiffened.
"Milady!" I exchanged a quick glance with Kirito, even as Alice turned towards the source of the voice. "I knew you'd return to help!" When we looked, Eldrie was running towards us. Despite staying in a long-term war camp, his hair and his silver-white armor were pristine and spotless. He was smiling, but when he caught sight of me and the boy I was holding in my arms, it fell into a neutral, disapproving look. Eldrie came to a halt right in front of us. "Milady..."
Alice hesitated, and then finally said, "You seem well."
Kirito, at that point, brought Rythin's wheelchair down from Red's back and I gratefully put him down comfortably. I fussed with the fit of his tunic until it sat straight without wrinkles.
Meanwhile, Eldrie seemed like he wanted to say something, but Alice continued before he could. "I have just returned from the Eastern Gate. There's not much time before it crumbles away and the army of the Dark marches through."
"They have fifty thousand," Eldrie said. "We have but three thousand. As far as training them, we are doing all we can."
Alice narrowed her eye. "And where are the other Integrity Knights? Are they out on patrol? As I made my approach, I could only see eight."
Eldrie sighed. "They are all we have here."
"What? That is impossible!" Alice gasped. "Counting the two of us, there should be thirty-three members of the order, including the Integrity Knight trainees! And..." She trailed off and looked over her shoulder at Rythin. "And Rythin."
Eldrie's jaw twitched. "Technically, there are, Milady... But you know as well as I. When a Knight showed signs of distress, Chudelkin would use the Arts to recalibrate them. At the last count, ten knights have yet to be awakened from that, even with Lady Cardinal's hard work." Alice gasped. "Currently, 22 knights are active. There are four stationed at the Cathedral to guard the capital, and four are on patrol over the End Mountains."
"That only leaves fourteen, then," Alice said.
Eldrie nodded. "Needless to say, we are stretched far too thin. And with all that we face... You brought that girl and the traitor. Do you intend to protect them while you fight?"
Alice looked at Rythin, and then said, "Yes, of course."
"Hey! It's not like they're helpless!" Kirito protested. "And besides, with me and Alice, they won't be in any danger at all."
Eldrie glared at Kirito, then looked back at Alice. "But how can you! They are nothing but dead weight! If you burden yourself with them, not only it affect your ability to fight, it will place you in certain danger!"
"Ritsu and Rythin aren't dead weight," Kirito snapped.
Eldrie gritted his teeth, and Alice frowned. "Enough, Eldrie. There's no call for such words."
"But to bring a traitor -"
"Rythin isn't a traitor!" I exclaimed. "Quinella used Sacred Arts to steal his memory and control him!"
The tension in the air between us thickened, and I prepared to call my guns out if Eldrie did anything -
"That's enough, Eldrie. Relax." The voice was casual and familiar, right behind us. We all turned around to see a man standing at the edge of a cliff. He wore a blue yukata with a loose sash, and he wore a longsword on his hip. "Hey, little ones," he said. "You look like you've been taking care of yourselves. Even your cheeks filled in, little girl."
"Hello, Uncle," Alice said with a smile. "It's been too long." Bercouli nodded in response and hopped down from the ledge he was standing on.
"...Yo," Kirito said awkwardly. I could understand - the last time they'd spoken, it had been right after Quinella's death. "How's Eugeo doing?"
"That kid?" Bercouli chuckled. "He's doing alright. He's around, somewhere. And how's the brat, girl?"
It took me a second to realize he was talking to me, and I coughed. "Rythin's fine," I said. "He still hasn't woken up, though."
"Commander -" Eldrie started.
Bercouli's eyes narrowed and I shivered. Something sharp had just entered his face, and I realized - he was the commander of the army. If he said Rythin and I couldn't stay, then the only thing we could do would be leave. And if that happened, Kirito would probably leave with us, and the army would be left without an amazing defender.
"What's wrong?" Alice asked as Bercouli looked at Rythin. His lips tightened, and my hair stood on end. He was doing something, even if I didn't quite understand what.
Alice's hand drifted towards her sword, and even as I looked at her action in shock Bercouli spoke up. "No need for that, kid," he said.
Alice gasped at his words and relaxed. Bercouli exhaled slowly and stared at Rythin. My eyes widened as I felt the surge of killing intent from Bercouli.
All at once, a lot of things happened. Bercouli narrowed his eyes and something flashed between me and Rythin. I gasped in shock and surprise as a small slice opened up in the canvas of the tent behind Rythin. Had he thrown -
When he glanced at Kirito and grunted, I was able to feel the strange pressure behind his actions again. It was like he'd launched a crystallized chunk of killing intent without moving. Kirito inhaled sharply and I felt him gather his own intent in front of him, but something else flashed out in two directions. The chunk of killing intent shattered against something sharp, and the only thing that happened to Kirito was a ruffling of his hair from the sudden air pressure. Rythin, on the other hand, jerked sharply.
"U-Uncle," Alice said as she stared at Bercouli in shock. The wind had played with her hair, but she hadn't noticed.
Bercouli smiled as though the killing intent that had just surged from him had never existed. "All right, tell me whatcha saw."
"I think," Alice said. "I saw a flash of swords just now."
I looked at her in surprise. "That killing intent... it was a sword?"
"Oh ho? You could sense that, girl?" Bercouli studied me. "Impressive. That was a secret technique only taught to Integrity Knights. I tossed an Incarnate Sword at him. Well, actually it was more like a dagger. It should only have scratched his cheek a bit if it had hit, but instead... it seemed to pass through him and cut the tent behind him. Then, I tossed one at Kirito. That was what you saw, little one."
"If it had... hit? Then, that means he..." Alice murmured.
"That's right," Bercouli said. "He stopped them. Or, he dodged the first and stopped the second. He did it with his willpower."
Alice gasped and leaned towards Rythin. "But he was never able to use Incarnation before... Unless, Quinella's Arts had..."
"It might not look like the brat's mind is all there," Bercouli said. "But the kid ain't dead. No way. And he wasn't protecting himself when he blocked my strike, he was protecting Kirito. He'll snap out of it one day. That's what I think."
Alice nodded and I turned slightly to wipe at the tears in the corner of my eyes. I'd had to stifle tears after our meeting in the Central Cathedral with the people from the real world. But, even so… Those were just words from a technician. To see the proof that Rythin was still in there, somewhere deep down… It meant so, so much to me.
"But I am still cross with you, Uncle," Alice said after a second. "What were you thinking, attacking them? Even with an attack aimed to miss!"
"Ha ha ha... Sorry, kid," Bercouli said. "But I thought this would be the fastest way." He looked over at the other Knight who was still standing stiffly. "Don't get hung up on the small stuff, Eldrie. We can look after this kid easy. And if he wakes up, that's another Integrity Knight to join our side."
Eldrie looked at Rythin and his lips tightened. Without another word, he glared at both Rythin and Kirito and then spun around to walk away.
"Eldrie…" Alice sighed. "I'm sorry, you two. He's usually better than this."
"It's okay, Alice." I won't let his attitude bother me. He's just worried about Alice, that's all. Still, I sighed and rested my hand on Rythin's shoulder. Wake up soon, okay? "Bercouli? Are there tents you can prepare for us?"
He nodded. "As long as you girls don't mind sharing a bed, a tent should be ready shortly."
"I don't mind. Alice? I promise, I don't snore."
"It will be fine."
"Then that'll work," I said to Bercouli. "Also," I added with a smile, "you might want to get the collar of your robe fixed."
The man glanced at me and then fingered the shredded collar. It was damaged with three jagged tears across the edge, as if a large cat had clawed it with a single swipe. "Yeah, probably," he said. "Though it was my own fault."
Rythin hadn't let him go without a warning, after all. I'd felt his killing intent reaching out towards Bercouli at the same time he'd blocked the dagger launched at Kirito.
"That aside, where's the brat gonna stay?" I blinked at Bercouli's question. He'd stay with me, like always - Wait. Oh. If I'm staying in the same tent as Alice, it might be awkward to have him there.
"He can stay with me," Kirito said. "That won't be a problem, right?"
Bercouli grinned. "Long as your friend doesn't mind. Ain't that right? Eugeo?"
Kirito blinked in surprise, and then we all turned around. A blond boy stood there in shining white and blue armor, with a blue sword on his hip. "I knew it was you, Kirito," Eugeo said with an exasperated smile. "Not even five minutes and you're already getting in trouble."
"Heheh... Well, I can't set a new record every day, partner."
Eugeo just shook his head and smiled at us. "It's good to see everyone again."
"Eugeo!" Alice greeted him cheerfully. I waved happily. I might not have gotten to speak with him much, but he was really nice to me when we were climbing the Central Cathedral.
"You look good," Kirito said. "That armor is really neat!"
"Eheheh..." Eugeo laughed and blushed. "Thanks, Kirito."
"Congratulations again on becoming an Integrity Knight, even if it is only as a trainee," I said. "Oh! How is Tiese?"
"She's fine. Actually, she's helping out with the supply line." Eugeo turned to Kirito. "So, we'll be staying together. Just like old times, huh?"
Kirito laughed. "Yeah. Though I've had enough of sleeping in barns and old inns," he said. "Do you mind if Rythin stays with us?"
"No, that's fine," Eugeo said with a shake of his head. "He's your friend, so of course I won't mind."
Bercouli nodded. "Good, that's settled. Go get settled in. We'll talk tomorrow."
As we walked away, Eugeo sighed. "What's up?" Kirito asked. "Trying to blow down the tents?"
Eugeo shook his head. "It's not that," he said. "It's just... Geez, when you disappeared, I was so worried. You could have said something!"
"Sorry, sorry," Kirito said. "To tell the truth, I was a little nervous myself. After spending two years with you by my side, it was strange to wake up without you around."
Is this... Is this the fabled men's romance? I remember Rythin telling stories about him and Kirito, but this was nothing like what I'd seen in the anime and manga!
"What are you two talking about?" Alice asked, throwing her arms around both boys. Kirito laughed, and Eugeo smiled as the childhood friends roughhoused.
"Mercy, mercy!" Kirito pretended to cry when Alice locked her arm around his neck.
I just giggled and leaned down to Rythin, gently patting his head. "See that?" I asked him quietly. "Thanks to you, they can be together again." Like usual, though, Rythin didn't respond.
...
The sun had started to set by the time I'd taken Rythin to Eugeo and Kirito's tent. The interior of the tent was surprisingly nice, though I guess it was fit for an Integrity Knight. Two beds were inside, one with bedsheets straight without a single wrinkle and one that had been slept in. Eugeo had been here for some time, but the extra bed... That could have only been for Kirito. Eugeo must have specifically had it prepared for him, because he knew his friend would come help.
I moved Rythin out of his wheelchair and onto the bed, where he sat patiently. Before I relaxed, though, a weak noise came from his mouth and he reached out with his left hand. "I'll get it right away, okay?" His dagger had been packed away for safe-keeping, but I'd brought the satchel with us on the way.
Once I put the Starry Night Dagger in his hand and wrapped his fingers around the hilt, Rythin settled down again. I smiled at him, and reached out to run my fingers through his hair. "Your hair hasn't grown at all, has it," I mused. "This world really isn't real..." It was the same length as in E Class, even after all this time had passed. "You need to brush it more. It's so tangled."
I giggled for a few seconds, then sighed and cupped his cheek. His heart was gone, ever since the strange pillar of light knocked him unconscious, but he'd still gathered his will to protect Kirito from Bercouli's Incarnation Sword. He'd definitely protect me the same way, wouldn't he?
We were... classmates, and friends too I know. He trusted me with secrets he kept from everyone else in E Class and... He was my first friend. My best friend, and the person who'd taught me what the emotion of Love felt like. As much as I knew there was no chance for me to find a place in his heart beside his girlfriend, these feelings had persisted.
Part of me wanted to forget, but I could never give up, just like that. He was the first boy I'd loved and there was something special about those feelings that just wouldn't go away. After three years, when I saw his face and he smiled at me like that, my heart had leapt for joy and I'd barely been able to answer his questions.
"I'm hopeless, aren't I, Rythin...?" I'm sure that if it had been someone else in E Class that had been my first friend, like Yukiko or Sugaya or Megu, I think I might have fallen for them instead. Demisexual, I think it was called. But my first friend was Rythin, and I still hadn't managed to move on. "But you're here. Somewhere, you're in there. Is there some way for me to reach you...?"
I shouldn't do this. But I h-had to try everything, right? And there were lots of stories about Sleeping Beauty and how they woke up with a kiss. So, really, I should have tried this a l-long time ago. Right? Rythin would definitely forgive me for this...
I cupped his cheek gently and leaned forward. His cheeks were cold - no, my palms were hot, and my heart thundered. My eyes closed on their own as I tilted my head just slightly, and my hair fell onto my face as I -
*Riiing!*
"Eep!" I squeaked and jolted upright. Wh-wh-what was I doing?! I was about to... Aaaaaah! My own cheeks burned cherry red as some sort of fog lifted from my mind. No! Bad Ritsu! He has a girlfriend, and you don't have her permission to kiss him!
I shook my head and tried to ignore the thoughts running through my head. Someone had rung the bell at the front of the tent, so I needed to answer them. With another second to clear my throat and push my hair back behind my face, I pulled open the double-layered curtains to the entrance.
Part of me expected Kirito and Eugeo. This was their tent, after all! However, I didn't recognize the two visitors in front of me. One was a girl a few years younger than me with dark brown hair close to black styled with two locks pulled into little pigtails on each side of her head, with a happy smile on her lips and a pot of something in her hands. She wore light armor and had a gray tunic dress and skirt underneath it. It kinda looked like the school uniforms we'd worn in Kunugigaoka.
The other visitor was older than me, with long light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and careful braiding on the sides of her head. She wore nicer metal armor and a purple dress and skirt. Unlike the first girl, this woman had a sword hanging on her hip.
"Hi there! Are you Ritsu?" the short-haired girl asked.
"Yes, that's me," I said as I stepped out of the tent. "Um, sorry for the rudeness, but... who are you?"
The long-haired woman smiled. "You're not rude at all. My name is Sortiliena Serlut, Norlangarth Imperial Knight. Please, call me Liena."
"And I'm Primary Trainee Ronie Arabel, Army Supply Corps." Ronie held the pot out towards me. "We brought you dinner, since Kirito asked."
I nodded. "It's nice to meet both of you. And dinner is really nice!" I didn't realize it was so late, and my stomach gurgled in complaint. I looked at it in surprise, and Ronie giggled.
"I also brought some bread and something to drink," Sortiliena said.
"Oh, thank you so much!"
"Hey, looks like you found it!" I looked over to see Kirito approaching us with half a loaf of bread in his hand. "Thanks for bringing that, you two."
Ronie beamed at him. "It was no problem at all, Kirito!" Oh ho? "I'm happy to help."
"Well, Kirito? Aren't you going to invite us inside?" Liena asked.
He chuckled and took a bite of his bread. "You're not my teacher any more," he protested, but pulled the flap of the tent open.
"And maybe I should be," Liena retorted. "Or are the stories I've heard of your adventures false? From what I've heard, only a few months after I graduated, you managed to get yourself arrested!"
"Yeah, and I was so worried about you," Ronie added with a pout. "Why didn't you come back like you promised? Eugeo told me what happened, but if he hadn't come back to see Tiese I wouldn't have known anything until today!"
Faced with both of the girls' (definitely righteous!) wrath, Kirito coughed on the piece of bread and scratched his cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. I giggled and filled a bowl with the stew Ronie had brought, and started carefully feeding Rythin. "I'll make it up to you somehow."
"It had better match the graduation present you gave me," Liena told him.
"M-Mercy! I can't replicate that!"
Liena folded her arms. "I won't be satisfied with anything less, Kirito. Though... my whip is starting to run low on Life. Perhaps we can go out together and find materials to repair it... Or, make a new family heirloom that can be passed down to my children."
"Great..." he muttered.
"What did he get you?" Ronie asked. I spooned a bite of stew into Rythin's mouth, and then started working on my own bowl while he chewed it.
Liena smiled. There was something to her smile that I couldn't quite name, even after three years of growing on the Internet. "Oh, nothing much. Simply a bouquet of Zephyria flowers that he grew himself."
Ronie gasped in shock, leaning away. "No way!" she cried. "Well... He treated me to honey pies more than once, and taught me all sorts of amazing things! And, I got to clean his room!"
The two girls locked eyes, and I could almost sense electricity sparking between them.
"What is going on?" Kirito muttered. I just giggled to myself. Boys could be so dense. Couldn't they, Rythin? He'd told me all the stories about how he and Kana started dating.
...Dating...? Why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?
Oh well. It was probably no big deal.
After a few seconds, Ronie's shoulders drooped and she sniffled. "Really... I'm just... so glad..." she said, and wiped at her eyes. "I was so scared when you got taken away, and, and we didn't know anything until Eugeo returned to Tiese, and I thought you hated me because I needed you to save me and -" The words poured out of her in a rush, faster and faster until finally they fled her entirely.
"Ronie-" Kirito tried, but it wasn't enough. Ronie was sobbing loudly, tears streaming down her face. He knelt down and hugged her and she clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder. "Ronie, it's okay, I would never hate you-"
"B-But it's my f-fault!" Ronie hiccupped in between her wails. "It's my fuh-fuh-fault you v-violated the Taboo Index, and it's... it's all because Tiese and I committed a crime, a-and now I can't ever tell you that I... I..."
Kirito shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ronie. I was so worried about my friend... I lost track of everything else. I didn't stop to think how you must feel."
"K-Kirito, do-don't apoluh-apologize to me... It's my fault...!"
"I don't know who's fault it is," Kirito said firmly, "but I know one thing. It's definitely not your fault. Raios and Humbert did those things to get at us, and Eugeo and I don't regret a single thing. You've got nothing to apologize for... Ronie, will you forgive me for not being a good mentor?"
"Nuh-nuh... No," Ronie said after sniffling a few times. "I won't."
Kirito stiffened, and then sighed. "Yeah, I get it... Some things are just too much to forgive, huh..."
"Thuh-that's not what I meant," Ronie said, and she scrubbed at her eyes. "I won't forgive you because you're the best mentor! I can't imagine having a different mentor than you, Kirito!"
The black-haired boy slowly smiled, and gently patted Ronie's head. "Thanks for saying that, Ronie," he said. "And you're the best page I could wish for. So don't cry, alright? I like you better when you're smiling."
I exchanged a glance with Liena, who shook her head fondly and smiled. The tent flap was pulled open from the outside, and I giggled. I'd known Alice had been standing there for a while - I'd sensed her presence as Ronie fell into Kirito's arms, crying her heart out. But from the way Alice's cheeks were a little red, she hadn't wanted to intrude on the moment.
"And I'm sorry I didn't visit," Kirito said. "But there's no way I could ever hate you. You're too important to me for that. Okay?"
Ronie sniffed. "Okay!"
Both Liena and Alice twitched at his declaration, and I had to hide another giggle. What a charmer! But Rythin had finished his dinner and it really was getting late, so I stood up. "Alice, is our tent ready?"
The golden knight nodded. "I was coming to lead you to it. Have a good night, everyone."
"You as well, Lady Knight," Liena said formally as she made to stand up.
Alice shook her head and smiled. "Please, call me Alice. Here, I am a warrior, here to protect the land, same as you."
"Lady Alice, then," Liena said. Alice smiled at her and then the two of us headed out to our own tent.
Alice went in first. When I followed her in, I saw her standing in the center of the room, looking at what had been prepared for us. There was only a single bed, and the sheets were totally fresh - just like Kirito's bed. The leather on the ground was also brand new, and it smelled like the only thing that had been in the tent before us was sunlight and fresh air.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"No, nothing," she said, and then sighed. "Just that Uncle knew I'd come eventually."
"That means he trusts you!" I said. "That's a good thing, right?"
"I suppose. Well, let's get ready for bed."
Alice didn't seem to bat an eye as we curled up on the mattress together. I bet she shared a bed with Selka all the time when they were growing up, so she must be used to it. Sharing a bed with someone other than Rythin for the first time in my life was a little strange, but after a few seconds my body adjusted to Alice's warmth by my back. It felt really nice! "Good night, Alice."
"Good night, Ritsu."
The next morning, the sun was bright and shining. Alice got dressed and braided her hair with just a simple, "Good morning." After I'd put on clothes and tied my hair up in its usual twin tails, I went over to Kirito and Eugeo's tent with breakfast. The black-haired boy was still fast asleep, but Eugeo had woken up already and let me in to their tent.
Once Rythin was dressed and fed, I stepped out of the tent. Hmm... I think I'll go for a walk. It's a nice day out, after all, and with Kirito nearby Rythin won't be in any danger.
As I walked through the camp, looking around, I studied how things were arranged. White tents were erected to the north and south, like they were trying to block the sight of the red sky above the Dark Territory. From what I could tell, the only difference between the tent of a soldier and the tent belonging to an Integrity Knight was the number of beds in it.
"Good morning, Ritsu!" I looked over in surprise to see a familiar brown-haired girl waving at me. Ronie was standing next to a girl that looked to be the same age as she was. Her friend had beautiful red hair that fell below her shoulders, with large eyes of the same color as her hair.
"Good morning, Ronie," I said. "Who's your friend?"
"Tiese Schtrinen," the girl said. She was wearing the same sort of clothing that Ronie was, so she must be in the Supply Corps like her friend. "It's nice to meet you."
"Tiese..." That name was familiar... Oh! Right! "You're Eugeo's girlfriend, right?" Tiese blushed a pretty pink, and Ronie puffed her cheeks out and looked away. "It's nice to meet you too." Suddenly, a thought came to me, and I smiled at the girls. "By the way..."
...
"Hey," a man said, and I looked over to see Bercouli and Alice standing by the side of one of the tents.
"Commander Bercouli, good morning," I said.
He nodded at me. "Ritsu, we were talking about we're going to do with Rythin once the fighting starts," Alice said.
Bercouli scratched the side of his head. "If you want, I can ask the rearguard unit -"
"I've already made arrangements," I said. Both Alice and Bercouli looked at me in surprise and, in Alice's case, barely-hidden concern. "Alice, do you remember Ronie? Kirito's former page from the academy? I met her and Eugeo's page, Tiese, this morning, and asked them to look after him once the battle begins. Plus, I'm sure I'll be more help in the back with them, so I'll be with him the whole time."
"Good. Glad that's settled," Bercouli said. "By the way, how'd the brat take it? Did seeing folks from his past snap him out of his fog any?" I shook my head. It didn't surprise me, though. The only person he'd met that he would have known was Eldrie, and they definitely didn't get along. "Oh well," he said. "To be honest, I was hoping he would have woken up by now. Every sword would help. And..."
"And?" Alice asked.
"And even though he couldn't use Incarnation before, he used it when our willpower clashed yesterday. Somehow, being asleep let him learn something he shouldn't have been able to use," Bercouli said slowly. "Not to mention, yesterday, when our wills clashed, I definitely felt it. That brat's got equal... Or hell, even more experience in real combat than me."
Alice's lips thinned as she narrowed her eye. "But, how is that possible? You are much older."
"Not in experience. He's got way more." Alice inhaled sharply. "The Taboo Index forbids battles to the death. So where did that brat gain that kind of experience, sleeping like that?"
It definitely had to be from the real world. In E Class, he'd admitted to killing people before, and then he told me a little bit about the time he spent in, uh, Sword Actions Online? I think that's the name of the game he played? Two years of fighting for his life constantly, and then a year of assassination training...
"Um, I can -" I started to say.
"Commander." We all turned to the source of the muffled voice. A Knight in shining purple armor walked towards us, wearing a helmet with wings like a falcon. "It is time for the council."
Alice straightened her back. "Lady Fanatio," she said, and pressed a fist to her chest in greeting.
Fanatio didn't return the greeting, but instead raised her hands to her helmet. She pulled it off and let her long purple hair tumble out of its confinement.
Suddenly, Alice gasped in total shock as Fanatio smiled at us. "Sh-She's wearing... makeup?!" she murmured to herself. I looked at Alice and how her eye was locked on the older woman's red lips.
I mean... It looked nice?
"It's been ages, Alice," Fanatio said. "You've been well, I take it? And, hello again, Ritsu."
"Hi, Lady Fanatio," I said. She sounded a lot more feminine than how she acted during her fight with Kirito and Eugeo in the Central Cathedral.
"Y-Yes," Alice said. The girl was so confused, for some reason. Was seeing Fanatio with makeup really that strange? "And you?"
Fanatio smiled. "As well as can be. Say, Alice, is it true you brought Rythin here?"
I blinked. "I... have," Alice answered.
"Good," Fanatio said. "After our meeting, I would like to see him for a moment."
"Oh," I said. "Sure-"
"For what reason?"
I stared at Alice after her interruption, but Fanatio didn't blink. "I wish to thank him. It won't take long."
"Thank him?"
"Indeed. For training with me." I tilted my head. Huh? "Rythin was the first male to fight me with all he had. It did not matter to him in the slightest that I happened to be a woman."
I looked back and forth between the two of them. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"When I first became a Knight and fought with men, I could tell they held back. So," Fanatio said, "I donned this helmet and mastered the art of continuous attacks to prevent my opponents from getting too close. Ultimately, the real issue was that I was self-conscious about my gender. Foolishly, I assumed that Rythin had simply not seen my face during the instant it was visible when my helmet broke during one of our spars.
"After fighting with Kirito in the Central Cathedral, I realized that I was mistaken. He knew, and he simply didn't care. I don't know if it was that revelation, or my battle with Kirito where I unleashed all of my sword techniques and Arts, but when it was over all my petty obsession had disappeared entirely. There," Fanatio smiled a little wider. "Now do you understand why I am so eager to thank him? I've already given my regards to Kirito when I informed him about the council, so my junior Knight is next."
"Eh..." I mumbled. I guess it made sense, but... Wasn't she just overthinking it? Rythin didn't have a problem fighting girls because he fought everyone equally...
"I am also a tad vexed, to be honest," Fanatio added. "My femininity did not register with him at all once he saw my face." Okay, this one definitely wasn't his fault! Though I'm not sure I should mention that to Fanatio, she might take it the wrong way. "So I thought, if I saw him, I could... Mm, try a few things that might stimulate his recovery."
I blinked. "Um, maybe -"
Alice gasped, and then narrowed her eye. "I am grateful for your concern, but he's resting at the moment. I will make sure to give him your regards when I check on him later." A-Alice? Why are you being so protective right now?
"Oh. It seems you've installed yourself as his guardian. I knew you were his mentor, but to think... Well, whenever the commander was on duty and you wished to speak with him, I never refused you. Not even once," Fanatio retorted with a sweet smile.
I sidled over to Bercouli, who was looking back and forth between them. "Were they... always like this?"
"I do not need your permission. I can see him anytime I choose. And another thing. If you truly wished to be beaten senseless by a male, surely Uncle here could have obliged you."
"I would not expect him to. He is the strongest swordsman in the land. He would not spar with his knights full bore."
Bercouli patted my shoulder. "This is the first time I've seen 'em go at it."
"Oh, you don't say?" Alice smiled sweetly to match Fanatio's expression. "Well, whenever I trained with him, Uncle was always drenched with sweat from the exertion."
There was a dark shadow behind each of their pretty smiles, and they laughed for a few seconds - and then whirled on Bercouli. "Is what she says true, Comman-?" "Uncle, set this woman strai-"
They stopped, because they were speaking to the air. I smiled at them. "If you're looking for Commander Bercouli, he left for the briefing," I said with a wave. "He went that way."
"C'mon! It's time we got this meeting started." Bercouli leaned over from the entrance to a fenced-off area to tell them that, and then headed inside.
Eheheheh... This is awkward... I could feel the killing intent being released by both of them just standing here! Thankfully, as a civilian, I didn't have to go to that meeting and sit next to either woman.
...
The sun was starting to set again when the strategy meeting finally let out and the attendees started to file out. I wasn't invited to the meeting, of course, since I was more or less just another random civilian attendant. Kirito had only been invited because Bercouli himself asked the boy to attend, from what I understood.
Oh! As if summoned by my thoughts about them, Kirito, Eugeo and Alice walked out of the council area. They were followed by a few other Integrity Knights in their shiny armor; a woman with dark grey hair pulled back into a tight ponytail who Alice had told me earlier was named Sheyta The Silent, which was apparently a nickname earned by her reluctance to speak, and a very young boy with green hair named Renly. They were two of the very few Integrity Knights with Divine Objects for weapons. The young Integrity Knight Trainees Linel and Fizel ran past the small group of people and into the rest of the camp, giggling as they went.
Liena and a huge mountain of a man with a really impressive beard came out. The man in green was talking to Eugeo and laughed about something. Liena and Alice were sticking close to Kirito as they talked. The blonde girl had been giving off killing intent earlier, but now she seemed concerned and uncertain about something.
"Hi, everyone," I said. "How was the council?"
"We've got a plan," Kirito told me. "We're gonna stop them in the ravine, since that's the best place to fight."
I nodded. "The ravine right in front of the Eastern Gate, right? It's one hundred mete- mels wide and one thousand mels long, with no other easily defendable positions for at least ten kilors past it, so that makes sense. And since the mountain cliffs are too sharp for anyone to properly climb, we'd only have to worry about attacks from the front."
In my opinion, it was a good basic strategy. I could easily draw parallels to multiple historic engagements with similar power disparities - my databases had been full of military studies as part of my learning in an attempt to study history for ideas on assassinating Korosensei, and then later because it was neat and fun to read about! Even after becoming human instead of a virtual AI, I remembered those studies very well, just like every blueprint I had downloaded or created.
A cursory thought of the various engagements revealed that the biggest issues facing the sort of formation Fanatio proposed were going to be leadership, to keep the front lines from buckling, and long-range engagements such as artillery or the equivalent.
I came out of my thoughts to see everyone staring at me. "What?" I asked.
"N-Nothing," Kirito said. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised." I tilted my head in confusion. Did I do something wrong? "Anyway, you nailed it." He gave me the other details of the formation Fanatio and Bercouli had decided - six units of roughly two to four hundred men each, led by an Integrity Knight or two. Kirito would be with Fanatio and her Oscillation Blades in the very front center, and Eugeo would be stationed with Eldrie on the left flank.
"What about..." I almost asked about artillery, but caught myself just in time. "What about their Sacred Arts? The Dark Territory has Sacred Art users of their own, right?"
Kirito nodded. "According to Fanatio, since the resources needed to use Sacred Arts are thin in the area our side can use them all up before the enemy mages try. Alice is going to be helping out with that!"
"That's a lot of Sacred Arts, then... Will we be able to heal the injured?"
I wasn't sure who was going to answer my question, but a large wooden door appeared in a flash of light - which was definitely not an answer. It didn't seem to lead anywhere at first, but when it creaked open outwards the inside of the frame was totally filled with light. I gasped in surprise and happiness as a familiar girl carrying a staff floated out of the door, followed by a dark-skinned woman I didn't recognize. She had short black hair and a jet-black dress a lot like a yukata.
"Ah, Lady Pontifex," Bercouli said, and I realized that he'd walked out of the council area a few seconds ago. "Thank you for coming."
"Umu." Miss Cardinal's eyes drifted across everyone assembled, and settled down on Kirito and myself. "Defending the Human Empire is my duty as well." Her feet touched the ground gently and she walked towards us to greet Bercouli properly.
The dark-skinned woman followed Miss Cardinal, but paused in front of Kirito and stared at him. "How's... it going?" he asked.
"Well," she answered. "You look good, Kirito."
"Uh..." Wait, does he not know her?! Is his appeal somehow that powerful? The stories Rythin told me must have been toned down!
The woman smiled. "I wonder if you've been lonely without me these last few months. Have you gotten in trouble, without me to look after you?"
With a swirling aura of killing intent coming from his side and behind him, where Alice and Liena were glaring, Kirito waved his hands. "I-It's not like that, honest! I don't even know her!"
...He's the enemy of women.
"Oh my..." the woman said.
"Charlotte, please stop teasing the boy," Miss Cardinal sighed.
"Wait... Charlotte? Is this your true form? I thought you were, y'know..."
The woman gave Kirito a sweet smile at his question. "This is just a temporary form of mine, to assist my Master." Oh! This is the spider he mentioned in the library, the one that followed him and Eugeo. "Speaking of, a message arrived for you from… the people you've been speaking with," she said. Her eyes flicked over to where Bercouli and Miss Cardinal were discussing, then over our shoulders at Liena. She must not want to share the truth, which makes sense. Rythin kept everything secret too.
"A message?" Kirito asked.
Charlotte nodded. "Yes. 'Two will come to assist. The Rat and the Flash.'"
Kirito's eyes widened. "The girls are – that's crazy! They're putting themselves in danger, especially if those guys try to get at Alice from inside…"
I smiled. "Trust them, Kirito. I might not know for certain, but I've heard enough stories from Rythin that I know they're both very strong."
"I guess…" He scratched his cheek. "Plus, it'll be nice to see them again."
"So, you're gonna help out with Alice's task, huh?" Bercouli said to Miss Cardinal, and I looked over at them. "Can't say I'm fond of putting our pontifex in such a dangerous position."
Miss Cardinal barely blinked. "It won't be the first time I've been in danger," she said. "And in any case, I cannot simply stand by the sidelines while my... subjects fight and die."
"Still not used to being in charge, huh?" Kirito asked the librarian with a grin.
""Show some respect,"" Liena and Alice chorused, and then looked at each other. Kirito sighed. I could see where he was coming from, though. It was hard to be respectful when she looked like a child five or six years younger than me.
Bercouli scratched his head. "Guess you've got me there, Lady Pontifex," he sighed in his gravelly voice. "But please be careful. We can't lose you again."
"Do not worry so much," Miss Cardinal retorted. "You'll lose what hair you have left." As Bercouli blinked and ran his fingers through his hair, Miss Cardinal turned to me. "Ritsu, have you mastered your Sacred Arts yet?"
"Oh! Um, yes. Well, the ones related to my guns, anyway." I smiled. "Thank you so much for your help!"
Miss Cardinal nodded at me and then turned to Bercouli. "She will be assisting us."
...Ehhhh?!
"Before we move on, though... Alice," Miss Cardinal said.
The golden knight straightened her back, and pressed her fist to her chest. "Yes, Lady Pontifex?"
The small girl studied her. "Your eye. Have you come to a decision?"
After we'd spoken with Mister Kikuoka, Miss Cardinal had offered to heal Alice's right eye that had been damaged by the Seal. I didn't know why, but Alice had refused the healing the first time. This time, though, she took a deep breath. "Are... you sure that healing my eye will not restore the Pontifex... Lady Administrator's control over me?"
"Alice..." Kirito whispered.
"There is no chance of that happening," Miss Cardinal said firmly. "Quinella has been... permanently defeated."
"But..."
Alice's eye shifted. Before she could say anything, Kirito reached out and caught her hand. "Don't worry, Alice," he said. "We'll be right here. Right, Eugeo?"
"That's right," Eugeo said, and gently held Alice's other hand. "No matter what happens, we'll stay on your side."
"You two..." Alice slowly smiled. "I guess I really don't have anything to fear. Lady Cardinal, please restore my eye."
"Umu."
Miss Cardinal held her hand up, and chanted a Sacred Art. A pure white light enveloped Alice's body, and slowly faded. Alice opened her other eye, and started to reach for her black eyepatch - only to realize that she was still holding hands with both of the boys. She dropped their hands and reached for the cloth binding, and slowly undid it.
Her other eye was closed when the cloth fell away, and we all collectively held our breath... as her eye slowly opened, and blinked a few times. Her beautiful blue eye stared back at us, fully restored.
"Wow," I murmured. She looks so lovely! "Congratulations, Alice!"
"Ah... Thank you, Ritsu," Alice said. "I'm glad that everything worked out."
November 6th, 380 HE
I yawned and stretched until...
*Crack!*
Ooh, that was louder than I thought it would be. The cracks in my back and spine may not have been the healthiest things in the world, but they were still incredibly satisfying. I understood why Rythin always loved doing it back in E Class. Besides, the long-term health effects that I'd looked up to ensure he wasn't hurting himself weren't an issue, since this body was temporary anyway.
Still, the long session of preparation with Miss Cardinal had been exhausting. I was still a little nervous, but using Sacred Arts to keep communications open between all of the Integrity Knights leading the different units was almost exactly like my role in E Class. The only difference was that I was using Sacred Arts instead of electronics. It really was familiar.
Either way, I was ready for bed! I'd checked up on Rythin and made sure he'd eaten and was comfortable with Kirito, so I decided to head to the tent I shared with Alice to get ready for bed. I pushed the flap aside and realized that the lamp had been lit, so Alice was here already.
Of course, it was more obvious that Alice was here when I looked to the left and saw her sitting in front of the mirror. She stared at me in shock, totally frozen, and her cheeks very slowly started to turn red. "A-ah, Ritsu," she stammered. "I... didn't realize you would b-be back... so soon."
I waved at Alice and sat down on the bed where I started fussing with the ribbons that kept my hair in their twintails. Alice refused to look at me, though I couldn't imagine why. "It's getting late, so I thought it would be a good idea to go to bed." I tilted my head to get a better look at her, and then smiled. "By the way, that lipstick looks very nice on you! Did you borrow it from Fanatio?"
"Ghhhk!"
"Oh, is this the first time you've tried applying it?" I asked her. "I don't wear makeup much myself, but I might be able to give you some tips if you'd like." Despite my offer, Alice made a strangled sound deep in her throat and buried her face in her hands. What was that about? Irina had been very good at teaching us how to apply makeup for maximum seductive potential! Plus, I'd managed to find a bunch of beauty tips online. "What made you decide to start wearing makeup, anyway? I never saw you wear any in Rulid. Though, maybe you couldn't find any there...?"
"N-No reason," Alice muttered through her hands.
"Well, like I said, you look great," I repeated. "Though, have you considered a lighter pink? That might look nice too!"
Alice sighed through her hands. "Please, just stop," she said.
I blinked. "Okay...?" I guess she's a little sensitive about it. Well, I guess she just started, so maybe she's just shy. I'd offered to help if she wanted it, so I could wait patiently. Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn't the best idea to be swapping makeup tips right before a major war started.
In that case, I should get changed for bed. It was good to get a good night's rest before doing anything stressful, like taking a big test or trying to assassinate my teacher or fight a war for survival, so that my mind would be fresh and ready for action. With my hair falling loose, I took off the tunic and dress I'd been wearing and swapped it out for a lighter nightgown.
"...By the way, Alice," I said as I started brushing my hair, "I've been meaning to ask."
"Hmm? What is it, Ritsu?"
I looked at her from the bed. "You've been treating Rythin differently for a little bit. Not that I'm saying that's a bad thing, but... I was wondering why you changed your mind about him."
Alice looked back at me, halfway through wiping off the lipstick. "The Rythin I know - knew, rather," she said, "was... There is no polite way to say this, but he was an arrogant, cruel, and selfish person. When I first met him, I saw a boy my age that could have been my little brother; however, his actions painted a picture of someone I could not possibly get along with. But, that was... the Integrity Knight, Rythin Synthesis Thirty-One that I spent a year attempting to train and work with.
"Maybe it was possibly because our duties rarely overlapped, since I was one of the Knights most often guarding the Central Cathedral and Rythin's tasks took him to all ends of the Human Empire, but the two of us just could not stand each other, I think." I tilted my head. It was weird, but Alice dropped into way more formal speech when she was talking about her Integrity Knight days. "But, in the short time that we spoke after Lady Cardinal restored both of our memories, I saw someone other than the arrogant Integrity Knight I'd come to know. The difference was that stark, that even such a short amount of time was enough to notice it. And then... when Rulid was attacked, Rythin struggled so much at the sheer thought that his friend was in danger that he nearly injured himself."
"And that changed your mind?"
"The Rythin I knew would never have put himself in danger to save someone else," Alice said. "It proved that the Rythin Synthesis Thirty-One had been truly different from the Rythin you and Kirito know, from the Rythin that's with us today. And once I realized that, I thought that maybe Quinella's Sacred Arts had been affecting his mind more than I thought. If she could make us forget the most precious people to us, like my sister, surely she could turn someone disagreeable and selfish."
I hummed in thought, and then smiled at Alice. "Well, whatever your reason, I'm happy that you're getting along better. I was worried my friends wouldn't get along!"
Alice giggled. "Friends, is that it? Well, I suppose you're right."
"Though you might not want to declare yourself Rythin's big sister without asking him first," I added with a giggle. Alice blushed and I giggled louder.
"Th-That's not what I meant!"
"But it's what you said. That you saw someone that could have been your little brother." And I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Kirito loves Rythin as a brother. Nothing at all with how that meant Alice might hope to consider Rythin her 'brother' one day, naturally!
"I... I..."
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind, of course!"
Alice was saved from further teasing by the quiet jingle of a bell. "I wonder who that could be, this late at night," I said, and got up from the bed. When I pulled the front of the tent aside, I smiled. "Oh, good evening, you two," I said.
"Yo," Kirito said with a raised hand.
Eugeo grinned shyly. "We're very sorry to bother you this late," he said. His eyes glanced towards what I was wearing and he scratched his head. "I hope you weren't about to go to bed."
"No, no, don't worry about it, come on in!" I held the flap open for the two boys, and they came in. "Why did you two come by?"
"Hi, Alice," Eugeo waved to the blonde girl. Alice returned the wave with a smile.
Kirito turned to me. "Can we talk over there? There's some stuff I wanted to say."
I nodded. "Of course," I said. "We can leave Eugeo and Alice to their talk." The two had already gotten into a deep conversation. I'm sure it wasn't private, but Alice was smiling happily at Eugeo over something he'd said and that was a nice sight to see.
"He's probably telling those stories about our time in the Sword Academy," Kirito sighed. "Great, like Alice needed more things to poke fun at me about." He didn't say it with any heat, though, so I knew he wasn't too upset. The two of us walked over to the other side of the tent, and sat down next to each other on the bed.
We sat in silence for a little bit, until I finally broke it. "How is Rythin doing?" I asked.
"No problems so far," Kirito said, and I relaxed. I knew he'd be fine, but this was the first time I'd been away from Rythin in a long time and I was still a little bit nervous. "Hey, Ritsu? Thanks. For taking care of him, I mean."
"You say that a lot," I said with a smile. "I'm starting to think you only see me as his nurse or something."
He laughed in the male kind of giggle. Not quite a chuckle, but more than a snort. "I would never say that, Rythin's Nurse."
"Wha- hey!"
The two of us shared in a laugh until I surprised myself with a yawn. I still wasn't used to those silly things! I never had to yawn when I was an AI, and it was very inconvenient when my body insisted on yawning in the middle of a conversation. "You said you'd be watching over Rythin, right?" Kirito asked.
I nodded. "Leave him to me!" I said with a quick salute, the same way I saluted Isogai. "He'll be under my watchful eye. Plus, Ronie and Tiese are going to be helping me out!"
"Great, thanks. I can definitely fight my hardest knowing that someone's looking out for him." He stood up and stretched. "We should probably get going. It's starting to get late. And a guiding tenet of the Aincrad style is to get rest whenever you can." I giggled at the boy's grin.
"...number of times I had to apologize to Ronie for Kirito being late or running off," Eugeo was saying as we walked over to him and Alice.
Kirito rubbed the back of his head. "I was on time for her reports! Usually. The only time I remember was... when I climbed in through the windows with the honey pies. Or was that a different time I climbed through the window?"
"I'm not surprised that you can't remember how many times you've climbed through a window," Alice sighed. Kirito grinned at her. "Alright, you two should see yourselves out. Ritsu and I need sleep as well."
"Good night, Alice, Ritsu," Eugeo said. "I hope you sleep well. Have good dreams, okay?" Gasp! His smile... It was so sweet it was blinding!
Alice smiled. "I'll hope for Lunaria's blessing," she assured him. "Now go to bed, you two."
"Night!" I waved at them.
I snuggled into the sheets and sighed heavily. Tomorrow... would be the beginning of the end, one way or another. Our time limit was up...
November 7th, 380 HE
I rested my hand on Rythin's new wheelchair. Alice had taken some extra time to transform extra armor into a long, thin metallic chair. it was lighter than the wooden one he'd had before, and was also more durable.
I thought it was cute how she doted on her new little brother.
Right now, we were in one of the supply tents. Maps of the battleground hung on the wall, perfect for me to use. The crystal orbs created by my and Miss Cardinal's Sacred Arts floated in midair, each showing different video feeds - or, well, not video feeds. More accurately, they were everything my familiars saw. One in particular was of Rythin in his wheelchair; that belonged to Alice, who was standing in front of me, Ronie, and Tiese.
"Would you please look after Rythin and Ritsu for me, and keep them safe?" Alice said.
"I can look after myself!" I protested.
My complaint was unheeded by both Ronie and Tiese, who straightened their backs and pressed their hands to their chest in salute. "Yes! You can count on us," Tiese said.
"Lady Alice, don't you worry. We promise, we will protect them with our lives," Ronie added.
"Rythin, they're bullying me," I complained to him.
Alice smiled and nodded at the perfect response from the two girls. "Ritsu... Stay safe," she told me.
I smiled back. "You too, Alice. Rythin will wake up soon, I know he will."
Alice hesitated, and started to reach towards Rythin. In the end, she let her hand fall. "I'll properly apologize to him when he awakens, then," she said.
"You'd better," I told her. "So no nonsense about dying today, understood?"
"Understood, Ritsu," she said with a gentle smile.
The entrance to the tent fluttered as Alice stepped out and Kirito entered to take his turn saying goodbye. Before it closed, I saw Eldrie standing there, waiting for Alice.
"...I was hoping he'd wake up before the fighting started," Kirito said to me after a quiet moment spent speaking directly to Rythin. "He'll be upset if he misses everything."
"I bet he will be," I said.
Ronie fidgeted with her hands until Tiese nudged her side. With that small encouragement, the brown-haired girl stepped forward and smiled up at Kirito. "Be careful, Kirito," she told him. "Don't get hurt, okay?"
He grinned at her. "I'll be safe," he said. "Have some faith in me, huh? I'm leaving Rythin in your hands so I can fight my hardest without holding back."
"I-I'll make you proud!" Ronie said.
Kirito paused, then smiled at her. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I couldn't be any more proud of my trainee already." Awww, what a sweet thing for him to say. Ronie blushed cutely and looked away.
I shooed him away. "Go on, they're waiting for you at the front lines," I said. "Don't flirt too much with Lady Fanatio, Kirito~! You have a war to fight, you know."
"You're worse than Liz..." he grumbled as he walked away, and I smiled.
With that, we were left alone in the supply tent. I let out a deep breath, and then knelt down in front of Rythin and wrapped him in a tight hug. Rythin... I really wished he'd wake up soon. In the five days we spent before the battle, I'd taken every opportunity I could to hug him, or touch his hand, or any number of little things that might be able to get him to wake up - even though I never went as far as Fanatio had suggested, since Alice had put her foot down firmly. Nothing had worked, though, and now it was time.
I let go and stood up. I had to be professional now, after all. With my mind clear, I made my way to the floating array of familiar feeds and looked over them all. Deusolbert's feed, from the front right, Lady Fanatio and Kirito in the center, Eugeo and Eldrie on the front left. Behind them, Renly and Sheyta on the left and right, and in the center, standing firm and unbowed, Bercouli.
It was time.
As if on cue, all eyes were on the Eastern Gate as cracks shot down the surface of the massive gate. They spiderwebbed outwards from the center beam that I'd noticed before, and as more cracks appeared the gaps between the metal started to glow bright purple. The light grew brighter and brighter, and the army raised their banners. Alice, flying high on Amayori's back with Miss Cardinal floating in the air beside her, took a deep breath and readied herself.
«FINAL LOAD TEST».
Those words appeared in front of the gate in bright yellow, capital English letters. Fire burned behind it, and the soldiers gasped and murmured. Then, the glow of the gate brightened and -
It erupted into a gigantic column of purple light that blanked out every feed at once. The light was so bright it shone inside our tent in the main camp, and Ronie and Tiese clasped their hands together.
With that light, the war began.
Time to get serious…
But first, Shino! She's having a time. And blaming Nick for it, even though it's not his fault. Sigh… Oh well. If he knew about that, he'd just be glad she's not upset at herself. And also that segment sets up a few things for later in the story.
Then, back to Ritsu and the Underworld. This variant of the scenes in the camp are way more light-hearted than in canon, and that's on purpose! After all, Kirito and Eugeo are still walking around. With those two idiots, everything is gonna be okay! You can't be upset after seeing Eugeo smile. He's just too pure.
I still kept a few moments that weren't exactly happy, like Alice and Ritsu having a bonding moment (Yes, Alice is actually older than Rythin by roughly five months or so, time is weird) and Ronie's breakdown. Kirito was a jerk (because he was worried about Rythin) and never went to go see her, so she'd been holding that back the whole time. Good news is that she's okay, though.
And finally, Ritsu's role in the battle. She isn't powerful enough to stand on the front lines, even with her database of guns that she can create – plus, those guns require Sacred Arts, which means it won't work very well while Alice is doing HER magic thing. I'm not saying she won't be doing anything at all, but sitting as comms is way more her style.
Many thanks to everyone that favorited, followed or reviewed.
A Slightly Different Dream
July 6th, 2026
4:56 PM, Somewhere in Tokyo
There was definitely something strange going on. She stood in the clearing behind the school with those three girls that had made her life a hell until Kazuto and Nick had found her. And, strangely enough, Nick was standing next to her in a copy of the school uniform. The girl's school uniform. Not that it really looked that bad on him, all things considered -
"Are we gonna have a problem?" the leader of the bullies demanded. "You got a bone to pick? You've come so far, why now are you pulling on my dick?" Nick's eyes dipped towards her skirt reflexively. "I'd normally slap your face off, and everyone here could watch. But I'm feeling nice, here's some advice. Listen up, beeyotch!"
Suddenly loud and raucous sax music started playing and all three of the bullies started dancing, swinging their hips and making their skirts swish. After a few seconds, the two backup bullies started... singing...?
""I like!~""
The main bully smirked. "Lookin' hot! Buying stuff they cannot.~"
""I like!~""
"Drinkin' hard! Maxin' Dad's credit card.~"
""I like!~""
"Skippin' gym. Scaring her, screwing him.~"
""I like!~""
"Killer clothes~,"
"""Kickin' nerds in the nose~!"""
...
"""It's my candy store, it's my candy~"""
"""It's my candy store, it's my candy~"""
"""It's my candy store, it's my candy stooooooore~!"""
Shino woke up suddenly and blinked. "That was... a weird dream." Seriously...? What even was the 'candy store'?
At least Nick looked cute in a skirt, even without makeup or long hair.
