Okay, here's the "glasses event".
For the most part, this chapter isn't even about that event, but you'll see. The aforementioned event in HF still inspired me to write it, so I'll "honour" it with the title of this side story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sword Art Online Re:Hollow Fragment or Sword Art Online in general.
On an afternoon in early June, Akinym and Sinon sat at a table at Agil's inn, wondering what to do.
June had already been a wild ride for the Assault Team, one beyond anything they could've imagined. It had started relatively fine, and they had managed to defeat the boss of the 92nd floor without major issues. However, the scouting party of the DDA had discovered the labyrinth tower of the 93rd floor in the distance on the first day… and they had brought back really, really bad news. The entire mid-section of the labyrinth tower was just gone.
When a scouting party had investigated the labyrinth, they had confirmed that it was impossible to reach the upper floors of the labyrinth tower. At first, most players had assumed that the labyrinth challenge was set up this way on this floor. However, interacting with the NPCs on the 93rd floor had soon revealed that this couldn't be the case. The destruction of the labyrinth wasn't part of the lore.
A few days after reaching the 93rd floor, the DDA had found the ruins of the labyrinth tower. A field boss called Scarlet Beak with some griffons at its command had guarded them… or so it had seemed. Since this probably hadn't been planned, it is more likely that the ruins of the tower had appeared near the field boss coincidentally. Anyway, a raid party of the Assault Team had taken care of it quickly.
The only real problem with this boss had been its ability to fly, but the Assault Team had learnt that its wings could be destroyed. Apparently, the intention had been that they should've had to wait for the boss to come down to attack, and its wings would've been in range for weapons with sufficient range for a few seconds, so they could've destroyed them slowly but steadily with precise, well-timed counterattacks. However, why would they bother if they had an archer with great accuracy at their disposal? Whoever had designed this challenge had apparently not planned for Sinon joining them…
Anyway, they hadn't solved all of their problems that day, though. When the DDA had started to explore the ruins, they had come across the remains of a teleporter. However, the teleport stone had been destroyed, so they couldn't use it, even though that was apparently the only way to proceed.
A week or so had passed, and suddenly, there was a quest that allowed them to craft new teleport stones. Kirito and Yui had figured that Cardinal had detected the issue, and the system had created this quest to circumvent it. This was both a good and a really bad sign. It was good because it allowed them to proceed, but…
It had also shown that this was an error… and that Cardinal couldn't fix it. Kirito's guess was that something had messed up the geographical data, and if it was gone for good, Cardinal couldn't possibly reconstruct it. How was the system supposed to know what the creators had had in mind for this floor? Instead of trying to restore the labyrinth tower, Cardinal adapted to the situation and created an entirely new labyrinth challenge based on what had happened, rewriting the entire lore of the floor in the process.
With the new teleport stones, they were back on track, and the DDA made halfway good progress in exploring the labyrinth. To be fair, it was still much more difficult than usually. Parts of the labyrinth had become inaccessible, and the floor was slanted, which made walking – let alone fighting – on it quite difficult. In certain parts of the labyrinth, they even had to walk on the walls or even the ceiling instead of the floor, and at some point, they had needed climbing equipment from another special quest in order to climb up to the "ceiling" (which was actually the floor) and to get to another teleport device. On top of that, even the lighting had been destroyed in some areas.
These problems, however, were only temporary. Since the upper section of the labyrinth tower seemed to be intact, they at least wouldn't have to fight the floor boss under such unusual circumstances…
The worst part was actually that the condition of the system was apparently worse than they had previously thought. These earthquakes they had noticed for a while, for instance, were apparently a physical manifestation of an actual problem within the system. All this had reminded them once more that they had to hurry in order to clear the game before everything would go completely out of control.
As a result of all this, the Assault Team needed around two weeks to clear a floor once again, but at least they'd manage it in the end. While the DDA was searching for the boss room, the other guilds helped them with the other final preparations, so most Assault Team members were busy on the 93rd floor these days.
Not Akinym and Sinon, though. They didn't really have anything to do. The intel quests on the 93rd floor were already taken care of, they were on a fairly decent level right now, so… What to do?
Currently, they were discussing the issue of equipment enhancement. Akinym had used the last enhancement attempt for his main weapon recently. Unfortunately, it had failed, but that was just how it was. Bringing up the topic regarding Sinon's bow, she took out Ullr and examined the weapon.
Sinon: I mean, I'll have to enhance it as much as possible, I guess. Bows are extremely rare, and aside from Ullr, I only have that bow you've given me. I even asked Liz if she can craft a new one, but she told me that there isn't even a skill for crafting bows.
Akinym: Well, I guess bows have never been intended to actually be… a thing, and that just changed unpredictably.
Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: Yeah, I only wish Cardinal could do something about it… [slightly insecurely] although I should probably be thankful for getting a bow in the first place. [slightly contemplatively] Anyway, getting the right materials is always a problem. I've even asked Argo, and not even she could tell me where to get some of them.
Akinym: That might just mean that we'll have to look for them on the next few floors.
Sinon [slightly tiredly]: I guess so. [calmly] But that just takes us back to square one, doesn't it? We basically don't have anything to do, and all the others are busy on the 93rd floor. [slightly annoyed] Could you really not make sure that we'd have a task there, too? What do you have that seat in the Council for?
Akinym [slightly grumpily]: I think I've told you that I'm mostly just the smaller guild's lawyer. I don't have that kind of authority, and frankly, it's my task to make sure that the Assault Team is doing well, not just our party!
Sinon sighed in defeat.
Sinon: You're right, you're right! [slightly curiously] But honestly, what are you even doing in that position these days?
Sinon didn't really know what responsibilities the councilmen had these days. Asuna sometimes talked about how some of these duties kept her busy, but she also said that she was used to it to some extent. She had mentioned something about being very busy with her studies before SAO, and there were her duties as the de facto leader of the KoB. Meanwhile, Akinym usually didn't talk about it unless he was asked explicitly.
Well, Sinon knew his rough schedule since it was better for her, Akinym's partner, to know it. The two of them usually worked together on whatever quests they had on three days a week, usually Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
At the end of the week, Akinym was usually busy with his work as a councilman. The Council held its meetings on Saturday, and the smaller clearing guilds met on Thursday to discuss their "strategy" for the council meetings. Akinym also needed some time to prepare for each meeting, and he usually did that on Thursday and Friday respectively. Friday was also the day when he took care of most of his other duties as a member of the Council, although he took care of some less important stuff on other days.
Sinon didn't mind that Akinym was often busy with other things. She knew that the work done by the Council was important, and she knew that Akinym did an important job as one of the three councilmen. Besides, she could spend these days with her other friends. For instance, eating lunch together on Thursday, the only day when all of them had enough time, had become some sort of tradition for the girls. She also accompanied them on quests or something like that.
One thing that struck Sinon as odd, though, was the fact that nobody knew what Akinym was doing on Sundays. He had insisted that they couldn't do any missions (except for boss battles, perhaps) on Sundays, but Sinon didn't know why.
To her knowledge, nobody had any idea why. Sinon had asked Asuna if this could be about work related to the Council, but she had told her that this wasn't the case. Sinon had asked Tsukuyomi if Akinym was helping Ascending Moon on these days, but Tsukuyomi had denied it. Sinon had asked pretty much anyone who could know it, but none of them had even seen Akinym on Sundays recently. In fact, Sinon had even considered asking Argo… and she had dropped that idea when she had realised that this would've been akin to the behaviour of a stalker. The only person who had seemed to know anything was Agil, who had told her that Akinym would often buy provisions that would last a day or two on Saturday evenings. So… Was Akinym on some sort of solo mission on Sundays? But why would he do so without his partner…
Sinon had to admit that she was curious, but at the same time, she had the feeling that she shouldn't pry even further. Well, she still wanted to know what Akinym usually did on behalf of the Assault Team Council, and since this information was strictly non-confidential, she didn't see any problem with asking.
Akinym: Well, aside from the usual council meetings and the whole "mediating between the different parties", we mostly have to deal with the players who arrive on the upper floors. We've conducted a census of sorts recently, and there are more than five hundred players on the upper floors now. We try to keep track of them while also helping them get accustomed to the situation up here.
Sinon: Getting accustomed? How exactly? I mean, if they need information on monsters and whatnot, I suppose they'd just go to an info broker, not to the Council.
Akinym: Well, we're not everyone's handyman. That is, we offer everyone a "base package", including stuff like a list of relatively cheap inns or shops. For more detailed information, however, they have to consult an info broker or figure out whatever they want to know themselves. Argo-san has also published a strategy guide for newcomers.
Sinon: I see. So… What do you do for them?
Akinym: For the most part, we just check what they can contribute to the players' lives on the upper floors. If they're fighters, we have a look at their abilities to see if they could join the Assault Team with a bit of mentoring, although we're already busy with some applicants, so a new party would have to be really good to get any help in that regard. We mostly just help merchants and craftsmen to settle in these days.
Sinon [flatly]: Makes sense, [slightly curiously] but what do you mean by "settling in"? I mean, what do they even need help with?
Akinym: In most cases, it's just that they need a suitable shop, and if it's in a rather remote area, they might need some advertisement. Now that the upper floors become more and more busy, it becomes harder to find a suitable place.
Sinon [slightly interested]: Now that you mention it, I think the market street is much more crowded these days.
Akinym: Well, that's true. Quite a few shops have opened during the last one or two months.
Thinking about that, Akinym had an idea as to what they could do. He wasn't sure what Sinon would think about it, but it couldn't hurt to ask.
Akinym: Hey, what do you think about taking a look at these shops? I have a rough idea what they sell, but I wouldn't mind checking out their stock.
Sinon: Well, I get where you're coming from, but I'm actually well-provided with battle supplies, and I don't know what I'd even need.
Akinym: You'll never know. Besides, it doesn't have to be battle supplies. If nothing else, maybe you'll find a good book somewhere.
Sinon put on a quite surprised expression, which, in turn, surprised Akinym.
Akinym: Why the surprised face? I thought you like reading.
Sinon: Well, yeah, but… I just didn't expect you to… remember that. Normally, I'd say that's an awfully small detail.
To her knowledge, Sinon had brought up the topic of her hobby only once when Akinym had been around. At the beginning of her training, Akinym had showed her around, and he had tried his best to explain all the shops and their purposes to her.
At that time, Sinon had asked Akinym if there had been any book stores. Frankly, she hadn't expected that something like books would be a thing in SAO, so she had been pleasantly surprised when Akinym had led her to a leisure shop where she could find some books.
Apparently, Cardinal could access external databases and turned some famous stories into books, which could be attained as drops or quest rewards. Furthermore, with the right skill, players could also create their own books or printed items, but they had to write them themselves, which was a bit of an issue. Incidentally, this was how Argo published the "Argo Weekly". Furthermore, there was a player who called himself a "bard", and he wrote down stories about the Assault Team. Rumor had it that this player planned to publish a book about the SAO incident after returning to the real world.
To get back to Sinon's hobby and how Akinym knew about it, Sinon had bought a few books since her arrival, but to her knowledge, only the other girls should know about that.
Akinym [slightly teasingly]: How could I possibly forget how someone was stranded in SAO, and of all the things she could concern herself about, it was books? Of course something so bizarre is memorable!
Sinon [slightly upset]: Listen, reading was one of the selected few things I enjoyed about life before coming here, and I didn't want to lose that if possible, so take that seriously!
Akinym [slightly apologetically]: Alright, alright! [slightly curiously] So, you wanna take a look around or not?
Sinon: Well, I guess spending an afternoon with window shopping isn't that bad every once in a while. Okay, I'll go.
Akinym and Sinon went to the market street, and the sight immediately showed them that the place was indeed quite busy these days. To be fair, more than half of the players on the upper floors lived in Arc Sophia, so it was only fitting that the "business district" was busy.
A lot of the new shops were just food stalls or some kind of restaurant. It was a bit odd, but nobody complained about it. Life had been quite spartan on the upper floors immediately after the Assault Team had arrived. As Akinym told Sinon upon asking, most of the new player-run shops had actually been relocated from the lower floors after the Council had explicitly asked the owners to move to the upper floors, using the KoB's division on the lower floors as messengers and mediators. That way, the Council had ensured that there was a wider variety of shops on the upper floors.
This "wider variety" also included a real book store. Not just a shop that happened to have books in stock, but a shop that specialised in selling books and related goods. Aside from pretty much every fictional story SAO had to offer at this point, there were also books on game mechanics.
For instance, some books explained certain skills and how they could be used. There was even a recipe book for users of the Cooking skill. Furthermore, there were books on certain types of monsters and how to fight them. Similarly, there were books discussing how to fight in certain environments.
Sinon found a few books that piqued her interest, but in the end, she didn't buy any. She had bought a new novel recently, and she wouldn't buy another one before finishing it. After all, she was very frugal in that regard, and she wouldn't spend money needlessly, especially not in SAO. Honestly, there were more important concerns than having a wide variety of books to read.
She was a bit surprised to see Akinym going through the battle manual section. In particular, he seemed to be interested in a book about fighting in caves and similar areas. When she asked him about it later, he revealed that he had also been reading a lot since his childhood. However, while Sinon was interested in fiction in particular, Akinym was more into non-fiction books. Those were still very different things, so reading wouldn't be something they'd bond over.
They searched the food stalls for something to eat while exploring the market street, and when they came across a shop that sold some kinds of packed snacks, Akinym took the time to search for goods that also had some sort of buffing or healing effect. The sight reminded Sinon of the time when he had taught her about bonus effects food could have, although making such foods required extensive knowledge of the cooking system or the right skills – usually both. To be honest, Sinon had been quite surprised that energy bars were more or less a thing in SAO.
This was by no means the last time on that day that Akinym searched a shop thoroughly for anything they could need on a mission. On these occasions, he and Sinon always ended up discussing if certain items could become useful on their missions. They wouldn't buy special items such as mountaineering equipment since they'd usually know beforehand if they'd need it, and they could buy it accordingly. However, some items could come in handy in… unexpected situations.
Speaking of such circumstances, Sinon remembered a certain incident that had occurred during her training. One day, she and Leafa had wanted to farm enhancement materials, and they had asked Akinym for help. It had worked quite well, but a sudden rainstorm had caught them completely unprepared. They had sought shelter in a cave, but by the time they had got there, they had been soaked to the bone.
Fortunately, Akinym had taught them that they should always take a spare set of clothes with them in order to be prepared for such situations. Sure, it took up space in their inventories, but in that situation, they had seen the advantages. He and Sinon had been fine, but Leafa… She had forgotten that piece of advice, so she had been in a bit of a pinch.
Thankfully, Akinym had been prepared for that, too, and he had had a set of clothes for female players that he had lent to Leafa. Sinon had been a bit confused because he had carried women's clothing with him, but he had explained that a scenario like the one they had had on their hands had seemed somewhat likely to him, so he had prepared for it just in case. Well, it had been the right call. Back then, they had joked that if they had gone with Kirito, the three of them might've ended up sitting in this cave wearing nothing but towels.
That scenario, however, wasn't actually that unlikely. Later on said day, they had returned… only to find Silica seemingly suffering from some sort of trauma. She had been stammering something about "vines" and "dissolving clothes". As it had turned out, she and Kirito had gone to the labyrinth on the 78th floor in order to find an item that might've been able to strengthen Pina. The monster that dropped this kind of item, however, had a… special gimmick. It wrapped its vines around enemies and secreted some kind of acid. The attack caused a corrosive effect, which greatly reduced the Durability of armour… by dissolving it. Well, and Silica had fallen victim to it.
When Leafa and Sinon had confronted Kirito with that, asking "how much of her equipment had been destroyed", he had "assured" them that Silica's armour had been damaged severely, but it hadn't been destroyed, so it would've been okay after the necessary repair, although she had basically had nothing but a towel to wear after this, but Kirito had – once again - "assured" them that he had made sure to keep Silica safe. Needless to say, the girls hadn't been happy that this was the first thing Kirito had thought of… and he had suffered the consequences.
To be fair, loss of valuable equipment was a severe issue, and being inside a labyrinth without proper armour was a horrible idea, so Kirito's assumption that Leafa and Sinon had been worried about Silica hadn't been farfetched. Furthermore, he had desperately wanted to forget the… awkward implications of being with an essentially half-naked Silica in a labyrinth for a while.
The irony was that this could've been easily avoided. A shop in a village near the labyrinth on that floor sold special equipment, which was immune to that effect, but neither Kirito nor Silica had bothered to check that. Kirito actually prepared himself very carefully for missions, but these preparations never really included preparations for… well, let's say "fanservice events".
When Sinon thought of that, she suddenly became pretty angry, which surprised (and intimidated) most bystanders. For some reason, the girls always ended up in such weird situations with Kirito, and it had started to annoy her a long time ago. At least it felt that way.
Sinon remembered a particular incident that had occurred a few days ago. Kirito had needed her help with a quest. Apparently, Kirito had been tasked with protecting a bird's nest that had been attacked by a giant crow, but the crow attacked from outside Kirito's own attack range, so he needed help from someone with long-ranged attacks.
It had been a reasonable request, and if nothing else, Sinon had thought that she had owed Kirito the favour for all his help in the Hollow Area, not to mention that he had tried his best to look out for her for a while. They had done this quest, and for the most part, it had worked quite well, even though the battle had been a lot harder than expected.
In a sense, that had been the problem. Sinon had lost focus for a second because the battle had worn her out, and she had slipped off the branch of a tree she and Kirito had climbed on for the quest. Kirito had instinctively tried to catch her, but frankly, it had only made things worse. There had been no way for him to break her fall, and he had simply fallen down as well. The worst part, however, was that Sinon's armour had got caught on the branches and twigs of the tree, and as a consequence, it had almost been ripped apart.
Okay, Sinon knew that it hadn't been Kirito's fault that this had happened, but it still made her mad that he had seen her like… that. Why was everything in this game seemingly designed specifically for the purpose of showing a girl's naked skin to Kirito in one way or another?! She certainly had made Kirito pay for it. Well, literally.
Akinym and Sinon continued the shopping trip. By now, they had visited pretty much every shop in Arc Sophia. That, however, also meant that the remaining shops weren't exactly… promising. Right now, they were at a shop which – according to the sign outside – was called "Vault of the Glorious Warriors", and it was every bit as ridiculous as this name suggests.
Basically, the goods were a wild hotchpotch of bizarre items such as equipment that was on the verge of breaking, but repairing it wouldn't be worth it. Most of the stuff had ridiculously low quality, and according to the shopkeeper, the items here were all "relics" which were connected to "great warriors who had fought bravely for the denizens of Aincrad".
Sinon: Well, now we really have a shop that's basically just for collectables. Are you sure we didn't take a wrong turn and ended up at the Antique Shop? [slightly playfully] I mean, I thought that one was supposed to be the place where players dump useless stuff.
Akinym: It still is. [feignedly upset] I mean, how can you call any of this "high-end merchandise" useless? Who wouldn't need a potato that's shaped like a goblin?!
Akinym pointed at the item in question. Ingredients came in randomised shapes, and the system… went a bit wild on rare occasions. The potato in question did indeed have a somewhat humanoid form. It was a rather malformed goblin, but Sinon had to agree that it resembled a goblin.
While she was at it, Sinon took a look at some of this "high-end merchandise". An extremely battered shield caught her eye.
Sinon: Well, I suppose I should act respectfully in the presence of "the mighty defense that repelled the thousand horns of the mythical rhinoceros guardian on the thirtieth floor".
Akinym: I guess that would be appropriate. [dryly] Although it could be argued that it repelled only nine hundred ninety-seven horns given the three large holes in it.
Sinon [chuckles]: I suppose so. [slightly exasperatedly] Jokes aside, I think I miss that accessory shop we went to before. That stuff may have been just for show, but at least it didn't make me cringe.
Akinym [slightly contemplatively]: Well, that's fair…
Frankly, Akinym didn't really want to stay, either. Sure, he wouldn't mind ridiculing every piece of… whatever to call this stuff with Sinon, but the shopkeeper seemed to be rather displeased already, and he probably had to hear such remarks a lot. While it was his fault for coming up with this business concept in the first place, Akinym didn't want to torment the guy.
Besides, Sinon's remark had given him an idea.
Akinym: Also, I think I know a shop we should pay a visit, and if you prefer accessories over the kind of stuff we have here, it's certainly the best place to go to after this.
Akinym left the shop quickly, and it kind of came out of the blue, so Sinon had to hurry in order to catch up to him.
Sinon: Wait! You don't have to run or anything! [slightly upset] And don't leave me behind in that place! [slightly quizzically] What kind of place are you even talking about?
Akinym: Well… I guess it's better if it comes as a surprise. I have a hunch that the owners would prefer it that way.
Sinon wondered what kind of people Akinym was talking about if they would want to "surprise" their customers. However, given Akinym's way of presenting his "idea", she figured that it was another accessory shop.
Akinym walked through the market street purposefully. It was getting late, and the number of people in the area had decreased, but there were still plenty of players here. To be fair, most of them were looking for a nice place to eat dinner at. Akinym, however, led Sinon to a relatively secluded, calm side street.
Things were getting a bit… odd when Akinym took another turn and entered a rather sketchy back alley. Sinon followed him very reluctantly. In the real world, she would've never entered this creepy place.
It was completely quiet, and with the setting sun, the place was also quite dark already. To be fair, with the surrounding buildings, it was probably a rather gloomy place even in the middle of the day. There wasn't a single player in sight, which added a "nobody will hear you scream" flavour to it, and Sinon certainly didn't like it.
Meanwhile, Akinym didn't seem to be bothered by any of this in the slightest.
Sinon: Hey, wait! Are you sure that this area… is even safe? It… doesn't look like it.
Akinym: What do you mean? Of course it's safe. The entire town is a safe zone, and with the anti-harassment code, there's not really anything that could happen.
Well, he had a point, and Sinon knew that. Frankly, the absolute safety inside towns was the only reason why she had followed Akinym into this alley. It didn't change the fact that the atmosphere sent chills up her spine. Sinon hoped that they'd reach whatever shop Akinym had been talking about soon… and that it wouldn't be as sketchy as the surrounding area suggested. Who would even open a shop in a place like this?!
Thus, Sinon wasn't exactly surprised that Akinym approached some seemingly run-down building, but she sure as hell was discontent.
Sinon: You can't be serious! This hovel is supposed to be the shop that you were interested in?! Only weirdos would set up a shop in… this place, and it's gotta be a shabby dump or something like that!
Akinym [dryly]: Hey, hey, don't make a hasty judgment! At least say it to the owner's face!
With that, Akinym opened the door, and Sinon followed him even more reluctantly…
...only to be greeted cheerfully by a familiar face.
ODE: Hello, dear customers! Welcome to… Oh my, if it isn't Akinym-kun! Oh, and Sinon-san, too!
For a moment, Sinon stared at ODE, who stood behind the counter and smiled at the two "customers", in surprise and confusion. After a few seconds, she slowly turned her head to take a look at the interior of the shop.
It wasn't as gloomy and shady as she had expected. There were numerous lamps to illuminate the room somewhat evenly. The walls were cracked and made of dull, grey stone, which didn't help, but at least the shelves were perfectly neat. In fact, the entire place was tidy. It was obvious that the shopkeepers had done everything in their power to make this place halfway welcoming… or at least presentable.
Speaking of shopkeepers, if ODE was here, did that mean…?
Junimenta: ODE, did you just say that…
Junimenta came out of the back room of the shop, and she spotted Akinym and Sinon right away.
Junimenta [surprised, slightly cheerfully]: Oh, it's really them! Hi, welcome to our little shop! What do you think about it?
Akinym [dryly]: Sinon-san thinks it's a hovel where weirdos have set up a shabby dump.
Sinon [upset]: Hey, don't say such stuff on my behalf!
Akinym: What? You said that!
ODE [slightly reassuringly]: Now, now, you two! You don't have to start a fight because of that! [slightly awkwardly] We know that the place is quite run-down, so…
Sinon [sighs, calmly]: Well, in that case, why did you even open a shop here? [slightly confused] This isn't exactly a prime location. I mean, I'm a bit surprised that you guys have opened a shop in the first place, but in a shady back alley…
At this moment Kaito also entered the main room, but he left the back room with a box he was carrying in his arms.
Kaito [dryly]: Juni just wanted a place to sell all that stuff she's making constantly.
Junimenta [grumpily]: You don't have to phrase it as if that's a nuisance! That way, we can earn more col with the random drops that would normally be junk. We've got our own rooms on the 90th floor now, and you know they didn't come cheap!
Sinon [slightly surprised]: Did I get that right? You bought real estate in this game? [slightly hesitantly] That's… That sounds questionable.
As Junimenta had said, any kind of real estate didn't come cheap in SAO. Staying at inns was much cheaper in the short run. A while ago, Sinon had compared the prices of various houses or flats in different towns they had come across with the rent they'd have to pay for inn rooms. As far as she could see, you'd have to pay at least three months worth of inn fees to buy a flat (or house) of equal quality. It was a long-term investment, and it was questionable if they'd stay long enough in SAO for it to pay off.
To be fair, there were reasons for buying a house other than cost efficiency. Some people wanted something more spacious or luxurious, and others simply felt better when they owned the place where they lived.
Junimenta [slightly doubtfully]: I mean… I guess there may have been better ways to spend our money, [slightly defensively] but now we've reached the last part of the game, and I really wanted to… well, settle down in this world!
Kaito was walking around the shop, putting the content of his box on the different shelves. He couldn't help but pass a comment.
Kaito [slightly annoyed]: Yeah, someone wanted a love nest…
Junimenta [slightly embarrassed]: Hey, you got your rooms, too!
ODE [laughs]: Why so shy, Juni-chan? [teasingly] What's so wrong about two lovebirds wanting some privacy? We've even given you a nice, somewhat remote room, so you can have as much undisturbed time alone as you two want!
ODE threw in a wink for good measure. Well, it certainly made Junimenta's blush worse.
Akinym [clears throat, slightly sternly and annoyed]: Would it be possible to discuss… private affairs when… well, when we're not here?!
ODE [casually]: Sorry, sorry! But you know, Akinym-kun, this is partially your fault. You were the one who helped us to get these rooms.
Sinon [slightly surprised and confused]: Wait, you did that?
Akinym: It's another job of the councilmen. We keep track of good places to live on the upper floors, and upon request, we help players to buy something. It's similar to searching business premises for players who want to open a workshop or something like that.
ODE: I have to admit, I'm not really good at house-hunting, and neither was any of us! It sure was nice to have help with that!
Junimenta: Yeah! I don't think we would've found something nice and affordable without the tip to search in Koyornos!
Now that they mentioned it, Sinon remembered some rumors about the above-average prices for domestic premises – or business premises, too – on the 90th floor. However, after clearing the floor, the prices had apparently been reduced significantly, so the cost-benefit ratio for residential property was best at the 90th floor now.
Sinon [dryly, slightly taken aback]: Who would've thought that you work part-time as a real estate agent…
Akinym [slightly exasperatedly]: Now you're just hamming it up…
ODE [slightly teasingly]: I don't know, Akinym-kun… I mean, without you, we wouldn't have got this shop here either!
Sinon darted a sceptical, slightly sharp look at Akinym.
Sinon: You are responsible for getting this ramshackle dump?!
Akinym: It was still their decision to buy it!
Junimenta [awkwardly]: Well, that's true! Given our recent expenses, we couldn't really afford something… fancy. Not to mention that the best premises had already been… taken.
Sinon [sighs]: I guess that's a fair point. [slightly worriedly] Still… I doubt you'll get many customers here.
Junimenta: Well, it's a bit complicated, [slightly reassuringly] but actually, business is going much better than you might expect. We might rely on buzz marketing, but a lot of people just come by to see what kind of place this actually is, and many of them think that our range of goods is pretty good.
Sinon [slightly hesitantly]: I see… [slightly exasperatedly] I can't believe what some people take an interest in, though.
ODE [chuckles]: Well, it takes all kinds, Sinon-san! Anyway, now that you're here, why don't you take a look around? I don't want to praise Juni-chan to the skies, but she sure has a knack for crafting!
Junimenta [slightly cheerfully]: Yeah, take your time! I mean, you even came all the way here on…
Junimenta stopped mid-sentence. It seemed that she had suddenly realised something, and Sinon could've sworn that she saw Junimenta's eyes light up. She could already tell where this was going, and she most certainly didn't like it. Akinym had a similar hunch.
Junimenta: Sorry, but were you two on…
Akinym and Sinon [interrupting, slightly annoyed]: It's not a date!
The reactions to Akinym and Sinon's usual perfectly synchronised response varied. Akinym and Sinon just sighed. Kaito tried his best to ignore it, although his sour expression showed that this didn't work very well. Junimenta seemed to interpret it at her convenience – as usual. Well, and ODE apparently thought that it was funny since he started to laugh heartily.
ODE: Well, in that case, why don't you just take a look around platonically while you're here on what's not a date?
It was probably for the best to just roll with it, so neither Akinym nor Sinon argued with ODE. They began to take a look at the various goods that were on display.
Akinym didn't have the feeling that he'd buy anything here. For the most part, nothing piqued his interest even slightly. He was just here to see what exactly the members of Ascending Moon were selling at their shop.
Sinon wasn't too thrilled either, and she already thought that most of these items were really just trinkets. Then, however, something caught her eye.
When Junimenta noticed that Sinon had stopped in front of a particular goods display, she curiously took a look to see what Sinon might've taken an interest in.
Junimenta: Oh, it's the glasses I've made the other day! You know, it's funny… I just felt like making something really unusual, and that's what I came up with. Do you like them, Sinon-san?
Sinon [hesitantly, slightly taken aback]: It's not so much that I like them… It's more that… This glasses look exactly like those I wear. In the real world, I mean.
The conversation had caught Akinym's attention, and he walked over to the two girls.
Akinym [slightly surprised]: You wear glasses in the real world, Sinon-san?
To be fair, whether a player wore glasses was one of the things which weren't noticeable in VR, not even in SAO. However, Sinon used her bow with such accuracy that it was quite hard to imagine that she'd need some kind of optical aid.
Sinon: Well, I do. It's strange… I guess I've been stuck in this game for so long that I had almost forgotten it myself before I saw them.
Junimenta: Well, maybe it's destiny that you've found them! You should buy them!
Sinon: Huh? Don't be ridiculous! I mean, there isn't even a need to correct poor eyesight in SAO, so I won't need them!
Junimenta [slightly playfully]: This is an accessory, Sinon-san! It's supposed to look good and make you feel better! I'm sure they'll look good on you! [takes the glasses] Here, try them on!
Before Sinon could object, Junimenta basically shoved the glasses into her face, essentially forcing her to put them on. Directly thereafter, Junimenta grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, so Akinym could get a good look at her.
Junimenta: Now… Any thoughts, Akinym-kun?
Sinon [slightly upset]: Cut it out! Why would… he…
Sinon basically froze when she saw that Akinym seriously went along with the idea. He was rubbing his chin while looking at her with a contemplative expression. Frankly, being "examined" like this was a bit embarrassing, although the blush on Sinon's face could be considered an overreaction by SAO's system. Well, it came as no surprise that Junimenta didn't think that way.
Akinym: I can see it. I mean, they say that glasses can create an intellectual look, and I think that's not actually too farfetched.
Akinym remembered that his brother needed reading glasses since he had ruined his eyesight during his childhood by reading a lot, especially in the evening and with insufficient lighting. After that, their parents had laid down the rule that reading after sunset was forbidden… or should at least be avoided.
Akinym: I'd say it suits you. Not to mention that the thin, black frame and the relatively small lenses make the glasses look quite elegant. Seriously, they suit you.
While Junimenta was busy screaming internally like a fangirl, Kaito returned to the back room while muttering in annoyance.
Kaito: Damn all these couples! "We're just partners" my foot!
ODE [casually]: Now, now, Kaito-kun, don't take it personally! Just leave them be, and you'll be fine! [to the others, slightly teasingly] I have to say, though, Akinym-kun, you don't just leave things at gentlemanly obligations, do you? You sure went all out here, haha!
Akinym [slightly annoyed]: Will you give it a rest?! I've merely stated that these glasses look good on her!
Sinon [slightly upset]: Mggh, just stop already!
Sinon took off the glasses and put them on the shelf again.
Junimenta [defensively]: Don't be like that, Sinon-san! Look, since you two have helped us so much, I'll give you a special discount on these glasses! How about it?
While it was true that Ascending Moon owed Akinym and Sinon a lot, there was another important reason behind this "business decision"... namely that Junimenta saw it as a good way to support her OTP, so to speak.
Anyway, Junimenta's offer didn't seem to interest Sinon very much. She just walked out of the store grumpily.
Sinon: Sorry, but I don't need them. Even with a discount, it's just a waste of money.
After Sinon had left, Akinym took another look at the glasses. He let out an exasperated sigh. So much unnecessary drama…
Meanwhile, Sinon took a deep breath in the alley outside. Sure, she didn't actually need "fresh air", but the atmosphere inside the store had been… irritating. At the same time, she couldn't help but think that Akinym had sounded incredibly genuine when he had made that compliment, so Sinon thought that she should at least take it.
Once she realised that she was in that creepy back alley again, Sinon couldn't bring herself to walk anywhere. The place still gave her goosebumps, and she didn't feel comfortable walking around here alone. Right now, she could just rush back inside if anything happened, and she felt safer that way.
Thus, she waited for Akinym, who – for some reason – seemed to take his time. After about half a minute, Sinon was about to enter the shop again, and this time, she would've walked in with a grumpy mood that nobody would've liked. Fortunately, the door opened, and Akinym left the shop, too.
Akinym [slightly surprised]: Oh, you were waiting? [calmly] Well, in that case, I guess I won't have to find you.
Sinon: Yeah, [annoyed] what took you so long? Did you seriously buy anything, or…?
Akinym: Well, I did. Namely…
Akinym opened his menu and sent Sinon a trade request. She was a bit surprised, but she took a closer look to see what Akinym had bought.
Sinon: Wait… Is this…? These are those glasses, aren't they?
Akinym [dryly]: What do you think I'd buy? This figurine of the three wise monkeys that used ape-themed monsters instead of the monkeys?
Sinon: That's not what I mean, and you know that! Why did you buy them?! I've said I don't need them.
Akinym: Okay, listen: You've said you wear exactly that pair of glasses in the real world, right? Many people look for accessories or similar things they've used in the real world. It's… in order to have something that reminds them of their home – so they'll have something that reminds them what they're fighting for: returning to the real world.
Sinon: That sounds a bit sentimental… I didn't think you'd endorse that kind of behaviour. I mean, it's not very pragmatic, isn't it?
Akinym: Usually not, but I guess it can be very pragmatic to acknowledge the psychological effect such… mementos can have. I won't tell you to take every single item that reminds you of the real world or to build a shrine for them, but just once, it's really okay to be sentimental.
To be perfectly honest, this wasn't the actual reason, but it was Akinym's style to give a reason that was more suited to convince Sinon rather than the real one.
Actually, the glasses were a thank-you gift. Frankly, this was basically the first time Akinym had enough col that he could spend some of it on something unnecessary, and as far as he was concerned, it was all thanks to Sinon.
Ever since he had teamed up with her, he could work much more efficiently and productively. On top of that, Akinym had managed to cut down his expenses for repairs and consumables such as potions.
He had figured that it was okay to spend some money buying a thank-you gift if it was something small. The glasses had seemed perfect for that. Sure, he could've bought something more… practical, but it wouldn't have felt like giving Sinon a present. He would've just bought battle supplies for his partner.
Sinon: I don't know. [sighs] Fine, I'll take them, but let me give you the money, so…
Akinym [mutters, exasperatedly]: For the love of… [says aloud, sternly] Press the damn button already!
Akinym's outburst startled Sinon a little. It seemed odd to her that Akinym was so… insistent. Well, there was no helping it. Sinon obliged, and the item was transferred to her inventory.
Sinon: Alright… [slightly nervously] Can we go now? Honestly, I don't like this place.
Akinym just nodded and headed towards the exit of the alley, Sinon following closely behind.
While they were leaving the sketchy back alley behind, Sinon searched for the glasses in her inventory, and when she found them, she turned them into an object to take a closer look at them.
It didn't take Akinym long to notice what Sinon was doing. He saw her eyeing the glasses in her hand out of the corner of his eye.
Akinym: You know, you should consider wearing them, at least if they don't get in the way when you're using your bow. I wasn't kidding when I said that they suit you, and I'm sure that the others will think so, too. When you equip them properly from your menu, they won't come off or even slip out of place.
Sinon [contemplatively]: That's nice and all, but… I think I really don't need them in this world.
Something about the way Sinon said that struck Akinym as odd, but he decided not to pry further. Maybe it would come up during their usual talks on the 90th floor. He just nodded, leaving Sinon in peace regarding this matter.
Sinon: But…
This little addition caught Akinym's attention again.
Sinon kept looking at the glasses. Now that she thought about it, this was the first time someone outside her family had given her a present. Well, okay, she had got gifts of sorts from different people before, even from Akinym, but these gifts had been either meant for a specific, practical purpose or really small, so they hadn't felt like a "present".
Thus, she had the feeling that she should at least consider using it, and thinking about what Akinym had said earlier, the glasses – these glasses in particular – had a certain symbolic value to her. That wasn't a matter of "real world or virtual world".
Sinon [slightly happily]: I'll keep them as a lucky charm. I think that would be a good idea. So… Thank you. It's a nice gift.
So, that's the end of this side story.
When I came up with the idea for this one, going a bit into detail about Akinym's work as a councilman was one of the main points.
On a related note, it will be revealed what Akinym does on Sundays in SAO, but it will take a while until I'll get there. Fun fact: It won't be revealed before the adaption of the Hollow Realization story.
Whether the "bard" in this side story is Lueur from IF or not is something I'll leave to your interpretation, but he's certainly the author of the book about the SAO incident.
So... Until next time!
