Chapter 10

Authors Note: Hey guys! Sorry this took so long, but...For one thing, this was a two-parter I had to convert into words, plus my computer decided "Oh, you don't want to download Windows 8.1? Okay, you can do that, but you'll have to restart your computer every 30 minutes, because I'll be giving you unremovable pop-ups that you won't be able to figure out how to turn off." So...yeah. Enjoy, and please don't forget to review!

April 11th, 2024

I came home from the frontlines on floor 59 to the vice-leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath interrogating my wife. "Are you sure there isn't anything?" asked Asuna, a panicked tone in her voice.

"For the thousandth time, no," Lisbeth droned, as if she'd really said it a thousand times.

"Shop's closed, boys and girls," I said, walking in the door. Asuna whirled around, taking me in, then glancing back at Liz.

"I still don't know why you married him, Liz," she said.

"You should see him with the hood off," Liz replied, a grin spreading across her face. "Speaking of which, it's about time," she said, pointing at me. "She shows up often enough, it's time she saw your face." I glared at her, which she couldn't see (but in all odds, probably knew I was doing), and she glared back.

I didn't have to keep up the Death persona around Asuna, and in this world, nothing as trivial as eye color would keep someone from trusting you…but there was still that hesitation that 16 years of being bullied brought.

After a few moments, I sighed, lowering the bandanna and dropping the hood. I stood stock still, watching as Asuna took in my appearance. She huffed. "Not half bad, Liz," she said, turning back to the counter.

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" I asked, walking up to the counter. "I'm gonna need some Crust Ores I found bound to my scythe."

"Later. Right now, I've got to deal with someone insane."

"Who?"

She jerked her head at Asuna. "Who else is here?"

"I'm not insane! I watched it happen!"

"Watched what happen?" I asked.

"I saw a man die in a safe zone today," she said.

"That's not possible."

"Don't you think I know that? It wasn't a duel PK, there was no congratulations screen. He was hung from the top of a church, a barbed weapon stuck in his chest. He died, and Kirito and I have no idea what happened."

"Kirito?" I asked. "He's working on this too?"

"More because I can't shake him, and he's not a terrible detective. We checked with Egil, and there was nothing special about the weapon. I was checking with her," Asuna said, pointing to Liz, who'd gone into the forge, "to see if there were any black market blacksmith tricks."

"Where is the weapon?" I asked.

"We left it with Egil. It's safer that way."

"Makes sense. Any suspects?"

"The weapon was made by a guy named Grimlock."

"Well, I'll be going with you tomorrow." I said it as a statement, not a question.

"What?!" shouted Asuna. "You'd be risking your life for something you weren't involved in!"

"If people's lives are on the line, I have to be there, just in case! Those messages Heathcliff has you fill out before huge battles, messages to your family? Last words, requests? Who do you think he sends them to?" She stared at me, a mix of confusion and rage filling up in her eyes.

"Y-you read-."

"No. I only read those of the already dead. The secrets of the living aren't mine to know, nor do they interest me." I bent my head down, again realizing the scope of the weight on me. I had to survive. I owed it to God knows how many dead…

"How many?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"How many are there, the requests you have to carry if you get back?"

"700 and something. It's been up since the guild leaders started sending me their member's wills. 730 last time I counted, but it's probably more."

"I don't want you to add to that list."

"Then stop people dying."

"…"

"Until you can manage that, I have to be there. Unless you can guarantee the safety of everyone involved in the investigation, I WANT to be there. I need to be there. Besides…If there's a way to kill in a safe zone, I'd have to stay here."

"Why's that?! You're one of the highest players on the front lines!"

"I'd have to protect her," I said, nodding towards the forge. "I'd always be glancing towards my ring, begging for it not to shatter…"

"…Floor 57. Martin. Meet Kirito at the Teleport Gate, and we'll all meet up."

"I'll be there. Thank you, Asuna."

"I'm sorry that you feel you need to help."

"It's a blessing to everyone else."

"This is going to bite you in the butt. You're handing out roses. Everyone else gets the beauty, you get the thorns."

"You get used to the sting," I said, chuckling slightly. She shook her head and walked out. Liz came out of the forge, a puzzled look on her face.

"Did Asuna leave?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"That's a shame," she said, her face falling. "She only comes around for equipment anymore, she hardly comes to visit."

"Can you blame her?" I asked. "She's one of the leaders on the frontlines."

"So are you, and you come back every day."

"I live here."

"True." I laughed, and she blushed. "Don't laugh at me," she said indignantly.

"Not possible. You're too cute."

(X)

I was introduced to a small built girl with freckles, blue hair and blue eyes named Yoruko. She showed slight panic early on when I showed up, but after lowering my bandanna in the empty restaurant and some explaining, she calmed down and began to explain. The victim's name was Kains, the murder weapon was a barbed sword named Guilty Thorn, and the witness and the victim knew each other, having been members in a previous guild. Sorry if I'm being a bit professional about this, but I've been well versed in investigation terminology.

I've said that my dad works in a magazine. He writes crime stories, a few pages long that get published every week. He includes all the clues that you need to solve the mystery in the story, and the next week, the answer is published along with the next story. None of this was new to me, just more real.

"Hey, Yoruko, have you heard the name 'Grimlock'?" asked Asuna.

Yoruko tensed, her eyes widening. "Yes," she said. "He was a member of the guild that Kains and I were once in." Kirito nodded to Asuna, and I leaned back, taking in this new information.

"When we had the sword stuck in Kains' chest appraised, we found it was made by Grimlock." Her eyes widened, and her hands shot to her mouth.

"Can you think of any reason why Grimlock would want to hurt Kains?" I asked.

"…Yes, I can. I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you yesterday, but…with him here it's probably for the best. Also…I wanted to forget. It's something I don't really want to remember. But, I'll tell you. What destroyed our guild…" It started to rain outside, and it provided white noise as she began her story.

"Our guild's name was Golden Apple. Six months ago, a rare monster we defeated dropped a powerful ring that raised agility by 20." I raised my eyebrows. That was extremely good for this game, six months ago at least. My non marriage ring raised my strength factor by 30, and it would sell for 40,000 Col at a good shop. "We were divided on whether to use it for the guild, or sell it and split the earnings. But in the end, we put it by vote. The vote went 5-3 in favor of selling it. Our leader, Griselda, was going to stay overnight at a large town on the front lines, to give it to a broker. However, she never came back. Later, we learned that she'd died. I still don't know why."

"No one would leave a safe zone with that kind of rare item," said Kirito. "Which means a sleeping-PK?"

"Six months ago would have been just before the method really spread," suggested Asuna.

"But it's hard to think of it as a coincidence," I said. "Lady with a rare item just so happens to get PK'd, with the attacker having no idea of the item? I don't buy it."

"Agreed," said Kirito, placing his hand on his chin. "Whoever attacked her must have been a player who knew about the ring. In other words…"

"One of the other seven members of Golden Apple…" Yoruko said quietly.

"The most suspicious ones would have been those who wanted to keep it," I said, taking a sip of my drink.

"You mean they attacked Griselda to get the ring before it was sold?" Asuna asked.

"Exactly," I said, swallowing the water.

"Who's Grimlock?" asked Kirito.

"He was Griselda's husband," Yoruko said. "Just within the game, naturally. Griselda was a powerful swordsman. Pretty. And smart. Grimlock was a kind man who was always smiling. They made a great couple, and they got along well. If he was the one responsible for yesterday's murder, he must have be after the three who opposed selling the ring. Two of the three were myself and Kains." Kirito and Asuna seemed shocked, but when she'd mentioned that Grimlock was Griselda's husband, I'd already guessed revenge. Kains I'd guessed. Yoruko…not so much.

"Then who's the other?" asked Kirito.

"A tank named Schmidt," she replied. "I heard he's on the front lines now, with the Holy Dragon Alliance."

"Schmidt?" mused Kirito. "I've heard that name…"

"He leads the Holy Dragon Alliance's defense forces. He's a big lance user."

"Oh, him," Kirito replied.

"You know Schmidt?" asked Yoruko.

"I've only seen him a few times while clearing bosses," said Kirito.

"Could you let me talk to him?" she asked quickly. "He probably hasn't heard about what occurred. And what happened to Kains could happen to him…" Asuna glanced my way, and I gave a subtle nod.

"Let's call Schmidt," said Asuna. "I know someone at the Holy Dragon Alliance. If we go to their HQ, perhaps we can talk to him."

"Then first, we should get Yoruko to an inn," said Kirito. "Yoruko, don't leave the inn until we return."

"All right," she said, her shoulders sagging, and I could hear the fear in her voice.

"I could watch her," I suggested. The other three shot me weird looks. "If Kains could be killed in a safe zone, what's an inn for protection? I don't know Schmidt, and the Holy Dragon Alliance and I aren't on the best of terms anyway." They'd been going after my strength ring, and weren't happy when I grabbed it right in front of them. "I'll stay with Yoruko at the inn, and you two can get Schmidt and bring him to the inn. Is that alright with you?" I asked Yoruko. She smiled slightly.

"Yes, I think that would be safer."

"Well, if she agrees, then go for it," said Asuna, rising from the table.

(X)

After finding a room, I stationed myself with my scythe out next to the door. Yoruko had added a shawl over her green shirt, and was walking aimlessly around the room. "Are you sure I can't get you some tea?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I said.

"Are you sure?" she asked. I glanced at her, and saw a slight emptiness in her eyes. She was trying to keep all things normal.

"Sure," I said. "Actually, some tea would be great." While she bustled about in the small portable kitchen she carried around (I say kitchen, but it was just a teapot and portable stove), Kirito had started a group message with Asuna and I.

"How do you two think the murder was carried out?" Asuna asked, referring to Kains.

"I see three possibilities…" Kirito started. "The first is a fair duel. The second is an exploit."

"The third?" Asuna asked.

"Some skill we don't know about, which bypasses safe areas. Or possibly an item."

"I don't think the third one's possible," I sent.

"Why?" they both replied.

"It's unfair," I said. "I hate to admit it, but Kayaba Akihiko's rules are fair. Harsh, but fair. I can't imagine the game allowing murders in safe zones."

"Neither can I," said Kirito. The group message was closed after that. I looked back up as Yoruko handed me my tea, and I sipped on it as she sat and drunk her own.

"Is it good?" she asked.

"Very," I said. "Extremely sweet." A little too sweet, but I wasn't stupid enough to insult her. She smiled, and I smiled back. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Nervous," she said, glancing towards the open window. "Very nervous."

"I'd be surprised if you weren't, but I promise, nothing is coming through that door without my permission."

"Would it be okay if I left something with you, anyway?" she asked.

"What is it?"

"My will." There was a pause. "I've heard about what you do…or plan to do, anyway."

"You are NOT going to die," I said calmly.

"But…Just in case?" she asked. I sighed.

"Go ahead," I said, opening my list and making a new entry, marking it as a possibility.

"Find Griselda's grave…and pay my respects for me. She was a wonderful woman, and I didn't say it when I visited her grave."

"How have you visited her grave?" I asked. "We're still in here."

"We made an in game one, as well," she said. "On the 19th floor. The Hill of the Cross. It was very pretty."

"Anything else?" I asked, preparing to close the entry.

"Find Kains' grave as well. And tell him I'm sorry that I couldn't make it out for the both of us." I typed it in and saved it.

"You two were very close?" I asked.

"He was my boyfriend," she said.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yeah…" We sat in silence for a long time before there was a knock at the door. I stood carefully, prepared to slam the door shut as I opened it. Kirito's head poked through the crack.

"We come in peace?" he said lightly. I shook my head and opened the door fully.

"That took a while," I said, stepping behind the wooden door so I could open it more.

"The leader was a bit reluctant about us running off with one of his leaders," said Asuna. "But he came around." They entered, Schmidt freezing when he saw me.

"That's…That…" he stuttered. I raised an eyebrow.

"Death?" I suggested. He hurriedly nodded, looking like a child who'd been scolded. Very amusing. "I'm helping with the investigation." He sat down in one of the chairs, Kirito leaning against a table to the side, and Asuna standing on Schmidt's other side. I leant back against the door. Then, I nodded to Yoruko, and she began to speak.

(X)

After the story, Schmidt was very nervous. His hand never left his chin as he rubbed it thoughtfully, and his leg started to tap when she mentioned who the weapon was made by. It still hadn't stopped by the time she finished her story.

"Are you sure that Kains was killed with Grimlock's weapon?" he asked.

"It is," she responded softly. His eyes widened, and he jumped to his feet.

"Why would Kains be killed after all this time?! He…Did he steal the ring? Was he the one that killed Griselda?" He fell back into the chair. "Does Grimlock plan to kill the three of us who opposed selling the ring? Is he after you and me, too?!"

"It could be another member, and Grimlock just made them the sword. Or perhaps it may be Griselda's revenge…Only a ghost could kill someone inside a safe zone." I raised my eyebrow. A ghost? We're in a video game. Everyone else acted dramatically. Kains' made scared moaning sounds, and Kirito and Asuna shot each other glances. Yoruko began to stand. "I stayed awake all last night, thinking…In the end, all of us were the ones that killed her! When that ring dropped, we shouldn't have ever voted…We should've just done what she wanted!" She shouted all of this very frantically. It was slightly alarming.

She backed up the window, keeping the front of her body turned towards us. "Grimlock was the only one who said we should simply let Griselda decide." She was now sitting on the edge of the window sill. "So he has the right to take revenge for Griselda on the rest of us."

"You're kidding me," Schmidt muttered. "You're kidding me…" he repeated. He put his face in his hands. "After all this time, six whole months…Why now?" He jumped to his feet. "You're okay with this, Yoruko? You're okay with being killed like this?" Kirito reached out, holding him back by his left arm. Yoruko seemed a bit precarious on the edge of the window, and I was about to call her back to a chair, or somewhere decent to sit…When her eyes widened in shock. Something was wrong. I dashed forward, sidestepping the chair as she turned…A barbed dagger stuck in her back. She fell out the window as I caught her, wrapped in my arms as we both plunged to the ground…

I thought that if I held on tight enough…If I got to her before she…She might live. But no. She shattered just before we hit the ground, the handle of the dagger that killed her tapping my arm as I hit the pavement.

I grabbed the dagger, squeezing it tightly, exerting as much outrage as I could into the weapon, stopping just before it shattered. "Damn it!" I shouted, slamming my hand into the ground. There was a shout from the window.

"Asuna, keep an eye on him," Kirito said as he jumped from the window to the building across. He must have seen something. I jumped onto the side of the building, pushing off the building back onto the inn, then repeating the process to wall-jump onto the building to run behind Kirito. I saw the same hooded figure he saw, and chucked the dagger as he threw a few throwing picks. All four bounced off him, a transparent purple-tinted shield forming around the targeted spots. He was an immortal object. What the hell? I jumped across an alley, landing on the same line of shops as he teleported, disappearing from the chase. I hadn't heard him shout where he was going, but, then again, I wasn't listening as I hadn't seen him holding a crystal. "Damn it," Kirito said, bunching his fists. He hopped down from the buildings, muttering under his breath. I jumped after him and we walked back to the inn.

(X)

"You idiots!" shouted Asuna when Kirito opened the door. She had her rapier out, poised to attack. "What were you thinking?" She grudgingly sheathed it. "Well? What happened?"

"It was no use," Kirito said, shaking his head. "He teleported away." I threw the silver dagger that killed Yoruko on the ground between the three of us. "The system protects the inns. I thought with Seth here she'd be safe." He hit the wall, the purple immortal object pop-up appearing again. "Damn it," he repeated.

"That robe was Griselda's," muttered Schmidt. "It was Griselda's ghost…She's come for revenge on us all!" He laughed. "Why couldn't a ghost PK in town?" He continued laughing, and I became worried about his mental health.

"That was no ghost," Kirito said. "The two safe area murders have to work using some logic that involves the system. They just have to."

"I agree. It's a video game," I said. "Give me one reason a ghost can be in a video game," I shouted to Schmidt, who was still laughing in his chair.

(X)

We were placed at a bench in a park, Kirito and Asuna sitting on the bench, me pacing back and forth in front of them. "Was that black robed figure really the ghost of Griselda?" asked Asuna. "Seeing those two deaths happen in front of me makes me wonder if it was true."

"No, that's impossible," said Kirito.

"Agreed," I said.

"A ghost wouldn't need a teleport crystal," said Kirito. That idea I hadn't even considered, dismissing the possibility of a ghost before wondering if a spirit would need a crystal. "A teleport crystal…" he repeated.

"What is it?" Asuna asked.

"No, it's nothing," he said. There was a pause, and Asuna manipulated her menu, producing two purple bundles, handing one to Kirito. "Here."

"Are you giving it to me?" asked Kirito.

"What else would I be doing? You think I'm showing it off or something?"

"U-Uh, then thanks," Kirito said, taking the bundle, unwrapping it to reveal a sandwich.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make you any, Seth," said Asuna. "I ran out of ingredients, and couldn't get to the shop before I had to meet you guys."

"It's fine," I said. My mind flashed back to Yoruko's eyes before she fell out the window. "I'm not hungry." I mused for a second. I'd seen hundreds of people die, and yet…I'd tried not to reflect on any of them since James that first day. Why was this one's death bothering me so much?

"Its durability is nearly at zero," said Asuna, "so you should eat up before it disappears."

"Y-Yeah," he stuttered. He bit into it, and paused. "This is really good," he said quietly before ravenously tearing into the meal. "When did you make this?" he asked.

"Didn't I say its durability was about to run out? I thought something like this might happen, so I prepared these this morning."

"I guess you are in charge of the Knights of the Blood Oath attack teams. Where is this from, anyway?"

"It wasn't for sale. Weren't you listening? I ran out of ingredients?" she said, as if trying to weed the answer out of a small child. "I can cook, you know."

"W-Well, you could've put this up for auction and made yourself a lot of money," said Kirito, laughing. Asuna slammed her foot on the ground, startling Kirito and making him drop his sandwich, which shattered into polygons after hitting the ground.

"I don't have any more, got it?" said Asuna. "Or were you listening for that bit?" Kirito fell to his knees, and I chuckled, playfully ruffling his hair.

"Kid, get back up. It can't be that much of a loss." He refused to move, on all fours.

"What's wrong?" asked Asuna, and he raised his hand to hush her. He shouted,

"That's right…That's it!" he shouted.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" I asked.

"What did you just figure out?" asked Asuna.

"I…We…never actually saw a thing. We just thought we did. But we really saw something else. There was never a weapon or any kind of logic that would allow killing within the safe areas! They're alive!"

"They're alive?!" asked Asuna.

"Yeah, they're alive. Both Yoruko and Kains."

"But…"

"Inside a safe zone, player HP won't just drop. But an object's durability will. Like with that sandwich." He got off the ground, seating himself back on the bench. "Back then, Kains' armor was pierced by that sword. The sword was draining the armor's durability, not Kains' HP."

"Th-Then, what fell apart was…" said Asuna.

"Yes, just his armor. At the exact moment it did, Kains teleported away. The effect is incredibly similar to that of someone's death. But it's still different."

"Then Yoruko…" said Asuna. I remembered how stiffly she walked the whole time in the inn. She never…

"The dagger was already in her back the entire time," I said. "She never turned her back, not to me, and not when she rose from her chair after the story. While she was talking, she kept an eye on the equipment endurance. And when it was time…she acted like the dagger had just been thrown."

"Which mean the person in the black robe…" mused Asuna.

"I'd lay good odds that it wasn't Grimlock. It's Kains," said Kirito. "The two must have realized that they could use this method to fake their own deaths."

"And their goal was to draw out the one responsible for the ring murder. They acted out their own deaths to create an illusionary avenger," said Asuna.

"They must have already suspected Schmidt," I said. "Right now, he's lost it. He thinks that Griselda's ghost is out to get him. So he'd go where he can make peace with her spirit…" I snapped my fingers. "Floor 19, Cross Hill. Yoruko mentioned they'd built a grave for Griselda there. 1000 Col says that's where he is."

"I say we leave the rest up to them," said Kirito. "Our role in this case is finished."

"In that case, let's go somewhere a bit less public," I said, glancing around. Death, the Black Swordsman, and the vice commander of the KoBO all in the same place was attracting a bit of attention.

(X)

We walked into an empty restaurant, sitting at a table. "We ended up falling for Yoruko's plot…But I really don't mind," said Kirito.

"Yeah," said Asuna. "Hey. What would you have said when a super-rare item like that dropped?"

"Keep it," I said without hesitation.

"Hmm…" hummed Kirito. "Part of the reason I play solo is to avoid those situations."

"In our guild, it would belong to the one it dropped for. That's the rule. In SAO, no one knows what drops for whom unless someone volunteers it. So if you want to avoid players hoarding, that's the only way. Also, because of that system," she glanced at me, "marriage in this world has real meaning. If you marry, your item storage is shared, right?" I nodded, and Kirito glanced at me, wide-eyed.

"You got hitched?" he asked incredulously. I nodded.

"November. We've got a house in Lindas."

"Everything you might have hidden until then…Once your married, you can't hide it anymore. Shared storage is quite a pragmatic system. But I think it's very romantic, as well."

"Hey," Kirito asked.

"What?"

"Have you ever gotten married?" There was a moment, and then Asuna grabbed the fork, pointing it to Kirito as he raised his arms in surrender. "No…That's not what I meant! You were just talking about how it's romantic and plastic…"

"No one said that!" There was a thud as she kicked him under the table. "It's romantic and pragmatic." She set the fork back on the table. "Pragmatic…It means practical."

"Practical? Marriage in SAO?"

"Isn't it? In a way, it throws everything out there, doesn't it? The common storage." My mouth dropped open, and my eyes flicked around as I built up scenarios in my head. 'Oh, I'm a moron.' "What?" Asuna asked.

I jumped to my feet, rubbing my temples. "Oh, I'm such an idiot! My head's so…Thick!"

"What?" Kirito asked.

I glanced at Asuna. "If your spouse dies, their items go to you, right?" She nodded, her eyes widening in recognition. "Griselda dies…"

"And Grimlock gets the ring. So it wasn't stolen?" asked Asuna.

"No. Grimlock stole the ring from his own storage," said Kirito.

(X)

Kirito wrapped his arms around my waist. "Why couldn't I have gotten my own horse?" he asked.

"You're the one who left the stable part of town before I could buy my own, then fell off. Then you asked me to steer. Quit your comp…" I let the sentence trail off as we came upon the scene. Yoruko and a man with a brown bowl cut standing over Schmidt, on his stomach on the ground. Three Laughing Coffin members standing near them, weapons drawn. I drew up my bandanna as Kirito hopped off the back, dashing alongside. He came to stop in front of the scene.

"We've called for re-enforcements," he said loudly to the LC members. "You want to fight thirty players from the lead group?" I rode the horse up closer, drawing my scythe.

"Or even just two?" I asked in my gravelly voice. I leaned over the side of the horse, staring down the scarred PoH, the leader of Laughing Coffin. "I'm up for a one-on-one. Are you?" There was a tense moment, then PoH snapped his fingers, and the others sheathed their weapons.

"We're leaving," said PoH. They stalked off, and Kirito and I watched them go, disappearing into the fog. I hopped off the horse, slapping it's side, and it ran off to despawn.

"I'm glad I could see you again, Yoruko," I said.

"I planned to apologize, once everything was over. But I can't expect you to believe me."

"Oh, no. Giving me your will? Nice touch."

"How did you know those three would attack here?" asked Schmidt.

"We didn't," said Kirito. "Hey, Kains, Yoruko. You asked Grimlock to make those two weapons."

"At first, he didn't seem willing," Yoruko said. "He said he wanted to let Griselda rest in peace…"

"But when we begged him," Kains said, "he finally forged them for us."

"I'm sorry, but the reason he opposed your plan wasn't for Griselda's sake. He thought something flashy, like a PK in a safe zone, would attract sufficient attention for someone to take notice…I only realized it thirty minutes ago."

After explaining, Kains mused aloud. "Grimlock? He sent that memo, and he killed Griselda?"

"No," I said. "If he'd done it, he would have been yellow when you went to get the weapons."

"He likely left the actual murder to a red player specializing in such things," Kirito said.

"No..." muttered Yoruko. "If he were the murderer, then why would he have helped us?"

"Didn't you explain the whole plan to him?" Kirito asked.

"This was his chance to bury the whole incident forever," I said.

"He waited for you three to gather, so he could kill you all at once," continued Kirito.

"So that's why..." muttered Schmidt. "That's why that murder guild was here."

"Most likely," I said, "he knew them from when he hired them to kill Griselda."

"That's horrible," said Yoruko.

"I found him," said Asuna.

She'd bought her own horse back at town, but split off a while back to search for Grimlock. And she'd found him. She came out of the fog, escorting a man in a white shirt, sunglasses, a trench coat, and a wide-brimmed hat. "We can ask him for the details," I said, crossing my arms.

"It's been a long time, everyone," Grimlock said.

"Grimlock..." muttered Yoruko. "Did you...Did you really...Why, Grimlock?! Why did you need the money from the ring so badly that you had to kill Griselda, your own wife?"

"Money?" he asked. "Did you say money?" He began to laugh, a deep, throaty chuckle that made my blood boil. "It wasn't for money. I had...I had to kill her...While she was still my wife. She was my wife in the real world, too. The ideal wife, the perfect wife...Pretty, submissive...We'd never had a single fight. But when we were both trapped in this world, she changed. Only one of us was overcome with fear from being trapped in a death game...me. She looked so much happier, so much more alive, than she had in the real world. I had to accept it...That the Yuuko I loved was gone. Thus...Thus, I decided to forever seal her within my memories here, in this world, where murder is legal...And who could blame me?"

"You killed your wife for that?" I fumed.

"That's more than reason enough," he replied. "Someday, you'll understand, detectives. Once you've found love and you're about to lose it."

"No, you're mistaken, Grimlock," said Asuna, sheathing her sword and leaving his side. "You didn't feel any love for Griselda. You only wanted to possess her!" Grimlock stiffened and fell to his knees. The other three members of Golden Apple stood, walking over to him.

"Could you three leave this man to us?" asked Kains.

"All right," said Kirito. They stooped, dragging Grimlock to his feet. The men dragged him off as Yoruko bowed to us, which we returned.

The sun rose behind us, bathing the foggy sky in a pink glow. I walked up to the tree that marked Griselda's grave. "I'm sorry," I muttered, patting the bark of the tree. I opened my menu, returning Yoruko's deceased status in my memo to living. I heard Asuna speak behind me.

"Hey," she said to Kirito. "If you married someone, and then you discovered they had a side you didn't know, what would you think?"

"Maybe that I was lucky..." he mused. "B-because if you marry someone, it means you already like what you knew about them, right? So if you found something new about them and fell in love with them, too...W-wouldn't that be great?"

"Well, fine," Asuna replied. "More importantly, I'm hungry. I didn't get to finish my meal earlier."

"Y-Yeah," Kirito replied.

"I'm heading home," I said, walking between and ahead of the two to walk back to town, the teleport gate, and eventually...Lisbeth.