Chapter 13

When I woke up, she was still lying in my arms. When I looked at the time, I saw it was 8 am, but I didn't want to get up yet. Slowly moving my left arm, I opened the menu. I checked if she was still asleep and checked my inventory and skill list. On there were a few items I could sell, but my eyes focused on 2 items I found. It were the 2 S-class ingredients for food I got when I defeated the dragon.

Thinking about the dragon, I remembered the strange thing that happened with the dragon yesterday. It acted as it was my familiar, understanding me and helping me. Should I ask Heathcliff why that was? He is a GM so maybe he will know.

I decided to ask him and sent him a message with that question. After I was finished with the whole story and sending it to him, I saw it was already 9.30 am.

"Lizbeth, you should wake up now. It is past openings time of your shop." I said slowly.

"What? What time is it?" she slowly got up with a sleepy voice.

She looked around and started noticing where she was.

"Did we sleep here?" she asked with a small smile on her face.

"Yeah we did. How did you sleep?"

"It has been a long time that I slept this good."

"Me too."

I looked into her eyes and the warm feeling I had was still there. I moved closer and started to kiss her. She was thinking the same thing as she moved closer to me too.

"Come on. Get a room."

We looked towards the voice and noticed Crimson standing there irritated. We couldn't help but to laugh at him.

After we had breakfast, I got a reply from Heathcliff. He wanted to meet me in person to talk more about it. I sent him that it was alright and I would go to him later this day.

"You know what would be nice? A nice steak." Crimson said.

We were talking about what to do for dinner but we couldn't figure out what. If you wanted to have a nice dinner in this world, you had to cook it yourself. But non on us had raised our cooking skill. Even I had no experience with non-battle skills so I couldn't had raised one.

"I just remembered earlier, I do have 2 S-Class ingredients. Do you know someone who can cook them?" I said.

"The only one I know is Asuna." Lizbeth replied.

"I know that, but isn't it rude to ask her now she is on her honeymoon with Kirito?"

"She had asked me to come over for a day to see their house at the lake. I could ask if they would like to have a dinner together. Especially since you have 2 S-Class ingredients, those are the best from what I have heard."

"That is true. You can always ask. But if you do, don't forget to mention that we bring a pig." I pointed at Crimson.

"Hey!" He replied laughing.

"I will do that. Will you be gone long?"

"I don't think so. Maybe a couple of hours but I will let you know if it takes longer. Will you let me know what Kirito and Asuna said?"

"Sure."

I kissed her and walked towards the door.

"Wait a sec. What am I going to do if you leave?" Crimson said.

"Good that you mention that." I opened the menu and selected some items and send it to him.

"What are these?"

"Materials for swords. If you behave yourself and ask nicely, maybe Lizbeth will make you a better and stronger sword."

"Will you Lizbeth?" he asked.

"If you are a good boy then I don't mind. But you have to do some shopping for it."

"Serious? Is it much?" he asked disappointed. I knew he hated to do something he wasn't motivated for, which made it funnier for me.

"If you want a strong sword like me, you have to do something for it. Think of it like training. It may help."

"Fine then. I will do it." He said.

"I'm running late, so I will see you later."

I walked out of the door and headed for the gate. It didn't take me long to reach the HQ of the KoB and asked for Heathcliff. Apparently he had told the guards that he was expecting me as I could walk right through.

"Hello Exia. How can I help you today?" he asked.

"You know why I am here. Do you have an idea why it happened?"

"To be honest, I am not sure. Do you know about familiars?"

"Yes I do. But only that lower level monsters do that sometime. I never had heard a mid-level boss showing that behavior."

"Me neither, so I looked into it. But first, can I see the sword you were carrying that day?"

"It was the same one as I have right now." I removed the Sentinel Repulsor from my back and unsheathed it.

I was using that sword if I had a shield because it appeared those worked best together.

"I see. Is it true that this sword is called the Sentinel Repulsor?"

"That is true. What does it has to do with this?"

"Then I think I understand. This sword is made from the rare material called Dragon's Soul. I think the dragon recognized it and because you weren't attacking him with it, he felt connected. Meaning he felt a part of himself and didn't attack because of that. Almost the same as that some monsters are drawn to each other and attack in groups."

"So if I get this right, the reason he cooperated with me is because he felt I was like a dragon from the same kind as him?"

"You could say it like that, but yes that is true."

"I never thought of that. It does sounds logic if you think about it. But then another question that just popped into my mind, if that is alright with you?"

"Sure, what do you want to know?"

"That shield you had given me, what is it and how did you obtain it? And mostly, what is it made from?"

"That shield is made for me. Not in this game, but before that. Because we had no idea of what the guild would be like, we had made 2 different outfits and equipment. If a guild was made before I had the chance to make the KoB, with the colors red and white, we needed different equipment. That is why that shield is different. And to answer your second question, if you want to make it, you need to have 3 of the 4 different S-Class materials from dragons. This one is made from combining Flaming Dragon, Dragon Wing and Zero Dragon."

"That means the only dragon material you didn't use was the Dragon's Soul?"

"That is right. That is also why you sword feels stronger if you use it with the shield Zero Raiser. Isn't that why you asked?"

"That is true. Thank you for that information." I said while putting the sword on my back again.

"There is one thing I want in return. The KoB is close to find the boss room of this floor. When we do find it and planned the raid, I want you to join it."

"If you mean the raid then you can count on me. I won't join the KoB."

"You can't stay a solo player. Even with your skill, you need a guild to support you."

"I am not solo anymore. So you don't have to worry about me. Let me know when the raid is and thank you again." I said while turning around.

"Then if he joins, what will you do then?" He asked calm.

I turned around and grabbed a throwing knife from the pocket on my upper leg. He knew I couldn't hurt him in the safe zone but I didn't plan on doing that.

I threw the knife right before him on the table and dashed towards him, grabbing the knife and pulling it out of the table. I moved it to his neck.

"If you ever make him joining the KoB I will kill you. I know the system is backing you up but by revealing your secret, this whole guild of yours will fall apart, leaving you all alone and hated by all the players still alive." I said while keeping my voice as calm as possible.

"Understood." It was the only thing he said in response of my action.

I walked out of the HQ and went straight towards my favorite spot in this world. On floor 31 was a small lake that looked a lot like the lake near the house I grew up in. it was a spot I usually went if something was bothering me or was as angry as I was now.

I sat there for some time until I heard footsteps behind me. This was the first time that I knew someone else besides me came here and I slowly turned around. Lizbeth was walking towards me.

"I tracked you on the map and saw you coming here. Is something wrong?" she asked while sitting beside me.

I told her what Heathcliff had said about joining the KoB and what he had said about Crimson. She understand it was something that upsets me. His level is high enough to fight on the front lines so if he joins the KoB, they will order him to do that. Missing the experience needed for that, meant he would get killed.

"We need to hurry. It is already 4PM. We need to go to Asuna and Kirito." She broke the silence.

She pulled me up from the ground and kissed me. I felt all the anger leaving my body and started to walk after her. Crimson was waiting in the city and together we moved to the 22th floor, towards the house of Kirito and Asuna.

They were surprised to see me and Lizbeth holding hands but didn't ask about it. They welcomed Crimson as if they knew him for years, which relieved some stress I was having about that.

We stayed the rest of the day there. Having fun and even dueled. First me and Kirito, it was close since we both used Dual Blades but he won with a reaction faster than mine. Next up was Kirito against Asuna. Her speed was amazing and he lost. When Crimson challenged me, Kirito helped him with tips and he did great, but his lack in experience made him lose it. When it was my turn to fight Asuna I equipped my shield to try defending against her speed. It worked at first, but then she became serious and the battle was soon after that over. I made the mistake of thinking that I could counter but her skill wasn't finished. I tried attacking, creating a gab for her to attack me.

The time flew by and soon we noticed it was already past 3AM. We wanted to leave but weren't allowed. We were ordered to stay the night, but because there were no spare beds, we had to sleep on the cough and chairs. We didn't mind that and we continued talking and making fun. When the clock hit 5AM we decided that it was better to get some sleep.

But I couldn't sleep. Lizbeth and I were again as the night before laying against each other on the cough and I slowly lowered her as I got up. I walked outside and sat on the chair there that looked out on the large lake in front of the house.

"Can't sleep?" Said a voice from behind.

"No. I see you also have that problem." I said to Kirito who came walking towards me.

"A strange feeling is keeping me awake."

"I know what you mean. I was not sure if I was in this game our back there with friends. Talking and joking around, not thinking of the problems we will ran into tomorrow."

"You are right about that."

"I want to thank you for this evening. It was really nice."

"You brought the meat so thank you too."

"Let's do this again."

"Yeah, but then in the other world."

"I would like that."

We bumped out fist and both went inside again. When I sat down on the cough again, Lizbeth woke up. She looked at me and I smiled to her. She kissed me again and lay on my shoulder again and both fall asleep quickly after that.