Episode Six: Failed Avenger
Asuna could feel the digital fabric rub between her fingers as Kirito tilted his head away. She knew she couldn't relent. Something was afoot. Something big. Her grip on Kirito's collar tightened as she pulled him closer.
"Well." The solo player gulped, briefly peeking at the blue haired player beside him. She was frozen in place, not even moving to breathe. "I believe I have a working theory on what happened. Both regarding Griselda's murder and the murder in the safe zone."
As though his words broke a spell, Yolko finally reacted. Her eyes manically traveled across the room. "N-no, I didn't-"
The girl started backing away towards the window-
In the blink of an eye, Asuna's hand flashed forward, landing on Yolko's shoulder. She let out a startled 'eep', shrinking under the vice commander's gaze.
"What's going on!" Schmitt finally escaped his stupor and jumped to his feet. "What- why- who… huh?"
Kirito cleared his throat, glancing at the hand fixed on his coat. "To put it plainly—Yolko was going to, like Caynz, fake her death."
Keeping both players in her grasp, Asuna examined the dagger Kirito pulled from Yolko's back. Her mind began to run a mile a minute, putting together what she could with what little was given.
'That dagger, it's the same style as the spear. Thorns running down the blade like a rose. But why would-'
Yolko had the blade in her back. And judging by her position in the room, it was in there for the entirety of the conversation. Meaning, if she intended to fake her death like Kirito claimed, she placed the blade there before the start of the meeting.
'This room is a part of the inn Yolko's staying at. So while we picked up Schmitt from the Holy Dragon HQ, she could've had the opportunity to put the dagger in her back!'
But that aside, there were several glaring flaws in Kirito's claim. "If that's the case, how did they even fake Caynz's death? We saw his name crossed out on the Monument of Life, by the same method of killing as well!"
"That…?" The solo player gave Asuna a baffled look. The vice commander was immediately taken aback. Had Kirito really forgotten something so obvious? "I couldn't really say anything about that. However, the method used for faking the death is quite simple."
Kirito's gray eyes turned to Yolko. She flinched, opting to stare at the floor. "The whole reason the knife was hidden like it was. It was depleting the durability of your cloak, right? And the moment it was about to be destroyed, you'd pretend you were hit with the blade and fall out the window. One well timed crystal teleport later, and you'd have convinced Schmitt that Griselda was out to kill him."
Biting her lip, Asuna played the scenario in her head, seeing the reason in his words. "Even then, isn't this-"
"He's right."
All eyes honed in on the speaker. It was none other than the accused herself. Yolko hugged her coat, face ashen while tears began to take form. "T-there's no point in hiding it now. Yes, I was going to fake my death, just like Caynz. But we were doing it to reveal whether or not Schmitt helped kill Griselda or not! We had to know!"
Once again, Schmitt fell back into his chair, an air of defeat hanging around him. His voice was low, barely carrying through the room. "So you two really did care, huh?"
Slowly letting go of both Kirito and Yolko, the vice commander faced the Dragon Alliance member. She scrutinized the man, going over both his posture and expression.
In the corner of her eye, she could spot Kirito massaging his neck while Yolko had all her attention on Schmitt.
The lancer sat before them, fists trembling in his lap. He took long deep breaths; likely the only thing keeping him relatively composed.
"What do you say to these accusations, Schmitt?" Asuna questioned, brokering no room for excuses.
Schmitt sighed, hanging his head low. "I- I did it. I helped kill Griselda."
Silently, Yolko's face contorted in disgust. Her voice was like a blizzard, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "Why?"
"I didn't want her to die… I never wanted to be part of that!" The lancer cried out, his foot slowly tapping the floor. "Someone… Someone paid me a lot of money. More than enough to get the gear needed to get into the Holy Dragon Alliance. All I had to do was bind a crystal to the inn Griselda was staying at. Then I had to put the crystal in the guild shared storage."
"I see." Everyone in the room was startled by an unfamiliar voice. At the windowsill sat a newcomer in a dark cloak. His hood was down, leaving his features unobscured. "So that's how it happened."
"Caynz!" The blue haired player lit up at the familiar face, but quickly shifted her gaze, unable to look at the man.
Stepping into the room, Asuna kept a close eye on him, unsure of his intentions. Even with the reveal that there was no real killing in the safe zone, Yolko and Caynz were still cunning players.
"I guess things didn't go exactly as expected, but there are worse ways this could've gone." The brown haired player laid a hand on Yolko's shoulder. He then addressed Asuna, resignation in his voice. "I take it you saw through us? As expected of the vice commander of-"
"No, uh. It was Kirito who noticed, not me." Pointing at the one handed swordsman, Asuna awkwardly smiled at the high expectations, unsure on how to react.
Caynz blinked, taking in the unassuming player. "Oh."
"Yeah…" Kirito spoke carefully. "As I mentioned, I have a theory regarding Griselda's death. With Schmitt's admission, we already know the method of killing. However, there's two details that've been overlooked."
Stepping towards the center of the room, the solo player closed his eyes. "One, the fact that the teleport crystal given to Schmitt was deposited in the shared guild storage. And two-"
A cough suddenly left Kirito's lips and he gently rubbed his neck, eyes traveling across the room. His gaze lingered on Caynz a moment longer than the rest. "Sorry… And two, the mechanics behind the marriage system in SAO."
'What was that about?' Asuna thought to herself. That was the second time Kirito randomly coughed without explanation. While a player could reflexively cough due to asphyxiation, it was impossible to choke on spit or catch a cold.
Waving the thoughts away, the vice commander focused on what Kirito had just said. It was obvious that the shared guild storage implied that the killer was still undoubtedly a member of the former guild. But the marriage system?
"Shared storage?" Caynz murmured to himself, sharing a look with Yolko.
At that moment, Yolko paled and covered her mouth. "No- he couldn't have!"
"Unfortunately, it's the most likely case. Within SAO's marriage system, you share an inventory space with your spouse. And in the event your spouse dies, the items in the inventory are transferred to the shared one." The solo player spoke gravely, crossing his arms.
Asuna could feel her heart dropping to her stomach. "The ring… it wasn't stolen to begin with."
"That's absurd! How could Grimlock of all people-!" Clenching his fists, Schmitt's armor clanged as he fought the urge to rush out the doors.
Standing in complete silence, Caynz slowly examined the gray dagger in Kirito's hand. One of two weapons provided by the very man who might have killed his own wife. "He was against us doing this. Trying to find out more about Griselda's death. But maybe… Maybe we misinterpreted his reasons."
"Then we ought to do something about it! Those weapons, you said Grimlock made them. We have to find him right away!" The lancer was already marching toward the door when Asuna intercepted him. The tall frontliner wordlessly stared down at Asuna.
The vice commander remained unintimidated however. Her own gaze surpassed Schmitt's by ten fold. Schmitt bit his lip, forced to rationally consider the situation. Asuna knew this wasn't a time for words. Not when dealing with players like him.
Shutting his eyes, the frontliner drew a deep breath and slumped his shoulders. Taking a step back, he returned to his seat, scowl marring his face.
"With that settled," The player in black addressed the group. "We do need to confront Grimlock. And with that, a plan as well."
Walking over to stand beside Kirito, Asuna nodded her head. "Yolko, Caynz. Tell us everything you can about Grimlock."
X X X
It was the start of night, the sun having just set. NPC and player activity alike had died down and the town square had a fraction of the usual occupation. Asuna and Kirito sat on a bench in front of a large ornate fountain. The water glowed bluish orange from the lamps surrounding it.
The fencer sat with her hands in her lap, watching nothing in particular. Rather, she was lost in her thoughts. Like a thunderstorm in the middle of a turbulent ocean.
'To think that Grimlock may actually be the killer. It just doesn't seem real.'
Asuna lamented what was lost to this horrid death game. People were dying, be it in body or in mind. A long time ago, Asuna once said she didn't want to lose sight of herself. In fact, she'd said those words to the very player beside her now.
She glanced at the boy, wondering if she could catch a glimpse of what was going through his head. Kirito was stoic, eyes traveling across his menu. He double checked items, went through his skills, and read through old messages. He was precise and consistent. Like a master of all things combat related.
Returning her gaze to the water fountain, Asuna frowned. Times like this, she was reminded exactly why Kirito was such an infamous player. How he could survive and even thrive on his own.
Despite that… Today was different. No matter how skilled, swift, or observational Kirito was, there was a limit when faced with something completely unheard of. To be able to see through Yolko and Caynz' deception so easily. It was almost inhuman.
It reminded her of a conversation she had just two days ago. A conversation with one of the few people who'd claim to know Kirito.
X X X
4/10/2024 - Floor 57
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me." Taking a seat, Asuna smiled at the player.
She had black hair, ocean blue eyes, and soft features. To the unsuspecting gaze, one might even describe her as demure. This naturally clashed with the high quality cobalt blue armor. Or the decorated shield and sword hanging off her back.
The guild leader of the Restored Moonlit Black Cats shook her head and returned the smile. "I'm happy to help. Does this have to do with the guild's participation in future boss raids?"
"Er, well. Not quite." Asuna absently brushed down her skirt before taking a sip of water. It had only been four days since the Restored Moonlit Black Cats were evaluated for joining the assault team. From what the vice commander gathered, it took Sachi a long time to build up her guild to rejoin the front lines. "But congratulations, nonetheless. Very few small guilds are able to successfully join the assault team. Especially with how… new yours is."
Sachi held her own glass, swirling the water with slow motions. "Thank you. I'm very proud of how far we've gotten. Learning to overcome fear. Fighting for the sake of all players. Each member is absolutely irreplaceable."
"I hope I'm not overstepping any boundaries, but I was curious about that. A particular member of yours. Technically, an ex-member." Asuna didn't hesitate to broach the purpose of the meeting, but it still made her cringe on the inside. If the guild leader spit in her face and left, Asuna would understand completely.
Contrary to all her expectations, the swordswoman giggled, covering her lips with a dainty hand. "Sorry, it's just, I think I know exactly who you're talking about."
Settling down, the guild leader set down the cup without drinking anything. "Kirito, even if he's no longer a member, he'll always be an honorary one. Is there something specific you want to know about him?"
Being early in the morning, the restaurant was completely empty. Asuna could spot a lone NPC wait a table across the room.
"I've known Kirito for a while. We first met back on the first floor, just before the battle with the floor boss." Pursing her lips, Asuna watched as the swordswoman listened attentively. "I thought I knew him fairly well, so I was pretty shocked when I learned he joined a guild. It came out of nowhere and I still don't quite understand it."
Sachi hummed, considering the vice commander's words. "It actually took a while for him to join the guild. For the first month or so, he only helped the guild, focusing on grinding on higher floors."
'Only helped…?' It seemed baffling to Asuna. This was the player who refused to join any guild. And he was given plenty of offers, even when he was most infamous. 'I thought for sure…'
She could remember the moment as though it were the day before. The strategy meeting for the boss of floor 26 was a changing point for her time in SAO. She joined a guild. And not only that, she became the second in command.
Her skills and efforts were recognized and she was given the power and authority to match. Before, she was technically a solo player, even if she often worked with other players like Kirito and Argo.
And when the Knights of the Blood Oath were revealed to the rest of the Clearers, an invisible, but undeniable divide formed between herself and Kirito.
At the time, she often wondered if Kirito felt betrayed by her choice. Especially when she learned that he declined to join Fuurinkazan when given the offer from Klein.
'Did our solo party mean that much to him?'
And so they drifted apart.
'What made the Moonlit Black Cats so special? What makes Sachi special?'
"At first, I wondered if he helped us out of pity. Or maybe a sense of responsibility." Asuna snapped out of her thoughts, brought back by Sachi's musing. "And maybe it was like that in the beginning. But, at some point, I realized why he stuck with us. Why he joined our guild."
Though Sachi wore a smile, her countenance was utterly sorrowful. When she met Asuna's gaze, it was like the world bore down on her shoulders. The vice commander didn't flinch nor turn away. "Sorry, I don't think I can say any more. But… but I will say this. Please look out for him. There are times when he is impossibly burdened. And I don't think I can be there for him. Not until I'm stronger."
Asuna blinked in surprise, taken aback by the request and admission. Sachi was by no means a weak player. She had both the skill, levels, and willpower to contend with many of the best players in the game. And she was no rookie. Though she'd been away from the front lines ever since the Moonlit Black Cats were initially disbanded, she was as sharp as ever.
But it was clear to her now, that Kirito was definitely hiding something. It wasn't any of her business. Frankly, even meeting with Sachi like this was crossing some lines. But the swordswoman's words only reinforced her conviction.
"I'll do just that." Asuna rested a hand on her breastplate, reassuring smile on her face. "It's the duty of the commander to look out for her troops. Be they a part of the guild, or in the Assault Team as a whole."
The doors to the restaurant slammed open. A girl with brown hair and a white cloak stumbled in, almost falling on her face. "Sachi, we've got trouble!"
Asuna could feel her muscles tense as the guild leader addressed her compatriot. "Yes? What is it?"
"Ei- Nautilus got stuck trying to climb the bell tower! We have to help him down!" The girl dramatically pointed in the direction of the tower with a sweeping movement.
Internally, the vice commander noted that the player sounded familiar. But she couldn't quite place the name.
"Ah, I see." Sachi inhaled deeply, gently fiddling with her white gloves.
X X X
There was one last thing Sachi mentioned before they departed. Something about watching for Kirito's energy. Asuna had absolutely no idea what that was supposed to mean, but she wouldn't discount the words of one of the few friends Kirito had.
The aforementioned solo player had closed his inventory and gazed into the night sky. He wasn't frowning or scowling, but there was a tenseness to his features.
Perhaps, with his double and triple checking done, he was left with nothing but his own thoughts. Soon, they would expose a killer, so Asuna could empathize with his discomfort.
It suddenly occurred to her that she had just the thing for this sort of situation. Opening her own menu with a short hand movement, she navigated to the inventory and found two high quality sandwiches.
If not for the death game she was trapped in, cooking and crafting surely would've been her pride and joy. Make no mistake, she put the most amount of time and effort into honing her skills as a fencer and commander. But, taking a page out of Kirito's book, it was her own way of relaxing.
"Here." She held out the sandwich wrapped in lavender paper. It crinkled in her grip.
The boy stared at the item, eyes widening a fraction. He reached out and took the sandwich, giving her a surprisingly grateful expression. "Thanks."
As Kirito unwrapped the item, Asuna was about to warn him about the low durability; it was completely unnecessary as he dug in with gusto.
The vice commander watched in awe as Kirito scarfed down the meal in a matter of seconds.
'Jeez, couldn't you at least savor it a little?' Not that she could say those words aloud. Not when the durability of her own sandwich was quickly draining. Instead, she silently ate her own meal, watching as Kirito wiped his mouth with the side of his index finger.
"Thanks again." Finally, the solo player broke his stoic exterior, a satisfied grin pulling at his lips. "You really are a good cook."
Asuna could feel the heat rise to her cheeks as she did the best to fight it down. When that failed, she simply hid her face with the remaining sandwich, slowly chewing to keep up appearances.
'At least he appreciates the effort I put into-'
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the compliment truly registered in her mind. Kirito praised her cooking. 'He knows that I made the sandwiches. How?! This is the first time I've ever given him something I made! Not even my fellow guildmates know I put time into cooking.'
Again, she was struck by the sheer level of perception and investigative skills Kirito held. It was odd enough when, seemingly out of nowhere, he foiled Yolko and Caynz' plan. And to a lesser extent, when Kirito spoke about the Cardinal System when dealing with floor 56's field boss. To think that the key to defeating the boss lay with the very NPCs she wanted to use as bait.
Maybe it was time for her to take the initiative.
"Say, Kirito. How did you find out Caynz faked his death?" Throwing out the question, Asuna kept a close eye on Kirito's reaction. Much to her disappointment, it wasn't much of a reaction at all.
Leaning forward, he rested his chin on his palm. "SAO is inherently a fair game. Sure, there's aspects of it that are severely flawed. But things like safe zones? Immortal objects? They're constants. Immutable facts within the game. Unless Kayaba himself changes it, there is no way a player could die in a safe zone."
"So that got me thinking. If I wanted to fake my death, even just for a moment, how would I do that?" Running a hand through his hair, the solo player let out a breath. "I was really shocked when I realized how much overlap there is between the particle animation between consumable items and player deaths."
Asuna was dissatisfied with the answer. It certainly explained things, but it seemed so… incomplete. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought Kirito was lying to her. The fencer doubted she could pry much more on that front, so she had to try again from a different angle.
"What about Griselda's death? Not even I knew about the shared inventory space between married players. Do you happen to have experience with that?"
Kirito had the gall—the gall—to chuckle at the very serious question. He shook his head, mirth twinkling in his eyes. "Hardly. It's something I learned about a while ago and never forgot. I'd like to think it's one of my stronger traits. My memory, that is."
Without warning, the smirk on Kirito's face vanished into thin air. He let out a long, quiet sigh, returning his gaze to the starless sky.
"Are you… okay?" She hesitated, almost reaching to touch his shoulder. And that hesitation cost her. Asuna didn't know what, but that brief window of opportunity came and went like a star falling from the sky.
"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" The solo player opened his inventory, quadruple checking his items.
Wincing, Asuna watched the water of the fountain ripple. "It's nothing."
X X X
The forest was flooded with mist. Gangly trees hung menacingly above, like ancient hands reaching out. Dead leaves carpeted the ground, only broken up by gnarled twigs and ashy dirt.
Asuna stood with her hands on her hips as she searched for the illusive Grimlock. Her jaw tightened as frustration began to bubble up.
'Where could this guy be?! We've been combing through this forest for ages!'
The vice commander knew that in actuality, very little time had actually passed since they started looking for Grimlock. But that meant little in the face of this disorienting forest.
"Hey, Asuna?" For the first time in ages, Kirito spoke up. For a moment, the fencer was hopeful that he might've spotted the player killer with his keen observation skill. But alas, the mildly confused expression on his face told otherwise. "Could you, uh, go over the plan? I just want to double check something."
"What?" Asuna couldn't believe her ears. Kirito, the most competent solo player, was asking to 'go over' the very plan he came up with. If he was trying to make sure Asuna still remembered the plan, she would've been insulted.
This didn't seem like the case.
The perplexity Kirito once had slowly shifted into consternation. He bit the inside of his cheek—eyes narrowing. Sensing the significance of his question, Asuna quickly rattled off what had been discussed hours ago.
"According to Yolko, Grimlock is currently hiding somewhere on the 19th floor. This is because she and Caynz planned to confront Schmitt at Griselda's grave. So, while the three of them pretend to keep to their plan, we find where Grimlock is hiding." Throughout Asuna's explanation, the solo player's face lost color.
It took Asuna a couple seconds to realize it, but Kirito was fearful. Not scared or anxious, but overcome by dread. He responded, voice just above a whisper. "What direction are they?"
Delaying for an instant, the girl wanted nothing more than to interrogate the solo player. But, she chose to trust Kirito. At least, enough to give a proper explanation later. Raising her arm, Asuna got ready to run. "This way."
Bursting forward, Kirito had already drawn his sword. The flash easily kept pace, but the sheer vigor Kirito committed was beyond shocking.
They dodged past trees, leapt over logs, and maneuvered through uneven terrain.
'What could possibly have upset Kirito this much? What did he realize?'
In record time, the two could spot the grave of Griselda, placed at the foot of a large tree. Ahead, the three players stood with one another. Yolko and Caynz both had their hoods down, so it must've been past the part of the act where they revealed to have faked their deaths.
Caynz spotted the incoming players first, brows scrunching in concern. His fellow ex-guildmates followed his attention and were equally puzzled.
"Schmitt!" Kirito shouted with a clarity and authority Asuna had never heard from the player. "Dodge!"
The vice commander watched in astonishment as Schmitt not only followed Kirito's command, but overdid it; the lancer found himself shoulder tackling Caynz to the ground. And since Caynz stood shoulder to shoulder with Yolko, she went down with the two.
Kirito and Asuna skidded to a stop as they reached the three players, guards up. The lancer carefully untangled himself from Caynz, rubbing his forehead. "Uhg… what was that for-?"
Between Schmitt and Kirito was a single dagger sticking out of the ground. A dagger that would've surely hit had it not been for Kirito's timely intervention.
The Dragon Alliance member swifty evaluated the situation and drew his weapon. A large silver lance, embroidered with gold and blue details. It seemed to glow, even in the foggy environment.
Asuna could feel her heart thrumming in her chest. Holding her sword aloft, hazel eyes scanned the surroundings.
"Is that…?" Yolko pulled out her own sword, keeping it close to her chest. The blade shook in her hands even as Caynz guarded beside her, back to back.
Not once did Kirito deviate from searching for the hidden player. Yet he was able to answer Yolko's question all the same. "Poison Dagger- don't touch it. It has a paralysis effect."
Slowly, the group of players gathered, covering all angles. An impenetrable defense. Especially with three front line players in the mix.
Holding her breath, Asuna allowed herself a brief glance at Kirito. Catching it from the corner of his own vision, the solo player answered the unasked question.
"In hindsight, it should've been obvious." His words were almost disdainful. "Grimlock is still a green player, meaning he isn't above hiring PKers to do his dirty work. Obviously, the only reason he worked with the three of you was to eliminate the remaining witnesses."
'So that's why.' Asuna clenched the hilt of her rapier, revulsion washing over her. 'How could we have missed it? Why didn't I see it sooner?'
Groaning in frustration, Kirito lowered his sword. "Whoever Grimlock hired isn't here anymore. But we should probably play it safe and teleport out of here."
"But what about Grimlock!" Schmitt was unmoved, lance ready to strike. "We can't let him get away with this!"
"Grimlock… unfriended me." Yolko stared off to the side, her user menu opened.
Kirito hummed, nodding to himself.
Caynz sheathed his blade, wrapping an arm around Yolko's shoulder, holding her tight.
Schmitt let out a defeated sigh, allowing himself to fall into resignation.
Watching this all, Asuna could feel frustration lingering beneath her skin, raring to be let loose. She clamped down on it, lowering her own blade as well.
Ultimately, they failed.
X X X
Sitting on the edge of the building, Kirito looked down at the players and NPCs below, countenance stiff. He would periodically clench his left hand, as though he was squeezing a stress ball.
Asuna awkwardly sat beside him, unsure of what to say. As soon as the group teleported to the 57th floor, the solo player departed for the highest point in the city. The vice commander was only given a brief moment to give the ex-Golden Apple members an apology before following after him.
She was stuck. Kirito was clearly bothered by the situation, but it's not as if everything went horribly. They tried to capture Grimlock, but instead fell into his trap. One that Kirito successfully recognized and prevented. Not a single fatality in what could've been a bloodbath.
Yet, at the same time, a player killer was still on the loose. Sure, Schmitt was informing the Holy Dragon Alliance about it. And she would to the Blood Oath as well.
'Is Kirito blaming himself for failing to catch Grimlock?' If so, then he was being far too hard on himself.
…
All these thoughts; she wanted to share them all with the boy. She certainly could have. Asuna was the vice commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Lightning Flash. Veteran front line fighter, since the very first boss.
But Kirito was a solo player. Constantly in danger and had attended just as many boss fights as her. If there was anyone who knew the logical and tactical facts of the situation, it'd be him. So, in truth, she couldn't say what she was thinking. For surely he would've thought it already.
Regardless of her worries, it was still her duty as a leader to help Kirito. So, if she couldn't come up with a way to help him now, she resolved to do so in the future. And that started with one simple request.
"Hey, Kirito? Can you friend me? I mean, it's just for convenience. Not like we're forming a party or-"
"Sure."
Asuna nearly lost her balance. 'That was easier than I thought it'd be.'
And just like that, her menu had a new notification. A friend request from the solo player himself. The vice commander was quick to accept, just in case Kirito changed his mind.
"Well, I'm going to bed." Giving no warning, Kirito hopped off the edge and landed on the path below, startling several meandering players.
Closing her eyes, Asuna calmed herself down with measured breaths. 'It is getting late. Tomorrow's another day.'
Interlude: Lisbeth
6/24/2024 - Floor 48
The grindstone spun, smooth and unyielding. A single blade was held up to the machine, sparks fluttering from the contact. Lisbeth watched carefully, grateful that she didn't have to wear eye protection.
Soon enough, a satisfying ding let her know that the rapier was in tip top shape. Removing the weapon from the grindstone, the player gave it one last look. Had the lighting in the room been better, she was sure it would've glowed.
Sure of her work, Lisbeth held out the blade to the only other occupant in the smithy.
"Thanks a bunch, Lis!" Asuna took her blade from the blacksmith, eagerly returning it to her side. After which, she handed over the payment for the repair.
"Sure, anytime." Lisbeth grinned, all too happy to help a friend. The grin soon left her face when a thought popped into her mind. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be out hunting with the guild today?"
The vice commander flinched, clasping her hands together. "Well, yeah… but I'm taking the day off. I sort of have this meeting with someone."
Bringing a gloved hand to her chin, Lisbeth heavily scrutinized the fencer. "Really now. What's the special occasion?"
"It's nothing like that." Asuna waved her hands in denial, chuckling nervously. "Seriously, I'm just hanging out with a friend. I want to help him out, that's all."
'It's not like Asuna to be so unconfident. Wait, could it be?!' The blacksmith raised a brow as she gave the fencer a suggestive smirk. "Hm-hm-hm. I bet you want to help him out."
Rather than react with further embarrassment however, Asuna merely sighed. "Well, yeah. I do, but I don't know where to start."
Lisbeth blinked, reevaluating the situation. 'Huh, trouble in paradise? Then it's my civic duty as Asuna's friend to lend an ear.'
"Do you want to talk about it?" Broaching the subject, the pink haired player waited for Asuna to respond.
"Yeah. I guess I do." Unceremoniously falling onto the large step leading to the door, Asuna sighed again. "There's this player, a fellow member of the Assault team. A friend of his asked me to look out for him, so I did."
Rubbing the hilt of her blade, the vice commander stared into nothing. "I'd known him for a while, so I thought it would be a piece of cake. I'm such an idiot."
Lisbeth nodded along, listening to Asuna. It was concerning to say the least. At first, she thought Asuna was having boy troubles. This sounded a lot more complicated than that.
"At the beginning of the month, we worked together on a case. It went really well, all things considered, but he's really beating himself up over it. And I can't tell him that it'll be alright, because that'd be a lie." Letting go of her sword, Asuna returned her gaze to Lisbeth, frustration written all over her.
"I'm sorry to hear that." And she was. While this mystery boy clearly had troubles, Asuna seemed just as troubled over that boy. Lisbeth would've loved to tease her more about that, but there was a time and place.
The morning bell rang, letting the two players know it was 9 O'clock.
Wiping away her sorrows, Asuna leapt to her feet. "Thanks for listening to me, Lis. I really appreciate it. Anyway, I have to go. See you later!"
"See ya!" Lisbeth waved at her friend before turning back to her smithy. The supportive smile on her face slowly dropped as she looked at the cork board in the corner of the room.
'She really cares for that boy, even if it's not romantic yet. I wonder if I could care for a boy like that.'
Softly gripping her dark blue broach, Lisbeth exhaled wistfully. 'And maybe there'd be a boy who'd return that care.'
The blacksmith frowned, considering her tomboyish personality and unimpressive looks. Then, she thought of Asuna. Brilliant flowing hair, beautiful face, vibrant hazel eyes.
Her own most striking attributes, pink hair and eyes, were merely cosmetics.
'Yeah, fat chance.'
