Dungeon Oratoria Online

by asdf1asdf1

DOO is the first game to be created in a long awaited category, a VRMMORPG. Follow Kirito and co as they seek to clear out the depths of the dungeon located beneath the city Orario. However, this game is no mere entertainment, it's a real world, where death in the dungeon means death for your body. The only way they can escape the game is to clear the bottom floor of the dungeon.

34. Chapter 31

Author's Note:

Soo... This chapter is what, a week late? There was a period of time I had restricted time to write, plus I struggled to compose the other story I'm alternating chapters with. I would say it won't happen again, but let's be honest, it defintly will. ;)

Anyhoo, not too sure on this chapter. Some parts I think are pretty good, others are... I'm not too sure. It should make the Bell fans happy as my ultimate goals come slowly closer to fuition. Muwahaha.

And yeah, yeah, a lot of drama, I'm trying to tone it down. I think the worst is behind us in that regard.

Well, enjoy, or don't I suppose. Either way I'll attempt another update in two weeks.

Later,

-asdf

---

Chapter 31: Motivation

Kirito:

"T-This… Level four…" Staring at the stack of paper's in Eina's hand, my heart sank again. My mind was currently struggling to piece together what a level four amazon would even fight like. The years of practice that they had made each one an insane warrior in their own right. I knew firsthand how punishing it could be to fight one head on with an equal status. To be a level behind…

"Yes, the level up was just reported a few days ago… With it, the guild made the decision to increase Ishtar familia's rank…"

To S.

Were the unspoken words Eina didn't say to my stricken face. The guild may have bestowed Hestia familia a rank of C, but we were the smallest familia with that rank. To fight a familia that was not one, not two, but three ranks higher. The thought was hard to imagine. They sat on top of Orario with the likes of Loki, Freya, and Ganesha.

Swallowing back the fear that was making me second guess my promise to Take-Mikazuchi familia just twenty minutes ago, I spoke instead. We would need more information to figure out how to do this. "How many… How many upper-class adventurers do they have?"

"…Why are you so interested in Ishtar familia all of a sudden?" Eina asked instead. Her emerald eyes stared at me warily. It was another reminder of how far our relationship had collapsed in the past few weeks.

"…"

"If you think you can get one of them to join your… your harem, you are out of your mind!"

"Must you always assume the worst?" I grumble back. "I'm not trying to expand my harem, but…"

"But?" Eina asked, her cheeks slightly tinged with embarrassment.

"It is about a girl."

"Kirito!" Eina groaned loudly, running a hand down her face, knocking her glasses askew. Opening her mouth, probably to start another rant, Eina stops and shakes her head. "No, you're right, it's not my place. Now let us see…"

Surprised to get no further questions, I wait as Eina consults her list.

"One level four captain, seven three elites. Those eight, form the central core of warriors known as the Berbera. Besides them there are another forty-seven level two adventurers and sixty-six level ones."

A bit of quick mental math brought the astounding total to my mouth. "One hundred twenty-one adventurers…"

"Registered combatants anyway," Eina adds on with a slight grimace. "Most of the prostitutes in the pleasure district are technically level one non-combatants."

Nodding my head, I didn't bother including them in my tally. Chances are the large majority of them were women and men simply looking to scrape out a living. "Hey Eina… Is there a girl named Haruhime on their member list?"

"Hmm… Haruhime eh? That's the girl this is all about? Sounds far eastern." Despite her complaining, Eina still dutifully looked through the list. "Not on here. If she's in the familia, she's a non-combatant."

No surprises there.

One doesn't typically register their secret weapon on a publicly available list. Besides, with your race showing up, I'm sure it was the first place Argo went for information.

"Hey… Kirito…"

"Hmm? Yeah Eina?" Returning slightly from my silent brooding, I'm shocked by the worry coloring her eyes.

"I… I know I wasn't exactly umm… supportive of your choice…"

That's putting it mildly.

"But… I don't want you to die!" Standing up abruptly, Eina grabbed my right hand with both of hers. Her eyes were fixed on mine. "I've lost so many adventurers already… A-and I mean, you may not be as shy as I thought you were initially… But umm… What I'm trying to say is…"

"It's alright, Eina." Giving her a smile, I lay my left hand overtop of hers, linking our four hands. "I'll train my butt off to come out on top."

"You promise…?" Eina asks weakly.

"I do. I'll help save the girl and come back alive."

"Okay… I believe you."

After another second, Eina hastily retracted her hands and sat back down. As our words died, a peaceful silence occupied the room. Taking a deep breath, I felt a part of me that I hadn't even realized was hurt, heal. It felt great knowing that my advisor was on my side.

"Umm… So why does this girl need help?"

"Ahh… I'm uh… Not sure if I can tell you…"

"Ki. Ri. To."

"S-Sorry!" As she punctuated every syllable of my name sharply, I realized I had no way out of this situation. "During the next full moon, her familia is going to sacrifice her to take her magic. Essentially."

"S-Sacri… They can't do that!" Eina exclaimed, standing up again. "The guild will…"

"Do nothing." I finish for her. "As usual."

Eina looked abashed but didn't reject my words. The law of familia was so powerful that the guild could only interfere with interfamilial disputes. Since Haruhime was a part of Ishtar familia already, the guild was powerless.

"I should be going now, I have a lot of things to do still."

"Stay safe."

"You too." Giving Eina one final fleeting smile, I left the room and aimed for the Church that I call home.

---

Bell:

Pacing down the streets at night, my feet carried me swiftly to the south. To the same place that I'd been dragged to yesterday. Only now, I went there voluntarily.

Over and over again, I heard Kirito's words. They echoed endlessly in my head, driving me forward. I couldn't understand. It made no sense. Familia above all. That was the rule of Orario. No, that was the rule of the world.

So why did everyone look so happy?

I couldn't remove those expressions from my mind. I had been moments away from blowing up on Kirito about his rash promises when I had noticed. Every single person, from the goddess Hestia, down to my supporter Lili looked thrilled with his decision to help this random girl.

It made no sense.

It wasn't logical.

Chances were, the whole familia would be dragged into a war that ended with our extermination. They understood that; Lili even mentioned it directly using her own rescue as an example. Ishtar familia was incomparably stronger than the drunks of Soma.

As Orario vanished under my feet, the thoughts never left. All too soon, the quieter night life began to bustle with life and light as I entered the pleasure district. With the streets growing more crowded, my feet naturally slowed. Head craning, I tried to find the district that Kirito had described.

Once again, the foreign, exotic sights and smells encroached on my senses. Each street had its own unique theme, or place it was modelled after. Buildings meant to resemble giant castles that if I remember correctly are from the North. While most places began abandoning castles after the gods came down and monsters were restricted to the dungeon; some of the more northern regions kept living in them.

Seeing some of these 'living relics' helped distract my thoughts. It wasn't long before the nature of the district I was in fled my mind and my head swiveled to take in the various buildings. As the castles faded behind me, the buildings changed again, this time they were low-slung and made entirely of wood. If my memory served me correctly, they were styled after the cottages of the fishermen from the south. The wood there was so buoyant that they could actually make their houses float on water! I hadn't believed it the first time I was told stories of that region… But seeing them now, I could totally believe it.

Before I knew it, I had a goofy smile on my face as the atmosphere changed again. "Ah," with a soft gasp, I had arrived at my destination. Kirito had mentioned them when describing the general area, but seeing Ajura plants again brought a smile to my face.

Walking close to one, I stroked the beautiful blue leaves with my finger. The dungeon plant came from the new world, brought back to the surface by my mother as a gift. It made me sad that I didn't know what happened to it.

Moving on before my thoughts dwelled too much on my mother, I moved my gaze from the majestic far-eastern buildings, down to the prostitutes that walked the street. Apparently, the girl would be in a line-up in one of these buildings.

Head sweeping, I continued my search. In short order, I arrived. The brilliant red kimono and dazzling golden hair stood out a mile away.

Golden hair.

This time it was impossible to stop the deluge of memories that assaulted me. It matched perfectly the girl that had joined that second rate familia. I could have cared less about the rest of them, but her, she was barely two years older than me and spectacular. She had been a large influence on my decision to begin begging weekly to become an adventurer. To become strong enough to be worthy of that speeding blade.

"Well Sir, have you made up your mind?" A woman asks me with a knowing smile on her face.

"N-No, I'm not…" Trailing off, I realized my mistake. This woman was carrying a clipboard with a quill. Most likely she was the one that handled the transaction and the money. She probably had a title that I wasn't aware of. "Umm… How much for the Renard?"

"Ohh… You have a good eye!" She praised me. The smile on her face didn't meet her eyes as turned to look at the girl in question. For some reason I got the feeling she was glaring at the girl.

Scary…

"As you can see, her delicate looks are first-rate. What say you to… 50,000 valis?"

"Fi… Fifty-thousand!?" I barely managed to choke out. "F-For the whole night?"

"That's right!"

"..." She's ripping my off.

She can tell I have no experience with this sort of thing, nor do I know how much it should cost.

"…Alright." Pulling out the purse I had taken from Lili's closet - I'll pay you back Lili! – I swiftly count out five of the 10,000 vali coins. Seeing such large increments, the woman's eyes widen in shock.

"Wow… You have quite a bit of money for an adventurer I don't know…"

"Haha…" Laughing weakly, there's nothing I can do except scratch my head. Waiting awkwardly, the woman lets me through the waist high gate as the other men who are eyeing the line-up whisper to each other.

In no time at all, I'm through the front door and into a reception room. But where'd the girl go? Frowning, I wasn't sure what to do anymore. With no instructions, I stood awkwardly in the center.

Just as I was sure something was wrong, an amazon burst in from the second door on the far side. "Are you the one here for Haruhime?"

"Uhh…. Y-Yes…" I stutter back.

"Right this way then!"

Following the amazon, I blush and avert her gaze. She wears sort of a mini cape that flows from her waist down to her feet. As she walks, the gossamer fabric sways back and forth, revealing what's underneath. Or more to the point, the clothes that aren't there.

"Oh, enjoying the view?" The amazon teased. "After Haruhime has past… err, I mean… After you're done, you can always buy me."

"Y-You!" Stuttering, my voice cracks from surprise. "B-But you aren't a…"

"I'm an amazon, aren't I?" The woman replies with a suggestive wink. "I take the men I like." While she spoke, she ran a hand down my cheek. "You have a cute face. I want to see what it looks like when its contorted with pleasure."

"Uh…" Left speechless, I could do little more than gape at this amazon that was being far too handsy.

"But you have an appointment first, am I right?"

"Y-Yes…" Wincing at how pathetic I sounded; I followed her dejectedly. I wasn't even able to stand up for myself. For not the first time, I realized how bad I was at dealing with women. As soon as they smile, my cheeks heat up and tongue gets all twisted.

As I enter another room, I'm surprised by how dark it is inside. I can barely make out the outline of the Renard kneeling on a cushion next to a low table.

"Good evening Master, you may address this humble servant as Haruhime."

In that moment, our eyes met. Her perfect emerald eyes glimmering like jewels are the exact opposite of my red ones.

Ah, I understand.

The resignation in her eyes. The thin mask she tried to conceal her anxiety with. She hated this job.

"If you wish to sit, I can serve you some tea. Or… If you want to proceed to the… the uh, main course, I can escort you to the back room…"

Main course!?

"T-Tea is just fine."

"Oh, thank goodness… Ah! I-I mean… Your wish is my command Master!"

"P-Please just call me Bell." I answer awkwardly, seating myself on the opposite side of the table from her.

"I-If that is your command… Bell."

This is so awkward.

I don't know where to look. Taking the cup of tea from her, our fingers touch just for a moment. As they do our cheeks heat up in a twin blush.

She's just as nervous around men as I am around women.

Wait a moment…

How is that possible?

"Umm… Just so you know, I don't want to uhh… Do anything."

With my cheeks on fire, I can't be anymore direct than that. I would melt into the floor if I had to say anything.

The girl tilts her head as a strange expression comes over her face. "Am I not to your liking, Mast… Er, Bell?"

"N-No, that's not it, you're very beautiful!" Trying to continue, and explain my reasoning, my tongue froze as the compliment fell naturally from my mouth in my haste to explain.

"Oh, t-thank you. I'm not sure if a customer has complimented me before… Usually they just umm…"

"Ahaha…" Laughing weakly, I can't fill the awkward silence. However, not explaining what I mean wouldn't just be awkward, it would be a new kind of pathetic. "What I mean is, I just want to talk to you."

"Talk…?" The girl looks perplexed. After another moment though, it seems the words sink in and that mask she was wearing slips away. "You'll spend the whole night talking to me!? Oh, I would love that! Ah, it will be just like I'm like the lady of the lake, and you're Artorius, telling me stories about the world beyond my lake for the first time!"

Lady of the lake…? Artorius…?

"Miss Haruhime… You don't happen to… Like hero stories, do you?"

"Absolutely!" She beamed back instantly. Her innocent eyes beamed with joy as she found someone to discuss her passion with. "They were my only way to interact with the world as a child!"

"I-I see… Were you perhaps… nobility back in the far-east?"

"You're very perceptive," the Renard blushed shyly. "I'm surprised you were able to tell. I've been in Orario for so long at this point."

It wasn't hard at all though…

Working the farm, I had come to appreciate how sheltered my old life had been, protected from the struggles most people had. Yet… This girl was somehow even more sheltered. I would have thought all that innocence would have been stripped away instantly in a place like the pleasure district.

"Are you… Really a prostitute?"

"H-Huh?" I could see Haruhime's mood drop like a rock. "So… You are after my body after all? Very well… I have enjoyed our talk."

"Huh? W-Wait…!" My words fell on deaf ears as she stood up in one smooth motion. With a practiced finesse, she began disrobing. The gorgeous red kimono loosening around her to reveal unblemished shoulders as pure as fresh snow.

Feeling like if I watched for another second, I would become ensnared by this ritual, I averted my gaze. Throwing up my hands in front of me, I cried at her, "please keep your clothes on Miss Haruhime!"

"Y-You…? I am confused." The girl admits as she sits back down roughly.

"I-I just thought that you seem… Innocent compared to the other girls."

"Hmm… That is because our circumstances are different…"

"W-What do you mean?"

She averted her eyes with a pained expression.

"Will you tell me how you came to Orario and ended up here?" Somehow, I knew that was the most important question. The one that would finally let me understand.

After a long pause, the girl nods and begins to relay her story. Speaking in a monotone, it's a struggle for me not to interrupt her. The Prum man in her story is clearly the villain here. As well as her father for giving her up. Yet Haruhime relays each detail of her departure with the same innocence.

How she 'sleepwalked' to eat the precious sacrifice for the shrine, how her father gave her to Prum as recompense, and then the monster attack. After being left behind by the Prum man who ran away without a care in the world, she was rescued by bandits. The next part beat them all though.

"They sold me to the pleasure district."

Sold. To Orario.

My hands shook with barely contained rage. This innocent girl in front of me must be barely fifteen, maybe sixteen. Based on her story, she was nine, or even younger when this all happened. While I was daydreaming about becoming the next great adventurer, this girl had been ripped from her home, and sold into becoming a prostitute.

"So… Ishtar familia bought you and forced you to work as a prostitute?" My teeth grind together.

"Yes. W-Well, the goddess sees this as an honourable job, so she says she is doing me a favour."

"A… favour?" If my jaw wasn't locked right now, I'd probably explode at the girl. Or maybe just the air in general. I can't get her eyes out of my head, even as I stare at my lap. How heartbroken she had looked when she stood to disrobe.

I want… to save her.

I don't know why it took me so long to see. Kirito had been right all along. It didn't matter that we were putting our lives on the line for someone we didn't know. This girl deserved a hero.

Her own hero.

I couldn't save my parents.

I couldn't save my idol.

I couldn't Rose.

But I'll be damned if I let this girl get sacrificed with that same sad smile on her face.

Holding up a hand to stop Haruhime's words, I smile at her. "So, what's your favorite hero story?" The change in demeanour is instantaneous. Her face lights up with joy as she delves into tales, some that I'd heard, others that I hadn't. Sitting back, I enjoy my tea as hours of conversation flow smoothly between us.

---

Kirito:

"Gah!" Coughing pathetically, I bent in two over the fist lodged in my gut. Without giving into the pain, I raised my right arm to deflect the second blow coming for my head.

Using the body of my assailant as an obstacle, I took a step around them so that my first attacker couldn't land a hit.

The mistakes of my previous fights had been painfully engraved unto my body by my teachers.

"Hiyah!" Not letting me get away, the person that had punched me in the gut, Mikoto, leapt over Sachi's head to hit me with a kick from above.

Forcing myself to match her speed, I struggled to avoid the unexpected attack. Rather than try and block the blazing heel, I rolled to the side. The rough stone of Orario's outer wall dug briefly into my shoulder before I came back up to my feet.

I had been astounded yesterday when Mikoto and Sachi had shown up, both wearing excited, slightly devious smiles saying they had found the perfect place. Once they had shown me though, it all made sense. The wall which was supposed to be off limits had an abandoned guard post with stairs to the top.

Now, on the second day of training, the noon sun beat down upon us with late summer heat. The wall was just thick enough that we could spar with comfort, sure that no one was about to tumble off a crenelation.

"Y-Yaah!" More hesitant than Mikoto, Sachi came in with another attack. While her moves were fine, they seemed obvious. Like she hesitated a little before attacking.

Smirking at the girl, I leaned to the side to dodge her fist. With her eyes going wide with shock, I answered with my own blow. Stopping right before her cheek, I couldn't bring myself to follow through.

"Ahh… Amazing Kirito." Sachi mumbled congratulatorily. "I mean, I knew from the eighteenth floor and before, but you really are something special."

"I-Its nothing," I assure the girl awkwardly. "Mikoto and you spent most of yesterday drilling footwork and basic forms into me. My higher status does the rest."

"O-Oh no! It took me a long time to even get that down!" The girl continued sincerely to my growing embarrassment.

Scratching my cheek, I was trying to compose a reply when a bloodthirsty aura came over me.

"Yaargh!"

Releasing a primal scream, a shadow leapt at me. Forced to roll again, I came up to a panting Mikoto turning around to lunge at me again. Unable to keep rolling, I tried to keep up with her moves. These weren't the throws that she had demonstrated briefly yesterday until we decided they would take too long to learn. This was the primal aggression that the amazons had used when fighting me.

Instantly, I dropped the pretense of fighting like a level two. Doing so would leave me as twitching lump for the next week. Using all of my agility, I attempted to deflect her blows. That was one of the first lessons she had inscribed upon me. Never take the entirety of your opponents attack unless you have to. It was something I had done against large monsters like the minotaurs but hadn't thought to apply to hand-to-hand combat.

"Graagh!"

Intimidated by the rage on the girl's face, I backpedaled a step. My confusion was crippling my ability to respond. Her usually clear, sincere violet eyes were now staring at me with unbridled disgust. "W-What are you doing…?"

"Fight back!" She roared in answer. "Use your status to wipe the floor with me!"

B-But…!" Protesting, I lost time to focus on my reply as the assault increased in intensity.

"Do you want to save her or not!?"

As Mikoto spoke, a tear fell from each eye. A solitary sign of her desperation. Unable to tear my gaze away from it, I didn't move as her fist tore into my face.

Getting thrown back, I landed roughly multiple metres back on my stomach. "Urgh…" Throwing a hand over the injury, I roughly propped myself up on one hand.

"Fight back!"

"…!?"

My instincts warned me just in time. Throwing my body to the side, Mikoto's bare heel cracked the stone where I had been laying. She transitioned that perfectly into another kick aimed at my still rising head.

Fine.

Feeling a pulse of anger flare through my body, my eyes narrowed to slits. Ducking back under her leg, I went on the offense. My right fist buried itself into Mikoto's gut.

Wondering if I had held back enough, my eyes widened as she barely flinched. Her body had endured years of strenuous training regimes, a single punch did nothing to stop her fighting spirit.

"Yeeeeah!" Spinning around, her elbow caught me in the shoulder.

"Hiyah!" Not giving up, on the fight, I struck back again. Putting my entire strength behind it, sent her flying. Mikoto's body bounced off the stone walkway twice before landing in a heap on the third.

Standing there, arm outstretched panting, the anger abruptly fled. "Mikoto!

"M-Mikoto!?" Sachi echoed my call, running over to her body before I could get there.

Stopping halfway, I watched as Mikoto peeled her body off the rocks. "Good… Much better…"

"Why…?" So many emotions flitted through me: guilt, resentment. Yet this was clearly what she wanted from me. To beat her into a pulp by abusing my superior status.

"I've been an adventurer in Orario for over two years now…" Mikoto's voice choked slightly from the emotion coursing through it. When she looked back at me, her eyes were pulsing with desperation. "It took me two years to do what you did in under two months! I can't… I can't save her. I'm not strong enough…"

"But I can be…" Finishing her line for her, guilt overcame me. I had thought I knew what was at stack when I promised them. Then when Eina had told me the strength of Ishtar familia. Finally, I had informed my familia yesterday of my decision where they all offered to help me, after some prodding.

Until now, I had never realized that the native adventurers should hate us. We could take their years of work and invalidate it over a period of months. Now, Mikoto was counting on my growth so that I could help save her childhood friend.

Walking over to her, I knelt down beside Mikoto and grabbed one of her injured hands. "I'm sorry. You're right, I haven't been putting everything into this training. But I swear to you now, I will do everything in my power to learn as I much as I can before we act."

"Ah…" Turning her gaze up to me, Mikoto began to cry silently again. "Thank you… Thank you so much! And I swear I will work just as hard to enable that!"

"I look forward to it." Standing up, I smile at the pair of girls. "Well, shall we go again?"

The two of them shared a glance before attacking at the same time. Forced into an awkward position, I struggled to deal with the simultaneous attacks. Humans weren't as easy to read as monster.

Before I would have said that my efficiency when fighting and my reflexes were second to none. It was those traits I relied on to defeat countless monsters and overcome numerous obstacles. It was now getting beaten into me, that this was only because I was fighting dumb monsters.

They may be living creatures, but they were little different than a computer ran AI. They froze at unexpected circumstances and always did the most logical thing.

Humans didn't.

They feinted, they adapted, they reacted. As I read their body posture and adjusted, they adapted to my changes. It was a ferocious world that I had only a little experience in.

The first was against the man in the benevolent mistress who was in Ikelos familia, my beta familia. After that had been the ambush by the hooded group. Then Zanis, Soma familia's leader. Finally, against that strange masked person on the tenth floor. Looking back at them, I was shocked that I hadn't died. There was so much to learn. So many improvements to be made.

As the blows continued to rain down upon me, my face began to change. The seriousness of the situation didn't leave, but I began to feel that sensation I had briefly forgotten.

Fun. A pursuit of the optimal, most efficient style that would allow me to defeat any opponent.

As my face split into a wide grin of enjoyment, I fought back. All the while not noticing the chills that ran down the girls' back in response to my reaction.

---

Bell:

"Urgh!" Groaning loudly, a force had landed on top of me. Opening my blurry eyes, the form of my Goddess, Hestia, slowly appeared.

"So, Bell."

Uh oh.

"Why is it, that when I get home after a loooong day of work, I find you sleeping?"

Because I was at the pleasure district all night.

Swallowing, I don't know what to say. I should just tell her the truth, but that look in her eye…

"Also! …Wait a second…" Sniff, sniff. "Bell… why does you room smell like musk?"

I never washed my clothes after returning last night!

"Uhh…"

"Bell…" The Goddess spoke with authority, her eyes glimmering with rage. "Did you go to the entertainment district last night?"

"I-I…" Remembering the power all deities possess, I swallow, before admitting the truth. "Yes Goddess, I did."

"Grr…" Jumping off the bed, she began pacing back and forth at the foot of the bed. "You're just like Kirito now! A cute, innocent boy joins my family and what's the first thing he does? Buys himself a prostitute! Trying to form your own harem, are you?"

"N-No!" I reject her quickly. I had abandoned that path a long time ago. The first time those mirror-like golden eyes stole my soul. But of course, that dream had collapsed around me a year ago, leaving me with only one inevitable path left, to destroy the dungeon and any monster that dares to draw breath. Last night had shown me how naïve I was. I sought power for power's sake.

No more.

I want to like the wind, like she was.

I want to inspire others, like he did.

I want to show kindness to everyone, like she did.

Now, most of all, I wanted to be a hero. A hero even greater than what he is becoming.

"I went to go see the girl. Haruhime."

"Huh?" Hestia jerked her head to stare at me with piercing eyes that would see through any lie I could try to fabricate. "You didn't sleep with her, did you?"

"Of course not!" I reply indignantly. "I just… I needed to know…"

"If Kirito was doing the right thing?" Hestia smirked at me.

"…Yes," I admit sullenly.

"Hmm, well it sounds like quite the tale. Roll over and I'll update your status while you tell me."

"A-as you wish." Doing just that, I watched Hestia grab the knife that was named after her to poke her finger. I don't tell her everything that happened, but I go through my thought process. How I couldn't comprehend how Kirito had rationalized sacrificing his familia for a random girl.

"And now?" Hestia asked.

Composing my answer took a long time. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine the ideal version of myself, who I wanted to be. As a child, it had been my father. An adventurer adored by everyone with a bevy of women that I'd saved begging for my attention. As I grew up, I still wanted to be an adventurer. That never changed. Except then it had been to impress a single girl. For the last year, my vision of the future was indistinct. Merely a black hole of suffering that I closed my eyes to. Finally, my eyes had been opened to a goal. What had Kirito said? He wants them to be happy.

I want more than that.

"I never want anyone to suffer as I have."

"You're not an ordinary boy, are you Bell?" Hestia asked quietly, still oblivious to my heritage. I never even managed to tell Lili the truth. Though how much she had guessed at this point was uncertain.

"…No Goddess, I am not."

"You know, your wish is an ideal right? It isn't possible."

"I know. I'm going to achieve it anyway."

"How are you going to start?" The goddess asked another question, the faintest traces of amusement breaking into her otherwise serious voice.

"By getting stronger. Stronger than anyone. Strong enough to achieve the impossible."

As my voice seeps through the room, I'm shocked by how strong it is. How confident it is. If I closed my eyes, just a moment, I could hear my father in it.

"I look forward to watching you grow," Hestia replied, breaking into a smile that I could hear. "I'm sure this new magic will help with that."

"Magic!?" The word shot me straight up. Unable to restrain myself, my face broke out into a huge smile. Taking the sheet from Hestia's hand, I preened with joy.

Bell Cranel

Level One

Strength: G 281 → G 290 Defense: H 142 → H 147 Utility: G 274 → G 280 Agility: E 407 → E 420 Magic: I 0 → I 0

Magic:

*New* Firebolt – Swift strike magic.

Skills:

Lia? Frie$? (Dark Desire) – A strong desire increases rate of growth. The stronger the desire, the stronger the growth.

My status growth was minimal since I had just had one a few days ago and hadn't been to the dungeon since then. Most of it was probably from getting chased by those amazons. However, that didn't matter.

I had magic!

Me!

Knowing that almost every other member of the familia had magic except me was also a little disappointing. As I smiled at the sheet now, I could scarcely remember those feelings. My body was itching to try it out.

"Thank you so much goddess!"

"I'm glad you're happy," is all she replied. "I felt like something would happen if I updated your status."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" I ask with a tilt of my head. The half smile I got in response, was the chilling one of the gods. An expression that contained knowledge of the secrets of the universe.

"Oh nothing! Anyway, do you know how to use your magic?"

"Of course," I reply, somewhat affronted. "I just say the trigger spell, and finish with fire-Mumphh!"

In an instant, Hestia had slapped her hand over my mouth, preventing me from finishing its name. "I didn't forget to give it to you or something. These was no chant. I believe when you say the name, the spell with activate."

My jaw dropped.

Staring into Hestia's serious blue eyes, I couldn't move. Long cast times of vulnerability. That was the downside to magic. Some people used concurrent casting, but that lowered its power due to not being able to properly channel a magic circle. Magic swords break and tend to be weaker. My magic had none of these drawbacks.

As I realized all of this, my mouth slowly morphed into a half-open expression of awe. "Umm… Goddess?"

"Yes Bell?"

"Are we done? I want to get changed and go to the dungeon."

Hestia chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "Yes, we're done. …Actually, do you know where everyone is?"

"They're gone?" Tilting my head in confusion, I honestly had no idea. When I got back from the pleasure district, I had almost ran into Kirito who was leaving No one else was up yet. "I guess they went to the dungeon. Wait, Lili and Yui too?"

"Yes," Hestia frowned. "Oh well, come downstairs and grab a bit of food before you leave though."

"Yes ma'am!" Replying happily, I threw my armour on with abandon.

---

Lisbeth:

*Six hours earlier*

Trying not to control my nerves, I raised my hand and brought it down against the hard, wooden surface. Despite the colour having weathered with age, the church door still resonated with a satisfying thudding noise.

"Coming!" A girl's voice rang out. Its pitch was distorted through the door, but I was sure it was Yui. The strange adoptive daughter that Hestia had taken in.

In short order, my guess was proven correct. The young girl greeted me with a beatific smile. "Hello Lisbeth. Did you bring another blade for Papa?"

Papa.

Hearing it again, I couldn't help but chuckle. I didn't think Kirito would have been the one to insist on being called that, but at the same time, he had seemed to be used to it. "Yeah, something like that, is he here?"

My heart fluttered somewhere between excitement and fear. I had another request I wanted him to take up with me. It had been a long time since we had adventured in the dungeon together.

"Nope! Papa's training hard so that he can save the girl!"

"Save who now?"

"Oops."

The guilty expression on Yui's face was incredibly cute. Almost cute enough to make me forget what she had just said. "Did Kirito get caught up in something major again?"

"Uhh…" Yui's eyes drifted to the side as she began to shuffle back and forth.

"Oh, is someone here?" A moment later, Leafa's head popped out from above Yui. "Oh, Lisbeth…"

Frowning, I didn't understand the guilty expression on her face. A moment later, it hit me. The weapons they had asked for. Based on how guilty she looked, there was no need to press the issue any further.

"Hey there, Leafa. Can I come in?"

"Of course. Why didn't you let her in Yui?"

She didn't ask," Yui pouted.

Laughing, I wave off Leafa's concern as I step into the entranceway. Despite this being my second time, it was still a struggle to believe that this used to a church. The interior had truly taken on the appearance of a home. Leaving my boots on, I made my way slowly to the table where Yui had already claimed one of the chairs. In no time at all, her nose was pressed into a large book that she must have been reading when I showed up.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" Leafa asked.

"No, thank you though. So… What's this about Kirito training to save a girl?"

"Ah," Leafa froze awkwardly while she poured herself a cup. "Yui blabbed to you, did she?"

Both of us looked at the small girl in question for a moment. Yet, despite a small tint of red colouring her cheeks, she didn't acknowledge the accusation in Leafa's words.

"I suppose it doesn't matter," Leafa sighed, sitting down at the table. "You're safe to tell."

"So, this is a big secret, is it?" I tease, trying to lighten the serious frown on Leafa's face.

"Kind of." With no more preamble, Leafa went straight to the heart of the matter.

"T-That's insane!" Spluttering, I couldn't find any other words.

"The poor girl…" Leafa muttered. "If it was me, I'd fight as hard as I could to escape."

"And go where?" I questioned. "That is her familia, her family that's making the choice."

"No real family would ever treat its members that way!" Leafa snapped back.

"Ahaha…" Laughing drily, I had no reply. This was clearly something we wouldn't agree on. I, like this girl, saw no clear way out.

"What are you yelling about?" Another voice entered the room. Tromping loudly down the stairs in the back, a dishevelled Silica appeared.

"Ah, that would be me," I tease.

"Oh, L-Liz!?" Silica squeaks in alarm. "I-I'm so sorry about earlier! I'm working really hard to get the money, and I-"

Holding up a hand to stop the tirade halts it instantly. Smiling at her, I wave at her to finish descending the stairs. "Have a late morning?"

"Huh? Well… Kind of."

"She was up late the night before," Leafa explained with a mischievous smile. "So she struggled to fall asleep last night."

"Leafa! You're making me sound like a child!" Silica pouted, crossing her arms as she sat in a chair in what were clearly her pajamas. The loose white shirt not quite covering her stomach was paired with fluffy gray pants.

"You don't need any help with that," I assure her.

"Argh! Why can't I hurry up and grow up! It's not fair!"

"Don't sweat it," I try and calm the girl who reacted more violently than I expected. However, a second later, the urge to tease rose again. Smiling nastily, I spoke the condemning words, "I mean, maybe Kirito has a Loli complex."

"Huh!?" Bolding upright form her chair, Silica shoved her finger in my face. "I-I am not a Loli! I'm just a late bloomer! You'll see!"

"Calm down Silica," Leafa ordered, a small smile touching her lips as well.

"Sorry, sorry!" I added on before she blew up again. With a huff the girl crossed her arms and sat back down, pouting.

As silence stretched, I finally asked the question I really wanted to know the answer to.

"So, where is Kirito?"

"Gone." Leafa sighed, clearly unhappy about it.

Nodding her head in agreement, Silica didn't look happy about it either.

"And… where is gone?"

"If I may," Yui broke in, looking up from book. "Papa has started a new training plan to toughen himself up when fighting against other people. He left early for the wall and if it is anything like yesterday, won't return until evening."

"I… I see. To save this… Haruhime, was it?" The vaguely Japanese sounding word standing out from among the exotic names in this world.

"Correct."

"Yupp."

"Grr…" Chewing on a fingernail, I stared at the table silently. I had planned on getting Kirito's help at the same time I gave him the magic sword.

Lifting my hand, I ran an uncertain finger down the hilt that was strapped to my back. I could just leave it here with them…

"So, why are you here, Liz?' Leafa asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Does it have something to do with that weapon on your back?"

Sighing, I unstrap it. "Yes."

Pulling it from the unremarkable sheath reveals the golden blade. The gasps I get are what I'm looking for. However… They still aren't Kirito's. I wanted to hear his genuine praise when his eyes fell upon it for the first time.

"Amazing…"

"I can practically feel its power from here…" Silica agrees.

"I can guarantee it's far stronger than the last one I gave Kirito!" I preen. "It can be improved… But I'm proud of it."

I felt a little cheap speaking the words. They hadn't come from me, but Hephaestus when I had gone to see the deity. It had originally been, 'There's room for improvement, but Lisbeth… You have many reasons to be proud.' All I had done was flip the perspective on the words.

"Amazing… Although can you really keep giving Onii-chan free weapons? Is he really paying you back enough for this?"

I was surprised at the genuine worry in Leafa's words and voice. At the same time, it was slightly humiliating to show up with another free weapon for Kirito when I had just denied their requests a few days back.

"It's alright, he's brought me quite a few clients…" Mind changing directions, I smile at the two of them. "I was going to ask Kirito, but if you two are free… Then would you mind taking on a request for me?"

"A… Request?"

"Yupp! I've heard of some popular spots to get ores in the dungeon and want to give them a go. If you help me…" Trailing off, I give them a big smile. "I'll make those weapons you wanted."

"R-Really!?"

"Wow!"

"You bet!" Flashing them a big thumbs-up, I stand up to join them. Around the corner of the table, we've made an impromptu triangle. "So, what do you say?"

Sticking my fist in the middle, it isn't long until two more join mine. The pact is sealed.

"Oh, only girls!" Leafa smiled.

"Yupp!" Silica agrees, her energy coming on quick. "We should have a name for it!"

"Like…?"

"Girls Ops!" Yui declares from the side. Pushing her book to the side, she clambers over the table to reach us. "And I'm coming too!"

---

Leafa:

"Y-Yui," Leafa stuttered, "You have no experience in the dungeon! We can't just bring you to floor…"

"13." Liz filled in the space.

"The middle levels are faaaaaar too dangerous!" Leafa continued. "Honestly, even the three of us may struggle on our own."

"Nah," Liz waved her off with a hand and a confident smile. "Three level twos? We'll be fine. The cloaks I brought could cover another person as well."

"See?" Yui declared happily. "Liz says I can come!"

"We can always ask Strea to come and protect her," Silica suggested with a shrug. "I doubt she'd let even a floor boss touch her. Also… weren't you…?"

Frowning, Leafa understood Silica's vague prodding. It was only two days ago, but it had been she that had subtly suggested turning Yui into a supporter. To start her off on the thirteenth floor though…

"It will be alright mama Leafa!"

"M-Mama Leafa!?"

"I possess the unique skill Missionary of ability let's me block attacks from any creature that I have not attacked."

"Umm…" Liz warbled awkwardly, knowing the information shouldn't have been spoken in front of her.

Yui picked up on this and turned her attention to the blacksmith. "It's okay Liz! I can tell your feelings for Papa are as strong as everyone else's!"

"W-What!?" Liz spluttered, blushing as hard as she had made Silica earlier.

"On another note, my Imouto Strea is not present and can not accompany us. I shall be perfectly safe with you three!"

Leafa stared flabbergasted at the small girl that was staring down at the three of them from her place on the table. Although she had teased Silica about being young and sleeping in, she had been half asleep herself when she heard Strea, Lili, and Hestia leave. She never heard Kirito's departure. On that note, where was Bell? She didn't remember hearing his voice and his boots were still in the entryway closet.

"I-I still don't know about this feeling thing, but you can't go to the dungeon in that." Liz spoke slowly, her composure returning.

"I'll wear Papa's coat!" Yui declared happily.

Again, Leafa had no response for the small girl's claims. While it was true that Kirito probably hadn't taken the thing training… They couldn't take it without permission!

"Then I'll grab Lili's backpack, and with Liz's shield, I'll be all set!"

"M-My shield?"

"Oh, you'll look good like that Yui!" Silica nodded. "Actually… I wonder how I would look in Kirito's coat…"

The black leather was approaching the end of its life. However, with the inside being lined with salamander wool, Leafa could attest to its efficacy. "Stop daydreaming."

"Ow!"

Chastising Silica with a soft rap to her head, Leafa couldn't help but wonder how she would look in the coat as well. The black folds fluttering menacingly as she cut down…

Shaking her head violently, Leafa tried to focus on the current problem. "Yui, we can't make this decision without…"

"Hestia's approval?" The girl cut her off as if she expected the question. Looking at Yui's superior smile, Leafa had a feeling the girl had been waiting for a moment just like this and had every answer she needed. "She said, 'Yui darling, you can do whatever your little heart desires'. So, I want to go to the dungeon as a supporter today!"

"Urgh." Leafa blanched. To her surprise, Silica was nodding seriously.

"Being an adventurer doesn't have an age limit…"

"You're on board with this?" Liz asked Silica in surprise. "I mean, she's your familia member…"

Ah, what would Onii-chan do…

Thinking that way, the answer seemed almost obvious to Leafa. Smiling, she turned to Yui and spoke confidently. "We could use help carrying the ore and… no matter what happens, I'll be sure to protect you."

"Hehe, you sound just Papa, Mama Leafa!" Yui congratulated her. Leaping off the table, Yui fell right into Leafa's arms.

"Uff! Now go get changed! You too Silica!"

""Yes!"" The girls shouted back together.

"Hehe, looks like someone is turning into a real leader." Liz teased.

"Y-You think so?" Leafa stuttered back, twirling a fragment of her growing hair in her fingers. She had always kept it short in the real world, but now… she hadn't missed the way that Kirito's eyes had tracked Asuna's long flowing blue hair as it swayed back forth. More so, she wanted to change it for herself. She wanted to differentiate from Suguha the kendo artist and embrace Leafa the adventurer. Growing out her hair was one way of doing that.

"Yupp!" Lisbeth confirmed. "You two are going to be the power siblings of the world!"

Siblings.

One look at them practically confirmed it. Despite only being cousins, they'd been born with the same hair and facial structure. Suguha comforted herself in the fact in the fact that at least Onii-chan considered them to be a couple.

Onii-chan.

Suguha realized with a grimace that this term of endearment that she'd clung onto didn't make it any easier for other people to understand their relationship. Yet the thought of giving it up was far more repulsive to her than the opinions of others.

"You alright there?" Liz asked as the noises of people scrambling upstairs rang down to them.

"Yes, my weapon is by the door, I am ready."

"That's not… never mind."

After that, silence fell again beside the sounds from upstairs. Playing with her armour, Leafa wasn't exactly sure why she had put on. Some instinct maybe. Or she was always going to go the dungeon, whether or not she had a party.

As she thought about her party, Leafa realized it had been a long time since she had gone with Yuna and Nautilus. The pair hadn't been brought along to the eighteenth floor. After that, they never found the time to meet back up again.

"Ahh, I can't take it!" Liz burst out. "What are all these deep thoughts you're having!?"

"Huh?" Sending a surprised glance at the girl, Leafa chuckled lightly. "Sorry. It has been awhile since I contacted the rest of my party is all."

"Oh!" Liz exclaimed. "I met them that one time in the middle floors! What are there names again… Yuna and Naughty?"

"Naughty? No, it's Nautilus." Leafa laughed alongside the blacksmith. "Anyway, I'm sure they are doing alright without us."

"Eh? You think they can survive without party leader Leafa? Or maybe I should call you Mama Leafa?"

"S-Stop it," Leafa pled. Averting her gaze in embarrassment, Liz's teasing smile was too much to face head-on.

"I'm here!" Yui's high voice proclaimed. Jumping the last six steps, she landed with a flourish. Kirito's coat went all the down to the ground when she wore it. While Leafa was glad it would protect her entire body… "Ah, the sleeves."

"They're no problem!" Yui assured her. "I'll just tie them up."

Rummaging through a kitchen drawer, Yui did just that with deft movements. In no time at all, she looked like a genuine supporter.

"Well… here you are then Yui." Liz announced, Passing over her own shield. "Take good care of it!"

"Will do!" The girl declared seriously. Standing up straight, she snapped Liz a military salute.

"Ah, sorry!" Silica apologized, throwing herself down the stairs. With her hair combed and in its usual pigtails, she looked ready for an adventurer.

"You know…" Liz commented, stroking her chin appraisingly, "You'd look way cuter in a skirt Silica."

"No way! Guys would always be bending over hoping for a look at… Ah, but maybe Kirito…"

"Liz," Leafa frowned at the blacksmith in disappointment. It wasn't that she was wrong, Silica would be cute in a skirt. But it wasn't exactly proper equipment for fighting.

"Let's go, let's go!" Yui prompted, bored with the conversation.

"Yes, yes." Exiting the church, Leafa frowned once back into its empty halls, wondering what everyone else had ended up doing.

---

Strea:

"Alone again… Huh."

The experience was both novel and familiar to Strea as she strode along the dim, rocky paths of the thirteenth floor. Sometimes, when she was on the verge of sleep, faint memories would pull at her conscious. A time when she was half formed. A reason why Yui was her older sister. Even scarier, were the moments when Strea felt like she was an invader in her body as well.

Right now, those thoughts were far from mind. A faint undercurrent of guilt lined her mind as she walked. She knew that the others, particularly Yui and Kirito, would grill her if they knew. Going solo into the middle levels was a risky proposition.

Even as their worried, disappointed faces floated to her mind, Strea's feet didn't turn around. Since the conversation yesterday, Strea struggled to sit still. She knew she wasn't the only one either, Bell had left in the middle of the night to do something. He hadn't returned until after Kirito left in the morning.

A large part of Strea had considered following Kirito to the training. To force herself into it as a participant. However, she knew enough that the action may impede with Kirito's goals, the exact opposite of what she wanted to do.

Still, Strea found herself unable to ignore this new sensation that had taken hold of her. It was like a fire in her chest. She blazed with the desire to fight. To prove her skill. To unleash a power that would allow Kirito to save this girl. Despite his efforts, Strea had keenly sensed what Kirito had hidden.

That a small part of him was still unsure whether this was doable. How many of them may die pulling this stunt off.

And so, Strea walked the thirteenth floor, searching for fight after fight. Searching for the power that would allow them to all return home safely.

"Hehe, then I can cradle Kirito to my chest!" Smiling at the thought, Strea loved the expressions the boy made when she did that. The embarrassment at war with his enjoyment. Strea couldn't help but wonder, if they were alone, would his embarrassment fade? Would they both be able to enjoy it to its fullest?

"But the girls are so mean!" Complaining out loud again, Strea threw herself at a hellhound that was unlucky enough to passing by. The dog monster barely had time to yelp before a gigantic sword bisected it, shattering the stone inside.

Strea hadn't brought a backpack with her. She didn't care to hold herself back today. She didn't need money, she needed power. And right now, the thought of their current living condition was driving Strea's wrath.

Hestia had pulled her, Leafa, and Silica aside and told them that entering another person's room was off limits from six at night until six in the morning. While Strea had been ready to fight the regulation, the other two had looked almost relieved!

"And Kirito isn't helping!" She wailed. This time, it was an Al-miraj that tasted the greatsword. With a vindictive smile, Strea drove the flat of the blade into the beast. The impact released a disgusting crunching sound as the level two monster's body was smashed flat. One second later, the remnants faded into ash along with the shattered stone.

That may have been the other part that was burning in her breast. Strea was confused about what was going on with Kirito and her. Despite his frequent looks, they'd never talked about it. Nor had Kirito ever actually confessed that he wanted her in his harem.

"I did sort of attach myself to him…"

She still wasn't sure why, but a thrill ran through her when she saw the boy. A thrill that only he generated. From the first time she had laid eyes on him until now. She knew they were bonded in some way. She just wanted Kirito to make it official.

"That's it!" Striking upon a brilliant idea, Strea's eyes gleamed with a passionate thrill. "I'll save the girl for him, and then he won't be able to resist me!"

Laughing from the thrill of success, Strea's chest burned even brighter as her feet sped up. In no time at all, she found what she was looking for. Leaving the ground, Strea's purple hair rushed around her as she fell.

With a grating noise, the ground she had passed through closed up again. Too impatient to find stairs, Strea had launched herself willingly into a dungeon trap in order to get to the fourteenth floor.

---

Lili:

"An… Attack?"

The news briefly startled the small prum girl. Sitting at the counter in a seedy bar, Lili's hands shook slightly. The motion sent a drop of Siral water from the cup she was holding onto her hand.

Unlike her usual rough hands that had been conditioned in the dungeon, these were smooth and flawless. The envy of any woman.

Lili was wearing her elf disguise.

With crystal clear blue eyes that shone like sapphires, and long blond hair, she looked nothing like her original self. The only problem Lili had with the magic was that she couldn't alter her height much. As such, she looked like an elf child. It was why she didn't use it except when she needed to be absolutely sure that no one would recognize her.

Right now, the man across the counter was leering at her with an expectant expression. "That's right. Word is Loki familia subjugated it."

"So that's what the smoke was…"

"You got that right." The man laughed loudly. "Now I'm not saying someone's suppressing the spread of information, but they ain't declaring anything either."

"…Do you know who is behind the attack?"

"I may… but, uh… patronage has been down lately. I've really had to tighten my belt… If you get my drift."

Lili scowled at the man. The statement was a blatant lie. The sleezy bar was busier than last time Lili had been here, and the barkeep's belly had expanded at least another inch.

With pursed lips, Lili slid 3, 1,000 vali coins across the counter. "Who's behind the attack?"

"Get this… The evils."

Lili understood why he whispered the last word. Even as it sent a chill behind her spine, she couldn't ignore the eager glimmer in his eyes. "I thought they were a rumour."

That was a lie.

Lili knew exactly that how real this bunch was. Rumours of their existence had been floating around Orario for decades. It made sense that dissident groups existed. The whims of gods controlled the masses. A jealous goddess could set Orario ablaze. Or, in this case, bored gods seeking entertainment would sit wide-eyed as the wills of the children clashed. Even the so-called 'peaceful' groups could butt heads, leading to property damage and worse.

Despite the useful information, it wasn't what Lili was looking for. She wanted something, anything to aid them on this desperate path Kirito had steered their familia unto.

"Not that I can complain…"

"What was that now, girl?"

"Nothing." Lili answered succinctly, standing to leave. Stopping once, she figured she'd try. "Actually… Have you heard anything about Ishtar familia?"

"Ishtar familia?" The barkeep seemed surprised. "What's to know except they have the best harlots in town?"

As expected from a man.

"You know, I was thinking about heading over to them once I closed the bar, but if you want to keep me company instead…"

"Tsk." Age really meant nothing to people here. Lili doubted she could pass for more than twelve in this disguise. With no limits on the age someone could become an adventurer, all barriers relating to children had essentially collapsed. "Find someone your own age."

"Bah. Trust an elf to mention Ishtar then go cold on you."

"You looking for information on Ishtar familia?"

Lili's eyes went wide. Approaching her was a Chienthrope girl. With dark brown fur and skin, it was no wonder the name the gods had given her, "Mud Hound Madl?"

"Hey! Looks like I have a fan!"

Lili clammed up before the overtly friendly Hermes familia member. On top of what their god did to Bell, Lili hated how neutral they were. The stance was suspicious. Especially in light of how he had been called 'Zeus' lapdog', before the deity fled the city.

"Well… Are you going to tell me?"

"Are you going to ask a question?"

"…"

Staring each other in the eyes, Lili didn't underestimate the chienthrope's true intentions for an instant. Rather than probing for information, it was Lili that was being probed for information.

"What plans does Ishtar familia have for the city?"

"Hmm… That's rather vague, don'tcha think? Why not just say it directly."

Narrowing her eyes, Lili wavered internally. While it was true that a member of Hermes familia had contacted Kirito directly… No, it wasn't worth it.

"I must be going."

Leaving the half empty cup, Lili turned away from the nervous looking barkeep and exited the pub. Outside, the late afternoon light assaulted her senses. "Day's almost gone…" Placing a weary hand to her head, Lili paced to her final destination. The long day had been disappointment after disappointment. At this point, there was little doubt left that no one knew anything.

The only strategy Lili could think of would be to infiltrate the pleasure district directly. Maybe seduce one of the prostitutes into revealing something. Even with her transforming magic, Lili knew that was outside of her skillset.

With a gloomy mood, she set out for the Blue Pharmacy. Ducking into an alleyway, Lili deactivated her magic before continuing. In short order, she arrived at the run-down shop right as it was closing. Nazha and Miach were in the process of locking up, happy expressions on their faces.

Lili hadn't been privy to the whole story, but from what she'd gathered, the familia had been on the verge of bankruptcy when Kirito and Hestia helped them out. It had become much more common to hear the store mentioned by adventurers discussing healing items.

While Dian Cecht would always be more famous due to the presence of Dea Saint, there was no doubt the Blue Pharmacy was on the rise. Some rumours even stated that there were members of Loki familia that preferred their products.

"Oh, hello Lili. If you were looking for potions… Can it wait until tomorrow?" Nahza asked in her seemingly lazy manner.

"Ah, don't be like that Nahza!" Miach scolded with a gentle smile. "We can always help out our closest ally."

Slightly confused by the warm greeting, Lili was sure that someone had informed the pair of Hestia familia's intentions. After all, Rain and Philia were in Miach's familia. Surely Kirito informed them of his intentions.

"W-Well… I wanted to get pricing for your most expensive potions. Elixirs in particular."

The two shared a confused glance. "W-While I would love to help you out," Miach admitted, "We still struggle to get the requisite drops from the dungeon since they are beyond our exploration range. As such, each one is expensive and can't be given away…"

"I didn't mean for free," Lili continued, "but for this upcoming conflict, I believe elixirs will be essential."

"Conflict?"

"S-Surely someone told you… Ishtar is sacrificing one of her members to try and take on Freya for control of Orario. Kirito and Hestia familia have decided to try and save the girl with the assistance of Take Mikazuchi familia…"

"…What did you say?" The voice was cold and froze Lili in place. It came from neither of the stunned people she was talking to. With halting, creaky motions, Lili turned her head to stare at the approaching pair.

Out of the shadows, Rain and Philia approached, backpacks full of ingredients from a brief trip into the dungeon. It was Philia's voice that had frozen Lili in place, however, Rain's smile was equally terrifying.

"U-Uhh… W-We're planning to rescue a girl…?" Lili weakly surmised.

"And where is Kirito at this moment?" Rain asked, stepping close to her.

"H-He's at the wall training in close combat fighting…" Lili managed to get out. "Actually… I think they're almost done for the day."

"Thank you, Lili."

"Dosvidaniya!"

"B-Bye…" Stuttering out the word, Lili could only watch, mouth agape as the girls left their backpacks with Nazha and went by the shortest route to the church.

As she struggled to get her mouth working to get the specifics from Nazha and Miach, Lili couldn't help but wonder whether she would still have a familia leader when she went home today.

"…Excuse me."

What now?

Lili ranted internally as she turned completely around to greet the newest newcomer. It was a girl with long, dark blue hair droopy eyes. In her hands was an envelope that she was proferring to Miach. A few steps behind her was another girl, with shorter red hair. Her piercing eyes were on Lili, evaluating her.

While Lili wasn't sure how the long-haired girl was, she knew this one from her time in Orario, "D-Daphne? Apollo familia?"

Her mumbled words were clearly too loud as she nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"T-This is from our god Apollo, please take it…"

"Oh," Miach smiled awkwardly in return. "This is… Ah, an invitation for a celebration of the gods. Be sure to thank him for me."

"I-I will try…"

Ignoring her companion's discussion, Daphne kept her eyes on Lili. "You, Prum, you are part of Hestia familia, correct?"

"T-That's… That's right." Lili agreed after a moment of hesitation.

"I don't have your invitation here as we weren't expecting you… but it will be delivered soon."

"…"

Saying nothing, Lili watched quietly as the pair of girls left. A celebration of the gods shouldn't be important, but… Lili had a bad feeling about this one.

---

Yui

"Drop. Already. You. Stupid. Ore!"

Each word was punctuated by a piercing clang. Slamming a mallet into a piton, Liz slowly but surely destroyed the dungeon wall in search of her ore. Each reverberation sent a nervous shudder through the assembled huddled members.

Well… All but one.

Yui stared wide-eyed at the dungeon while Liz worked. She knew the danger, but it did nothing to temper her excitement. Throughout the whole trip down to the thirteenth, she hadn't gotten to fight a single monster. A fact that disappointed her more than she let on.

Being in the place that she had only heard stories about up until know was amazing. She could see all the monsters in them come to life before her eyes. All while safe behind her skill.

"C-Can you hammer quietly, Liz?" Silica asked, her voice warbling in hear.

Each impact sent the sound of metal through the dungeon. It was one of the best ways to call monsters down upon you. The metallic noise echoed well and attracted many beasts. Even with the camouflage cloaks and scent cancelling items, monster would find them if they wandered into the room.

"Are you sure there is ore here?" Leafa followed up.

Unable to take the criticism any longer, Liz exploded. "Well it would go faster with some help!"

"Liz, your voice exceeded the minimum safe volume!" Yui happily informed her. "I believe we will have monsters coming in the next minute."

"…Damn it!" Liz cursed, blushing slightly as she recognized the truth in Yui's words. "Should we change positions?"

Yui, following the other two's lead, naturally gravitated her eyes to Leafa.

"Ehh? I-I don't know!"

"W-What do you mean? Some leader you are!"

"Everyone…"

"L-Let's just run!"

"Everyone…"

"But we've made so much progress here already!"

"Everyone!"

"What is it Yui?" Leafa finally acknowledged her interruptions.

"Monsters are here."

""HUH!?""

With matching gasps of surprise and fear, the three arguing girls turned a fearful eye to the singular exit of the dead-end room they occupied.

"Grrr…" Entering to oppose them were a trio of hellhounds. Flames licking their jaws already.

"Ah… We really need some salamander wool," Silica muttered dejectedly.

"That would help." Liz agreed, swallowing.

"Hehe, time to shine!" Yui spoke, her excited voice raised an octave. Dropping the backpack at the other's feet, Yui walked forward to confront the monsters alone.

Smiling at their prey, the wolves opened their blazing maws and unleashed a cyclone of heat. The air cackled and warped as the unbelievable heat from the blast sought to consume everything in the chamber.

""YUI!"" The girls' overlapped screams of terror were all for naught. As the flames died, the young girl's form appeared in the center of the fading vortex. Not only was she alive, there wasn't so much as a scratch on her. It was a protection beyond what Kirito's salamander wool lined cloak should provide.

As Yui lowered her shield, A thin shimmering light, like a purple veil disappeared around her as well. If Kirito had been there to witness the interaction, he probably would have fainted with a heart attack. Not just because he'd come to care for Yui as a daughter, but because he'd seen that effect before. It was subdued and fainter than the one he had seen, but there was no mistaking it. That effect, or animation as he would have called it, was one he'd seen more than once in the beta. The mark of an immortal object.

"Hmm… I am incapable of killing the beasts unfortunately. Would one of you kindly?"

Yui's words shocked the other three to their senses. Each one drew their respective weapon and charged into the fray. Three swings later and the corpses of the hell hounds were all that was left.

"That was fun!" Yui smiled excitedly. "Can I fight more monsters?"

"No!" Leafa screamed back, her voice cracking. "I almost had a heart attack watching you!"

"But Mama Leafa! Didn't you see? I can… Mmpfh!" Yui's final word was squashed as Leafa drowned her in a hug.

"Please Yui, just leave the combat to us…"

"…Okay," Yui accepted reluctantly. She let the silent stipulation hang onto the end of her words, for today.

"Aww, you're the best concerned aunt!" Liz teased Leafa.

"I am not an aunt!" Leafa growled back.

"Oh, I think you'd make an excellent aunt!" Silica agreed, the sarcasm in Liz's comment getting lost.

"Not you too…"

"Everyone…" Yui began. This time all three girls snapped to attention. "If you keep discussing at this volume, more monsters will come."

With nothing left to do but pout, and glare at Liz, Leafa led the three of them back to the wall.

Instead of following immediately, Yui stroked the surface of the shield she had 'borrowed' from Liz. When she had activated the shield, she had felt something. Some truth about herself that she had forgotten. While everyone usually only smiled around her, Yui wasn't an idiot. In fact, she knew that she understood people's feelings better than anyone else in the familia.

Many times, Yui felt that the others were concerned for her. Or considered her comments unnatural, particularly when she commented on people's feelings. They hadn't bothered her before because she could also feel their sincere love. Now, Yui felt like she was on the border of a discovery that may shake the relationship she had built with the others.

"I won't let that happen!" Whispering her secret motivation to herself, Yui engraved one promise onto her heart, her first ever. That she would not let their family end. That she would spend forever and ever with Papa and everyone else.

With a smile, she left to extract the magic stones as she listened to the other girls talk with one ear.

---

Leafa:

"Found it!" Liz's happy voice echoed through the room. It was a fist-sized chunk of ore of decent quality.

"Is that enough," Silica asked.

"Ehh… Well…"

Leafa could guess at Liz's hesitation. It probably would have been until she promised the two of them weapons. Now they would have to search for more. Closing her eyes, Leafa forced herself to utter the words. "It's okay Liz… Just make Onii-chan a good weapon. Silica and I can make do."

"I never agreed to that!" Silica pouted back. A moment later, her face changed into a grimace. "Although… Leafa's right. I'm so sorry about what I said before… Hopefully you accept this help as an apology."

The words were surprisingly mature, Leafa thought. Then scolded herself for having such a low opinion of Silica. They had gone through multiple scrapes with death together. She could no longer be considered a normal young girl.

"…Let's keep searching."

"Huh? Are you sure Liz?" Leafa asked curiously.

"Of course I am!" The girl smiled back heartily. "I promised you weapons, and weapons you will get…"

"And?" Leafa prompted, picking up on the pause.

"I… I uh, may have been a little short with you two the other day." Liz blushed before trying to finish. "Actually… I was wondering if you two would like to… umm…"

"Yes?" Leafa asked with a knowing smile.

"Just say it." Silica prompted.

"I want to be friends!" Liz blurted out, her cheeks burning.

Leafa and Silica shared a look before bursting into giggles. "I thought we already were." Leafa answered with a smile.

"Yep!" Silica nodded franticly, her pigtails flapping through the air. "We're the Girls Ops, remember?"

"Ah-ha… Y-You're right. F-forget I said anything."

"Nope, not happening, friend." Silica reminded her.

"Urgh… I'll get you!" Liz promised before moving unto a new section of wall.

"Here, let me help," Leafa offered, "it will go faster with two of us."

"Ah, thanks. There is an extra set of equipment in the bag."

"Wow!" Yui commented, startling the three of them. "You've grown a lot closer in these past few minutes!"

"Y-Yui!" Leafa complained, embarrassed that she would point it out. For a young girl, Leafa was astounded at Yui's ability to read people's emotions. This wasn't the first time either. If she was being honest, Yui taking on those hellhounds had scared her. Not just because Yui was her responsibility to protect, but because of that skill. It just didn't seem like an adventurer's ability, it looked like divine protection. Something belonging solely to the gods.

"Hehe, and while you argue, look who struck gold!" Liz proclaimed. As she pulled the raw ore out of the wall, the other girls gasped. It was easily two, maybe three times larger than the last deposit they had found.

"Amazing Liz!" Silica exclaimed.

"Ah, we're finally done then." Leafa sighed. The digging and waiting for monsters to attack had fried her nerves. Only the light-hearted conversation with the girls had kept her going.

"You bet!" Liz informed them with a wink and a thumbs-up. "Now it's on me to forge some kickass weapons!"

"I won't forgive you if it isn't first-class!" Leafa winked at Liz.

"Hehe, trust me! I've had a bit of a forging revelation. My blades are stronger than ever!"

"Oh, I can't wait!" Silica bounced happily. "Can you make it a little longer than this one Liz? And maybe curve the tip, I think that looks really cool, and…"

"Oh my…" Muttering softly to herself, Leafa was glad to see Silica open-up. Too often lately, Silica's face was hard and focused. One event had led to the another, and they hadn't gotten a good chance to just relax. "Ah…"

"What was that?" Liz asked with a quick glance over her shoulder at Leafa who was walking behind the pair, Yui following at the back.

"I just felt a little guilty…"

"Why?"

"Well…" Leafa struggled to put the feeling into words. "Onii-chan is off training as hard as he can. While we are having fun in the dungeon."

"Having fun…"

"…In the dungeon."

The two girls in front of Leafa ground to a halt as the absurdity of the statement washed over them.

"Yep! I had a lot of fun today!" Yui agreed from the back with a large smile.

Eventually, the other two mirrored the expression. "I never thought I'd see the day when I could accept fun and dungeon in the same sentence."

"You're right," Silica snickered. "We've almost died on this floor before, yet… I had a lot of fun!"

"Ah… It makes me wish we could have met back when this was a game…" Liz muttered longingly for a possibility that didn't exist.

The statement should have been innocent enough, except Leafa froze for some reason. In short order, her instincts were proven correct.

"G-Game?" Yui's soft word washed over them. "What does that mean?"

"Ah…"

That's right. As strange as her origins are, Yui's a child of this world. She wouldn't have any idea about how they came here thinking it was a game.

"Don't worry about it," Leafa assured the girl. "All that matters is that we're having fun here."

The other two nodded in agreement. "Haha, guess I dragged the mood down." Liz laughed drily. "So, I know what Silica wants, what about you Leafa? Another katana?"

Staring at her sheathed weapon hanging from her hip, it didn't take her long to decide. "Yes please. It fits well, and with my… Err…"

"Oh, your magic?" Silica filled in the gap. "The longer reach would be helpful while airborne!"

"A-Airborne!?" Liz muttered in astonishment.

"Oops…"

"It's okay, Silica," Leafa assured the embarrassed girl. However, the guilt in her eyes didn't fade. It was a massive taboo to reveal someone's status to someone outside of your familia. Patting Silica's head, Leafa gave her a smile. "I'm sure Liz would have found out at some point."

"W-Wait… Can I see?" Liz asked excitedly. "Flying… I mean, that's awesome!"

"Oh… Uh, sure…" Leafa muttered awkwardly. Trying to keep her cheeks under control, Leafa prepared her chant while the girls looked on expectantly.

"Oh, and then you can use it to fight that monster party that's coming!" Yui declared excitedly.

"Yeah, exactly… Wait, what!?"

All three of them, despite having higher statuses, had noticed nothing.

"Yui, are you…"

"Shush!" Silica cut Leafa off, the cat ears on her head, flicking slightly. "She's right. Also… There's someone fighting them… Or, running away? Maybe?"

"Ah…! It's Strea!"

Leafa didn't doubt Yui's words for a moment. Whatever strange power the girl had; it was paying off. The fear in her voice confirmed its authenticity.

"I am the daughter of wind, protector of Sylvain.

"Let my blessed wings bear me to new heights."

"Are you really chanting now!" Liz shouted, panic starting to set in. The fun atmosphere of a moment before had been stripped away.

Leafa could practically imagine the dungeon sneering at them. Asking if they really thought they could travel so deep and leave without a care in the world.

"From all corners, let the purifying winds of the Sylphs hold me aloft.

"From my will, let me raise all Sylphs in a never-ending spiral."

"You two go!" Yui commanded, "we'll catch up!"

"You got it!" Silica agreed, not arguing with their diminutive supporter.

"Through peak and valley, sea and cave, let the eternal breeze touch all and bring life.

"Freeing gust, destroying storm, travelling gale, hear my feeble cry and surround me!"

"You can do it Mama!"

With Yui cheering her on, Leafa brought her spell to an end.

"Come final wind and blow through me forever. My name is Sylph!

"Lady of the Sky!"

As the soft caress of her magic consumed her, Leafa felt the changes throughout her body. Mainly the wings that grew from her back. The sensitive appendages tat granted her the ability to fly.

"Oh, you look amazing with blond hair Mama!"

Winking at the girl, Leafa scooped her into her arms before exploding forward. The wings granted her a speed through the dungeon that her legs couldn't match. In short order, Leafa caught the other two. An impatient Silica waving an exhausted Lisbeth on.

"They're just ahead!" Yui shouted in Leafa's ear.

Strangely, she didn't need it. Despite the wind that should have stopped her from hearing anything, Leafa could hear the sounds of combat well. Dropping Yui to run with Lisbeth, Leafa flew ahead with Silica pounding hard after her. Even with the advantage of magic, Leafa was hard pressed to stay ahead of the cat girl that displayed an uncanny agility.

In a few more seconds, Leafa and Silica exploded into an empty room. Down the right corridor, was a familiar figure limping toward them.

"Ah, Leafa, Silica. It's good to see you!" Strea greeted them with a beaming smile.

In response, the girls only gaped. Leafa could scarcely believe Strea's condition. Her left arm hung limply by her side. It was covered in blood that continued to drip from the tips of her fingers. Three long scratches ran down the right side of Strea's face, forcing that eye closed to stop the blood from flowing in. Other smaller wounds also coated her body. Her original body armour was torn in dozens of places to the point of falling off her.

"Hrgg!" Grunting with effort, Strea rotated her body, bringing the giant sword she was trailing behind her up and then down again. A hellhound jumping at her back was rent in two.

Finally turning her gaze past the girl, Leafa saw dozens of red, angry eyes staring back. A pack of monsters that had clearly been pursuing Strea for a long time. Rather than stand and fight, the girl was attempting to limp back to the surface while attacking whatever caught up to her.

"Don't worry Strea, they won't get past me!" Leafa declared. Letting Strea enter the chamber, Leafa floated down in front of her. "You have to deal with me now monsters."

"Oh, my very own hero!"

Blushing at Strea's words, Leafa didn't change her posture. Instead she merely waited for her first opponent.

"Uh oh…"

"AHHH!"

Ripping her eyes from the passage, Leafa tried to figure out what was happening. Silica was staring terrified at another passage. At the same time, Liz and Yui entered the room, fear in their eyes.

"RUUUN!" Liz yelled.

"Y-Yes!" Her great stand ending before it could begin, Leafa jammed her sword back in its sheath and flew over to Strea. "Urgh!" Grunting under the weight, Leafa knew she would be unable to fly with this weight. Still, with her wings counteracting about half the mass, she could still run.

"Silica, carry Yui!"

"On it!" Exiting through the only remaining passage, the party fled the thirteenth floor.

"Hi Yui!" Strea waved with her working hand at the girl.

"Don't hey me! Look at you! You would have died if we hadn't been here! Explain yourself!"

Leafa could feel Strea wilt in her arms. The strange dynamic between the two of them was unexplainable. "I needed to get stronger. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to come to the dungeon! It was so fun and… Don't change the topic, miss!" Yui berated Strea.

Sharing a look with Silica, Leafa listened quietly to this otherworldly conversation that was occurring. At this point the monsters were practically an afterthought. Clearly the two girls being carried weren't thinking about them.

"Eh? But you've never been here before!" Strea continued, not letting Yui get back to grilling her.

"I know that! But what's important is you, showing up halfdead in the middle floors!"

"Hehe, well…"

"Also! That wound is from a Ligerfang, isn't that? That means you were on an even deeper floor!"

"How do you even know that, you've never even seen one…" But Strea's confused mumbling was silenced as Yui brought her overbearing older sister personality to bear on the girl.

"You are forbidden from doing this again!"

"But…"

"Forbidden!"

"…Yes."

"Haha… Truly never a dull moment with you guys…" Liz chuckled weakly. The three girls shared one final companionable look before the stairs up to the twelth came into view.

---

Kirito:

"Ah, that was a long day…" Staring into the setting sun, Kirito finally called it. The two girls collapsed with relief as he did. If he was being truthful, he could have kept going. The drive that Mikoto had lit within him was still burning brightly. But the level two girls that had served as his opponents had reached their limit. No, they had probably exceeded them a few hours ago.

Even if he held back his agility and strength to their levels, Kirito's endurance could not be changed. The harsh truth was that their blows left only superficial damage while his could cause serious injuries. The pack of potions that Sachi had brought with her was completely exhausted. The more than twenty vials representing 10,000 valis of material investment that had gone into this training already.

Still, Kirito's body thrummed with energy for more. For a teacher that could do more then show him the moves and techniques through sparring. He wanted a teacher that could wipe the floor with him. Someone to look up to.

The face of the Ganesha captain briefly fluttered in front of Kirito's gaze, but he ignored it. This was no time for daydreaming. There was a time he could have looked up to her as his idol and pursued her, but not anymore. He had chosen a different path. A different story.

"Well… Thank you two." Kirito bowed solemnly. "What time are we meeting tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow…" Sachi groaned.

"How about the same as today?" Mikoto suggested, her face straight and unafraid. "I think nine or so is good. It gives the sun a chance to come up, so we aren't fighting in the dark."

"Haha, yeah… nine." Kirito didn't mention that he had gotten here a solid three hours before that to practice on his own. He wanted to try and incorporate his sword skills into the martial arts he was steadily picking up.

"Home then?" Sachi insisted, pulling herself to her feet.

"Home." Mikoto agreed. "Oh, how I wish our home had a traditional bath…"

"You mean like a cypress tub?" Kirito asked curiously, unsure exactly how similar the Far East here was to Japan back home.

"Yes!" Mikoto nodded with excitement. Despite her face staying calm, her violet eyes lit up in a passionate display that overwhelmed Kirito.

"I-I'm sure there's one in the city that you could stop off at…" He answered weakly, trying to divert the sudden conversation.

"Apparently there isn't." Sachi informed Kirito with a weak smile. "It is something Mikoto has been searching for since arriving in Orario."

"But surely…" Kirito answered confused. "There are quite a few people here from the far east. If there's a demand, surely there's an answering service."

"But there isn't!" Mikoto lamented. "The rich familias can afford to build their own for their members to use! The closest thing is the divine bathhouse that I can't use!"

"Ah…" Starting to regret asking, Kirito led them down the unmanned stairs. Holding open the rickety wood door at the bottom, Kirito let it shut behind them. The street was out of the way and sparsely occupied due to its isolated location.

"Well… This is farewell for today."

"For today," Kirito agreed with a smile. "Late… Huh?" Twisting his head, Kirito's hand instinctively went to the sword strapped across his back. He had promised himself to never get caught without it again.

"What's wrong?" The girls' asked. Neither of them locating what had sent Kirito's instincts haywire.

"Someone's coming… To kill me." Kirito spat through gritted teeth. Now as he prepared to fight, he could feel the drain the all-day training had inflicted upon his body. This opponent that overpowering him with their gaze would require every ounce of his power. "You two… Run."

Kirito doubted his ability to protect them. Plus, they would only hold him back in the state they were in.

"No." Mikoto rejected him taking a fighting stance beside him. She didn't have a weapon, but she could still fight. Sachi drew a dagger from her belt and held it in shaky hands.

"You guys…"

Chocking up, Kirito was surprised at the strength of the emotional surge flowing through him. Yes, that was right. Together they could do this.

"Are you sure?" Mikoto asked after another second had passed. "I don't sense any fighting intent."

"Me either…" Sachi agreed.

Frowning, Kirito couldn't understand that. The gaze clearly wanted his blood. No, gazes. "Watch out, there are more than one."

As he spoke, two shadows resolved themselves in the distance. Approaching on slow feet, an anxious tension hung in the air. Then, with exaggerated slowness, the pair stepped into the light. As light glittered off their red and blue eyes, Kirito's sword wavered in confusion.

"Oh, Philia, Rain!" Mikoto and Sachi greeted them warmly. The girls were much closer after bonding on the eighteenth floor. "That's who you sensed Kirito? Geez, you scared me."

"W-Wait no…" Kirito pled, but neither of them listened to him. The sense of bloodlust hadn't faded in the slightest.

Even as the girls talked and hugged and caught up, Kirito couldn't move. His hand shook with trepidation. He realized now exactly why only he could sense the killing aura. He hadn't forgotten about them… But…

"Bye!"

"Yeah, I'll see you later!"

"No…" Kirito pled one last time. "Don't leave me…"

Neither of the exhausted girls listened to Kirito's faint words and kept walking to their home in the southern end. Swallowing nervously, Kirito awkwardly sheathed his blade. It wouldn't help him in this fight.

"H-Hey guys! Long time no see!"

"Hello Kirito…"

"Privyet…"

"…" The greetings were warm. Too warm. Each one delivered with a beaming smile that could steal a man's heart. All they did for Kirito was freeze his.

"A-Anyway… Uhh, long day and all that… I'll umm… catch you later?"

"Eh? Is that how you greet your girlfriends?"

"With a hello, goodbye?"

"N-No, that isn't what I uh…" Running out of room, Kirito back ran into the rock wall of the city.

Sorry Haruhime, it seems I will be unable to complete my promise.

The thought briefly ran through Kirito's head as the pair of hunters cornered him with unhurried steps. Caught between a pair of cats, Kirito was the mouse that would be played with until he died.

"M-Mercy?"

""DENIED!"" With a cruel certainty, the pair of girls leapt on him.

"Gargh!?" Knocked off balance, Kirito fell to the floor. Rain had landed on his legs, trapping them. That was of lesser concern than Philia. The large eyes of the Prum girl shined down at him from her vantage point on his chest.

"Now then, dear, would you kindly mind explaining why we, your girlfriends, had to find out about your newest super-dangerous exploit, FROM LILI!?"

Swallowing again, Kirito stared into those sky-blue eyes as her anger morphed away into disappointment, confusion, and fear.

Drip.

"Ah…" Muttering pointlessly, Kirito watched as a solitary tear landed on his cheek. As a second moved to follow it, his hand lifted and wiped it away. "This was a familia issue… I didn't want drag you into trouble."

"Are you serious?" The girl screamed back at him from point blank. "I love you! And you were going to go off and fight a war without ever saying a word!?"

"I… I'm sorry. I just don't you to get hurt…"

"And we don't want to live without you." Rain cut him off. She had gotten off his legs and clambered up beside Philia, nudging the girl to the side so that she'd have a space as well.

Letting the words flow through him, Kirito assumed the worst was over. This was a punishment he had deserved after all. He had promised them happiness then ignored them to get mixed up in something else.

"Why don't you trust us?"

"Ergh…" Flinching, Kirito had to avert his eyes. The words were a sword driving through his chest. "I-I do… But you're in Miach familia, and…"

"And we spoke to him!" Philia exploded. "He said that we was fine with our relationship. And that…"

"And that if we ever asked for a transfer of familia…"

"…He'd grant it." Philia finished softly.

There it was. These girls were willing to give up everything for him, and what had Kirito done in response? Turned his back on them.

"I think… I didn't tell you because I was scared. You're right, I didn't believe in you. I'm so sorry."

"You actually said it…" Rain muttered in surprise.

"So… Can you forgive me for being an idiot?"

Philia sighed and rubbed her head. "Sometimes I question my sanity at letting that smile warp my thoughts."

"You can't say no, can you?" Rain pouted.

"S-So…" Kirito muttered, having been ignored.

"We forgive you…" Philia began.

"On one condition!" Rain interrupted, a wicked smile growing on her lips.

"Er, yes?"

"You will never, ever, leave us out of something like this again. It's our job to protect you. Okay?"

"…Yes Ma'am." Smiling at them, Kirito felt a wave of contentment wash through him. He truly was blessed to have a pair of girls that cared for him so deeply.