«Nov 21, 2022 - 6:00 AM» «Aincrad - 1st Floor»
«Town of Beginnings - Tavion Inn»
A soft beeping pulled me from the shallow depths of sleep.
I groaned, blindly swiping at the alarm window until the noise finally stopped.
For a moment, I just lay there, my face buried in my pillow, fighting the familiar temptation to go back to sleep.
"...Ugh. Five more minutes..."
Normally, I'd convince myself I'd only sleep for five minutes—then ten, then twenty—until I inevitably gave up on waking up at all.
But that wasn't the case anymore.
Reality crept in, cold and unrelenting.
With a tired sigh, I forced myself upright and swung my legs over the side of the bed.
I hadn't always slept in an inn.
For the first four days of this nightmare, I had spent every night on a «wooden bench» in the Town Plaza—
—Almost lifeless, unmoving, just waiting for something to change.
I hadn't eaten. Hadn't felt hunger. Hadn't even cared.
I was just there, existing.
And people had noticed. It was vauge, but I do remember hearing whispers, caught glances, but no one had approached—
—until 'he' did.
Diavel.
He was the first person to talk to me. And when he did, he asked a very simple question:
"Why are you wasting your time in a place like this?"
My answer had been just as simple.
"Because I'm afraid to die."
That had been the truth—one that still hadn't changed.
Diavel had offered to help me, but I had refused, too ashamed to accept his kindness. But even after I pushed him away, he had insisted:
"At least find a place to stay. You shouldn't be sleeping out in the open."
And so, reluctantly, I had accepted.
That's how I ended up here—this small, third-floor room in the Tavion Inn—where I had continued to do nothing but wait.
Yawning, I swiped my finger down and opened my «Menu», scanning my status window.
And so, reluctantly, I had accepted.
But then my eyes drifted lower—to the five-digit number sitting beneath my HP Bar.
My remaining «Col».
And it was dropping.
I've ultimately decided not to fight, and resolved myself to stay alive and safely wait for help to come no matter how long it takes.
—Yes, no matter how long it takes.
But how long do I need to survive 'waiting' until that help comes?
I flopped back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.
"...I need money."
«7:15 AM» «Aincrad - 1st Floor»
After weighing my options, I decided to at least check the bulletin board in the Town Plaza.
Col in Aincrad worked exactly like real money, and as of now, I had «12,023» Col's left.
My rent cost 3,000 Col per week.
Food last week cost 2,500 Col.
That meant I was burning 5,500 Col per week just to survive.
At this rate, I had two weeks left before I ran out completely.
I needed a way to earn money that does not involve any fighting.
When I reached the 1st Floor «Bulletin Board», I scanned through its contents. It contained updates on Aincrad's situation—floor progress, labyrinth discoveries, player casualties.
And yet, despite three weeks of effort...
The 1st Floor still hadn't been cleared.
As I skimmed the board, I overheard a conversation behind me.
"Yeah, I heard they didn't even stand a chance yesterday..."
"All that talk and flashy armor for nothing, huh? Six of them wiped by a single monster. What the hell are they even doing?"
"I heard it was a pack of wolves. They got caught off guard. But still, The Army was supposed to be stronger than this."
"The Army my ass. They're just a bunch of idiots playing soldiers. At this rate, they'll all be dead before we even clear this floor."
I closed my eyes.
More deaths. More failures.
I knew it. Clearing this game was impossible.
"...The best and right thing to do, huh?"
Diavel's words echoed in my mind.
.
.
.
"I understand why you're afraid to move, Hibiki. I think all of us do."
"...But do you really think this is the best thing to do? The right thing to do?"
.
.
.
I scoffed under my breath.
"Suit yourself," I muttered. "I don't plan on throwing my life away that easily. Getting out alive is all that matters."
I turned back to the board, scanning for any non-combat job listings.
Nothing.
"Okay, what to do..."
Right on cue, my stomach growled.
I sighed.
Food first. Thinking later.
«7:45 AM»
I wandered the streets until I found a small NPC-run bakery.
Inside, a glass display case showcased various breads.
"Uhm, hello?" I called out.
A middle-aged woman, the NPC baker, emerged from the back.
"Welcome, young lad! What can I get for you?"
I pointed to the «Sweet Buns» behind the «glass». "Five of these, please."
Automatically, a floating transaction window popped up right in front of me.
«5 Sweet Buns – 70 Cols each»
«Total: 350 Cols»
I tapped «Buy», and the bread was automatically added to my «Item Storage».
"Thank you! Come again!" the woman chirped.
I left the shop and returned to the Plaza, seating myself on an empty bench.
Opening my Menu, I materialized a Sweet Bun and took a bite.
It was surprisingly good for something virtual.
"At least that solves my hunger problem for now..."
Then as if on cue, just as I finished speaking, a cheerful voice suddenly called out to me.
"Hey, mister! Where did you get those breads?"
I blinked, turning toward the source of the voice.
Standing nearby was a young girl, probably nine or ten-years old, in a dark-green Aincrad-style dress. She had short blonde hair and a pair of round, emerald eyes, wide with curiosity.
In her left hand, she held a «basket» filled with «vegetables» —far more than someone her size should be carrying.
But what stood out the most...
The Green Cursor above her head.
A player.
A child.
A player this young...?
For a moment, I just stared at her. Then, realizing she was waiting for an answer, I pointed toward the bakery.
"Uh... I got it from a shop near the clothing store, that way."
She followed my gesture, squinting in that direction.
"Near a clothes shop... Near a clothes shop... Near a clothes shooop... Hmm... I can't see it from here!"
I sighed. "Obviously, you can't see it from here."
"That's a problem," she whined. "I don't know where that clothes shop is..."
I exhaled slowly, leaning back on the bench.
Well, I didn't have anything else to do right now.
"Then, want me to guide you there?"
Her face lit up instantly.
"Really?! Is that okay?"
"Yeah. Not like I have anything better to do."
Her smile grew even wider.
"That's awesome then! Oh, and by the way, mister—my name's Aya!"
Aya.
She said it with so much energy that I couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Is that your in-game name or—"
"Both!" she answered immediately with a toothy grin, cutting me off.
I chuckled. "O-Oh. Is that so? Well, I'm Hibiki. Nice to meet you, Aya-chan."
"Mm! Nice to meet you too, Hibiki-san!"
«8:15 AM»
I guided Aya back to the bakery, where she immediately bought 40 Sweet Buns—a ridiculous amount for a single, small person.
She didn't even hesitate. Just tapped Buy, and all 40 pieces disappeared into her Item Storage.
Afterward, we started making our way back toward the Plaza.
But I couldn't ignore it anymore.
"Umm... Aya-chan," I started, glancing at her basket of vegetables. "Why are you carrying all of that? Can't you just store them in your inventory?"
Aya tilted her head. "Hmm, nope! That'd be boring!"
"...Boring?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "It's more fun to hold them!"
I stared at her, then at the basket, then back at her.
What kind of reasoning was that?
I shook my head. "Alright... but what about the breads? Can you even finish all forty before they expire?"
"Non non! It's not just for me!" Aya replied cheerfully.
I blinked. "Not just for you?"
"It's for me, Mom, and Dad!"
I stopped walking.
"Your parents are here?"
"Yep!" she chirped. "They're both here! And Dad even started a weapon shop in the First Town just the other day!"
Her tone was so casual, as if this wasn't a big deal.
But to me, it was.
A little girl was trapped in SAO with her parents.
A family. A whole family stuck in this death game together.
The thought made my stomach twist.
Before Kayaba's announcement, Sword Art Online was just a game. A brand new, revolutionary genre that was supposed to be for everyone—gamers, casuals, teenagers, kids... even entire families.
But now, because of one man's insanity, this game had turned into a prison of death.
And Aya—this cheerful, innocent little girl—was trapped here with us.
I swallowed hard.
"I... I see. Is that so..." I muttered, not knowing what else to say.
Aya didn't seem to notice my hesitation.
Instead, she turned to me with a curious expression.
"Hibiki-san, how old are you?"
"Me? ...I'm 15."
"Are you here with your Mom and Dad?"
The question caught me off guard. I hesitated.
For a moment, I thought about lying.
But I didn't.
"...No," I said finally. "I was supposed to be here with some friends, but... I lost them."
Aya froze.
Her cheerful expression faded instantly.
Then, in a small, quiet voice, she asked:
"D-Did they all...?"
The way she said it—the way her voice trembled—made me realize what she was really asking.
She thought they were dead.
I immediately shook my head.
"Wait, no! It's not like that!" I corrected quickly.
Aya blinked. "H-Huh?"
"What I meant is, I literally lost them. I got separated when the game started and... I haven't seen them since."
More like—I was too scared to leave the safe zone and find them.
No, more like—I chose to forget about them because I was scared.
"...Is that so," Aya said softly. "So you're all alone now?"
"Mm. Yeah, kinda."
She nodded slowly upon hearing me, her eyes downcast.
"For me, I have Mom and Dad with me, so I don't feel lonely even though this place is really, scary..." she said. Then, after a pause, she looked up at me.
"But for you, Hibiki-san... you must be sad to be alone."
A heavy silence settled between us.
The lighthearted energy from before was gone.
Aya—this cheerful, upbeat girl—was suddenly serious, her round orange eyes filled with quiet concern.
And I hated it.
For some reasons, I didn't want her to feel that way.
So I did what I always did.
I lied.
"Welp, not really!" I said, forcing a grin.
Aya tilted her head. "Eh?"
"Yeah! I'm not really that sad to be alone! In fact, I like being alone!"
She frowned. "But why? You can't talk or play with anyone if you're alone! What's so fun about that?"
"Non non." I wiggled a finger at her, mimicking her earlier tone. "See, if I'm alone, that means I don't have to worry about taking care of someone else's butt! Isn't that great?"
It was a complete lie.
But I said it anyway, hoping to lighten the mood.
And for a moment—it worked.
Aya giggled, her eyes brightening again.
But then—she squinted at me suspiciously.
"Eh? Hibiki-san, isn't that what they call... being irresponsible?"
I froze.
"—Uggh..."
She got me there.
Aya tapped the air, opening her «Menu» with practiced ease. After a few quick motions, a «Sweet Bun» materialized in her small hands.
She took a bite before glancing up at me.
"But why are you so against taking care of someone?" she asked between chews. "My mom always says, 'The more, the merrier!' So if you're always alone, I think that would be super sad!"
I blinked at her, and chuckled defeatedly.
"...I-Is that how it is?"
She completely ignored my response and took another bite, humming happily.
And after thinking about it for a moment, her words did make sense. In a way.
"...Well," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head. "Right now, maybe that 'the more, the merrier' thing... might actually be a good idea after all."
"Right???" Aya flashed a toothy grin, her voice slightly muffled by the bread in her mouth.
"But that only works," I added smugly. "If you have a LOT of money. The MORE money you have, the MERRIER. Heh."
She paused mid-bite.
"Huh? Money?"
"Yeah, money."
Aya pondered for a moment before swallowing.
"Well, for us, Dad and Mom make enough for us to get by since the first day. And there's also the shop, so money's not a big problem for us anymore!"
Ah. Right.
"You said earlier that your dad just opened a shop, right?"
"Yep! Just last week! It's a weapon shop!" she declared proudly.
A weapon shop, huh?
"A stable Col income... while waiting for help."
I hadn't meant to say that last part out loud, but Aya's ears were sharp.
"Mm? Are you having money problems, Hibiki-san?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.
"W-Well... yeah, kinda."
Then she hit me with a question that made my entire body freeze.
"Can't you just hunt some monsters outside?" she asked innocently. "Mom said you can get lots of money even from the piggies out there."
I didn't answer.
"...You see, just a few weeks ago, Mom and Dad used to hunt monsters for money," Aya continued. "They always left me at the inn before, but once they saved enough, they bought us a small house here in town."
Aya shifted slightly, turning to face me fully.
"...So why isn't Hibiki-san doing the same?"
I felt her eyes on me, waiting for an answer.
But I suddenly couldn't look at her.
Because I wanted to tell her the truth.
I wanted to tell her that even the smallest chance of dying out there terrified me.
That the only thing I could do right now was sit here and wait—because stepping outside, even for a moment, felt like standing on the edge of a cliff with no parachute.
But I couldn't say any of that. I don't know why.
So instead, I turned my head away.
"Y-Yeah," I mumbled. "It's true you can make a lot of money from monsters, but fighting might be a bit... too much..."
I trailed off, unable to finish.
Aya just blinked. "Huh?"
The silence that followed felt heavy.
I expected her to press me further, to ask again.
But instead, she simply placed a finger on her chin, as if thinking hard about something.
"Hmmmm... Now that I remember..."
Then she perked up.
"Hibiki-san, you said you needed money, right?"
I blinked at the sudden change in topic. "...Yeah?"
"Well!" she clapped her hands together. "I just remembered that Dad is looking for an assistant at our shop!"
"...An assistant?" I repeated dumbly.
"Yep! The shop just opened, and Dad has tons of stuff to do. He was saying last night that he really needed someone to help out."
Aya's emerald eyes sparkled.
"And of course! He'll pay you too! I think! Probably! Hehe..."
I stared at her, stunned.
A job offer. Out of nowhere.
I had just met this little girl an hour ago, and now she was offering me work—a lifeline that I needed—without hesitation.
I hesitated. "...Wait a sec, Aya-chan."
"Hmm?"
"Why are you offering this to me?" I asked slowly. "I'm a stranger. You barely know me. Why are you—"
She cut me off before I could finish, and giggled.
"Hibiki-san isn't a stranger," she said matter-of-factly. "Hibiki-san is... well... Hibiki-san!"
I opened my mouth. Then closed it again.
"Huh?! That doesn't make sense!" I ran a hand down my face. "Why are you trusting someone you barely know?!"
Aya giggled. "Hmm... 'why' you ask?" She tapped her chin playfully. "Well, Hibiki-san helped me find the bakery earlier, right? Just think of this as my thanks!"
I stared at her.
"And besides, I don't think you're a bad person! So it's okay!"
"...That's your only reason?!"
"Ahmm... Yeah!!"
I exhaled, feeling completely defeated.
"But still—"
"—Argh! You're so whiny, Hibiki-san!" Aya suddenly huffed, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance.
"Whiny?!"
"You need money, right?!" She waved her arms dramatically. "Cooooools?!"
I groaned, rubbing my temples.
"...Okay, okay. What to do..."
Aya beamed, knowing she had already won this argument.
I sighed.
Her offer was worth considering. Money was a problem, and this was the first opportunity that didn't involve fighting monsters.
So after thinking it over, I finally nodded.
"...Alright. I guess I'll give it a try."
"Yay!!! It's decided then!"
Aya practically jumped with excitement, her energy so infectious that I couldn't help but smile a little.
"That reminds me," I said, standing up. "You mentioned earlier that your house and your dad's shop are just near, right?"
"Yep! Just follow me!" She grabbed my sleeve, already dragging me toward the plaza's exit. "Let's gooo!"
I sighed, letting her lead the way.
Aya's offer...
It seemed like a good opportunity. A safe way to earn Col.
A way to survive without fighting.
I just hope everything turns out okay.
•
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Looking back now...
I couldn't help but wonder.
I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if I had refused that cheerful girl's offer that day.
Maybe, it could have prevented everything.
Just a simple wish.
If I had declined all her good intentions...
If I had ignored her innocence...
If only... I had chosen NOT to be weak...
Then maybe...
...maybe...
—Aya—
...would still be alive.