Sword Art Online - Volume 2 - Aincrad (Side Stories)

by Reki Kawahara

  “…It’s a problem with my heart, huh… all of it…”

  Towards the words I casually leaked out, Kirito inclined his head with a curious look.

  “N- No, it’s nothing. —Putting that aside, let’s have a drink somewhere. I’m hungry.”

  Raising my voice to hide my embarrassment, I pushed Kirito’s shoulders from his back. I thought to get out of the workshop in that posture, but— a question suddenly came to me.

  “…Hey.”

  “Hm?”

  Kirito looked back over his shoulder. That hung on his back; the black one-handed sword.

  “Speaking of which— At the start, you did say, a sword equal to this one, didn’t you. That white one certainly is a good sword, but I don’t think there’s much difference with that monster dropped one. Why would you need two swords resembling each other?”

  “Aah…”

  Kirito turned about, staring at me with an expression that showed that he was hesitating over something.

  “Well, I can’t explain everything. If you won’t ask any further than that, I can tell you.”

  “What’s with that, acting all cool.”

  “Get away a little.”

  After I stepped back alongside the workshop’s walls, with the white sword still hung down, Kirito drew the black sword, from his back with a high-pitched sound, with his right hand.

  “…?”

  I couldn’t comprehend his intentions. After having manipulated the equipment figure earlier, with the current system, his equipped status should be only the sword in his left hand; holding onto another weapon with his right hand should not be of any use whatsoever. On the contrary, with something that’s considered an irregular equipped status like that, it would not be possible to activate sword skills.

  Glancing towards my confused face for a mere instant, Kirito calmly assumed a stance with the left and right swords. The right sword in front, the left sword behind. Dropping his hips slightly, and with that, in the very next instant.

  A scarlet flash effect burst out, dyeing the workshop in its color.

  The swords in Kirito’s hands alternated, attacking his front with a speed that could not be followed by sight. “Kyubabababa!”, these sounds exerted pressure on the very air, and despite not actually aimed at anything, the objects within the room rattled.

  It was obviously a sword technique arranged by the system. But— I have never heard of anything like a skill that uses two swords!

  In front of me, standing stock still as I caught my breath, Kirito silently raised his body, having finished the consecutive attack technique that probably reached ten chained hits.

  Clearing away both swords— returning just the sword in his right hand to his back, he looked at my face and spoke.

  “And well, that’s how it is. —I’ll need a scabbard for this sword. Can I choose one?”

  “Ah… Y- Yea.”

  Just how many times had I already been dumbfounded by Kirito. Although I should had been used to it by now, for the time being, I decided to hold back my questions, reaching my hand towards the wall, displaying the home menu.

  Scrolling through the storage screen, I gazed through the summary for the stock of scabbards I collected from craftsmen I was close to. Picking out one rather similar to the one equipped on Kirito’s back, made from black leather, I materialized it. After I set in a small logo of my shop, I handed it over to Kirito. Kirito, having stored the white sword into the scabbard with a brief sound, opened a window and stashed it away. I thought he would equip both of them on his back, but it doesn’t seem that way.

  “…So it’s a secret? That earlier.”

  “Nn, well, yea. Don’t tell anyone about it, alright.”

  “Got it.”

  Skill information is one’s greatest lifeline, so if he tells me not to ask, I won’t pursue the matter. That aside, I was glad that he even allowed me even a peek at his secret, and nodded with a small smile.

  “…Well then.”

  Kirito placed his hands on his hips and his expression changed.

  “This would be the end of my request. I’ll be paying for the sword. How much?”

  “Aah, that is…”

  I bit my lips for a moment— I verbalized the reply that had always been seething within me.

  “I won’t need, any payment.”

  “…Eeh?”

  “In return for that, I want Kirito to make me your exclusive smith.”

  Kirito’s eyes showed slight signs of surprise.

  “…Just what, do you mean by that…?”

  “Whenever you complete your clearing, come over here, and let me do maintenance on your equipment… —Everyday, from now on, without fail.”

  My heartbeat heightened without bounds. Whether this is a feeling from my virtual body, or perhaps my actual heart too, is throbbing in the same way as well— I wondered about that in a corner of my mind. My cheeks were on fire. Every single part of my face must have turned completely red right now.

  Even Kirito, who had always maintained his poker face, seemed to have realized the meaning behind my words, and hung his red face down from shyness. I had always thought of him as older, but after seeing him in that state, it appeared like he was of the same generation, or perhaps even younger than me.

  I mustered up my courage and took a step forward, taking ahold of his arm.

  “Kirito… I…”

  I cried those words out so loudly at that time we escaped from the dragon’s nest, but when speaking of it now, my tongue refuses to move. I kept staring into Kirito’s black pupils, willing that single word to come out one way or another— It was then.

  The workshop’s door was forcefully opened. I released Kirito’s hand by reflex, and jumped.

  “Liz, I was so worried!!”

  The person, who rushed in right after that instant, hugged me with the same force as a body slam while shouting out in a large voice. That chestnut-colored long hair softly danced in the air.

  “Ah, Asuna…”

  Asuna continued speaking without pause, staring closely at my face, locked in a dumbfounded expression, the entire time.

  “Messages couldn’t reach you; your map position couldn’t even be traced; not to mention your regular customers didn’t know anything about it, so just where did you go last night! I even went all the way to the Black Iron Castle to check, you know!”

  “So- Sorry. I just got stuck in the labyrinth for a bit…”

  “The dungeon!? Liz, you went alone!?”

  “Nah, with that person…”

  I pointed in the direction diagonally behind of Asuna with my glance. Asuna spun around, and after noticing that swordsman dressed in black standing there, looking bored, she froze with her eyes and mouth were left open blankly. Following that, with a in a voice an octave higher—

  “Ki- Kirito-kun!?”

  “Eeh!?”

  This time, it was my turn to be amazed. I looked over at Kirito, who was standing up straight, just like Asuna.

  He gave a small cough, and spoke as he raised his right hand.

  “Well, Asuna, it’s been a while… or not, I suppose. A couple of days.”

  “Y- Yea. …That was surprising. I see, so you came here right away. If you had told me, I could have come along.”

  Asuna hid her palms behind her, and laughed shyly, tapping the floor repeatedly with the heels of her boots. I saw those cheeks slightly tinged with the shade of cherry blossom pink.

  I understood the entire situation.

  It was not coincidence that brought Kirito to this shop. Keeping that promise with me, Asuna recommended this place… to the person in her heart.

  —Just what should I do… Just what should I do.

  All that swirled around in circles within my mind, were those words. I felt like the heat from my entire body was slowly flowing out from the tips of my feet. I can’t feel any strength. I can’t breathe. Emotions came forth, without any way to release them…

 
Turning around to face the rigid me, Asuna casually spoke.

  “This guy, did he say anything rude to Liz? He probably requested for one absurd thing or another, right?”

  And with that, she slightly inclined her head to the side.

  “Eh… But, that would mean, that you were with Kirito-kun last night?”

  “W… Well…”

  I took a step forward in that instant, grasped Asuna’s right hand, and pushed open the door of the workshop. I looked towards Kirito for a bit, and rapidly spoke as I tried to not look at his face.

  “Please wait for a short while. We’ll be right back, so…”

  I pulled Asuna’s hand in that manner, exiting through the counter. Shutting the door, we went outside the shop through the gap between the display windows.

  “Wait, wait, Liz, what’s the matter?”

  Despite hearing Asuna’s questioning voice, I silently headed towards the main street, continuing to walk at a quick pace.

  I just, couldn’t bear to stay in front of Kirito any further. If I didn’t escape, it seemed like I would had ran into the realization that I had lost my way.

  As though she had noticed my abnormal state, Asuna silently followed without saying another word. I gently released the girl’s hand.

  We entered the side street facing east, walked for a short while, and found a small sidewalk cafe that seemed like it was being hidden by the high stone wall. There wasn’t a single customer. I chose a table at the edge, and sat down on a white chair.

  Asuna peered into my face as she sat on the opposite side, not giving any impression of her thoughts.

  “…What’s the matter, Liz…?”

  I strained to gather the slightest bit of vigor I could, putting a large smile on my face. The same smile as always, the one from times we cheerfully exchanged gossip.

  “…Well, it’s that person, isn’t it…”

  Crossing my arms, I leaned in to look into Asuna’s face.

  “E- Eeh?”

  “The one Asuna likes!”

  “Ah…”

  Asuna casted her eyes down, her shoulders appearing to narrow. She gave a nod with her cheeks blushed.

  “…Yea.”

  Throb; as I ignored the sharp pain that jabbed itself into my chest, I showed a broad grin yet again.

  “Well, he certainly is a strange person; a really strange one.”

  “…Did Kirito-kun do something…?”

  I gathered all my might and replied with a nod, to the worry-looking Asuna.

  “He just went and broke the best sword in my store all of the sudden.”

  “Wah… So- Sorry…”

  “It’s not really something Asuna has to apologize for.”

  Looking at Asuna who was crossing her hands as if she had done the deed herself, something deep within my chest throbbed further.

  Just a bit more… It’s just a bit more, keep going, Lizbet.

  Whispering to myself in my heart, I somehow managed to maintain my smile.

  “Well, anyway, to create the type of sword requested by that person, it turned out that a rare metal was necessary, so we went to the upper floors to get it. And during that, we got caught in some minor trap, you see; we had troubles escaping from it, that’s why I wasn’t back.”

  “So that was it… You could have just called for me, ah, messages couldn’t be sent either, huh…”

  “I should have invited Asuna along too, sorry about that.”

  “No, the guild had clearing activities yesterday, so… So, did you make the sword?”

  “Ah, yea. Geez, I wouldn’t want to do this kind of troublesome work again.”

  “You should definitely charge him a real high price for that.”

  We started laughing at the same time.

  I kept a small smile on my face, and mentioned one final comment.

  “Well, he’s weird, but certainly not a bad person. I’ll be rooting for you, so do your best, Asuna.”

  That was the limit. The end of my words trembled.

  “Y- Yea, thanks…”

  As Asuna nodded, she inclined her head to the side and looked into my face. Before she could see what were hidden under my eyelids, I sharply stood up, and spoke.

  “Ah, oh no! I, I had an appointment arranged to buy some stock. I’ll be going down for a bit!”

  “Eh, in the store… What about Kirito-kun?”

  “Go keep him company, Asuna! I’ll be counting on you!”

  I turned about, and broke into a run. I looked at Asuna, behind my back, and hurriedly waved my hand at her. There was no way I could turn back.

  After I ran towards the gate plaza, all the way to a place where I could not see that open cafe from, I took the first turn, bending towards the south. I kept to the edge of the town, aiming at the areas without players, single-mindedly running without pause.

  When my view distorted, I wiped my eyes with my right hand. Wiping them over and over again as I ran.

  When I noticed, I had reached all way just before the castle walls that surrounded the town. Before the gently curving walls stretching out, large trees were planted in regular spaces from each other. I entered the shade under one of them, standing still with my hand on its trunk.

  “Uguu… Uu…”

  My voice leaked out from my throat, without the slightest attempt to muffle it. The tears I had desperately forced back streamed out one after one, vanishing as they poured down my cheeks.

  It was the second time I had cried since I came to this world. From the time I panicked and cried on the day I first logged in, I convinced myself that I would never cry no more. I thought that I did not needs these tears, forcibly flowing down due to the emotion expression system. But I have never felt tears more feverish, more painful than the ones running down my cheeks right now, not even those that flowed in the real world.

  When I was talking with Asuna, there was one thing that never managed to get out. “I like that person too,” these words almost came out countless times. However, there was no way I could say them.

  At the workshop, the instant I saw Kirito and Asuna turned to talk to each other, I understood that there was no place for me beside Kirito. That is because— On that snowy mountain, I had exposed Kirito’s life to danger. No one can stand beside that person, aside from one who possesses that same stout heart. That’s right… Like for example, someone like Asuna…

  The two are connected by a powerful pulling force, much like the pairing between a meticulously made sword and sheath. That was what I felt strongly. And beyond all else, Asuna have always been thinking about Kirito for countless months, and with the hard work she put in to narrow the gap between them bit by bit, day after day, there was no way I could just do something like thrusting myself into that relationship all of the sudden.

  That’s right… I had known Kirito for no more than a single full day. Going on an adventure I was unused to with an unfamiliar person, my heart must have been just surprised by that. It wasn’t the truth. These weren’t my true feelings. If I were to fall in love, I wouldn’t hurry; slowly thinking about it— I should had always, always thought of it as that.

  But still, just why are these tears still flowing out.

  Kirito’s voice, his actions, all of those expressions he had shown in this twenty-four hours floated by before my shut eyelids one after another. The sensations of him brushing my hair, taking hold of my arm, his hand grasping mine. His warmth, the heat from that beating heart— As the seething recollections of those passed through me, a sharp pain resounded deep within my chest.

  Forget. It’s all a dream. Wash it all away with these tears.

  Holding tightly on the trunk of a tree by the side of the road, I cried. Looking downwards while stifling my voice, I continued crying. These tears would have dried up sooner or later in the real world, but it seems that these scalding liquids overflowing from my eyes had no intention to ever stop flowing.

  And— from behind me, that voice came.

 
; “Lizbet.”

  My entire body trembled with a start as my name was called out. That tender, gentle voice, still left with echoes of its original boyish tone.

  It must be a dream. There was no way he could be here. Thinking that, I turned my face upwards, without even bothering to wipe my tears away.

  Kirito stood there. The eyes within those black forelocks, showing an ache from a grief unique to him, looked at me. I briefly glanced back at those eyes, and soon murmured with a quaver in my voice.

  “…That’s no good, coming here right now. I would had returned to the usual energetic Lizbet in just a little more too.”

  “…”

  Kirito silently took a step forward; he tried to reach out with his right hand. I shook my head lightly, stopping him.

  “…How did you find this place?”

  Upon hearing that, Kirito pondered, and pointed towards the middle of the town.

  “From over there…”

  At the point of that finger, far off from here, the spire of the church, built opposing the gate plaza, jutted up above the ripples of buildings.

  “I gazed throughout the town, and found you.”

  “He, he.”

  My tears silently continued streaming down as before, but after listening to Kirito’s answer, a smile floated to my mouth.

  “You’re as ridiculous as always, huh.”

  Even that part of him… I liked that. To a hopeless extent.

  I felt yet another surge of sobbing welling up within myself. I frantically held it down.

  “Sorry, I’m… fine, you see. Hurry up and get back to Asuna already.”

  The moment I managed to say and was about to turn around, Kirito continued his words.

  “I— I wanted to give thanks to Liz.”

  “Eh…?”

  Befuddled by the unexpected remark, I stared at his face.

  “…I, in the past, there was a time when my guild members were annihilated… With that, I decided never again, to ever get close to others.”