Sword Art Online - Volume 10 - Alicization Running

by Reki Kawahara

The squarish garden was divided into 4 blocks of flower beds. Each flower bed had different plants, were sprouting, or were blooming. Some students were assigned to maintain these flowers, but these flowers were not simply used for viewing. These 4 kinds of flowers were catalyst materials used for Sacred Arts lessons. The flowers were planted every 3 months, so fruits could be cultivated all year. Once the dried fruits were crushed by the fingers, the Sacred power would be released from within, and the students use this Sacred power as a resource for Spell practice.

  Of course, the Earth and the Sun continued to provide resources, but the Earth's power in the city was weak, and the Sun would be affected by the weather as well. There was a need for energy in forms other than Space Sacred Arts so that the 120 students every year could use their spells without being affected.

  Like how it was in spring at this point, the flowers that bloomed this season were the blue Anemones on the North East side. It seemed to be of high priority like the Marigolds in Summer, the Dahlias in Autumn and Cattleya in Winter... In other words, they were flowers that gave the most resources.

  During the approximate 380 years Underworld existed, the lifeforms all had their unique changes, but they continued to remain the same as the kind in the real world. I could understand importance of these plants, but I wasn't very sure whether they were the same as how it was in real life at all.

  Once these flowers wilted, they would bear ball-shaped fruit. Once someone used the fingertips to crush them, the green light (Sacred Power) would float out... So this didn't look like it had anything to do with real life.

  During the Sacred Arts lessons, the teacher mentioned before that besides the «4 Great Holy Flowers», there was a miraculous plant called «Rose» that gave ample resources and would bear fruit several times every year. The civilians, and even the nobles and kings weren't allowed to plant them. If one wanted to see them, they had to head to the rare spots where they grow in mountains. Once I heard that, I realized that I never saw a real rose ever since I came into this world. In that case, there was a valid right for it to be used as the sign of a Sacred Tool.

  I continued to stare and enjoy watching the beautiful Anemones as I immediately went through the cross-shaped pathway and headed west. There was a large metal shed at the end, and the shovels, hose and other gardening equipment were placed in there neatly.

  At a reclusive spot in the shed, there was a small flower pot. Eugeo and I squat down in front of it.

  “Really, its growing well. Isn't it bearing fruit here?”

  I nodded deeply once I heard my partner's words,

  “Failed 3 times already. It will be great if it can bloom this time...”

  What we grew in the flower pot was a plant with sharp leaves and was almost completely blue. Its name was Zephyria, and I guessed it was a rare plant in Underworld. It wouldn't release much resources, but it had a shocking amount of beauty...at least it looked that way. As for why it was like that? That was because Eugeo and I and everyone in the Norlangarth Empire had never seen a real Zephyria before.

  This Zephyria flower was a plant grown on the other side of the «Immortal Wall», a plant from the «Wesdarath Empire». No one's growing this as a plant this North Empire, let alone it being born here.

  There are trades between the empires, though they aren't major, so it shouldn't be surprising to see flowers and anything related to planting. However, this wasn't the case. The reason was that there was no such Sacred Task like a «Flower Merchant», and the reason why it didn't exist was that 'flowers that can't be eaten should just be planted out of personal interest. It's a waste of Sacred Power to sell it'. There exist 'herb merchants', and they would plant seeds in the farms, but only the 4 Sacred seeds. The world revolves around making use of this ideology effectively.

  Then, where did I get this pot of Zephyria flowers from—?

  “I believe this is the last batch of seeds you got, right, Kirito?”

  I nodded once I heard Eugeo's question.

  “Ahh, this is the last... final chance. The uncle from the spice shop said that the next supply will come next Autumn.”

  —Yes, even if no one sells flowers, there will be people selling seeds. When Zephyria seeds are grounded into powder, they would let out a fragrance vanilla-like sweet smell. Thus, a few seeds would be imported from the West empire as a spice for some desserts... this was something I caught wind of last Autumn.

  At that time, I basically never did use my money, the salary I earned as a Zakkaria guard, so I bought as much as I could from the spice merchant —however, he had only a small bag of seeds— and tried to let them grow.

  There were two reasons why I suddenly had an interest in gardening.

  First, this was an experiment on this thing that's hidden deep within this world, this «Imagine System» I named.

  The Spice Merchant uncle told me that Zephyria flowers definitely would not be able to grow in Norlangarth grounds. I thought of using the soil from the West Empire to grow it, and even ran all the way to the borders of the Central suburbs and dug some soil. However, the first seed I put in never grew, and soon, the Life dropped to zero as it disappeared in the flower pot. However, this wasn't designated by the people in the real world who designed and operated this Underworld. This flower was different from Anemones and Cattleyas and the like; it doesn't exist in the real world.

  Then, why would Zephyria flowers grow in the West Empire, but not in the North Empire?

  That's definitely because— the people in this world firmly believed so. The imagination which the residents called fettered knowledge caused the parameters of the «Zephyria» in the main memory to become like that. Then, if, if I had an imagination that was 10 times stronger than the «Common sense of the residents» and gathered them on these dozens of seeds, would I be able to rewrite the parameters, even if it was for just a while...?

  Using one's own power to overcome many thousand people's worth of imagination may sound really frivolous, but in fact, what would happen?

  What I wanted to challenge was the old-fashioned common knowledge that had been spreading down through word of mouth ever since many hundred years ago. In today's Underworld, not a lot of people would be thinking Zephyria can only grow in the West Empire!...or maybe there might not even be one. In other words, the parameters of the Zephyria in the main memory didn't have a really powerful shackle.

  Then, if I continued to repeat this every day, if I gather my imagination on them... No, if I prayed for them to bloom every day, wouldn't it be possible for me to overcome that old-fashioned common sense?

  Having considered this, I started watering these flowers since last Autumn with water and imagination.

  At first, it failed, and I failed the second time. But on the third time, the seed sprouted by about 5mm. It was about to wilt, but this was already a result of breaking through the 'impossible'. I dumped of all the remaining seeds in this fourth experiment, and would come over here every day, before I go for classes in the morning, and after dinner, and muttered to them while gathering more concentration than before, saying "You definitely must sprout, grow and bear beautiful flowers."

  Recently, if I muttered such things to them, I would occasionally see a faint glow from the tender sprout. No matter what, this should be my eyes...or my consciousness playing tricks on me, but I believed that that the 23 sprouts I see in this flower pot would definitely bear beautiful flowers.

  “Here, Kirito. I got the water.”

  “...Ah, so sorry.”

  It seemed that Eugeo helped me fill up the watering can while I was squatting down in front of the flower pot here. I thanked him, received the watering can, and my partner smiled at me as he said,

  “But speaking of which, Kirito, we have been together for two years, but I didn't know you had such an interest.”

  “Yeah well, actually, I actually don't know why...”

  This was just a random answer, and there wasn't any deep meaning behind it. However, Eugeo changed
expressions as he went closer to me, before saying,

  “Nope, this is a sign that you're recovering your memories. You probably grew flowers at home before you appeared in Rulid, Kirito... Or maybe your original Sacred Task was something like that or so.”

  On hearing that, I couldn't help but stare at my partner's face blankly. I then hurriedly cleared my throat and said,

  “I-I see...why then? I have no knowledge on plants at all. All I did was to learn from the pruner Miller and the rest.”

  I basically nearly forgot all about it, but I was a «Lost Child of Vector»... A human who had his memories taken from the Dark God Vector and thrown into a land far away from a village. In the Academy, my birthplace profile was recorded as Rulid, so Eugeo was the only student here who knew of my 'designation'. Also, he had never mentioned anything about my memories to me recently, so I thought he didn't mind anymore— but it didn't seem to be like that.

  On hearing my answer, Eugeo nodded slightly, but didn't continue as he turned his stare to the flower pot,

  “Alright, hurry up and water it. They're telling us to hurry up.”

  “Oh, so you can hear them speak now, Eugeo-kun?”

  “Of course, I've been taking care of them with Kirito-kun.”

  That's all for jokes as I got ready in front of the flower pot and started muttering in my heart.

  ...The pot is rather small, but it's your country. Nothing can threaten you. You have to bask in the sunlight, take in the water and open up your moving flowers.

  I let this imagination of mine enter the water in the watering can, and swayed my right hand slightly. The water droplets landed on the slightly blue thin stem and leaves of the Zephyria, moisturizing it, flowed down and disappeared in the black dirt.

  At this moment, I seemed to see a warm glow surrounding the 23 stalks.

  Is it an imagination like before? Or— as I thought about this, I turned to look at Eugeo beside me, but he seemed to have his eyes closed and didn't notice this. As I turned my gaze back to the flower pot, the white light disappeared without a trace.

  I was really sorry to Eugeo, who was doing this with me for the sake of my interest (an excuse for an experiment), but I never told him that this was a Zephyria flower. He thought this was just some unknown seeds I got from the market.

  The reason why I didn't tell him the truth was that if I told him, Eugeo's common sense would have eroded my imagination. The aim of my experiment wasn't to fight in a battle of wills against my partner, and this was definitely not my personal wish. To be honest, I was always afraid that when we have sparring exams between elite swordsmen trainees, I would have to face Eugeo...

  “...Hey, Kirito.”

  Suddenly, I was called by Eugeo, who widened his eyes. I instinctively turned around to look, but, though this naturally wasn't a voice in my mind, what Eugeo said next was completely out of my expectations,

  “Kirito, if you gain all your memories, what will you do after that...?”

  “Eh...? What should I do? What do you mean?”

  “You see, Kirito, you're working hard, learning to be a swordsman in this Academy... and finally become an Integrity Knight. You just need to accompany me to finish my goal, isn't that right? My aim is to get to Alice, who was taken by the Axiom Church 8 years ago, but... If you recovered your memories and think of your hometown...”

  ...You'll definitely want to go back, right?

  Eugeo didn't say it out as he asked me with his eyes instead.

  Do I want to go back to my hometown? —Naturally, my answer would be 'yes'. However, my hometown isn't anywhere in Underworld. The one place that had my house, where everyone's waiting for me, is a country called Japan in the real world, outside this world.

  If I want to log out from here, I have to find the System Admin or the System Console or something like that. And if I have to guess where such things would be, that would be the Central department of the Axiom Church Centoria Cathedral. Thus, I had a different reason for becoming an Integrity Knight as compared to Eugeo.

  I endured the urge to tell off my partner, no, my good friend, kindly; moved the empty bottle to his left hand and patted on his back with my empty right hand. I put my hand on his back and silently spoke up,

  “...No, even if I really regain my memories, I won't go back. I definitely feel that I was once a «Swordsman» from where I came from... Even if I had an interest like planting flower, wouldn't it be my ultimate goal to aim for the Centoria Four Empires Unity Tournament?”

  “...”

  On hearing my words, Eugeo's back let out a slight tremble.

  He kept his small crouching position as he lowered his head with the flaxen-colored hair deeply and spoke in a barely audible voice.

  “...I'm, really a weak person. If I had never met you under the Gigas Cedar, I would probably just be swinging my axe every single day. I would only use my Sacred Task as an excuse and never think of seriously leaving the village... and finally, forget about Alice...”

  Eugeo stared at the brick beside him, and said out his inner thoughts with a teeny-weeny voice,

  “...It was the same when I joined the Zakkaria guards, and the same when I was able to come to Centoria to take part in this Master Swords Academy. It's because you were in front of me that I was able to do so, Kirito. So at least... I have to be as strong as you before I graduate, Kirito, that's what I thought. But, when you said that you won't head back to your hometown even if you regained your memories... I felt relieved for a moment...”

  My hand felt a jerk.

  I exerted strength into my right hand, and started muttering silently like what I did to the flowers. You're very strong, you're the one who decided to leave the village for your goal in this world that has numerous laws, rules and all sorts of binds. I muttered.

  “...I say, listen to me, I can't possibly head to Central alone.”

  As I muttered in my heart, I said this to him.

  “I didn't know the way, I couldn't memorize the laws of the Empire... And most importantly, I didn't even have a single Shears. The reason why we were able to be in the Academy like this is because both of us had been together. It will be the same from today onwards. If we don't work together, we won't be able to beat those noble young lords and ladies and the elites of the Imperial Knights who started learning since the moment they learned to walk. It's not too late to work hard alone and become an Integrity Knight.”

  “...”

  Even after hearing my words, Eugeo remained silent. But after a while, he whispered back,

  “Ahh... Ahh, that's right. We made it all the way here until now. So we have to get onto that white tower.”

  “Yeah. For that, we have to get the top 12 in this month's periodic tests... Leaving aside practical skills, I really can't understand the Sacred Arts really well... Teach me about those suitable media that react once we get back to the room.”

  “...Haha, okay. We'll start with the «Compressed Power» immediately again.”

  “Sort-Sorta.”

  I patted Eugeo on the back and got up.

  Eugeo, who got up a little later, was left with a usual calm smile. At this moment, my partner tilted his head, and seemed to remember something as he said,

  “Speaking of which, what did you want to ask me in the canteen?”

  “Eh...? Aah, ahh, yeah, I nearly forgot what I wanted to say.”

  I turned my body to face him, and spoke in my usual tone,

  “Eugeo, can you lend me your «Blue Rose Sword» for use tomorrow?”

  “Hmm, okay.”

  Eugeo agreed in a seemingly wholehearted manner as he nodded, and then tilted his head,

  “But why? Didn't you say that it would be better to practice with the wooden sword because you felt that the feel would be off?”

  “That's what I said but... It's like this. I agreed with Rina-sempai just now that I would show her my real sword skills for the last time. I probably could only use two consecutive hit skills with t
he wooden sword.”

  “Oh, so that's how it is. In that case, you must show off the real Aincrad-style fully. You can use the Blue Rose Sword, but...”

  At this moment, Eugeo paused, and then said with a slightly perplexed expression,

  “I say, Kirito, did you forget? Tomorrow's rest day would be that day.”

  “Eh? What about that day...”

  “Oi oi, it's the 6th of March. You were so looking forward to it.”

  “...Ah, ahh, is that so? The day that thing's finished? ...Well, it's not that I forgot...but I didn't think that it would take a year....”

  “Didn't you forget anyway?”

  Ahaha, Eugeo laughed, and asked me again,

  “So, how about it? The Blue Rose Sword, or...”

  “No, I want to use my own sword. Looks like Stacia-sama had definitely been guiding me. You said you were willing to lend me the sword, sorry.”

  “It's alright. Then, let's go back to our room, alright? I'll teach you properly until it's lights out.”

  “...Plea-Please spare me.”

  I put the watering can back in the shed and ran off to catch up with Eugeo, who was walking out.

  I turned back to look at the flower pot for the last time, and saw that at the top of the energetic sapling, the flower bud that had water droplets on it was pointing at the night sky.

  The second reason why I decided to plant the Zephyria for this experiment— To be honest, I would hesitate whenever I thought about it.

  That's because this reason was a little, no, rather embarrassing.

  Part 3

  In Underworld, there existed a wide array of Sacred Tasks, but amongst them, it's basically impossible to find something that belongs to the 'traveler' category.

  The 'trade merchants' who crossed the country borders to do sales seemed similar to 'travelers', but it's a little tricky to describe their movements as traveling. That's because they only transported their goods from one corner of this circular Central to another, like from North Centoria to East Centoria, or the other way around. The distance was only about 5km at most.

  The villages on the borders seemed to be self-efficient, and medicine or processed metal goods that they couldn't produce were all delivered from the closest towns by horse carriages (for example, it would be Zakkaria for Rulid). Sacred Tasks like «Traveling entertainer» and «Singing bard» didn't exist, so those who wanted to go for vacations during their free time would be obstructed by the one rest day per week limit.