Selmbrook was a beautiful castle city located on the 61st floor.
Although it wasn't large, it was all exquisitely made of white granite. The city street with the gorgeous spires as the center formed a beautiful contrast with most of the green spaces. The variety of shops in the market was also quite rich. Although many players wanted to use this place as a base, the price of a room was too expensive-I think it was more than three times that of Argert-so it was almost impossible for players who were not quite high-level to have a room here.
When Asuna and I arrived at Selmbrook's portal, the sun had almost set. The last rays of the setting sun dyed the streets a deep purple.
The sixty-first floor was almost entirely occupied by the lake, and Selmbrook was a small island in the center of the lake. The setting sun shone in from the outer part of the lake, making the lake glow like a painting. Looking at the vast lake as the background, the streets that shimmered with dark blue and vermilion light, my heart was deeply moved by this beautiful scene. For the next-generation diamond semiconductor core processor that NERvGear was equipped with, this light processing was just a small trick.
The transfer gate was set up in the square in front of the ancient city, and the main street with trees on both sides started from the square and passed through the city street, extending all the way to the south. On both sides of the road, there were many high-end shops and houses. The NPCs and players that passed by also gave people a sense of otherworldliness. I even began to feel that the air smelled different from Argert, so I couldn't help but open my hands and take a deep breath.
"Ah, this place is spacious and there are few people. It's really open.」
[Then you should move here too.]
[I don't have enough money at all.]
After shrugging my shoulders and answering, I changed my expression to a serious one and asked cautiously,
[…Speaking of which, is it really okay? What happened just now…"
「…………」
Asuna seemed to know what I was talking about. She quickly turned around and tapped her heels on the ground with her head down, making a " dong dong " sound.
"... Although I did encounter a few unpleasant things when I was alone, it was too exaggerated to send guards to guard me. I also said that I didn't need it…but this is the guild's policy. Actually, it should be said that the advisors forced me to accept it…"
She continued in a low voice,"
"In the past, we were just a small group that the Guild Leader personally invited one by one and established. However, as the number of members increased, the members kept changing…Ever since we were known as the strongest guild, it felt a little strange.」
After saying that, Asuna turned half of her body towards me. At this moment, I seemed to see a pleading look in her eyes and couldn't help but gasp.
Even though I wanted to say something, what else could a selfish solo player like me say? So we just stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.
Asuna was the first to look away. She looked at the lake that was gradually turning dark blue. Then, as if she wanted to change the atmosphere, she said in a clear voice,
[Well, it's not a big deal. You don't have to worry about it!] If they didn't walk faster, the sun would set.」
I followed Asuna and started walking. Although they brushed past many players, no one kept staring at Asuna.
I only stayed here for a few days half a year ago, when Selmbrook was still at the frontline. Now that I think about it, I didn't really visit the city at all. Now that I saw this beautiful carved street again, I couldn't help but want to live in this city. But then I felt that I should treat this place as a sightseeing place and come here occasionally for an interview.
Asuna lived on the third floor of a small and exquisite apartment that could be reached immediately after turning east from the main road. Of course, this is my first visit. Thinking about it carefully, up until now, this girl and I had only spoken a few times at the leader's strategy meeting. We hadn't even been to an NPCs 'restaurant together. At the thought of this, even though I was already at her door, I still wanted to escape, so I hesitated at the entrance of the apartment.
"But…is it really possible? That…"
"What? You were the one who brought this up first. Besides, there's no other place to cook now, so you can only come to my house!」
Asuna turned her face away and climbed up the stairs. After making up my mind, I followed him upstairs.
[Sorry to disturb you.]
I walked through the door timidly. I was so frightened by the scene in front of me that I could only stand there for a long time without saying a word.
I've never seen such a perfect player-only room. In addition to the spacious living room and dining room, the kitchen next to it was decorated with bright wooden furniture and dark green kitchen cabinets. Moreover, these should all be the highest-grade custom-made goods.
Although they were all high-level items, they weren't too flashy. Instead, they gave people a rather comfortable feeling. Compared to my kennel, it's miles apart. This also made me feel that it was the right choice not to invite her to my house.
"That…how much does this cost?」
Asuna answered my rather practical question,"
"Well, the room and the decorations combined are about 4K. I'll go in and change my clothes.」
She answered casually and disappeared behind the door in the depths of the living room. K was the contraction of thousands, so 4k meant four million. For someone like me who fought at the frontlines every day, I should have earned this much money long ago. However, I wasted my money on a sword that I only liked a little, as well as strange equipment and items, so I didn't save much money at all. I began to reflect on myself, which was rare, and then sat down hard on the soft sofa.
Soon, Asuna appeared in the room in a simple white tight-fitting top and a knee-length skirt. Although it was said to be changing clothes, in fact, there was no action of putting on and taking off. He only controlled the equipment doll in the status window. However, within a few seconds of changing clothes, one's appearance would change to that of only wearing underwear. If it was a bold and bold male player, they might not care, but female players would definitely not change clothes in front of others. Even if our bodies were just 3D files, after living in this state for two years, I gradually felt that it was not just that. Now, my gaze naturally shifted to Asuna's exposed hands and feet.
Asuna, who didn't notice the entanglement in my heart, stared at me and said,"
"When are you going to wear that dress?"」
I quickly called out the menu and removed my combat leather coat and sword belt. He moved to the prop window and materialized the " Chowder Rabbit Meat ". Then, he placed the meat in the clay bottle quietly on the table in front of him.
Asuna picked up the bottle and looked inside carefully.
[Is this the legendary S-grade ingredient... What dish do you want to make?]」
[Just, just leave it to the chef to handle.」
" I see... then I'll make it into a stew. After all, its name is Chowder Rabbit."
I followed Asuna to the next room.
In addition to the firewood oven in the spacious kitchen, there were many high-end kitchenware arranged beside it. Asuna quickly clicked on the oven twice with a double-click of the mouse and called out the pop-up menu. After setting the cooking time, she took out a metal pot from the shelf. Then, he moved the meat from the bottle into the pot, mixed in a lot of herbs, filled it with water, and then covered it.
"Actually, there are still a lot of procedures, but SAO has simplified the cooking process too much. It's really boring.」
Asuna complained as she put the pot into the oven and pressed the button to start cooking. Asuna was still moving quickly during the 300 seconds of waiting. She kept materializing many of the ingredients that were originally stored in the warehouse and then seasoning them one by one with smooth movements. I couldn't help but be stunned by her flawless actions when she adjusted the ingredients and manipulated the menu.
In just five minutes, a luxurious meal was served. Asuna and I sat across the table. The large plate in front of us was filled with steaming stew. The rising steam and fragrance stimulated our nostrils. The large piece of meat was covered in a glossy and thick sauce, rolling around on the plate. The marbled pattern drawn by the white lines of cream was really appetizing.
We couldn't even wait to start eating. We picked up the spoon, opened our mouths, and began to eat what should be the highest-grade food in SAO. First, he felt the heat and fragrance in his mouth. When he started chewing, he tasted the gravy that was emitted from the soft meat.
The way SAO ate was not to calculate and simulate the feeling of crushing objects with its teeth. Instead, it used the " Taste Regeneration " system developed by the System and environment programming company that cooperated with ARGUS.
This was a system that used the data that was previously input to transmit various " eating " sensations to the user's brain, allowing the user to experience the same feeling as when they actually ate. It was said that this system was originally developed for people who needed to lose weight or who needed to control their diet. The principle was to send fake signals to the parts of the brain that controlled taste, aroma, heat, and so on, causing the brain to have the illusion that they were eating. In other words, our physical bodies in the real world did not eat anything at this moment. The system was just constantly stimulating the top lobe of the brain.
It was just that at this moment, it would be too much to consider these things. The best delicacy I've tasted since I logged in is undoubtedly a real feeling. Asuna and I didn't say a word. We just kept repeating the action of putting the spoon into the big plate and sending the meat into our mouths.
Not long after, in front of the completely empty plate and pot, Asuna sighed deeply."
[Ahhh... It's great that I've worked hard to live until now...]
I have the same feeling. Immersed in the satisfaction of my long-unsatisfied primitive physiological needs being completely satisfied, I took a sip of the tea that emitted an incredible fragrance. At this moment, I was thinking about whether the meat I just ate and the tea I was drinking now were actually a record of the original taste of the ingredients in the real world, or a fictional taste created by adjusting various parameters.
Asuna, who was sitting opposite me with a teacup in her hands, broke the silence that had lasted for several minutes because she was immersed in the aftertaste of the feast.
"It's incredible... It feels like I was born in this world and have been living until now.」
"Recently, I sometimes can't remember what happened in the other world. Actually, it shouldn't be just me…There are fewer and fewer people who are desperately shouting for a guide and wanting to leave.」
" Overall, the speed of the strategy has slowed down. I think there are less than 500 players still fighting at the frontlines. It's not just because there's a risk... Everyone is already used to life in this world..."
I quietly looked at Asuna's beautiful face under the orange light, lost in thought.
Such a face might not belong to a living human. That smooth skin and shiny hair were too beautiful for a living creature. However, to the current me, I could no longer tell that this face was made up of a few edges. I could already completely accept that what I saw was a living being. I think that if I were to return to the real world now and see real people, I would definitely feel very uncomfortable.
Do I really want to go back to that world?
He was confused by the thought that suddenly appeared in his mind. Every day, he would wake up early and enter the maze area. He would record the areas that no one had ever been to while earning experience points. Was he really trying to leave this game?
In the past, it was indeed to leave this game of death as soon as possible. However, he was already used to the lifestyle of this world.
[However, I still want to go back.]
Asuna spoke in a clear voice as if she had seen through my doubts. I came back to my senses and raised my head.
Asuna gave me a rare smile and continued,
[Because there are still many things that I want to do over there.」
After hearing her words, I nodded in agreement.
[That's true. We have to work hard, or we'll be letting down the professional players who are assisting us…"
I poured the tea into my mouth as if I were going to drink my confusion in one gulp. He was still far from the top, so he could think about these things later.
It was rare for me to express my gratitude bluntly. Just as I was thinking about what to say to thank Asuna, she actually frowned and waved her hand in front of me. Then, she said,
[Ah…don't be like this.]
"W-what?"
"So far, there have been several male players who have shown this expression and have proposed marriage to me.」
[What…]
He was really unwilling. Although he was quite proficient in combat skills, he was really inexperienced in such situations. Therefore, his mouth was always open and he could not find a word to retort. I think my face must be quite ridiculous at this moment.
Asuna smiled when she saw me.
"Looking at you, there shouldn't be any other girls who are better, right?」
[Can't I…I'm a solo player.」
"We're already playing online role-playing games. Why don't we make more friends?」
Asuna's smile disappeared and she asked me in a tone that sounded like a big sister or a teacher,"
[Have you never thought about joining a guild?」
[Eh…]
[I also know that people who came from the closed beta are not used to working in groups. But…"
Her expression became even more serious.
"After passing the seventieth level, I felt that the proportion of anomalies in the monster's rule system had increased.」
Actually, I have the same feeling. It was getting harder and harder to see the tactics of the computer, but it was unclear whether it was designed this way from the beginning or if it was the result of the system itself learning. If it was the latter, the game's strategy would become more and more difficult.
" If you're alone, you might encounter an accident that you can't handle. It was not always possible to escape from the battlefield in an emergency. It'll be much safer if we form a team."
[I'm fully prepared. Thank you for your advice…but joining a guild is really not my style. And…"
Actually, I should have said this, but I still forced myself to continue saying what I shouldn't have said.
"For me, my teammates usually can't help me and will even drag me down.」
[Ouch...]
With a click, a silver flash flashed in front of my eyes.
By the time I came back to my senses, Asuna's right hand was already holding the knife tightly to the tip of my nose.
This was the rapier's basic skill," Line Attack." Although it was a basic skill, after her high agility was supplemented, her speed could be said to be extraordinary. To be honest, I couldn't see the trajectory of her sword at all.
I smiled stiffly and raised my hands gently, making a gesture of surrender.
[…I know. You are an exception."
[I see.]
Asuna put away the knife with a bored expression. Then, as he twirled the knife in his hand, he made a terrifying suggestion.
[Then you can team up with me temporarily.] As the person in charge of the team formation for the leader's strategy, I have to confirm if you're really as strong as the rumors say. As for my strength, you've already seen it. Besides, my lucky color this week is still black.」
[What, what reason is this!]
Her unreasonable request shocked me and I tried to find a reason to object.
[You said that you want to form a team with me. What about the guild?」
[Our guild doesn't have a rule on how much experience points we have to gain every day.」
"Then, where are the two guards?"
[Just leave it alone.]
He had wanted to drink some tea to buy some time, but when he brought it to his mouth, he realized that the teacup was already empty. Asuna snatched the cup away as if nothing had happened and poured some hot tea into it.
To be honest, it was a very attractive request. There was no man who wouldn't want to team up with the most beautiful woman in Aingrunt. However, even if he wanted to accept her request, he would still have doubts about why a celebrity like Asuna would take the initiative to ask him to form a team.
Perhaps he just pitied me, a lone player with a dark personality. With such a negative thought in his heart, he accidentally said something that would be fatal to him.
" The frontline is very dangerous."
Asuna raised the knife in her right hand again. When I saw the light effect that was even stronger than before, I could only quickly nod my head. Although I was still suspicious in my heart, why would they find me, who wasn't particularly outstanding, to form a team in the frontlines of the strategy group, commonly known as the "strategy group"? However, I still made up my mind and said to her,
[Alright, alright. Then... Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, I'll see you at the transfer gate of the seventy-fourth floor.」
Asuna put down her hand and laughed in reply.
I didn't know how long I could stay at the girl's house alone, so I immediately got up and left after eating. Asuna sent me to the stairs of the apartment and nodded slightly.
[Today…I still have to thank you.] Thank you for the ingredients."
[I, I should thank you.] Although I still want to ask you for help in the future…I don't think I'll have the chance to get those ingredients and props again.」
"Even ordinary ingredients can be turned into good dishes by the chef's skills.」
Asuna looked up at the sky as she refuted me. There were no stars in the sky that was completely shrouded in darkness. A hundred meters above us, we could only see the dark bottom layer made of stone and iron covering our heads. I looked up and muttered to myself,
"... Is this really the world that Kazuhiko Hayaba wanted to create..."
This is a question that is half for ourselves. Neither of us can answer it.
Now, he was probably hiding somewhere to observe the thatched cottage of this world. How did he feel? I had no way of guessing whether the thatched cottage was satisfied or disappointed with the current situation of peace and order after the turbulent chaos.
Asuna silently took a step closer to me. I could feel her body temperature on my arm. Was this an illusion, or was it the result of a faithful body temperature simulation?
I started playing this game of death on November 6th, 2022. It was now late October 2024. In the past two years, there had been no news from the outside world, let alone rescue. The only thing we can do is to work hard to survive and then climb up step by step.
And so, Ain Grand's day ended. Where are we heading? What kind of ending awaits us in this game? There were too many things he didn't know. The journey to the future was so far away, but the light that could be seen was so rare. Even so, I still haven't completely given up hope.
I looked up at the iron cover in the sky, my thoughts flying towards the unknown world where I still could not see the exit.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]