Chapter 4

The cold was noticeably harsher today,

I entered my workshop while rubbing my hands together. Pulling

the lever on the wall, I warmed my hands over the furnace that

immediately ignited, burning red hot. The thudding sound of the

waterwheel remained the same at least, but the early winter right now

was already this cold. If midwinter were to come and the small river at

the back freezes over, I was worried over just what would happen to

me.

I thought hard for a short while before coming to my senses with

a start, and consulted my scheduler. There were still eight items piled

up in the list of orders due today. The day will soon come to an end if I

don't hurry and settle them.

The first order was a lightweight-type one-handed straight sword.

I peered through my list of ingots, picking out one that was a good

compromise between budget and performance shortly after, and

tossed it into the furnace.

At this point in time, my mastery of the hammer had increased,

and I even got my hands on some new metals, so I have been able to

constantly hit up high leveled weapons. Selecting a time when the fire

has heated to a suitable temperature, I placed the ingot onto the anvil.

Setting up the hammer, I swung it down with great vigor.

But, when speaking about one-handed straight swords— Not a

single sword was able to exceed that particular sword I forged back in

the summer of this year. That fact is frustrating, yet a relief.

That sword that had buried the fragments of my heart was

probably spiritedly rampaging through the faraway frontlines yet

again today. Although I do tend to it on this very whetstone before my

eyes every now and then, unlike normal weapons, the transparency of

its blade seemed to increase with use. For some reason, it seemed

unlike the numerical consumables that run out sooner or later; it felt

more like it would break apart once its duty had been completed—that

was what I predicted.

But well, that was probably still a future that wouldn't be here

anytime soon. The frontlines were now on the seventy-fifth floor. That

sword would still have to work on for longer still. Within the right

hand of that person—Kirito's.

When I noticed, it seemed that I had already finished hitting it for

the required number of times; the ingot started to change its shape as

it shone with red light. I watched this magical instant pass with my

breath held, and picked up the sword that soon appeared to examine it.

"...Average, I guess."

Murmuring so, I placed that onto the worktable. Without delay, I

started picking out the next ingot. This time was a two-handed axe,

with the focus on its reach...

A time long after the start of noon, I somehow managed to finish

off all of the orders, and stood up. Moving my head around in circles, I

stretched my body vigorously. As I took a breath of relief, a small photo

hanging on the wall entered my vision.

Making peace signs while joined together, Asuna and me. Beside

Asuna, standing half a step below, Kirito with a wry smile. It was taken

in front of this building. Around half a month ago—when the news of

the two's marriage came in.

No matter who you might ask, the two certainly suit each other,

but getting to that goal eventually took an entire half a year. I was

getting impatient, and tried to poke my nose into their relationship in

various ways, and when I was finally informed of the news of their

marriage in the end, I was really happy for them. But still—I felt just

the slightest, heartrending ache.

I still see what happened on that night in my dreams. Recollecting

that single dreamlike night that shone like a modest gem within these

two years with barely any ups-and-downs. Even right now, after three

months had already passed, it still warmed my heart like glowing

embers.

"...Even so..."

It certainly was amazing, I murmured thus in my heart, and softly

traced the photo with my finger. Even though I consider myself to be a

rational realist, to think that I had such an unreserved disposition was

something that I didn't even notice at all.

"I had always loved you, until the very end."

Giving a firm tap onto a certain spot on the photo, I shifted my

thoughts. Wondering if I should make a simple meal for my late lunch,

or perhaps eat out for the first time in a while, I stepped out of my

workshop—it happened then.

A sound effect that I had never heard till now resounded loudly

from above. Ding, ding, a sound resembling a bell alarm... I immediately

gazed at the ceiling, but it seemed that the sound was coming from

even higher, reverberating from the direction of the upper floors.

I was just about to run out hurriedly, when something that

surprised me even further happened. Although the reason behind it is

obvious, the store-tending NPC, who stood at the counter, not needing

a single day of rest since the opening of the store, suddenly vanished

without even a single sound.

"...!?"

I blinked my eyes, and stared at the space where the girl stood till

earlier, but there was no sign of her return. The situation was getting

more and more convoluted.

To me, who stumbled my way out, an even more astonishing

experience caused me to stand stock still.

On the bottom of the upper floor that spread out, a hundred

meters above, right before that barren grey roof—gigantic red letters

were suspended, spaced tightly together. I stared absorbed at them;

the two English lines, "Warning", and, "System Announcement", were

arranged on a checkered pattern.

"System... Announcement..."

It was a scene I had seen before. There was no way I could have

forgotten it. Two years ago, on that day this death game started, the

exact same spectacle appeared behind that hollow avatar that

announced the change of rules to the ten thousand players.

Finally looking around my surroundings after being frozen to that

for several full seconds, I spotted many other players, looking up at the

upper floor while standing straight up, just like me. Frowning as I felt

something off about this scene, the reason instantly came to mind.

Usually, while walking through the streets, there would be NPCs

hawking their wares; not a single one was around. I believe they

probably disappeared at the same time as the one tending to my store

did, but... just why—

All of a sudden, the ringing alarm sound stopped. After a moment

of silence, this time, what came down was a tender female voice, in that

same loud volume.

[We will now be announcing an urgent notice to all of the

players.]

It was completely different from the voice of the Game Master,

Kayaba Akihiko, from two years ago, being an artificial synthetic voice

with the sounds of electronic noise mixed in. It was obviously an

announcement made through the game system, but with barely any

presence of the management in SAO, this was the first time I had heard

of an announcement done via these means. I strained my ears to listen

while holding my breath.

[The game will now be entering forced administration mode. All

monsters and item spawns will be suspended. All NPCs will be

dismissed. The hit points of all players will be fixed to their maximum

amount.]

A system error? Did some fatal bug appear...?

That was what I thought for an instant. My heart was gripped

with unease. But in the next moment—

[Aincrad Standard Time, November the seventh, fourteen-fiftyfive, the game has been cleared.]

—And the system voice reported thus.

The game, has been cleared.

I could not understand the meaning of those words for several

seconds. The other players around too, stood still with their

expressions frozen. However, upon hearing the line it led to, all of them

sprung up.

[All players will be logged out in sequence. Kindly wait at your

current location. I repeat...]

Suddenly, "Wooah!", and such huge cheers of joy erupted. The

ground, no, the whole of the Floating Castle Aincrad trembled.

Everyone was hugging each other, rolling about the ground, shouting

out loud with their hands raised towards the sky.

I didn't move, didn't say a word, simply standing in front of my

store. I somehow managed to lift up my hands, and covered my mouth.

So he did it. He—Kirito did it. With his usual recklessness...

That was what I believed. After all, the foremost frontlines were

still at the seventy-fifth floor, but with the game cleared like this, this

absurd, thoughtless, act of foolhardiness was definitely Kirito's deed.

I felt like I heard soft murmurs close to my ears.

—I, kept my word...

"Yeah... Yeah... Finally, you did it..."

With that, hot tears spilled from my eyes. Without bothering to

wipe them away, I thrust my right hand up with all my might, jumping

up and down without stop.

"O—oh!!"

Cupping my hands to my mouth, so as to reach him, who should

be on the upper floors far away, I cried out as loud as I could.

"We will, definitely meet again, Kirito—!! ...I love you!!"