CHAPTER 23.1 - Cold Night

"Yes, in the dungeon on the way here" Kirito confirm "There was a general with them named N'ltzahh"

"And even he is here.." Emilia murmured now she was sure that the Forest Elves were planning to attack them "This is no time for relaxing. You two come with me" She stood up

"O-Okay where to?" Asuna asks

"To see the Master of the castle.." Emilia said "Viscount Yofilis" After changing clothes they go to the Yofilis office and entered the room they saw a woman standing on the window and her back was facing them so they can't see her face

Yofilis's office, with two armed guards standing outside the chamber, was located on the fifth floor. The office was a very large room, but its window was all covered with curtains, making the room unnaturally dark. An approximately three-meter-wide, heavy desk made of polished Blackwood was located in the very back of the chamber. The chamber has a secret door along the wall that led to a staircase formed from window frames, allowing quick descent to the bottom of the castle.

"Pardon our interruption, Lord Yofilis" The three of them bowed their head respecting the authority that Yofilis have "We have a matter of grave importance to report"

"Before your report" The lord faced them, now Kirito and Asuna can see his face "May I ask why you have brought two humans with you, Knight Emilia?" He spoke with full dignity and authority

He is Leyshren Zed Yofilis, commonly referred to as just Yofilis, and is the dark elves ruler of Yofel Castle and one of the most elderly individuals of the dark elves.

Yofilis had long, black hair tied behind him, slender hands, green-grey eyes, and an old, vertical scar running from his hairline to his chin across his left eye. His cheeks were rather light-skinned for a dark elf.

Yofilis wore fittingly noble clothes: a rococo-styled frock coat covered with moiré and buttons, a vest, pants that stopped below the knees, white tights, white gloves, and a white tie packed with frills. He was armed with a fragile rapier at his waist. Yofilis had a flat voice that could be taken as young or brittle.

Kirito feels scared by just looking and hearing his voice. Emilia taps his shoulder and whispers "Calm down I will handle this" Emilia faced the Viscount. She presented the scroll of recommendations they had received from the Dark Elves Commander to him. After the scroll and discovering that Kirito and Asuna's involvement in recovering the Jade Key, Yofilis rewarded the two with Sigils of Lysula.

"Continue the report," He said in full authority

"I have come to report with information, these people have brought to me" Yofilis just looking at the "Three days from now the Forest Elves was about to attack the castle" When the report was completed they left the office

"Ahh! That's a nerve attack" Kirito said he feels something about Yofilis

"I don't blame you. He is one of the oldest of all the Dark Elves" Emilia said "To tell you the truth, I 'm always nervous in his presence"

"I see that makes me wonder, how old is he? And how old are y-" Asuna didn't let him finish talking and punch him on his stomach "Oh!"

"I know you're being curious, but it's very rude to ask a woman about her age!" Asuna said

"Kirito, I know what you mean well, but Asuna is correct. Among Elves, it is considered impolite to ask one's age in-person" Emilia said

"There, see?"

"Sorry about that" Kirito said, he didn't know about that thing

"But I suppose I can tell you I am but a youngster compared to Viscount Yofilis, and won't be disclosing my age to anyone but family or a spouse," Emilia said

"Spouse? So if I married you I could know?" Kirito ask

"What!" Asuna shouted at Kirito

"I'm just kidding hehe" Kirito scratched his head

"Have no fear, I am not in the business of breaking up couples" Emilia pat Asuna's head and smiled for her Asuna is like her younger sister, sad to say she doesn't have any family

"I told you! We're not couples!" Asuna pouted "If this castle has such a wise and powerful Lord, why do the priests act like they run the place?"

"There is a reason for that. The Viscount is suffering from an ailment" Emilia's beautiful face shifted in the worried "It keeps him trapped in his room, where he cannot supervise the finer details"

"He's sick? Even though he's an Elf?" Kirito gets confused

"Elves are long-lived, but we are not immune to disease" Emilia smiled "I will return to my room to rest before my mission. Thank you for bringing me this urgent news" Emilia grabbed the doorknob of her room "Make sure you get some sleep. Don't stay up all night"

"Yeah, we will," Kirito said

"Good night, Emilia!" Asuna said, "So if we go to bed now, what time should we leave tomorrow?" Asuna said when Emilia left

"Hang on. I got a ring during that story event just now. Let me just check it out" kirito equipped sigils of lyusula and check what the ring is for "Plus one-two agility and an increase to my skill gain rate, not bad" Asuna stiff and Kirito noticed it "Huh? Wh-what's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing!" Asuna removed the ring on her finger "J-Just realized I forgot something"

"You're being weird" Kirito was confused "Okay, Let's meet at six o'clock, good night, Asuna"

"Good night, Kirito-Kun" She entered the room good thing that Emilia moved to a room that Asuna can use, while Kirito came to the opposite room. Asuna stopped and look at Kirito "Thank you for today. I really mean it" Asuna gives her his thankful smile "For bringing me here and helping me see Emilia again. It's been so much more enjoyable than any Christmas Eve in the real world; I've had a wonderful time"

"Uh, well I'm glad you had fun. I guess it would have been even better with a cake, huh?"

"Yes that's true, but we can look forward to that next year" Asuna got inside and before she closed it she called Kirito again "Kirito-Kun, good night"

"Good night, Asuna" Kirito entered his room and changed his clothes, and lay on the bed "Ah! I'm exhausted" Kirito covered his eyes by his arms, thinking about what Asuna said a while ago "Next year huh?.. If we're on the fourth floor, and we tackle each one in about a week" Kirito started counting how many months they need to wait until they reached the 100th floor "That makes a year and ten months" Kirito was on the deep thought. He was planning about creating a place that would be safe to leave and not have to worry about her "In order to safely proceed through the game, guild membership will be practically mandatory" He whispered analyzing the situation "If I were to start a guild, most people would probably think poorly of us, I bet" But he was still hesitant to build a guild because he saw that Asuna could be a guild leader that better than Lind and Kibaou "I feel like I shouldn't just be dragging her around through these dangerous situations because she's with me.." Kirito sigh and decided to leave his room "Hmm?" He didn't inspect