Chapter 63: The Proposal

Chapter 63: The Proposal

That evening, the secret base held a celebration banquet.

Officially, it was a party to celebrate Hachiman joining the Knights of the Blood, Kirito's bittersweet retirement from the arena, and Asuna's move to a new residence.

First, Klein, who claimed to often act as an organizer at his company, took the lead and raised a toast.

On the courtyard's long table were dishes personally made by Asuna.

Although it was just a simple gathering for casual conversation and to deepen bonds, everyone was filled with joy.

Besides Hachiman, Asuna, Kirito, Lisbeth, and Silica, the participants included Klein, Agil, and Argo—eight people in total.

"Soy sauce, huh..." "There's miso too!" "Asuna finally finished it." "Finally, it tastes authentic. How about it, Hachiman?"

"Oh, perfect. Please make ramen next time."

The surprise of the day was the soy sauce and miso-flavored seasonings that Asuna painstakingly developed.

The nostalgic flavors brought tears to many's eyes as they buried their faces in the food.

After the meal, they split into groups for chatting: Silica and Lisbeth, who rarely interacted but obtained their weapons through Asuna's introductions, talked cheerfully across Kirito; the other four surrounded Asuna discussing the seasonings.

Argo paid a hefty information fee to obtain permission to distribute the recipes, while Agil and Klein constantly praised Asuna's cooking.

Hachiman, meanwhile, pulled out a beach chair from somewhere and slumped into it.

'How peaceful...'

Recently weighed down by worries related to Heathcliff, Hachiman was now relaxing his nerves with a tropical-style drink instead of alcohol. He had dozed off until the sound of someone calling woke him.

"Ah, looks like you woke up." "Finally awake, Hachiman." "I saw you were tired, so I didn't wake you. Did you sleep well?" "Don't always tough it out alone!"

Seeing their concerned faces, Hachiman thought inwardly, 'These guys really do step into other people's business easily... but I guess I allowed it.'

Looking around at his companions, the faces of those still in reality surfaced in his mind.

'Yukino, Yuihama. Although I don't know if I can truly call them comrades, I've definitely gained important partners there.

How are you all doing now? Has Komachi gotten into Soubu High? Is Isshiki preparing for the college entrance exam this year?

Without me, the student council work must be tough for them, and they even went to eat ramen with Hiratsuka-sensei.'

Thinking of their faces, Hachiman renewed his resolve. 'I have to go back and show them that maybe I've grown a little here. I also want to introduce them to my companions here... and finally...'

Finally, his gaze settled on Asuna, who was looking at him — a special existence, far from an ordinary companion.

'Yukino is hard to define, Yuihama might have had feelings for me.

I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't entered the game, but at the time, I trusted them more than anything else. But...'

"Hachiman-kun, everyone is ready to go back."

At Asuna's call, Hachiman decided to come clean while everyone was present. Surprised at how obediently everyone headed toward the living room, he asked, "Hey, why are you all so obedient?" "Because it's Hachiman, after all," they replied teasingly.

He shrugged helplessly and followed.

"First, I want to take this opportunity to hand the keys over to Klein and Argo. From now on, everyone here is authorized to enter this house." "That's a weird way to say it, but thanks." "Thanks, Hachiman!"

"What I meant by 'intrusion' is that everyone here is my trusted... important partner."

His words caused silence to fill the room; even Asuna didn't speak.

The unexpected reaction made Hachiman nervously look around.

Suddenly, Asuna broke the silence by rushing at him and everyone swarmed around to hug him tightly.

"What's going on?" "Hachiman-kun, who never says things like this, confessed first! Of course we're happy."

"Sorry I didn't say it properly before..." "It's fine." "We already knew and just started dating!"

Once everyone calmed down, Hachiman got to the main topic: "I want to confess everything to you all."

He explained the truth about Heathcliff, and after the initial shock, the group gradually absorbed the information.

"From now on, all our actions must be based on this premise.

There may be danger, but the two years left are few.

We need to wait for an opportunity to expose his true identity, and if necessary, kill him on the spot." "Will that end everything?" Kirito asked doubtfully. "There are two possibilities: he either becomes the final boss on this floor or hides somewhere on the 100th floor.

I lean toward the former—he definitely wants to personally witness the players' ending and demands a showdown under the guise of a reward, with a built-in mechanism of life-and-death for both sides." "But if we succeed... maybe he can be spared death." "The resurrection item's description says the real body won't die for ten seconds after death. Whatever happens then, the Clearer team must stay calm; if someone falls, we just need to clear it within ten seconds."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Hachiman continued organizing plans: "Argo will handle support from behind the scenes." "That's on me, the information dealer!" "Lisbeth and Silica, please wait for good news." "Everyone must return safely!" "Oh!!"

Finally, Hachiman took a deep breath: "There's one more thing I must announce publicly." The group sensed something unusual and held their breath.

"Asuna, come here." "As you all know, Asuna has moved in here." "I've decided to stop deceiving myself with the excuse of 'safety.'"

While Asuna looked expectant, Hachiman became nervous and speechless, but under everyone's encouragement, blushed and said:

"I'm a coward full of flaws... Asuna, will you stay by my side forever? I love you."

"I finally heard it..." Asuna wept with joy. "I love you the most too!"

Cheers erupted. Suddenly, Argo proposed: "Next, we should hold a wedding, right?" "W-wedding!?" "Better settle it soon to avoid trouble."

"In this world, marriage means sharing storage space, basically entrusting your life to each other." Hachiman hesitated, but Asuna suddenly struck back:

"Since Hachiman-kun finally gathered the courage to confess, it's my turn now! I will definitely accept your proposal!"

"That's so assertive..." "Nice work, Asuna!" "The lesson is to take the offensive to win Hachiman," Lisbeth chuckled.

...I guess I was overthinking. Asuna, one more time — I love you, marry me. "As long as you want, I'll always be with you."

After a vow and a kiss, the system interface popped up the marriage application.

At the moment they exchanged rings, even warmer congratulations echoed throughout the base.

That night, thanks to Asuna's proactive drive, the two finally became husband and wife.

Despite twists and turns, their heartfelt connection added a warm color to the world of SAO.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Hello everyone! I'm VarieTL.

I have posted a new Fanfiction!

A crossover of Danmachi and Fate this time

Danmachi- The Heroic Legend of Emiya!

After slaughtering his way through the Holy Grail War in a single night to save his sister, Shirou Emiya was transported to the labyrinth city of Orario.To repay Hestia for a meal she gave him, he resolved to offer his strength to this unreliable goddess.The path of justice has not yet come to an end—as long as the sword remains tightly gripped in his hand, there is no need for hesitation."Whether god or man, no matter who tries to harm the ones I wish to protect, I will defeat them with the sword in my hand!""Watch closely—this is my Unlimited Blade Works!"This is the story of a hero of justice who sweeps away evil in Orario while also uncovering the truths of the world.

As Always

Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on Patreon VarieTL