-1614- Compromise

At this moment, Kirigaya Midori's expression was severe, creating a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

Kirito and Suguha dared not even breathe, nervously exchanging glances with Midori, who had stood up, while desperately shooting eye signals toward Rozen.

However, Rozen completely ignored them, calmly meeting Midori's gaze without saying a word, just quietly observing her.

As someone who had raised him for a full ten years as his foster mother, how could Midori not realize that this child wouldn't be intimidated by her?

This realization made Midori bite her lip as her attitude softened.

"Don't act out, Aoka," Midori said sternly. "Don't forget everything you've been through."

Midori's words carried a warning.

As an editor, Midori had always adopted a laid-back parenting style with the Kirigaya siblings. Even though Rozen and Kirito immersed themselves in computer games, as long as their grades didn't drop, she never opposed it.

Unlike many modern parents who view gaming as a harmful distraction to studies and routines, Midori took a more open-minded stance, allowing her children to engage in games and use the internet without restrictions.

But after the SAO incident, even Midori couldn't help but feel regret.

She regretted being too lenient—wondering if her indulgence had allowed Rozen and Kirito to become entangled in that deadly game.

The heart of a parent is universally tender. Though Midori could be carefree at times, she was still a responsible mother.

Of course, in today's society, it is impossible to completely avoid the internet. Despite the events of SAO, the allure of fully immersive VR technology continued to attract people, fueling the release of numerous VRMMO games, which still had large player bases.

If Rozen had brought this up a few months later, Midori might have been concerned but not so quick to deny his request.

But he had only just returned a few days ago!

How long had he even been back?

And now he was already talking about logging into another game? Of course, Midori's alarm was triggered.

Even Kirito and Suguha were alarmed by this; otherwise, they wouldn't have reacted the way they did.

"What you need now is to rest at home," Midori continued firmly. "Once your father returns from overseas, he'll take you to a renowned institution for a full-body checkup. Your dad would have rushed back already if it weren't for his work. He's even made an appointment with the clinic."

Midori's tone softened as she tried to persuade him.

"Listen to me and stop thinking about games for now, okay?"

Her voice almost carried a plea, revealing how deeply worried she was.

Even Kirito and Suguha spoke up in agreement.

"You just got back. Why the rush to dive into another game?" Kirito asked. "I've been back for two months, and I'm still observing the latest fully immersive technologies and checking out the current gaming landscape. Let's wait until things seem safe, and then we can play together. Doesn't that sound better?"

"That's right, Aoka-nii-san," Suguha added, clearly conflicted. "We're not saying you can't play games. How about playing some PC games for now?"

Even Suguha—who had once despised gaming—had come around to make this rare concession.

Everyone was united in opposing Rozen's idea of logging into a new game.

Their reaction was precisely what Rozen had expected.

"I know you're all worried about me," Rozen sighed. "But I'm not just playing for fun—there's something I must do."

If saving Asuna was all he wanted, Rozen had many ways to achieve that without entering the game himself.

Even without resorting to any mystical means, Rozen could uncover and expose RECT's suspicious activities with his intellect alone. He could have the whole organization fall apart without much effort or time.

If his goal were merely to save Asuna and reveal the truth, he wouldn't even need a month. A single day would be enough for him to wrap everything up.

However, Asuna's refusal to awaken when he tried to guide her out of the game had been weighing heavily on his mind.

Rozen understood that if Asuna had refused to wake up, there must be a reason.

If Asuna was truly in ALO, then something in that world must be troubling her—something that made her subconscious resist returning to reality.

Whatever that was, Rozen needed to find out.

Forcing Asuna awake and ending the incident without addressing that underlying cause could have unforeseen consequences.

Thus, entering ALO was a necessity.

"I mean, are you really worried I'll get trapped inside the game again and won't be able to come out?" Rozen asked, glancing at everyone around the table.

"If that's the case, then you don't know me well enough."

Who was Rozen, after all?

Even in this world, the side of himself he showed to others was that of a prodigious and brilliant young man.

"Even if another SAO-like incident happens, I already have ways to handle it," Rozen declared confidently. "Just trust me."

His words left everyone silent.

"But…" Midori seemed like she still wanted to say something.

Before she could continue, Rozen interrupted her.

"I promise I won't stay logged in for more than ten hours at a time. I'll make sure to log out every ten hours and report to you. How does that sound?"

Rozen offered a small compromise.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

His gentle yet firm words left Midori speechless.

Neither Kirito nor Suguha knew what else to say either.

The dining table fell into an awkward silence, transitioning from tension to a stifling heaviness.

Unable to bear the atmosphere, Kirito turned to Rozen and asked, "So, what game do you plan to log into?"

This was his way of trying to get some clarity.

There was no reason for Rozen to hide it.

"It's a game called ALfheim Online, also known as—ALO."

Rozen answered truthfully.

And in the next moment...

"Huh?"

Someone at the table lifted their head in shock, her expression filled with disbelief.