-1617- Nothing to worry about

"Ah..."

At this moment, Suguha also realized how improper her behavior had been.

Getting so excited for no reason made Suguha blush when she saw the strange look on Rozen's face.

Immediately, Suguha bounced back from him.

However, Rozen still looked at Suguha with a strange expression.

"I mean, Suguha," Rozen said with a speechless tone, "Since when did you become so knowledgeable and concerned about things in ALO?"

You could even excitedly talk about which race I should pick for the game?

This girl is clearly acting weird.

Suguha also felt she had been too excited, her expression looking rather strained.

"I... I saw it online! Yeah, online," Suguha quickly said, "Because Sylphs are cute!"

Sylphs are cute?

Isn't Cait Sith the cute one?

In ALO, while Sylphs are a popular race, they aren't much different from other races. All have fairy-like ears, and though their appearance is more elegant compared to the rugged Salamanders or Gnomes, they aren't exactly what you'd call 'cute.'

On the other hand, Cait Siths not only have elf-like features but also cat ears and tails. They are famously adorable among the nine major races, which is why many girls choose Cait Siths.

Currently, the most popular races in ALO are Sylphs, Salamanders, and Cait Siths, making them among the most influential of the nine major races.

Especially Salamanders, who are a race skilled in combat. Many hardcore players love picking this race, making Salamanders stand out in ALO. Unlike Sylphs and Cait Siths, whose appearance tends to attract more players, Salamanders' combat prowess is their main draw.

Of course, as a girl, liking Sylphs isn't unusual.

Sylphs aren't like Cait Siths, who are mostly picked by girls, nor like Salamanders, which are favored by boys. Sylphs have a more balanced player base, with many boys choosing them for their elegant looks and flying advantages.

So, if Suguha is familiar with ALO and likes Sylphs, that seems pretty normal.

However...

"You seem really fond of Sylphs," Rozen teased. "But even if I don't pick Cait Sith, I should at least go with Salamander. That's the race a guy should pick, right?"

If not Cait Sith, Rozen's second choice would indeed be Salamander.

Being skilled with weapons and boasting high attack power, this race would undoubtedly have an advantage in combat.

But after hearing Rozen's words, Suguha shook her head without hesitation.

"No, no, no! Salamanders are too aggressive! They always bully other races, especially Sylphs. The two races' territories are too close to each other, so they're always fighting. Many Sylphs get attacked by Salamanders in neutral training zones. Those guys are like bandits! It's so infuriating!"

Suguha looked genuinely indignant, as if she herself had been bullied. Her reaction was a bit over-the-top.

Rozen just watched her for a while, then chuckled helplessly.

"So, no matter what, I have to pick Sylphs?"

Rozen probed.

Suguha answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Of course! Sylphs are the best!"

Suguha replied without the slightest hint of hesitation.

Rozen stared at her intently, not moving his gaze for even a second.

"Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?" Suguha asked, avoiding his gaze in apparent nervousness.

Seeing her reaction, Rozen suddenly laughed.

"Well, since my adorable little sister insists, I'll pick Sylphs."

Rozen said as if conceding.

"Really?" Suguha cheered with joy. "That's great!"

Suguha really did seem quite happy.

"Then I won't disturb you, Aoka-nii-san," Suguha said as she stood up, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, by the way, what's your character's name going to be?"

"Why?" Rozen asked with a chuckle. "Are you curious about that too?"

"Hehe, just a little," Suguha replied sheepishly, "Tell me, please."

Seeing Suguha looking like she wanted to act spoiled, Rozen couldn't help but smile. He hadn't seen her like this in years.

"Rozen."

Rozen told her his character's name.

"This is the name I've always used."

Upon hearing this, Suguha repeated the name seriously.

"Rozen... Rozen, hm."

It was as if she were trying to memorize the name, repeating it several times.

After that, Suguha looked up and smiled at Rozen.

"Alright, Aoka-nii-san, I won't bother you anymore. Take care, okay?"

Leaving those words, Suguha quickly ran out of Rozen's room.

"Bam!"

The door closed a bit forcefully as Rozen watched Suguha's retreating figure, finding the whole situation rather amusing.

"This girl... could she really be...?"

This was turning into quite the strange development.

After all, Suguha had always been strongly opposed to games before, with her disdain almost written on her face. Otherwise, she wouldn't have clashed with Rozen and Kirito for so long.

Now, if this girl really were as Rozen suspected, it would indeed be surprising.

"If Kirito finds out, he'd probably drop his jaw in shock."

Who knows if Dad and Mom are aware yet?

If they are, they probably wouldn't allow Suguha to do this, would they?

But then again, who knows?

"Anyway, I can finally get started."

Rozen once again picked up the game helmet, looking at it with a smirk.

"Looks like this will be more fun than I expected."

That was what Rozen thought.

As for the choice of race, Rozen had already made his decision.

"Sylph it is."

Though Sylph hadn't originally been on Rozen's shortlist, compared to Cait Sith and Salamander, since his adorable little sister had asked, as her older brother, he naturally had to comply.

Besides, Sylphs were a viable option for Rozen as well.

Rozen had been an aerial combatant for over a decade in the previous world, honing countless flying techniques. His skills in aerial combat were second to none.

Coupled with the perfect mastery of Mind's Eye, picking the race specialized in flying, Sylph, wouldn't put him at a disadvantage compared to other races.

In the past, Rozen, even with his incomplete Mind's Eye, had almost reached the top of SAO. After mastering Mind's Eye, he could even fight on par with Kirito and Heathcliff, who had unique skills, and come out victorious.

Now that Rozen's Mind's Eye had reached a godlike level beyond what even Aincrad could achieve, and he had learned even more skills, in ALO, with the Sylph race's advantages, he could probably dominate the entire game, right?

"Good thing there's no level system."

Otherwise, getting crushed by higher-level players wouldn't be impossible.

But now...

"There's nothing to worry about."

With that, Rozen put on the helmet and lay down.

Little did he know that once he entered the game, things would turn out to be far more extraordinary than he had imagined.