Warmth of the Heart (Aincrad 48th Floor, June 2024)

Part 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 had 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, and at the same time, 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, those 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 was 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-fifty-five, 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!!"