Bab 1802: -1782- Returning to the cottage
In every sense of the word, a rather eventful December transitioned into its latter half.
With the Death Gun incident thoroughly resolved and the government finally paying attention to the existence of Laughing Coffin, Rozen returned to ALO. His companions, too, were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief and resume their exploration of the game.
Rozen's return created a significant stir within ALO. Not only were the members of Crimson Wing thrilled, but even the leaders of the nine major races made special visits to confirm his reappearance.
However, this fervor was soon replaced by excitement over the opening of the new Aincrad floors.
Naturally, this new fervor revolved around preparations for the opening of the new floors.
For example, the nine major races and the prominent guilds were busy raising funds and gathering equipment to conquer the 21st floor. They even purchased information from former SAO players about the types and attack patterns of monsters and field bosses in the new training zones.
Others with their eyes on the 21st-floor guardian boss prepared in hopes of defeating it before anyone else to claim the conquest rewards.
Likewise, those who intended to purchase new equipment and items from weapon and item shops on the upcoming floor worked hard to gather the required funds.
In such circumstances, both Aincrad and ALfheim were bustling with players frequenting training zones and labyrinths. It was an atmosphere of fervent activity that could not help but create excitement.
Even Crimson Wing could not resist joining the fervor. To achieve their goals on the new floor, whether for equipment or items, they needed to amass the required currency. For this reason, they continuously ventured into various training and labyrinth zones.
Asuna, in particular, had been more driven than anyone during this period.
Since the rebirth of Aincrad, Asuna had set a personal goal and continued exploring as an Undine healer and rapier wielder.
That goal was to reach the 22nd floor before anyone else and purchase the log house nestled deep within the conifer forest.
That place had been where Asuna had spent the happiest, sweetest, and most cherished days of her life.
There, Asuna had experienced various emotional changes with the first person she had ever genuinely loved, eventually living together.
There, Asuna gained an adorable and sweet daughter, discovering the beauty of familial love.
For Asuna, who had never experienced such warmth before, that place was her true home.
Though not to the extent of Shinkawa Kyouji, Asuna had also been strictly disciplined by her parents to the point of suffocation. She had never felt genuine familial warmth. All she had known were the various skills and knowledge she was expected to learn as the daughter of a prestigious family, repeatedly trained to increase her future societal value.
Thus, for Asuna, that cottage was her home—a warm place where she could peacefully live with her loved ones and the true home of her heart.
Therefore, Asuna had to reclaim that cottage.
For this reason, Asuna had seemingly reverted to her former self—the relentless player once known as the vice-commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath. With an unwavering resolve, she tirelessly hunted monsters to gather the Yrd currency needed to purchase the house.
Even though Rozen offered to use his funds—more than sufficient to purchase the house—Asuna insisted on contributing herself. Rozen also needed money for the upcoming floor exploration, guild expansion, and to properly raise Saichou and Hanachou, which required substantial investment to make them stronger.
Rather than relying solely on Rozen, Asuna preferred to handle this herself.
"In SAO, that house belonged only to you; you were the one who bought it. This time, it belongs to the three of us as a family. I want to contribute too," Asuna expressed, showing a level of determination she hadn't exhibited before. Her resolve even inspired Yui.
Thus, Yui also pitched in by collecting information on profitable yet lesser-known locations for Asuna, keeping her busy flying around daily. Though it looked exhausting, Asuna seemed to enjoy every moment.
Finally, Christmas Eve arrived.
On the night of December 24, 2025, the door leading to the 21st floor opened in the guardian boss room on the 20th floor of Aincrad's labyrinth zone.
Rozen, Asuna, Kirito, Leafa, Lisbeth, Silica, Sachi, Klein, Agil, and the younger guild members celebrated the moment the new floor opened. They charged up the stairs and began clearing the training zones of the 21st floor, eventually reaching the labyrinth zone. In less than three days, they arrived at the guardian boss's room.
Under Rozen's leadership, the group immediately broke into the boss room and engaged the guardian boss, mercilessly overwhelming it. They utterly defeated the boss, leaving no room for retaliation.
The moment the boss fell, Rozen delegated the follow-up tasks to Kirito, Leafa, and the others. He then rushed to the 22nd floor with Asuna and Yui, returning to the floor filled with memories.
Following revisions, the 22nd floor remained almost unchanged from its SAO iteration, except for necessary modifications.
Rozen, Asuna, and Yui quickly found their former home and immediately purchased it, securing ownership of the house.
At that moment, the three of them felt as though they had returned to their time in SAO, vividly recalling their past selves. Their hearts were overwhelmed with emotion.
Asuna, in particular, burst into tears the moment she received the house key. She wept uncontrollably, burying herself in Rozen's arms, unwilling to move for a long time. Rozen could only smile and comfort her tenderly.
That evening, Rozen hosted a Christmas banquet at the forest cottage, inviting Kirito, Leafa, and the others. Together, they enjoyed a night of revelry.
After everyone left and Yui fell asleep, Rozen and Asuna stayed online, sharing a tender and beautiful night together.
And so, December passed.
A new year arrived in the blink of an eye.
January 1, 2026.
On this day, Rozen uncharacteristically refrained from logging into the game.
Because…
"Come celebrate New Year's at my house," Asuna had hesitantly suggested the previous night, causing Rozen to raise an eyebrow.
After a moment of thought, he nodded.
"Alright."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone