บท 1796: -1776- The offline meeting
It's another beautiful day.
Even though it was already mid-December and the temperature had dropped sharply—giving off the sense that it might snow at any moment—the clear skies and bright sunlight cast a gentle warmth, providing some comfort and relief to those outside.
Wearing a scarf and glasses, Shinon walked out of the school alongside her classmates, passing through the school gates.
The difference was that, while others were chatting and laughing in groups of twos and threes, Shinon walked alone, her eyes gazing at the sky, emotions faintly stirring in her eyes.
"The day after tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you at a café near the commercial district in downtown Tokyo."
The voice of that man echoed faintly in Shinon's mind.
"If you want to resolve your problem, then come."
Recalling his words, a shadow crossed Shinon's face.
Two days had already passed since then. In other words, today was the day Rozen and Shinon had arranged to meet.
Yet, even now, Shinon still didn't know whether she should meet Rozen or not.
"Who arranges a meeting with someone they've barely known online and whose only prior interaction involved shooting at each other in a game?"
Shinon muttered those words to herself countless times.
But, in truth, it was just an excuse.
Indeed, the relationship between Rozen and Shinon couldn't exactly be called friendly; in fact, it was subtle and complicated. However, at this point, Shinon really had nothing left to lose.
Since the day of the BoB tournament, Shinon hadn't logged into the game. She had spent the last two days living like a lifeless shell, wandering in confusion.
Shinon desperately wanted to know how Rozen had been doing since then and how he had dealt with the situation. Because of this, she had been keeping an eye on the news, hoping to see any reports.
However, Rozen seemed to have completely vanished without a trace. Not only was there no news coverage, but the internet merely contained rumors that he had transferred his character back to ALfheim Online (ALO). Other than that, there was no information at all.
"Is there really no report, or is it being deliberately hidden?"
Shinon didn't know the answer.
However, considering that the Death Gun incident was linked to the original SAO incident, the authorities might have decided to suppress the information to avoid destabilizing the full-dive gaming market and the online community. If that was true, it was perfectly understandable.
As someone who had been entangled in this incident as a victim, Shinon naturally had the right to know. Yet neither the police nor any officials had reached out to her, proving that she had already been cut off from the incident.
"Could this be his doing, too?"
The thought crossed Shinon's mind.
Even when she considered it rationally, while Rozen was indeed skilled, he couldn't possibly manipulate officials or the police. It was highly unlikely that he had orchestrated things behind the scenes.
But when Shinon thought about the various unbelievable feats Rozen had performed before—and that ever-present nonchalant and teasing smile—she couldn't help but think that if anyone could pull it off, it might just be him.
So...
"Does this mean he really has a way to solve my problem?"
In truth, this was the only thing Shinon wanted to know.
Shinon stood at the school gate, staring blankly at the blue sky, completely unresponsive, drawing curious looks from students passing by.
After a long pause, Shinon sighed softly.
"If he's lying to me, I'll blow his head off with my Hecate."
Muttering words that sounded more like an attempt to bolster her courage, Shinon finally made up her mind and began walking forward.
Her destination: the café Rozen had mentioned.
---
It was a café located extremely close to the city center.
The café was enormous in scale and reportedly one of the top three in all of Tokyo. It also had a stellar reputation online, frequently visited by celebrities and high-class society women.
The café was considered one of the most popular establishments, often described as "the ultimate destination for afternoon tea." Many girls dreamed of visiting it, but its steep prices often turned that dream into an unattainable fantasy.
Standing in front of the lavish storefront, Shinon hesitated.
This was a place she would never have imagined setting foot in. Even her classmates and teachers had mentioned this café countless times, their voices tinged with envy, saying things like, "If I could go there just once, my life would be complete." For someone like Shinon, who came from an ordinary family, there was no way she could afford such luxury.
For a moment, Shinon had the urge to turn and flee.
However, hearing the faint laughter of nearby girls—laughter that seemed to mock her as just another silly girl standing at the door—Shinon's pride flared up.
"I'm just going in to take a look. Besides, someone else is paying for it."
Even as she said that, Shinon didn't sound very confident.
Rozen was about her age, also a high schooler, so how could he possibly afford to spend money here?
Shinon hadn't heard any rumors of "Magus" being the heir to a wealthy family, either. So if this turned out to be a prank, or if they split the bill, or worse, if he planned to make her pay, then Shinon would definitely have something to say about it.
"Couldn't he have picked a more ordinary place for the meeting?"
Shinon grumbled internally.
In the end, she took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and stepped inside.
---
"Ding-ling."
The clear sound of a bell rang as Shinon pushed open the door.
The moment she entered, the soft strains of a violin filled her ears, creating an atmosphere of tranquility, elegance, and sophistication.
What unfolded before Shinon was a café of unimaginable luxury.
Here, each patron wore exquisite and fashionable clothing, as if attending a ball. They conversed softly, their voices full of refinement, making Shinon feel as though she had stepped into the social gathering of high society.
Several patrons glanced at her as she entered, their eyes showing faint surprise at the sight of a uniformed schoolgirl.
Shrinking her neck in embarrassment, Shinon once again had the strong urge to flee.
At that moment, a waiter approached her.
"Welcome." The waiter smiled politely, as though recognizing her. "You must be Miss Shinon, correct?"
"Ah…" Shinon froze momentarily, then nodded timidly. "I… I am. But how did you…?"
How do you know me?
As though reading her mind, the waiter's smile deepened.
"Mr. Kirigaya instructed us that if a female student in uniform entered, she would be his guest, most likely named Shinon. He asked us to escort you to the second floor."
The waiter gestured politely.
"Please, this way, Miss Shinon."
Hearing this, Shinon quickly lowered her head and followed the waiter to the second floor.
Compared to the first floor, the second floor was even more luxurious and grand. Yet, curiously, there wasn't a single customer here.
No, there was one.
"I thought you weren't going to come."
Sitting at the only table, Rozen held a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked at Shinon and smirked teasingly.
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