Chương 371: -366- Come over to my place
At this moment, Asuna was preparing to enter a teleportation gate, and she seemed quite rushed. When she nearly collided with Rozen, he teasingly remarked, "Hey, Vice Commander, are you in a hurry to go on a date with some handsome guy?"
Rozen said this with a playful tone.
Initially startled because of the near collision and relieved upon recognizing Rozen, Asuna's expression quickly turned somewhat frightening upon hearing his words.
"I don't have any such plans!"
Asuna replied, emphasizing her point but also sounding somewhat reproachful.
"Well, that's a shame."
Rozen shrugged, his response not entirely sincere. He observed Asuna's somewhat angry demeanor and couldn't help but marvel at how much she had changed.
If this were in the past, she would definitely give a cold response like, "I don't have time for that kind of thing."
The 'Clearing demon' who used to focus only on clearing floors would have given such an unwavering answer. But now, her emotions have become much richer.
Women emotions are really complicated.
Rozen reminisced about the past when a certain doll girl had once claimed she would kill him but later became extremely affectionate towards him.
He chuckled and crossed his arms, asking, "So, what brought you here today?"
While many female players enjoyed visiting the beautiful town of Floria in their spare time, Asuna's presence here seemed unusual.
Asuna replied in a somewhat melancholic tone, "I just heard about the Rainbow Butterflies, so I thought I'd come over and see how you'd react."
It appeared that, as the Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, Asuna had access to quite a bit of information and had learned about the seventh Rainbow Butterfly being killed even before the news appeared in the newspapers.
However...
"Did you come all this way just for that?"
Rozen expressed his surprise. Asuna's reason for visiting seemed unusual.
"Well, I had some free time, so I thought I'd come by."
Asuna placed her hand on her hip and turned her head as she spoke.
"You have some free time?"
Rozen couldn't help but feel speechless.
Asuna, who had never allowed herself or others any idle time in the past, was now saying she had free time. It was almost as if the sky were about to fall.
Moreover, if she came here "casually," why is she rushing into the teleportation gate?
Could it be that she couldn't find me at the base and decided to go back to the front lines to look for me?
Then she have way to much free times.
Rozen was about to tease Asuna with a playful comment when he suddenly felt a strong gaze fixed upon him.
"Hmm?"
He was taken aback and followed the gaze to the person standing behind Asuna.
It was a member of the Knights of the Blood Oath, dressed in their signature white armor with a red cape, carrying an extravagant-looking double-handed sword.
The player had an unusual, almost emaciated appearance, with a bony face and pale eyes that gave off an eerie vibe.
This player seemed to be accompanying Asuna, and his eyes were filled with vigilance and caution as if he was a dedicated protector.
However, upon seeing the rainbow butterflies hovering above Rozen and the crystal sword hanging from his waist, the player's pale eyes widened in recognition.
"Rainbow Butterflies... Crystal Sword... Could it be...!?"
After the initial shock, his expression turned into one of ominous suspicion. Rozen wasn't surprised by this reaction because SAO players often compared the "Crimson Wing" and the "Knights of the Blood Oath," believing both guilds to be at the pinnacle of player strength.
This rivalry had naturally led to tension between their members, even though Asuna had now mellowed out and no longer openly clashed with Rozen during strategy meetings.
Now, with this player recognizing Rozen's identity as the leader of the "Crimson Wing" and the clearing group, it wasn't surprising to see a less-than-friendly demeanor.
Rozen briefly glanced at this player and then turned his attention back to Asuna.
"It's quite unusual to see you bringing guild members along even for casual outings. You used to do that only during clearing events, didn't you?"
Rozen casually brought up the matter, but before Asuna could respond, the player standing behind her interjected.
"I am Asuna-sama's bodyguard. Whether it's during clearing or leisure, I'm responsible for her safety."
The player spoke with a low and direct tone, clearly intending to provoke Rozen.
Rozen didn't pay much attention to this needless provocation and instead focused on Asuna.
"A bodyguard?"
Rozen was genuinely surprised because there was more to this statement than met the eye.
For example...
"What have you done that requires you to have a bodyguard with you?"
Rozen straightforwardly asked this question.
You see, this isn't the real world; it's just a game. Even if there are differences in status for various reasons, players wouldn't normally want to appear ostentatious by having bodyguards unless it's necessary.
As for Asuna, she's not the type to put on airs, and she never used to have bodyguards with her. So, the fact that she's brought one now definitely means something has happened.
Asuna obviously couldn't hide much from Rozen, but she didn't directly explain, leaving her answer somewhat evasive.
"Oh, it's just some small matters."
Asuna knew that she couldn't keep this a secret from Rozen, but she chose not to disclose the details, appearing a bit hesitant.
Rozen, although curious, didn't press further.
"Well, since you're here, would you like to come over to my place?"
Rozen extended a polite invitation, mostly a social nicety.
In other words, he wasn't genuinely planning to sit down and have tea with Asuna. After all, Asuna was one of the most popular idol-like figures in SAO, and it wouldn't be easy for her to accept such a casual invitation.
Rozen assumed Asuna would decline, and he was prepared to leave afterward. However, he was in for a surprise.
Asuna turned her gaze toward him, and after a moment, she smiled and nodded.
"Sure, I'm curious about your place. Let's go."
Rozen was left stunned.
Meanwhile...
"Asuna-sama!"
A sharp voice came from behind Asuna.
"Please reconsider! Don't accept this unreasonable invitation!"
The player who claimed to be Asuna's bodyguard had changed their tone from hostile to outright antagonistic, now directing a gaze filled with animosity at Rozen.
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