Chapter 13
March 5th, 2024
(3 weeks later)
Weeks had passed since the disastrous confrontation with Benjin, and in that time, Shiraki had gone out of his way to avoid me. It felt like he was always on the other side of the room, eating at separate tables. His absence was a constant reminder of the harsh words he'd thrown at me, and the guilt gnawed at me like a persistent ache.
I finally mustered the courage to confront him. I waited until just before sunset. Shiraki was practicing sword techniques with a grim determination. His movements were fluid and precise.
I took a deep breath and approached him, my heart pounding in my chest. As I drew closer, he paused mid-swing, noticing me out of the corner of his eye. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched on, heavy and uncomfortable.
"Shiraki," I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Can we talk?"
He sighed, sheathing his sword. "What do you want, Osaka?"
"I..." I hesitated, searching for the right words. "I want to apologize. For everything. For what happened that day, for getting in the way. For not listening... For the people who died because of me. I'm so, so sorry."
Shiraki looked at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I feared he'd just walk away, but instead, he let out a long, weary sigh and sat down on a nearby bench. I followed suit, sitting beside him, though not too close.
"Osaka," he began, his tone softer than I'd expected. "I'm not mad at you."
I blinked, surprised. "You're not?"
He shook his head. "No. I only said those things to scare you. I couldn't care less that there were two less Laughing Coffin bastard in this world. In fact, I prefer it that way. What I care about is that you killed them. I'm... worried."
"Worried?" I repeated, confusion creeping into my voice.
He ran a hand through his hair, looking out at the fading light. "Worried that you're going to end up like me."
His words hung in the air, and I struggled to understand what he meant. "What do you mean? You're one of the best fighters in Aincrad. You save people."
He snorted, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Is that what you think? That I'm some kind of hero?"
"Aren't you?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.
Shiraki shook his head, his expression darkening. "No, Osaka. I'm not a hero. I'm just a guy who's good at killing people."
"Huh?"
"I suppose its about time you knew. What I was trying to tell you three weeks ago before Rizea interrupted me. The reason why Rizea, and half of Aincrad hates me. I kill people. I'm surprised it's taken you this long to hear about it. Sure, you might see me as a hero, but I'm not some fighter of justice who forces the bad guy to turn themself in. I kill them. All of them," he said bluntly. "I don't give them a chance. And the worst part is, I've gotten used to it. It's just another day. Another name on the list."
I'd had my suspicions that Shiraki had questionable methods of dealing justice, but I never said anything. I didn't agree with it, but I knew from experience that some people simply couldn't be reasoned with. I turned a blind eye to it, as much as it scared me. If it helped make Aincrad a safer place, then it had to be done.
He turned to look at me, his eyes filled with a sadness I'd never seen before. "That's what scares me about you. You still think this is some kind of noble cause or some heroic journey. But it's not. It's just survival. And every time you pick up that weapon, you're one step closer to becoming like me. Someone who kills people because it's the easiest way to stop them.
I felt a lump in my throat, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. "I don't want to be like that."
"Then don't," he said simply. "If you want to play hero, that's fine, but don't kill your enemies while you do it. It sounds hypocritical coming from me, but nobody deserves to die. I know how easy it is to think of killing as the only solution. Don't let this place change you into something you're not. Don't make the same mistakes I did."
I nodded, wiping at my eyes. "I'll try."
For the first time in weeks, I felt a sense of relief. Shiraki wasn't angry with me; he was worried for me. And in that moment, I realized that I had a choice. I could let this place harden me, turn me into something I didn't want to be, or I could hold on to my humanity, no matter how difficult it was.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Shiraki nodded, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Just... be careful, Osaka. I can't afford to lose. Be it physically, or mentally. Oh, but before you go, there's something you can help me with."
###
March 11th, 2024
(6 days later)
The past few days have been business as usual. Players were still blitzing through floors at a rapid pace. Shiraki had been helping me level up more, and Rizea would often visit the Silver Flask, and play games with me. Even the weather was starting to warm up on floor 27 as we neared closer to summer, meaning we'd soon be free from the dreaded half-year snow cover that plagued the floor.
"Hey, urr, Rizea?" Shiraki scratched his head awkwardly. "I've, urr... I've been meaning to ask you something for a while."
"Yes?" she asked.
He was silent for a few moments before nudging me on the shoulder.
"That's your cue," he sighed.
"My cue? Wha- Oh! Right! Sorry!" I fumbled through my pockets and pulled out the small box he had handed me a few minutes earlier.
Rizea's eyes widened as I presented it. "Oh my god. Is that..."
Shiraki opened the box, revealing a beautifully engraved gold-banded ring with a small ruby atop. The gem glittered in the light, catching everyone's attention.
"Wow! So pretty!" I exclaimed.
"I know it is still pretty soon, but I've actually really liked you for probably a lot longer than you have liked me. So urr, will you marry me?"
The actual marriage system in the game was far from romantic. One player would navigate to their friends list, click the 'change relationship' button on one of their friends and then click the 'send marriage request' button. Then, the other player would either accept or decline it. The steps were pretty similar to sending a friend request, but it looked like Shiraki was going the more traditional route.
When two players were married, their inventories were linked. Both players had access to everything the other had, which was a lot of power. Even the closest of couples tended to avoid marrying because of marriage scams, where one player could lose all of their items.
Rizea looked at the ring, completely stunned. "I-I don't know what to say!"
Shiraki grinned nervously. "You could start by saying 'yes'."
Rizea laughed before jumping up and down on the spot, which instantly lit up the mood in the room. "Of course! Yes! Yes! Yes! A million times yes!"
The sidelines erupted with cheers as we all celebrated.
Shiraki, still beaming, looked at Rizea. "So, I know this is a game and all, but do we have a wedding, or...?"
"I'd like that," Rizea said softly. "But it's up to you."
Shiraki nodded thoughtfully. "Raigen, find something black and formal looking. You're going to be my best man.
Raigen puffed up with pride. "Pff—Really? Wow. Thanks, kid. It's an honour."
Rizea turned to me with a smile. "Well, I guess that makes Osaka the maid of honour."
"Me? I—I don't know how that works! What if I break something, or—" I started to panic, but Rizea cut me off with a laugh.
"Relax. You'll be fine. It's mostly just a flashy title. You don't have to do much," she reassured me.
Kikina interjected, "I'm not sure that's—"
"Shh. Let her have this," Rizea insisted with a wink.
Shiraki grinned, looking around at our small group. "And I think it's pretty damn obvious who the priest is gonna be."
Raigen chuckled. "Obviously, mister radio voice over there."
"Yeah. Kuram, your voice is low and soft. You should read bedtime stories," I added.
Kuram lowered his voice, speaking a little softer than usual. His tone was soothing, like one of those affirmation CDs. "Ah, yes. My deep, low-pitched hum, echoing through your ears. Not a yell, yet not a whisper. Just a smooth, silky pitch in between. Now, listen to the sound of my voice and try and tell me that I haven't hypnotized you with my charm."
Kikina gasped, clearly impressed. "Can't. I'm charmed. You win. Oh my GOD! I didn't know your voice could do that!"
I grinned, feeling a warm sense of camaraderie. "Time to plan a wedding!"
Kikina, ever the planner, immediately jumped in. "When do you want the wedding to happen?"
"March 12th," Rizea answered without hesitation.
Shiraki blinked, processing the date. "Ah, okay."
We all stared at him, waiting for the realization to hit.
"Wait. What's today?" Shiraki asked, his voice suddenly tense.
"March 11th," Raigen answered with a grin.
Shiraki's eyes widened. "Oh my GOD, that's tomorrow! Don't these things normally take months?!"
And with that, chaos erupted.
"We need to start planning! Now!" I exclaimed, feeling the rush of excitement.
Kuram nodded, already mentally listing preparations. "I better start cooking!"
Shiraki looked down at his clothes, suddenly self-conscious. "I need something to wear! I can't wear this!"
Raigen laughed, clapping him on the back. "So do I!"
Rizea gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Wait, I need to write my vows!"
Kikina's eyes lit up with determination. "And we need to get you a dress!"
Kuram looked around, realizing something crucial. "Someone needs to send the invites!"
"Hurry! We're burning daylight, people!" I shouted, my voice ringing with urgency.
As we all scrambled to get everything ready, I couldn't help but feel a bubbling excitement. The chaos of the moment, the rush of preparations, and the joy of the impending celebration made everything feel a little brighter. Could Rizea have made this any more chaotic? But as I looked around at the smiling faces and the flurry of activity, I realized that this chaos was a good kind—one that brought us all together, even in this strange and dangerous world.
###
March 12th, 2024
(The next day)
"Dearly beloved, friends, family, the half of the Knights of the Bloodoath who arrived to see their vice commander, and whoever else wandered into this church, likely due to the smell of all the delicious food I made. We are all gathered here today to celebrate the union of two lovers. As two souls become one. Do you, Shiraki, The Hooded Swordsman, Hero, take Rizea, Vice Commander of the Knights of the Bloodoath, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Kuram's voice carried a light-hearted tone, mixing reverence with humour.
"I do," Shiraki beamed, his eyes fixed on Rizea's warm smile.
"And do you, Rizea, Vice commander of the Knights of the Bloodoath, take Shiraki, The Hooded Swordsman to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Kuram asked, looking over at the bride.
"I do," Rizea responded, her voice full of joy.
"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband, and wife. You may kiss the bride." Kuram gestured with flourish.
Shiraki slowly leaned in, but Rizea took charge and pulled him into a passionate kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. The room erupted in cheers and applause, a celebration of love and unity.
"Lucky you can't get pregnant in VR," I whispered to Kikina, unable to hold back a smirk.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, they kissed, so..." My voice trailed off as I became too embarred to continue.
"Oh dear lord, you are a child," Kikina muttered to herself, shaking her head with a chuckle.
Kuram cleared his throat, regaining everyone's attention. "Now if you would all please join us for the reception that is being held in the dining area."
###
(A few minutes later)
It was rare, practically unheard of to see so many players gathered in one place. Weddings weren't very common in Aincrad, and even when they did happen, the turnout was always significantly smaller. Today, there were at least 200 people here. It was no secret why. Few names were more well known in Aincrad than The Hooded Swordsman and Needlepoint Rizea, so when the news of their marriage spread, it drew a large crowd. A few of the women seemed rather disappointed that Shiraki was taken, and the knights all murmured amongst themselves about how Rizea could have done so much better than Shiraki, which I found rather funny.
"You're the prettiest girl in Aincrad, miss Rizea," I complemented her.
"Thank you for letting me take this shift off, VC," Remi said.
"Oh please. It is a special occasion. Take the week off for all I care," Rizea replied, waving her hand dismissively.
"I still can't believe she said yes," Shiraki said, scratching his head in disbelief.
"Yeah, I know." I nodded.
"Are you saying that I'm not worthy of marriage?" he teased, pretending to be offended.
"What? No. I was saying-" I stammered, trying to backtrack.
"Are you saying nobody would marry me?" he continued, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"No! I—" I started, but he cut me off.
"Would you even marry me?!" he asked, feigning shock.
"Of course! Wait! No! I—I didn't mean it like that! That's not what I meant! I just— I—" I sputtered, flustered and embarrassed.
Everyone burst out laughing, their joy contagious.
"Relax, I'm kidding. God, you look cute when you're flustered," Shiraki chuckled, poking my nose.
"Humph!" I crossed my arms, pouting.
"Still, you did say you'd marry me," he pointed out, grinning.
"That slipped out! I didn't mean it like that!" I protested, blushing.
"Osaka! Breathe. It was a joke. He's messing with you still," Raigen intervened, trying to calm me down.
"But—" I started, but she interrupted.
"What have I told you? When you're mad at someone..." Raigen prompted, a knowing smile on her face.
"Imagine them getting stuck inside of a slime," I recited, feeling a bit foolish.
"Exactly, that's a good thing to think— Wait, did you say a slime?" Shiraki asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Long story," Kikina chimed in, shaking her head. "One that I'd much rather not recount."
"Raigen, what have you been teaching these girls?" Shiraki laughed, looking at Raigen.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't even a tiny part of me that was jealous of Rizea for marrying him. I still remembered exactly how I felt when he saved me from Greyfall. He was like a knight in shining armour coming to my rescue from the stories my mother used to read me. She used to tell me that one day, I'd meet my prince charming who'd sweep me off my feet, and for the longest time, I thought it was Shiraki. I suppose it was never meant to be. He was much older than me, and I knew that he didn't have the same feelings towards me as I did him. Even so, a girl can dream.
"Are you making fun of Osaka?" Rizea asked, chuckling softly.
"No, ma'am," Shiraki replied, quickly straightening up.
"Good." She smiled.
"It's a shame Azura isn't here," I sighed.
"Still training."
Still? It'd been months since I'd seen her. Maybe I'll have to message her after this.
"It's a bit strange. Every other knight is here," Shiraki noted.
"Knight Commander Benjin isn't here," Rizea reminded him.
"And I thank god for that every second," he laughed.
"Come on. It's our wedding. Let's not start this now," she frowned.
"If only Torry where still here. He loved weddings, Raigen said, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Torry?" I asked, curious.
"Sorry. Toru. I knew him IRL. His real name was Torry Ruperts. Well, it was Torry Rupenstein, but he never liked his grandfather's last name," Raigen explained. "He thought it was weird enough that a guy with an American first name was living in Japan. He didn't want to add a German last name to it."
"Torry, Ruperts. To, Ru. Hey! He used the first two letters of his first and last name to make the name for his avatar!" I exclaimed, the realization dawning on me.
"Yep. He sure did," Raigen confirmed.
"Ooh. The cake is here!" Kikina announced, her eyes lighting up.
"There's a cake?! Woah! That's huge!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening.
###
(A few hours later)
As the wedding festivities wound down and everyone began to pack up, the sense of joy and accomplishment lingered in the air.
"So, everyone knows where we live now? Floor 28. They've completely cleared out every monster on that floor. You can't miss it. Just a bit west of the lake where we resurrected Enzu. Speaking of Enzu..." Shiraki trailed off, his expression softening.
Kikina sighed. "That's the problem with the Blue Hawk. If you read its bestiary page, you'll see that with human affection, the hawk begins to grow exponentially. Meaning that..."
"She started growing about two weeks ago. At first, it wasn't much, but one thing led to another and it got to the point where she could barely get out of my room. So, I had to set her free. She grew even bigger when I let her go, and now she's about the size of a dragon," I explained, my voice tinged with sadness.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Shiraki said, his tone sympathetic.
"She is far from wild, though. I go and visit her every now and then. She's usually flying around on floor 28, but she travels between any floor that has an overlook," I added, trying to sound positive.
"Well, we should get going. I've got to see this cabin," Rizea said, smiling.
"Good luck. Hey, Osaka. Do you maybe wanna come spend the night at my place?" Kikina asked, her tone hopeful.
"Ooh! Yes, please!" I replied, grinning.
"I better get back to patrol," Remi said, nodding to the group.
"So I guess it's just me and Raigen at the tavern tonight," Kuram remarked, a twinkle in his eye.
"Then I think it's time to pull out the big boy drinks. For... celebratory purposes, of course. What do you say?" Raigen suggested, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
"Couldn't have said it better myself. I've been leveling my alchemy as well as brewing, so I've learned a few concoctions," Kuram replied, his excitement palpable.