After briefly understanding the changes brought by the marriage status and discussing the next steps and preparations for heading to the Land of Love, the time showed 8:30 PM. Asuna prepared to log out and rest.
"Next time we log in…" Her finger tapped the corner of her soft lips as Asuna thought for a moment. "If nothing comes up, maybe the same time?"
"Then tomorrow, meet at this inn?"
"Mm, until tomorrow." Seeing the matching rings on their left ring fingers, Asuna flushed slightly and cleared her throat. She nodded at him, pretending to be calm, then opened the system menu.
Yuu looked down, preparing to ask the strange system about the one-time-use status with the annoyingly long name. But suddenly, he heard Asuna exclaim in surprise:
"Eh? Why can't I press the logout button?"
"What?" Turning to her, Yuu saw her tapping the system menu several times, but her virtual avatar didn't disappear.
Yuu frowned, a bad feeling rising in his chest.
"Is the game bugged? Why can't I log out?"
No matter how she tried, the logout button remained grayed out. Asuna looked up, gazing at him with slight unease.
"Let me try." Yuu opened his menu and clicked the logout option. Like Asuna, the button was gray, unselectable, and he couldn't log out either.
"What's going on… Is there a way to contact customer service in-game?" Suppressing irrational panic and searching for a solution, Asuna didn't sit idle, clicking through every button in the system menu.
Yuu didn't answer her question, instead asking the system in his mind:
(System, is this your doing?)
The system, with Hatsune Miku's electronic voice, replied coldly: [This has nothing to do with this system. It is recommended that the host investigate the reason within the game.]
"Within the game… Damn, don't tell me?!"
A flash of realization hit him. Yuu's eyes widened as he quickly pulled up the Beloved Rings' description, finally spotting a line at the bottom:
[If on the same floor, players with married status can only log out in the same room.]
"…"
(I'm the one who brought you all into this game, so which damned designer came up with this stupid restriction?)
Suppressing the urge to curse, he shared his discovery with Asuna, his expression contorted. Asuna sighed in relief, but her face twisted too.
"Later, when I log out, I'll ask my brother what's going on!"
"If possible, help me beat him up," Yuu suggested emotionlessly.
Though the game might not have been designed by Kouichirou, as the one who dragged them both into it, he'd bear the consequences.
Asuna didn't respond, only taking a few deep breaths. Then, with a flushed face, she suddenly marched toward the inn's counter.
Confused, Yuu asked, "You're renting a room?"
"Don't talk so crudely!"
Embarrassed and annoyed, Asuna turned, biting her lip as she glared at him, then shouted resignedly, "We're already married, so we have to follow the game's rules. Or do you have a better idea?!"
"No, it's good you're thinking clearly." Yuu shrugged, standing from his chair and walking with her to the counter.
Fortunately, the NPC followed protocol, not giving them mocking or strange looks. After paying, they were directed upstairs. Room 201, the first one by the stairs.
Asuna entered, then eagerly pulled up her menu.
"Phew…"
Seeing the logout button finally lit up, she sat on the bed in relief. When her eyes met Yuu's, she jumped as if shocked by electricity. Pretending to brush her skirt, her thighs pressed tightly together, Asuna casually inspected the room.
"J-Just a plain wooden shack, so simple…"
Her attempt to ease the awkwardness only made the quiet room's temperature rise, a faint heat burning within her, making her ears uncontrollably warm.
Through the silver moonlight streaming from the window, Yuu could see her smooth, egg-white face fully flushed, brimming with clear embarrassment and nervousness. Her slender fingers fidgeted with her skirt's hem, her entire body like a trapped bunny, panicking and searching restlessly.
Though Asuna had acted decisively earlier, this was her first time staying with the opposite sex, alone in the same room.
In contrast, Yuu, like a scoundrel used to bringing girls to rooms, casually enjoyed her embarrassment.
"It's the cheapest room, after all. Good enough for logging out."
After saying that, Yuu closed the door.
Asuna flinched as if startled.
Yuu smiled and said, "Alright, let's get to serious business."
"S-Serious business!?"
Her voice cracked into a high-pitched squeak. She hugged her arms, quickly retreating to the corner of the wall, her slender body trembling, staring at him in disbelief.
"You clearly said you wouldn't do anything to me just because of this ring!"
"Idiot, don't overthink." His smile dropped instantly, and Yuu looked at her irritably, pulling up his menu and clicking logout. "We're here to log out. Don't get so nervous you forget the main goal, okay?"
"I-I didn't forget!" Asuna hurriedly lowered her arms, one hand on her hip, puffing out her chest as if acting tough. "It's just that your expression was a bit scary, and your eyes were like a wolf eyeing me…"
"I'm out. See you."
Too lazy to listen to her nonsense, Yuu pressed logout, and his virtual avatar swiftly vanished.
"Ah…"
Left alone in the empty room without a hint of regret, Asuna gaped at where he'd been, her voice trailing off as if choked.
Soon after, she stomped the floor, wrinkling her nose and huffing in frustration.
"Jerk! Next time, I'll challenge him to a duel and stab him full of holes!"
Calming the anger in her chest, Asuna sat on the bed, opened her equipment doll, and noticed that while her undergarments could be removed, the Beloved Ring couldn't.
Right, if it could be removed, they could've taken it off and logged out without all this hassle. With some time left and no one else around, Asuna didn't rush to log out.
She leaned against the headboard, gazing far out at the silent, starless night sky beyond the window.
"The virtual sky feels more beautiful than the real world's…"
Her long hair draped over her shoulders, gently brushing her face with the soft breeze.
Lost in thought, Asuna couldn't help but smile, unconsciously swinging her smooth, fair legs. Come to think of it, today was her first real day playing the game, right? She hunted Orcs alone, strolled leisurely through the city, met a nun so much like her grandmother, accepted a strange mission, and even wore a ring on her ring finger early…
These were all things unrelated to Yuuki Asuna, yet the in-game Asuna could do whatever she wanted—no need to care about others' opinions or follow a pre-chosen path. At most, she'd only bear the consequences herself, like marrying someone not even a friend.
In just two short hours, she'd created such beautiful, rich, unforgettable memories…
Was this the charm of gaming?
"Even so, I can't escape reality."
Thinking this, her satisfied smile turned bitter, ending in a sigh.
Asuna lay back on the bed, pulling the blanket over her body. As usual, she stripped to her undergarments before pressing the logout button.
In her final moment leaving this world, she whispered to herself:
"Tomorrow, I hope it's as happy as today…"
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Back in the Real World.
The first thing Yuu did upon returning was message Kouichirou. As a healthy college student, he was likely still online—and sure enough, the message was read instantly.
Yuu: {Kou-nii, wanna fight IRL?}
Kouichirou: {Huh? Who?}
Yuu: {You and me.}
Kouichirou: {…What did I do? Tell me so I can die in peace.}
Yuu: {I ran into some ridiculous stuff in the game. Since I can't find the game designer, I'll take it out on you.}
Kouichirou: {Oh, what ridiculous stuff? I'll pass it to the game department, help find the bug.}
Yuu: {Forget it, ask your sister. Also, give me her LINE.}
Kouichirou: {!!!}
Kouichirou: {You're finally making a move? Call me brother-in-law, and I'll make sure your dates stay secret from Mom!}
Yuu: {Crazy. I need to do a group mission with her. If something comes up and she can't log in, it's easier to contact her. Your family isn't as free as mine.}
Kouichirou: {Fine. If you make significant progress, let me know.}
"I'm already married to your sister, and you're talking about significant progress." Smirking wryly, Yuu added Asuna as a friend after getting her contact from Kouichirou, then sent a message.
Yuu: {Your brother sold me your contact.}
Asuna: {…Too bad, I can't buy a rapier IRL.}
Yuu: {Log in tomorrow at 8 PM sharp. If something comes up, let me know early, okay?}
Asuna: {Got it.}
Yuu: {Then, good night. Sweet dreams.}
Over ten seconds later, he received her reply.
Asuna: {Mm, good night.}
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host, you received a reward: 500 Yen.]
[Congratulations, host, you received a reward: Deep Sleep (Expert Level) Once.]
"Haaah…"
Yuu set his phone aside and flopped onto his bed. Hands behind his head, he sighed at the ceiling with a complicated expression.
"System… Just saying good night gets me rewards. It makes me feel like women are too easy to approach, huh…"
"…"
The strange talkative system remained silent, ignoring his complaint.