While Asuna's thoughts were still in complete disarray—
"Commander, A2 told me that you sometimes call Asuna 'Doujin Asuna.' What does that mean?"
6O's question helped Asuna recover some of her composure.
By now, she had already learned what that nickname implied.
If Mr. Kain used it, did that mean he had seen a great deal of risqué fan art featuring her?
Asuna stared at him with a mixture of expectation and unease, waiting for his answer.
"Commander?"
Mr. Kain didn't seem willing to explain.
"Commander, don't you like Asuna?"
The question made Asuna even more nervous.
Kain continued ignoring 6O, causing her heart to sink slightly.
"Should I take control of Asuna's android body and answer you directly, Mr. Ka—"
"6O, are you asking me to send you back?"
His response was clearly a refusal.
Asuna smiled bitterly. It appeared that Mr. Kain didn't have any feelings for her after all.
"No! I'm trying to help you, Commander. If you like Asuna, I can give you a little push. And now I'm certain that you do have feelings for her. When I mentioned controlling her android body, your heart rate suddenly spiked again."
6O's teasing words made Asuna's own heart accelerate.
The disappointment she had felt a moment ago was replaced by renewed hope.
"In that case, it seems my unauthorized actions tonight were the right decision."
"What did you do?"
"I secretly slipped a card into the gift box you gave Asuna."
Asuna froze when she heard that.
So Mr. Kain hadn't written the card.
That meant he hadn't known about this broadcast at all.
What was 6O trying to accomplish?
"I wrote on the card that Asuna should log into her android body at midnight."
Asuna noticed Kain's expression stiffen ever so slightly.
"It's already midnight, and I can sense that the body has come online. Oh? She logged out."
No, she hadn't.
"Oh no, Commander! I also detected strong feelings of disgust from Asuna. That's impressive!"
What was she talking about?
Asuna hadn't felt anything like that!
"Ah, Asuna has awakened in the real world. She just said this was disgusting and called you a pervert. Commander, I think I ruined everything! But I was following the romantic route from a game, and it worked perfectly there. The heroine fell in love with the protagonist!"
What kind of ridiculous game had a plot like that?
Was there something wrong with its heroine?
No—this was clearly 6O's deliberate attack against her.
Asuna refused to believe that 6O didn't know she was still connected and watching.
The android was intentionally slandering her.
Then, to disguise her malice, she pretended that a game had misled her.
Asuna had never imagined that 6O could be so underhanded.
"Commander, Asuna also seems to be telling Yui, Strea, Alice, and Cardinal to be careful around you. She's warning them not to let you touch them and never to be alone with you."
Asuna couldn't take it anymore.
Unfortunately, her android body still couldn't speak.
She immediately disconnected—truly logging out this time.
Asuna wasn't currently staying at her family home. She was in a nearby apartment, where Kain and the others were also staying under the same roof.
Her mother normally would have objected, but they had a legitimate reason this time. Living nearby would allow Asuna to learn how to operate her android body under Kain's supervision, giving her an additional means of protecting herself in the future.
Her room was less than thirty feet from Kain's.
Asuna threw open her door and marched toward his room, each step striking the floor with considerable force.
She slapped her hand against his door.
Apparently, it hadn't been properly closed, because it flew open at once.
Inside, 6O looked ready to invent another lie—only to freeze when Asuna herself appeared in the doorway.
"Mr. Kain, I did log in, but I only disconnected five seconds ago. Everything 6O said was a complete fabrication!"
Asuna spoke with her face burning red, mostly from anger.
"Asuna, if you did it, you should have the courage to admit it."
6O even sighed as she spoke, putting on an act that made it sound as though Asuna truly had done everything she claimed.
Asuna had never been this furious before.
"I didn't do any of those things! Why would I admit to something that never happened?"
"Then show us your evidence."
Evidence?
How was she supposed to provide evidence?
If she had broadcast the entire incident through the Hyperdimensional Channel, she would have a recording that could prove her innocence.
Unfortunately, Asuna hadn't started a broadcast. The situation hadn't seemed dramatic or dangerous enough to warrant one.
"Asuna, I think something is wrong with 6O. I know she's lying."
"Huh?"
Mr. Kain believed her.
Asuna finally relaxed a little.
"Commander, you're only saying that to be polite. And you aren't planning to send me back right now, are you? Doing that in front of Asuna would make you look guilty. It would suggest you actually believe me. Asuna wants to confront me properly and settle this face-to-face, doesn't she?"
"Mr. Kain, don't send 6O back! Just as she said, we're going to settle this properly!"
There was still a way for Asuna to turn the situation around.
6O's claim that she had warned Yui and the others to stay away from Kain was completely fabricated.
All they had to do was wake the others and confront 6O in front of everyone. Then they could expose just how dishonest she was.
"I'll agree to the confrontation, but only if Asuna answers one question first."
"What question?"
Instead of replying immediately, 6O walked up to Asuna and placed a hand over her heart.
"When you logged into Underworld using the Super Account, I teased you about liking the Commander. Your heart rate increased dramatically. That kind of reaction means you like him, doesn't it?"
Asuna suddenly didn't know how to respond.
"Yes. It happened because I like Mr. Kain."
This was no longer the time to hesitate. Otherwise, 6O would only find another way to misrepresent her feelings.
Even so, Asuna was visibly shy and nervous when she confessed.
She carefully watched Kain's reaction and caught a flicker of surprise on his face.
Her attention then returned to 6O.
Asuna understood why the android had placed a hand over her heart.
If her heart rate didn't change, 6O would probably claim that Asuna secretly felt disgust toward Kain.
Unfortunately for 6O, her scheme had failed.
Although she had arranged the broadcast in the hope of provoking rejection, Asuna hadn't felt anything of the sort.
"Well? You can confirm that my heart rate increased, can't you?"
When 6O suddenly frowned, Asuna's voice took on a faintly triumphant edge.
The android had finally been caught in her own trap.
"Hmph. An increased heart rate doesn't prove anything. Maybe you're simply afraid that the Commander will become angry with you, and your nervousness is making your heart race."
Asuna's eyes practically burned with fury.
6O was infuriating! She could twist absolutely anything to suit her argument.
"I'll believe you if you're willing to do one thing I ask. If you do it, the Commander will believe you completely as well."
A cunning, foxlike gleam entered 6O's eyes.
Asuna immediately grew wary.
What awful challenge was this android about to invent?
It would undoubtedly be something incredibly difficult and embarrassing.
"What do you want me to do?"
"It's actually quite simple. You saw what 2B and I were doing when you logged into your android body, didn't you? If you're willing to do the same thing, I'll believe you. The Commander will believe you too."
Asuna's mind went blank.
It was certainly an awkward request, but it wasn't exactly cruel.
Then again, if Asuna genuinely disliked Kain, being forced to show him that kind of affection would indeed have felt cruel.
"You don't dare, do you? And yet you claim to like the Commander. I knew it was a lie."
Asuna drew a deep breath at 6O's mocking words, then gave her a cold smile.
Of all the possible demands, 6O had chosen this one.
It would be terribly embarrassing, but it was also the perfect way to prove that 6O had been lying.
Asuna didn't bother answering her.
She responded through action instead.
Walking directly up to Kain, she took his hand in both of hers. Then, with her face burning crimson, she leaned down and gently kissed his knuckles, perfectly repeating 6O's affectionate gesture.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]