"Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes. It wouldn't look good if both vice-commanders of the Knights of the Blood Oath resigned at the same time."
"But..."
We were discussing our future plans at Alice's house in Floria, on the Forty-Seventh Floor, after returning from breakfast. Our conversation centered on whether we should temporarily leave the guild, just as Kirito and the others had done.
"I'll be fine. I know my words alone might not be enough to win your trust, but I have you by my side now, Alice. I'll be okay."
"... Of course. After all, I am your part— your... girlfriend."
I couldn't help but smile, watching Alice struggle through a brief internal conflict before finally uttering the word "girlfriend" with such bashful hesitation.
"Anyway, I need to look for a new place. Information brokers have already tracked down my house in Danac. Do you know of any good listings?"
"You should ask Argo about things like that. Besides... don't you think a new house is unnecessary?"
"I see. You mean the solo camping life."
"Wrong! Honestly, you... You could stay here, couldn't you?!"
"What...?"
I couldn't hide my shock at her sudden declaration.
"But... isn't this house built for one? It will be cramped for two, and I'd feel guilty. Look, there's only one bed—"
"It's enough if we don't mind the squeeze. Like we did... last night—"
Alice cut herself off, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. I, too, averted my eyes in a moment of sheer embarrassment.
Last night—we had shared that single bed. I didn't need to remind myself of the shock I felt waking up first to see her sleeping so defenselessly right beside me. Naturally, it took a considerable amount of time before either of us could look the other in the eye after she woke up.
"Regardless! I don't see it as an inconvenience. The smaller the space, the closer I'll be to you. But... if you're determined to leave, I won't stop— Woah?!"
Driven by sudden emotion, I lunged forward and pulled a discouraged-looking Alice into a tight embrace.
"M-Mitsuki...?"
"You're cunning, Alice. Don't look at me like that, or I'll never want to leave. Honestly, I had no intention of objecting in the first place."
In truth, Alice's home was a detached house sitting quietly by a small lake on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by flowers. Its location was secluded and prime, much like my previous house in its lack of foot traffic. Given her eye-catching appearance, it seemed she had asked Argo to find her a place far from prying eyes.
"So... will you?"
"Continuing what we started yesterday, I'll be in your care from now on."
"....! Yes. I'll be in yours as well."
Most importantly, she was here, smiling with such overwhelming happiness. I had no reason to complain.
Once that urgent matter was settled, I began preparing to head to the front lines on the Seventy-Fifth Floor to continue the mission. However, Alice stopped me, insisting that I rest for a few days after everything that had happened. So, we decided to spend the day strolling through the Forty-Seventh Floor for a change of pace.
"The Forty-Seventh Floor... Come to think of it, I've never explored this place thoroughly."
"Then this is a perfect chance. Let's forget about fighting and just enjoy ourselves."
This floor sits in the middle of Aincrad. While the monsters here look suspicious, they aren't particularly strong. Even when this floor was the front line, any player with decent combat stats could pass through easily. This gave rise to a rumor: "Is this floor just a resort spot Kayaba designed for the players?"
As we walked side by side at a leisurely pace, admiring the flower fields that painted the horizon in vivid colors, I noticed a large number of players diligently picking flowers.
"Is it always this crowded here?"
"I'm not really sure. At least, I haven't seen a sight like this since I moved here."
If Alice, who lived here, didn't know the reason, it likely meant a sudden "Event Quest" had appeared. I asked a nearby player and confirmed my hunch; they were receiving a new quest from an NPC who had recently appeared by the fountain plaza ahead.
"Your face says you want to go try it."
Alice gave me a dry look, noticing how my player curiosity had been piqued.
"Oh, uh... is that not allowed?"
"Good grief... It's fine. I'll go with you."
As soon as I had her permission, I hurried toward the fountain plaza, pulling Alice along by the hand.
Upon reaching the plaza, we found a female NPC standing before the large fountain, a basket full of flowers in her hand. As I tried to approach her while she distributed smiles, someone suddenly blocked our path.
"Heh heh heh... You two make a lovely couple. Could you do me a small favor?"
"Who are you exactly?"
I couldn't make out her face because she wore a hooded cloak that covered her entire body. Remembering what had happened to me recently, I tensed for a fight, shielding Alice behind me.
"Hey, don't look at me with such a scary face! Look, it's me."
She threw back her hood, her purple hair fluttering in the wind.
"Mito...!"
"It's been a while, Alice. You look well."
"You as well, Mito. I apologize for not visiting the shop lately."
"Don't worry about it. The vice-commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath must be incredibly busy. And it's only natural you'd want to spend time with the boyfriend you finally won over, right?"
"P-please don't tease me...!"
"Heh heh. Mitsuki, it's been a while for you, too."
"Yeah, it's been a minute. How's the shop?"
"It's doing well enough. I'd appreciate it if you could introduce me to some new customers again."
Mito, who was close to Alice through Asuna, had retired from the front lines to run a handicraft shop on this floor—the dream she had held since the first floor. She possessed the "Tools Creation" skill for accessories and the "Tailoring" skill for armor, and her shop had become well-known among elite players.
In fact, the gray jacket I was wearing—the Jade Orm Jacket—was her work. I had brought her the materials I obtained from the Sixtieth-Floor boss battle, and I could personally vouch for her craftsmanship.
"So, what was the favor you mentioned?"
"Oh, right! I'll get straight to it. I want you to accept that quest in my place."
"In your place? Is there a reason you can't accept it yourself? Is it one of those 'one-shot' quests that can't be repeated if you fail?"
"It's not that. But haven't you noticed anything about the surroundings?"
I scanned the area as she requested.
"Now that you mention it, something feels off. Wait... could it be?"
"Did you notice?"
"I'm sorry, I don't understand."
Alice tilted her head in confusion, so I shared my conclusion.
"Most likely... this quest is for lovers only."
"Lovers? I've heard that term somewhere before—"
"Lovers, Alice, are two people bound by a very deep connection. In short, it's a term for people who love each other."
"And that means, in other words...?"
"Exactly as you guessed. All these players gathering flowers are couples. Since I'm single, the option to accept the quest didn't even appear for me. I didn't expect the game to practice a 'singles-only exclusion' policy right next to my own home."
"Ah, well... it's okay. Don't be sad."
"Your sympathy only makes the wound deeper... Anyway, let's forget that. Since things are this way, I want you two to accept the quest for me and hand over the reward materials. Of course, I won't ask for free."
It seemed those materials were used for crafting tools and armor, which was Mito's goal.
"I don't mind. But you could have asked someone like Asuna. It seems the quest accepts two people of the same gender, or you could have gone with Alice and—"
"Listen, I'm a former beta tester. Do you think I haven't tried that?"
That was true. Though she didn't participate in boss battles, her game skills were exceptionally high and her wit was sharp. She must have exhausted every possibility before asking us.
"Alright, I'll take care of it. Alice, are you okay with this?"
"Yes. I can't leave a friend in need."
I approached the female NPC and spoke to her.
"My grandmother once told me that flowers are the best way to convey feelings to loved ones. There are many beautiful flowers here, so you two will surely be able to make a wonderful bouquet. What do you think?"
The quest acceptance icon lit up above her head.
"We'll do it. Are there any specific steps or rules?"
"It's not hard. All you have to do is gather flowers while thinking of your dear one. And if I may add one thing, my grandmother said flowers get angry if they are picked carelessly and in excess."
"Indeed, picking these flowers that bloom so beautifully pricks my conscience..."
"But if someone as gentle as you picks them, the flowers will surely be happy. Gather the flowers and bind them with this ribbon to make a bouquet. When you're finished, bring it back to me."
Once I received the ribbon, the message for the quest start appeared. The quest name was A Bouquet Overflowing with Love—how embarrassing.
"Right, let's start gathering flowers immediately. And by the way, as that character said, don't get greedy or the flowers you gather will turn into a giant plant monster, so be careful. Alice and I will go this way; Mitsuki, you go over there."
"Is there a need to split up?"
"Isn't it more fun if the bouquet remains a secret until it's finished? Go on, move!"
Mito shooed me away with her hands, so I moved to a side of the vast flower field and crouched down.
"A bouquet, huh...?"
Unfortunately, I didn't remember ever giving flowers to anyone, neither in SAO nor in the real world—except for that one time in my childhood when I gave a single carnation to my mother on Mother's Day.
In either case, making a bouquet from scratch was a high-difficulty mission for me. I only knew the common "language of flowers" for things like roses and lilies, and even then, there was no guarantee Aincrad's flowers held the same meanings. I hoped to find some kind of clue to start with.
As I pondered, I remembered the NPC's words.
Gather the flowers while thinking of your dear one. I closed my eyes, and her image appeared before me. What stood out most was her beautiful golden hair.
Even if I didn't know the meaning, I would choose based on color. I began gathering yellow flowers. Then, I added dark blue flowers to represent her other striking feature. The result was a small, two-toned bouquet.
"I think I can do this... but is it actually good?"
Most likely, the core of this quest was the exchange of bouquets between lovers. That meant this bouquet would go to Alice. I wanted to make it more complex and refined, but I feared that overthinking it would ruin it, so I settled for balancing the arrangement. Finally, I tied it with the blue ribbon the woman had given us, finishing my bouquet.
I stood up and turned around to find Mito waving her hand beside Alice. It seemed they were finished as well. We gathered and headed toward the NPC, each of us hiding our bouquet from the other.
"Have you finished making the bouquet?"
"Yes. Since it's my first time, I can't exactly say it's professional..."
Alice presented her bouquet. It was beautiful, decorated in three colors: green, blue, and touches of white.
"Wow... it's wonderful! The white among the calmer colors adds a unique touch!"
"Mito—the credit goes to my friend who advised me. I'm glad you like it."
"And now, it's Mitsuki's turn."
All three pairs of eyes focused on me.
"Uh... Alice, could you look the other way for a moment?"
"Why?"
"Well, I mean... my bouquet isn't as pretty as yours. To be honest, it's very simple."
Since I was going to give it to her anyway, my hesitation was meaningless. But after seeing Alice's refined bouquet, I felt a sudden wave of embarrassment. It would have been better if we could have presented them at the same time.
"Young man."
The NPC suddenly addressed me.
"I told you, it's enough to think of your dear one. While beautifying the appearance pleases the flowers, what pleases them most is filling them with your feelings for the person you give them to. Whenever I see a bouquet given to a loved one, I feel the flowers saying, 'Thank you for entrusting us with your precious feelings.' Rest assured, the flowers will respond to your feelings and deliver them."
She looked at me with sincere eyes, so I presented the bouquet, telling myself, "Whatever happens, happens."
"How should I put this... it's a very sincere bouquet."
"I find it wonderful! Your feelings for your girlfriend show clearly! It seems your heart is completely full of her!"
"I... I appreciate the praise, but can we stop with the flattery now..."
"Isn't it wonderful that the love is mutual? Actually, Mitsuki, Alice originally intended to make a bouquet using only your colors."
"What...?"
"M-Mito! Why would you say that?!"
"But since there are no gray flowers, she gathered green and blue flowers that match your hair color. It seems she got shy halfway through and— mphff?!"
"Please, be quiet!"
Alice quickly covered Mito's mouth. Even from behind, I could see that her face had turned completely red.
"Heh heh. Right, let's exchange bouquets."
I stood before Alice, and we exchanged our bouquets. In the next moment, the bouquet I received began to glow with a faint light, transforming into a completely different flower. As we stood there in shock, the NPC spoke.
"What was given to the young man is a Statice flower. Its meaning in the language of flowers is 'An Unchanging Heart'."
With those words, the purple flower in my hand dissolved into particles of light.
"And what was given to the girl is a Kinmokusei flower. Its meaning in the language of flowers is 'A Noble Heart'."
The yellow flower in Alice's hand also faded away, leaving nothing in our hands but the ribbon that had bound them.
"Never forget the feelings these flowers carried between you. I pray that happiness always fills your path."
She said this as she tied the ribbons around our fingers.
At that moment, the quest completion notification and the results window appeared. We received no money or experience points, but in the rewards slot, the types of flowers that made up the bouquet appeared. At the very bottom was an item called the Statice Ring. Alice seemed to be in the same situation, as she had received the Kinmokusei Ring.
"I've never heard of getting rings from this quest...?!"
"Heh heh. Because you were such a wonderful couple, I provided a small extra service. Let's keep this a secret from others, shall we?"
The NPC placed a finger to her lips and laughed mischievously. After that, whenever we tried to speak to her, she only repeated the programmed lines we heard when accepting the quest.
"Well, regardless, congratulations on completing the quest. I'll give you the promised reward. Come along."
After handing the flowers over to Mito, she led us to...
"Here, the Bounder confectionery shop. The honey pie here is delicious."
"I thought I knew all the famous shops... but I didn't know this place existed in Floria."
"Well, recently there's been an increase in shops run by players. Finding hidden gems like this is part of the fun of this game, isn't it?"
We entered the shop, and as soon as the door opened, the sweet scent of honey filled the air. The honey pie, which used honey from the bees found on this floor, had a light, flaky texture and a rich honey flavor. Alice and I immediately decided to become regulars.
When you're immersed in fighting on the front lines, you tend to miss these small details. I needed to thank Mito for introducing us to this place.
"Still, I never imagined such a hidden option existed in the quest. If I sold this info to brokers, I'd make a good sum."
"No. Let's keep what happened today a secret between us."
"I agree. If the news spreads, the number of players repeating the quest just for the rings will double. I feel like this quest isn't meant for that."
I checked the settings menu and found that the ring had no special combat effects. It was merely a decorative item, but given how we obtained it, it couldn't be considered something simple.
"Right. I understand. I'll stay silent."
"Thank you, Mito."
"Don't mention it. I got to see the feelings of Alice, who usually looks like a rigid knight, and that's enough for me."
"Again with this...!"
"As an extra thanks, I'll tell you; the Kinmokusei flower has another meaning in the language of flowers: 'I will follow you wherever you go'."
"....!?!?"
Alice's face turned so red it looked like it was boiling. She looked at me, her mouth opening and closing in a flustered motion.
"W-what's wrong?"
"Nothing! Nothing at all! Let's go home, quickly!"
Alice took off at a brisk pace, and I hurried after her, while Mito stood watching us, laughing with pure enjoyment.
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