-Kirito POV (p412)
Kirito woke up by a sudden, intense shudder. He noticed he fell asleep for a short while when he heard the bell telling him it was eight and he had to wait until ten before Lunaria would bestow her blessing resource.
He thought about various thing, and when he smirked thinking about bringing Eugeo's Fluctlight to outside world, let him Dive into ALO, and introduce him to everyone as his pupil who surpassed him, and also his best partner,
——
"What are you grinning about?"
An unexpected voice came from beside, I blinked my eyes as I was interrupted mid dream.
I turned my face to see Alice stared at me with a weird expression. I rubbed my mouth using the back of my right hand, before saying,
"No, just…… thinking about various things after this."
"With a slacking smile like that, you're pretty optimistic, or you just don't think far enough? In the situation that escaping is still uncertain like this."
Sharp tongue as ever. While I don't know the old personality of Alice, but if her character is always like this, when she and Eugeo escaped into the real world and meet with everyone, it isn't hard to imagine she fits right in, along with Sinon and Lisbeth.
I knew that there were mountain of problems to solve before we could reach that ultimate good ending. I pressed my right hand on my empty stomach as I looked into the night sky, and said in a serious face,
"About escaping from this situation, I think we could resume when the moon comes up. It seems the drones aren't coming out anymore, so it should be fine to create more hooks and climb straight up. It's just, there's a problem that I felt dizzy when thinking about climbing this wall with empty stomach."
"……Your point certainly lack of sincerity. It's just skipping one or two meals isn't it? Don't act like a spoiled kid."
"Yeah, yeah, who cares if I'm a spoiled kid, I'm still barely in a growing category anyway. Unlike the well-sheltered Integrity Knight-sama, my number will greatly drop without proper eating."
"Let me tell you first, even Integrity Knight also feels exhaust without eating!"
As Alice said so with the corner of her eyes raised up, Kuu, a cute sound came out from her abdomen, I unintentionally made a wide smile.
The face of Knight-sama suddenly dyed in red, when I saw her right hand grabbed the grip of her sword, I quickly waved my hands,
"Uwa, wait, I'm sorry! Yeah, right, Integrity Knight is also a living being, being alive is great, isn't it?"
——
Kirito patted his pants and realized he had 2 steamed manjuu he took from Cardinal, but before giving one to Alice, he wanted to heat it up, so he call a thermal element.
Alice stopped him just before he burst the element, which would result in two charcoal manjuu, and took over the role, she generated thermal, aqueous, and aerial elements before properly steaming those manjuu.
After eating, he praise her cooking skill, "As expected from the older sister of that skillful little sister chef." Alice taken interest in what he just said and asked him to explain more.
——
"You have a younger sister. While I don't know if you will believe what I'm going to tell or not, but know that everything I'm telling is the truth."
I made a bet, Alice hesitated for a short while before spreading her palm. Although listening to me was the action beyond her duty, her curiosity seemed to win.
"……Tell me, but…… if I conclude that you plot to deceive me, I'll kill you right away."
To the low, threaten voice of Alice, I let out a breath before nodding,
"……That's fine as long as that conclusion came out of your own mind. I said it like this because, someone else had planted the orders inside you."
"……Are you talking about the duty of Integrity Knights?"
"Yes."
As I nodded, Alice's light blue pupils dangerously narrowed, but at the same time, a fluctuation of emotion also could be seen. I thought that might be a sign of Alice's true feeling, before continued,
"The Integrity Knights are summoned from the heaven by the proxy of God, the supreme priest Administrator, to maintain the order and justice of Human World. —— this should be what you recognized. But, in this world, only you Knights that believe in such thing. Every commoners of Human World, along with the priests of the churches, as well as the supreme priest herself, don't think that way."
"What nonsense you're talking about?"
"If you go down to the capital right now, you can ask just anyone. They would tell you that Integrity Knights are those given honor from the Axiom Church, appointed to the winners of the Four Empire Unity Tournament, which hold once every a few years."
"Appointing to be…… the Integrity Knight? From the commoners……? Something stupid like that can't be true. I come into contact with many Knights on a daily basis, and every single one of them don't have human origin."
"It's the opposite. Every single one of you have human origin."
I leaned by body to the wall and looked into Alice's pupils, before turning my words to human portion of Alice,
"You probably don't have any memory of the time you lived in the heaven. Your first memory is when you were before Administrator, telling you that you're the knight of God, came from heaven or something like this."
"…………"
It seemed to be a bull's eye, Alice pulled her body back slightly and lightly bit her lips,
"……That's because…… the dwellers of the heaven will have their memories sealed by God Stacia when they were dispatched onto the ground, ……and once I made all the ground into paradise, fulfilling my Integrity Knight's duty, I'd go back to the land of God, have my memories unsealed, and recalling my parents and siblings……"
Weakness completely disappeared from the firm voice of the golden Knight.
That's it. I intuitively thought. Alice didn't realize that she wish for the memories of her family. That's why she reacted strongly when I mentioned her sister.
"Administrator at least has one part right. It's certain that you have your memories sealed, just not by the God Stacia, but Administrator herself. And the sealed memories aren't about the heaven, but the memories ever since you born and live as a child of this Human World. It's the same to all other Knights, such as your disciple Eldré. He is a heir of the Empire nobles, won the Unity Martial Arts Tournament many years ago, and acquired the honor to be the Integrity Knight. But is that really an honor? Eldré collapsed during the battle with us, but we didn't cut him. He doesn't have any wound, does he? It was because my partner recalled Eldré's "previous world"…… Eldré was stimulated by the memories of his mother, which Administrator sealed, no, snatched away. Because he couldn't recall it no matter how hard he tried, that's why he collapsed. But that was of course, those memories were snatched away and are locked in Administrator's room, after all."
"Did you say Eldré is…… human's…… noble's child……?"
Alice's lips trembled for a moment.
"It's not just Eldré. More than half of the Integrity Knights are the sword experts who won the Tournaments…… are human to the end, because…… those majority are children of nobles who were in the environments of sword practicing ever since they were young. The nobles snatched everything away from their children in order for them to gain money and status. And that structure continued for tens of years, hundreds of years until now."
"……I don't believe it…… I can't accept any of it."
The golden knight, who has infallible trust in the dignity of the Church and the Knights up until now, shook her head in disbelief.
"I…… know well about the despicable deeds of human nobles. Their hands…… dyed in unjust because it isn't written in the Taboo Index. The Priest-sama is going to purge the depravity nobles during the dawn of the Dark Territory suppression…… and yet…… Eldré's, and other Knights' parents are those filthy nobles…… it can't be true. I can't believe it."
"The proof of that, perhaps you already know."
I leaned forward, drew myself closer to her.
"You know the Integrity Knight apprentices Aashin and Bisten, right? They are noble's children entered the Church to be the monk apprentices. And then promoted into the knight apprentices to replace those knights who had been slain in battles. They wouldn't mind to kill me using their poison daggers. So they clearly lacked the justice and purity, which are necessary for Integrity Knights, all they have are just battle ability, isn't that an actual proof?"
——
Alice tried to deny it but Kirito pressed on, telling Administrator would just alter their memories about the two children by the time they were ready to be the full-fledge knights.
Alice couldn't believe the supreme priest would play with their memories like that, so Kirito asked if she ever remember the instance when she went to capture criminals, she answered him that she recalled very well when she went to capture him. But Kirito told her that during his encounter with Deusolbert, the knight couldn't remember at all that he himself went to capture Alice from Rulid village 9 years ago.
Kirito further explained that the large amount of Knights that weren't of nobles origin are those who violated the Taboo Index and had tendencies to excel in combat ability, in turning them into Knights, Administrator got rid of the threat to her ruling, and at the same time, she got a strong pawn to her disposal.
He then explained who she really is, and what she did 9 years ago that violated the Taboo Index. But as he explained, the scene of the incident flashed before his eyes as if he was in the incident himself, which shouldn't be possible because he just heard about it from Eugeo.
Alice tried to recall about it, but Kirito told her not to, or else she would end up like Eldré. Alice then asked him to tell her more, which he told her about the Rulid village chief, her father, he didn't know the name of her mother, and about her sister Selka, who could never forget about Alice, became a sister apprentice, and was now trying very hard to succeed Alice, who was also sister apprentice before the incident.
Alice became silent, stopped trembling, Kirito started to think his effort was futile and waited for her verdict that he tried to deceive her. It was when she started murmuring,
——
"Selka."
And once again,
"Selka……"
Her blue pupils shook as she lifted her face toward the starry sky.
"I can't remember. Not face, nor voice. But…… this isn't the first time I called this name. My mouth, my tongue, my throat all remember it."
"……Alice."
I swallowed my breath and whispered. My presence was no longer in her concern as she continue muttering,
"How many times I called this name? Everyday… every night……Selka, Sel……Se—"
Pool of transparent liquid gather around Alice's long eyelashes, brimmed over, it glittered in starlight before falling down, I stared at the emotional scene in disbelief. The tear kept gushing out and fall down, causing little sound on the floor tile between us.
"It's the truth, right……? My family…… my little sister. The sister whom shares the same blood as I…… is somewhere under this same sky……"
She said with difficulty as she tried to stop her sobbing like she was a little child.
"Alice……"
My right hand, which I inadvertently extended out, was brushed away without looking by Alice's hand.
"Don't look!!"
Alice, who shouted in a half crying voice, roughly pushed my chest while her other hand kept rubbing her eyes. However, the tear wouldn't stop, the knight turned her face and buried it between her upright knees, her shoulders trembled violently.
"U……Uguu…….Uuu……"
Alice tried to subdue her voice as she cried, watching her in that state, I noticed tear welled up in my eyes as well. I knew it wasn't time for this, but I couldn't stop the the fluid from blurring my eyes.
Certainly——
I'll certainly defeat Administrator and take Alice back to her home. As I determined, I noticed half of my tear wasn't from crying in sympathy.
At the time Eugeo and I reached that goal, the one who reunite with Selka at Rulid village wouldn't be this Alice before my eyes. When her memories returned, she would remember Eugeo, Selka and Rulid village in the old days, and at the same time, she would forget about these nine years she spent as the Integrity Knight.
——
Kirito knew that would be a desirable outcome, but he couldn't stop himself from feeling sorry for the strongest Knight who spent 9 years in loneliness, longing for the warmth of her family she knew full well she could no longer reach.
It was a long while before Alice's sobbing sound died off, Kirito then thought about various thing that would happen after this point, both inside and outside Underworld.
Alice suddenly asked him about what he said soon after they were thrown out of the tower, that he said all he did was to correct the wrongdoings of Administrator, in order to protect this world. She believe that even all he said was true, but the deep loyalty from the Integrity Knights toward the supreme priest was undeniable, because her first order to the Knights was to protect the Human World from the invasion of the Dark Territory force, and even at the moment, more than ten Knights were patrolling the border. Even if Kirito succeed in removing all Knights including the supreme priest, what Kirito and Eugeo could do against the army of darkness.
Kirito asked her in respond if she really thought just handful of Knights and the supreme priest would be enough to suppress the large scale army from Dark Territory, which individual soldier being far stronger than average human, especially when they press from all directions at once.
Alice told Kirito that Berculi also shared the same worry, but it was the fact that there was no fighting power in Human World outside of the Integrity Knights. Those practice martial arts among the nobles were just for show.
Kirito agreed with her that currently the Knights were the only force to fight against the army of darkness, but that was the plan of Administrator all along. She feared the battle power she didn't have a complete control over to appear in the Human World. For that reason, she sealed the memories of all winner of the tournaments, as well as the criminals from Taboo Index violations, and turned them into Integrity Knights for several hundred years. In other words, Administrator just didn't trust the human.
He then said there might be 1 or 2 years before the invasion from Dark Territory, they still had time to gather fighting force to protect the Human World, while they couldn't rely on high class nobles, but lower class nobles, as well as commoners had a lot of strong individual among them, if they were outfitted with the equipments stockpiled in the tower, and had a proper guidance from the Integrity Knights, they would have the fighting power enough to match that of Dark Territory.
He further explained that even without forced conscription, just by volunteer and from the ranks of sentinels and guards from each town and villages would be enough, but it currently couldn't be done because the supreme priest wouldn't allow it, as she feared the army she couldn't control its loyalty even more than army of darkness.
As Alice became silent, Kirito started thinking about various things again, and before long,
——
"……meet her?"
"Eh……?"
"If I cooperate with you…… and regain the memories that were snatched away, could I meet Selka…… my sister, could I meet her?"
I inadvertently held my breath.
Meeting. Meeting is not the problem. But……
This time I loss for words for a long while, but Alice kept looking at me, with her hands wrapped on her upright knees, waiting for my answer.
"……You could. If using the flying dragon, it only takes one or two days to reach Rulid village. But…… I want you to listen to this carefully."
I brought my face closer to Alice's left ear, before saying,
"When you meet Selka, you won't be yourself anymore. At the time your memories return, you will be your nine years ago self, before the "Synthesize ceremony", return to being Alice Schuberg, and at the same time, the Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Fifty will cease to exist. Your current personality during this nine years of being Integrity Knight will vanish and replaced by your original personality…… it's cruel to say, but…… currently you are "Temporally Alice" created by Administrator, along with a temporally personality."
As Alice was slowly informed by my words, her shoulders shook two or three times, her head hung low and was buried by her arms.
——
Alice said her body was a tool she stole from a girl name Alice, so she has to return it.
——
"The stolen thing…… has to be returned, right? And that would be…… my sister, my parents, your friend…… as well as your own wish."
"…………Alice."
"Just……one thing, there is one thing I want to ask."
"That is……?"
"Before the restoration of Alice's personality to this body…… could you take me to Rulid village? And then, under a cover…… let me take a look just once. At Selka…… at my sister, and my parents, I want to see them with my own eyes. If that can be granted, then I'd be satisfied."
Once she finished saying, Alice slowly turned her face and looked at me.
At that moment, the moon which were already above out head, shone its light through the gap of black clouds. The bead of golden light bordered her outline, Alice's redden eyes like an infant looked soften, as she gave off a faint smile.
I unintentionally hid my face and clenched my teeth.
Returning Alice's memories.
That is a single wish of my best partner Eugeo. So it's my wish at the same time.
But——to the girl who is crouching helplessly in front of me, it also has the same meaning as her death.
Necessarily sacrifice, unavoidably order of precedence.
There is no other way.
"Sure…… I promise. I swear."
I said so as I averted my gaze.
"Before the memories restoration, I will certainly take you to Rulid village."
"……Absolutely, right?"
Alice nodded after her emphasize.
"Understood. Then…… to the world of human, in order to protect this peace, I, Alice Synthesis Fifty resign from the mission as the Integrity Knight…… u…… ah……!!"
——
Alice suddenly raised a sharp scream as she held her hands on her right eye, she bit her lips in an intense pain, Kirito shocked to what he was seeing, then he realized he saw the same thing three days ago, around the same time. When Eugeo cut right arm of Raios Antinos, his right eye blew off and large amount of fresh blood gushed out of it.
Kirito told Alice to stop thinking as he pulled her hands off her eye. Then he noticed a rotating barcode displayed on her eye, after a while it stopped rotating and changed into a text "SYSTEM ALERT".
He realized that this couldn't be an action from anyone inside this Underworld but by the RATH staff, but he noticed a contradiction as the objective of the experiment was to find a breakthrough when Fluctlight act against the rules, but a mental block like this would be none but a hindrance to the experiment. His conclusion led to someone plans to sabotage RATH, but he couldn't confirm it unless he could talk to Kikuoka.
Kirito told Alice that what happening to her wasn't by Administrator but by someone outside this world whom she called God. She angered by the betrayal of her loyalty, and asked Kirito to hold her. He embraced her tightly as she declared war against the supreme priest and God. At the same time, Kirito felt large amount of warm liquid run down from his cheek to his neck.
-End of Kirito POV-
Sorry for a long summary, I like this part too much and spent too much time on it before realizing. I'll try to keep it shorter next time.
2012-11-17, 02:29
It's because of her unexpected entry into the top ten that's why I'm curious.
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