**Tup—shff…**
—"What if we start with Lyrielle?"
Vaelinne, with a mischievous smile, gave a small nudge with her palm to Lyrielle, who was sitting next to her at the table.
—"..."
Lyrielle returned her gaze, a bit annoyed. That woman had been the one to start this embarrassing topic, and instead of having the courage to be the first, she was throwing her into the flames.
—"Well, I don't see any problem… of course, if she wants to be."
Kirito smiled, understanding Vaelinne's ploy.
Lyrielle looked back at him, and just as she was about to complain, she saw him wink.
Processing that gesture, she immediately understood what he wanted to communicate:
If she was the first to speak, she would also be the one they would forget the fastest, as they would quickly move on to listen to the next, and attention would focus on the new, not the previous.
Vaelinne, who was paying attention to her friend, was bewildered to see a smile on her face instead of worry or embarrassment. Even more so when she heard her say:
—"You're right. It's better if I'm the first to share my part."
Lyrielle completely ignored her bewildered companion and began to speak elegantly, although with a slight blush on her cheeks.
—"A few years ago, my family wants me to have an heir for the next generation of pilots…"
**Clink… shhh—rrrnnn…**
She lowered the glass she was holding in her hand a little and gently swirled it as she continued:
—"Well, actually, it's more my mother and my husband who have insisted on it. But lately the pressure from the entire family has increased. They say I shouldn't wait any longer…"
—"…"
**Chomp… clack—mmm… shff**
Kirito nodded as he listened, taking another bite of food without ceasing to look at her, trying to make the situation less uncomfortable for her.
—"You don't mean that because of your… Amn"
Vaelinne didn't finish the sentence when she saw Lyrielle smile at her with a threatening expression, very similar to the one Kirito had shown a little while ago.
(—"Really, bad friendships harm one…" )
**Mmmf… chomp—shff… glup**
Vaelinne, covering her mouth with another bite of turkey, thought with some complaint.
Lyrielle shook her head in desperation and continued, taking cues from the two.
**Shff… clack**
With her legs crossed and elegance, she cut with fork and knife a portion of everything on her plate, eating calmly.
—"What this noisy one was going to say is true. They are worried about our age. They say, quite rightly, that waiting too long is dangerous for me… and for the children."
—"So they want more than just one baby from you… And I suppose it's the same situation for you, right, Vaelinne?"
Kirito spoke to them calmly, with a slight smile. He understood that, beyond the typical in noble families, this was a way to ensure the lineage through multiple children.
Lyrielle turned her gaze and replied:
—"Yes…"
—"They want to keep us busy with children…"
Vaelinne said aside, a bit resigned, imagining herself changing diapers without rest.
—"They look very young, but it's normal for their families to recommend that they start a family soon."
Kirito praised them for their beauty, although he did not downplay the risk of waiting too long.
—"Thank you… I understand my mother and husband regarding that…"
Lyrielle smiled slightly at the compliment and the shared concern.
—"Ha, ha… Your mom keeps telling them over and over again that she wants to see her grandchildren very soon—Oh, that hurts!"
**Scrrrrch**
Vaelinne laughed heartily, making an exaggerated gesture with the fork in her hand, before shouting for having been pinched quite hard by Lyrielle.
**Snrk—tap… fsshh**
—"You're also a bully, Lyrielle!"
—"I warned you…"
Lyrielle didn't care about Vaelinne's sulking, who was rubbing where she had been pinched.
—"Pufff... Ha, ha, ha..."
Kirito had to stop quickly before taking a sip of his drink, as the scene amused him and he laughed heartily. He saw both of them a bit resentful of his enjoyment of their embarrassment and pain (literal).
—"You can continue, Lyrielle…"
Kirito gestured with his hand for her to go on, now recovered from the laughter, though not from the smile from what had happened.
—"Haaah… And well, I have thought about it carefully and decided to take their advice during this… vacation."
Lyrielle looked at him at first with a determined voice, but it gradually lost strength. Her face flushed as she diverted her gaze to her plate.
—"About… getting pregnant…"
**Thmp—tap**
—"Oh, come on, Lyrielle! You have to say it more firmly…"
Vaelinne, in a teasing tone, gave her a nudge with her shoulder.
—"If you're so brave, why don't you start now by telling your version of events? Because I'm done with my part…"
Lyrielle, with a resentful look, told Vaelinne to continue with the very embarrassing topic.
—"What? So soon? Are you already done?"
**.Clink… siipp**
Vaelinne made an exaggerated face as she said it. Lyrielle took a sip of tea and replied indifferently:
—"Yes, what more do you want me to say?... And don't play dumb. Share your part and don't run away."
—"No, I'm not running away. You are… Right, Kirito?"
Vaelinne shook her head as she said it, hoping Kirito would support her, but he responded in a teasing tone, very similar to the one she usually used with others.
—"I don't think so. Rather, you are the one running away from the topic, Vaelinne."
—"That's what she does, without a doubt."
Lyrielle took the opportunity to say it in agreement, with a slight smile, not allowing her friend to escape her turn.
—"You two have conspired to intimidate me…"
Vaelinne made a face that was a mix of pity and intimidation towards both of them.
—"..."
—"..."
Kirito and Lyrielle rolled their eyes in unison, in tacit agreement at her exaggeration. With their cups still in hand, they fell silent, staring at her intently with subtle but constant pressure.
—"Puff... Ha, ha, ha... Alright, you win..."
Vaelinne could no longer resist her improvised drama. Still covering her mouth, she surrendered to their gazes and understood that it was her turn to speak.
—"Umm... Where do I start?"
Vaelinne brought a finger to her lips as she thought before speaking.
—"Well, it's almost the same as Lyrielle. My parents and my partner want, as soon as possible, a descendant. However…"
Vaelinne lowered her head with some concern.
—"However what...? And don't be afraid, you can say it confidently."
Kirito encouraged her, seeing that her mood suddenly changed due to what she was about to say.
—"..."
**Shhh… fssshhh—tap**
Lyrielle gently rubbed her back to encourage her to continue. She, as her best friend, already knew what was troubling her. Still, it was a good opportunity to hear her friend Kirito's words.
—"One of the reasons I oppose having a baby is that I don't think I'm responsible or exemplary enough to be a mother."
She pointed at herself as she said it, with a certain despondency in her voice, and continued:
—"You all know me... I'm someone who likes to joke a bit and avoid certain annoying things..."
**Clink… clink… tik—clink**
She started tapping her fork on her plate, head down.
—"Being a mother is a great responsibility, and I feel like it's too much for the 'me' present... I think I'll mess up very soon. Don't you think I have some reason, Kirito?"
She lifted her gaze to see the expression of the one she trusted completely. She expected to see a teasing smile or a reassuring expression from him.
—"..."
But what she found were Kirito's eyes and face, which conveyed that he understood her feelings very well. With a gentle and encouraging tone, he replied honestly:
—"Vaelinne, Lyrielle and your family know you're ready. You're someone who takes very seriously what worries you, and who gives their whole heart to those they love."
Lyrielle nodded in acknowledgment beside her, for she had seen it many times: Vaelinne, despite her playful character, knew how to change her mindset when the situation called for it.
A recent example was the night attack against the Four Emperors... Vaelinne, throughout the mission, stopped joking and made every decision with a calmness and seriousness contrary to her usual way of being.
—"You have a big heart, Vaelinne. I'm sure you'll do very well. No one is completely ready to be a mother or father, I tell you."
Vaelinne felt better hearing Kirito's comforting tone. She couldn't help but ask:
—"No one is ready?"
—"No one... Each child is different in themselves, and that means their upbringing is different too. As parents, we have to adapt to them to give them the best education and the best care possible."
—"You're right..."
Lyrielle commented, seeing child-rearing from that perspective. As for Vaelinne, she also received that comment, so she said playfully:
—"You say it like you've experienced it..."
—"Well, partly yes... But don't divert your turn to me."
Kirito smiled, although he didn't let himself be swayed by Vaelinne.
—"Tks... Do you really think I would be a good mother?"
After that lip smack, she asked again with a bit of seriousness.
—"I have no doubt about it. You would be a mother who teaches to have a passion for what one loves. And don't worry, I'm sure your whole family will be there to help you with what you need."
—"Including mine. I'll never let you do it alone. Whatever you can't handle, I'll take care of, as I know you would do the same for me."
Lyrielle supported those words, acknowledging the accuracy of what Kirito had said. Then she continued, with a more resigned smile:
—"Although I'm sure you, as an aunt, will make my children more mischievous than serious..."
—"Ha, ha... I think that's true. But I'll educate them very well..."
Vaelinne replied with a giggle, touched by the gesture.
—"See? You're not alone..."
Kirito said, pointing with his cup to Lyrielle and Vaelinne, with total conviction.
(—"But you won't be there to help us...")
For a brief moment, Vaelinne's smile saddened at the thought before she recovered it and said:
—"That's true... What am I worried about? I'll do well."
**Paf—paf… shhh—tap**
With her free hands, she lightly slapped her cheeks, which were already smiling, and said clearly:
—"This vacation I will do my best to get pregnant and be a great mother..."
—"Well said. I know you will, Vaelinne... And you too, Lyrielle."
Kirito looked at them with eyes full of kindness and confidence in their determination.
**Clink… fsshh—clok… Sksss**
With the empty cup still at her lips, she lowered it to the table before taking the teapot and filling her glass. Then she said:
—"I suppose it's my turn to fulfill my part of the deal... But..."
She raised a finger before adding, without hesitation, with a smile:
—"I will only answer one question from you about it... And if I feel generous during the conversation, I might say something more..."
—"You're stingy, did you know that?"
Vaelinne commented with a bit of playful annoyance.
—"Alright, let us consult it before saying it."
**Shff—tap tap… clack… murmur—clink**
Lyrielle, on the other hand, took it calmly, as she assumed it would be like that. After saying that, she took her friend Vaelinne by the arm and led her a distance away from Kirito, who was delighting himself again with his food, almost finished.
**Tup—tap… shhh—clack… tik**
They soon returned to their seats with a clear intention to catch him, to receive his answer to the question.
Kirito, not letting himself be affected by Vaelinne's more playful smile, asked:
—"So, what's the question?"
Vaelinne and Lyrielle looked at each other before nodding in agreement. It was Lyrielle who took the role of spokesperson, speaking with calmness, though with a slight smile and the curiosity shared with Vaelinne:
—"Since we have memory, and from what we know of our parents and grandparents, you, Kirito, and Asuna never had a single child during the two hundred years you were here in Underworld... The question is: why is that, if it is clear that Asuna always showed great interest in having children during all that time?"
Immediately, Vaelinne supported Lyrielle with a firm gesture, pointing out an irrefutable point:
—"We do not believe it was for natural causes. We do not accept that she simply couldn't have at least one."
Kirito smiled, shaking his head at the tricky question that implied much more than had been put on the table. It was clear they had thought well so he would say more than necessary.
—"So, in short, you want to know why we didn't have children, right?"
Kirito summarized it even further by saying it like that.
—"Yes..."
—"That's correct. But answer us in a way that leaves us satisfied."
Each one responded in her own way: Lyrielle calmly taking her cup, and Vaelinne with her arms crossed as she said it.
—"Of course, I will... To start, you are right: Asuna always truly desired to have a family here. But..."
**Sssslrp… clink—tap… fffshhh**
Kirito shook his cup after sipping a bit of his tea, and spoke with a melancholic tone.
—"..."
—"But what?"
Lyrielle fell silent. However, Vaelinne tried to follow...
Kirito began to recount while recalling a memory of his past in this world alongside Asuna...
*****
The hall was bathed in warm light, with freshly restored stained glass windows.
Very close to the windows, a charming scene could be seen: two girls held a baby and playfully competed for his attention.
One of them had red hair and eyes of a reddish-brown hue that sparkled with a mix of tenderness and affection. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement, and with her elegant hands, she caressed the tiny fingers of the baby she held in her embrace.
Beside her, another equally excited young woman gazed at the baby. Her skin was equally fair, her eyes grayish-blue, and her shorter brown hair fell softly over her tender expression. She smiled sweetly, as if her smile enveloped the little one in front of her, making gestures to provoke more laughter from him.
Both wore the same elegant style of clothing, fitting for a future Integrity knight from the cathedral.
These two girls were none other than Tiese Schtrinen and Ronye Arabel. They laughed quietly, taking turns holding the baby of Fanatio Synthesis Two, the result of her union with Bercouli Synthesis One before his death. The baby's name was Berche, and with his light blue outfit, added to his appearance—blue hair and eyes—he was the spitting image of his father, Bercouli.
**Paf… shfff—tap… mmmhh…**
The little boy's hand brushed against their cheeks, and both melted with each gesture.
—"Oh, how cute... He's so nice, and so soft..."
**Shhh… tap—mmmhh…fsssh**
Ronye whispered, gently stroking his face with her fingertips. Then she squeezed him against her chest in a hug, after taking him from Tiese.
**Tup—tap… shhh—clack… tik tik**
—"Don't keep him too long, Ronye. It's my turn."
Tiese joked, carefully taking him and rocking him in her arms, leaving Ronye barely a moment to hold him.
—"Hey, Tiese, I only had him for a second. You didn't even let me have him for a minute."
**Shhh…fsssh**
—"Come on, don't act like it's unfair. You were the first to hold him, and it was longer than I did."
Tiese didn't believe her companion's pout, who remained by her side while rubbing her cheek against the baby's.
For his part, the little one laughed non-stop, not caring about the arm changes between those two beautiful girls who playfully fought over him.
**Tap… tap… fffffshhh**
At that moment, they looked up upon hearing footsteps and seeing a figure dressed in white: the unmistakable attire of Stacia, a clear sign of the kind queen they knew and loved.
Asuna entered with a serene smile. She slowly approached the three, as if she didn't want to break the enchantment. She had been watching them for a while, and unable to resist any longer, she spoke to the two who were staring at her.
—"Can I hold him for a moment?"
—"Of course, Asuna,"
Tiese replied with a smile, while holding Berche at that moment.
—"He weighs a bit more than he looks."
Ronye added, watching her take him in her arms.
**Shhhhnk… fffsshh—tap… mmmhh…**
Asuna received him as if he were made of glass, gently squeezing him against her chest.
—"Oh, wow, you're right... He deceives his appearance. But that's good, it means he's well-fed."
She said as the baby didn't resist at all to her affection, returning her smile with joyful laughter.
She looked at him with eyes full of tenderness.
**Mmmhh… shhh—tap… haaawn…**
—"It seems he really likes you, Asuna."
—"It's true, look how he returns the hug."
Tiese and Ronye commented as they watched the baby lean against Asuna's shoulder and yawn slightly.
—"Mmm..."
Asuna simply nodded in agreement, not taking her eyes off the baby.
A few meters away, two people did not take their eyes off Berche or Asuna, who was gently rocking him from side to side.
One of them wore the armor of an Integrity Knight, shimmering under the light of the hall with silver and violet reflections. She had her head uncovered, showing a serene face and dark violet hair that fell over her back. She was a woman, and the baby's mother: Fanatio Synthesis Two.
Beside her, with crossed arms, wore dark clothing with golden touches that did not detract from his elegance as king. His black hair and dark brown eyes were fixed on his beloved, Asuna. It was Kirito.
—"I see Asuna-sama has a talent with babies."
Fanatio said, seeing how her son was comfortably nestled in Asuna's arms.
Kirito, with a smile and a firm nod, replied:
—"She loves children a lot. It comes naturally to her."
—"Sooner or later, she will surely want to have her own children, don't you think, my king Kirito?"
Fanatio added, with a knowing look and without hesitation.
**Pah—pah… shhh—tap…**
Meanwhile, they both greeted Asuna and the baby, as she had taken Berche's little hand and, together, they waved with a cheerful smile, rubbing their cheeks together tenderly.
—"Just look at her... she's showing the symptoms of motherhood."
—"You're right, it's hard not to see them... We'll just have to wait."
Kirito replied, observing Asuna's eyes from a distance, eyes that clearly communicated what she felt.
*****
A few days later, in the Dark Territory, within the home of some friends who never in their lives thought they would be together with someone they considered their mortal enemy, a family had formed. A clear sign that friendship between previously opposing territories was possible.
This couple was made up of Scheta, from the human territory and an Integrity knight, and her husband Iskahn, from the Dark Territory and leader of the pugilists' guild.
Asuna and Kirito arrived unexpectedly at this home to avoid a stir as the kings of the human territory. They wanted to check on both of them and meet their newborn daughter, the result of the union of two different races.
—"Ha, ha..."
Asuna held the baby in her arms with a contained smile, seeing the baby's father crouched down, filled with embarrassment.
**Mmmhh… tap…**
—"Um?"
The baby, with very short pink hair, her father's eyes but her mother's fair skin, was named Leazetta. She made a curious expression, with a finger on her lips and her head tilted, not understanding why her father was drawing circles on the ground.
**Shhh… rasp… rasp…**
—"Damn it... Why do these things happen to me?"
Iskahn, with slightly dark skin, blonde hair, and his right eye damaged—a mark of his indomitable will during the war—wore a short-sleeved shirt that revealed his musculature.
He wore light brown pants and sandals that allowed him to move swiftly in case of combat. He was clearly dejected.
**Shhh… tap…**
Beside him, Scheta, with light brown hair tied back in a high ponytail, shook her head while bringing a hand to her forehead.
She wore a beautiful light home dress that reached her knees. In her hand, she held the baby bottle with milk that her husband had brought for their daughter before getting into this state.
With her calm tone, characteristic but full of love for her beloved fighter, she said to him:
—"Come on, darling, it was just a surprise."
**Shff… shffss**
Kirito, still in his black cloak, folded the one Asuna had given him moments before. He commented from the side, in agreement:
—"It's true, it was a coincidence to find you in this state... again..."
**Pff…**
**Psssh—tap…**
In the end, Kirito turned his face to hold back laughter. This did not go unnoticed by Iskahn, who immediately got up, grabbed his black shirt, and exclaimed, annoyed:
—"Why did you have to come in through the window again suddenly?! You had to see my loving father face again... I'm sure you're laughing at me inside!"
Kirito raised his hands in a sign of surrender, not denying it. Seeing that the furious father wanted to fight him—literally—he justified himself:
—"You're a great father, despite being a fearsome warrior... You just let your guard down in your home, that's all."
—"If I don't let my guard down at home, where the hell will I...? Haaah...
After saying that, he sighed and let go of Kirito. Even more so upon noticing Scheta's sharp gaze, warning him that if he continued like this he would be a bad example for his daughter, who was watching him closely.
It was clear that Iskahn, with his arms crossed and sulking, still hadn't gotten over being discovered in his loving and clumsy father mode just when he was about to feed his daughter... again.
—"Don't mind him, he'll get over it soon..."
**Tap… shhh—fsshh…**
Scheta, with some indifference, told Kirito and Asuna, who were observing Iskahn's bad mood. Then she measured the milk's temperature in the baby bottle with her hand, handed it to Asuna, and said:
—"Can you feed her instead of my husband, who's in the corner, Asuna?"
—"It will be a pleasure to help this little one eat..."
**Slurp… tap… mmmhh…**
Asuna responded with joy before bringing the baby bottle to Leazetta, who took it with her quick little hands, held it, and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.
—"She looks like she's going to be very strong."
Kirito commented, surprised by what he saw.
—"Ha, of course. You're talking about our daughter. She's the union of two great warriors."
**Thump… huff… clack—shhh…**
Iskahn said, a bit recovered, thumping his muscular chest with pride. Then he hugged his wife with his other free arm and looked at his beloved daughter.
—"I think she will be a great knight..."
Scheta said with a slight smile.
—"No, I think she will be a better fighter with her hands... Right, Kirito?"
All eyes, including Asuna's who was feeding the baby, turned to Kirito, waiting for his response to the two proposals. Kirito thought for a moment, not wanting to answer lightly.
—"The best thing is that she decides as she grows. However, the best thing you can do as parents is to teach her both talents to fight on the battlefield. That way she will be much stronger than both of you, with the sword skills of an Integrity knight and the powerful hands of a pugilist."
—"..."
—"..."
—"..."
**¡Pah!**
The three adults in front of him fell silent at such a response until Iskahn approached and gave him a hard slap on the back that hurt, while laughing:
—"Ha, ha, ha, well said."
—"I also think it's a good idea."
Scheta nodded with a slight smile, while watching Kirito rubbing his back from her husband's blow.
—"It's a great plan..."
Asuna said with some admiration towards Kirito. Then she looked down at the baby, who opened her eyes and smiled at her as best she could with the baby bottle in her little lips. That gesture provoked in Asuna a deep desire: to have her own son or daughter.
**…shhh—tap… thump…**
—"Being parents..."
She murmured very softly to herself, holding the baby a little tighter. Seeing Kirito talking about another topic with the parents, Asuna blushed at thinking further about what that implied.
Kirito, who was laughing, noticed that seductive look from her, which forced him to look away so it wouldn't be noticeable in front of the newly formed family.
*****
A few more days had passed since the incident, and it was almost midnight. Kirito and Asuna were in their real room, a private space where they could share intimacy away from the eyes of others.
The soft light of the moon—called Lunaria in this world—flowed through the tall glass window that opened onto their personal balcony. It bathed the room in a silvery tone, casting shadows that danced in silence.
In the beautiful and spacious royal bed, large enough to fit several more people, the two of them lay affectionately embracing each other. The darkness and dim light no longer hindered their vision; they could see each other's face clearly as they spoke.
Their whispers were the only sound breaking the absolute silence of the room. Yet rather than disturbing the peace, they deepened the intimacy of the moment—an atmosphere that belonged solely to them.
—"Ha, ha... Did you really say that, Alice?"
Asuna, curled up at his side with her head on his chest, laughed as she listened to Kirito and his story, accompanied by the constant heartbeat that, in any world, was her favorite sound.
**Fsshh...shhhhhh**
—"I just didn't want to reason with her... So I shouted that she was foolish..."
Kirito, dressed in his light pajamas, gently wrapped his arms around his beloved's waist and caressed her body tenderly as he told her more about what had happened in Underworld, when she was still not by his side.
—"Haaa… haaa"
**Shhh.. shhhh**
Asuna let out sigh after sigh, each one growing warmer. Her cheeks progressively flushed as she continued to receive his caresses, which became a little more mischievous as they rested on her round backside.
In the heat of the moment, Asuna remembered the babies she had held in her arms. Each one was special and carried a deep meaning due to their existence in that virtual world.
Berche represented the love between Fanatio and the legacy that she and Bercouli formed together, just before their departure from this world.
And Leazetta was the union of two different individuals in race and personality, a living example that opposites attract.
Asuna, with an increasingly determined look, turned to Kirito by her side and thought to herself:
(—"I want the same... a family here.")
—"..."
Kirito had fallen silent upon noticing that his beloved wasn't saying anything more and had stopped participating in the story.
**Fsshh—shkk… thmp**
Suddenly, with determination, Asuna moved. With feline agility and natural sensuality, she slid up into Kirito's lap, kneeling over him and placing her hands on his chest as she gently rubbed against him.
Her leaning forward caused the fine silk of the pink nightgown she wore to reveal the valley between her breasts, accentuating it even more.
That delicate fabric clung to her curves under the light of Lunaria, revealing more than it concealed and giving her an air of vulnerable sensuality.
Her hair, like a cascade of honey, fell over her shoulders, forming an intimate curtain around their faces.
Her eyes became irresistibly charming under Kirito's gaze.
—"Asuna, what... Mmmmh…"
—"Fffff—chhhhk… mmmuahh..."
Before he could say anything more, she tilted her head and captured his lips with hers. It wasn't a tender kiss, but one charged with sudden and deep passion, a spark that turned into a flame in an instant.
**Shhh—thmp**
With both hands, she held his face, her fingers sinking into his dark hair. She guided him, possessed him, in the ecstasy of the moment.
—"Shhhhhh... mmmhhh..."
Kirito, after a fraction of a second of surprise, reciprocated abundantly. His response was like a wildfire against a campfire.
**Shhhk—thmp… mmph…**
—"Mmph—schlup… glish"
—"Mmpphh—Smuack—Haaah...Tchk"
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer against him, and returned every exploration of her tongue with an urgency that made her shiver.
—"Kirito... Mmm... Let me... Shhhmm... breathe..."
It was a silent and delicious battle, and Asuna, as fiery as the beginning was, soon found herself struggling to keep the pace.
—"Mmmm... plop... Haaah, haaah..."
She gasped between kisses, each one deeper than the last, until she finally broke away, breathless, with her forehead resting against his, a silly and panting smile lighting up her face as she regained her breath.
—"Haaah... I love you, Asuna."
—"And I love you... Haaah."
Kirito said it looking at her as if he were enchanted by her beauty in the dim light. However, his mind began to connect scattered facts. The way he had held those babies, with a tenderness so deep it bordered on melancholy. And now, this overflowing and almost desperate passion. It was not just desire. It was something more primal.
**Fwip… shhh…**
With a soft smile that did not quite light up his serious eyes, he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. His voice was a hoarse whisper, tinged with affection and a hint of curiosity.
—"Asuna, by any chance... are you ovulating?"
He asked, trying to confirm his suspicions.
—"Huh?"
The effect was instant. Asuna's smile froze and faded, replaced by a scarlet blush that burned her cheeks, neck, and crept up to her ears. Unable to resist the embarrassment any longer, she exclaimed:
—"Kazuto! That's so insensitive! How can you ask something like that in this atmosphere...?"
**Thmp-thmp-thmp...**
And she said this while hitting him in protest with both hands. But he didn't laugh. He didn't back down.
**Shhh... thu-dump...**
Instead, he gently but firmly caught one of her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers. He pressed her palm against his own chest, right above his heart. His gaze was intense, understanding, inviting her to the truth. And he said softly:
—"Can you say it?"
—"..."
Asuna's complaint died on her lips. The embarrassment mingled with vulnerability, and after a moment of internal struggle, she averted her gaze and nodded shyly, almost imperceptibly.
—"I suspected as much..."
Kirito murmured, his voice now filled with absolute understanding. It was not just a hormonal impulse. It was longing. She not only desired to be with him in the utmost intimacy of a couple; she wanted a future by his side. A family.
**Shhh...**
Encouraged by his understanding, Asuna found her courage. She looked into the dark eyes she loved and began to explain as they intertwined their fingers more tightly and said.
—"Kirito, it would be... beautiful..."
She started, her voice trembling but clear
—"...Wonderful. Having a family here, in Underworld. We will be here for 200 years, right? That's enough time to... to love, to raise, to watch our children grow. It's something I desire. With all my heart."
—"Mmpphh."
With tears shining at the corners of her eyes, she kissed him again. This time it wasn't a kiss of consuming passion, but one of deep promise and tender hope.
—"Would you like it, Kirito?"
She whispered against his lips, very close to hers.
—"To be a father?"
Kirito felt an overwhelming wave of love so powerful it ached in his chest. Seeing her like this, so full of hope and love in her eyes and flushed cheeks, was the most precious sight.
—"Yes."
He replied with a genuine and wide smile.
—"Of course, Asuna."
The joy that lit up his face was brighter than the moon that night.
—"You make me very happy..."
He blushed furiously saying it, a mix of happiness and shyness, before a new expression, determined and openly seductive, took over his features.
—"Then we can continue..."
He said, lowering his head again, moving with deliberate slowness, savoring the anticipation of the ecstasy to come.
The atmosphere in the room was thick, laden with love and a desire that now had a purpose, a future.
Their lips were a hair's breadth apart, the heat of one warming the other, Asuna's breath mingling with his in a promising whisper.
And then, hitting him with the force of lightning, the memory surged in Kirito that he was also surrendering to passion.
He recalled the explanation given to him by Kikuoka Seijirou, alongside an insensitive Higa Takeru, about how this world called Underworld began.
After copying the souls of newborns and introducing them, they were raised by scientists who played the role of mothers and fathers.
And when they were already aged in the simulation, these scientists were taken out of there, and their memories of those precious and unique years with their loved ones were erased.
Although they saw their children and grandchildren bitterly crying over their supposed deaths, they felt nothing.
They were like strangers in their eyes...
(—"Are we not awaiting the same fate? Will we not be... like them?")
He thought with a feeling that chilled him to the bone, mixed with passion.
**Shhh— fwip…**
Just as Asuna's lips were about to seal their future, his own hands rose.
**Thmp— grip… shhk**
Gently, but with a sudden urgency, he firmly took her shoulders. He separated her enough to break the spell... to look her in the eyes. Eyes that widened in bewilderment and hurt.
—"Wait. No..."
Kirito's voice sounded strange, tense, filled with a fierce sadness.
—"We can't. We shouldn't start a family here... In Underworld."
The world stopped. Asuna's expression froze, the passion and happiness draining from her face, leaving only absolute confusion and budding pain. —"Kirito? What...? But... a second ago you said that..."
—"Rath! Do you remember?... Asuna, sooner or later, we will leave here. And when we do, they... will erase our memories. As we have decided. And everything. Everything."
**Shhhk**
His voice was laden with an anguish she did not understand. His grip on her shoulders tightened.
—"Does it seem fine to you? To bring children into this world, love them, raise them, watch them have their own families... and then forget them completely?"
He looked at her with fiery eyes, as if each word pained him to pronounce.
—"To leave them crying for parents who won't even remember having them? To return to the real world and feel nothing for them, as if they had never existed?"
His chest rose and fell forcefully. The silence between them became unbearable.
—"It's the same damn thing Rath did when he started this world!"
—"I... I didn't..."
Each word was a hammer blow.
And yet, hers did not come out.
—"...!"
Asuna looked at him, and gradually, the horrible truth broke through her confusion. It was not a rejection of her. It was... something much worse. It was the raw, ruthless reality of their existence here.
**Snip—**
She bit her lower lip hard. With a pain that blurred her vision, she slowly shook her head.
**Drip... glitch...**
Her tears of joy turned to sadness.
—"No..."
The understanding was an unbearable weight. The light in her eyes went out.
**Shhhhk— rustle… thmp.**
Without another word, she slid off him mechanically. Her body, once warm, now felt cold.
**Brrr… shift…**
She turned and lay on her side, giving her back to Kirito.
**Fwip… cling…**
She took the sheets as a fragile armor.
—"..."
Her silence was more eloquent than any scream.
**Shhh.... thump**
Kirito reached out, his heart broken, and touched her shoulder.
—"Asuna, I... I'm sorry... Truly..."
—"Please..."
Her voice was a broken thread, laden with spilled tears.
—"Leave me alone. Just tonight... Please, Kirito..."
**Swish... clutch...**
Kirito's hand closed in the air before withdrawing. The pain in his chest was a burning void.
—"It's okay, Asuna..."
He said, whispering with his hoarse voice, nodding with a very sad face, knowing she couldn't see him.
—"..."
Fwoosh...Thump...
He lay on his back, looking at the shadows dancing on the vaulted ceiling. The romantic and hopeful atmosphere had dissolved, replaced by the cold weight of the real, of the possible. The room, which minutes before had been a sanctuary, was now a cell of consequences.
—"Hic... sniff... hic..."
**Gripp...gripp**
Kirito listened in this silence to Asuna's repressed crying, and each of her tears was a sword in his chest that he squeezed with his hand.
(—"It's for the best...")
He thought bitterly, stabbing the knife of that truth into his own heart.
(—"It's the right thing. It's the only thing we can do... So we don't regret it in the future when we return to our world.")
And with that bitter, lonely, and heart-wrenching thought of that night, something that would haunt him for the next 200 years in Underworld.
*****
And so, the memories of those days ended with Kirito's explanation to Vaelinne and Lyrielle, who finally received an answer to their question. Kirito's blue eyes returned to reality with sadness.
**Sip... gulp**
The taste of tea in his mouth turned bitter with the last memory.
(—"In another situation or with a different mindset, I might have yielded to the emotion of the moment...")
He thought seriously as he reflected on what could have been.
—"That explains a lot about Asuna..."
—"Yes, like her eyes, which sometimes became sad suddenly..."
Vaelinne and Lyrielle commented with pain, infected by the truth of the story, along with their own experiences. Both had gone through many emotions during Kirito's narration: they laughed, felt moved, blushed... and in the end, they felt sad with him.
—"That's correct. In the end, Asuna and I had to take care that she didn't get pregnant during the two hundred years. But, even though we understood why we did it, the pain of not being able to fulfill that great desire to start a family for so long didn't disappear..."
Kirito said while watching his reflection in the drink in his cup.
*,Swish— fwip…**
Then he shook it, as if wanting to erase the face that looked back at him with sadness. When he did so, he lifted his gaze and continued:
—"The one who suffered the most, as you may have noticed, was Asuna..."
—"..."
—"..."
The girls said nothing, but nodded at that truth.
They remembered their childhood, and how Asuna, in a very maternal way, cared for them with genuine love.
It was a way to channel that overflowing desire to have children.
That longing became a catalyst for them… and for many other babies born during those two hundred years of reign.
(—"Seeing the complicated situation I find myself in, and Asuna not knowing anything about me... It was a good choice not to have started a family here.")
Kirito thought clearly.
He had told almost everything to Vaelinne and Lyrielle, but he refrained from talking about the memory wipe.
He only emphasized the fact that they would leave that world… causing pain to their descendants in the process.
—"Do you think what I did was right?"
Kirito brought the attention back to the topic on the table: the ethics of his decision.
...
They remained silent for a few seconds, until Lyrielle, the most analytical, spoke:
—"The truth... it's very difficult for us to put ourselves in your shoes, especially knowing that you are not originally from this world...
**Rustle… squeeze…**
Lyrielle felt Vaelinne's hand on her thigh. When she looked at her, she communicated with her eyes that she wanted to say something.
—"It's as Lyrielle says. For us, this is the real world. But for you and Asuna, it never was... And we also know that you genuinely care for the people who inhabit it..."
**Shhh... thud... grip...**
Kirito, upon hearing that, lowered his head, reflecting on his answers. For a moment, he clenched his hand on the table before saying:
—"This world is real, and its inhabitants are real too. Every soul is alive and deserves to exist, just like anyone in my world... It's just that..."
—"You miss yours, don't you?"
Lyrielle said softly, completing his sentence.
He nodded gravely. Vaelinne, seeing his desire to be with his loved ones, helped her release the knot that prevented her from accepting that he had to leave. She thought more clearly.
(—"I shouldn't be so selfish.")
—"Family is important, and one must fight for it... just as Kirito has been doing."
Vaelinne said in support of his situation.
—"Thank you, girls, for your understanding..."
Kirito responded sincerely to both of their gestures. And during those memories he had, and what was said, a new understanding came to his mind.
(—"It was a big mistake to try to erase our memories... Because that means erasing what we have become in the present. It would be taking many steps back and possibly suffering the consequences...")
Kirito understood, in that fraction of a second, that the story —his story— could change for better or worse, depending on what he would soon do with his memories when returning to his world.
(—"...I will never erase who I am now... I will not run away or deny my past anymore, so that I can have a better future...")
His blue eyes, recently sad, became sharp with a new determination he had doubted taking all these years.
**DOON**
In that moment, he felt —very subtly and almost imperceptibly— a slight pulsation in the center of his being.
**Tap... thump...**
He couldn't help but touch his chest, with doubts.
But before he could meditate further, he was pulled from his concentration by the voice of Vaelinne and Lyrielle.
—"Kirito! Are you okay?
—"What's wrong? Do you feel bad in your chest?
Seeing that both were almost getting up from their seats, with concern in their eyes, he quickly responded to calm them:
—"No, I'm fine... I just got carried away by my thoughts. Really.
Kirito downplayed what had happened.
—"If you say so..."
—"But don't hold back from telling us if you feel bad..."
The girls didn't fully believe his explanation, but seeing that he was fine and smiling at them carefreely, they decided not to probe further into the topic.
—"Well, the food is already finished from our plates. Do you want more?"
Kirito said, trying to change the subject.
—"No, I'm full..."
—"If I eat more, I'm going to explode. It's better to save what's left, which is much more than half..."
Both followed his lead and denied continuing the feast.
—"That sounds good. I will start collecting the dirty plates and saving the leftovers for you to take..."
**Scrape… clatter… rustle…**
Kirito got up from his seat and immediately began to take the dirty utensils and plates from the table.
—"Let me help you..."
**Scrape…**
Lyrielle offered as she also stood up.
—"I want to help too. Besides, I'll help you wash the dishes...
**Rustle… cling… shuffle…**
Vaelinne didn't want to miss the opportunity to share the little that was left before their departure, helping to collect the leftovers.
—"Thank you very much, Lyrielle and Vaelinne, for your help. This way we will finish faster...
**Clatter… rustle**
Kirito thanked them without stopping his hands.
—"You're welcome..."
—"It's a pleasure to help..."
**Tap… tap… rustle... hum...**
**Tap… tap… rustle...**
Both smiled as they headed to the kitchen, specifically to the washing area.
**Sigh... thump...**
And while the girls turned their backs on him, Kirito couldn't help but think while touching his chest, where he had felt that pulsation.
(—What the hell was that just now?)
*****
Time has no compassion for anything or anyone, and it passed quickly.
After Vaelinne and Lyrielle helped Kirito with the dirty plates by washing and drying them, they continued talking in the living room about other topics, such as Yui, Kirito and Asuna's daughter, and how they met her.
Kirito encouraged them to rest in their room, as he usually did when he saw them yawning after a long day filled with intense emotions.
Vaelinne resisted.
Lyrielle, who didn't want to leave her alone, restrained herself from leaving.
Kirito left them alone.
But no one can fight fatigue when relaxing and in the company of those they trust.
While talking a little more about trivialities from the past and possible futures, both fell asleep on the sofa, one on top of the other.
Kirito, with a sigh, picked them up one by one in his arms, like princesses, and laid them in the bed of the room.
While they snored slightly, he covered them with the blanket and left the room.
He felt that, with the movement of carrying them, they regained some clarity.
But the three of them, in a silent agreement, said nothing to avoid disturbing the transition.
With that free time, Kirito went to the makeshift workshop where he had left his tools and the golem hands.
With great care, he moved them to a large room where he would carry out his plan.
Then, he returned to the kitchen to prepare something special for the girls as a farewell.
*****
The three of them found themselves in the center of the Library to say their last farewell words.
Vaelinne and Lyrielle were carrying some extra things: the home clothes they had brought over the years to relax there, some favorite books they received from Kirito for their own enjoyment, and the wooden swords they used in their training.
—"We're carrying more than when we arrived..."
—"I don't think we can handle more..."
Vaelinne smiled in disbelief at the amount of things they were carrying, and Lyrielle agreed. But seeing Kirito with two not very large boxes in his hands, they couldn't help but shake their heads. Still, they felt moved by the fact that he kept giving them things.
—"Don't complain so much, you have a safe transport that will help you. So take this too."
Kirito said shamelessly, with a playful smile.
**Thud… rustle…**
—"We know... So, what is that you are carrying there?"
Vaelinne asked, setting her things on the floor.
—"Why don't you check and find out for yourselves?"
Kirito told them in an encouraging tone.
**Fwip— grasp…**
—"Let's see..."
Lyrielle took the initiative and received the box he was offering her in particular. It was clear that each box was for a different person.
—"Let's open the boxes at the same time."
—"Okay."
Vaelinne proposed to her companion, who accepted without issue.
—"On the count of three... One, two... and three!"
**Creak… hush…**
**Creak… hush…**
—"..."
—"..."
As they opened them in sync, both fell silent. They struggled to maintain their smiles.
Inside each box was a meticulously decorated cake, the same size. Vaelinne's was chocolate with strawberries, arranged in a beautiful circle with floral details. In the center, it read: "Thank you, Vaelinne, for your shared joy despite the pain."
Lyrielle's was white, vanilla-flavored, with cherries in place, decorated with flowers of another color. Her message said: "Thank you, Lyrielle, for your calm regardless of the situation."
**Shhh…**
**Shhh…**
On the sides of each cake was a flower: one red and one blue. The girls covered their mouths to hold back the tears forming in their eyes.
—"I hope you like it. I haven't forgotten your favorite flavors..."
Kirito said with a sad smile.
**Sniff… grunt…**
—"Can I try it now?"
Vaelinne looked up, pressing her lips tightly.
—"I want to do it too..."
Lyrielle nodded.
—"Of course, they are a gift and they are yours. There's a spoon and a knife in the corner of each box. I assumed you would say something like that.
Kirito knew them too well not to imagine that desire. They recognized it as they looked at each other and remembered the friend they had.
**Slice… crumble… cling…**
**Slice… crum**
Without waiting any longer, each cut a small piece of the cake, as they wanted to enjoy it calmly when they returned.
—"Hic... It's super... super delicious..."
Vaelinne couldn't hold back anymore, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
**Trem... Tremb**
—"It's... Sniff... It's very delicious..."
Lyrielle, although quieter, also cried while her hands trembled.
—"I'm so glad you like it..."
Kirito smiled with satisfaction upon seeing that they loved it. He was also being affected by their emotions, and some tears formed in the corner of his eyes.
—"You're a liar..."
—"A liar?"
Vaelinne left Kirito bewildered with that sudden comment.
—"Yes... you said that the best cake we would ever try in this life would be the one you gave us... hic... the first time... Sob... do you remember?"
Vaelinne took him back five years, to when he arrived in that world again. Lyrielle's eyes widened a little at remembering the same gesture, although Kirito hadn't done it with his hands.
—"It's true... These cakes far surpass the one you gave us..."
Lyrielle added without delay.
—"I see... Yes, I remember. And how do you both think these surpass those?"
Kirito smiled again, although his expression grew more melancholic. He wanted to know what made these cakes different from those of the Equivalent Exchange System.
—"Because... because you made it..."
—"With your perfected skill, and the heart you put into it."
Each expressed her true thought. They agreed that the flavor and the heart he had put into them could not be surpassed by any system.
—"That's good. Then, take.
**Rustle… crinkle… unfold…**
Kirito approached and pulled out two very sturdy papers from his pants, written in his own handwriting. They each took one, and upon seeing them, discovered they were the recipes for the cakes.
—"That way, when you want more cake of that quality, you can make it and share it with your family. Of course, with practice, it will become even more delicious."
Kirito spoke kindly.
—"..."
—"..."
**Quiver… hitch… shiver…**
**Quiver… shiver…**
He could see how they pressed their trembling lips together, heads down, resisting entering a more tearful state.
But he felt no compassion, from his point of view, and continued speaking.
**Jingle… clink… sparkle…**
—"And before I forget, take this. It's more permanent, so you can remember our time together..."
**Shift… shimmer…**
Kirito pulled out two necklaces of different colors from another pocket.
One red, shaped like clouds with a sun at the end, like a sunset.
The other, light blue, with stars and a moon in the center.
In each pendant of the necklaces, there was one more element: a stone cut in the shape of a Z, split in half.
The same one they used in the test with golem hands, which if joined would form one.
—"!..."
—"!..."
**Chim… cling… hum…**
**Chim… cling… hum…**
They were once again left speechless, unconsciously taking the necklaces, which together formed a shared memory, as they were part of the same game.
—"You are very different from each other, like the moon and the sun. However, together you can bring life to a planet and enrich it with your way of being... Please, never change."
**Thum..**
Kirito took a step back as he said it with pain. For him, they were a comfort in his loneliness during those fifty years in Underworld, and they helped him in many ways.
**Clutch…**
Vaelinne tightly clutched her necklace, the one with the sun, and couldn't hold back anymore.
**Drip... drip…**
Her growing tears fell uncontrollably to the floor of the Library.
**Thud… rustle… sprint…**
—"You really are... hic, hic... too... Sniff..."
Unable to contain herself any longer, she carefully left the cake, the recipe, and the necklace alongside the other things, and ran towards Kirito.
**Shhhk— thud… sob…**
She hugged him with all the strength she could gather, crying with all her heart while saying:
—"Why are you like this, Kirito...? Aah, hic, hic... I wanted to leave with a big smile... hic... but you... Sniff... you didn't let me... aaah..."
**Drip... drip**
Kirito began to cry alongside her, saying between sobs:
—"It's not... hic... good to hold back too much... Sob... that can only break the heart more... hich... than it can bear, Vaelinne...
**Sob… soak… hitch…**
Kirito felt someone else sinking into his chest, soaking him with new tears.
**Rustle… drip… murmur…**
Looking down, he saw Lyrielle, who also couldn't resist crying upon hearing him say it wasn't good to hold back. Between sobs, something uncommon for her, she murmured:
—"We will never forget you, Kirito... Hich... It hurts so much to see you leave... But it's the right thing... Hic... Thank you for everything...
**Sob… cling… drip… drip**
She hugged him tightly, while Kirito's tears soaked both their hair.
**Rstle… sigh…**
He returned the hug with equal intensity, looking up at the ceiling of the Library, almost invisible due to the height.
(—"I hope so...")
He thought with pain, recalling certain conclusions that tore at his heart even more.
The three embraced for a long time; it was hard for them to let go.
In the end, they did, but remained close.
—"So you had already said goodbye to the dragons..."
Vaelinne, with swollen eyes, said surprised, smiling at hearing Kirito.
—"Yes, I did before the night operation against the Four Emperors..."
Kirito nodded.
—"That means you had it all planned... and that we were the last to find out about your farewell."
Lyrielle, trying to compose her expression, spoke from Vaelinne's side.
—"Well, you are very intelligent... you can understand why."
Kirito gave no further explanations. They nodded, understanding that knowing it earlier would have filled their minds with doubts or distracted them during the operation. Vaelinne commented:
—"Tsukigaki will miss you a lot..."
—"I suppose so. Don't forget to share some food with him..."
**Shff… crinkle…**
Upon hearing that, Vaelinne raised the bag where she carried food for the spoiled dragon and said with a soft laugh:
—"Never. He has a nose that detects it miles away..."
—"Don't exaggerate, Vaelinne... But he certainly won't let his portion slip away."
Lyrielle shook her head, smiling.
—"Well... it's time..."
—"Yes..."
**Sniffle… rustle… thud…**
**Sniffle… rustle… thud…**
Both showed sad faces. Unable to resist any longer, they approached Kirito together and hugged him gently.
**Shfff… sigh…**
He reciprocated, and his words served as comfort:
—"Have faith in what you did, Kirito...
—"Not giving up has brought you this far... And it can take you much further..."
Vaelinne said in his right ear, and then Lyrielle in his left.
—"I know... and I will do that..."
**Shfff... Thud**
Kirito hugged them tighter.
**Tap… shfff**
**Tap… shfff**
After that, both pulled away at the same time and, after sharing a conspiratorial glance, said in unison:
—"Don't forget us, Kirito.
—"Don't forget us, Kirito.
**Shffff—clac… plink-plink**
**Shffff—shsss**
They quickly took all the things from the ground, including his gifts, and pulled out the teleportation spheres.
**Fwoooosh… zzzzhmm—krinnn**
A portal opened showing a forest on the outskirts of the cathedral, for safety, so they wouldn't be discovered.
—"That will never happen, Vaelinne and Lyrielle..."
**Tap-tap-tap**
**Tap-tap-tap**
**Fssshhh—whoosh…**
Kirito smiled at their quick escape. He saw them run through the portal.
**Zzzuumm—whip! clink-clink**
And suddenly, with his right hand, he skillfully and effortlessly caught two objects heading towards his face.
**Plink… shhhhnk—tik**
Upon opening his hand, he saw they were the two spheres they had just used.
(—"I guess those are their responses...")
Kirito had offered them to take the Library as a place to learn and rest.
However, they would have to wait a long time to be able to return, and do so with extreme caution.
They told him they would think about it.
Seeing the two objects, it was clear they decided to leave that place as its name indicated: hidden.
They didn't want to risk the valuable information of knowledge, especially knowing they were suspected in the kingdom due to their contact with the dark infiltrator.
(—"That may be for the best...")
He thought as he watched both wink at him from the other side of the portal. Then, they bowed at a ninety-degree angle and said simultaneously:
—"Thank you for your care.
—"Thank you for your care.
—"You are... You're welcome. It was a pleasure, Vaelinne and Lyrielle."
Kirito shook his head, as they took the moment to bow that he had forbidden them, considering them family. But he accepted it as part of the farewell.
**Fssshhh...**
The portal was now only showing half of their bodies. They straightened from the bow.
—"Take care, Kirito, and send our regards to Asuna...
—"Yes, she must be missing you... Good luck, Kirito."
Vaelinne and Lyrielle smiled with tears rolling down their faces, a mix of pain and joy for the friend who was leaving their lives.
—"I will... And I will miss you both. Take care of each other and support each other as you always have..."
**Drip.. drip**
**Zzzuumm...**
Kirito nodded, with his own tears and a forced smile. Just before the portal closed in front of their faces, they, unable to say more, murmured:
—"Umm..."
—"Yes..."
They nodded gravely. In the end, they could only see Kirito's smile, which, in addition to being sad, communicated a profound loneliness.
**Fwoooosh… zzzzhhhhnk—clac**
**Drip... drip... drip**
**Drip... drip... drip**
That made them cry even more... Tears that he could no longer see, as the portal closed in its place.
**Rustle… shfff—tap… hhhnk**
Soon, they hugged in the middle of the forest, sharing their pain and sadness.
—"He's gone... Hic... Lyrielle."
—"Sniff... I know..."
—"Why does it hurt more than his last goodbye, Lyrielle?... Hic..."
—"Because we made more memories with him... Hic... Happy memories... Sob... They are memories that now hurt and add to the old ones..."
Vaelinne received the comfort of her friend, who cried with her.
**Fffflap—flap… shhhhhh—rustle**
Soon they heard the flapping of wings and the breeze stirred their clothes and hair. When they looked up, they saw a dragon they recognized: Tsukigaki, who was attentive to their arrival. For him, only a few hours had passed, compared to them.
—"Look, it's Tsukigaki..."
—"Yes... Sob"
Lyrielle tried to divert her emotions by saying that.
**Thmp… grrrnnnk… hhhhnnn**
The dragon made a soft sound, but enough to make his presence felt as he landed near them.
**Snff-snff**
—"Tsukigaki, look what Kirito sent you as a farewell."
Vaelinne tried to keep Lyrielle's spirits up and approached the dragon, who was sniffing the portions in the bags she waved in front of his nose.
**fwshh… tapf—fwshh… tap**
—"Kururu, kururu..."
At first, he was happy about the food, wagging his tail. But soon he noticed the swollen faces of his two caretakers.
—"Kururu..."
He showed concern upon feeling the atmosphere of sadness that surrounded them.
—"We're fine... Don't worry, Tsukigaki."
—"Yes, it just hurt to say goodbye to Kirito..."
**Swshh… tilt—clack…**
**…Thmp… shhh—**
The dragon moved his head, trying to understand them, and with a gentle nudge of his forehead against theirs communicated his feelings.
—"Kururuuu..."
Vaelinne and Lyrielle smiled sincerely at the dragon's comfort. Vaelinne, with a broader smile, said:
—"Come on, Tsukigaki... Take us home.
—"Kururu, kururu..."
**Thmp… swshh—crrk…**
The dragon nodded with his huge head and, turning his back to them, invited them to mount him.
—"Thank you, Tsukigaki..."
**Clack—fwshh… tap-tap…**
Lyrielle, with great agility, grabbed her things and climbed onto his back.
**Rustle… thmp-thmp…**
Vaelinne did the same behind her,
**…whoosh—**
and pointing to the city, shouted with excitement:
—"Onward, Tsukigaki!
—"Kururuuuu..."
**Rrrrumble… fwshhh—whoosh!**
The dragon responded with joy and rose effortlessly, as if the extra weight made no difference.
**Swshh… flap-flap…**
As they flew, Vaelinne turned and looked exactly where the portal had closed.
**…Tap—shhh…**
She felt a hand gently taking hers.
Looking up, she saw it was Lyrielle, who said to her:
—"When we have our children, let's tell them about Kirito... and how meeting him changed our lives, okay?"
—"Umm... I will tell them a lot about him. But..."
—"But?"
Lyrielle followed her lead, waiting for what she was going to say.
—"But I want us to have girls... to be best friends like we are..."
Vaelinne smiled with a mix of playfulness and seriousness. Lyrielle smiled and shook her head.
—"That would be wonderful... although we can't control the sex of the children...
—"No, I'm sure they will be girls... And I will make sure they become great pilots!"
**Flap-flap…**
Vaelinne insisted, while returning her gaze to the forest that was getting further away.
—"You may be right this time... I'm sure that if so, they will be like us... Friends until they become sisters.
—"Umm... regardless of their differences...
Vaelinne and Lyrielle looked down at the necklaces shaped like a moon and sun that Kirito had given them, remembering his words before the farewell.
—"(Goodbye, Kirito... may you find happiness.)
—"(May luck be on your side, Kirito...).
**…Shhh**
Both, deep in their hearts, said goodbye to their friend and wished him the best.
**Fwshhh… swshh—**
**Fwshhh… swshh—**
The wind passing over their faces swept away the tears that flowed from the corners of their eyes,
**Drip…drip—whirlll…**
**…Drip—whirlll…**
scattering them behind them like shooting stars.
The last goodbye of Vaelinne Schtrinen and Lyrielle Arabel to their beloved friend… Kirito.
*****
...
Kirito remained for several minutes watching the place where Vaelinne and Lyrielle had departed through the portal. Then, he looked again at the spheres they used whenever they wanted to return to see him and be with him.
—"(Vaelinne... Lyrielle... goodbye... I'm alone again.)
**Hhhnk…**
His lips, once smiling, transformed into a sad and lonely expression.
**Tilt… shhh**
Feeling that he was about to cry, he raised his head towards the ceiling to prevent tears from falling.
—"Haaah…"
**Fssshhh…**
He let out a long sigh, with his hands resting on his hips.
**Clap-clap… thmp—**
Then, he gave himself a few slaps on the cheeks to refocus on the present and his future.
—"(Let's start the great plan... the one that will determine everything I have done over these fifty years.)
With his blue eyes, again filled with determination, he began to move through the silent Library.
**Thmp...thmp... Thmp**
The corridors, shrouded in darkness, only echoed the firm sound of his footsteps.
Each resonance guided him, like an ancient whisper, towards his destiny.