Climbing onto the viewing platform, the view became even more expansive.
The roaring sound of the Water was close at hand, and the splashing mist drifted over with the wind, bringing a refreshing coolness.
From here, one could overlook the magnificent scenery of most of the Ulan Grasslands, and also look up at the source of the Water flow at the top of the waterfall, which seemed to connect to the sky.
Except for them, the platform was empty; clearly, most players were currently immersed in the enthusiasm of exploring new maps and improving their strength, with no time for such "leisurely pursuits."
"Perfect!"
Artoria looked around with satisfaction, took that thick picnic blanket out of her backpack, and spread it on a relatively dry and flat area in the center of the viewing platform.
Minerva took out the portable magic stone stove and a small teapot, and began to boil water to make tea.
Ellie, meanwhile, was like a busy little squirrel, pulling things out of her "treasure bag" backpack: the "Rainbow Jam" and fresh bread she bought while passing through Talan Village, said to be made from berries unique to the Second Floor; a few exquisite pastries packed from the "Sweet Hive" in the Starting Town to serve as emergency rations; and some edible "Mist Moss" and "Water Bell Orchid" petals she had collected along the way, claiming she wanted to try making "Waterfall Special Blend Herbal Tea."
Soon, a unique "afternoon tea party" located on the viewing platform a hundred meters above the ground, right beside the Thunder Roar Waterfall, was ready.
The three of them sat around the picnic blanket, with the thundering waterfall behind them and the vast, boundless grassland in front of them, holding steaming, uniquely fragrant herbal tea in their hands, tasting delicious snacks from the virtual World, with the eternal sound of the Water in their ears, mixed with Ellie's excited chattering and the clear chirps of unknown birds passing by occasionally.
"This scene truly calls for a grand toast."
Artoria used tea instead of wine, raised her cup to signal, a satisfied smile on her face.
"Although there is no wine, this tea and this scene are enough to intoxicate."
Minerva also smiled and raised her cup in response.
Ellie was busy spreading the Rainbow Jam thickly on her bread, took a big bite, and said indistinctly: "Wow! This jam is so delicious! It's sweet and sour, and has the flavor of so many different fruits! Paired with the mist from the waterfall, it feels like the flavor has been elevated!"
The atmosphere of the tea party was relaxed and pleasant; the three chatted about their experiences over the past few days, discussed the scenery and interesting things that might be hidden on the Second Floor, and planned their next "vacation" route—Ellie strongly requested to go to a large lake on the grassland to try out the "Advanced Fishing" skill.
The shadow of death and the pressure of clearing the game seemed to be truly isolated outside this roaring curtain of water and vast expanse of heaven and earth.
However, this tranquility did not last long.
Just as Artoria picked up the second pastry and was about to enjoy it, her movements paused slightly.
Almost at the same time, Minerva also put down her teacup, her gaze turning toward the entrance of the viewing platform leading to the stone steps below.
Even Ellie, who was trying to steep the Mist Moss petals into her tea, seemed to sense something and stopped her movements.
Something was coming up.
It wasn't a player, nor was it a normal monster.
It was a kind of "aura" that was more obscure, more elusive, and carried a hint of disharmony with the basic rules of this World.
A few seconds later, a figure slowly stepped onto the viewing platform from the slippery stone steps.
That was a... "person" who was difficult to describe accurately with words.
He looked like a middle-aged male, of medium build, wearing a mix of clothes that were completely out of place with the medieval fantasy style of SAO—washed-out, similar to the mountain climbing jackets and cargo pants of the real World—carrying a bulging, old-fashioned canvas backpack on his back, and wearing a wide-brimmed adventure hat with worn edges on his head. The brim was pulled very low, covering most of his face, and one could only see the slight gray-blue stubble on his jaw.
His movements were somewhat slow, even slightly staggering, as if he were a traveler exhausted after a long journey.
However, the senses of Artoria, Minerva, and Ellie captured the anomaly at the first moment.
On this "person," there was not a trace of a player's green cursor!
Nor was there that fixed, patterned aura of an NPC.
His very existence seemed like a discordant note, quietly embedded into the background of this virtual World.
What made Artoria's heart tighten slightly was that the moment this "person" appeared, she vaguely felt that the layer of "Cognitive Coordination Field" from the "System" on her, which was used to rationalize behavior, seemed... to fluctuate slightly, as if it had encountered a slight interference from some power of the same source or a higher level.
The person stepped onto the platform, seemingly not expecting anyone to be there, let alone holding a leisurely tea party, and his movements paused visibly.
He looked up slightly, and from within the shadows beneath the brim, it was as if an extremely sharp gaze, capable of piercing through falsehoods, swept quickly over the three of them—Artoria, Minerva, and Ellie—lingering for a moment, especially on the seemingly ordinary but essentially extraordinary "Finely Forged Longsword" at Artoria's waist, and the lingering aura of the "Star Source Saint Body" on Minerva, which was restrained to the extreme yet still perceived by some existence.
Immediately, the sharpness in that gaze quickly receded, becoming turbid and weary again.
He lowered his head and said indistinctly in a hoarse voice with a heavy local accent: "So, sorry... for the disturbance... I'm just an old man... tired from walking, came up to rest my feet... didn't expect anyone to be here..."
His tone and posture were completely like a tired elderly hiker or explorer who had wandered in here by mistake, completely out of place with the World-building of SAO, yet because of the fluctuation in the "Cognitive Coordination Field" and the strangeness of his own aura, this "ordinariness" seemed even more suspicious.
Artoria's internal alarm bells rang slightly, but she did not show any abnormality on her face.
She put down the pastry, stood up, and revealed a peaceful smile: "It's okay, it's very spacious here. Please feel free to rest."
At the same time, she sent a warning to Minerva and Ellie through the soul link: 'Be careful, this person is not right.'
Minerva nodded slightly, her posture still elegant, but there was a hint of caution deep in her eyes.
Ellie subconsciously leaned closer to Artoria, curiously and vigilantly sizing up this uninvited guest.
The man murmured a vague thanks, walked slowly to the railing on the other side of the viewing platform, turned his back to them, took off his backpack and placed it by his feet, then leaned against the railing, looking at the waterfall and grassland in the distance, and fell silent.
He didn't speak again, nor did he make any other movements, as if he were really just an exhausted traveler quietly watching the scenery.
However, Artoria could feel a trace of an extremely faint, indescribable "sense of being watched" still lingering around them, off and on.
It was not malicious prying, but more like a... calm, condescending, and inquisitive "observation."
Was it a special NPC arranged by the "System"?
Was it a hidden mechanism of the SAO World itself?
Or... like them, a "traveler" of another nature from "outside"?
Or even... some avatar or apostle of that "Observing Great Expert"?
Various guesses flashed quickly through Artoria's mind.
But right now, there was too little information to judge.
She decided to meet the unknown with constancy.
The tea party continued, but the atmosphere had quietly changed.
The three continued to drink tea and chat, but the topics became cautious, no longer involving anything that might expose their own uniqueness.
Ellie also reined in her liveliness, quietly eating her pastry in small bites, though her ears were pricked high.
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