"So then. Mm. Here's the Col we earned today, along with the crystals that dropped. I'll put the materials in the Guild storage for now, so if anyone needs anything, just say so and take it yourself. As for the equipment, I'll make a trip to Algade in a few days and sell it all off."
It was still the same mid-range tavern where the group had first met. Behind the bar, the waiter diligently repeated the motion of polishing glasses. His faint, tight-lipped smile was not irritating, but honestly, if more resources could be spared for him, making him occasionally switch to another expression would make him much easier to look at.
Nearly half a month had passed.
The small Guild, made up of only five or six people, was doing its usual routine of dividing up the day's earnings.
Daywalkers might sound a little less imposing than Divine Dragons Alliance, but it was still a decent name. Its meaning was simple too. They went out hunting during the day. That was all.
"Lind and Kibaou's Levels are slowly catching up," Diavel said, folding his arms in thought. "Starting tomorrow, let's switch to another efficient hunting spot. For the details, we can ask that information broker."
Because Kibaou and Lind had spent all that time working with the lower-floor Aincrad Liberation Squad, they had mostly been handling organizational duties rather than going out to hunt. Even when they did level, the lower floors gave less EXP, so they were far behind the frontliners on the upper floors who had been pushing the clearing effort nonstop.
The others, including Diavel, had all kept pace with the frontliners. The level gap in the group was fairly large, so a few days earlier, they had decided to help those two catch up first.
In truth, it was a decision that cast aside the meaningless pride of being frontliners.
For Satoru, though, this kind of downtime could count as a way to relax. His Level was already high from the effort he had poured in day and night. Even if he slowed down for half a month, he would not end up being left far behind by those people.
"It really is comfortable cooling off under the shade of a big tree," Kibaou said, hands on his hips, looking thoroughly pleased.
"...Ideally, we'd be able to participate in this Floor battle," Diavel said, rubbing his chin.
"I doubt that guy from the Knights of the Blood would allow it. It's the opposite of how it used to be. Back then, he was the one bringing people over to ask us for participation slots."
Satoru smiled faintly.
"But Heathcliff seems like someone whose reason outweighs his emotions. Even if there's some friction, if it benefits the clearing effort, he should still agree readily," Diavel said. "I'll go talk to him if I can. After all, you and Sheeta-san are both excellent."
"I've already missed almost twenty Floor battles. It won't make much difference."
Satoru shook his head.
"But even under those circumstances, you still put everything into strengthening yourself and even caught up to the frontliners. I'm sure there must be something you want to do."
Diavel saw through him clearly and patted him.
"In that case, fight for as much as you can."
"It's been long enough that the impact of what happened back then isn't as strong anymore. Besides, your challenge against Heathcliff at the Knights of the Blood can serve as a starting point. By now, the people among the frontliners have changed quite a bit too. If your name appears on the party list now, no one should gossip about it anymore."
"Besides, like Kibaou said, the stronger you are, the easier it is for us."
The former Guild Leader, who had once worked tirelessly, had become somewhat lazy now.
"Without that heavy burden, even the way you talk has changed a lot, former Guild Leader."
"It really is much easier, former Vice Commander... This game doesn't bring joy, does it?"
The two exchanged helpless looks.
"Well then, next up is mealtime, of course. I had my eye on that cooked meat shop when we came back yesterday. We have to eat properly today," Kibaou said to Lind. "After all, Col loses its meaning if you don't spend it when you should!"
"Let's go, Diavel. We're having a few drinks today!"
"Oh, oh, then Yurne...? Mmph!"
"What are you talking about? Next is gathering time for us down-on-our-luck old bros!"
Kibaou covered Diavel's mouth while Lind grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the door.
"See you tomorrow, Yurnero!"
The blue knight, still making muffled protests, was dragged toward the Teleport Gate by the two of them.
Satoru watched their slightly ridiculous backs and could only let out a subtle sigh.
"They've changed quite a bit," the girl standing beside him said quietly.
After all, most of the time, it was events that changed people. People could not change events.
"Mm. Their intentions were always good. Guiding players and all that is exhausting work, and it might not even earn any thanks. Being driven out of the Guild they worked so hard to build couldn't have felt good. There was my fault in that too, but maybe... more than that, they grew tired of the things between players that couldn't be changed."
"And now, the ones replacing them are a more outstanding group of people. Should I say they're relieved to have thrown off the burden, or that they no longer have the mindset to compete?"
Satoru thought about it.
"Actually... as long as they live well, that's enough. As long as that condition is met, everything else becomes easier to talk about."
"Personally, I still think they're amazing. Whether it's the perseverance they showed by holding on for so long back then, or the generosity they've shown by forgiving me now."
"Nero, saying things like that means you're gradually changing too."
"Am I...?"
Satoru looked at her, as if asking himself.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Let's not think about that for now. If a person can't grow, that's the saddest thing of all."
"Even if that step is in a bad direction?"
"Nero won't become like that."
"That's hard to say..."
Satoru scratched his head.
"You won't. The fact that you're thinking about this step means you're already examining yourself."
Sheeta nodded to herself.
Growth.
A person's growth could not be seen with the naked eye the way the passage of time could. It was not a flower that sprouted, bloomed, and withered from spring to winter. Nor was it some natural conclusion, where simply turning the pages would guarantee arrival at the ending written in the book.
It was experience, pieced together from one's own thoughts, other people's advice, and the unpredictability of the world.
"Grow even more!"
Still saying things no different from an old mother hen, the girl gave him encouragement that somehow made no sense at all.
Satoru blinked.
A few seconds later, he suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"What is it?"
The girl glared at him.
"Nothing. I just suddenly feel like I understand what those thought-provoking words of yours mean. Honestly, all this time, I was only playing a game."
Yes.
Everyone had to grow.
They had to grow.
If they kept standing still, there would be no meaning at all.
He looked at Sheeta. The girl before him, the one who now drew his attention even more, was actually far livelier than she had been before.
"Before, that guy with the halberd asked me something. He asked whether it was luckier to die with great ambitions unfulfilled, or to muddle through and cling to life in ignorance. I vaguely remember that the great calamity of Avīci Hell is longevity... Back then, I wasn't in the mood to answer him. But now, I do have an answer."
Satoru reached for a cigarette again by reflex.
"In the end, the ones who muddle through and cling to life are luckier. Because for all you know, someone like that might suddenly figure things out one day and find some kind of resolve. And they still have plenty of time left to slowly work hard. For all you know, they might even succeed someday."
"Is that so? Then that's good."
The girl supported him.
Satoru smiled gladly as well.
Yes.
Even if it really was like that, even if this was a bond born from this castle in the sky.
Even if the road they walked was like a Möbius strip, and in the end, it only returned to the starting point. Even if this so-called growth was only walking an empty path back to where they began.
That...
Was all right.
"It's just that I worry this blade of the heart may end up hurting you instead."
For some reason, the parting voice of that dark elf knight, Kizmel, which he had almost forgotten, drifted up in his mind again.
Ah...
And so what?
He showed a rare, gentle smile.