Every player has probably encountered what's commonly called a "private instance" while doing quests in an online game.
Or more simply put, "I've entered story mode."
Players get transported into a separate space, temporarily isolated from the main world, like a personal channel. You won't see any other players there. The entire map is yours alone. It's a common setup, mainly because developers want to ensure a smoother experience.
After all, if dozens of people were crammed into a tiny room, anyone would feel suffocated.
That said, this game also has another system. Once someone accepts a quest, it gets locked, preventing others from taking it.
One such example is the First Floor quest where you collect plant ovules from the forest for a frail girl named Akasa. Because there are so many locked quests like this, those who act first gain a clear advantage in resources. In the early stages of the game, everyone tends to be somewhat selfish. Especially the experienced players.
Thinking back to that little girl, and to Coper, whom he had indirectly sent to his death, Satoru's expression darkened for a brief moment. That pale and fragile Akasa would likely remain trapped in a loop of "falling gravely ill" and "recovering" until the game finally ended.
At the very least, it would have been nicer if, after completing the quest, he could return to see her out of bed, working alongside her mother. A small, self-contained change like that would feel warmer.
No… probably not.
This was a fully immersive virtual world. It wasn't like a traditional online game where you could just swap out outcomes through a player interface. What each person saw wasn't just different on a screen. It was fundamentally different in what they actually experienced.
Especially in Sword Art Online, where there might never be another update.
It was almost ironic. In this revolutionary game, he had found a flaw that didn't even measure up to those in more ordinary titles.
Satoru let out a quiet sigh.
A wooden fence outlined the camp in a clear boundary. Linen-colored tents, large and small, were scattered across the area. Armed Dark Elf guards patrolled in orderly pairs. The interior was clear and open, but beyond the camp lay nothing but thick, obscuring fog.
Even though he had only taken a step or two, it felt like he had passed through a warp gate into an entirely different map.
"Please, follow me to meet the Commander."
Kizmel spoke, seeming slightly relieved to be back on familiar ground.
Her demeanor grew more relaxed and approachable, making it harder for Satoru to treat her like a machine with stiff, formulaic responses.
Under the silent approval of the two spear-wielding Dark Elf guards at the entrance, they entered the camp. Unlike Kizmel, those guards gave off a much more typical NPC presence.
In other words… there was a clear gap in performance. Named NPCs were on a completely different level from generic "guards" and "sentries."
That impression held true even when they reached the central tent and met the Dark Elf advance Commander.
He was tall and broad, with a beard, sitting upright as he reviewed documents with a seasoned, authoritative gaze.
But once the conversation began, it was clear. He was just reciting fixed dialogue. There was no flexibility at all.
For someone like Satoru, a practical power-leveling player who usually skipped dialogue, being forced to sit through unskippable story scenes felt a bit uncomfortable.
But the generous quest rewards quickly made up for it. There were even several pieces of equipment with solid stats to choose from.
"You should switch weapons with this," Satoru said, glancing at the reward screen. Aside from the Crimson Sickle Fang he was currently using, he already had a collection of high-enhancement one-handed swords. Weapons weren't a priority for him anymore.
But Sheeta was different.
Her gear had always been average. When they first met, she was using a green-quality shop weapon. Now she was using the one-handed straight sword he had previously kept as a backup, but honestly, its enhancement limit meant it would eventually be replaced.
"The sword Nero gave me works really well," Sheeta said, exactly like herself.
"Even so…"
"It's still the easiest to use right now. And when it's time to replace it, you can just give me another one, Nero."
She said it so naturally, as if it were only obvious.
Satoru gave a wry smile. Somehow, she could say things like that without being the least bit annoying.
From the sound of it, she wasn't the type to treat a weapon as an irreplaceable companion. In fact, while that mindset is rare in normal MMORPGs, it's quite common in this death game. After all, these weapons accompany players through real life-and-death battles.
Or maybe… in her case, that attachment had simply been redirected. As long as it was something he gave her, it felt better to use. Like it came with a hidden buff.
Yeah, right.
Satoru rubbed his forehead.
For her, the weapon's stats didn't really matter. As long as it was a straight sword that could use skills, that was enough. Her own strength far exceeded any limitations imposed by equipment.
So, after failing to reach any agreement, the two of them both chose stat-boosting rings from the reward list.
After saying their farewells to the Commander, the three of them stepped out of the tent.
"With this, I can finally relax," Kizmel said first, stretching toward the darkening sky. Her leather outfit hugged her slender figure, and the movement naturally accentuated her graceful curves.
Combined with her identity as a seasoned warrior, her movements carried an unrestrained charm.
Watching the pleasing sight, Satoru suddenly felt relieved. If they had chosen that male Elf warrior instead, he might have been greeted with a bodybuilder-style pose showing off muscles.
Though he wanted to take a closer look at Kizmel for character modeling reference, the innocent yet intense gaze from beside him made him cough lightly and look away.
"Then, I'll be counting on Yurnero and Sheeta again for the next battle," Kizmel said with a smile.
Somehow, during the earlier conversation with the Commander, the topic had already shifted to the next quest. Realistically, it wouldn't make sense to keep involving outsiders, but in a game, it all felt perfectly natural. In a way, it even resembled the straightforward personality of the girl beside him.
"I'll be counting on you too, onee-san."
There it was. That bright, infectious voice.
Sheeta's response, along with her familiar way of addressing her, clearly pleased Kizmel.
But Satoru, who had spent enough time with her, knew this was just the beginning of her influence… If even NPCs were affected like this, maybe he really needed to reconsider his own situation.
"Not at all. It's about time to rest. Would you like me to use a spell to send you back? Of course, you're also welcome to stay here in the camp. Meals, equipment maintenance. Feel free to make use of everything."
Oh? Free?
A certain power-leveling player raised an eyebrow.
The girl beside him puffed out her lips slightly, as if proudly saying, See?
"Then we'll gladly accept."
"In that case, you can stay in my tent," Kizmel said after a moment's thought. "There aren't any empty tents left… It might be a bit cramped for the three of us."
Hmm.
Satoru hesitated briefly. Sleeping in a safe zone outdoors didn't bother him, and sharing space with an NPC and a teammate was fine too, but he should probably consider the girl beside him.
"It's fine."
Sheeta spoke up immediately, almost as if she was afraid he'd object.
Alright then.
Satoru gave up thinking about it.
"Then I'll show you the way."
Kizmel strode ahead briskly once again.
In the end.
Satoru scratched his head.
Was he really the only one paying attention to details like this?
Calling it a "tent" doesn't quite do it justice. It wasn't just a thick sheet of fabric thrown over a frame for rain protection, but something closer to a professional-grade field structure. In fact, its quality surpassed even that, more like the kind of dwelling nomadic people use as a proper home.
The interior space was over twenty square meters. Thick woven fabric hung down around the perimeter, serving as walls with surprisingly good sound insulation. The floor was covered with a sturdy carpet that doubled as bedding, layered with soft, plush fur that felt incredibly comfortable to the touch.
Even the central support pillar had been hollowed out and cleverly turned into a small stove. Charcoal burned steadily inside, giving off a gentle glow and warmth. The soft firelight filled the tent, creating a cozy little haven that melted away fatigue.
There was more than enough room for the three of them, with plenty of space left to move around. For a single person, it might even feel a little too empty.
For someone living alone, sharing a warm space like this was probably a quiet kind of happiness.
At least, Satoru would never have had the courage to invite anyone into his own dull, gray, cheap room.
After bringing them here, Kizmel left, seemingly to take care of other matters.
Satoru and Sheeta unequipped their boots and settled comfortably onto the thick carpet.
"But are you really okay with this? Most girls wouldn't want some random guy staying in their tent," Satoru said. "You don't have to force yourself just to be nice."
"So… you're saying Nero might do something that would bother me?" Sheeta blinked. "Like sweaty feet? Snoring? Sleepwalking?"
"I doubt this game goes as far as realistically simulating sweaty feet…"
"Huh? So you do have sweaty feet?" For the first time, a hint of disgust appeared on her face.
"No! I don't! And I don't snore or sleepwalk either!"
Besides, his real body was already lying motionless in the real world. Sleeping again in the virtual world was troublesome enough. If he somehow sleepwalked on top of that…
"Then there's no problem."
"Well, if you say so." Satoru nodded.
"But this large quest looks like it'll take quite a while to finish," Sheeta remarked.
"It's not so bad. At least we won't have any competition," Satoru said. "The quest starts by making you choose between the Forest Elves and the Dark Elves, right? That means the two factions probably have conflicting objectives. But since things were already settled on Diavel's side, no one else should be picking this up. We can carry this whole campaign through without interference."
"Still, she really is a kind onee-san," Sheeta said, hugging her legs as she sat on the ground. Without her boots, her calves were wrapped in white socks, and the gentle curve beneath them looked unexpectedly charming.
Someone once said, holed up in an art studio, that capturing the elegance of a girl's calves in a single stroke required truly refined skill.
"Yeah, yeah." Satoru glanced briefly at her legs before looking away. "I'm just glad we chose onee-san… If that Forest Elf warrior had invited us to his tent…"
That would've been a disaster.
No, actually, this girl would've rejected it before he even had the chance.
Satoru shifted slightly, feeling a bit restless.
How should he put it? He was long past the shy awkwardness of a teenage boy, but he didn't exactly socialize much either. Being alone in a room with a girl he got along with. And who was this attractive. It still felt a little… awkward.
Thinking about it, ever since dropping out of middle school, he hadn't interacted much with people at all. Forget cheerful, youthful classmates. He'd been working from home the entire time. He hadn't even worked with an overbearing older female boss.
A faint sense of self-pity mixed with uncertainty settled in.
His gaze drifted, trying not to linger too long on the girl curled up beside him.
But avoiding looking at her entirely would just make him seem cowardly.
…Act normal. Just act normal.
I'm an adult. Not some kid wallowing in melodrama. I've at least seen swimsuit model photos before...
And yet, he quickly realized that experience meant nothing.
Because none of those photos compared to what was in front of him.
By the softly burning stove, the girl quietly watched the flickering embers. The warm glow reflected in her clear eyes, tinting half her figure in soft gold. Her long blonde hair fell neatly over her shoulders, with a few strands brushing against her cheeks. Hugging her knees, she sat in silence, surrounded by a calm, soothing atmosphere. The faint smile at the corner of her lips completed the scene.
It was the kind of moment worth preserving.
Satoru silently admired it.
…And then his gaze drifted, once again, to the white socks on her small calves.
"Come to think of it, Nero's gaze today…" Sheeta suddenly said.
Satoru jolted upright, straightening his back like a proper gentleman, his eyes shooting upward as if contemplating the vast cosmos.
"W-what…?" he coughed.
"I mean the way you were looking at the Dark Elf onee-san," Sheeta said with a small huff. "Like you'd found some treasure you'd never seen before. Full of curiosity and admiration."
No, I was appreciating her AI and analyzing the mind of a mad researcher. That's perfectly reasonable.
"When Nero finds a quest he likes, he really gets into it."
"…"
After a pause, Satoru scratched his head awkwardly.
"Well, I've never seen a Dark Elf onee-san before. And obviously… you wouldn't see one in real life."
"So what matters is the Dark Elf, not the onee-san?"
"Uh…"
"So in the end, it's the onee-san that matters, right?"
"…Yeah…"
"That's honestly disappointing, Nero."
"Well, it's not like I get many chances to interact with onee-san like this." Satoru forced a dry smile. "I've never really had much luck with women. My life's been… pretty plain."
"Can I hear about it?"
"Hear what?"
"Your story." Sheeta leaned forward like a curious little animal.
"I told you, it's boring. You'd fall asleep listening to it."
"That works. We're about to rest anyway."
…That hurts.
Satoru clutched his chest.
Just then, the tent flap lifted, and Kizmel stepped inside.
"I was just receiving supplies. As the host, I should have stayed with you. My apologies for not treating you properly. Dinner will be ready soon, and although it's a bit simple, we also have a bathing tent here. Would you like to use it later?"
"So you actually have to receive supplies…" Satoru muttered.
He had assumed NPCs just idled for atmosphere.
"Yes. Supplies are periodically transferred down from the upper floors. Days with plentiful supplies are something to look forward to. The Commander seems especially excited today, since it's the day we receive our special tobacco shipment." Kizmel paused. "Hm? Yurnero, what's wrong? That expression…"
"You just… mentioned tobacco?"
His voice trembled.
"Ah… yes."
"Please…"
Satoru bowed his head deeply.
"I'll pay, take quests, hunt monsters… even defeat the Commander if I have to. Do whatever you want with me. Just please…"
His voice nearly broke.
"Please let me see that spiritual salvation."
The usually composed Dark Elf onee-san looked completely bewildered.
Sheeta simply shook her head and sighed.