Sword Art Online - Volume 2 - Aincrad (Side Stories) Read online

  Even after thinking long and hard, I still did not manage to come up with any reasons why Kirito-kun would hide his real level and form a party with us. But I didn’t mention this to the other members, as I believed that someday you would tell us the reason personally…. I was rejoicing when I found out that you are very strong. After knowing that, I started to be able to sleep peacefully as long as I am by your side. Perhaps to you, being with me might be of significance to you, this also made me very happy. If this is the case, there was definitely meaning in me coming to the higher floors even for a timid person like me.

  That… Actually, what I am trying to say is, even if I die, you should strive to survive. Live on, look upon this world until it ends, please help me find out the reason why this world was created, the meaning of why a timid person is in this world, the significance of our meeting. That is my wish.

  Ah… Seems like there is still some time left. This crystal can record plenty of stuff. Hmmm, then, since Christmas is such a special occasion, I’ll sing a Christmas carol. I do have some confidence in my voice. I guess I’ll go with [Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer]. Actually I would have preferred to sing other songs like [Winter Wonderland], [White Christmas] which are more well known, but unfortunately I can only sing the lyrics of this song.

  Why did I only remember [Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer]? The previous night, Kirito said something to me, “No matter who you are, you definitely can make a difference in someone’s life.” Telling me that even if it is me, there is a place where I belong. After hearing those words, I was extremely glad and I remembered this song. I don’t know why but it was probably because I kind of thought myself as Rudolph and you as Santa Claus…. if I have to put it in words, you give off a fatherly feeling. My father left me when I was still very young, that is why every night when I was sleeping beside you, I kept wondering if that was the feeling that a father would give. Ah, okay, I’ll start singing.

  Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose.

  All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names.

  Then one Christmas Eve

  Santa came to say:

  “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”

  Rudolph who was always crying, started smiling that night.

  …… To me, you’ll always be like a bright star that shines and guides me from the opposite end of a dark alley. Good-bye, Kirito. It was really fortunate of me to have met you and to have been with you.

  Thank you.

  Good Bye.

  (END)

  Author’s Notes

  Long time no see; or perhaps it is more proper to call this the first meeting. I am Kawahara. Thank you very much for reading .

  After volume one was published, I received a large amount of valuable advice regarding “How can I continue this from this sort of ending?” No matter how you look at it, the game was completely cleared, and the world had also collapsed. Even while I, myself, was reading it, I felt there were absolutely no elements that could be continued further.

  Then, there was the sequel that hurt my brain, or namely, this book. My apologies, the time was turned back to the past. And moreover, it was a collection of short stories. I’m truly sorry about that.

  I have previously also played some online games. But no matter in what game, I have never been part of a high-ranking group. I merely envied those eternally strong players with the best equipment and reputation, one after another easily defeating monsters, and afterwards feeling that they were “So skilled! So strong!” (haha)

  Therefore, I wanted to write about not only the volume one’s protagonists Kirito and Asuna and their type of top players, but wanted even more to write something about the stories of ordinary mid-level players; and this second volume’s four short stories, have precisely this kind of content. Regardless of which story, they are basically about Kirito debuting and causing a big stir; and feeling that he is “So skilled! So strong!” like Scilica and Lizbet felt, is precisely what I have felt every year since becoming an MMO player. Really, and once would be enough, I really want to know what it feels like to show off to others a weapon of which there are only three copies in the entire server.

  Besides that, there’s one more thing that I must apologize to everyone about. Even though the four female characters in this book are all different female players, their male counterpart, as discussed earlier, was always Kirito-san. Even though there is no way for me to explain myself to everyone properly on this point, I painfully excuse myself, and ask that everyone please use the “even though the criminal and victim change every time, the detective is always the same person” mindset you have when reading detective novel series… you can’t do it right? Sorry, sorry.

  Lastly, to abec-sensei who drew all the constantly appearing new heroines with personality and cuteness, and to Miki-san who gave me many ideas with regards to all the strange and complex game system settings: you have taken care of me yet again.

  And to you who read this book to the end, I am truly thankful.

  May 26, 2009 -Kawahara