Progressive Factor

And So Our Heroes Figure It Out

Kirito, morning of December 9th

“But what’s your plan?”

Argo stares blankly at Kirito as she explains. “We know for a fact that A-chan’s sword was swindled away from her, if temporarily. Shouldn’t we go public with the info before the damage spreads? If we use my distribution routes, we can corner him in a day.”

“No, let’s take this carefully. When Asuna’s swords vanished, he must have realized that we were onto the scam. He might play it safe for a bit. Besides, if we make a wrong move punishing him, it could lead to something much worse.”

“Which is?”

“It depends on what he’s done with all the other weapons he’s stolen. It would be one thing if he still has them, but if he's been selling them to a shop for cash…”

“Then those weapons are lost forever. In which case, it might be impossible to still the rage of those players who were robbed. SAO doesn’t have a penalty system that can satisfy their desire for justice.”

“There is one way,” Kirito says in a low tone, remembering the reactive move Jaymes took when Asuna’s sword broke. “One that anyone can imagine if this goes public. The punishment method of PKing.”

“No.” Kirito and Argo turn their heads to see Koharu join them at the table on the inn’s first floor. If she heard that part, Kirito wonders how much she’s heard but doesn’t question it as she takes a seat beside Argo. “With the way SAO works, that’s an extreme. Maybe it is justifiable, he deserves punishment equal to the crime if lives has been lost, but...we don’t have the right to make such calls. We don’t have government bodies and written rules here, so who's to say Nezha deserves to die for what he’s done?”

Kirito nods. “And that's why we need the truth. The method and motive for his scam and where the weapons went. And some means of making things right to settle all this.”

“Yes. If he admits his crime, then maybe there’s a way to calm everyone else’s anger about it.”

“But I don’t think...he’s doing this because he wants to steal from others.” Koharus face softens as she looks into her lap. “He looked honest and weak-willed, sure.”

“But his crime is virtually certain now...or are you saying you think there’s room to consider extenuating circumstances?”

“No, it’s just… It’s something Asuna told me about two days ago, about someone she met. Someone I can relate to, that’s all… Argo, Asuna has a throwing knife with her. Can I ask you to inspect it?”

xxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, upstairs, Asuna

The weight of her rapier on her waist comforts Asuna, proving yesterday to be a nightmarish series of unfortunate events that ended on a good note. She didn’t receive an enormous fortune in the end, but the Wind Fleuret is, for now, worth more than gold.

She exits the room Kirito rented for her and closes the door, but before she steps away, her right eye catches a figure in her peripheral vision. “...I’d expect Kirito or Koharu to be waiting on me, but not you.”

“Was I that mean to you a floor ago?”

“You did say you didn’t care if I died. Yet your actions last night say otherwise… Thanks for standing up for me when my sword disappeared, though what you did was...extreme.”