Sword Art Online Aincrad - VOL 2

CHAPTER 3

Silica slowly opened her eyes at the sound of the ringing chime in her ears. The morning alarm was only audible to her. It was seven o'clock AM.

She pushed the covers off and sat up. Silica was not a morning person, but she was in a surprisingly good mood today. Her mind felt cleansed and clear in the way that only a good, deep sleep could provide.

Yawning widely, she turned to step out of the bed, then stopped with a jolt.

The morning light streaming through the window illuminated a sleeping figure, seated on the ground with his top half propped up against the bed. She was about to scream, thinking it was an intruder, only to remember where she had fallen asleep last night.

I dozed off in Kirito's room and never left...

With that realization, her face grew as hot as though a monster were blowing fire breath on it. Knowing the graphical engine of SAO tended to exaggerate facial emotions, she wouldn't be surprised if actual steam was coming off of her. Kirito must have left her in the bed as she slept, then decided to take the floor instead. Silica covered her face with both hands and writhed in embarrassment and guilt.

After half a minute, she collected her thoughts and slipped out of the bed. Tiptoeing around to the other side, she bent down to look at him.

The dark swordsman's sleeping face was so unexpectedly cherubic that Silica had to stifle a giggle. His hard glare made him seem much older when awake,but right now he didn't look that far off from her own age.

It was fun to sit there spying on her oblivious prey, but Silica knew they had more important things to do and gently prodded his shoulder.

"Kirito, it's morning."

His eyes instantly snapped open, then blinked rapidly for several seconds as he stared at her. His dazed expression suddenly turned to alarm.

"Oh...s-sorry!" He bowed. "I was going to wake you up, but you were sleeping so peacefully. I tried to carry you back to your room, but the door was locked, so..."

The game ensured that it was impossible to break into a room rented out by another player, so if you weren't on the guest's friend list, there was no way to force your way inside. Silica hurriedly waved her hands.

"N-no, it's my fault! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hogged your bed..."

"Don't worry about it. You don't wake up with aches and pains here, no matter how you fall asleep." Kirito rose to his feet, cracking his neck in seeming contradiction to what he'd just said. He raised his hands and stretched, then looked down at Silica as though remembering something.

"Well, first off...good morning."

"Oh! Good morning."

Together, they laughed.

The pair went downstairs to eat a hearty breakfast in preparation for the Hill of Memories on the forty-seventh floor, then walked out into the bright sunlight of early morning. The daytime players who were just getting their daily adventures started and the nighttime players who were coming home from a long hunt crossed paths in the street with very different expressions.

They stocked up on potions and the like from the item shop next to the inn before heading for the teleport gate. Fortunately, they were able to get there without the pushy suitors from yesterday harassing them. Silica stopped short just before jumping into the glowing blue portal.

"Oh...I don't know the name of the town on the forty-seventh floor..."

She was about to bring up her map to recall it when Kirito held out his hand.