Bringing Shino back, and after hearing the truth, we immediately teleported to the 22nd floor, changed our clothes and went to sleep. Looking around in the rain like this, after the boss battle, I vomited all kinds of things and refreshed, and these overlapped and I slept peacefully.

When I finally woke up, it was already 8:30 a.m. I woke up 30 minutes later than usual. Come to think of it, I forgot to set my alarm and went to sleep. Or rather, I feel like I went to bed without setting an alarm because I wanted to get a good night's sleep.

As I stretched and moved my body slightly, I felt something hit my left hand. I was alone in the bed, but I was taken aback when I turned my head to see if there was anything on the bed. Shiina and Lilan lie on the bed they usually use alone. Moreover, he seemed to be asleep, and when my hand touched him, he didn't even show signs of waking up.

"Shino"

"Now that I think about it, I feel like I slept with Shino last night, and I was tired." I don't really care about it, but Shino always gets up earlier than me, but it's a little strange that I wake up early.

Shino is already mature for her peers and can basically cope with any situation without panicking. When he finds himself thrown into this game of death, he doesn't feel too confused, calm as an old hero. I still feel that if I had been deceived by poetry, I would not have been able to do anything. - I was surprised that Shino's sleeping face seemed to suit her age, or even younger.

I gently reached out and stroked Shiina's hair. It's soft to the touch, like silk or something.

So far, Shino was just a companion, but now she is more important than anyone else, and more than anyone else, the first person you want to protect. And the first person I thought was cute. Now just looking at your sleeping face like this, I feel a feeling of love in my heart, and my heart is warm. I really feel that Shino is warm to me.

However, Shino has a painful past, and is still tormented by it, and there is a dangerous part of his heart. By now, I had barely supported myself, but in the end I couldn't support myself on my own. So I have to support Shino when I'm around. But since I've sworn to myself a long time ago, I don't want to say anything more now.

"Because I'll always be with you."

Thinking so, when I let go of her hand, Shino made a faint sound from her mouth, and then quietly opened her eyelids.

"Shino, good morning. Did you sleep well? “

Shiina, after making eye contact with me, stood up, covered her mouth with her hand, and yawned slightly. Then, he told me with a slightly sleepy expression.

"Good morning, what time is Kirito?"

"I picked up a nearby watch and showed it to Shino." The dial indicates 8:35 a.m. From Shino's usual point of view, it's time to oversleep.

"It's 8:35 in the morning, and Shino usually gets up around 7:30, so it looks like she's overslept. However, she doesn't have any plans or schooling, so it shouldn't matter. “

Shino gently hugged her head and smiled slightly.

"I don't know, I feel like I've slept soundly for the first time in a long time, and I haven't even had nightmares."

In the past, Shino had been unable to sleep well, because some memories appeared in her dreams that seemed to come to mind but could not be remembered. But yesterday, I finally regained my memory, and Liland and I both accepted the contents of that memory. Thanks to this, Shino was able to sleep soundly. Anyway, I'm happy.

"Wouldn't that be nice? I feel like I'm sleeping soundly, too. ”

Immediately after, Shino gently touched her hair and smiled wryly.

"It's weird, though, you're soaking wet, but you don't catch a cold. Under normal circumstances, if you are soaking wet, you will definitely catch a cold the next day. ”

"Of course. But this world is in the game, so it's convenient because you won't catch a cold. Well, if you die, you're really dead"

Immediately after, my back suddenly felt a little heavy. When I looked, Shino had already rested her head on it. It feels like you're entrusting me with your weight.

"But the warmth is real.

“... That's right."

This world is, of course, a game world, a world created by Akihiko Kayaba for his own desires. However, everything that lives here is real, both warm and cold. I've always felt this way, but recently, no, since I met Lilan and Shiina, it has become even stronger.

Even though we were trapped inside, I can now agree with Kayaba's slogan, "The world is a game, but it's not a game, it's reality." "To be exact, I, Shina, and Lilan all live in this world.

It didn't take long for Shino to raise her head and call me.

"Okay, let's have breakfast, what do you want to eat?"

"I don't mind anything, but well, I want an egg sandwich."

At this time, Shino suddenly burst into tears.

"Kirito, what did you just say?"

"Uh, I think an egg sandwich would be good."

"Until then."

"Yes, Egg Sandwich"

Shino smiled lightly.

"You'll say something like 'Lilan'. That's what 'Lilan' says, like 'yes' or 'yes'. ”

"I thought I said it unconsciously, but it's a word that Lilan uses a lot, or rather, a tone." Before I knew it, I was unconsciously starting to say something similar to Lilan's. They say pets look like their owners, but I ended up looking like a familiar person.

"Pets are said to resemble their owners, but"

"As far as you're concerned, "animal tamer" is similar to "demon maker". ”

The next moment, laughter welled up from the depths of my stomach and I burst out laughing. As if invited, Shino burst out laughing—but the laughter stopped immediately because of the 'voice' that sounded in her head.

"What makes a pet look like its owner, or the owner looks like a pet? I'm not Kirito's pet! “

In surprise, he turned his gaze to Lilan, who was sleeping next to Shino. Lilan had woken up, staring at us with a slightly angry expression.

"Run, you're awake?"

"Although I'm awake. At least after Kirito woke up. Don't treat me like a pet! “

It's true. Lilan wasn't even a pet to me, he was an "acquaintance", a companion, an important companion. This guy has saved me so many times that I can't hold my head up when I think of that time.

"I'm sorry, Lilan. Well, you're not a pet, you're my companion, our precious companion. ”

The anger on Lilan's face vanished.

"If you know, that's fine. By the way, Shino, today's breakfast is an egg sandwich. “

"That's what I thought, but can Lilan's menu be the same as Kirito's?"

"I don't mind. Let's eat the same thing.

"I've always wondered, what are Lilan's eating habits like?" It had the shape of a wolf, but it had the body of a dragon, wings on its back, and a sword on its forehead. Because they have a wolf-like face, I think they may have the same eating habits as wolves, that is, canines, but even if they belong to green onions and heavy foods, dogs should not eat them. Eat. He looked calm and ate quite deliciously.

"That's why, without a doubt, it's a creature with a different diet than canines, but since it's really in the game, anything is possible."

"I see. Then Shino, please make me an egg sandwich and coffee this morning. “

"Understood, then let's quickly change our clothes and go downstairs."

At this moment, Lilan made a gesture as if she had thought of something, and turned her face to Shino.

"Shino, I want to have some tea"

The two of us involuntarily turned our gaze to Lilan.

"Do you like tea?"

Lilan tilted her head to look at us.

"What? Is it weird that you want to drink my tea? “

Shino nodded.

"yes, I didn't expect you to say something like that. Not to mention the food, even the drinks are close to the human diet, Lilan. ”

"Well, you're thinking about me and the wolves and dogs around you, aren't you? As you can see, I look like a wolf, but I'm a real dragon.

"It wouldn't be surprising if the food was different."

"No, if you look like a wolf, I think it's normal to think that your eating habits are similar to that of a wolf." Anyone would be surprised if a wolf-looking creature eats something with a strong flavor like green onions. I said to Lilan as I thought so.

"Well, you're such a weird guy, so if you put the spit in one by one, you'll be out of things. Now let this guy drink tea. “

Shino gently clasped her arms.

"You're a woman, so you're a woman, aren't you? Isn't it strange that women certainly like to drink black tea and that you want to drink black tea? ”

"That's it. Let's hurry downstairs

With that, Lilan flapped her wings slightly, flew up, and jumped onto my shoulder. A familiar weight weighed on my shoulders, and I felt a sense of security.

"Shino, then. As usual, please. “

"Leave it to me"

Shiina, I got out of bed as usual, went down the stairs, and came to the living room. However, perhaps because the atmosphere of Shino has changed a little, I feel that the living room, or the whole wooden house, has become a little brighter.

Shiina: Let me wait in the living room for a while, and then go to the kitchen and rice field.

Shiina's back exposes everything and looks refreshed. Instead of wearing a combat uniform, he wore a bright green hoodie and white pants with a hem cut just above the knee to give him a completely relaxed look. Looking at Shino's back like that, I felt a strange sense of security. Probably because Shino's burden has been lightened, and she believes in me more.

Just as I was admiring Shino, Lilan's "voice" sounded in my head again.

〈Don't you think Shino's movements are a little light? 〉

I replied to Lilan in a whisper that Shino hadn't noticed.

"I think my steps are lighter than yesterday, and somehow the atmosphere is a little brighter."

I feel

"Shiina's body was carrying a lot of burdens until yesterday. But Kirito, you removed it. Because you accepted her memory.

"That's the way it is, but Shino accepted me from the beginning." Although I destroyed a guild, Shino did not curse me or leave me, she accepted me and chose to live with me like this. Even if I say "I'll protect you", there's a good chance she'll be disappointed in me and leave when I confess my past, and Shino will do the same. Because it should be possible. But Shino never left me, and I felt that she was more open to me.

"Even Shino accepted me. That's why I was able to turn into Shino's demon. “

"To tell you the truth, even I was surprised that you ruined the guild and let Yuki them die. However, you accept what you have done and choose to face and live this way. I have accepted the fact that I lost my comrades and died, etched it on me, and tried to move on, so I did not think about attacking you or leaving you. If you make excuses, I'll probably attack.

Lilan turned her face to me. There was a hint of a smile there.

"I won't hide the fact that you let everyone in the Moonlit Night Black Cat die, and I can't make amends to them directly. But don't forget to look forward, move on with life, and don't repeat the mistakes of their deaths and sacrifices. I'm sure that's what you can do to make it up to them. If you don't forget that, I will continue to support you.

That's it. I'm not going to cover up what I've done, and I can't make amends for those who died. However, I can't be trapped by their deaths forever, and most importantly, I don't think that's what Sachi wants, and if that happens, I'm sure I'll make the same mistake again. Deaf. It's been a lot going on and I don't want to lose anything anymore. - And the last thing I want to lose, right next to me, right in front of me. Shino and Lilan, that life.

As for Shino, she wants to be with her after she returns to reality, and she wants to protect her for the rest of her life. As for Lilan's apocalypse, I might break up, but I want to be with Lilan until the last minute. I don't want to lose it until the end of time.

"Okay. Hey, re-run. ”

"What's wrong?"

"I put my hand on Lilan's head." The soft touch wraps around your hand.

"You too, we're going to be together until the very end. Until the last time"

Lilan was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"What do you say? I will not die until you escape this castle safely, and I will fulfill my mission as your "dependent".

"Ah, please, man."

Immediately afterward, Shino shouted to us, and we turned to him as well. Shino holds a plate with an egg sandwich in both hands.

"You both succeeded."

After answering Shino's voice, I immediately shouted to Shino.

"Shiina, can you put the plate on the table and come over for a moment?"

Shino tilted her head, put the plate on the table as I commanded, and stopped in front of me.

"What's wrong, Kirito?"

"Can you hold your hand out for a moment?"

"Hands? Why again? ”

"It's okay, it's okay"

Shino stretched out her hand to me with a strange look, but grabbed my arm and pulled it towards me. Shino made a surprised voice and jumped into my body, and I firmly grabbed him and hugged him completely. The soft aroma of Shino flowed into my nose, and the gentle warmth gradually spread to my body.

"Hey, Kirito, what's wrong?"

Listening to Shino's impatience, I whispered.

"For you, it's the second time, but Shino, we're going to stay together until the end. Always, always, forever together"

“A”

The impatience in Shiina's voice vanished and became softer.

"Hmm. Kirito, please stay with me. But "

“？”

"Don't do it in public, okay? People are embarrassed to see this. ”

I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"No, no, I only do that when I'm alone with you. Let's continue to arrest as before. ”

Shiina, nodding again, whispered in my ear.

"I believe in you, Kirito."

I nodded as Shiina. So, in my heart, I made up my mind again.

"I will never let the world take away the life I hold so dear, a person who believes in me so much."

"I will protect you until the end." We'll all be together until the end. I will do my best to support this girl.