Miracle Summoner

It was evident that Rozen's so-called "dropping a hint" had failed.

Although Asuna didn't directly lose her composure, the way she was staring at Rozen was enough to make him feel immense pressure, forcing him to surrender.

"It seems like, at least for now, it's better to keep these girls from meeting each other."

Otherwise, it felt like a fire could start in his backyard at any moment.

Still, even though he thought so, sooner or later, these girls would have to meet each other properly.

Even if some incidents were bound to occur then, Rozen had already accepted it.

He couldn't possibly keep Asuna hidden in this world forever, nor could he avoid bringing the others here, right?

…Actually, it seemed like he really could do that.

Now that Rozen could use the power of 〈Miracle〉 to freely choose the timeline he intervened in, there would be some deviation, but it wouldn't be significant. This meant Rozen could leave whenever he wanted, play around outside, and return to rest whenever he pleased. The time difference in between would at most be a few months. The potential for this was boundless.

"Is this what they call keeping beauties in a golden cage?"

No, this was far more sophisticated than that.

Others used a house to hide their loved ones, while Rozen used an entire world to do so. The level of sophistication was simply astronomical.

Of course, such a thing was only entertaining to think about. Rozen had no intention of hiding the women in his life while secretly dating others. If that ever came to light, the consequences would be terrifying.

So one day, Rozen would still have to introduce Asuna to Edelweiss, Mash, and the others.

As for what would happen then, he would deal with it when the time came.

"Once there are kids in the picture, whatever happens will still have to happen."

Rozen thought mischievously.

Afterward, Asuna left, heading toward the 27th-floor labyrinth area to meet up with the 〈Sleeping Knights〉.

Rozen watched Asuna leave, and once she was gone, he turned to Yui, who sat on his shoulder, gazing reluctantly in Asuna's direction.

"Yui, could you help me gather some intel?"

Rozen suddenly spoke to Yui.

"What kind of intel?"

Yui was slightly startled but quickly responded.

Rozen then explained what information he wanted Yui to collect.

After hearing his explanation, Yui looked surprised and a bit stunned. However, she still accepted Rozen's request, disappearing from his shoulder to delve into the network and gather the information he needed.

"Gu!"

"Gu!"

At this point, Saichou and Hanachou flew to Rozen's side.

Looking at his two beloved familiars, Rozen smiled slightly.

"Get ready, little ones," Rozen said, lightly tapping the heads of Saichou and Hanachou.

"Next up, it's our turn to take the stage."

With that, Rozen also left the area.

His destination: the 27th-floor labyrinth area.

---

Aincrad, 27th Floor.

This was a realm perpetually shrouded in darkness.

Even though it was daytime, there was no sunlight here. Instead, tall rocky mountains rose high into the ceiling of the upper floors, and everywhere, luminous blue hexagonal crystals emitted a faint glow. The overall impression of this area was similar to the northern territory of the Gnomes in ALfheim, evoking the feeling of an underground world.

In one corner of this subterranean-like realm was a small town nestled in a circular, open valley.

This town seemed as though it had been carved directly out of the surrounding rock, featuring narrow alleys and intricately interwoven stairways. The town was illuminated by orange lamplight resembling campfires, offering a sense of warmth and security.

This was the main settlement of the 27th floor: "Ronbaru."

Designed to resemble the homeland of Imps, Ronbaru lacked grand structures. Instead, it consisted of small workshops, shops, and inns made of blue stone, exuding the aesthetic of a fantastical world combined with the lively atmosphere of a night festival. The streets were filled with NPCs and players alike, making the place feel peaceful and vibrant.

During the old SAO days, clearing this floor had taken players quite some time, but due to the lack of significant facilities in the main settlement, players hadn't spent much time here overall.

Now, however, this floor had become the current front line, with many well-equipped elite players striding through the streets, exuding an intimidating aura.

Asuna, however, didn't use a teleport gate to enter. Instead, she flew directly into the floor from the outside, using her wings.

After all, this was the world of ALO, not SAO, and players here possessed wings and could fly. Entering floors directly from the outside of the floating castle was perfectly feasible.

That being said, this method was only possible for floors that had already been unlocked through clearing.

For floors that hadn't been cleared yet, players couldn't fly into them. Otherwise, the purpose of floor-clearing would be negated.

Because of this, the use of teleport gates was much less common in ALO than it had been in SAO. Most players chose to fly across floors unless they were particularly tired.

Asuna, too, flew into Ronbaru from the outskirts, flapping her wings and gliding gracefully into one of the radiating alleyways branching out from the main plaza. She continued past narrow stairways, bridges, and tunnels until she reached a small shop that appeared to be an inn.

The inn's entrance was adorned with an iron sign depicting the word "INN" alongside a cauldron.

Landing in front of the shop, Asuna ignored the sleepy NPC shopkeeper at the door and walked into the tavern and dining area at the back.

Here, her new companions, whom she had met just the day before and would be spending time with, were waiting.

"I'm here, everyone," Asuna announced, smiling brightly.

At a round table in the center of the tavern, six players were seated, engrossed in lively conversation.

Judging by their excitement and anticipation, they were likely discussing their upcoming adventures. Their youthful energy and enthusiasm were palpable.

It was this very scene that Asuna had encountered yesterday upon arriving.

One of the reasons Asuna had been persuaded to help them was this infectious atmosphere of positivity and camaraderie.

As Asuna's arrival interrupted their discussion, their faces lit up even more, breaking into welcoming smiles.

Especially the petite Imp girl sitting in the center, who was clearly the group's heart and soul.

"We've been waiting for you, Asuna!" the girl exclaimed joyfully, standing up from her seat.

"Yuuki," Asuna called the girl's name.

This girl was none other than Yuuki.