RotTS 12

Very late because no time to do much, also no time to look for pictures, so insert your own picture here using your imagination ^^

Here is part 12

Rondo of the Transient Sword: Web Novel version: part 12

Later, Asuna told me, "If you couldn't find my sword underneath that pile, I would have thrown Kirito-kun out of the window." She said that while laughing.

Actually, at that time, I had not considered the fact that my guess wasn't wrong at all. Instead of having confidence in my powers of reasoning, I had been urged forward during those few seconds by the urgency caused by the time limit. Which was why I walked into Asuna's room without waiting for a reply, forcefully opening her window, and with a strange tension, shouted *YES!*. It was not what I wanted.


The extremely chaotic situation finally returned to order about three minutes after I held out the «Wind Fleuret +4» to Asuna.

The objects that were on the floor were stored in the item field(storage) again, and Asuna returned to wearing her usual leather tunic and skirt as she sat on the edge of her bed. In her hands, a miraculously resurrected green sword was clasped as if it were very important, and the owner's emotions seemed complicated――her emotions were probably swinging between the two extremes of being impressed and being furious ,so I stayed silent for a while.

Meanwhile, I was sitting in a chair for guests in a corner of of the room, cold sweat flowing once again. Pressing the «All Items Objectify» button which existed deep within the layers of the menu, and the urgency of it, so there was insufficient time for an explanation. But because the time limit was already up, personally searching for the sword wasn't necessary.

In addition to that, handling the the soft, snow white, some kind of cloth which was equippable to items by myself was overkill. On the other hand, I've had this thought from a while ago, I involuntarily couldn't remember the amount that had been stockpiled. However, based on my dim recollections, there should have been two weeks worth for everyday use. Well, It was true that the light cloth was negligible in weight, but it wasn't inexpensive. The one on my hand, had a silk like smooth fabric that could have obtained a good price from the fellow at the NPC shop, then that material could be used as a strengthening item with a property of plus one increase ――

" ……I'm considering many things, but-"

At the voice that suddenly came from the other side of the room, I jumped and sat nervously.

"Y-Yes"

"…… Because I feel that if my wrath is currently 99G and my happiness is 100G, I have decided to thank you with 1G's worth"

I decided to confirm with the rapier user who was saying that with luster in her eyes.

"U,Uumm…… Why are you using the unit 'G's……?"

"Isn't it obvious. Because if my anger has a higher proportion then I will hit you."

"Ah, it isn't go-gold(money), but shock acceleration…… I-I see"

"I'm so glad I got it back. ―― Now, please give me a full explanation as to how my sword, which had been smashed to pieces, ended up in my storage…… and why you were rushing."

"O, o-o-of course. But, it's quite long. I haven't grasped the the full picture of the mechanism yet either……"

"I don't mind. It is still night after all."

Saying that, the fencer who got back her beloved sword gave off a slight smile.



At the check-in counter on the inn's first floor, I redeemed bottles of Herbal Wine and mysterious assorted nuts, then returned to room no.207, this time knocking and waiting to hear a reply from within before entering.

Pouring out two glasses of wine, while there was still a pirikara feeling around Asuna's eyebrows, for the moment we toasted to the return of the Fleuret. The subtly bittersweet non-alcoholic wine moistened my tongue, then I quickly cut to the chase wisely and opened my mouth

"―― Just a moment ago, Asuna, you asked『How did my sword, which had been smashed to pieces, end up in my storage』"

" …… What about it?"

"About that, this mechanism … … or should I say trick … … frankly, the disgusting «Strengthening Fraud»".

Fraud, the word which was very clear in meaning, caused the rapier user's eyes to narrow. But she remained silent to urge me to continue.

"Rather than describing it with my mouth, it would be faster to show it to you."

Saying that, I waved my right hand to draw out my own menu window, and made it visible using the button to the right. Using both hand's index finger to touch the top and bottom of the window, I flipped it around. Adjusting the angle, I made it easier for Asuna, who was sitting opposite me, to see, and indicated a point with my finger.

"Here. The cell for my right hand of my equipment figure, displays «Anneal Blade +6» right?"

She glanced at the grip protruding from my back with her Siberian Hazel colored eyes. Then nodded. My hands reached for my back, and removed it by pulling it out of the sheath that was an attachment to my equipped coat, and placed it on the floor by my feet with a *Gotori* sound. A few seconds later, the string of words in the right hand's cell in my window greyed out.

"This is the «Equipment dropped condition». Sometimes occurs due to Fumbling in the middle of battle, caused by taking a mob's attack with the Disarm attribute."

" … … Ee. I'm not familiar with that, and I am getting impatient"

"Although you can avoid the next attack if you calmed down, it is quite difficult the first time round. The «Swamp Kobold Trapper» that suddenly appears on the first floor would disarm you first, victims seem to appear there often ……"

"In Argo-san's strategy guide, you are advised to pick it back up immediately……. I, while fighting it substituting it for a charm, while I had put my rapier down slightly further away beforehand"

"O, Oh … … I see, you have many weapons similar to your main weapon, and can also use your hand."

For the first time the beginner fencer in front of me averted her eyes…… or, perhaps it was once again caused by my imagination causing me to be admired, but I quickly returned to the original topic.

"Oops, I got a little off-track. Uum…… well then, if this sword is left in the drop status, it would go into the «Leave State» and would soon begin to lose its durability…… Asuna, Pick up the sword for a short while"

Frowning at my words, Asuna removed the wind fleuret from the attachment point to her waist, then used her left hand to place it on the floor. Muttering "This is heavy", the rugged one handed sword was held with both hands.

"Is this fine?"

"Yes. Now, look closely"

I poked at my menu window that popped up on the table. The Anneal blade's name which was displayed dimly just a moment ago in the right cell, became completely blank when Asuna picked it up.

"This is Mid battle «snatched item state». Unlike Disarm, the users of the snatch skill don't show up until the higher floors, this is considerably dangerous and eats Solo players. At that point, if you do not have the weapon skill-based mod «Quick Change», it would be absolutely…… No, it isn't like that. Hmm..."

Having almost gone off topic again, I cleared my throat and tried to return to it.

"When not in battle, you can pass your equipped weapons to your comrades. Although in this case, it would be called «Handover state» instead of snatch, picking up a dropped weapon, or passing it to someone else, will make the equipped figure weapon cell empty. Similar to the time you passed your wind fleuret to the blacksmith a few moment ago, Asuna."

"…………!"

Finally, the point of this story could be seen. The hazel colored eyes snapped wide open in a moment, tinged with a sharp light.

"However, isn't it fine, the most important is, in this empty cell, although it looks like there is nothing equipped…… the Anneal Blade's «Equipment Information» is not cleared. The 'right' of the equipment has stronger protection than the normal ownership of items. For example, taking out unequipped item from my storage and passing it over to Asuna, then the ownership will be cleared in three hundred seconds…… five minutes, then goes into the storage of the person who holds it at that time, becoming apart of that player's belongings. However, the duration for an equipped item is much longer. For it to be cleared, it needs to be left alone and untouched for three thousand and six hundred seconds, or at a moment where the next weapon is equipped in that hand."

At that point I closed my mouth, Asuna seemed to give it some consideration as her eyelashes drooped, and said a few unexpected words.

"……Then, the words you said a moment ago, «Quick Change» after your main weapon has been snatched, when you bring out the reserved weapon, it should be better for it to be in the left hand instead of the right?"

"Heh … …?"

It was a few seconds before I understood, as it struck me. It was true, using the same hand in which the mob had taken away the weapon,  would clear the ownership of the weapon. Once you take it back after immediately killing the mob, but if you were forced to retreat it would be very tragic. Therefore after using this tech, after retreating to the safety zone, was a last resort.

"I, I see…… That is true. However, waving your sword with your non dominant hand is quite difficult."

Although I wanted to say that, I wondered if it was worth worth practicing my left hand's sword skill…… and considered it deeply――.

"By the way, one more thing. When you suddenly burst into this room, the first thing you did was sneakily look…… I mean, 'Stole a look' at my equipment figure, you guessed it right, that I had not equipped any other weapon. This was because, it was my first sword……"

Facing that gaze directly, I slowly nodded.

"Ah, is that so, and the second condition was, before three thousand and six hundred seconds ―― in other words, an hour passed since you put the weapon down. If these two conditions are met, that means it is still there. wherever the equipped weapon is, even if it is on hand … … I mean at your feet, it is a last resort, no questions asked method to get everything back. And as for when Asuna first asked 'How did the broken shard go into my storage'……"

"……So in truth, my sword didn't break into pieces,  but on the other hand it didn't enter my storage at all. This is the case, eh."