Sword Art Online V27 summary: Chapter 1

Hey, everyone. I haven't been able to return to our weekly release pace due to being bogged down by RL work, but now that V27 is out, maybe I'll be able to return with more frequent releases with some summary updates until I manage to actually get back into the game on the translation front. I did manage to finally finish getting a manga chapter out of editing hell after it being stuck there for nearly a month... so I guess that's progress? The past months have really put me out of my game...

Anyway, we'll start off with a summary of chapter 1. I hope you enjoy the release. I think I'll publish the summaries in separate posts for now and then aggregate them into a single post later on when I have time to spruce things up.

If you have any suggestions/requests for what to work on, feel free to leave a comment or contact us through Twitter/Discord/Email.

Any feedback is appreciated.

-Gsimenas

Chapter 1

(Kirito's perspective, Underworld, Central Cathedral)

The chapter begins with a pair of autumnally coloured, wide-open eyes staring in profound shock and astonishment at a pair of jade-green eyes peeking out of a white mask, squinted in a dubious manner. The marked contrast between the two gazes had Kirito frozen in place. Tiese had harboured feelings of love for Eugeo ever since her valet days; her grief upon learning of Eugeo's death had been so profound that even Kirito in his comatose state had managed to feel her pain. After the war, both Tiese and Ronye had been appointed as Integrity Knights, gave birth to their children in their twenties, then had their Life frozen, and finally fallen to sleep via Deep Freeze in their mid-seventies, according to what he'd learnt from the modern Underworld. Despite all the time that had passed, Tiese's deep affection for Eugeo stood the test of time.

As Tiese stood stock still, Ronye noticed her abnormal state seconds later and followed the girl's gaze to Eolyne, upon witnessing whom she let out a sharp breath and let go of her sword in shock. However, it was neither Tiese, nor Ronye who broke the oppressive silence.

Selka (in a hoarse voice): "......No way......Eugeo... is that you......?"

Kirito recaps events of the previous volume in a narration: that they'd come to the Cathedral because Star King Kirito had told Alice that Selka was waiting for her in a state of sleep; that Kirito still doesn't see himself as the Star King; that the trio revisited Underworld, overcame hurdles to reach the 80th floor of the Central Cathedral, where they found a petrified Selka with a petrified Ronye and Tiese; that they then went out with the dragship X'rphan they found in the Cathedral to Admina to obtain a way to depetrify the girls; that they then returned to the Cathedral and awakened the girls.

Selka (slowly stepping towards Eolyne): "Eugeo......you were still alive......?"
Tiese and Ronye still remained standing still, as if back in their petrified state. Meanwhile, Eolyne himself shot a glance at Kirito in bewilderment. Stica and Laurannei were wearing their pilot caps pulled over their eyes, but Eolyne was still in his pilot suit, just like Kirito himself, so Eolyne's slightly ruffled flaxen hair was exposed for all to see. No one uttered a word, when suddenly,

Nuts: "Kyuuh! Kyuhkyuru————!"

A certain soakrat broke the silence as it ran towards them through the grass, falling over itself multiple times in the process, until it jumped into Ronye's bosom, nuzzling its snout at the girl's cheeks.

Ronye (in a hoarse voice): "......Nuts! (hugs the rat)"

As the soakrat continued letting out squeaks, they heard someone else stepping on the grass. Airy Toroom climbed up the slope and stopped before Selka, giving her a deep bow.

Airy: "Pleasure to see you again after all this time, Selka-sama. (turns to the two girls) Tiese-sama, Ronye-sama. I am awfully glad to be able see you again."
Selka (pulling her soul back into her nostrils, figuratively, giving a few blinks before focusing on Airy, and giving her a faint smile): "Airy, how many times do I have to tell you: no need to add 《-sama》?"
Kirito (thinking): Wow, Selka doesn't seem like she's been away for long... oh right, the Fluctlight stops functioning entirely throughout a freeze, so to her it does actually feel like only a few days - or even hours - have passed.

Selka walks over to Airy and gives her a big 'ol hug, before putting some distance between them.
Selka: "Nice to see you're doing well...... Airy, what year is it in the Star Empire Calendar?"
Airy: "It's the seventh day of the twelfth month in the year 582."
Selka: "Year 582......"

After a brief moment of shock, Selka looked over the people gathered at the hill, before turning back to Eolyne. Before she could utter a word however, Airy whispered:
Airy: "Selka-sama. This gentleman is not Eugeo-sama."
Selka: ".............But......"

Kirito wasn't surprised that Selka was finding it hard to take in that Eolyne and Eugeo were different people. They were alike in many ways, though over time Kirito has noticed some differences between them: Eolyne's somewhat cynical smile, a demeanour that prevented people from seeing into his heart, and the fact that Eolyne's body wasn't all that robust. The form of their "souls" did, however, have way too many things in common.

As Kirito recalled that Airy hadn't been all that surprised upon seeing Eolyne for the first time hours earlier...
Airy: "This gentleman is Eolyne Herlentz-sama, the Commander of the current Order of Integrity Pilots."
Ronye: "Herlentz...... so is he Berche's......?"
Airy: "Indeed. If we see Berche-sama as the second head of House Herlentz, then Eolyne-sama is the second son of the current seventh head of the family."
Ronye: "The son of the seventh head of the family......"
Kirito (internally): (Starts doing mental math) Technically, he's an adopted son. (Continues doing mental math)
At this point, Tiese seemed to take in the fact that Eolyne wasn't Eugeo, so she picked up her fallen sword, put it back in its scabbard, and then approached Airy.
Tiese: "......Airy, so you watched over us here all this time, huh. Thanks...... (gives Airy a tight hug, before turning to Kirito). Kirito-sempai...... I mean, Your Stellar Majesty. Tiese Schtrinen/Shtolienen Thirty-two hereby humbly returns to service as your knight."
Ronye (after hastily putting Nuts onto her shoulder, picking up her sword, returning it to its scabbard, then lining up beside Tiese and giving an Integrity Knight salute): "Likewise, Ronye Arabel Thirty-three hereby returns to service!"
Kirito (internally): Wow, they sure have grown... oh wait (hastily raises his hands)
Kirito: "W-well, umm...... I'd hate to break it to you girls...... (exchanging eye contact with Asuna) but I'm no longer the Star King."
Ronye and Tiese: "Wha"

Just as Kirito thought over how to explain the situation to the girls, he heard multiple bells ringing. It was the five o'clock chime... and Koujirou would be pulling the plug at 5:10 if they didn't log themselves out by then.

Kirito: "Ronye, Tiese, Selka. Sorry, but me, Asuna, and Alice can only stick around in this world for ten minutes at best."
Ronye: "H......how come?"
Kirito (speeding through his explanations): "We're currently Diving in...... ehm, we've been temporarily teleported into Underworld from the Real World. Our time limit is set at 5:10; if we cross that deadline, we'll be forcibly returned back to our side."
Tiese: "W-why is there a limit like that?"
Kirito (internally): Not like I can say "I've got homework to do" or "My mom will scold me if I don't get back."
Kirito: "There are all sorts of reasons in play...... It doesn't matter right now, I've got to explain something far more important right now."
(Kirito slides over to Stica, Laurannei, and Eolyne)
Kirito: "You already know who Eolyne is, so we can skip that introduction. This here is Seigou Kishi (Integrity Pilot) Stica Schtrinen/Shtolienen. The "ki" in the "kishi" I mentioned is the "ki" in "kiryuu" (mechadrag)."
Tiese (eyes shooting wide open): "Wha"
Kirito: "And this is Integrity Pilot Laurannei Arabel."
Ronye: "Wha"
Stica and Laurannei: (Finally recovering from standing bolt upright and taking off their caps awkwardly)
Ronye and Tiese: (Running over to their respective descendant)
Kirito (internally): Oh wait, this unexpected meeting might not be entirely pleasant, since the presence of these girls implies that the children they gave birth to themselves are no longer alive. As long as they didn't have their own Life frozen, that is.
Ronye and Tiese: (Giving their descendants a warm hug)
Stica and Laurannei: (Timidly putting their own hands around their ancestors)

Over five seconds later, the two pairs ended their hugs and turned to Kirito.
Ronye: "Your Majesty...... I mean, Kirito-sempai. What was this important thing you wanted to talk about?"

Kirito then explained the whole conspiracy thing going on with Eolyne's help. The "digest" version of the story took about five minutes to cover, leaving them with less than a minute of time. Kirito wished he could stay overnight in Underworld and take his time talking to the girls, but after the whole comatose thing he didn't want to worry his parents by returning home late.

Kirito: "Ronye, Tiese, Selka. Sorry to spring this on you when you've just woken up...... but could you assist Eolyne and the others? I'll try to get back as soon as possible."
Ronye: "Of course, Kirito-sempai!"
Tiese: "You can count on us!"
Selka: "Be sure to hurry back, you hear me!"
At that point, the logout procedure began.
Kirito (internally): So even after I became the Star King while Selka became the Commander of the Sacred Arts Division, Selka didn't change her tone with me.