Asuna was running toward the Teleport Gate when she almost bumped Rozen, who just teleported to Floria.
Rozen raised his brow and couldn’t help but joke around.
“Yo, vice-commander, what’s with the hurry? Are you late on a date or something?”
Asuna was shocked at first since she almost bumped someone, but she was relieved when she realized it was Rozen.
However, the relieved face changed into a scary one after hearing Rozen’s words.
“Of course not!”
Asuna was like emphasizing the fact that she had no one to date with.
“That’s too bad.”
Rozen shrugged and replied frivolously. As he saw Asuna’s somewhat angry look, he sighed deep down.
(This girl really has changed.)
“I don’t have time to waste on that kind of stuff.”
The usual Asuna wouldn’t even hesitate to say this. But now, Asuna has become somewhat compassionate.
(Woman really can change at a drop of a hat.)
Rozen couldn’t help but laugh when he recalled a certain automaton girl who has declared to kill him from the beginning and suddenly followed him wherever he went. Rozen then asked Asuna?
“What brings you here today?”
Although there were a lot of girls who were quite fond of Floria and visited this city to shop, Asuna obviously wasn’t one of them.
Asuna replied with a somewhat sad tone.
“I just heard about the Rainbow Butterfly, so I figured I should check how you take this news.”
Apparently, this Knights of the Blood’s vice-leader was quite well-informed. She had already learned that the last Rainbow Butterfly was killed before it was covered in the newspaper.
However…
“You came all the way here just for that?”
Rozen was somewhat surprised.
“I happen to pass by, and since I have nothing better to do, I figured I should pay you a visit.”
Asuna looked away with her arms folded.
“You have nothing better to do?”
Rozen was speechless this time.
Hearing the vice-leader, who never allowed herself nor others to laze around doing nothing, actually said those words was simply surprising.
Rozen thought it would snow tomorrow for a moment even though it was spring.
Besides, if she planned to visit Rozen because she happened to be passing by, why did she have to be in such a hurry earlier?
Was it because she couldn’t find Rozen in the Red Wings’ base, so she planned to look for him in the frontline?
Just how much spare time she had?
Before Rozen could say it to tease Asuna, he could feel a glare directed to him.
“Hm?”
Rozen noticed that the glare was from a man behind Asuna. The man was a member of Knights of the Blood.
He wore a standard white and red KoB uniform with a white and red metal chest plate, greaves, and shoes, as well as white metal bracers, brownish-gray gloves, a white cape, and a two-handed sword hanging on his waist.
The man had pony-tailed, long, black hair, looked so skinny with wrinkles on his face. He also had this villainous face that’d scare anyone.
The man apparently was following Asuna. He also keenly observed Rozen, who was talking to Asuna as if he was some sort of a royal guard.
However, when he saw Saichou and Hanachou flying above Rozen, along with the weapon hanging on his waist, his eyes instantly widened.
“Rainbow Butterflies… That crystal sword… Don’t tell me he’s…!?”
However, the shocked look on his face was immediately replaced by a loathsome look, and Rozen was not even slightly surprised.
Whether he liked it or not, Players often compared Red Wings with Knights of the Blood, believing both were qualified to be the strongest guild.
Such rumors caused Red Wings and Knights of the Blood’s members to distance themselves from each other.
Since Asuna used to argue with Rozen during the Strategy Meeting, Red Wings and Knights of the Blood has always been at odds even though Asuna no longer argued with Rozen like she used to.
Now that the man recognized who Rozen was, the loathsome look on his face wasn’t really surprising.
After glancing at the man, Rozen shifted his attention back to Asuna.
“I thought you only bring guild member during Boss Raid? What’s the occasion?”
Rozen casually asked this question.
However, before Asuna could answer, the man immediately answered.
“I am the Asuna-sama’s escort. I’ll be responsible for her safety, be it during the Boss Raid or not.”
It was clear that he was trying to provoke Rozen, but Rozen didn’t care.
“Escort?”
Rozen was surprised because that was a lot to take in, for example…
“Why do you even need a guard?”
Rozen asked without hesitation.
First of all, this was not the real world, and even in the real world, there was barely any place that applied such social caste.
Besides, there was nothing amazing about having an escort unless you’re pretending like an elite.
Rozen knew that Asuna was not such a person. She didn’t even need an escort, to begin with.
She was fine without having guards this whole time anyway. Rozen assumed that something must’ve happened.
“Well, it’s a long story.”
Asuna knew she couldn’t hide it from Rozen, but she didn’t seem to be willing to explain it either.
Although Rozen was a little concerned, since Asuna didn’t seem to be in the mood to explain, he decided not to pry any further.
“Never mind that, since you’ve come all the way here, do you want to stop by at our guild base?”
Rozen invited Asuna out of courtesy. He did it to change the subject. Besides, he knew someone like Asuna wouldn’t accept his invitation, and he should be able to go back right after.
However, Rozen’s calculation was mistaken.
After hearing Rozen’s invitation, Asuna smiled and nodded.
“Alright, I am quite curious about your guild base too. I guess it wouldn’t hurt just to check.”
Asuna actually agreed.
“Huh?”
Rozen was dumbfounded.
at the same time……
“Asuna-sama!”
A stern voice behind Asuna called out her name.
“Please reconsider! You shouldn’t accept such an invitation on a whim!”
The Player who claimed to be Asuna’s escort said sternly while staring at Rozen with hostility in his eyes.
