July 25, 2023. 10:35 a.m. — Lustralite Quarry, Floor 9

  Yuiha and Silver were back in the lustralite quarry once again. But visiting it in winter and visiting it in summer were two completely different experiences.

  The sun had not yet reached its peak, and the heat was already oppressive. Towering rock walls blocked the wind, trapping the rising temperature with relentless intensity.

  For Yuiha, the environment was ideal thanks to the effect of the Eternal Winter Earrings. For Silver, however, the heat was becoming a serious problem. Even with high endurance stats, the Queen’s Warden set offered no protection against sheer temperature.

  —What exactly are we looking for? —Silver asked.— More stone balls?

  —Perfectly spherical stones —she corrected, raising an eyebrow.— And no, that’s not what we’re here for.

  —Then… what?

  —Rainbow crystal —Yuiha replied with a smile.

  —Perfectly spherical?

  —The shape doesn’t matter. It’s crafting material.

  Silver smiled in relief.

  —Then this should be easier than last time.

  —Not necessarily —she said, amused.— Rainbow crystal is heavier than the other stones in the quarry. It always settles in the lower layers.

  Silver’s expression tightened.

  —Are you saying we have to lift every rock in the quarry looking for crystals?

  —Exactly.

  Silver looked up at the sky and cried out from the depths of his soul:

  —What kind of lunatic came up with this?

  Yuiha stopped walking. She turned toward him, arms crossed, gaze hard.

  Only then did Silver remember that most of the game’s “irrelevant details” had been suggestions from a certain beta tester…

  —Ahem… —he cleared his throat dramatically.— What I meant to say is, only a genius would come up with something this fun.

  She held the pose, raising one eyebrow in silent threat.

  Silver swallowed.

  —Right! Let’s go find those rainbow crystals! —he declared with forced enthusiasm, turning and immediately starting to lift rocks.

  Yuiha relaxed and smiled, satisfied.

  —Much better.

  * * * * *

  They spent the next three hours crouched over, digging through the quarry stones. During that time, Yuiha delivered what could only be described as a masterclass on the mineral.

  At first glance, rainbow crystal looked unimpressive. Transparent. Almost plain. Clean edges, pure structure—easily mistaken for any ordinary surface-vein crystal. Under artificial light or in a dungeon’s gloom, it seemed inert, as though it held nothing special inside.

  Everything changed when sunlight touched it.

  At first contact, the crystal responded with a faint shimmer, barely visible. Then, from its core, color began to awaken. Not all at once. Not in a garish flash. The hues emerged one by one, flowing through the interior with almost ceremonial calm. A soft red pulsed and faded, followed by warm orange, then yellow, green, blue… each color taking its turn, as though the crystal breathed light in slow, measured cycles.

  It did not cast violent flares or blinding prisms. Its glow was intimate, restrained—meant to be admired up close. When turned between the fingers, the colors did not blend but chased one another along its inner facets before vanishing and beginning again. It was a phenomenon that invited silence. Contemplation. As though the crystal remembered something ancient.

  Artisans claimed rainbow crystal did not reflect light—it absorbed it, ordered it, and returned it transformed. That was why it only responded to the sun. It required a living, shifting source. Under cloudy skies its glow turned lazy. At dawn and dusk, however, it was at its most beautiful.

  Silver found several crystals quickly, convinced the task would be simple. But once exposed to sunlight, the truth became obvious: none of them were the one they needed.

  —Hey! —Yuiha called from across the quarry.— Let’s take a break.

  Silver smiled in relief.

  They sat beside one of the earthen rock walls, which provided shade. They cleared a small space and spread out the same blanket they had kept since New Year’s. Its durability was nearly depleted, despite Yuiha’s efforts to repair it by leveling her sewing skill as high as possible.

  Lunch was simple: sandwiches she had prepared early that morning, carefully selecting ingredients that would survive the summer heat, since total durability depended on the weakest component. They paired them with fruit juice made the night before and cooled with ice brought from the eternal winter mountains of Floor 12.

  They ate and laughed as though it were nothing more than a picnic. Silver hadn’t realized how badly he needed something like this amidst the constant demands of the front-line group.

  —Why didn’t we collect this material last time? —Silver asked between bites.

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  Yuiha smiled, as if she had been waiting for that question.

  —Because rainbow crystal only appears during this season. It’s extremely rare.

  —Are you going to tell me what kind of gear we’re making?

  —You’ll have to wait and see —she replied playfully.

  When they finished and lifted the blanket to store it, it shattered into fragments of light.

  They stepped back into the sun. Yuiha reached into her pocket and pulled out several crystals. When exposed to the light, they shimmered with unreal beauty.

  Silver stared at her, somewhere between offended and betrayed.

  —You already found them and didn’t tell me?

  —I found them right before lunch —she lied shamelessly.

  Silver crossed his arms. She responded with a bright smile and a quick kiss on his cheek.

  —Let’s go to Stonecross —Yuiha said, cutting off any further discussion.

  * * * * *

  July 25, 2023. 3:07 p.m. — Stonecross, Floor 20

  Lizbeth’s forge was far larger than the small space she had rented on the first floor. She had even hired an NPC, Hellen—a young woman in her twenties—to manage the storefront while she worked the forge.

  —Hi, Hellen —Yuiha greeted warmly.— I urgently need the boss.

  That was the code Liz had set to allow certain players to interrupt her mid-work.

  —Of course, Yuiha-san —the NPC replied.— I’ll fetch her immediately.

  A minute later, the pink-haired blacksmith emerged from the back, wearing her trademark smirk.

  —Hooo… —she exclaimed.— To what do I owe the pleasure of my former best customer showing up?

  —Missed you too, Liz —Yuiha replied evenly.— I need you to forge something for us.

  —Us? —Liz repeated.— That sounds serious. What are we making?

  —Rings —Yuiha said calmly.

  Lizbeth’s face went through several emotions in rapid succession. Then she looked at Silver.

  —No way! Did you finally do it, tough guy?

  Silver’s absolute confusion snapped her back to reality. Yuiha waved a hand casually.

  —Okaaay… —Liz said.— And what material are we using?

  Yuiha pulled the material from her inventory and handed it over.

  Lizbeth took it with trembling hands.

  —Rainbow crystal!

  —Am I the only one who didn’t know about this stuff? —Silver asked.

  —It’s impossible for an idiot who only sees stats and skills to appreciate something this refined —Liz teased.— But don’t worry, I’m sure there’s someone else like you in the front lines.

  Silver frowned but didn’t reply.

  Lizbeth turned serious.

  —You know I’m a blacksmith, not a jeweler, right?

  —I trust your skills. And more importantly, your sense of style.

  Liz sighed theatrically.

  —Fine. But don’t complain if I end up using all the material.

  —You can keep whatever crystals are left.

  —Now you’re speaking my language —Liz grinned.

  * * * * *

  July 25, 2023. 7:44 p.m. — Mirror of the World, Floor 6

  The Mirror of the World was the largest lake in Aincrad on record. Its crystalline waters reflected the sky as though they were perfectly polished glass. It occupied nearly a quarter of the entire floor’s terrain.

  No one could see the bottom. During the beta, players had entered the water and died without explanation. Theories were formed. Investigations attempted. Eventually, the conclusion was simple: something high-level lived beneath. The area was marked as a black zone and abandoned.

  For Yuiha, however, it was the most beautiful place in Aincrad. She did not need to touch the water to know it.

  They arrived just as the sun began to set. Golden light spilled across the lake, turning it unreal.

  Silver remained silent for a long time.

  —It’s… beautiful —he murmured at last.

  —It is —Yuiha agreed softly.

  She opened her inventory and removed two rings. Holding them against the fading sunlight and the lake’s reflection, she watched as the crystal responded instantly.

  Color stirred within, dancing in slow, deliberate sequence. The rings shimmered differently, yet clearly belonged together.

  —No two crystals ever share the exact same pattern —Yuiha explained.— Even if they come from the same source.

  She slipped one onto her finger. Light wrapped around her hand in a soft, almost ethereal glow.

  —Here.

  Silver took the other carefully and examined it.

  Rainbow Crystal Ring

  Beautiful. Delicate. Emits a magical aura under sunlight.

  Nothing else.

  No stats.

  No passive effects.

  No abilities.

  Silver frowned.

  —And… what exactly am I supposed to do with this?

  Yuiha looked at him carefully. She didn’t tease. Didn’t smile.

  —That depends on you.

  Before he could ask more, she opened her menu. Her fingers moved with quiet certainty, as if she had rehearsed the gesture many times.

  A notification appeared before Silver.

  <“Player Yuiha has proposed marriage.”>

  Accept / Decline

  The world stopped.

  Silver stopped hearing the wind. The lake’s reflection vanished from his awareness. If the NerveGear had emotional overload protocols, it would have disconnected him in that instant.

  —Is this… for real? —he barely managed to say.

  Yuiha answered with a warm smile and the golden glow in her eyes.

  Silver felt his chest tighten.

  —But… why the quest? Why the rings? Why here?

  Yuiha tilted her head slightly.

  —Because I know you.

  He looked confused.

  —I’ve listened to you every night —she continued gently.— When you thought I was asleep. When you wondered what we were. Whether this was real. Whether it made sense to call it something.

  Silver lowered his gaze, embarrassed.

  —I didn’t want to pressure you… I was afraid of ruining it. Of giving it a name… and breaking it.

  Yuiha stepped closer and held his face in both hands.

  —To me, it was never fragile —she said firmly.— I was just waiting for you to be ready to name it.

  Silver swallowed hard. His hands trembled as he pressed Accept.

  Then he put on the ring.

  No grand spectacle. No dramatic effects. Just a soft, intimate glow shared between them.

  Silver stepped forward and dropped to one knee, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  —Thank you… —he whispered, tears spilling freely.

  Yuiha stroked his hair with absolute tenderness.

  —If you love me here, you’ll love me out there —she said.— And I know I’ll fall in love with you all over again when I see you in the real world.

  Silver looked up at her.

  —We’re getting out of here together —he said, voice breaking.— I promise.

  Yuiha leaned down and rested her forehead against his.

  —Together.

  They embraced by the lake as the final trace of sunlight faded from the sky.