Unital Ring II: The Virtual Study Society

The Commander of the Pilothood, Eolyne Herlentz

Saturday, October 3rd

At 7:30 in the morning, I made my third dive into a post-Otherworld War era of the Underworld. I came early in the morning on my own accord, but I'm not the only one here; Kirito, because he got separated from Asuna and Alice last time, logged in just minutes before me to return to the Arabel mansion. Afterward, he's to log out and wait until nine to regroup with the girls when they come.

As for Kureha, she's still asleep in the upstairs apartments in the Rath building, the two of us spending the night here instead of at home. She, too, will come down at nine, if not shortly before, then we'll make our way to North Centoria to the Arabel home.

But things went wrong from the moment I opened my eyes. Well, "wrong" is not the right word. Let's say unexpected things happened.

Back in the bedroom that Kureha and I spawned in and out of last time, I rise out the bed and walk over to the window on instinct. I wonder how many times I did this same motion when I lived in this residence after Medina took it over. I bet I stayed here because I did not want to stay in the white tower. I know one of my final memories is when Asuna, Kirito, and I reunited at the World End's Altar. Moments after the maximum phase began, I told them that I planned on staying away from them as much as possible. I might've been joking, I could have been serious. Trapped as they were, they were together again; I just said farewell to Koharu, Lisbeth, and all my friends from my world, so I felt alone.

"Is that why you went there?" I murmur to myself as I turn my gaze to the left, towards Eastavarieth and beyond. I know why I involved myself with the Dark Territory; I made a promise to a dying Commander Bercouli Synthesis One to find peace between the two worlds. I didn't originally seek the throne, but there was a "vacancy," and it was the best solution for my plans. But it took a while before my rule was recognized as valid by the Dark Council and the dark worlders at large. The same, to a greater extent, happened here when the Unification Council was born.

"Master Jaymes." Jumping in surprise, I turn around to see an aged man standing at the door. Wearing a red suit with a white shirt and red tie, the white-mustached man bows about forty-five degrees to me once I acknowledge him.

"Uh, hi."

"Welcome back, sir. My name is Orlio, and I'm the head butler of this mansion. Master Mathias and Mistress Cordelia have instructed me to attend to your needs upon your return."

"O-okay... Um... How did you know I came back now?"

"We've been checking this room every thirty minutes since six in the morning. I'm just pleased it wasn't a long period if I say so myself. Their presence is quite...unnerving." Orlio walks up me, joining me at the window. His eyes, however, do not look as far as mine do. Instead, they're aimed at the stone gate beyond the mansion's front yard, where a black car stands still. Since this is the first vehicle I've seen in over a month, it baffles me that this world, once a medieval fantasy world, has progressed to a more modern era. From the few technologies I've seen, the Underworld is not as technologically advanced as the current world is, but maybe as advanced as we were in my grandfather's time.

"Who are they?"

"The Integrity Pilothood. They're waiting for you and others of the like across the place. They've been here the last three days. It was hard hiding Lady Kureha while she visited Miss Cordelia and trained with that axe of hers."

So Kirito's encounter with the head honcho of the pilots sparked this? I'll remember to give him a bonk on the head for this. And Kureha was here training with the axe and shield she asked me for help with? No wonder she seemed somewhat skilled with an unfamiliar weapon. "Sorry for having them disturb you. Give my apologies to the Orthinanos family as well. What does the Pilothood want with me?"