Chapter 359

“So, what is it?”

Rozen immediately asked after Liz dragged him away, where Asuna couldn’t hear them.

Asuna was puzzled as she stared at Rozen and Liz, who walked away from her since she didn’t know what Liz was planning.

“About the payment… In exchange for that, can you do me a favor?” Liz asked Rozen.

“Hmm? So instead of Cor, you want me to do something for you?”

Liz had this complicated look on her face the moment Rozen asked her this question.

“I’m well aware that this is quite unusual for a customer, but you have to admit that a sword is really good, right? It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that any Player would gladly spend their whole fortune on that sword, so I’d say it wasn’t completely unreasonable, right?” Liz tried to justify herself and then murmured right after…

“Although I barely play any part in the sword’s manufacture.”

Liz herself was aware that it was impossible to forge such an amazing sword with her own skill.

Well, it was not like she didn’t play any part at all in it, but the most deciding factor was the S-grade material along with more rare materials that Rozen provided.

Knowing that fact, although she was happy that she could forge such an amazing weapon with so many rare materials, she couldn’t feel a sense of achievement since it was not her own skill that played the most important part in such a feat.

Of course, Liz didn’t know that Rozen already carefully selected the materials beforehand instead of just throwing random rare materials to her.

In any case, Liz was aware that she was being unfair. Even so, she had something she must ask from Rozen.

Rozen probably noticed what Liz was going to ask him from the change in her face, so he nodded in response.

“Well, I have to admit that this is one nice sword, and I do have to repay you as the one who forged it in some way, so what do you want me to do?” Rozen went along with Liz’s selfish request.

Hearing Rozen’s response, the wrinkles on Liz’s face disappeared.

Instead of going straight to the point, Liz just said…

“I’m sure you know better than I do, right?” Liz sighed, “Asuna, that girl has been pushing herself too hard.”

Liz’s remark silenced Rozen for a moment.

Indeed, Asuna has been pushing herself too hard.

“Clearing this game is the only thing in her mind; she no longer cared about anything else. That was just how straightforward she was.”

Liz gazed toward Asuna with sad-looking eyes from afar as she said that.

“Sure, every Player also wants to leave this place and return to the real world as soon as possible, but that was especially true in Asuna’s case to the point that she corners herself.

Compared to others, Asuna’s circumstances in the real world was much more complicated. Her parents went through the trouble to educate her in order to become a capable member of society, and Asuna herself felt obligated to answer every expectation directed to her, so she has been pushing herself too hard.

Now that she was trapped in this world, she had to pay the price in real life. Her parents would blame her for her negligence; the people around her would ridicule her when she could no longer stay on top.

The more time she wasted in this world, the more chaotic her real life would be.

For example, Asuna, who has always been staying on the top among her peers, was the one falling behind now, and Asuna couldn’t catch up with them at her current state, and that matter alone was enough to make her feel miserable.

It was not like she cared about such a trivial thing, but the way her parents raised her didn’t allow her to fall behind. That was the reason why Asuna did her best to get out of that world.

However, no one knew about it.

“She has been pushing herself so hard this whole time. This incident is not something she can do something about; it can’t be helped.”

Liz expressed her frustration

In response, Rozen only asked one thing.

“What do you want me to do?”

That was the only thing he had to confirm, so Liz was no longer hesitant.

“Please help her, however you can.”

Liz looked at Rozen earnestly and pleaded sincerely.

“I believe you should be able to help her somehow.”

The man in front of Liz was the smartest and most capable leader among all SAO Players. If it were him, he might be able to do something for her, at least that was what Liz believed.

That was the request that Liz imposed upon Rozen. Rozen himself already knew that Liz’s favor was probably something like that

“You really put me in a spot here.”

Seeing Rozen smiled wryly, Liz couldn’t help but feel relieved.

“Hmph, that shouldn’t be a problem for you, right? Or are you saying that the famous Magician who is expected to save thousands of Players can’t even save one girl?” Liz said with arms akimbo.

However, Rozen immediately corrected her remarks.

“I don’t care if you overestimate me, but that’s just forcing your own expectation on me, though.”

Rozen said while turning his head toward Asuna’s direction.

“Ah, well…” Rozen smiled awkwardly, saying: “I’ll make sure to teach her a lesson or two.”

Liz chuckled when she heard Rozen’s words.

“Be my guest.” Liz said with a smile: “While you’re at it, can you help me promote my smith shop?”

If the Clearers’ commander would casually recommend Liz’s Smith Shop, she’d have nothing to worry about when it came to business.

“What’s in it for me?” Rozen answered Liz jokingly, but then he murmured: “Speaking of which, Kirito did need another sword in addition to his Elucidator. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to introduce him to Liz next time.”

At this moment, Rozen didn’t realize that he would drag his brother into his problem.

That might be either a blessing or a curse depending on how one saw it.