at the «Second Control Room» in the upper shaft. The staff calls it the
«Sub-Con».”
“I see. So the first place we were brought to, the First Control
room in the lower shaft is the «Main-Con», right?”
“That’s an outstanding answer, Professor Koujiro.”
Rinko gave a wry smile to the nurse who smiled as she said that,
and turned to the left.
The girl who was standing there silently—Yuuki Asuna had her
hands leaning on the glass wall, watching the 4th machine on the other
side intently. To be precise, it was a certain boy who was lying on a bed
and attached to that 4th machine.
There were many monitor electrodes attached under the white
patient gown, and there was a micro-injector attached to the left arm.
The area above the shoulders were all covered by the STL and could
not be seen, but Asuna realized that he was the Kirigaya Kazuto she
had been looking for.
Asuna continued to stare at Kirito without noticing Rinko’s stare,
and her long eyebrows finally closed slightly as she whispered
something silently. Tears welled up in her eyes, and swayed aside
before it landed.
Rinko really wanted to comfort Asuna who was in such a state,
and right before her—
“It’s alright, Asuna-san. Kirigaya-kun will definitely come back.”
The nurse with glasses said that with a slightly surprised tone.
She walked beside Asuna, taking over Rinko who took a step back, and
reached her hand out to the girl’s shoulders. However, Asuna turned