Of course, the Capture Group currently didn't know about Asuna becoming a 'housewife'. But her taking several days off in a row did surprise many people.
Furthermore, some players who held fantasies about Asuna were utterly heartbroken.
Soon, shocking news spread throughout the player community.
The Knights of the Blood Oath's Vice-Leader and Capture Group's leader, the Flash Asuna, announced her marriage and withdrawal from the Capture Group.
This news was as shocking as the Capture Group clearing five floor bosses in a row. The main reason was... this was Asuna we're talking about.
Asuna was already a goddess in SAO, renowned for both her beauty and strength. One could say ninety-nine percent of players considered Asuna the ideal partner.
As for the remaining one percent... well.
It goes without saying how popular a girl who could both protect herself and was extremely beautiful would be.
However, her announcing her marriage now was something no one had expected.
When the Capture Group's players received the news of Asuna's marriage, they were in a meeting. The meeting was naturally presided over by Kaguya.
Compared to these guys who only found out now that Asuna was getting married, Kaguya had seen it coming for a while.
Two weeks ago, after that day, Asuna suddenly came back and told her she needed to take a week off.
At the time, she was very puzzled and asked why. But when she saw Asuna's somewhat awkward and shy demeanor, she already had a strong premonition.
And it turned out a martial artist's intuition was very strong… even when it came to matters of love.
Then, Asuna told her that she and Yusei had established their relationship, that she might rarely come to the Capture Group in the future... and that she was taking this week off to prepare for the wedding.
Hearing this news, Kaguya couldn't quite describe her own feelings. Happy that her good friend found happiness? No... it wasn't quite like that.
For some reason, Kaguya didn't feel happy or envious. All she felt was a faint sense of loss inside. She couldn't pinpoint what she was losing.
However, Kaguya could keenly sense that she seemed to have lost something.
In the end, Kaguya could only force a smile and congratulate Asuna.
"Congratulations. That guy might not be the most brilliant... but in martial arts and caring for others, he's quite good. He will definitely be able to protect you."
"Mhm. Thank you, Kaguya-chan. Yusei-kun is actually very gentle."
And so, Kaguya took over Asuna's duties as Capture Group's leader.
For a whole week...
In that week, the Capture Group's players initially thought that with the leader changed to Kaguya, who usually seemed like an iceberg who didn't talk much or act fiercely, they could breathe a little easier.
However, tragically, they were wrong. They hadn't anticipated that this 'iceberg' was even more demanding than Asuna, if not more so.
Asuna was just decisive and efficient in her actions. But Kaguya was like a queen on high. Putting aside her cold expression, the key was she directed people as if playing chess, with extreme precision and accuracy.
Even when scouting a labyrinth area, she demanded perfection, allowing no deviation… not a step too far, not a step too short!
Initially, the players had quite a few complaints about such strictness. But after one party died in the labyrinth because they didn't follow Kaguya's orders and acted on their own-
They became obedient. They realized Kaguya was an excellent Capture Group's leader, no less capable than Asuna. They were indeed obedient now, but their difficult days had also begun.
Could they withstand such strict demands?
As a result, the players, who already didn't dare to breathe heavily during meetings, now didn't even dare to breathe at all. They had to breathe slowly, afraid of incurring Kaguya's displeasure.
Now, hearing the news of their former leader, Asuna's marriage, the previously deathly quiet Capture Group's players instantly erupted.
Someone subconsciously spoke out: "So former leader Asuna took time off to go fall in love?!"
Many players began weeping, wailing, and beating their chests in despair.
"Which bastard stole Asuna-sama?!"
"Waaah, damn bastard! He deserves to be burned at the stake!"
Kiriko, who was standing beside Kaguya acting as her guard, rubbed her nose. A figure came to her mind, and then a wry smile appeared on her face.
"If I'm not mistaken, it's probably him, right?"
Kaguya looked coldly at everyone present. She already knew about the marriage news Yusei and Asuna had sent her. And she had also received a wedding invitation.
This made her feel even more inexplicably upset.
As she looked at these noisy players, she finally identified the source of her irritation.
"Quiet. Focus on the meeting."
It was these players.
Their shouting and yelling made her feel irritated!
Whoosh.
The entire Capture Group meeting instantly fell silent. Everyone shut their mouths, looking at Kaguya, unsure why she was so angry.
Even Kiriko was startled by the anger in Kaguya's calm voice. She didn't know what was happening.
If even she didn't know, then the rest of the Capture Group's players were even less likely to know.
The Capture Group's meeting ended hurriedly under Kaguya's restlessness.
After the meeting, Kaguya didn't linger and went directly to the Knights of the Blood Oath's Headquarters.
She actually didn't need to work today, but Kaguya found she had nothing else to do. All she wanted now was to find something to occupy herself.
That's right. Find things to do. Keep herself busy. So busy she wouldn't have time to think about those messy thoughts.
…
On the 22nd floor, Shiro and Kanna were still sleeping. Last night, after learning that Yusei and Asuna had announced their marriage, they were both preoccupied, their little faces full of unhappiness.
Yusei and Asuna just smiled, they didn't really mind. Yusei knew the two little ones were attached to him, and Asuna knew it too.
Not only that, Asuna had even teased Yusei, calling him a siscon and a lolicon.
But in response, Yusei had pulled Asuna into his arms and kissed her, saying if he were a lolicon, why would he go find such a well-developed wife?
Naturally, this earned Yusei an eye-roll from Asuna. But secretly, she enjoyed this kind of intimate banter between the two of them.
And so, the two were planning to go out for a stroll in the afternoon, just the two of them, walking in the forest, enjoying their own little world for two.