September 5th
Kirito lay listlessly on the couch. The house felt unusually quiet; Ally had already left for school, while Reno and Asuna were deeply immersed in their training sessions.
"Aaha... I also want to learn some new spells," Kirito sighed, the ceiling offering no answers to his boredom. "And in place of that, I am just sleeping here at home".
The silence was broken by the sharp ring of his phone. Groaning, Kirito stretched his arm to grab the device from the table.
"Hello?" he answered.
"I have sent you the location of the entrance of the garden," Sam's voice came through, clipped and professional. "So, go there. The gate automatically changes its location every hour, so don't be late".
The line went dead before Kirito could respond.
"Hello? Oye! Speak to me first!" Kirito shouted at the unresponsive screen. He huffed, realizing he had no choice but to move. "Huh, it's no use. I have to go".
He stood up from the couch, his movements sharp as he grabbed his tracksuit from the chair. After locking the door, he walked toward his bike parked on the ground floor. As he rode, his mind was occupied by a single mystery: the identity of the Caretaker.
"Hmm, the location was inside this street," Kirito noted, pulling into a narrow lane. The area was cloistered by weathered, old houses, ending at a solitary residence marked by a heavy iron door.
Kirito got off the bike and stood before the gate, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He took a deep breath, pushed the gate open, and stepped inside.
Rustle.
The instant his feet touched the grass, the gate behind him vanished into nothingness. He was totally surprised to see the transformation; the hidden garden was breathtaking, teeming with beautiful plants, vibrant flowers, and fruit trees.
He moved forward slowly toward the center. There, he saw a girl roughly his own age, focused on pruning leaves.
"Hmm," Kirito muttered.
"So you came after all," the girl said, turning to face him.
"Sherry!" Kirito shouted, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Yes, it's me. What is so shocking?" she asked calmly.
"You are a Dark Knight? The Caretaker?" Kirito stammered.
"Yes, I am the Caretaker here of one of the Dark Knight-producing clans," Sherry confirmed.
"You are a Dark Knight..." Kirito repeated, still processing the revelation. "But I have never seen you at the Dark Academy".
"Are you only going to ask me questions?" Sherry replied, reaching out to grab his hand. "Come with me".
"Oye!" Kirito protested as she led him to a shed at the garden's center and served him tea.
"I know you have so many questions, so I will answer it in once," Sherry stated firmly. "My name is Sherry Roselia".
"I know it," Kirito interrupted.
"You Moron!" Sherry snapped, her fist connecting directly with his face. "You are the real moron, speak directly. I don't want you to take your interview or something".
"Baka," she muttered.
"You are the idiot!" Kirito shot back.
"Atomic bullet!" Kirito cried.
"Petals of fate!" Sherry countered.
The two powers collided, but their target wasn't each other. Instead, they blew up the drones flying behind them, effectively cutting the surveillance of HQ.
"Now no one will disturb us," Sherry said, her voice dropping into a more serious tone. "I already know you can never be strict or formal. After all, we know each other from a long time".
She took a breath, preparing for the weight of the story. "So, I will take this fast. I was the last surviving member of the Roselia clan. My clan was the creator and the caretaker of this divine garden".
"Sherry..."
"But your family died in the accident, right?" Kirito asked softly.
"It was just a cover story to cover that massacre," Sherry revealed, her eyes hardening.
"Massacre?"
"Yes, it happened when I was training under the former 3rd Grade Master, Hina Kaizawa—also known as the Empress of the Battlefield".
"Mom... my mom was a Grandmaster?" The shock hit Kirito like a physical blow.
"Yes, she was," Sherry said. "It started when we both were seven".
"Yes, we got shifted there at that time," Kirito recalled, the pieces of the past falling into place. "And it was the time when I also started going to the dojo with you".
"Still, I am stronger than you," Kirito added with a small, defiant smile, pointing his thumb toward himself.
"Let me finish first, you moron," Sherry said, landing another punch on him.
"Ok, go on," Kirito sighed.
"At that time, my father asked your mother to train me under her".
September 18th, 2018 – 8:30 PM
"Master, where are we going?" a young Sherry asked.
"On a neutralization mission," Hina Kaizawa replied.
"Again? You said I will be giving a graduation test soon," Sherry pouted.
"Yes, you will," Hina promised with a laugh. "When? I cannot wait!"
"You are just like Kirito," Hina noted warmly.
"No, I am not," Sherry insisted. "But Master, did Allya not need you while you are here?"
"No, she has her brother to take care of her," Hina replied.
"Aaha, I am jealous of him, why he was always with her," Sherry admitted quietly.
"Ok, I see we are here," Hina announced as they came to a stop in front of a school. "Now, listen carefully. This is your graduation exam. Your goal is to eliminate the B-rank devil inside. Once you are done, you will be promoted to the 5th Grade Dark Knight".
Instead of listening further, Sherry started to stretch with a confident smile. "This will be a piece of cake," she declared, rushing directly into the building.
Inside, her power manifested. "Petal of fate!" The devil's body was riddled with holes in a second.
"Huh, it gets over this soon," Sherry remarked, looking out of the window. Her confidence vanished instantly. "What!" She was totally surprised to see a massive barrier erected over the school.
Outside, Hina Kaizawa closed her eyes. "So, he died".
Eight humanoid devils, wreathed in flames, entered the school campus. One of them was holding the head of Sin Roselia.
"Father!" Sherry screamed, dropping to her knees as she sobbed loudly.
"Rest in peace, Sin," Hina whispered. "Goblin blade style 3, Water lily!" She attacked the devils with cold precision.
Present Time
"My whole clan was murdered by those devils," Sherry said, her voice trembling with the memory. "I was the only one who managed to survive. Later, your mother killed those devils. Because of that trauma, I was passed out for three days. But it gives me the motive to fight as a Dark Knight".
Sherry looked at Kirito intently. "If you want to find your true self, then..."
She led him to the mouth of a cave. "When you pass through this cave, there is another path of the garden. It can read the memories of a person".
"So I have to just go there and read my memories," Kirito summarized.
"Something like that, but remember: it summons your black version of you," Sherry warned. "Everything he tells you is the truth, but everything you saw there is just illusion. Don't hesitate to kill. He will kill you".
"If I..." Kirito started.
"Are you not coming?" Kirito asked.
"No, Best of luck," Sherry replied.
"Just see me, beating it," Kirito said with newfound resolve.
He entered the cave. After passing through the darkness, he emerged into the other part of the garden.
"This part is more beautiful," Kirito noted aloud.
"You are right," a voice echoed.
Kirito's senses sharpened instantly. He spun around to find a black, glitchy creature standing before him.
"He definitely looks like me," Kirito whispered, staring at his shadow.