The Author's POV

"Huuuuamm..."

Yawning, a white mist escaped from my mouth. Although it was mid-winter, only now that I was awake early in the morning did I fully realize that winter was upon me.

Perhaps it was because I was less sensitive to the cold, it never truly hit me until now that it was already that time of the year.

6:30 A.M.

Checking my watch, I rubbed my hands together as I sat on a bench. Currently, I was at the train station, patiently waiting for the air train to arrive.

Moreover, apart from waiting for the air train, I was also waiting for someone to come...

Kevin.

I had already texted him beforehand that I was waiting for him today at the train station. Although the events with Gilbert had happened not so long ago, he should've already made a full recovery. Therefore he should be able to make it without a problem.

The only thing that I wanted to know was whether he received my message or not...

-tssss

"...It's snowing"

Snapping me out of my thoughts, extending my hand forward, I watched as an ice crystal gently landed on my jacket and melted straight after.

Glancing at the falling snow in the sky, I couldn't help but softly mumble to myself

"...five months huh?"

I've been in this world for five months...

Watching the ice crystals continuously fall from the sky and land on my jacket, I couldn't help but look back at what had happened these past few months.

"Time sure flies..."

Going from a reclused introvert to exploring dungeons, creating companies, finding comrades, meeting a new family...

"...Really, fate is truly strange in many ways."

Who could've ever guessed that my life would change so much in a matter of five months...I really couldn't explain how I felt at this moment.

Everything sort of felt like a blur...

-Voooooooom!

Snapping me out of my thoughts, the sound of an air train gently landing on the platform of the station resounded across the area I was in.

Frowning slightly, I glanced around me. However, noticing that I was the only person in the station, I couldn't help but be slightly disappointed.

"Mhhh...did I perhaps miscalculate?"

...I really thought that Kevin would've without a doubt shown up considering what had happened with Gilbert, but did I perhaps misjudge something?

Shaking my head, I discarded such a notion

could

him up. Like for example, an old grandma had fallen down the stairs

6:34 A.M.

and seeing that there was only a minute left

in

"Am I late?"

I was about to give up and leave the train station and go back to the Lock,

the voice belonged to,

"Just barely"

...

[Lock station - Departing]

-Clank!

of the air train closed, lifting up in the air, it soon smoothly picked up its speed and disappeared into the

ends to each other in the air train, Kevin and I quietly looked at

us spoke

white as the snow coated the rooftops of every building and house in the

...It looked truly beautiful.

couldn't help but notice how empty the train was as apart from me and Kevin, no one was present. Perhaps because it was early in the morning

Kevin looked at me for a couple

where are we

back at Kevin, without answering him immediatly, I responded

can I take your presence as you agreeing to

at his feet for a couple of seconds, clenching his

"...yes"

"Great"

head, a big smile appeared on my face. Resting my cheek on

to

Kevin's brows couldn't help

"The Clayton Ridge?"

"Yeah..."

same place where I got the [Seed of Limit] and

time, I was going on further upwards of the Clayton

I mean huge. We're talking like thousands

the place where I took the [Seed of Limit] and [Keiki style], I was actually headed a

journey from the Lock, approximately

Kevin couldn't help but frown as

where the sword art

nodded my head

part so you better rest as much as you can as you're going to need to save up all your energy for when the

again looking at me

"Challenge?"

my head, as I leaned on the window and stared at the world outside that was dyed in white,

that you expected me to just give you a five-star

the first place, I was only bringing him to the place where the five-star

me, I wouldn't have asked for him to meet

Kevin tried to find words to say, but after a while, he shook

"No..I get it"

and noticing Kevin's crestfallen expression, patting him on