"When I see a girl I like, I just can't suppress the urge to ask them to help me have babies. It's an uncontrollable feeling! I'm not a pervert. How can a refined man be called a pervert? That's called being a gentleman!" Klein said with a straight face.
"Yes, yes, yes! Mr. Gentleman, have a chicken leg! After you eat it, stop talking. I'm embarrassed just sitting next to you," Kirito said, stuffing a chicken leg into Klein's mouth.
"Mmm-hmm! Ha-mm! Wow, this chicken leg is delicious! High-end food really does taste different!" Klein said, grabbing the chicken leg from his mouth and eating it.
"Miss Asuna, hello! You and Illustrious arrived quite late," Silica, who was sitting near Asuna, said curiously.
"It's all because of Illustrious! She took so long to change and put on makeup. We're only late because we were waiting for her," Asuna explained to Silica.
"So that's how it is! But it's true that girls should dress up before going out. Because of that, we get to admire Illustrious's peerless beauty."
When Illustrious heard Asuna blame her for being late, she was about to explain the real reason, but Asuna glared her into silence. In the end, she could only let Asuna talk nonsense.
Illustrious noticed a strange lady sitting next to Alice. Since she hadn't seen this person among the Rulers, she asked Alice curiously, "Alice, who is this next to you? Introduce us!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Alice, and the strange lady beside her immediately stood up. She introduced herself loudly, "Hello everyone! I am the Vice Branch Manager of the Japan branch of the Organization. You can call me Jinno Rinko. Incidentally, I am also one of the main developers of sword art online," Jinno Rinko said calmly.
The two identities—Vice Branch Manager of the Organization's Japan branch and one of the main developers of sword art online—were like a bomb dropped into the crowd, immediately sparking a heated discussion.
"At that time, the chief designer of sword art online, Akihiko Kayaba, wanted to imprison us in the game world for a death game. Fortunately, a meteorite fell and saved us, allowing us to not only escape the game but also become Rulers," Kirito analyzed.
"But since this person named Jinno Rinko was one of the main developers of sword art online, did she participate in the plan to imprison players like Akihiko Kayaba did?"
Agil said dismissively, "I think the meteorite was Akihiko Kayaba's doing. The talk about imprisoning us was probably just a smokescreen to hide his true goal. Could Akihiko Kayaba's real purpose have been to bring sword art online monsters into the world?"
"If you put it that way, and she was one of the main developers, then is the appearance of all these monsters in the world related to her too? If so, why would the Organization hire such a suspicious person as Vice Branch Manager?" Silica asked, puzzled.
"What you're saying is so complicated! My brain can't keep up. So, is this Jinno Rinko a friend or a foe to us?" Klein said, scratching his not-so-bright head.
"I believe that the appearance of sword art online monsters in this world has nothing to do with Akihiko Kayaba or Jinno Rinko," Illustrious said, putting on an air of profound mystery. "The one who truly caused the sword art online monsters to appear in this world is someone else entirely."
"Then who is it?" Klein pressed.
"I don't know," Illustrious said, spreading her hands.
Upon hearing this answer, everyone nearly fainted. If you don't know, then why say anything? Looking all mysterious, we thought you actually knew who the mastermind was!
Alice stood up and said, "As Illustrious said, according to the Organization's investigation, the appearance of the monsters actually has nothing to do with Akihiko Kayaba or the other developers. The real mastermind is someone else."
"If Jinno Rinko really were a problem, the Organization wouldn't have invited her to be the Vice Branch Manager of the Japan branch. So everyone, please don't look at Jinno Rinko as an enemy. It's very rude to suspect someone without evidence."
"So, as the Vice Branch Manager of the Organization's Japan branch, do you have some major news to announce to us at our banquet today?" Asuna asked.
Jinno Rinko cleared her throat and said seriously, "I'm here today mainly to announce one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Let's start with the good news. According to the Ruler-friendly policies enacted by Japan the day before yesterday, there are two points that are especially beneficial for everyone."
"Oh? Let's hear it!" Illustrious said with great interest.
Jinno Rinko said, "The first is that every registered Ruler can receive a monthly salary. The salary grades are divided into A, B, C, and D. Grade A receives 50 million yen a month, Grade B receives 10 million yen, Grade C receives 5 million yen, and Grade D receives 1 million yen."
"Every Ruler can log onto the Organization's website to check their salary grade. The salary will be deposited into your bank accounts on the first of every month."
Is that all? Illustrious was quite dismissive. She was being supported by Asuna and had 100 million yen in pocket money every month; she wasn't short on cash at all.
Kirito was different. He was from an ordinary family. Upon hearing about the salary, he immediately logged onto the Organization's website. After logging in, he found his salary grade was A. A smile couldn't help but spread across his face; it seemed he could use this money to buy the latest games.
"Wow! My salary grade is actually C! What are yours?" Klein asked curiously after checking his grade on his phone.
Asuna: "Mine is Grade A!"
Illustrious: "Mine is also Grade A!"
Kirito: "Grade A!"
Agil: "Mine is higher than yours, it's Grade B!"
Lisbeth: "I'm the same as you, Grade C!"
Silica: "Oh my god! Mine is Grade B!"
"What?! Why is a little girl like Silica a grade higher than me?" Klein said indignantly.
"Because Silica is different from you, of course! Over the past half month, Silica has been killing monsters like her life depended on it. Her strength is now enough to take on ten of you," Lisbeth explained.
"Lisbeth, you're overpraising me. Actually, I just want to have the power to protect others. That way, like Illustrious, I can have the strength to protect people when I see monsters attacking them," Silica said, looking at Illustrious with a slightly flushed face.
Seeing Silica's face turn red as she looked at Illustrious, Lisbeth whispered in Silica's ear, "Silica, you don't happen to like Illustrious, do you?"
Silica's face turned even redder, and she panicked, steam practically rising from her head.
"Ah! If I'd known, I wouldn't have slacked off! I need to work hard to raise my salary grade. But not today, since it's a banquet... and tomorrow won't work either! I have a date! Then the day after... no, that won't work either, I'm going to the beach with friends..." Klein went over his schedule and realized he only had about a third of the month free to kill monsters and improve his strength.
Kirito facepalmed. "No wonder your salary grade is C. You were so diligent for the first few days, how did you end up getting lazier and lazier?"
"It can't be helped. A man has many social obligations, isn't that only natural?" Klein said dismissively.
"So what's the second policy that's good for us?" Illustrious wanted to hear the rest.
Jinno Rinko replied, "The second is that all Rulers in the Clearing Group will be given a 100-square-meter apartment. The location is in the Setagaya District of the East Capital."
"Oh my god! This is great! I never thought I'd be able to live in the wealthy residential area of the East Capital in my lifetime," Klein said with a look of joy.
Illustrious was also happy. This policy was great! With that apartment, she could have a world for just her and Asuna. "The good news is over, so what's the bad news?"
"The bad news is that our Organization has discovered the base of the terrorist Organization Laughing Coffin. This time, the state has commissioned the Clearing Group to eliminate them," Jinno Rinko said solemnly.
"Is it mandatory for everyone to participate?" Klein asked.
Jinno Rinko replied, "It's voluntary! However, I still hope you all can participate and contribute to the country. After all, the members of Laughing Coffin are extremely dangerous to society; they commit arson, murder, and robbery—there is no evil they won't do."
"The police cannot capture them, because the members of Laughing Coffin are all Rulers, possessing the attribute of immortality that even nuclear bombs cannot destroy. Ordinary people cannot kill them; only you, as fellow Rulers, have the ability to eliminate them."
Everyone discussed the plan to eliminate Laughing Coffin.
"Laughing Coffin members are all bastards. Since we have the ability, we definitely should eliminate them. After all, their evil deeds have indirectly given Rulers a bad name. Laughing Coffin has contributed quite a bit to why some ordinary people hate Rulers!"
"However, I hear the members of Laughing Coffin are not characters to be trifled with. I heard two of them are even ranked in the top ten of the Ruler Rankings."
"Only two? We, the Capture Team, have the Strongest Ruler, Illustrious. What the hell do we have to be afraid of?"
"Well said! What the hell do we have to be afraid of? Let's just go kill them."
Kirito asked Jinno Rinko, "When are we going to launch the punitive expedition against them?"
"In three days! At that time, those from the Capture Team who volunteer to go should gather at the Dueling Plaza of sword art online, not far from East Capital High School. I will tell you the location, and we can directly destroy the base then," Jinno Rinko replied.
"Three days? Then we'll let them live a few more extra days." Klein showed a fierce look. One of his friends had died at the hands of Laughing Coffin. In three days, they could finally wipe them out in one fell swoop.
"Alright, Rinko has finished saying what she needed to say. Everyone, start eating to your heart's content!" Alice called out to the crowd.
"Woohoo! Finally, we can eat! I'm practically starving." Illustrious licked her lips, grabbed a duck leg, and began devouring it.
Everyone stared at Illustrious dumbfounded, because her eating manners were utterly unladylike. However, this made them feel she was approachable. Before, they had thought Illustrious was an unattainable immortal fairy, a beautiful maiden who didn't even poop. Now, their desire to approach Illustrious was gradually manifesting.
Their eyes glared hostilely at one another. Everyone was thinking that Illustrious belonged to him, and they shouldn't compete, or they would face ruthless consequences.
"Illustrious, eat slower. You're a girl, pay attention to your image," Asuna reminded her.
Seeing so many people watching her, Illustrious blushed and began eating in small bites. Being a beautiful maiden truly was inconvenient! She had to pay attention to her image all the time and couldn't even enjoy her meal.
Halfway through the meal, a group of men in black entered from outside. The one leading them appeared to be their boss, who had a stunningly hot beauty clinging to his shoulder.
A middle-aged man in a suit ran up to the boss and respectfully said, "Aiya! Isn't this Big Brother Yokota? It is truly an honor to have you grace my Wen Dongfang Grand Hotel with your presence!"
"Darling, the people here are so shabby! Can you please kick them out? I don't want to eat with them." The hot beauty rubbed her chest against Big Brother Yokota's shoulder and said seductively.
"Aiyo! Misako, you really make me unable to resist! No problem, I'll immediately make these people disappear from your sight." Big Brother Yokota glanced at the follower behind him.
Big Brother Yokota's follower, Nishimura Yuji, immediately understood. He said arrogantly, "Manager Ishii, my Big Brother has reserved this entire place today. Tell these people to scram immediately."
"That would be difficult! They have paid, and if we make them leave before they finish, no one will come here anymore," Manager Ishii said with some difficulty.
Nishimura Yuji pulled out a fruit knife and chopped it down onto a dining table. The knife stuck in the table, and he couldn't pull it out easily. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he directed his anger at Manager Ishii. "I don't care about your business! If you don't kick these people out today, I'll tell my brothers to smash your restaurant, so you can never do business again."
Nishimura Yuji waved his hand. The twenty-plus men in black behind him immediately pulled out fruit knives. They only needed an order from Nishimura Yuji to smash the hotel.
"No, no, no! Let's talk this out calmly. I'll immediately ask everyone here to leave." Manager Ishii hurriedly told the guests to leave, stating that they didn't need to pay for the meal; it was on the house.
Hearing the manager say this, the guests immediately agreed. It was great not having to pay, and since these men in black clearly looked like gangsters who shouldn't be provoked, they chose to flee the scene.
After most of the guests had been asked to leave, Manager Ishii approached the area where Alice was hosting her dinner party and said apologetically, "Miss Alice, I apologize for interrupting your meal. Please stop eating here today. We are unable to serve you any further."
The Rulers present all looked toward Alice, wanting to see how she would handle this. She was the leader of the Capture Team. Would she swallow her anger, or would she angrily push back?
If Alice swallowed her anger and told them to leave, they wouldn't object, but they would look down on her internally. After all, these men in black were clearly bad people. If she could tolerate this, she wouldn't be fit to be the leader of the Capture Team.
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