The fervor in Golden Stone City was merely a microcosm of the entire Aiselan Kingdom.
The day after the press conference, the price for a hibernation pod reservation on the black market had skyrocketed from five Silver Naels to a terrifying sum that could bankrupt an ordinary family—5 Gold Ducats.
But this did nothing to stop the frenzy.
As night fell, the entire Golden Stone City sank into an eerie, deathly silence.
The streets were deserted.
Taverns were closed, blacksmith forges were extinguished, and even the Royal Capital's most prosperous red-light district had its doors tightly shut.
Patrolling military police clutched their halberds, watching the faint, eerie blue light seeping from the windows of the houses on both sides of the street.
That was the glow of the holographic hibernation pods in operation.
At this moment, there were ten minutes left until the launch of *Sword Art Online*.
「Royal Capital, Lower District.」
