"----"
A somewhat heavy atmosphere spread between Luo Zhen and Leafa, causing the surrounding pedestrians to repeatedly glance this way as though they had sensed something.
Yet Luo Zhen and Leafa seemed completely unaware of it. They simply stared at each other, neither paying any attention to their surroundings.
Luo Zhen remained silent the entire time.
Leafa, meanwhile, suppressed her emotions and stared straight at Luo Zhen, waiting for his answer.
This situation continued for who knew how long.
Until...
"I thought you'd never been curious about it."
Luo Zhen relaxed his expression and spoke with a bitter smile.
In front of Naoha, Luo Zhen had mentioned Asuna's existence more than once. He had even brought up Kirito several times.
With that being the case, how could Naoha possibly not know that name?
Yet all this time, Naoha had never asked.
The reason was simple.
"From what you've said, that Miss Asuna still hasn't woken up, right?"
Leafa spoke in a low voice.
"Yeah." Luo Zhen nodded. "She still hasn't woken up. Even though SAO has already been cleared, three hundred players, including her, remain asleep."
No one—not even the experts—could explain why this had happened.
But judging from Luo Zhen's appearance, he seemed to know the truth.
That was why Luo Zhen had come to this world: to save those three hundred players who had yet to awaken.
No. More accurately, he had come for only one of those three hundred players—the girl named Asuna.
Then who exactly was she?
Or rather, who exactly was she to Luo Zhen?
Leafa was not stupid, so she had a certain idea.
That idea was...
"Your lover..." Leafa asked cautiously. "Is she your lover, Brother?"
Only that could explain why Luo Zhen cared so much about her.
Leafa had already thought this