Sword Art Online

Could a six-year-old child really share a room with Roxy?

He grumbled inwardly, mocking his big brother for being a toad lusting after a swan. He'd figured it out: his brother had been plotting this all along, with ulterior motives. Sure enough, everyone who shared his blood was just the same.

Under Roa's stern gaze, Rudeus had no choice but to speak up. "Why not let Big Brother share a room with Roxy? My room is a mess, and it's pretty small, too. Big Brother's room, on the other hand, should be big enough for two people to live in."

Paul thought it over, hesitating. "But your big brother is a boy, after all. It just doesn't feel right for him to sleep in the same room as a girl."

Rudeus continued to smooth things over. "Big Brother's only six, though. Miss Roxy can just think of him as her little brother."

Paul glanced at Roa, whose face was as calm as a still lake. The doll-like little face somehow made Paul feel like it wouldn't be a problem.

Roa chose that moment to speak. "Since my little brother doesn't want to share with his teacher, I think I can accept sharing with her."

Rudeus was stunned. He stared incredulously at his unruffled big brother, inwardly cursing him for his shamelessness and for dumping the blame on him.

The child's voice was soft and androgynous, his appearance deceptively innocent, and his manner cool. Paul sensed that something was a little off, but somehow didn't feel that there was anything wrong with it.

After thinking for a while, he turned to Roxy. She was enthusiastically digging into her food, and it was obvious she'd been hungry for a long time.

"Um, Roxy, would you be all right sharing a room with Roa?" Paul asked.

Roxy glanced at the rosy-cheeked little boy out of the corner of her eye. Her attention was entirely on the food in front of her, and she agreed almost without thinking. "Sure, no problem."

At that, Roa's lips curled into a faint smile. Inside, he was laughing triumphantly.

It wasn't until Roxy had finished eating and was about to head to the room to rest that she finally realized what she'd agreed to.

She grabbed Roa by the sleeve, looking incredulous. "I'm sharing a bed with you?"

Roa nodded, his expression calm.

Seeing Roxy's face flush, he felt he ought to explain. He spoke slowly. "Um, my room is actually pretty big."

Roxy looked at the soft-featured little boy for a moment, then sighed and accepted this grim reality.

She carried her luggage upstairs and entered Roa's room, only to find herself pleasantly surprised.

Just as Roa had said, his room was quite large. It was surprisingly clean, with a wooden desk against the wall and a chair beside it. Books were neatly arranged on the desktop.

She took a quick look. Most were about magic, along with a few that introduced the world's history.

The floor was spotless and polished. It was clear the owner often cleaned the place, and the bedding was folded up neatly.

A faint, delicate fragrance filled the room. When she took a closer sniff, she realized it smelled exactly like Roa.

The word "body fragrance" inexplicably crossed Roxy's mind.

"Teacher, you must be tired. You've been on the road for a long time. You can rest first," Roa said in his childish voice.

"I have to admit, I am a little sleepy." Roxy put her things away and couldn't help yawning.

Roa sat in a chair, holding a book on the surface while actually mulling over world capture.

The dim candlelight illuminated Roa's adorable little face. His smooth, soft golden hair fell to his waist, and his golden eyes were pure and flawless, like yellow gemstones. His expression was serious and solemn, and he was completely focused.

It seemed the boy had been like this from the very beginning. Somehow, he felt different from other children. He always seemed so calm and reliable.

→

Roxy had this thought.

She began taking off her magician-style coat. As she undressed, she kept a discreet eye on Roa out of the corner of her eye. If he dared to peep, she would absolutely ask to change rooms.

Unfortunately, the child in front of her seemed to be engrossed in his book, completely unmoved by anything around him.

Roxy sighed, feeling both pleased and a little sad. She couldn't help thinking, Did I really have no charm at all?

What Roxy didn't know was that Roa was examining the system's functions with great interest.

[One-star world found: Sword Art Online]

[Time ratio between the one-star world and the current world: 4:1]

[World coordinates located successfully]

[Choose how you will enter: 1. Soul projection (requires control), 2. True-body transmigration]

[Note 1: If your soul projection dies, your soul will only be injured. If your true body dies after transmigration, you will truly die.]

[Note 2: After settling the results of a soul-projection transmigration, you can only obtain some of the experience from the current world (distributable).]

[Note 3: Participate in the story as much as possible to obtain a large amount of the Power of Time and Space and prepare for your next transmigration.]

[Note 4: Your small world is incomplete. You may need a large amount of the Power of Origin.]

Roa pondered. There were two ways to transmigrate. One was to split off a portion of his soul and send it into that world as a projection. The advantage was that he could continue acting in both the real world and the world he transmigrated to. The drawback was obvious: he couldn't claim all the rewards and would have to choose only some of them.

With true-body transmigration, he could only choose one or the other.

After thinking it over for a long time, he decided Sword Art Online was a low-level martial world, an average one at best. It really wasn't worth sending his true body there.

In that case, he'd use a soul projection.

He selected soul projection.

Three options popped up:

[Choose one of the following three identities to enter the one-star world: (The chosen identity will slightly affect your talents)]

[Sword Skill Apprentice: Slightly improves talent]

[Fool (special): The Fool, innocent and pure, takes fearless steps along life's journey]

[Note 1: Choosing this talent will slightly affect your personality.]

[You will receive the following traits: innocent, pure, conceited, stubborn, unstable.]

[Note 2: If you successfully clear the world with this talent, you can unlock a higher level of the Fool talent.]

[Student: Slightly improves learning talent]

The Fool? Roa furrowed his brow again. Honestly, he hadn't expected to see this talent again.

But clearly, the Fool talent was stronger than the other two.

His Fool talent was only at the first tier, yet even that had already greatly improved his grasp of magic.

"Then I choose [Fool] as my talent for entering the world."

Roa focused his mind. The next moment, his perspective began to split off. His soul divided in two, and he could clearly sense the other self's point of view, senses, and state.

It was a very novel experience.

He began controlling the other self while dividing his attention between the two.

That other self, meanwhile, existed as the Fool.

The time ratio was unexpectedly low, only [1:4].

If he didn't pay attention to it, the Fool would act according to the simulated body's habitual behavior. It was a bit like an AI taking over, essentially an automated mode.

Of course, he could occasionally switch perspectives and experience what it was like to be in Sword Art Online. It was a pretty novel experience.