Sword Art Online: Alicization - War of Underworld

That's...

Mentor!

I always believed in you!

Lady Alice...

The Night Before Battle

I just looked at the Eastern Gate.

There's not much time before the gate's destroyed and the enemy pushes through.

The enemy army has about 50,000 troops. We have 3,000.

We have to give them what training we can.

Where are the other Integrity Knights?

From above, I could only see seven outside.

That's everyone.

That's ridiculous!

There should be 31 members of the order, including me!

Surely you're aware, Lady Alice.

That Prime Senator Chudelkin had been used a retuning art

on knights who showed symptoms of memory issues.

Ten of those knights have yet to awaken from that art.

At this time, 21 knights are awake.

Four are watching over the Cathedral and the capital,

and four are patrolling the End Mountains.

That leaves thirteen.

Our forces are already stretched too thin.

And yet, Lady Alice...

Do you intend to shield that young man while you fight?

Of course I do.

Because I swore to protect him.

You mustn't, Mentor!

Should you encumber yourself with such deadweight in battle,

not only will it diminish the power of your sword, it could expose you to danger yourself!

Well, don't get so worked up, Eldrie.

Yo, little one.

I'm relieved to see you look better than I expected.

Have your cheeks filled in a little?

Uncle.

It's been a long time.

Commander—

Uncle.

Is he going to kill Kirito?

It's all right, little one.

U-Uncle...

Little one, did you just see that?

Yes. It was only for an instant, but I definitely saw the flash of a sword.

I launched an Incarnate Sword, or rather, a dagger at that young man.

If it had hit, it would've sliced some skin off his cheek.

If it had... hit? Which means...

That's right. He stopped it.

With his own willpower.

It doesn't look like the young man's mind is here.

But he's not dead.

Listen.

The boy wasn't protecting himself, but you, little one.

So he'll be back one day. That's what I think.

Probably when you need him the most.

So you see, Eldrie.

We can look after one young man.

All right. Wait a moment, okay?

Kirito.

Even though your heart has been lost since that battle,

you still tried to protect me from Uncle's sword technique.

What do you think of me?

What do I think of Kirito?

No. I'm only a created being.

Who continues to occupy Alice Zuberg's body.

A puppet who exists to fight.

I'm not allowed the luxury of feeling anything other than the intent to fight.

But maybe...

it's because I've been suppressing my feelings that you can't hear my voice.

If I were to unleash all of my willpower at this moment,

would you respond?

U-Um...

W-We've brought your dinner, Lady Knight.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

U-Um, it's bread and something to drink.

You don't have to be afraid.

Are you two from the North Centoria Imperial Swordcraft Academy?

Yes! I'm Primary Trainee Tiese Schtrinen of the Human Guardian Army Supply Corps.

Primary Trainee Ronie Arabel, of the same.

You don't have to be so formal.

Here, I'm just another swordsman, nothing more.

Please call me Alice.

What's the matter?

O-Oh, it's nothing.

It's just that you seem so different from when we met you at the academy.

You... think so?

Anyway, is there something you wanted?

Yes.

Um, Lady Kni— Lady Alice, we heard that you arrived with a dark-haired young man.

And we were wondering if he might be someone we know.

So we thought...

Oh, yeah. That's right.

You two were friends with Kirito at the academy, weren't you?

So it is Kirito-senpai!

Then Eugeo-senpai must...

This might be too harsh for you to bear.

But I have faith, that as Kirito's, as well as Eugeo's juniors,

you're surely capable of accepting it.

I just... heard...

Eugeo-senpai's voice.

He said, "Don't cry. I'll always be here."

Did you two have feelings for Kirito and Eugeo—

That's not it! I... I'm...

Lady Alice, you know the Taboo Kirito-senpai and Eugeo-senpai violated, don't you?

Yes. I was told they killed another student.

How about what led them to break that Taboo?

No, not that much.

Kirito-senpai and Eugeo-senpai raised their swords to save us.

If only we'd been a little wiser

they wouldn't have fought the Church to change the law, and no one would've died.

We've committed an irreparable crime!

That's why...

no matter what happens, we can't ever...

...admit we're in love with them!

No, you're wrong about that.

You've committed no crime.

Lady Alice, you...

You're an esteemed Integrity Knight, Lady Alice, so you can't understand!

Our bodies were played with, and our pride has been tainted by sin!

The body is nothing more than a vessel for your heart.

The heart... the soul is the only thing that truly exists.

And what determines the nature of your soul...

is you alone.

I know I can do it.

Just like how Kirito showed me.

You see?

Your body and appearance merely follow your heart.

Your heart can't be tainted by anyone.

I was born in a village in the hinterlands, and I should've grown up to be like this.

But when I was eleven, I was taken away as a criminal,

my memories were erased by an art technique and I became an Integrity Knight.

There were times when I cursed such a fate.

But...

Kirito taught me that there was something that I could do... that I should do.

And that's why I'll never hesitate again.

I've decided to accept myself as I am and move on.

I'm sure there's a wide, long, and straight path meant only for you, too.

Yo.

Uncle. Good morning.

About where we're going to put that young man.

If you want, I can ask the rearguard unit—

No.

It's fine.

I met his former pages from the academy,

and asked them to look after him once the battle begins.