How come I must know
where obsession needs to go?
How come I must know
the direction of relieving?
Deep in the night
Far off the light
Missing my headache
Visions of light
Sweeter delight
Kissin' my Loveache
Deep in the night
Far off the light
Missing my headache
Visions of light
Sweeter delight
Kissin' my Loveache
How come I must know
where obsession needs to go?
How come I must know
where the passion hides its feelings?
How come I must know
where obsession needs to go?
How come I must know
the direction of relieving?
How are you?
Okay.
Okay, huh? How've you been doing lately? Same old same old?
Who cares?
Let's get to it...
I'm requesting some help. About 500,000.
You are one of my parents after all, right?
There are a lot of things I want to do.
Like what?
A car... I need a down payment.
A car?
If I don't get a down payment in this week, it's going to someone else.
Your mother... does she know?
You tell her!
That would complicate matters.
Don't worry, I'll follow up on it.
I think I'm better at handling her than you are.
You bailed out in the middle...
I've been hanging out with her more than you have.
So within two days. Just get it into the usual bank account.
Hey!
Did I interrupt something?
No, you don't have to be so considerate.
Well, you know... do you come over to this server often?
Not really.
I see...
So strange.
Strange, huh?
I mean, you're the one that's being considerate.
I see...
I'm sure that there will be an item over there...
Normally, where do you go, and what do you do?
It varies.
Aren't you bored?
Dunno...
Hey, don't you want to do something?
Like what?
Here, in The World.
You have plenty of time, so don't you think it's a waste to do nothing?
It's good if you want to be like Subaru...
Or you can try to find a hidden legendary item.
I mean, it can be anything.
I think there's more meaning in just thinking about...
...doing something, than idly wasting time.
You really are selfish...
You don't know anything!
Who are you?
Why am I the only one like this?
Will I understand if I think about it?
What should I do?
I'm thinking, I really am...
Hey old man!
Are you bored?
Oh, it's you, Mimiru.
Ouch. ''Oh, it's you, Mimiru.'' That hurts.
Sorry.
I was planning to meet up with Tsukasa, but he stood me up.
So I didn't think it was good to keep calling for him.
And I just came here thinking it couldn't hurt.
I see. By any chance, was your meeting spot...
...Carmina Gadelica?
It was, but why?
I saw Tsukasa.
You were over there too? What do you mean, you saw him?
Did something happen?
It did, didn't it...
Mimiru, can I ask you a favor?
Hm?
I think I said something I shouldn't have to Tsukasa.
Something you shouldn't have?
Well, something that sounds more like preaching.
Tsukasa thought that I was being too pushy.
So, I was wondering if you could follow up on it...
Wait a minute!
Is it too difficult?
It's not that. I don't think anything would come of it even if I did.
You're good friends with him.
I think you're the only one that Tsukasa opens up to, Mimiru.
That's not what I mean...
I mean, isn't it strange for me to do something about what you did, Bear?
If you think you're at fault, then you should say so yourself.
And if you don't, maybe all you can do is to leave him alone?
No good comes out of me getting in the middle, I think.
What's wrong? This isn't like you.
Mimiru, what did you want from Tsukasa today?
Oh, just to go to a dungeon.
He accepted?
Yep.
Tsukasa looks like he can do anything.
He's the strongest because the Guardian is there if that need arises...
Though he doesn't seem to be using it recently.
And he has no time constraints, so he can level up as much as he wants.
But I think that's really boring.
Then, going through a dungeon is even more so...
Yeah, I'm sure it is.
Hm?
But it's fun to form a party, isn't it?
Player characters are real living people, you know.
A party?
With Tsukasa? I see...
What's wrong? You're really strange today.
No, you're completely right.
Hey, Bear...
I'm sorry I asked you for something so strange.
Please forget it.
Hey, Bear!
Oh, that's right!
I got a mail from someone named Helba. Did you see it?
''When the Twilight Eye doth open...
...so too shall the path to me.
Discourse with me...
...and against that power fight.
When the Key which overturns all is possessed, everything shall unfold.''
That's what the mail from Helba said.
Actually, I think there's more meaning in the fragments that accompanied it.
''Stop'', ''Navel'', ''Water''... There are some more.
Now, how to interpret all of these...
Bear?
Hmm?
I'm listening.
Are the deadlines that tough?
No.
Then, something with the family?
Bingo?
Looks like I stepped on a mine.
Just kidding.
What's wrong? You're not like your usual self.
Not like me, huh...
Mimiru told me that, too.
This is the pits.
But, this is me, too...
I'm gonna die! This is the end!
Shut up!
I don't want to die!
That's why I told you to save first!
But, but, but, but...
I'm telling you to stop being so erratic.
How can you keep going like that?
It's how I am!
You can only say that because we won.
It would have been a piece of cake if Tsukasa showed up, right?
Sorry.
It's nothing you should apologize for, Mimiru.
But, do you really know him?
What do you mean by that?
Because there's a lot of rumors.
How he had trouble with the Crimson Knights...
How he has a really amazing monster as his slave...
I was wondering if he would hang out with people like us.
You know, there is that ennui from being so famous...
That doesn't matter.
If you were to say something, I'd say that...
...he's not good at getting along with people.
Since he doesn't have enough words...
...he tends to get misunderstood a lot.
I wanted to introduce him to you, but...
Mimiru, you talk about Tsukasa as if he was your friend.
That's right, we're friends!
So you're at a complete loss, huh?
I don't think you could have helped it.
Kids nowadays are all like that, I think.
You make it sound like it's someone else's business.
It is someone else's business.
You think so, too, Bear.
That's why you can associate with Tsukasa.
I...
You're using this as compensation.
In The World, you do what you can't do in real life...
...things that are impossible, or near impossible... by playing your role.
For instance, towards a certain character...
...you play the role of a father, which you couldn't perform in real life.
I'm not blaming you for anything, so don't get me wrong.
Yeah.
But, how about just admitting this is compensation?
It would be easier that way...
...and everyone else will have fun too.
Like Crim?
He's a neat one. He's interesting.
You saw him?
Offline? Not yet.
I'm investigating Tsukasa.
Because I want to know about the Key of the Twilight...
...that will most likely be connected to Tsukasa...
To find out about it, I'm meeting Crim.
But that's not for Tsukasa.
It's for me. And I think it's fine that way, what do you think?
I guess so... You can think about it that way.
Lady Subaru will not see you.
She said that?
You didn't hear me?
Not see me... did Subaru really say that?
That is the decision of the Knights.
Normally, we would be annoyed just by talking to you like this.
Hurry up and leave.
I don't know what you spoke with Lady Subaru about.
But, if you have feelings for her as well...
...I ask you to never come here again.
Why?
Please don't disrupt Lady Subaru's heart.
It's better if you didn't see her...
No, you shouldn't be seeing her.
Please.
I've seen fragements of it.
Fragments?
Because they were quoted often during the debates.
But, to think all the text known is just these fragments.
BT?
What?
''The Path to me'' and ''Discourse with me.'' Who does ''me'' refer to?
Dunno... if you think about it, it would be the person who wrote the post...
But that's strange.
No matter who it is, why would they take such a roundabout way?
Can that person really not talk until someone gets to that area?
Is it possible to continue waiting in silence until someone gets there?
There is Tsukasa's example.
Are you saying someone else was unable to logout before him as well?
Or, perhaps it has existed within the game from the beginning.
Wait, wait, wait. How can something within the game post on the Board?
In any case, we can find out by going there and seeing this person.
BT, that's no good. I am not prepared to do such a thing!
Then, how about this? The god of this world... the creator.
That's a programmer.
I'm saying, what if there was a hidden setting for some deity...
...in this game that the users don't know about?
A continent that sunk to the sea floor in one night due to volcanic eruption.
A giant flood.
God at times resets the world.
The key to overturning everything, a god that tries to reset this world...
I don't like it. I don't intend to be the right-hand man for such a god.
It's not that it's been decided as such...
But to stop him, we have to first go there and speak with him.
That's right! So, what should I do?
I want to hear your plans for this week.
What!?
I'll talk to you in detail offline.
I can't answer that immediately.
Are you not sure of yourself?
This is a game.
It's all in play.
I would like to keep the playing within the field.
Is that the same for Subaru?
Lady Subaru...
It's all right.
It's nothing.
Geez, Tsukasa!
We promised! What's wrong?
I'm sorry.
Sheesh... It's all right.
It was fun!
A-20 is a strange girl!
Let's go. It's a waste... I mean, this IS The World...
Bear said that, too.
That it's a waste.
Why me?
Well, I had a hunch that you would know, Subaru.
Unfortunately...
I see.
Has something happened to Tsukasa?
It's my problem...
I'm not confident as to whether I can get along with him anymore.
Confident?
I can't be responsible for what Tsukasa does...
...and I have no right to be contacting him.
Have you promised him something?
No, that's not really true...
Then, would responsibility or worth matter if you want to see someone?
What is important is to try to be associated.
The worst thing you can do is to show no concern.
You don't question the motive, huh...
Whether it be of kindness or hate...
...I think Tsukasa is seeking some association.
He isn't actually shutting people out...
No, that's what I would like to believe myself.
There is a phrase...
''Meeting someone is God's doing...
...but parting is what humans do themselves.''
Moto Hagio, was it?
You know of her?
Please, don't give up.
I think I have an idea...
...why the Crimson Knights rely on you so much.
Gimme a break! Why do I have to do something like that!?
Did you call me out here just to tell me that!?
If you aren't going to do it, then just say so!
Who the hell is gonna help you!?
Don't put on that fatherly aura now of all times!
Yo.
Are you bored right now?
Not really.
Then, can you hang out with me for a bit?
What?
Listen to a boring old man's grumbling.
That's the pits.
Yeah, it's the pits.
Just until Mimiru gets here.
I mean, you can brush it off as me talking to myself.
Adults are so selfish.
That Wavemaster you met over in Carmina Gadelica the other day...
...actually...
...is my...
Preview
eien sagasu kimi wa utsurigi na yume mibito Searching for eternity, you are a frivolous dreamer
uwaki na yume ni sugari anata wa doko e yuku Holding fast to unreliable dreams, where are you going?
tasogare hiraku kagi wo sagashite tsuki no kage Searching for the key to open twilight,
todokanai mama naita watashi wa doko e yuku With the moon's shadow out of reach, I cry. Where am I going?
futari hitomi ni himitsu nakushite mo Even though secrets are lost in our eyes,
kasaneta ude wo hodoki wa shinai wa We will never break our embrace.
ichigatsu no aoi tsuki asa yake kakushite yo Pale January moon, hide the morning's glow.
owaru hazu no nai yoru ni yasashii yoake The gentle dawn of a night that should not end.