Money Can Buy Everything

068: How About Becoming My Real Daughter

Argo's smile was somewhat bitter, but this was her decision. Despite having certain emotions lingering in her heart, Argo decided to intercept them and not let them erupt.

Asuna smiled faintly, saying, "Well then, I really believe in you, Argo. As you said, after all, it's just a task, just a game. Momo definitely can't bear to refuse you and Yui. After all, that's just who he is."

"Yeah, even though he looks like a playboy, so far, everything he's done should be considered good deeds, right?"

Asuna nodded, saying, "Exactly, but Argo, you said something wrong just now. That is, Momo being with me isn't lucky for him, it's lucky for me."

Argo was slightly surprised, saying, "Do you really see Momo like that? Could that guy really be that outstanding?"

A hint of pride surged on Asuna's face as she said, "Of course he is. In the real world— Forget about the real world, just look at how he is doing in the game, he have strength, character, and charismatic enough to establish two guilds and able to lead all of the male player into starting to clear the game, he’s also able to do that all the while protecting all female players, Momo has done it effortlessly."

"Even with these things, Momo hasn't really put his heart into it; everything is within his control, even that Diavel guys are obediently helping Momo work. With all of that kind of achievement under his belt, what reason is there for him not to be outstanding?"

Argo was speechless; looking at Asuna's proud and happy expression, she felt a hint of jealousy.

Yes, even though she had always called Momo a playboy, occasionally belittling him for various reasons, just imagine, if it weren't for Momo, what would the entire death game be like?

Without Momo, she wouldn't see the current scene, because Argo the Mouse had already died in the mouth of the mouse, becoming Argo who died under the mouse's mouth.

"Yeah, he's really outstanding..."

Outstanding enough to move one's heart, outstanding enough to not want to give up.

If Momo wasn't so outstanding, so important, how could Argo feel so reluctant to part with him?

"So, Argo, I will never give up on Momo. I will definitely protect the relationship between me and Momo, I definitely want to be with Momo, unless Momo really stops liking me... otherwise, I won't give up."

Asuna's determined tone made Argo's heart ache. She bit her lip, understanding the purpose of Asuna's approach to her.

It wasn't blame, it wasn't accusation, it wasn't interrogation, and it wasn't using their friendship as leverage. It was just openly stating her position.

However, it was precisely this approach that left Argo helpless. Unless Argo really abandoned everything and decided to destroy everything.

But how could Argo do that?

"So, Argo, being with Momo is my happiness. Even now, liking Momo, Momo liking me, these things still make me feel like I'm dreaming, and I will never let go of this sense of happiness."

Argo remained silent for a few seconds before smiling and saying, "Indeed, Asuna, you really like Momo! Well, it's truly enviable. I wish I could find a boy like that someday."

"Of course you will. Now you can experience it! After all, you're already married to Momo, and you even have a daughter. I'm the one who's envious on the sidelines!"

"Haha, Asuna, you're joking! What marriage? It's just a bond formed by Yui. Without Yui, what relationship would we have? It's just a game... "

"Is it really just a game?"

"Of course, this death game is just a game. What else could it be?"

"Well, Argo, why say so much? Come help me with the ingredients, and I'll prepare the seasonings. Hmph, not to boast, but I recently prepared a new sauce with over thirty ingredients. I named it 'Dreamy Sauce!'"

"Wow, what a cheesy name. Asuna, your naming skills are really terrible!"

"Damn it, Argo, how dare you belittle my writing skills!"

"Does such a thing even exist?"

The two of them stood back to back, one handling the seasonings, the other handling the ingredients. It seemed unusually harmonious. However, the knife in Argo's hand didn't just lightly touch the ingredients as usual; instead, she subconsciously cut them, chopping the ingredients into pieces as if in reality.

Well, this kind of operation was also allowed. After all, Sword Art Online wasn't an ordinary game. It's just that everyone was accustomed to the system's assistance and wouldn't waste time doing such things.

In essence, it was all the same; there was no difference.

...

"Wow, Dad, look at that, the black butterfly!"

Momo carried Yui to the lakeside, and Yui quickly ran among the grass and flowers as if she were truly carefree.

Watching Yui's joyful smile, Momo's lips curved upwards. Yui's current innocence and purity were what he liked to see the most.

Such a child shouldn't have darkness in her heart.

"Ohh—"

Yui raised her head cautiously, with the black butterfly resting on the tip of her nose. She tilted her head back, looking upwards, but her feet moved towards Momo, as if she wanted Momo to see this rare sight.

However, facing upwards while walking on uneven ground was too difficult for a seven or eight-year-old child.

"Oops!"

As expected, Yui tripped over her left foot with her right foot, stumbled, and almost fell backward. The butterfly on her nose flew away. Just as Yui was about to cry out in surprise at the impending fall, a towering figure gently lifted her up, avoiding the fall.

After being surprised for a few seconds, Yui completely forgot about the scare just now and laughed sweetly, saying, "Haha, Dad, Yui loves Dad the most!"

"What about Mom?"

"Yui loves Mom the most too!"

"If Yui had to choose between Dad and Mom, who would Yui choose?"

"Yui would choose both Dad and Mom, not one less!"

Listening to the conversation between this foolish father and daughter, Reimu could barely stand it anymore. She said, "You brought Yui out here not just for shelter, right? What exactly are you planning? It's better to act sooner rather than later."

Momo nodded, smiling as he looked at Yui and said, "Alright, Yui, Daddy has a question for you. You must answer Daddy according to what you truly feel, okay?"

"Yes!"

"Then, Yui, my question is, do you want to truly be my daughter? Not just in this game, but in the real world, forever my daughter, no matter which world it is?"

Yui suddenly widened her eyes, stunned.

Because Momo activated the trade ability and applied for a trade with Yui, wanting Yui to become his daughter.

"As a price, I will always love you, protect you, be your father. Are you willing?"

The trade ability truthfully reached Yui's heart, allowing her to make a choice. Yui's current level of intelligence was already enough to be recognized as a true trading partner.

"Hey, can you really do this kind of trade?"

"Of course I can. Anyway, right now, Yui is just a program. The program's blueprint is still with Nobuyuki Sugou, but I will find him later and get Yui's program blueprint."

"With Yui's program blueprint and the trade ability, there will be a way whether to let Yui continue to exist or to transform Yui into a human. After all, didn't we see Alice's robot appear in the later stages of Sword Art Online?"

Reimu nodded and said, "But why are you doing this? Bringing Yui out here, aren't you just trying to inquire about the secrets on Yui? Wanting to know what conspiracy lies behind all this?"

"Exactly. Unlike Sugou, I'm not heartless enough to use Yui. Instead, I will help Yui solve her problems, ease her worries."

Momo didn't ask Yui why she was here, what her relationship with Nobuyuki Sugou was. Instead, he chose to make Yui truly become his daughter. Afterwards, he would face everything with Yui as a father.

Yui bit her lip, her body trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Momo activated the trade ability, and it successfully activated, indicating that Yui accepted the conditions proposed by Momo, which Momo could now fulfill. Therefore, the activated trade ability inevitably gained Yui's trust, and Yui already believed that Momo genuinely wanted to be her father, not just a fake relationship as it was now.

"But... is this really okay, Daddy– Daddy must have already seen it, right? Daddy– Daddy is being deceived— Yui has a purpose— Yui is not a good child..."

"No, Yui is not even human— just a program."

Momo gently wiped away the tears from Yui's eyes and said, "Yui is Yui. Whether she is human or not doesn't matter. What I care about, what I like, is Yui herself. So, Yui, don't think too much. Just follow your heart."

"Heart... Does Yui even have a heart?"

Yui reached towards her chest and said, "Yui— Yui because— Yui cannot say, Yui's purpose— also cannot say. Even so, Daddy still loves Yui, right?"

"Yes, Yui. All of this shouldn't have been something you had to face. This is Daddy's battle, a battle between Daddy and Sugou."

"Daddy knows that you don't want to do this. There must be that man arrangement behind it. Daddy won't let you break the agreement, and what Daddy wants to do is truly become your father, then face everything with you as a father."

"Answer me, Yui. Are you willing?"

A brilliant smile spread across Yui's face as she said, "I'm willing, I'm willing!"

"Daddy, Yui loves you the most!"