Popularity Contest Questions (Lisbeth, Agil, Klein, Silica)
In the third popularity contest held by Kawahara Reki as Kunori Fumio, back during the web novel period (to be more exact, in 2005), he figured,
“There’s not that many new characters, thus I was worried there won’t be much difference from the first and second times. Hence, if I ask for questions… if I were to do that, the much-more-unknown sub-characters might just get more votes as the main characters already have quite a bit of information on them.“
Hence, it turned into a Q&A session with the characters.
Spoilers alert. This was held some time after he started writing Alicization.
That said, there’s close to no heavy spoilers this time, as long as you finished up till episode 7 of the anime or volume 2 of the light novel.
I’ll be doing the rest bit by bit.
*-s are links to notes. Click on them.
The number within the brackets is when the non-question (invalid) votes are added in.
6th – Lisbeth
8th – Agil
10th – Klein
12th – Silica
6th – Lisbeth (Shinozaki Rika) – 25 votes (37)
Q. Lisbeth-san, having slept together with Kirito, how comfortable was it?
A. It’s such a pity that I was in no position to really remember how it felt.
Q. What weapons were popular? Please mention the best 5.
A. During SAO, sorted according to how many orders I had for them, one-handed straight swords, two-handed straight swords, throwing knives, axes, hammers, I guess. There were many requests for throwing knives because they were cheap and easy to lose, I believe.
Q. Did you make anything with your hammer aside from weapons, like armour?
A. There were quite a lot of orders for metal armour and shields.
Q. What was the reason you became a smith?
A. It was a simple reason. I was a smith in the MMORPG I was in before SAO.
Q. How did the second round of love go?
A. It’s still in progress!
Q. Please tell me your dreams of the future.
A. I want to go into engineering in university.
Q. Didn’t your personality change halfway through?
A. It’s maturity developed from that broken heart.
Q. What’s the possibility of progress in your relationship with Kirito from now on?
A. No one knows what will happen, that’s just how life is.
Q. This might be blunt, but what exactly happened that night?
A. We just stuck together and slept, really.
Q. You said you were a “serious student” before SAO, so how did you end up joining SAO?
A. Because the MMO game for the PC that I played as a breather between studies was fun, maybe?
Q. What do you usually do?
A. I earnestly train as a smith in ALO, alright. In the real world, I often play around with Asuna, Kirito and Silica.
Q. Was there competition in business against other smiths during the SAO period?
A. Well, yea, there were loads. But the sword that cleared the game was mine, you know.
Q. I doubt you participate in combat much, but are there any techniques you’re good at?
A. I did like those area attacks where you swing a mace around.
Q. Don’t you feel any regrets over interrupting that time Kirito tried to give an answer to your confession? *
A. Nah, well… it would merely be out of sympathy, no matter what he said back then… I can’t deny that it was disappointing though…
Q. When you slept together, “if I seal (with the use of the Ethics Code Removal option!) this in!” …Did that come to mind? *
A. The problem with that option is that it’s too complex, and when swept away by the flow… that’s why it’s difficult. I really didn’t have the composure to do that…
Q. Can I get you to forge a sword? I’ll go gather the materials, so let’s go together.
A. It’ll cost you.
Q. Will you appear in SAO4?
A. I’ll appear no matter what.
Q. Your three sizes?
A. …Without lying? …They’re 86-64-85. *
Q. Do you still like Kazuto?
A. Well, I haven’t met anyone better.
Q. Do you meet up with Kazuto in the real world? (the two of you alone)
A. It did technically happen, but it’s just getting treated to Mac or stuff like that. *
Q. Don’t you think about stealing Kirito from Asuna and attaining happiness, even now?
A. If you’re saying to attain happiness like that, I really do feel that it wouldn’t be able to end up that way.
Q. When will you counter-attack in the war for Kirito…!? And also, don’t you think more rivals will be popping up on that other side that’s being serialised right now?
A. Well, life is long after all!
Q. After returning to reality, did you receive the payment (for the sword) from Kirito? If you did, what did you get?
A. I got a cute silver hammer pendant on my birthday. It was from Asuna too, though.
Q. What is Kirito-kun to you?
A. Dark and extremely chaotic on the outside, but mildly warm inside, with the tea held in his hands giving off a relaxing scent… something like that?
8th – Agil (Andrew Gilbert Mills) – 17 votes (20)
Q. Where were you born?
A. Both my place of birth and where I live is in Ueno, Tokyo.
Q. Ah, erm… Do you have someone you like (or maybe a wife), Agil-san?
A. Wife’s name is Kathy.
Q. Here’s a practical question, are you selling well? (do include the reason why
A. I cut no corners when it comes to cooking, so it gets busy at night.
Q. It might be nice to know the recipes for what’s on the menu at your shop.
A. There’s most of the usual alcohol. Food’s in the Southern American style.
Q. Bro! Teach me how to be a true man!
A. No shields.
Q. I wanna know what’s popular on your shop’s menu.
A. Our original cocktail, “Strong Axe”.
Q. Is the shop profitable?
A. Well, it’s getting along.
Q. Please say how you met your wife!
A. She lived nearby and well… we were both foreigners, various things happened and we had shared interests and all.
Q. What’s your fighting style?
A. While taking on ten blows, inflict one fatal one back.
Q. Net and real, which business is earning more?
A. Well, if you’re asking which one’s thriving, it would be the one in ALO, though that’s a real pity.
Q. I sure wanna take a look at that rumoured reliable wife of yours, lol.
A. If you’re above twenty, come over to the shop at night anytime.
Q. Did you manage to open a shop on the fiftieth floor of the reborn Aincrad?
A. Yea, I’m working hard earning at the exact same place my original shop stood.
Q. Did you enter any guilds?
A. I was in the merchant guild.
Q. How did you GET that beautiful wife?
A. If you’re a man, go for broke.
Q. After those irregularities right after SAO started, how did you think of choosing commerce over clearing the game?
A. I figured even the clearing guilds need people who can inject funds in… but unexpectedly, all of the clearers ended rich.
Q. You aren’t part of the clearers, so how are you so strong?
A. Because I’m a nice guy.
Q. How’s your shop?
A. It’s forever “getting along”.
10th – Klein – 10 votes (10)
Q. What’s the pattern on your bandana?
A. It’s “Spirit” written in kanji, yo.
Q. Isn’t it sad?
A. The heck is!? If you’re talking about how I can’t get a girl… yea, it’s real sad.
Q. What’s your real name?
A. Eeh, my real name wasn’t mentioned yet? Seriously? Then, maybe I’ll continue keeping it a secret for a bit more!
Q. In the old SAO, how strong were you?
A. Right behind Kirito.
Q. Are there any females in your guild right now?
A. It’s not like the guild’s worth is decided by the number of female players. Isn’t that right?
Q. How old are ya?
A. Twenty-six.
Q. This may be unreserved, but please tell me your real name.
A. Guess it can’t be helped, I’ll tell ya. Tsuboi Ryoutarou. Easy to tell how I got my character name, huh? Ha-ha. *
Q. Are Iai slashes in the “Katana” skill?
A. There were rumours that there were techniques like that if you get it all the way up there, but I couldn’t confirm it myself…
Q. I’ll be blunt, just how strong are you?
A. I guess I could say that I won’t lose to anyone aside from Kirito.
Q. What’s the name of the katana you used till the end of SAO?
A. “Kokuenmaru”. Sure was a great sword. *
12th – Silica (Ayano Keiko) – 6 votes (19)
Q. How do you reduce stress?
A. By playing with Pina.
Q. How did you catch the 2nd generation of Pina?
A. It was included in the converted data. That’s why it’s the same as during SAO, with its training data.
Q. How strong are you in games aside from SAO?
A. In ALO, Asuna-san can’t quite match up to Leafa-san, huh.
Q. Your three sizes are?
A. They are… 77-57-80.
Q. The Nerve Gear was restricted from being used by children below 13, but did it not cause any problems in the real world?
A. There doesn’t seem to be any. And the AmuSphere’s fine from 10 years old too. I do wonder just how did my elementary school self get sucked in VRMMOs though.
Q. Don’t you mix up the dragon Pina with the cat Pina?
A. I live in the school’s hostel right now, so I only meet with the cat Pina at home once in a while.
Notes
Lisbeth-1: Kirito said, “It’s still impossible for me right now, but if you give me some time, I…” in the web novel, right before Liz interrupted and told him to tell the rest to Asuna (near the end of part 3).
Lisbeth-2: The question refers to doing that so as to seal a relationship with him. Just to clarify, since I can’t quite get its phrasing right.
Lisbeth-3: In light of recent events, I would like to remind everyone these questions are from back before it was published as a book.
Lisbeth-4: McDonalds.
Klein-1: “Kurain no Tsuboi” (Klein Bottle).
Klein-2: “黒炎丸 (Black Flame-maru)”.