Chapter 4: The Game Begins
A Request Declined
Kailos explained the situation calmly. Wenger sat on the railing, listening quietly.
“I’m glad you’ve come. However, I’m sorry to say I have no plans to travel far anytime soon,” Wenger declined politely.
“Lady, your will is the Earl’s command. He also instructed us to warn you that war is brewing, so please take care.”
Wenger nodded slightly, processing the news. “For now, rest in the village. I have matters to attend to, but we can discuss more later.”
Truthfully, being so close to these rugged warriors made her wary. Her instincts screamed that their strength posed a subtle threat.
A girl skipped out from the village, humming a tune. Noticing Wenger, Vey quickly composed herself.
“Teacher, you’re finally out! I’ve been waiting forever. I wanted to tell you when they arrived, but you were busy~ Waaah~”
“Enough, Vey. You’re too old to act like this in front of everyone,” Wenger whispered, letting the girl cling to her arm. “Stay here with them. They’re Aiton’s subordinates, so no need to be too formal.”
Vey nodded eagerly.
Wenger turned toward the village, crossing the web-like bridges. She headed for the deep mountains.
A Village on the Brink
The slumber had delayed too many tasks. Consequently, the village’s growth lagged behind her expectations. When she first arrived, it had only a few dozen residents. Now, however, the population had tripled.
If war broke out, facing trained soldiers would be like eggs striking stone with the village’s current strength. Moreover, most of her students had already left.
Over the years, she could only rely on herself. ‘Better play it safe… Another war?’ She recalled the game’s opening plot: players fought their way out of a war-torn border. The developers even included a mentor NPC to teach the “Lion Slash” skill.
The village, backed by mountains, was limited to hunting and foraging. Recently, scattered ore traces prompted further plans. The blacksmith’s shop was assigned to Rhine. Meanwhile, Wenger decided to investigate the mountains herself. Maple Whisper Village needed to expand.
With that thought, her silver-white figure leaped through the forest, vanishing into the mountains.
Her current magic couldn’t sustain flight—only brief hovering. It wasn’t a lack of quantity but quality. After this breakthrough, she estimated she could fly. The thought sparked a flicker of excitement.
Discovery in the Depths
Before noon, she reached her destination. Guided by the map’s marker, Wenger scanned the area with her mental energy.
In the dark void of her mind’s eye, her mental touch swiftly outlined the surroundings. Yet, within the mountain, a strange fluctuation roared faintly.
Retracting her senses, she ventured into the cave.
The cave showed no signs of excavation, only mixed footprints.
“Wolves, or something else…?” Some shoe marks lingered—likely from the villagers’ last visit. Fortunately, they hadn’t encountered trouble.
Wenger was relieved it wouldn’t be too complicated. Suddenly, the cave’s faint light dimmed, rendering her nearly blind.
Moments later, pinpricks of light flickered in the deep cave, like fireflies in the night.
She sensed a non-threatening presence behind the starry veil.
A spark danced in her hand, illuminating the surroundings.
Probing with mental energy, she moved deeper. Soon, she reached the end.
Scattered on the ground were vibrant, gleaming ores. Among the dull stones on the wall, a purple gem glowed.
A faint presence emanated from it.
Wenger stepped back instinctively. Her mental energy extended, gently tapping the gem’s surface.
“No idea what creature this is…”
It was alive, but even she couldn’t identify its species.
She debated taking it back. ‘What if it’s some tentacle monster? That’d be trouble. Though, their eggs are soft, right? This one’s hard, like a bird’s egg, just bigger.’
Ultimately, since she was already here, Wenger took the purple egg. She lingered in the cave, collecting a few ores to study later.
A Return with Questions
Leaping lightly through the valley, she caught the scent of maturing potions in the breeze.
Vaguely, she felt she’d forgotten something.
‘No afternoon nap?’
Shaking her head, she returned to the treehouse to secure the egg. Then, she headed back to the village.
Vey finished tending the warhorses and sprawled on a haystack by the pasture. She gazed at the distant rift valley and clouds.
It wasn’t far, yet she’d never set foot there.
The mountains loomed so high that merely looking up inspired awe.
Her teacher came from the outside world. According to Grandpa Village Chief, she had sheltered the village for seven generations. As a child, Vey thought her teacher was a fairy-tale elf. Yet, no matter how she looked, her teacher’s ears never turned pointy.
She rarely spoke of herself, quietly staying in this land.
To Vey, her teacher was as towering as the mountains. No peak could match the strength of guarding time itself. One day, Vey would climb those mountains and see the world for her teacher. Then, like the bedtime stories her teacher once told, she’d share her adventures.
Preparations and Revelry
Wenger headed straight for the blacksmith’s planned site. Rhine, the blacksmith, and Bam the merchant stood discussing.
The man noticed her approach.
“Fenrod.”
“Wenger.”
She shook his hand briefly. His rough, calloused grip and slightly deformed thumb spoke of experience. “Welcome to the village.”
“My honor,” Fenrod replied, his steady eyes reflecting years of tempered trials.
That evening, to celebrate the newcomers, the village held a grand feast in the central clearing. Maple Whisper Village glowed with lamplight.
The night curtain eclipsed the sunset’s red glow, leaving only a clear moon hanging high.
Wenger sat indoors with the blacksmith and Kailos’s group, catching glimpses of the sky’s beauty.
A foreign moon stirred a pang of nostalgia.
The village lacked many things, but feasts overflowed with food and wine.
“Harvest, indeed…”
She stared at the massive bonfire outside, lost in thought. Faintly, she overheard Rhine and Kailos clinking glasses, discussing the outside world.
“War is coming.”
“No telling where the flames will spread…”
“No need to worry too much. The conflict’s begun, but full-scale war isn’t imminent. Word is, a Sword Saint emerged on the western border, single-handedly routing tens of thousands of the Empire’s troops,” Kailos explained, suspecting this was why the Earl was summoned to the capital.
This plot felt familiar—too familiar.
Wenger sipped her wine quietly, sensing something amiss.
“Someone that powerful exists?” Rhine, a lifelong villager without extraordinary powers, marveled at the tale.
“Kyle Kahn. Sounds like the royal surname. Though, I recall a deity with that name—hope it’s not blasphemous,” Kailos quipped.
The silver-haired Witch at the head of the table couldn’t hold back. She spat out her wine, choking twice.
“What name did you say?!”
“Kyle Kahn.” Kailos worried he’d misspoken, but the Lady’s will was absolute.
Wenger nearly fainted in her seat.
The NPC who taught players the “Wheelchair Skill” was named Kyle Kahn. Later, due to a scripted death, no one could contain the war, letting it rage on. This allowed players to shine in various storylines.
Silently, the world had reached the main storyline’s starting point. Yet, she was still grappling with this reality.