Chapter 29: Non-player Character
1660 Words
One month has passed and Kaede never touches her game console. Dust is piling up on the hardware. It's like Kaede already lost interest in the game.
Today is quite different. Kaede’s school is currently celebrating its school anniversary. Because of that, there was no school for two days.
Looking on the calendar. The two-day anniversary was followed by the weekends. Giving Kaede four days straight of no school.
Reflecting on her grades in school. She can say that she’s in the green zone and the teacher won’t yell for her right now. Meanwhile, Yuki was struggling in some lessons.
Even though Kaede gives Yuki some advice to stop gaming for a while. A gamer spirit like Yuki just can’t live without one.
If her failing grades continue. Kaede can imagine Yuki crying when her parents banned games again.
Kaede is currently seating on her desk reading a weekly manga magazine. With drinks and chips on the table is giggles.
“This is hilarious… How can they tell a story this hilarious? It's so hot today. It's already half of July summer is definitely coming soon. Time do flies fast. Human life is very short I guess.”
Unusual words came out from Kaede’s mouth. She is not the type that is worried about life. But maybe she is at that age in being curious about her existence.
“It's just 9:12 AM and I already finished reading this magazine. What should I do now? There are lots of groceries. Food is in the stock. My homework is done and I already schedule the dinner I’m making tonight. Looking around my room. It's quite clean.”
(Quite clean: Kaede’s dictionary meaning decent enough to call clean, but not dirty.)
Kaede closed her eyes and breathing heavily. At that moment she accidentally turned her gaze to the game hardware.
She stood up and get the hardware. She fist dust it off with a feather duster and make sure that her house was locked.
Kaede gets back to her room and lay on her bed. She put the helmet-like part of the game console. As she closed her eye’s her vision was illuminated with whiteness.
As she opens her eye’s she saw herself in the central park on floor 2.
Kaede logs in to Fantasy world online.
“It's been a while… I’m so busy in school I almost forgot about the game… Yuki seems to be not online ye. Clover is online but the location was too far away from me. Better give her a message.”
After messaging clover. Kaede decided to have an adventurer by herself.
Floor 2 of the game is wide and Kaede didn’t explore enough of it. Before the hunting event begins before. Yuki and Kaede just get themselves on floor 2 of the game they don’t have enough time to look around.
Now is the perfect time considering Kaede has lots of free time at her disposal for this long weekend.
★★★★★
Kaede walks aimlessly and just found herself in an unfamiliar area.
She didn’t get in this place before making her unfamiliar with it. Turning her head around riddled with interest as her eyes look in different trails leading to different locations.
Opening her map there was no data written on it yet. If she got lost in this location. She knows that she can just use her teleportation stone and get back to the central park of Floor 2.
She just walked straight to the forest area.
“Lost wood forest… That’s a scary name and this forest was very dark.”
Surrounded by tall grass. Kaede was attacked by different types of forest monsters. With one strike each one of them. Kaede manages to defeat them all without using her skill.
(Your level had risen to level 29)
“Whoa… This forest is a perfect place to gain experience and level up.”
Aked stayed in her position and focused herself.
“Provoke!”
Using provoke skill Kaede pulled the monster's attention to herself. It's about 20 monsters rushing to Kaede. Kaede wields her moon piercer and used her classic combo.
“Paralyzing roar!”
As the lightning shock released from the sword paralyzed the monsters. Kaede followed her skill using “Poison smog!”. The poisonous violet smoke spread through the area killing the monsters around her. The violet smog continues to travel through the air and killed other monsters.
Kaede’s experience bar was increasing drastically and it made her excited.
“Cough! Cough!”
Kaede heard the coughing sound and she followed it. Arriving at the source of the sound she saw a little.
The girl seems to be poisoned with Kaede's skill. She was also paralyzed. Making the girl a few walk away from Kaede when she cast her skill.
Kaede doesn’t have sensory awareness skills and she can’t detect monsters or players around her.
Seeing the girl ins such a terrible state leaves a bad feeling in Kaede’s heart. She hurried and rescue the girl.
“Are you okay? Here drink this potion.”
“Th-Thank you, big sister…”
Kaede put open the lid of the bottle and then helped the girl by placing the tip of the bottle in her mouth. The girl drinks slowly and recovered her health.
While at that. Kaede notices something different. Players have this HP bar on being refilled when they are drinking healing potions.
“There is no HP bar…”
The girl stood up with a healthy-looking face. Turning her face on Kaede. Window panel appeared in front of Kaede. A special quest mission appeared.
“Mission to gather herbs? You must be a Quest NPC… I never encounter one before… I remember Yuki told me that their existence is rare in this game.”
Looking at the little girl's appearance. Kaede can’t believe what she’s seeing.
The girl resembles a real-life girl.
The texture is very realistic. If the window panel did appear in front of her she may not think that this girl in front of her is not a player.
“My name is Layla and ordinary village girl… My mother is always sick. Because of that, we’re unable to do things we’re going before. I totally miss camping and fishing with my mother… Kind player, can you help me out find his rare herbs for my mother?”
Layla said and give Kaede puppy cute eyes. Kaede whose weak in cute things cant just reject such an offer.
She taps the accept quest button in the window panel.
“Don’t worry big sister will help you out.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“Really? Really? Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Hooray! I found a kind player to help me out.”
“then where can we find these are herbs you're searching for?”
“It's located deep in this forest. It's a start shape flower that glows in crystal blue light… But we need to be careful this forest is known for its maze-like structure. And it's said that magical deity was controlling the forest changing paths every day.”
“Eh? That’s troublesome… I don’t have mapping skills. But it's okay you know this forest very well right Layla?”
Kaede said.
Layla averted her eyes and made a terrible forced smile on her face.
“Wha does that mean? Wait, couldn’t it be?”
“Sorry, but I’m also lost in this forest. Can you help me out finding the rare herbs and my way out in the forest?”
Kaede made a heavy breath and accepted the reality that the girl was also lost.
Looking back. Kaede knows that she just entered the forest. She definitely knows the way to exit this forest.
But that is what she thought...
Kaede's face was filled with worry.
Walking in the forest first check if she can navigate the exit. But after walking for almost an hour. She still not reaching the exit.
“What is happening? The path changed… I’m trapped in this forest.”
“I’m very sorry big sister for giving you trouble.”
“Don’t worry. I can just use teleport stone to go back to central park.”
Kaede then noticed that if she used her teleport stone. Layla will be left alone in this forest.
Something that Kaede can’t do to a fragile girl like her. Also, the quest is ongoing. Who knows what will happen to Layla. If Kaede left her in this forest full of dangerous monsters.
While having that problem. Kaede notices a notification on her mails.
“Oh, what is this?”
Taping the notification she saw the rewards given to her when she wins the hunting event.
Kaede was rewarded million of gold and set or armor and sword. And the grand prize was a kitten familiar.
She tapped that kitten familiar and a big egg appeared in her hand. The egg has fire patterns on it.
In curiosity, Layle looks at it with glimmering eyes.
“Oh, a familiar monster.”
“Familiar? I never have one before. It started to c***k!”
With excitement on their face. The eggs cracks and the monster get out from the shell. Emerging from golden limelight. A cat-like monster appeared in Kaede's hand.
It has a white and golden yellow color and its eyes were blue like the sky.
“Wow! So cute!” 2x
The two said in excitement and hugs the cat familiar.
- Writer
