Chapter 2: Beginning of the Tutorial 02
Chapter 2: Beginning of the Tutorial 02
The harsh reality is difficult to accept, causing the alcohol in my brain to rapidly dissipate.
For the past ten years, the world I've experienced was a horrifying battlefield, not merely a virtual reality game.
Pieces of bone protruding from wounds, internal organs oozing out with a foul smell, and rookie adventurers devoured alive by monsterswere these all just the game's setting?
[Form a party with the streamer 'Han Se-ah' 0/1]
However, the hologram in front of me does not disappear.
Neither does the pretty girl glaring at the semi-transparent drone camera floating in mid-air.
If this wasn't a magically verified safe zone within the Adventurer's Guild, I would have doubted my eyes and stabbed the back of my hand with a dagger.
'This isn't an illusion.'
The possibility of the alcohol I consumed in the safe zone being laced with drugs is obviously 0%.
My strong body quickly expels the alcohol, making my mind clear and sharp.
'It's not a hallucination either; other people are also looking at Han Se-ah.'
The old adventurer reminiscing about his youthful days, the greedy eyes of those sizing her up, and the lewd gazes of those lusting after her beauty incomparable to other female adventurers on the streets.
This safe zone is filled with seasoned adventurers who come here to rest.
If all the adventurers present aren't collectively hallucinating, then Han Se-ah must be a real person.
So, I should definitely form a party with her.
It's the first time a game system has appeared in the decade I've lived here.
I won't be able to immediately uncover why I ended up in this world in this body, but at least I'll learn something.
I nonchalantly place the empty glass on the table, causing the gazes focused on Han Se-ah to shift to me.
The eyes question why I, who would usually lounge around until being chased out by the owner at the end of the day, am behaving this way.
I walk down the street, brushing off the slightly strange gazes and ignoring the adventurers who try to act familiar, prioritizing reaching my destination before Han Se-ah.
My destination is, of course, the Adventurer's Guild.
This world is a typical fantasy world, similar to a mobile game mixed with a fantasy RPG.
Powerful artificial monsters that provide magic stones and various rewards appear within the tower in the city center, attracting adventurers to the city.
Thus, the Adventurer's Guild, which both controls and looks after the adventurers' interests, has a prominent presence in the streets.
The guild manages the tower's entrance permits, disposes of spoils, accepts personal requests, and collects fees.
If this world is truly a game, Han Se-ah, who just arrived in the city, would have no choice but to head to the Adventurer's Guild.
"Wow, I thought the streets would be full of horse dung because it's a fantasy setting, but this part of the street looks almost modern. I was really worried when I saw the old, shabby carriage I took during the tutorial."
She's really quick on her feet.
I tried my best to walk quickly through a different path, just in case my following was mistaken for stalking, but Han Se-ah is already in front of the Adventurers Guild sign, seemingly fascinated.
It appears that others cannot see the semi-transparent camera drone.
A concerned-looking innkeeper gazes at Han Se-ah, who seems to be talking to herself.
Maybe there's some kind of filtering going on? Like not being able to see the semi-transparent camera drone or words like tutorial and NPC.
No.
Once I discovered the shocking truth that this world is a game and I am an NPC, my entire thought process shifted.
The stark difference between the city with the tower and the outside world, the magically advanced civilization resembling modern technology, the mysterious tower's existence...
"Um? Isn't today your day off?"
"I can't just keep playing all the time."
"That's something the master would be happy to hear. You didn't get into gambling, did you? Needing money and trying to make a quick buck?"
"No, if I needed money that badly, I'd go to the bulletin board, not here."
I regain my focus and head towards Ellis, the receptionist.
A beautiful blonde woman, she is the face of the guild.
As I look at her, I start to get suspicious again.
Outside the city of adventurers, farmers have sunburnt, rough skin from working under the sun without skincare.
However, there are quite a few beautiful women in the city of adventurers with flawless, white skin, free of freckles. Is it the difference between extras, supporting characters, and main characters?
"So, what brings you here today? I thought you would be resting at this time."
"Your tongue is too sharp. Why are you like this when we haven't seen each other in a while?"
"It's because it's been a while."
People start to notice me as I exchange playful banter with the familiar receptionist.
After all, I am a veteran adventurer who has survived for ten years. The newcomers in the guild cannot help but look up to me.
Even though this is a bright fantasy world, the fight against monsters is like dark fantasy, where people die gruesomely.
I can't find the right words to describe it.
The advanced magic allows for a higher population than medieval Earth, but most of that increased population ends up getting devoured by monsters.
This is a strangely broken fantasy world where dreams and hope have been shattered.
Ordinary farmers struggle to survive even against wolves, let alone intelligent monsters like goblins and kobolds that target human villages.
"So, what's the reason for coming to the guild so early?"
Ellis's clear, lake-like eyes are full of curiosity as she looks at me.
At the same time, people's gazes naturally shift towards me.
It's only natural that people would stare at the ten-year veteran adventurer having a lively conversation with the beautiful idol of the guild.
Adventurers know that gathering information is beneficial, so it's not like I deliberately drew attention.
"It's not that early, the sun's high up in the sky."
"Well, if it's not sunset, then it's early."
"Well, that's true. ...Actually, I came here because I was bored."
"Bored?"
"Yes. I thought I might find an apprentice and help them grow."
The meticulously organized guild system carried a subtle scent of the modern world.
Within it was a mentoring system where senior adventurers would help junior adventurers.
On the surface, retired adventurers escaped from the battlefield to earn pocket money by becoming personal trainers on the lower floors.
However, when considering the game system, the story changes slightly.
Could this be an event implemented by the game company to recruit a first companion out of consideration for new players?
If, at the start, players formed a party with the clueless farmer-turned-adventurer Hans, most gamers would end up as goblin fodder in a corner of the first floor.
Even with my blessed physique, it took nearly a year to become familiar with combat.
Most VR gamers who aren't used to fighting would take even longer.
So, my goal is to have a similar feel to the 5 character given in the tutorial gacha event.
The type of character who is given for free early in the game and is always included in the partymeant for an easy start to the story.
Of course, considering my physical abilities, I can confidently claim that I'm a top-tier character to be kept until the end of the game.
However, I had to deliberately pretend to be slightly weaker. Not completely weak, just a reasonably capable senior adventurer.
If I singlehandedly dominate the field, Han Se-ah might abandon me for the sake of entertainment.
The most important thing here is that Han Se-ah is a streamer.
If she were a woman serious about game strategy, she'd appreciate my overwhelming abilities and stick with me till the end.
However, as a streamer seeking fun, she could form an entertainment-focused party starting from the bottom.
"My goodness, that lazy"
"Hello, there!"
"Oh?"
While engrossed in conversation, Han Se-ah opened the door and walked to the counter, greeting everyone cheerfully.
Ellis, the receptionist, widened her eyes at the sight of the exotic black-haired beauty.
Ellis, rumored to be a beauty among guild receptionists, was the "Blonde Beauty" behind the counter.
Her hidden curves beneath her guild staff uniform weren't important right now.
There was only one reason I brought up the topic of nurturing juniors while chatting with her.
"Is this your first time here? Did you come to this city to become an adventurer?"
"Yes? Ah, yes!"
"Hmm, you're not planning to be a receptionist, are you?"
"No, I really want to go to the tower."
"Well, your timing is perfect."
Receptionist Ellis carefully judged appearances.
It wasn't about being cold to unattractive people; she was exceptionally friendly to extraordinarily handsome and beautiful individuals.
In game terms, there was a favorability adjustment for those with high enough charm.
"What do you think, Roland?"
"Roland?"
"What do you think?"
"Here, we have a pretty and cute junior."
So, Ellis confidently recommended the unproven country bumpkin newcomer to me, a senior adventurer whom the newbies at the guild hardly dared to approach.
Of course, I had no reason to refuse.
***
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