As the lights faded, I saw Lucas looking pale—as pale as an empty whiskey glass. Silly Lucas! I gave him a reassuring smile and waved. Besides the pointed ears, there wasn’t much difference between his real-life body and his in-game avatar. But a military-hardened physique on a mage? Poor Lucas.
“Lucas! I’ll do my best, so don’t worry.” My female voice startled me, but I brushed it off and approached him. “I’ll carry you!”
He took a step back, his face flushing slightly. “Are you sure?” Everything felt so real. No wonder people were choosing to live in virtual worlds forever. Maybe that commie tax wasn’t so bad after all. He stared at me for a moment, then added, “I mean… this whole thing’s gotta be rough for you, right?”
“Nah, I was mad at first,” I said with a smile, a bit of nostalgia slipping into my tone. “But, well, my heart kind of melted after my first kill. There’s just something exhilarating about the rush of taking things down.” I chuckled, then admitted, “But I have no idea how to play a Priest. Like, none.”
“Hmm,” Lucas said thoughtfully, raising his staff as if about to cast a spell. I watched him closely, hoping to see a master mage in action so we could duo-clear dungeons together. He noticed my stare and blushed. “Glad to hear that… John.”
“Call me Princess.”
“What? Why?!” He froze, his spell dissipating as the mana slipped away. Whoops.
“Isn’t it obvious? That’s my name now,” I shrugged. “You’re the one who said I’m stuck with it, so call me Princess or Charlie. Both sound strange, but I guess people will get used to it. Besides, titles are super important in this game. Princess is not my official title, for now, but I’ll work towards it. Titles define NPCs and players.”
Instead of replying, he went back to casting another spell, though his technique looked completely off. Watching him struggle, I jumped in with my hard-earned QA knowledge. “What are you doing, you dork? Haven’t you read the guide? You need to draw the runes quickly, fill them with mana, and shout!” I’d watched plenty of mages while testing; at least I knew what it was supposed to look like, and Lucas definitely wasn’t doing that.
He snorted, clearly annoyed, and challenged me. “Oh yeah? Think you know so much? Try it yourself, then! You should have at least one spell!”
I confidently opened my spell menu, selecting a healing spell with a simple rune design. “Easy. Watch closely!” Nathan had even left a little animated video under the rune, so I followed along, taking mental notes.
“This’ll be a breeze.” Clutching my staff, I tapped into my mana, or what I imagined as some kind of warm energy flowing within me. A pleasant warmth surprised me—it felt different from the warrior’s mana I was used to. Ignoring the surprise, I focused, drawing the contours of the rune.
But halfway through, the mana fizzled out, and I stumbled back, cheeks burning.
“Haha! Told you so! You’re only human,” Lucas teased, his voice grating as he laughed. I shot him a glare, pouting. He laughed more. “Just like me, Charlie!”
“Hmpf! I took down the toughest bosses; if I had a sword, I’d crush it as a warrior. We don’t depend on mana like this!”
There had to be a way. I thought back to Lucy, my old QA colleague, who’d been an incredible paladin. During breaks, she’d explained that imagining the symbols in her mind first helped her; once they were clear, the system would guide her hand. Lucas was staring at me like he’d never seen a girl before, then abruptly interrupted my thoughts with his I’m guilty voice, “Charlie, I need to tell you something.”
“Can it wait?” I waved him off, too focused on my plan. “I think I remembered something that’ll help! The game must have a guiding system.”
He nodded and sighed, though I barely noticed. I was too busy picturing the rune, concentrating on it for what felt like an eternity. Lucy had said to hold it in your mind until it was practically engraved there. Come on, Lucy, help me out here!
Finally, I felt ready. I gripped my poor excuse for a staff, focused on the rune, and took a deep breath. As I looked forward… Yes! A faint outline appeared in the air, guiding me. Carefully, I poured mana into it, tracing the shape with determination. But it failed. Again. And again.
By the fifth or sixth failure, I lost it. I bolted around the meadow, swinging my “glorious” stick at anything in sight. My mighty blows connected with trees, bushes, and, most satisfyingly, Lucas himself, who was still chuckling. My staff made solid contact with his skull.
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Oh god, someone help me!
<hr>
Somewhere dark, current simulation.
Jeffrey sat in front of his computer screen, the dim glow illuminating his face. If John had been there, he’d have mistaken him for a fifteen-year-old punk in a brown coat. But he’d be wrong. Jeffrey had only just turned twelve.
“John’s vanished from his previous sim, just as you anticipated, sir,” said a shadowy figure to Jeffrey’s left. “The assassin has breached his old simulation. It’s only a matter of time before he picks up the trail and eliminates him. Are you certain you trust this… John?”
“Yes. In the last major simulation, I got close enough to the seed to discern this simulation’s unique hash—a one-in-infinity chance.” Jeffrey’s eyes narrowed, a glint of excitement sparking within. “They thought they could stop me by cutting down the time before the game, but they miscalculated. John will be our hero this time, not me. I’ll stay in the shadows, like the other shareholders, and avoid the early scramble. No more hustling around space stations three years after everyone else started.”This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
“But why him?” The man stepped forward, his wrinkled hands gesturing emphatically in the screen’s pale light. “You could have chosen many seasoned heroes, especially after the deaths of two of your competitors. There are plenty of openings.”
“We’ve tried that route, and it failed. He is the key to winning the game and securing the seed. Let’s just hope he’s started building his own ship by now.”
“Sir,” the man interrupted gently, “this time, the game is a fantasy, not sci-fi. More like the third simulation, though the setting’s different.”
“Oh? Fascinating.” Jeffrey leaned back, considering this. “I haven’t been keeping up. But perhaps this might even the odds. Let the others exhaust their resources. We’ll contact him when the time is right.”
The screen shifted, casting a brief, flickering light on the room as a profile summary appeared.
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[John - Employee Profile (15th year after the start)]
[John is an exceptional individual with a rare talent for uncovering exploits within our systems. Despite the integration of AI-driven code monitoring, which has stymied other testers, John has consistently revealed numerous bugs and vulnerabilities, demonstrating his unparalleled ability to detect flaws invisible to others.]
[In light of John’s talent, the AI has been tasked with developing a system capable of on-the-fly fixes during John’s gameplay to minimize exploit risks. It is critical to recognize that John’s expertise and unique skill set are irreplaceable. Any disruption to his employment would impair the on-the-fly system’s functionality, and thus, termination is strongly advised against.]
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My hand moved fluidly through the air, tracing the rune, which glowed with a warm, golden light. “Heal!” I shouted as I completed the symbol, directing the energy toward Lucas. A soft, golden mist spiraled from my fingertips, drifting toward him with a graceful flourish. I held my focus steady, guiding the magic until it wrapped around him and settled gently into his form.
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As the light faded, Lucas glanced at the golden glow with awe. “It worked! That was… beautiful,” he said, offering a hesitant smile.
“Yeah! Let me help you!” I hurried over, grabbing his hand. “Do you have the rune in your mind? Can you picture it clearly?”
He stared absently into my eyes, as if lost in thought, and didn’t answer until I gave his cheek a light pinch. Was he drunk already? Or am I that hot? He shook head and said, “Yeah, I think I can.”
“Focus! Just because I’m a girl now doesn’t mean I’m any different, and a weak answer like that won’t cut it!” My determined glare spurred him into action. He opened his menu, gave the rune a quick glance, then turned his back to me, clearly flustered.
“Lucas?” I teased, watching him stiffen up like an empress when turned in the imperial quest. Ha! My presence still has some intimidation factor. “Good. Now focus on that rune. Picture it, and the outline should appear soon. I may not have the fortitude of a warrior, but I won’t let you down.”
He sighed, but turned his attention back to the spell, mumbling something under his breath. I joined in, practicing alongside him. Despite his best efforts, he still struggled, failing most of the time. But I decided it was enough practice for now—our mana was nearly depleted, and time was ticking.
“The game’s fun this way, isn’t it?” I said, looking up at the canopy of branches overhead, their thick leaves weaving a soothing shade over us. “You have to work for it, but the rewards feel earned.” I caught him glancing at my chest and rolled my eyes. So, this is the new normal, huh?
I let the moment pass, enjoying the cool breeze that tousled my hair. After a while, he shook his head and muttered, “No, it’s insane. Why is it so hard? Aren’t games supposed to be fun?”
“Blame it on the evil creator, Nathan,” I said with a grin. “But I disagree. This is amazing! Without a real challenge, what’s the point? The system was way more forgiving for warriors; I could jump meters high and smash through walls!” A mischievous grin spread across my face as I remembered one exploit where I’d broken into a vault with a single punch. “Aren’t you excited to see what magic can do? I’m dying to find out how our first boss fight will go. Faster spell casting could make all the difference. You need to work on that.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah… this game feels… real.” Rising, he tapped his staff against the nearby trees, listening to the satisfying clink it made. “More real than the world we came from. It feels like this is where the future lies. Anyone who stands against it might just… disappear. Vanish, without a trace. Actually, I think that’s already happening. Charlie, the truth is—”
His words took me by surprise, and I gently put a hand up to stop him. “Lucas, please. I understand.” He was right—everything was moving in that direction. “People vanishing without a trace…” Is that what happened to him? Did he meddle where he shouldn’t have? “Hey, Lucas, have you heard of the ‘Ring of Smiling People’? Someone mentioned it—”
Before I could finish, his face twisted in horror. He clutched the frayed edge of my pitiful robe with a tight grip. “Where the hell did you hear that name? Were you snooping around my place?” He joggled me, as if trying to snap me out of a trance, though he thankfully had little strength. “Don’t joke about it, John. These people are dangerous!”
I slipped out of his grasp, stepping back cautiously. “It was some punk at the bar who mentioned them. He said to reach out if I wanted to learn more about simulations.”
“Of course. The bar.” He threw his hands up in frustration. “Where else? Just—don’t. If you value your life, stay away from them.”
“All right! Relax. Damn Nathan, I was only asking!”
“Even asking is risky. People have died over it.” He softened, his voice trailing off as his eyes filled with something between worry and sadness. Then, almost abruptly, he changed the subject. “You… you always wanted to play, didn’t you? You look so alive here. Happier than usual. You’re only ever like this after a fourth beer.”
I felt my cheeks flush because he wasn’t wrong. Since I’d entered the game, I felt different—like my entire brain was rewired. But that was nonsense, right? Maybe it was just the excitement of a second chance at life, courtesy of that punk.
I jumped up and glanced at the sky, noting the sun’s position. Nightfall wasn’t too far off. “Lucas, focus on what matters. We’re poor, level-one noobs, and we need a plan.”
“So? What’s the grand scheme, oh eminent expert?” He looked less than enthusiastic, standing there with no intention of moving.
“Hmpf!” I grabbed his hand and started running, dragging him along. “Onward! My job was to find bugs, so let’s do just that. Why play by the rules? Let’s exploit our way to the top!”