After leaving Ryan, I contacted Lucas, and we met just outside the village. I couldn’t help but picture him trying to hunt those ridiculous wolves as he came crashing through the bushes. So inefficient, so boring.
“Charlie, so what now? Let’s live it up—I’ve only got a week until I’m out of here.”
“Fruit, everything’s going to be fine,” I greeted him with a playful nickname, but he just stared at me blankly. Darn, that wasn’t it—no fruit. What did that girl call Ian…? Ah! “Pumpkin, I know a decent leveling spot. Leave the wolves to the amateurs.”
I grabbed his hand and pulled him along with a spring in my step. We had some time to grind while Lisa was gathering things to enchant for the evening.
We passed our old Frexie spot and headed into the plains. The sun blazed overhead as we moved past fields crawling with stupid venom monsters, but they weren’t our target. I had something even better in mind, though it would take at least two hours of walking to reach.
Eventually, we sneaked past a flock of crow monsters and reached a charming meadow stretching over a mile long. On our right, impassable mountains rose, their peaks disappearing into the horizon, while on the left, a river sliced through the landscape near the distant edge.
We waded through waist-high, emerald-green grass, listening to the soft babbling of a nearby stream. It flowed alongside us, eventually merging into a wider river further down. When I noticed Lucas panting heavily, I called for a quick break, and he gratefully gulped down the crisp, cool water.
Keeping low to avoid detection, I guided him around the more dangerous areas. Soon, the only sounds were our soft breaths and the faint rustling of grass. A sweet, floral scent hung in the air, mixed with the earthy aroma of the meadow. We crouched behind a bush, trying to stay quiet as we continued sneaking through.
At the far end of the meadow, a ten-foot cliff stood tall—our target. Lucas blinked a few times, then looked at me with a smirk. “This is what you wanted to show me? Romantic spot, I guess.” He plucked stray blades of grass from his hair and tried to wash a dirty sleeve in the stream. While he fussed with that, I scanned the cliff’s edge for something specific. After a moment, I found it: a stone with rough edges, carved with a rune I didn’t recognize.
“Romantic? Sure,” I replied, grinning. “But check out the enemies down there. And the best part? It’s a fortified position.” I sat near the cliff’s edge, feeling the damp air rising as I peered down at the creatures lurking below.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Waspie Lv.10]
Type: 2-uncommon | HP: 165/165</td>
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As the name suggested, they were wasps—but nearly two feet tall. The monsters buzzed around, hunting for flowers to plunder, their long stingers and narrow waists giving them a menacing look. Watching them, I pressed down on the rune carved into the stone.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Congratulations! You found East Fortification. Do you want to occupy it?]</td>
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Not yet, System. I turned to Lucas. “How’s the staff? Gimme!”
My dear mage, finally done fussing with his cleaning, glanced at an invisible menu before nodding. “Sure, but you can’t actually use it.”
“That’s fine. I used to be a warrior, so I just need something to flail around with.” He shrugged and handed it over without further comment. Whoa, I thought, eyeing the staff. I’d known a Boss drop would be decent, but this good?
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">
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<th style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px" colspan="2"><strong style="color: rgba(255, 117, 186, 1)">[Staff of Flame]</th>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Quality: </td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">4-exceptional</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">ATK:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">3-4</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Durability:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">85/85</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Restriction:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Level 7</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Effects:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">+5 INT, +2 damage to flame spells</td>
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“Okay, Lucas, when you hit level seven, it’s yours! For the main menu…”
‘Now, system. Please send them to attack me.’
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Occupying in progress… First round.]</td>
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“Charlie, are you sure we can handle this?” Lucas gripped his staff tightly, eyeing the charging wasps with a grim expression.
“You’re my friend, you’re my mage—you will not let them kill me. Right?” I shot him an evil grin, stood up, and started forming the runes for Ice Dance… which, of course, failed. The hum of the wasps grew louder as they swarmed in the air, straining to climb the cliff. A few got discouraged—thanks, unknown lazy programmer—but five kept coming, and two reached Lucas just as I finally finished the runes. Yes, only on the fifth try!
The last step was to shout the activation word—but my train of thought was cut short when I saw Lucas standing and doing nothing. “Stop standing there like an idiot and cast a spell!” I yelled, dodging aside as one of the wasps swung its stinger at me.
“Roger that, madam!” With a flick of his wrist, he created a spark rune in the air, and the nearest wasp burst into flames. Well, “singed” might be more accurate—it just seemed annoyed.
As I leaped back, I finally muttered the activation word, “Ice Dance!” Instantly, the air turned frigid, every exhale creating a puff of vapor, and frost spread across the field, stretching out like a winter’s breath. The wasps didn’t take kindly to it, their movements slowing—a small victory, or we’d be headed to the graveyard sooner than planned. I swung the staff, bashing their small frames as they focused on Lucas.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Target lost 4HP (1 normal + 3 ICE damage)]
[Target lost 4HP (1 normal + 3 ICE damage)]
[Target lost 5HP (1 normal + 4 ICE damage)]</td>
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For some reason, they didn’t like that and turned their attention to me. I dodged a few stingers coming my way, thanks to the slow effect, but eventually, my luck ran out—a stinger shot forward and struck my exposed thigh with alarming speed.
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[You lost 9 HP.][You are poisoned! You will lose 10HP over 10 seconds!]</td>
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Oh, that stung! These things really packed a punch. Time for a new strategy—I gripped my staff like a two-handed sword and swung with all my might, aiming for their stingers.
The confidence boost from finally fighting in my beautiful shoes must’ve helped because my evasion game improved. Now, the loud, irritating hum was the worst of it, and it only took two hits to snap a stinger clean off. I cheered as one fell to the ground. “Take that, you little bzzt bzzt!” One down, six to go!
With each broken stinger, the wasps glared furiously, but that was all they did. No attack. Everyone knew that if you broke the thing a monster attacked with, it would stop—or switch to another attack method, like a spare hand. But these wasps? Easy targets. I wasn’t complaining.
I healed myself and braced for the next round. “Hurry—more wasps incoming! We need to break as many stingers as we can. Ice Dance only lasts ten minutes!”
When the Ice Dance effect faded, a swarm of wasps hovered around us, aimlessly buzzing. Sweat dripped down places I didn’t care to mention, and my muscles ached like hell; it had been tough just holding their attention. My stamina had already dropped to zero—figures, weak priests shouldn’t be doing this.
“Now for the sweet dessert—let’s break them!” The onslaught on the defenseless wasps began. Together, we took them down one by one as they buzzed around us, waiting their turn to become our XP.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Waspie has been defeated x20. +160XP (320/2).]
[Congratulations! You are now level 4! XP to next level: 122/800]</td>
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“Charlie! Each Waspie gave us 16 XP! Insane!” Lucas was beaming as he rummaged through the fallen wasps. “But… no loot. Nothing at all.”
Out of mana, stamina, and any shred of mental energy, I collapsed to the ground. His excited chatter barely registered. How much wine would it take to make this pain disappear? Would I still be in fighting shape? Those damn Waspies! The stings hurt like crazy, but I had to push through.
I could lower the Reality Limit, but of course, the system had given me a skill that depended on it.
“Charlie, are you okay? You look… different.”
“It hurts like hell! But I can handle it. I need to. As a warrior, I had it set to fifty percent, so half of what I have now. I’ll be fine,” I gritted out, hoping my voice sounded more confident than I felt.
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Occupying in progress… Second round.]</td>
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With a ringing sound, the system reminded me it wasn’t over yet. I drank one bottle and went in!
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 75, 122, 0.93); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px; padding: 0">
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Waspie has been defeated x95. +760XP (1520/2).]
[Congratulations! You are now level 5! XP to next level: 82/1250]
[You need to visit the city to further your Priest studies.]
[Congratulations! You own East Fortification. You can develop it up to fortified position, for further development you need to get nobility rank.]</td>
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The mind-numbing grind was something no sane person would willingly endure. Then again, nobody except us stupid gamers would even try. We fought for hours, and by now, the sun had already set.
Plus, who enjoys getting jabbed by filthy stingers?
Those annoying Waspies were smart enough to land a few hits on me during the lures. We even had a few close calls when I couldn’t cast the healing rune fast enough, and my hit points dropped dangerously low. Whatever.
<table style="background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(52, 52, 52, 1); margin: 10px auto; width: 90%; border: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 2px">
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<td style="text-align: left; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(245, 245, 245, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Lisa] My Hero? Are you free?
[Princess] Call me Princess, or Charlie. Please. Yes.
[Lisa] Alrighty, cute Princess, came to the tavern. Second floor, one of my guildmates will escort you inside.</td>
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“Lucas, that was fun, wasn’t it? But I’ve gotta run. Someone’s got to make the money you owe.” I held up a parchment—well, a scroll—with a recall spell already prepared. Thanks, Irwen, for not ruining this… yet.
“Do whatever you need to, Charlie. I… like you, even if you don’t manage to get me the money.”
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[You named player Lucas as a keeper of East Fortification]</td>
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“Please, take care of our fortress. And for your information, you’re silly—it’s already in your account. Now I have to keep my promise and head to a tavern bed with some ugly guy.” I winked and began chanting the recall scroll.
“Fortress? In my account?! Ten thousand, really? Wait, what guy? No! Don’t tell me—” he shouted, but before he could finish, the beautiful meadow vanished, replaced by the wooden Elven buildings around me. The dim light from the surrounding houses cast a magical glow across the street.
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<td style="text-align: left; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(245, 245, 245, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Lucas] We will talk about this!
[Princess] We will. Later tonight at the bar?
[Lucas] Roger. Logging off.</td>
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The inn was right near the village center where I’d recalled, so it wasn’t a long walk. The village seemed calmer at night, though the distant sounds of music and laughter told a different story. Inside, the warm atmosphere of drinking and chatter hit me like a wave.
Patrick had once asked if I hated crowds since I always went quiet around new people. Not at all. I loved people; I just couldn’t talk to them easily, that’s all.
Silly Patrick, I thought, feeling a bit sentimental. He’d always been like a grandpa to me, and the guy behind the bar was handing out drinks just like Patrick used to. I found myself staring, almost hypnotized, unable to look away from the liquor. No, John. You have work to do. I resisted the lure of sweet drinks and headed up the stairs. On the second floor, an elven warrior waited near a plain wooden door.
“Hey, girly. I’m Rob. What’s your business here?” Come on, John. Tell him about your enchanting skills. But Rob’s stare drifted to my cleavage, and once again, my body betrayed me—I stood there as silent as an empty bottle of whiskey. Should’ve had a drink downstairs.
With a sigh, I gave him a weak smile and nodded. He shrugged, opening the door to let me in. Thanks, stranger. No words necessary, right?
“Charlie, there ya are!” As soon as I stepped in, Lisa greeted me with open arms and a kiss aimed at my cheek.
I executed an intricate footwork maneuver I’d learned from the Imperial family’s martial arts, almost escaping her hug, but between the seventh step and a goose-like jump, I remembered her big… brain. So I let her get close. Yep, John, this is how you get a girl—good job. She rubbed her cheek against mine before leading me through a few rooms to a back area that looked like a makeshift warehouse.
“We set everything up for you. Enchant all the armor sets, please!” The room was equipped with a nearly broken wooden chair and a small, hole-riddled table. Truly, a workspace fit for a queen. Though I couldn’t say anything, I gave her my best insulted look, which she promptly ignored, pulling me into a warm hug and patting my cheeks.
“That’s great! I’m glad you like it. Just text me when you’re done, sweetheart.”
Apparently, my silence had confirmed her idea of how wonderful the room was, and with yet another kiss, she dashed off. What the hell have I signed up for?