“C-Cris Sister?”
“Uh…?”
My sword was halted just an inch away from her body.
Chris hadn’t turned around yet; it must have been because she felt the presence of my sword so close.
“I-Ittt…!”
Rain, swing the sword.
This sister just tried to attack me.
A frog could actually die from a stone thrown as a joke.
Of course, I’m just a frog blinded by the daily quest reward, right?
Sure, Chris Sister is a gracious sister who gave me a 1 gold outfit, but still?
Anyway, she threw the first punch, didn’t she?
The Rozelia Forest is a PVP field; where yesterday’s ally might become today’s enemy.
Nevertheless, I still couldn’t swing my sword.
Thud thud!
Instead, I quickly ran behind a tree twenty meters away.
Hiding there, I timidly shouted.
“D-Don’t come any closer…!”
“R-Rein? Is that really you?”
Chris’s body stiffened and she took a step toward me.
“I told you not to come closer!? I’m going to run away…!”
“Why would I attack you?!”
“Lies! You just tried to bind me first!”
I shut my eyes tightly and shouted, feeling tears welling up.
I thought she might be a good person, but I was clearly mistaken.
She must’ve known it was me and still attacked! A carnivorous user without any pity or tears!
If you PK in this field, you can grab your opponent’s magic stones, so she must be planning to take my hard-earned eighteen magic stones for some extra reward!
Chris Sister is a bad carnivorous user!
“I’m s-sorry! The shadows of the trees were too dark, so I didn’t recognize you! Really sorry! You came for the magic stone quest, right? Do you need a few more? I’ll give you some of mine.”
Chris made a motion as if reaching into thin air, pulling out several magic stones.
“Here! Nice, right? Come over! Or should I come to you?”
“Gah…!”
I stared blankly at the magic stones in her hand.
If I take those magic stones, I’ll finish the daily quest and even have some change left. I could get a little extra reward too.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, I snapped back to reality and shook my head vigorously.
Rain, don’t fall for it! You’ve only seen her twice!
Carnivorous users say there’s no friendship or anything in PVP battlegrounds.
She might lure me with those magic stones and stab me in the back.
She could be planning to steal the eighteen magic stones I gathered with great effort!
I may not know Chris’s thoughts, but for some reason, I didn’t feel like attacking her.
To avoid fighting her, I had no choice but to run away.
I turned my back on the slowly approaching Chris.
Thud thud!
“Okay! I’ll just drop them here! You stay far away, and I’ll let Rain come and pick them up!”
Seeing my back, Chris hurriedly shouted. Then, she carefully dropped five magic stones where she stood.
Chris immediately distanced herself.
“Gah!”
Can I really take them?
Stealthy.
I cautiously approached the magic stones while keeping an eye on distant Chris.
Zing.
Gathering them swiftly, I shot her a sharp look.
“Heh.”
A silly grin escaped my lips as I picked up all the magic stones.
Ah, I almost let my guard down for a moment.
I glared sharply at Chris again.
She was looking at me with a strangely pleased smile, as if she truly had no intention to attack.
It seems she genuinely didn’t realize I was me when she attacked before.
Cautiously, I spoke to her.
“…Do you have any more leftover magic stones?”
*
Thud thud.
I walked, enjoying the refreshing breeze as I cut through the green meadow.
It felt good.
Today, I got a whopping thirty magic stones.
I should be able to receive tons of extra rewards for the daily quest.
Crunch crunch.
I could hear different footsteps beside me.
I was on my way to report the daily quest in the city near the Rozelia Plains, yet why was Chris from the Betarion Empire following me?
But I couldn’t voice my dissatisfaction.
That’s because she had filled me up with her magic stones.
“…….”
I nervously glanced at Chris walking beside me.
She noticed my gaze and smiled brightly.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re an agent of the Betarion Empire, right? This is the road to the Alparion Empire’s city.”
“…Agent?”
“Thanks for the magic stones.”
“Heh heh, it’s nothing to be thankful for.”
I still felt a bit resistant to interacting with people.
Still, I’m not a beast who cannot show gratitude.
If someone else had offered such a favor, I wouldn’t have accepted it to begin with, but with Chris, I felt a little less resistance.
“Ah~ I’m thinking of changing my affiliation to the Alparion Empire this time.”
“What about the merit points you’ve accumulated in the Betarion Empire?”
“Hehe, I just think it looks better over here.”
I tilted my head.
I thought changing factions would reset the merit points accumulated in the previous faction.
Thud thud.
Crunch crunch.
We wandered silently across the plains for a while, walking side by side.
Chris kept looking at me with a cheery smile, unlike the first time we met, where she asked a million questions or suddenly touched me like during our second encounter.
With no real reason to run away, I had to sneak glances at her while walking.
Trickle trickle.
The sound of gentle water came into earshot.
Before long, a clear, transparent stream appeared before me.
The surface of the stream shimmered as the sunlight reflected off it, slightly rippling in the breeze.
“Wow!”
I smiled widely.
Flowers of various colors bloomed along the streambank, making it look like a beautiful painting.
A small waterway extending from the large river flowing through the Rozelia Plains.
Every time I passed through here, it felt new and beautiful.
Splash splash.
I took off my shoes and dipped my bare feet into the water.
The cool sensation of the water touching my skin felt fantastic.
This sensation is something only felt in the Continent of Astria.
The slightly cold temperature of the water contrasted with the warmth filling my heart.
Splash splash.
And today, there’s an extra splash.
“Wow~! So refreshing! Even if I feel a bit of dissonance due to the synchronization rate, it’s been wonderfully implemented?”
Chris had approached and, just like me, took off her shoes and dipped her bare feet into the stream.
I smiled softly while watching her laugh like a child.
Sister doesn’t know, does she? That I can only feel this sensation here.
But it’s not bad.
It feels nice to have someone who shares the same feelings as me.
“Whoa!?”
Slippery!
In an instant, Chris lost her balance, her eyes widening in surprise.
She flailed her arms, trying to regain her balance, but it was already too late.
Splash!
It seemed Chris stepped on a moss-covered rock while walking carelessly.
She flailed her arms and dramatically fell.
With the impact of her backside hitting the water, splashes erupted all around.
The bouncing droplets sparkled with sunlight reflected through her bright red hair.
“Heh heh heh.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at her silly appearance.
Chris looked at me with a dazed expression, all wet like a drowned rat.
Then, realizing her own funny state, she burst out laughing too.
Chris Sister is such a funny sister!
*
I arrived at the city of the Alparion Empire together with Chris.
She had walked me all the way here from the Rozelia Forest. She even kept watch over the surroundings while we were in the woods.
It seems Chris switched her faction through the city NPCs. Now, I don’t have to be on guard if I meet her inside the Rozelia Forest.
While I was smiling, looking at the number of ‘Refined Mana Stones’ earned from completing the daily quest, Chris spoke up.
“By the way, isn’t it almost the time when it opens?”
“Ah.”
Her words triggered a memory.
The 30-level Elite Dungeon, ‘Demon Lord’s Forward Base’.
Located at the outskirts of the Rozelia Plains, said to be found inside an unnoticeable basin in a rocky mountain area.
Due to the sealing magical circle placed at the entrance of the castle, it had been inaccessible until now, but as users defeated the divine beast dungeons, the seal would gradually weaken.
Finally, the time has come for that castle to open.
“It seems you’ve also reached level 30, and you’ve farmed in the Elite Dungeon, so you must have a party, right?”
“…….”
Would it be strange if I said, ‘I’m solo playing’?
Well, it seems party play in the Elite Dungeon is common among users.
Still, as a hero from the Continent of Astria, wouldn’t it be strange if I couldn’t do at least that?
Yet saying, ‘I used to be the hero here’ would be plainly disbelieved anyway.
“Hehe, it’s fine if it’s hard to tell me. You also don’t seem to use messengers much, huh? Just talk to me when you feel like it.”
“Yeah.”
I nodded while looking up at Chris.
She looked at me with a face full of regret.
“I have a promise to keep, so I must go. I really wanted to stay with you a little longer.”
Shake shake.
I gently shook my head. Meaning it was okay.
My wariness of Chris had dissipated quite a bit, but I still felt more comfortable being alone.
Chris took a few steps, still unwilling to part, repeatedly looking back.
And when her figure diminished, she turned around and waved her hands, shouting loudly.
“Let’s meet again! For sure!”
I too, timidly waved my hand back at her.
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