In the Land of Leadale - Volume 1 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – An Inn, a Tower, a Bear, and a Banquet

“Huh?!” 

As Cayna let this shocking truth sink in, she realized the sky had begun to take on an orange hue. Shocked that she’d wasted almost half a day, she forcibly convinced herself anyone in the same position would have been crushed. No names actually came to mind, but Cayna simply banished this to the furthest reaches of her thoughts and pretended it never happened. One might say she simply refused to accept reality. 

The buildings had no glass windows, so the closed shutters quickly plunged the room into darkness. She opened them halfway and let in some of the orange light from the setting sun. Cayna took another look around the room and came across a lantern fixture on the wall. 

“Ah, right. They use lanterns here, don’t they…?” 

Cayna had never taken a survival course or slept outdoors, so she had no idea how to light the lantern in her room. Naturally, this was where magic came in handy. 

The Light spell was a skill obtained through relatively easy quests and essential for anyone who specialized in dungeon crawling. Without it, all you had at your disposal were lanterns—incredibly finicky, inconvenient items that used up fuel, provided meager light, and had to be switched out in an emergency so you had a free hand. Only total beginners used them. 

Magic, on the other hand, had plenty of uses: Some people made weapons and armor, while others crafted magic items for their equipment. Others still would just have fun with it and sell gag items with hilarious descriptions. Being all business and taking your role as a support class seriously was well and good, but there were always a few simpletons who preferred to skip out on battle and light themselves up all the colors of the rainbow. 

“Bow down, fools!” 

“Gaaah, I’m bliiind!” 

“Your halo… It’s so bright!” 

“Shall we leave those idiots behind?” 

“Sounds good.” 

“““Don’t gooo!!””” 

Remembering the conversation made her feel as if it had happened just yesterday and brought a smile to Cayna’s face. 

There were times when such nostalgia brought tears to her eyes, but she shook her head and pulled herself together. 

It wasn’t as if she wanted to forget. She was simply setting those memories aside and searching for similar joys that lay ahead. 

First, she would test whether magic was feasible in this world. As Cayna focused all her attention on the lantern, she evoked a spell from her mental skill arsenal. 

Magic Skill: Additional White Light Level 1: Light: Ready Set 

“Activate!” 

“?!” 

Cayna was relieved to find she could cast spells in the game as she always did. What didn’t ease her mind was the small cry that came from the slightly ajar door of her now well-lit room. 

Lytt, the little girl from the inn, was timidly peering through the crack in the door and gave a startled look as she glanced at the shining wall lantern. 

Perplexed by her reaction, a curious Cayna walked over to her. 

“What’s wrong, Lytt?” 

“Um… I-is it safe?” 

Realizing the light had startled her, Cayna waved her hand dismissively to assure her visitor it wasn’t dangerous. 

“Oh, this? It’s only light; it won’t explode or hurt anyone. There’s nothing to worry about.” 

Upon hearing this, Lytt slowly entered but clung to the wall with no intention of pressing forward. 

Could it be that normal villagers rarely see magic? Cayna thought with a tilt of her head. 

“Lytt, is this your first time seeing magic?” 

The girl’s small nod confirmed this. Cayna also realized why Lytt had come in the first place. The plate in her hand held a thread dipped in animal fat with a flame burning at one end like a candle. Lighting all the lanterns in the guest rooms must have been part of Lytt’s duties. 

“…Oh no, did I interfere with your chores, Lytt?” 

“Nuh-uh, this one’s even brighter now. You’re incredible, miss!” 

“O-oh, well…I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.” 

They looked at each other and smiled. Lytt had a visible twitch in her cheek, but pointing that out would be insensitive. It had been a while since she’d done any female bonding with anyone besides her cousin, and it filled Cayna’s heart with warmth. 

Even so, new doubts swelled within her as she wondered what in the world had happened to the players who once dotted this continent. 

If there had been some sort of announcement from the Admins like Hey, starting tomorrow, this world will be two hundred years in the future! it wasn’t hard to imagine that the majority opinion would be Quit screwin’ around! After all, the Battle Event between the seven nations was undeniably a big part of Leadale’s popularity. 

“I think I’ll stretch my legs a bit and head on over to the tower tomorrow… Hmm?” 

As Cayna formulated a plan, she felt a sudden tug on the sleeve of her robe and saw Lytt draw close. 

“Um, um, also, I came to tell you dinner’s ready.” 

“Oh, sorry to hold you up.” 

“That’s okay. After all, you’re the only guest here, miss.” 

Cayna was struggling with thoughts like This place really is in trouble and Should the innkeeper’s daughter really be telling me this? when she felt Lytt tugging at her hand. It turned out that Lytt had finished closing and latching the shutter windows while Cayna was busy fretting. She then began leading Cayna down the stairs. 

Unlike that morning, Cayna could hear the muffled chatter coming from below. The villagers likely came here at night to relax and wind down. When she peeked into the dining hall from the stairs, she saw that a dozen or so men of varying ages had filled the seats. They were drinking, eating, and conversing merrily. 

Apparently, a guest in the inn really was a rare occasion. Feeling the villagers’ stares, Cayna crossed the tavern and sat in the same spot at the counter where she’d taken her breakfast that morning. 

Without skipping a beat, Marelle placed her supper in front of her. 

“Sorry ’bout the noise. Don’t worry, though—these guys wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Marelle informed her with a jovial smile. 

However, objections immediately began rising up around them. 

“That’s harsh, madam!” 

“Yeah, we give ya a lot of business, y’know!” 

“Better watch out, missy. He may not look it now, but back in his heyday, he was the village’s bravest… Guh!” 

This last comment earned the speaker a tray to the face from Marelle herself. Strength like that meant she’d probably be pretty good with a Frisbee. Knocked from his seat, the head of the villager who’d been struck stiffly jostled back. 

Naturally, this sudden comedy act left Cayna in a slack-jawed state of shock. The dining hall (or since it was night, maybe barroom was more appropriate) roared with the villagers’ laughter. 

“Eat it while it’s hot. My dad’s cooking is the best.” 

“Oh, I will. Thank you very much… Huh?” 

Cayna cocked her head at the younger, slimmer version of Marelle who now praised the still-steaming dish. 

Her expression must have obviously read I don’t remember ever seeing her this morning, because the girl gave a wry smile and began introducing herself. 

“I’m Luine, the eldest daughter at this here inn. I’m already married, so I only come at night to help out. Are you one of our rare long-term guests?” 

“Yes, my name is Cayna. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“Hey now, that’s ain’t no way for a guest to talk to staff! Where ya from, young miss?” 

Cayna didn’t think she’d said anything especially polite and found herself at a loss for words. 

She’d been fairly upper-class back when she was human, but any suitably genteel manners had slipped away after her parents died. Furthermore, her personality had changed quite a bit since she’d started interacting with other people in the game. Cayna herself hadn’t noticed this at all, but her cousin had cautioned her on numerous occasions. 

The proprietress, Marelle, helped Cayna out of her current predicament by chiming in. 

“C’mon, Luine! Don’t bother the regulars. A lot of work went into that meal, and you’re gonna let it go cold. If you’ve got time to prattle on, then at least carry a drink or two.” 

“Okay, okay, I’m coming. Honestly, Mom, a minute or two ain’t gonna hurt anyone…” 

Cayna watched Luine muttering as she returned to her waitressing duties, then looked up anxiously at Marelle behind the counter. 

Although it seemed as though she had scolded her daughter harshly, the proprietress wasn’t the least bit angry. She turned to Cayna good-naturedly. 

“Hmm? If you want to talk with my daughter, make sure you eat that first.” 

“I will, thank you.” 

The menu included that morning’s soup mixed with a small portion of meat and vegetables for a more savory flavor, as well as a small plate of salad. And just as at breakfast, Cayna was all smiles from beginning to end, constantly praising its deliciousness. Marelle gladly gave her one helping after another. 

A few hours later, when it was obvious the villagers were thoroughly smashed… 

Luine sat down next to Cayna, and they began chatting like old friends. Cayna did most of the talking. The rush of orders had died down, so Luine seemed to use this time to temporarily escape her waitressing duties. There was plenty of free time until closing. 

“Wooow, you used to stay here two hundred years ago?” 

“This was a border trading town back then. It was a bustling place full of carriages, people, and inns.” 

Cayna was actually a mess inside. After all, Luine had suddenly begged her to talk about life two hundred years ago. Even if she’d asked Cayna about just the past few days, Cayna would have been as fuzzy on the details as if she’d been told to describe a photo she’d seen only once. She felt bad that most of what she told Luine was a combination of lies and conjecture. 

“Hey, I wonder if you ever met Great-Granny. They say she was a real looker back in her day.” 

“Um, I-I’m not sure if I did…” 

Pretty impressive that people were still talking about this great- grandmother’s beauty two hundred years later. In fact, Cayna was more intrigued by the fact that such an NPC even existed. 

“So why’d you come to a backwoods place like this in the first place?” 

“Ah, well, um, I’m looking for something…” 

“Looking for something?” Marelle asked Cayna as she passed behind her with a handful of tankards. 

Cayna hadn’t meant to answer so bluntly. She didn’t even know what she was looking for. 

Lytt listened intently as she carried a tray and tilted her head cutely. Cayna couldn’t help but pat her head, and the girl looked back at her sweetly. 

Cayna had said she was looking for something, but it was more like someplace. A facility, to be exact. 

According to her support AI, Kee, Cayna was cut off from the master system and could no longer access location services like the World Map. In other words, she was more than just lost; she was at the mercy of the world itself. 

She wanted to know the location of her tower base and how far it was from this village. Nevertheless, Cayna thought it best to stay here for the time being until she was more familiar with the lay of the land. 

It wasn’t as if there was any problem with her ring. It would still take her directly to the tower regardless. However, she would have no choice but to pass through the surrounding forest if she wanted to get back to the village. 

Initially, Cayna thought maybe she could use Flight to soar high above the trees, but based on Lytt’s reaction to her earlier spell, she realized she was getting her priorities mixed. The villagers would likely mistake her for a monster and end up stressing unnecessarily. She needed the reassurance of knowing she wasn’t interrupting people’s peaceful lives. 

“What’re you lookin’ for anyway? I’d be happy to help if I can,” Marelle offered. 

“Um, well, it’s a silver tower in the middle of a forest.” 

““?!?!”” 

Cayna’s honest answer left the old Marelle and her eldest daughter, Luine, speechless. Their faces expressed shock, but their eyes held distinct fear. 

“N-now why would you wanna go to a terrifyin’ place like that?” 

“J-just give up now! Who knows what you’ll find?!” 

Their trembling voices indicated a definite fear of the place, and based on their warnings, it was clear they were worried for Cayna. 

However, those concerns were being directed at the master of the silver tower herself. Cayna couldn’t begin to guess what was driving their terror, and her mind swam with questions. 

Huh? What? Did a dragon or something decide to move in after it sat neglected for two hundred years? 

Dragons were a quintessential popular monster, but in a VRMMO like Leadale, dragons weren’t Active-type monsters that openly roamed the fields. 

Basic dragon-type monsters could be called upon using Summoning Magic. Most were found in places like player- and guild-run dungeons, where they were generally used as guard dragons in place of guard dogs. 

In other words, if you wanted to fight a dragon outside of raiding someone else’s tower, you had to get a player with the Summoning Magic: Dragon spell to do it for you. 

Thus, Cayna couldn’t rule out that someone had decided to occupy the empty tower and use it as their base. 

However, Luine’s next words overturned that concern. 

…And not in a good way. 

“Legend says the fearsome Silver Ring Witch lives there!!” 

THUNK!! 

It was Marelle and her daughters’ turn to look baffled. Cayna had slammed her forehead on the counter as if she’d suddenly passed out. They stared at her for some time, but she only twitched slightly with seemingly no sign of getting up. 

Worried their guest might be coming down with something, Lytt tugged at the sleeve of Cayna’s robe. As the girl did so, not only did Cayna sit up, she rose from her chair entirely. 

“A-are you okay? …Feelin’ a bit under the weather?” asked Marelle. 

“YesI’mfineperfectlyhealthynoproblematatllwellthengoodnight!” 

The three ladies blankly watched Cayna quickly rattle off an excuse and rush up the stairs at top speed. 

“I wonder what’s wrong…,” Lytt said. 

“Some trauma related to the Silver Ring Witch, maybe?” Luine suggested. 

“Could’ve fooled me… Well, what can ya do? Let’s call it a night.” 

Marelle’s word was law. The girls started cleaning up and quickly forgot about Cayna’s odd behavior. 

Meanwhile, back in her room, Cayna lay on the bed with the blanket over her head and trembled in agony. 

“I can’t believe that lasted two hundred years into the future! This is sooo embarrassing…” 

Moreover, she couldn’t help but think it was a perfectly timed, wicked stunt someone had pulled solely to humiliate her. 

The “Silver Ring Witch” was Cayna’s infamous alias. 

As a bonus prize for earning the title of Skill Master, players were given an Artifact of their choosing. Of course, there were some limits to how powerful it could be, but the unique equipment given was nothing short of extraordinary. 

Cayna had requested an item that would increase her Magic Stats and give her a constant Magic Barrier. She left the design up to the Admins, and they came up with a giant silver ring that floated around the user. Just looking like a silver ring of Saturn was fine, but… 

Whenever Cayna equipped it, the floating magic would activate on its own, and all the first-time ally players fighting in the Seven Nation Battle would see her as a Big Boss, as if they were in some kind of FPS game. 

However, her current appearance and how people now saw her didn’t really make a difference either way. As it was, her race traits were already elevated, and she had plenty of stat-boosting skills unique to her as a Skill Master. Moreover, thanks to level-breaking Synergy effects, Cayna’s Attack Magic value was head and shoulders above that of other players. 

These were only further powered up by the Silver Ring, and her super magic blasted everything away. Enemy players naturally trembled in fear, and thus, her notorious moniker formally came to be. 

It was a dark stain on Cayna’s history that she wished to seal away, but it seemed to be carved into legend even after she’d traveled worlds and space-time… 

As the saying goes, Anyone can start a rumor, but none can stop one. 

Though she trembled with shame, Cayna shook her head to chase away those negative thoughts and switched to something else. She hadn’t yet been able to ask where the tower was located, so she vowed she would try tomorrow. 

Still, the fact that her nickname hadn’t faded into history was proof that players had existed in the past. As for those that might still remain besides Cayna, humans and werecats only had a life span of about two hundred years. 

There were surely a number of dwarves and elves still around, though, who she could potentially find. 

“There’s no point dwelling on it. I can’t confirm anything and don’t see an end in sight, so I might as well just stop now.” 

Her mind was spinning around in circles, and since she didn’t even have anyone to talk to about it, she decided to put the issue on hold until she could meet a mutually long-lived peer. 

Cayna locked her door and, not having anything better to do, tried to go to sleep. 

It was still too early for bedtime, and this world was full of endless fascination for someone like Keina, who grew up in a science-based civilization. Leadale itself had always been a continuous source of pleasure. 

The light would pose problems once it was time for bed, however. The magically fueled lantern shone brightly and lit up every corner of the room. The Light spell she’d cast would last for roughly another six hours. 

Players used the spell during dungeon crawls and the like, and when it ran out, that was usually a sign to finish things up. When party members came to a good stopping point, it was pretty standard for everyone to bring their light back outside and leave it there. 

Since Cayna was trying to get some shut-eye and needed darkness, she cast the spell Black Light Level 2. Finding relief in the pitch-black room, she slipped under the covers. 

“It’ll go out before morning anyway.” 

Cayna figured she didn’t need armor to sleep, but she didn’t exactly have pajamas, either. She took off only her jagged arm guard and put it in the Item Box. Marelle had said that things like baths were a luxury, so she cleansed herself with the spell Purity and went to sleep. 

It was the early hours of the morning, and as the village lay sleeping soundly, two shadows darted behind the buildings. 

“I dunno, Zena. I been hearin’ she’s an adventurer. Sneakin’ up on ’er seems sorta crazy.” 

“Dumbass, what’s one little girlie like that gonna do? She’s a sittin’ duck for guys like us.” 

Zena and Lyle were the village misfits who the locals called punks and thieves whenever they were out of earshot. 

The pair’s target was the fat purse they’d seen Cayna flashing about that afternoon. She looked like nothing more than some little greenhorn adventurer girl, so anyone meeting her for the first time tended to underestimate her. 

Little did they realize that her innocuous frame housed a transcendent being of a bygone era. To put it bluntly, their reckless endeavor was akin to a mouse challenging a monster. Even so, the two thugs lacked either the insight or competence to realize this. 

They pilfered a ladder from a neighboring barn and laid it against the roof that would lead them to the window of Cayna’s room. The two of them quietly climbed up. Lyle inserted a thin gold plate into the gap in the shutters and undid the window’s inner latch. 

As soon as he finished this delicate work, though, a pitch-black darkness radiated from the open window. Lyle let out a pitiful little yelp and fell backward. Naturally, there was nothing there to support him, and a painful-sounding thump! interrupted the silence as he tumbled to the ground. 

The blow had knocked the wind out of him. He couldn’t even answer his partner’s questions. 

“The hell are ya doin’? …Hey, what’s that?” 

The darkness radiating from the room and beginning to seep outside made for an eerie spectacle in the moonlight. 

Zena hesitated for a moment, but his greed was greater than his fear. He stepped into the gloom…all without noticing the magic immediately starting to rise within it. 

Cayna’s equipment was packed with a plethora of EX Items that gave her additional skills and special effects. Among them was a silver bracelet on her right arm that could automatically call upon an Active monster with Summoning Magic: Lightning Spirit Level 3. It was originally meant to be used when the player was Away and gained the nickname “Pervert Blocker.” 

She had this for a couple of reasons: Sometimes the Admins would, on a whim, hold events where monsters attacked all the towns. Other times, people would pull mischievous pranks like doodling on players who had their statuses set to Away. All the more proof that your safety wasn’t guaranteed even within the towns. 

At that moment, the spell identified the thieves as a threat and instantly summoned a Lightning Spirit whose threat level was somewhere in the 330 range (calculated by multiplying the caster’s highest level and the Summoning spell level by 10 percent). You’d need four level-330 players to handle something like that. 

The jagged 3D frames converged in front of Zena and materialized with an electric spark to form the silhouette of a lion. The wave of electric aftershocks zapped the intruder, who fell backward with a shout. The lion nimbly pursued. 

Zena landed and twitched spastically in front of Lyle, who had finally managed to recover. The electric lion, which was almost double the size of a bear, soon caught up to them. The two flustered hoodlums spurred their aching bodies on and made a break for it. 

The electric lion chased the two around the village and only returned to Cayna’s side once they were beyond its perimeter. It deftly used its front paws to close the window that had been left wide-open before sitting in the center of the room. 

The magic power that had been circulating while the Black Light was in effect had been used up and was now dissipated. Of course, Cayna had no idea any of this had happened during the night, and by the time the morning rays broke through the gap in her window, she woke energized and ready to take on the day. 

Kee, who kept watch outside day and night, knew all about the incident. He had intentionally determined it was Not Important, and the truth remained hidden in darkness. 

“Wow, it sure is nice out.” 

Cayna opened her window to let in the fresh air and verdant scent of the outdoors. The sight Mother Nature wrought soon after this new dawn moved her heart. It reminded her of the spectacle she’d once seen when she went mountain climbing with her parents as a child. Tears began to well in her eyes. 

She stared at the marvelous scenery for a long while without feeling the least bit bored but noticed something flashing out of the corner of her eye. Cayna turned to the right and used Eagle Eye to magnify it. 

“…Ah, there it is.” 

Although only the top half was visible from the village, a silver tower clearly stood at the foot of the mountain range to her right. 

“I guess that’s our mission today, huh?” Cayna said with a quiet laugh. A knock came at the door, and she left the window to answer it. 

“You’ve barely got any equipment. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” 

“There’s no need to worry. Even with this, I’m pretty capable on my own.” 

In front of the inn, Cayna was engaged in a verbal tug-of-war as Marelle fretted over the girl leaving the village. It all started with her lack of anything beyond basic equipment. She didn’t even have a tool bag. 

She couldn’t exactly say she had an Item Box in another dimension that housed vast stores of goods, and she was at a loss over how to free herself of this predicament. 

Help came from a most unexpected source. 

“Well then, miss, you could at least take this!” 

“Huh? Lytt?” 

Lytt held a leather canteen out to her. Unable to say no to those eyes swimming with deep concern, Cayna accepted it with a bright smile. 

“Thank you, Lytt. I’d be happy to borrow it for a while. I’ll make sure to bring you back a present, so look forward to it.” 

“Take care, miss.” 

“Sigh. Honestly… Listen, Cayna. My husband’s going all-out for dinner tonight, so make sure you’re back by then.” 

“I will, Marelle.” 

The mother and daughter saw Cayna off at the village entrance and watched her cheerfully wave at them down the main road. She finally vanished from sight, and they turned back the way they came. 

Considering Cayna had told them just the day before that she was going to look for the silver tower, it wouldn’t have made any sense for her to suddenly announce the next morning that she was going to pick medicinal herbs instead. Marelle had heard from Lytt that Cayna could use magic, so she figured their lodger wouldn’t be in too much danger so long as she didn’t run into too many monsters. 

Given Cayna’s base specs, the monsters in this area were by far the ones in real danger. 

…Not that Marelle had any way of knowing that. 

“I wonder if this is far enough?” 

After walking down the main road for some time, Cayna checked to see if the village was out of sight and turned down a side path that led into the forest. 

She stepped out into an open meadow as if somehow guided there. 

Along the way, Cayna had heard strange whispers that she told herself countless times were all in her head. This was surely due to high elves’ natural affinity for the trees and flora, which made some Craft Skills quite difficult. 

After checking that no one was around, just to be safe, she raised her Guardian Ring and recited the secret code. 

This code was a spell the Skill Masters had devised together, and it worked for every ring, hence why Cayna didn’t want anyone from the village overhearing her. It was at this moment that she most clearly grasped the phrase “Loose lips sink ships.” 

“ One who protects in times of trouble! I beseech you to rescue this depraved world from chaos! ” 

Upon finishing her chant, a silver sparkle began dancing around Cayna. Countless bands of light rose up from beneath her and created a glittering silver cylinder that wrapped around her like a cocoon. High above, the remaining beams came together in a complex pattern to form a mandala-like magic circle. It was reminiscent of an ice field brimming with silver powder that fluttered like snow and was as dazzling as an ice show. 

Each Guardian Ring had its own unique effect—this was Cayna’s. 

The master of the Palace of the Dragon King, for example, would apparently become surrounded by an impressive waterfall. 

“Does it have to be this pointlessly fancy each and every time…?” 

A black space opened up in the center of the mandala overhead and steadily approached Cayna with every spin of the magic circle. Swallowed up along with the cylindrical veil, she passed through momentary darkness before finding herself in a completely ordinary stone-walled room. 

She gave a huge sigh and let her shoulders droop, then turned her ring toward the wall right in front of her. 

After profuse rumbling and creaking, the stone wall split down the middle and opened. Ahead of her was a smooth, unadorned stone corridor. 

“Why does it look so boring down here? I guess even Opus gets artist’s block sometimes…” 

The door behind her closed back up. She was now locked in, and the lines of the stone wall fit together so seamlessly, it was as if the door hadn’t existed at all. 

To the right was the set of stairs that served as the tower’s main passageway. The tower itself was about two hundred meters, but once people started climbing it, the stairs began rotating until they seemed to spiral endlessly. The staircase would pause at certain intervals, enticing visitors to reach the top. 

A formula nullifying all magic had been inscribed into the stairs of every floor except the top one to keep players from using a Flight spell to reach the summit. It was a type of trap that cruelly transported any player who stopped walking back outside the tower. 

This was Skill Master Cayna’s silver tower. A player could complete the trial by reaching the top after climbing for twenty-four hours without rest. Failure to do so meant being dropped outside and having to start all over again. 

To the left was a large reception hall where she greeted visitors. As Cayna headed toward it, a baroque-style veranda and great blue sky spread before her. It seemed to be built like a type of open stage. 

In actuality, it was supposed to be enclosed by thick walls and covered with a ceiling to keep out the wind and rain. The single remaining brick wall contained a mural. The clumsy-looking sun was drawn rather roughly. The eyes one might expect to be carved into place rolled around and took in Cayna’s every movement. 

“Well, well, well! Long time no see, Master. What brings YOU here after abandoning my magnificence for two hundred years?” 

“…Sigh. Looks like you got a mouth on you now…” 

Like the NPCs, the Guardians who managed the towers in the game were only supposed to stick to the script… She never expected it would do a complete one-eighty and turn into this punk delinquent character. She was struck speechless. 

“Did anyone pass the trial while I was gone?” 

“Nope. Nothin’ but peace and quiet around here. I’m so bored, I think I’m gonna puke.” 

What’s with the attitude? This Guardian can’t move in the first place, so what did it think it could possibly do to pass the time? 

“Oh yeaaaah. That Skargo guy dropped by about sixty years ago. He wanted to talk to ya, Master, but you decided to ignore all my calls. Um, hello?” 

“Uh, about that… I’ve been a little busy…” 

Whenever a visitor arrived, the Guardians were able to contact their masters through the rings to inform them—hence why Cayna could leave the tower for a stroll whenever she liked. 

She herself had no memory of what had happened sixty years ago, let alone two hundred, and tried to keep her answers vague. 

“…Hey!” 

“Hmm? What is it?” 

“That Skargo guy was here. Didja hear me?” 

“Yeah, I heard you… Who’s Skargo?” 

“WHAT?!” 

“Huh? Buh? Wha—?” 

If this Guardian had limbs and a body, it would have slapped a hand to its forehead. It heaved an exasperated sigh and mumbled to no one in particular: 

“The old hag’s finally gone senile…” 

“Pardon? What was that just now?” 

The word hag didn’t escape her attention, and Cayna immediately took out a staff from her Item Box. 

Standing two meters tall, it was composed of three intricately twisted dragons facing three different directions. Their open maws each held a jewel; red, blue, and gold, respectively. It was a rare item known as the Arcal Staff, a heinous piece of equipment that could rain down the highest level of Flame, Frost, or Lightning Magic in a single strike. However, it could only be used once a day. 

“Uh, hey, Master? Whatcha doin’ with that staff?” 

“I was thinking I could use it to beat my foul-mouthed Guardian into shape. Better yet, why don’t I freeze you for the next two hundred years?” 

“My bad. Forgive me, Master.” 

It wasn’t the most heartfelt apology, but Cayna decided to let it go and put the staff away. Besides, since the entire tower was set up with special Artifacts, she wasn’t sure if her magic would have any effect anyway. 

“…So who’s Skargo?” 

“Wow, no love for him, either, huh? Poor guy. Don’t go forgettin’ he’s your son. Hello?” 

“…? Whaaa—? My son?!” 

The Guardian looked at Cayna and sighed with a “C’mon, seriously?” as she let out a frantic cry. Tilting her head questioningly and murmuring “Son, Skargo, son, Skargo” as if it might strike a chord, she remained lost in thought for some time. 

“Oh… Ohhhhhh!!” 

Ten minutes later, she seemed to realize something and pressed a fist to her palm with a shout. 

“The Foster System! I remember now!” 

“…What the heck you goin’ on about?” 

The Admins officially called it the NPC Compensation Program, while players knew it as the Foster System. It was a ridiculous and unprecedented request from early designers that passed through the Admins that basically boiled down to Coming up with all these NPC names is getting to be a pain. This system offered to recruit players’ sub-characters as NPCs. 

Leadale included a feature where, for a small fee, you could create up to two characters. 

Most players treated these as mules, characters who held items that weren’t used often but were still too valuable to get rid of. Once you acquired your own base for use as storage, these mule characters would be reduced to nothing more than pitiful, forgotten ghosts. 

The Foster System was a scheme for the Admins to buy up NPCs. There were also perks if your character had a decent set of skills. They might be appointed to an important position, and depending on where they were appointed, the player who contributed the character might get half their salary. 

As a result, a lot of newbie players registered with the system with an eye toward monetary gain. Since these characters wouldn’t disappear from the player’s profile, newcomers and veterans alike used the system for a bit of peace of mind. 

One requirement was that there be some connection between the contributed character and its player. Of the relationships people decided to go with, there were naturally a few outliers. They ranged from those who boasted “My little sister knows one hundred eight techniques” to those who declared the characters were their wives. Players who insisted on an “Ultimate Slave Harem” were dealt with. 

There were widespread rumors that these NPCs might be used for quests at some point, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. 

The truth was, players had registered so many all in the name of money that the Admins couldn’t handle them all. 

Cayna had submitted a total of three sub-characters, two of which she’d purchased in-game. At the time, she had decided all three would be her children. 

Skargo, the eldest of the three, was an elf and priest type who was highly skilled in the healing arts. He had probably gotten involved in the church. 

Next was her daughter, Mai-Mai, Skargo’s younger sister and also an elf. Her specialization in Attack Magic had helped her find employment in the game’s Mage Guild. 

Cayna’s youngest, Kartatz was “adopted” even in the conventional sense. He was most likely employed as a skilled dwarf craftsman. 

In the world of Leadale, elves lived about five hundred years and dwarves about three hundred, so she figured all three were still alive by this point. Each had been given an inferior copy of the Guardian Ring, so Skargo must have bypassed the trial and come here directly. 

“So I’m an unmarried seventeen-year-old with children over two hundred years old…” 

“Whazzat? Quit makin’ no sense.” 

The Guardian looked as if it wanted to say more, but Cayna was unbothered. With an air of Well, I guess it keeps things interesting, right? she walked over to the edge of the stage. 

As she placed her ring within a cavity in the floor and turned it, something clicked, and a stone sarcophagus big enough to easily hold an adult rose up. 

Each tower was equipped with a large storeroom. Cayna opened the lid and checked through the contents. She could clearly tell what was inside, even though it seemed too dark to see. The Item Window opened on her right and displayed a large quantity of items in storage on the left. 

This was no different from her usual game experience, but her mind was still full of questions. Even so, theorizing wasn’t really Cayna’s forte. Her less-than-stellar friend had been especially good at that, so she couldn’t help but feel she should just defer if they ever crossed paths again. 

The Guardian spoke to her as she carefully went over what to take with her, all the while wondering between responses if a friend like this Guardian would be any fun. 

“Hey, Master. You didn’t just come to pick stuff up, right?” 

“Hmm. I knew it—I’m running low on plant ingredients… Right, I’ll have to make that a top priority. By the way, do you know what’s been going on lately?” 

“Yeah, I heard a bunch of stuff from Skargo. About the seven nations turning into three and all that.” 

“Huh? Why do I have so many gag weapons? Was I holding them for someone? I wonder what became of everyone.” 

“Beats me. Half your friends were human, right? They gotta be six feet under by now.” 

“Well, yeah, that’s true…” 

Cayna sorted through her stores for quite a while, and the sun was at its zenith by the time she finished. She closed the sarcophagus lid and pushed it back into the floor. 

Afterward, she approached the mural Guardian, pressed her hand to the wall, and transferred about 90 percent of her MP. Maintaining the world and the quests that went along with it was the Admins’ job, but as a Skill Master, it was her duty to take care of the Guardian and the tower. 

In addition to many other rewards, Cayna had acquired the highest MP level in Leadale’s history, so she always made sure the Guardian had a full supply of magic. That was why, even after two hundred years, it was still functioning somehow. 

Even so, when she checked it just then, it was clearly on the verge of running dry. Cayna would have preferred to fill its tank, but even with her continuous MP renewal spell Passive Skill: MP Healing, doing so was bound to take all night. She had made a promise to Marelle and was set on returning to the village sometime that day. 

As Cayna considered what she should do, the Guardian spoke up. 

“Hey, Master, I got a favor to ask.” 

“Hmm? You don’t say things like that very often. What is it?” 

“Apparently, the other Guardians at the other towers have shut down. Can you check ’em out if you got time?” 

“…Ah, guess they’ve been neglected, too. I understand. I’ll look for them if I have time.” 

The Guardians of each tower could communicate among one another, but that ability was useless if some of them had fallen into disrepair. Since the rings worked with any tower, she would at least be able to avoid the traps, but she’d also have to dive underwater… 

In that case, it meant Cayna would have to regularly patrol the thirteen towers. Despite being a pressing issue, though, it wasn’t as if she knew where they all were. Since she couldn’t access the World Map, for now she’d have to find a densely populated area and gather information. 

This would more than likely come with its own large set of problems. Highly visible towers wouldn’t be too much trouble, but there was no way she could search for those buried underground. Furthermore, the ocean was just as challenging but for a different reason. After all, the continent of Leadale was surrounded by water to the north, west, and south. If Cayna wanted to look for places the Guardian Ring might react to, she’d probably have to float over the sea for hours on end. Either method required time she simply didn’t have. 

For the time being, she pointed southwest from the veranda and issued instructions to the Guardian. 

“I’ll be in that village over there for a while. Call me if anything happens.” 

“Got it. Thanks much, Master.” 

From the center of the stage, Cayna gave the Guardian the signal. A blueish-white pentagram appeared and began glowing beneath her feet. Before she knew it, Cayna was in the forest surrounding the silver tower. She looked up at it for a moment before turning on her heel and heading in the direction she had pointed out earlier. 

“Hmm. Shoot… I should have put something down that would give me the option to teleport.” 

At the very least, thanks to the Distance Measurement spell Cayna had cast before she left, she could walk a straight line to the village that lay over forty kilometers away. Traveling the base of a mountain by foot meant a lot of circumventing and added quite a bit of distance. Even though she was walking on flat earth now, Cayna was still a bit worried whether she’d be back at the inn in time for dinner. 

“Haaah… Heave… Haaah… Hooo…” 

After a great deal of thought, she eventually decided to just run. Although Cayna specialized in magic, it was a chance for her to show off her full specs as a high elf. It was a shame no one was around to witness it. 

She used an Active Skill, Travel Speed Up (duration: one minute), and chose the Magic Skills Agility Up and Movement Up. Cayna repeated this again and again as she tore down the road. 

Since she was in a forest, the boost she got from the trees made the journey easier than it would have been in an open plain. Even so, she wasn’t used to running, and the sky was turning dusky by the time she approached the village. 

Cayna had been bedridden in her former life, and while she could still remember the sensation of running, actually doing it took some effort. She constantly fell down over nothing and got tripped up by her own legs. A few times, she almost ran into branches and tree trunks because she was busy looking at her own two feet. The only reason she made it out alive was because the trees took care to warn her of any imminent danger. 

If her fellow guild members had seen such a sight, they surely would have said, What are you, stupid? 

There was also the option of flying, but since Cayna had given her MP to the Guardian, she had less than 10 percent of her usual amount. Even if she tried, she probably wouldn’t even last five minutes in the air. 

At any rate, the village was only a few minutes on foot from the main road—but that wasn’t taking into account her present body’s athletic specs. Her stats weren’t the problem. With the weakest character specs in the game, Cayna was ill-suited for sprinting at full speed. Even the forest couldn’t fix that. On the way back to the main road, she took a number of breaks and healed her fatigue on multiple occasions. 

And that’s when it came. 

Quenching her parched throat with the filled water canteen Lytt lent her, Cayna took a deep breath. Better get going, she thought as she stretched, feeling good as new, when the loud howling of a beast echoed nearby with a “Graaaaaaaagh!” 

“Huh? What? Where’s it coming from?!” 

“From the main road, Cayna” came Kee’s monotone reply. 

Fearing she was under attack, Cayna had taken up a strange pose. Embarrassed, she soon raced ahead, fearful that someone else was in trouble. 

She cut through the forest and came upon a hunter sitting on the main road. It was the villager Marelle had smacked over the head with a tray for speaking out of line. 

A bear towered before him on its hind legs, ready to strike. 

While it was indeed a bear, it stood about four meters high and had twisting horns that extended toward the corners of its mouth. This was a horned bear. Back when Cayna played the game, horned bears were nicknamed “bore bears”—tough for newbies, chump change for midlevel players. 

The horned bear stiffened as soon as it saw Cayna. 

This was thanks to her Active Skills, which readied her for a fight. Intimidate (sharply decreases an enemy’s ability to escape), Glare (slows an enemy’s movements), and Warrior Smile (has a 22 percent chance of nullifying the enemy’s defenses) had automatically kicked in, and the poor horned bear had no place to run. 

In any case, Cayna hadn’t once considered fighting with a weapon when she decided to rush into the fray. The only thing on her mind was I have to save that villager! 

With a running start, Cayna leaped into the air to knock the horned bear out of the way. She threw a beautifully executed flying kick right into the horned bear’s gut. 

“HYAAAA!!” 

“GWAGH?!” 

The second she made impact, Weapon Skill: Charge automatically activated. Cayna was insanely powerful and high-level despite being one of the weaker races. Her kick bent the horned bear’s massive body in half and sent it flying. It then crash-landed in the forest along the roadside. The fierce cracking of toppled trees could be heard as the monster disappeared into the wooded depths. 

The hunter, unsurprisingly, had broken into a cold, paralyzed sweat at the sight of Cayna’s flying kick. Silence momentarily fell over them. 

Cayna reacted first and rushed over to the hunter. 

“Are you all right?! You’re not hurt, are you?!” 

“Y-Yeah…I’m okay. Wow, miss… You’re pretty incredible, aren’t you…?” 

“A-ah, um… Yeah! Ten, no, twenty of those bears are nothing for me! Ha-ha-ha!” 

Since monsters like that really weren’t the least bit of a threat, this was no exaggeration. 

Perhaps subdued by the way Cayna thrust out her chest and laughed uproariously, the hunter stood and offered his thanks. 

“Thank you, miss. I was almost done for. I would love to give you something as a reward, but I’m afraid I don’t have anything on me.” 

“There’s no need. Isn’t it natural to help others in trouble?” 

“Y-yeah, that’s true…” 

“Well then, instead of a reward, I’d be happy if you called me ‘Cayna’ instead of ‘miss.’” 

“I see. Of course. My name’s Lottor. Thank you again, Miss Cayna.” 

“It’s no trouble. I’m glad you’re safe.” 

With a sigh of relief, Cayna peeked into the dark forest that had swallowed up the bear. She was sure the enemy’s HP bar had gone from yellow to red to zero the moment her kick connected. In other words, it had been a one-hit KO. 

“What should I do with the bear?” 

She was certain she’d read on the official website that its meat was delicious. Thinking maybe she could treat the villagers to a feast, Cayna stepped into the forest. Its horn and pelt would also make good material for weapons. 

Lottor hurriedly followed after her. 

“Hold on, what if it’s still alive? Fighting a bear in the forest is asking for death.” 

“Don’t worry, it’s dead. Would you mind waiting just a moment?” 

Cayna cast a Light spell on a silver coin and stepped farther into the forest. 

The horned bear had smashed through a straight line of countless trees and was lying dead with bloody foam around its mouth. She grabbed it by the horns and tried to pick it up, only to realize it was much lighter than expected. She dragged it back to the main road. Lottor watched in amazement as the petite girl pulled along a horned bear three times her size with ease. 

The sun had completely set by the time they arrived at the village, and an anxious Lytt had clung to Cayna in tears. She gave a scream when she saw the horned bear, but the giant prey sent the villagers’ excitement through the roof. When the village elder declared it a blessing from the forest and called for a banquet that very night, the people cheered and set to work. Married and unmarried women alike gathered together and began dissecting it. The men, on the other hand, brought out the tables and chairs from the inn and set up a large bonfire in the village’s central plaza. 

Cayna had thought the inn was the place for large gatherings but then realized this plaza was actually pretty convenient for such an occasion. 

The few children present laid out buckets of water around the bonfire just in case. Cayna didn’t have much else to do, so she helped them out. 

Lottor then approached and asked what they should do with the horned bear materials. 

“Um, I don’t really need anything. Please use them with the other villagers.” 

“Oh, no, we can’t do that. Aren’t you the one who slayed it, Miss Cayna? There’s a pelt, horns, fangs, and claws.” 

The pelt could be worn as protection against the cold or crafted into a rug, the fangs could be used in place of nails, and the claws were already suitable as small knives. Cayna thought about it for a moment and decided to take only the horns so she could make a beginner’s spear or something similar out of it. The rest would apparently be divided among the villagers. 

Since Cayna was the guest of honor, she could only watch without lifting a finger until everything was ready. She was then handed a tankard filled to the brim with fruit wine. 

“Go on, Miss Cayna.” 

“Uh, pardon?” 

Not understanding what was going on, she looked around at the villagers. They all smiled as if she’d done something funny. 

Refusing to just stand by, Marelle explained. “Since you’re the guest of honor, go ahead and give a command.” 

I get it, Cayna realized. It was like a toast. She’d never actually given one, though, and only knew about them from TV and books. 

After a moment’s thought, she shouted, “To new friendships!” and raised her tankard high. The crowd responded with bright smiles, and the modest banquet finally began. 

The skewered horned bear meat was the main course, but the women had lined the table with other dishes as well. One might have thought they could go on cooking forever, but once a certain amount was set out all at once, that was apparently it. 

After their work was done, the women joined in the fun with drinking, eating, singing, and dancing. It seemed the party would end when the initial round of food and drink was gone. 

Cayna slowly nursed the fruit wine she’d been given. Since there was a wide spectrum of resistance against status ailments, players like Cayna didn’t typically drink. However, she realized abstaining would be rude in such a situation and decided to push herself. 

Thus, after only the smallest sip of fruit wine, Cayna’s senses soon turned bubbly. 

What did alcohol intolerance look like in high elves, who were considered royalty among the elven race? No one had warned her, and she had never bothered to ask for herself. 

As the food dwindled, the villagers’ focus turned to Cayna. Naturally, the hunter Lottor spread the word of her heroic valor. Cayna blushed and curled in on herself as she listened. 

Not only that, but just as the villagers finished singing her praises, she took the tankard she’d been using to hide her embarrassment and began drinking with relish. Her thus-far-slightly-buzzed consciousness was quickly swept away. Her sudden silly expression astounded the villagers. 

“Guess Cayna was a lightweight.” 

“You think she pushed herself?” 

“She seemed to be of age, but…maybe she’s younger than I thought?” 

Naturally, a party is considered over when the main guest is smashed. The villagers started cheerfully cleaning up. 

Cayna, who had fallen asleep before the banquet’s end, was carried back to her room on Marelle’s back.