Volume 10 - Chapter 1 – Part 5 (1/2)
Chapter 1 – Part 5
“Hey, as that person?”
“H another location It’s a bit of a nasty place, you see He came to request some recovery items I know the leader, so I’ll ask hi? You’rea weird face”
Marino’s expression had drastically changed; she now looked concerned as she stared in the direction Vlad had gone
“Soaze, shi+n guessed that Vlad was the reason of her worry
“I’ at lared at you?”
shi+n frowned He could not think of a reason why anyone would resent Marino
Despite it being widely known that she worked in the orphanage everyday, there hispers that she received preferential treatroundless resentuess we should be careful”
“I don’t think they’d do anything in these parts though”
In the city, a Player’s HP could not reach zero under norh another player’s stats or what skills they used, it would be impossible for theaeted stores, but it was only stores set up outside of the protected city limits by players such as shi+n The toas a safe location for all players
“Normally, yeah There haven’t been anysuch events, even in the city…”
It’s possible to kill
He didn’t say it outright, but that hat shi+n feared the most Monster invasion events were the reason why toere not absolute safe havens for players
During an invasion event, if the town defenses were breached and theplayers’ HP fro reduced below a certain threshold value was re such events, it was possible to PK even in town
It was a fact that becaely known after the invasion event that happened teeks after the start of the death gaenerated several casualties
“It’s going to be okay, don’t worry Even if an invasion event starts, we just need to make sure the town’s defenses hold up”
“Well, yes, that’s true…”
After the first invasion event,the towns Clearing dungeons was, of course, important, but without a place to return to, it was ultiraded town defenses,that first event It was not strange for Marino to say that there was nothing to worry about
“I’eons by yourself, so no one would be there to help in case it was necessary”
“Hey, I’o on I didn’t , ya know?”
Not even shi+n would go face bosses without scouting first Based on the strength of the Gigantes Moss, the last boss he fought, he answered rather optimistically that there were no problems yet
“Even if you say so, I’eon, and the one after that, and the one after that too, you absolutelyyou as soon as I can, got it!?”
On the other hand, Marino was dead serious She grabbed his lapel and looked straight into his eyes, while hers brimmed with tears
“O-okay, I’m sorry I don’t want to die either I’ll always come back!”
Struck by Marino’s seriousness, shi+nher say that she would join hinore her plea
After shi+n confirmed the pro and angrily glaring at hiether, all right?”
“Yes, I know I keep my promises”
“…no ood friends after all It’ll be nice to meet in real life too”
“…yes”
Apparently satisfied with shi+n’s answer, Marino affectionately squeezed his hands tightly
“…let’s go home”
“Yes”
Relieved to see Marino s, though, the silhouette of a person appeared before them
“Found you at last I am truly sorry, but could you spare so Marino behind his back, shi+n confronted the man
“My name is Robin I came with a request for you, Sir shi+n”
The player who introduced himself as Robin bowed his head to shi+n
“A request? What is it?”
“I know this will be really rude of ize in advance But could it be possible for you to increase the speed of your dungeon clearing?”
“My dungeon clearing?”
Robin raised his head, showing his distressed expression Seeing this, shi+n sensed so different froed hieons
“Wait ahis best, you know!”
“Wait, Marino He seems different from the others so far”
Marino had witnessed such scenes many times in the past and was ready to fly off the handle at theto talk with Robin
“Believehappens?”
“My…superior in real life told me to make you hurry up I’ parties are staking their lives, but if I oppose him my real life will be in jeopardy…to be honest, I can’t stop worrying when I think about how e you, and won’t listen to reason…”
“……”
There were other players with situations like Robin shi+n was still a student and did not have a fa about his life after returning to reality worried hi how the real one was changing
Because of this, shi+n could understand Robin’s feelings, at least to an extent
“I’m sorry As I already said to others, there are new traps and unknown ht patterns are changing too I’ to clear them as fast as I can, but it’s just not possible to proceed as quickly as I could with beginner or intereons”
“…yes, of course I’ you out of the blue like this”
Uttering these final words, Robin left His distressed expression persisted until the end
“Will that person be okay?”
“I don’t know It’s been four months since ere trapped in this world… There are a plenty of people like him who are worried sick about the real world”
There were no counselors or similar professions in this world Some people stood back up on their feet, supported by others, while others fell into despair
“There aremore than to return to the real world and then there are people like PKs, ant to stay here forever”
Marino commented with a difficult expression as they went back
“That’s true…well, everyone’s different What else can we say”
“Yes…you’re right Everyone has different circumstances…”
Marino’s expression was still clouded, but a bit clearer than before
After returning to Tsuki no Hokora, shi+n took a bath, as per Marino’s suggestion
Dipping in the hot bath gave him some relief He felt that it wasn’t an illusion and closed his eyes
While shi+n was in the bath, Marino prepared dinner The menu hite stew and salad
She deftly cut the ingredients and brought the
“Going back to reality…huh…”
Focused on cooking, Marino spoke her thoughts out loud In reaction to hearing her oords, herabout?”
What she had heard were her oords, but she felt like they had come from somewhere else
When she realized the truth, she also fully noticed her real feelings When she heard about the PKs, she was supposed to be angry But at the saht “Yes, I can see that”
“This is weird Why do I…”
Marino knew that, like the PKs, she also harbored a certain dislike towards the idea of returning to reality In fact, Robin’s desire of returning had not htest
“This is just strange I wanted to go back too, didn’t I?”
Too weird This couldn’t be
The e in her own chest confused Marino
That very ht
“Eh…?”
She thought she heard a thud-like sound, from far away
“Ah…”
Her body wouldn’t e, she saw the floor, the racks, then her own ar down
“Aah…”
Then, she finally understood as happening to her
She had forgotten a long tio and tried not to think about it since
She thought that things would continue like this forever
“So… Ti near The time limit drew closer
“A little more Just a little more…”
She tried to move her arms
They o She could now stand by herself It was another attack, probably
“…I have to tell him I can’t cause any more problems for shi+n”
Words which didn’t coirl who always did what she was told