Chapter 2: First Mission with the Princess
TL: Kazue Kurosaki
ED: Kazue Kurosaki
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Raka followed Ayra through the dense and mysterious forest. During the journey, his mind was still busy trying to understand the situation. Being trapped in his favorite game was something that only happened in stories, not in real life. However, now he could no longer think of this as just a game—this world felt so real.
After some time, they arrived at a cliff overlooking vast hills with a majestic castle standing in the distance. The castle was a place he was familiar with in the game: Ayurea Castle, the home of Ayra's character and the place where many important quests took place. Now, he would enter it for the first time.
"We're almost there," Ayra said without turning her head. Her voice sounded firm, but occasionally she glanced at Raka with a curious look.
"You don't seem to believe me," Raka muttered while observing Ayra's fast and confident steps.
Ayra paused for a moment, looking at him sharply. "How can I trust someone who suddenly appears in the middle of our territory without any explanation?" Ayra tightened her red cloak, taking a deep breath before continuing, “However, if you really want to help, I will give you a chance.”
They continued their journey until they arrived at the city gate, which was filled with guards in shining armor. The guards looked wary when they saw Raka, but did not dare to argue with Ayra who gestured to let them through.
As soon as he entered the city, Raka was amazed at the hustle and bustle of life there. Residents walked back and forth, merchants hawked their wares, and children ran among the crowd. It all felt real, much more detailed than he had ever seen in the game version.
“Ayra, what exactly do you need from me?” he asked as they approached the castle.
“There is a spy from the dark clan who has escaped to a nearby village. We suspect he is carrying important information regarding our defenses,” Ayra explained. “You will go with me to capture him.”
“Capture a spy?” Raka was a little surprised. In the game, this kind of mission was usually only given to high-level players. However, the situation now was different. This was no longer just a game; This was a reality that required courage and intelligence.
Without wasting any time, Ayra led Raka towards a village outside the city. The sun was starting to set, coloring the sky with an orange hue, as they reached a small village surrounded by grasslands.
“We have to be careful. This village is known as a hideout for people from the dark clan,” Ayra whispered as they entered the village.
They walked through the narrow alleys, observing every corner, until they finally found a suspicious man in a long black robe walking hurriedly. Ayra immediately signaled Raka to stop.
“That’s him. He carries a secret scroll that could endanger our kingdom if it falls into the wrong hands,” Ayra whispered.
Raka felt nervous, but the adrenaline flowing through his blood made him ready to act. When the man turned towards a deserted street, Ayra gave a signal, and they immediately moved towards him.
“Stop!” Ayra shouted, her voice firm and echoing. The man turned around with shocked eyes, but immediately ran.
“Chase him!” Raka shouted, and the two of them began to chase the man through the narrow alleys of the village. The man moved quickly, passing the confused villagers watching the chase.
Raka tried to chase him with all his might, realizing that gaming practice had never been this hard. However, with strong determination, he finally managed to close the distance and jumped towards the man, knocking him to the ground.
“What are you doing!” the man snapped, trying to fight back. However, Ayra soon arrived and pointed her sword at him.
“Hand over the scroll, or your life is at stake,” Ayra said in a threatening tone.
Reluctantly, the man took a small scroll from his pocket and threw it to the ground. Ayra took the scroll with a satisfied expression. “The Ayurea Kingdom will not lose to this kind of cheating,” she said.
As they walked back, Raka couldn’t help but smile a little. The feeling of working together with Ayra, facing danger together, gave him a sense of satisfaction. However, when he glanced at Ayra, he found himself wondering about who Ayra really was outside of her role as the kingdom’s princess. And for the first time, Raka felt that his presence in this world might have a purpose beyond just a game.
