---Omniscient POV--- Aisa's side.
In the East plaza, Aisa waited while leaning against the side of a building.
"She is late..." Aisa muttered, glancing at the time on the game interface.
Suddenly, a girly yet slightly tomboyish voice came from behind. "No, I am not~!"
"WAA!" Aisa jumped, half-drawing her sword as she turned to the side, locking eyes with the one who had just spoken. "Emma..." Aisa called out in disbelief, her heart racing.
The girl standing before Aisa was Emma, a pretty girl with silky brown hair and glowing emerald eyes. She had a tomboyish demeanor and was very cheerful. Aisa had met her in her first-ever game, and Emma had taken a liking to her. She sent a friend request, which Aisa accepted, intrigued by Emma.
(Image of Emma in the comment and in the Discord server!)
"Yo, I am exactly on time~ it's just 11:15 am," Emma giggled, finding Aisa's reaction hilarious. 'This cold girl has such a cute side! Looks like things will be more fun than I expected~' Emma thought eagerly, looking forward to playing with Aisa.
Aisa glared at her. "Don't scare me like that!!" she shouted, her sword slipping from her hand and clattering to the ground.
Emma covered her mouth with one hand and giggled, "Hehe~! I couldn't help it; I came early, but you didn't notice me~ You seemed bored, so I decided to spice things up!" she cheerfully explained, glancing at the sword. 'Low-quality sword... Sigh, this cute girl must have gotten scammed or something...' she judged, planning to introduce Aisa to a good seller.
Aisa felt annoyed, sensing that Emma was just messing with her, but she only looked adorable, triggering Emma's girly side that adored cute things. Suddenly, she hugged Aisa and exclaimed, "So cute~!! How can it be legal to be this cute!!"
Aisa was caught off guard and froze, unsure of how to respond. 'She is hugging me...' Aisa thought in disbelief, as this was the first time someone other than her father or Ken had hugged her. She felt conflicted but also seemed not to hate it.
But Aisa still felt a bit of discomfort as Emma rubbed their cheeks together. "Umm... can you stop... please..." she whispered, and Emma immediately let her go.
"Sorry, sorry, I got a little carried away there." Emma smiled apologetically, hoping Aisa wasn't offended by that.
"It's... okay?" Aisa muttered, unsure but not minding it.
Emma's smile brightened instantly. 'She seems uncertain. Looks like she doesn't have much contact with others. An introvert! The best gaming partners are introverts, and when it's a girl this cute, I don't even care if she's terrible at gaming!'
Emma grinned, "Now then, you called me to play together, right~! So, let's go already~!"
Aisa stared at her, a little overwhelmed by Emma's pace and excitement. She glanced at Emma's outfit, a gray tunic with green designs and lines; it was clear it was of better quality than what Aisa was wearing, meaning she already hunted monsters and earned.
"I don't... I'm still level 1, and I haven't learned how to use a sword yet..." Aisa was hesitant as she didn't want to slow Emma's progression, but Aisa's words only widened Emma's grin.
"That's all~? Just be a mage!"
Aisa blinked in confusion. "But I need to be level 10 to unlock the mage class, right?"
Emma raised her brows. 'Pretty sure the talks about levels and class were right after the introduction, did she skip the whole intro?' she pounded for a bit and decided to educate Aisa.
"I didn't fully go through the tutorial and stuff, but I did reach the part about classes. From level 1 to level 10, you need to pick a direction. For example, I'm playing a swordswoman, so when I reach level 10, I will have the swordswoman class as an option, along with a few others based on what I did while leveling up."
Emma simplified it as much as possible, making it clear for Aisa.
Aisa made an 'O' with her mouth; she hadn't even touched the introduction, let alone the tutorial.
Emma grabbed Aisa's hand and pulled her. "Let's go! We can't just stand around like this! I have a friend who is a beta player; she has a shop nearby!"
She exclaimed, pulling Aisa along. Aisa yelped and followed, trying to keep pace with Emma, who was slightly faster than her.
After nearly half an hour of running, Emma finally came to a stop in front of a shop, her breath coming in heavy gasps. Bent forward, she rested her hands on her knees for support, feeling her legs burn from the nonstop running. "We made it... that was farther than I expected..."
Aisa stopped beside her, lightly panting; she was tired too but not as much as Emma. She scrutinized the shop in front of her, finding it oddly unwelcoming yet ordinary.
It was just a plain medieval shop, with one door and one window on each side displaying some books and antiques of various kinds, but the windows were a little blurry and foggy, making it impossible to see what else was inside the shop beyond what was on display.
'Weird place...' Aisa instantly labeled the shop as strange and took a step back, wanting to leave, but her eyes fell on Emma. Aisa pursed her lips and stood still, deciding to stay.
'Might as well see what's in the shop before leaving. What could go wrong? Wait, am I just repeating my strange following mishap by entering a random weird shop...? Ugh, Big Brother would scold me if he found out...'
Aisa's face slightly fell at the thought of Ken scolding her, but she remained there, not intending to leave Emma. Aisa didn't consider Emma a stranger; she viewed her more as an acquaintance.
Emma caught her breath and turned to Aisa, taken aback. 'Damn... She is three years younger than me but has more stamina. I am not an athlete, but I definitely am equal to a below-average athlete... Guess not all introverts lack stamina...?' Emma dryly thought, very much surprised by Aisa's resilience.
Emma let out a sigh and pushed the shop door.
Ring ring!
The doorbell chimed as it opened, and Emma unhesitatingly stepped in while Aisa hesitated slightly before following suit.
The shop was small, with wooden cabinets filled with various items, ranging from a book with strange covers to hairpins to crystal balls. It resembled a witch's hut transformed into a quaint shop.
At the back, a polished wooden counter held a captivating beauty that many would call a goddess. She sat cross-legged, her long, bright purple hair cascading down, and her charming blue eyes sparkling. Dressed in a black lace-trimmed dress adorned with intricate floral designs, the gown's deep violet bodice was cinched at her waist, accentuating her delicate figure. A wide-brimmed black hat, decorated with matching flowers, cast a subtle shadow over her face, enhancing her mystique.
Siria Grandheart is a well-known and esteemed member of High Society and one of the Beta Players.
(Image of Siria Grandheart in the comment and on my Discord server!!!)
"Yo!" Emma raised a hand in greeting, a grin spreading across her lips.
Siria offered a small smile, "It's good to see you." Her voice was smooth, clear, and melodic, laced with a hint of mischief, but that quickly shifted to surprise and adoration as her eyes landed on Aisa. "Oh, my~ What a cutie pie~!!" she exclaimed, eagerly getting off the table. Aisa immediately took a step back, ready to bolt.
Emma chuckled softly and stepped in front of Siria, "She's a little shy around strangers, so Lolicon's eyes and hands need to be kept at bay."
Siria puffed out her cheeks and raised her chin, "You little... brat, who are you calling a Lolicon?"
Emma shrugged, "Oh~! I don't know, maybe the one who got offended when I said 'Lolicon.' As I recall, I definitely didn't mention anyone's name~," she teased, placing her index finger on her lips to suppress her grin.
Siria's lips twitched, realizing she had fallen into Emma's trap, though she wasn't going to deny being a Lolicon.
Aisa stared at the two, her back pressed against the door, which was unknowingly closed. She pulled the door handle, but the door didn't budge. "A magic lock!?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she sensed the mana keeping the door sealed.
"By the way, do you have any low-grade spells? Aisa needs some," Emma said, unaware that Aisa was trying to leave and that Siria was secretly preventing her by locking the door.
Siria grinned mischievously. "Sure! If the dear cutie-pie lets me feel her cheeks, I wouldn't mind teaching her too!" She hopped to the side, trying to get around Emma, who allowed it.
Just then, Emma flexed her right hand and playfully slapped the back of Siria's head.
"Ouchy!!" Siria exclaimed in exaggerated pain, covering the back of her head with her hands and shooting Emma a mock glare of indignation.
Emma turned to Aisa with a smile. "Don't take her seriously; she's a bit of a Lolicon, but she's very reliable." She gave a thumbs-up, trying not to laugh as she noticed Aisa's attempts to escape. "H-hey, don't worry about her; she's nice... and can really help you now and in the future."
Emma tried to defend Siria but struggled to suppress her laughter.
Siria shot a sharp glare at Emma, who immediately turned away and faked a cough.
"Let's get to introductions!" Emma declared, puffing out her modest yet full chest. "Aisa! This woman is the owner of this shop, one of the greatest players of all time. Her name is Siria Grandheart; she's in her early 20s and still single."
"And Siria, this is Aisa Valxin. Someone I met very recently. She turned 14 at the end of last year and is my gamemate! Be nice to her!"
Emma introduced both of them in one breath and beamed, completely changing the situation. Aisa was taken aback by the rapid shift in the situation, while Siria glared at Emma, clearly annoyed.
A tense silence fell for a few seconds before Siria sighed, breaking it.
Siria walked beside the counter and pushed open a door, revealing the backyard. "Come along," Siria called as she stepped outside.
Emma followed closely behind. Aisa hesitated for a moment before quickly joining them.
The backyard was surprisingly spacious, roughly the size of half a standard basketball court. It was completely enclosed by three stone walls, each standing three meters high. Scattered throughout the area were a few dummy targets, indicating that this was a training ground.
Aisa and Emma looked around, a bit surprised, while Siria stood to the side, staring at Aisa.
'The runaway princess of the Valxin, Aisa Valxin. And she is with Emma instead of the mysterious Prince Valxin—what a surprise...'
Siria's eyes narrowed as she scanned Aisa from head to toe. 'She has potential, an incredible affinity with all elements, especially Flame and Ice—a perfectly balanced magic circuit... She can achieve it.'
Siria's eyes sparkled, and her lips curved into a smile. 'Risky but worth it.'
Aisa flinched and turned to Siria, feeling the shift in Siria's gaze toward her, making her hyper-alert.
"Alright now, how about I teach you a spell? It's called Arrow of Light," Siria suggested, which was a test. 'She should be a natural... a pity that I haven't met the mysterious Prince Valxin yet, he was said to have the most potential... But unlike Aisa, he is like his father so I should just stick with cute Aisa.'
Aisa sensed something was off but nodded, thinking, 'I should tell Dad and Big Brother about her...'
Emma stepped back with a smile, giving them space, though there was more than enough already.
Siria pointed at one of the dummies and chanted, "Arrow of Light."
Immediately, an arrow made of light formed in front of her finger, pointing toward the dummy. In the next moment, the arrow flew, hitting the dummy square in the chest, and after a second, it disintegrated.
She then turned to Aisa, who wasn't surprised in the slightest. Aisa was a Blessed One; although she had never cast a spell before, she was confident she could do it.
Suddenly, a wooden staff appeared before her, catching her off guard for a moment. "Here, it's a staff that assists beginners in magic with casting spells," Siria explained as Aisa took it and aimed the staff at a dummy.
"Arrow of Light," Aisa chanted, and an arrow made of light formed and shot forward, striking the dummy squarely in the chest and right after the arrow disintegrated.
Siria grinned at the sight. "Well done!" she clapped, clearly impressed.
"Great job, girl! You might just become the best mage player in the future!" Emma clapped as well, surprised. She was about to mention that Siria wasn't giving any instructions, but seeing Aisa effortlessly replicate what Siria had done, she decided to remain silent.
A proud smile spread across Aisa's lips.
Siria crossed her arms and turned to Emma, wanting to speak with Aisa privately. "Hey, Emma, there's a hidden door under the counter that leads to the storage room. You'll find a full set of green armor in there that should fit you perfectly. Think of it as a little starter pack from me," she winked.
Emma understood her intent and stared at her, narrowing her eyes as a warning for Siria not to do anything. "Aisa, I'll be back as quickly as possible!" she said cheerfully before heading inside.
Aisa frowned and turned to Siria, realizing what was happening. She wanted to say something, but Siria spoke first.
"It's nice to meet a fellow Blessed One~" Aisa stiffened, caught off guard and disturbed by Siria's words. "I won't harm you in any way; I am no longer considered a player, so killing you is pointless for me," Siria stated matter-of-factly, 'and I don't want to enrage your father... I can't deal with him,' she thought, taking a step forward.
Aisa stared, cautious and alert but also confused. "How do you know I am a Blessed One?"
Siria giggled, "Simple~ I studied a bit about how the Blessing works! Plus, I am a Beta Player."
Her answer only deepened Aisa's confusion, "Ok...? What does this have to do with being a Beta player?"
Aisa tilted her head, completely unaware of what Siria was talking about, even though she was a Valxin.
Siria raised her brows, equally puzzled. 'Does she not know? Is that why her Blessing is still at stage 3?' she wondered and decided to explain from the beginning.
"Alright, let me explain fully," Siria took a deep breath, preparing for a lengthy explanation, "Being a Beta Player is crucial to this. All Beta Players are Blessed Ones, and we are all connected to a Specific Cause: to uncover what happened 7 years ago when over 10,000 individuals worldwide were blessed simultaneously."
"Beta Players can be seen as the cornerstones of many things, including identifying Blessed Ones, but all the other Beta Players, except me, can only identify Blessed Ones after they reach stage 5. I am a bit special because I possess a skill, Queen of Hearts, that helps me find Blessed Ones, so even if you didn't know you were a Blessed One, I would. Understand till here?"
Siria gazed at Aisa questioningly and Aisa nodded. "I understand..."
Siria gave a satisfied nod and flicked her wrist, causing Aisa's status screen to appear.
---Aisa's Status---
Name:
Level: 1 | 50% Done!
Class: None | Available in level 10!
Title: Blessed one{Stage-3}
{Blessed one:
Effect 1: Knowledge of stages of Blessings, each stage will grant you Knowledge and possibly something more.
Effect 2: Chance of participating in the blessed games you have achieved the 5th stage.
Effect 3: Reach stage 5 to unlock.
Effect 4: Reach stage # to unlock...}
Power Level: 10 | Power level is the overall{Strength, Agility, Speed, Durability and Senses}
Magic level: 10 | The mystical realm! Find the path you wish to embark on first!
-------------------
Aisa stared at the effects of the title, furrowing her brows; she was receiving more questions than answers, which troubled her. Just as she was about to voice her inquiry, Siria spoke up first.
"Now, regarding the Blessed Ones, progressing from Stages 1 to 5 is straightforward. You simply need to absorb everything each stage offers, and you can't actively pursue that knowledge." Siria began with a serious tone. Aisa focused intently on her, eager to learn yet still cautious.
However, Aisa's demeanor caused Siria's eyes to flicker; for a brief moment, Aisa's figure overlapped with someone very dear to her. Siria paused, feeling her heart sink as she saw the image of her deceased little sister merge with Aisa.
Siria quickly regained her composure and continued her explanation, pushing her emotional thoughts to the back of her mind for now. "In Stages 1 to 5, the knowledge you acquire will be gradually integrated into your mind, so you can only ascend to the next stage after all stage 3 knowledge is fully absorbed."
"And from stage 5... you can only ascend by defeating other Blessed Ones or becoming strong enough to integrate knowledge more rapidly."
Siria paused, allowing Aisa to process all the information. She was only revealing the surface, which was already substantial, but it was nowhere near as crucial as the things she had not intended to share. This was merely the tip of a massive iceberg.
Both Aisa and Siria were deep in thought; Aisa's cold side emerged, analytically dissecting Siria's words, while Siria observed Aisa's image overlapping with her little sister's.
'Why do they feel the same... both are different... Aisa is cold, collected, and analytical; they are nothing alike. They are opposites, so why? Why does her image overlap with Aisa's? Is it because I chose her as the center of my plans? Is it my Queen of Hearts again...?'
Siria thought sorrowfully, closing her eyes as her heart ached.
Suddenly, Aisa voiced her questions. "You said killing was the only way to ascend, but is it possible to ascend by killing when below stage 5? You mentioned at the start that it's pointless to kill me, so when exactly does killing become relevant?" And you emphasize 'beta players' and 'Specific Cause'; why? It sounds very significant... and you sounded quite scornful when saying it too."
Aisa sharply questioned, pulling Siria out of her thoughts and widening her eyes. 'Ok...! I didn't realize I sounded scornful there...oops...' she dryly thought, deciding to answer the question. Of course, she wasn't going to fully disclose everything, but she wouldn't lie.
"Killing before stage 5 is the faster option to ascend. If you kill a blessed one, your ascent to the next stage is immediate, but the knowledge will be forcefully assimilated, which will be very painful, and you might die. However, if you kill within the blessed games, you can ascend without pain," Siria explained, keeping it vague, and moved on to her next question, which was a bit of a headache.
"Your next question... First things first, understand that the planet you are standing on is not VR; it's real. And when I say real, I don't mean that we die here in a BlueVail kind of way... Aerks and BlueVail exist in the same galaxy, and VR pods serve as teleporters for the Blessed ones, meaning we are here in the flesh. If you get hurt and log out, you will still feel that pain in BlueVail..."
Siria dropped a bombshell of information on Aisa, who was completely stunned. Siria wasn't supposed to share this with anyone; it was classified information known only to the Beta Players and six others in BlueVail. But Aisa was a Valxin, so Siria didn't see it as a big deal.
"Now for the main points. After Beta Playing ends, you have two options. The first is to remain part of the game and keep all your levels, items, pets, and everything else. The second is to continue as a player but lose all of them. I chose the first option, making me one of the strongest, which likely made me sound scornful when I referred to myself as a Beta Player. As for the specific reason, I can't disclose that."
Siria said, gazing deeply into Aisa's golden eyes that captivated her. Siria pursed her lips and pulled out something she never expected to reveal.
A circular pendant adorned with a pristine kaleidoscopic crystal, suspended from a silver chain. This is the Pendant of Protected Trust.
(Image of The Pendant of Protected Trust in the comment and on the Discord server!)
Siria took Aisa's hand and placed the pendant in her palm. "Keep it; this is a gift from her, and everything you visit I will teach you something new, so keep coming here. My doors are always open for you," Siria softly whispered, patting Aisa's head.
Aisa stared at the pendant, mesmerized, 'Beautiful...'
Siria smiled and was about to continue her lesson but
"Finally!!" Emma's voice rang out, causing both Aisa and Siria to turn toward the door where Emma stood, clad in green armor and wielding a long green sword. A happy grin lit up her face, but it quickly faded into a frown as she noticed Siria petting Aisa. "Oa, Lolicon, why are you petting her with your Lolicon hand?" she shot a sharp glare at Siria, who merely looked away and ruffled Aisa's hair.
Aisa, of course, did not appreciate the petting, but she didn't mind enough to move away.
(Image of Emma in her armor in the comment and in the Discord server!)
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