Rian, feeling a rising panic, burst into the room where his mother and Lila were casually chatting. Both women froze, stunned by his sudden entrance. His mother, Elara, quickly composed herself, her expression shifting to one of innocent surprise.
"Rian, when did you get back?" she asked smoothly as if the topic of his marriage had never crossed her lips.
Rian opened his mouth, wanting to confront her, to say something about the girl she had already chosen for him, but the words caught in his throat. He didn't want to argue, not tonight. His mind was too jumbled, too overwhelmed by everything happening in the game, the money, and now this marriage.
Instead, he swallowed his unease and deflected, his voice calmer than he felt. "Mom, I'm going to bed. And Lila should go too. She's got school tomorrow."
He turned quickly, avoiding further conversation, leaving his mother and sister exchanging confused glances as he retreated to the safety of his room.
Rian and Lila shared a small room, with a worn-out bunk bed that had been theirs for years. Rian slept on the top, while his sister Lila occupied the bottom. As he climbed into his bed, the familiar creak of the wooden frame beneath him brought a strange sense of comfort. Despite everything the whirlwind of the day, the stress over his unexpected rise in the game, the looming conversation about marriage he felt an odd peace wash over him.
As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, all the worries that had plagued him just moments before seemed to melt away. His thoughts grew heavier, the quiet sounds of his sister below settling into her sleep further lulling him. Before he even realized it, the weight of the day disappeared entirely, and Rian drifted off, slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep without knowing when or how he had fallen into it.
As the morning light streamed through the small window, Rian was jolted awake by the sound of his sister Lila yelling directly into his ear.
"BROTHER, WAKE UP! DON'T YOU WANT TO ENTER THE GAME?!" Lila's high-pitched voice pierced through his deep sleep like a siren. Still half-dazed, Rian groaned and blinked a few times, realizing it was already morning. His sister, freshly awake herself, stood beside his bed with a mischievous grin on her face, clearly enjoying the chaos she was causing.
"Alright, alright! I'm up!" Rian muttered as he clambered down from the top bunk, his mind still clouded with sleep.
After a quick freshening up, which took about half an hour, he sat at the dining table, where his father, Johan, was already up and eating cornflakes. It was his father's new go-to breakfast a simple meal, but packed with enough protein to kickstart his day.
Rian noticed something different about his father now. Johan seemed more relaxed like the burden of financial stress was slowly lifting. Even though Rian hadn't handed over any money yet, there was a quiet understanding that it was only a matter of time. His father, for the first time in years, was beginning to allow himself small luxuries, like focusing on staying healthy, without the constant worry about bills or rationing food.
Rian felt a wave of pride, realizing that his efforts were already making a difference, even if he hadn't formally contributed yet. Soon, he thought to himself, he would be able to ease his family's burden completely.
As the whole family gathered around the dining table, Lila, brimming with excitement, broke the silence.
"Father, guess what? My school just notified us that it's going to be closed for the entire week!" she exclaimed. Johan raised an eyebrow, curious but not entirely surprised. "They're holding some kind of meeting, and the reason... well, it's because a ton of students haven't shown up for the last two days." She paused, smirking. "You know why? Everyone's been playing Everlasting nonstop. Even some of the teachers didn't come to work!"
Rian nearly choked on his coffee, a mixture of amusement and disbelief washing over him. His father let out a low chuckle. "So, not just the students, but the teachers too?"
"Yeah!" Lila nodded eagerly. "It's like the whole world is obsessed. Everlasting fever, they're calling it."
Rian couldn't help but smirk. The game was taking over in ways no one had expected. Even he hadn't realized the extent of its impact. But as much as the news made him want to jump back into the game, there was also the growing realization of just how powerful and influential this virtual world was becoming enough to halt the routines of real life.
After finishing their meal, Johan stood up, giving Elara a warm hug before heading off to work. He glanced at Rian with a nod of pride before walking out the door. With the school closed for a week, Lila was left with nothing to do, and her impatience was growing.
"Brother, when can I play Everlasting with you?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement. It was clear that Lila was desperate to dive into the game, especially after hearing how it was taking the world by storm. She had dreams of making money too, just like her brother.
Rian, sitting back in his chair, looked at her thoughtfully. "Just wait for a while," he said with a soft smile. "I'll buy you a gaming pod soon. But for now, focus on your studies so your grades don't drop because of playing games."
Lila pouted but understood. "Fine, but you better not take too long! I want to be rich too!" she joked, though a spark of genuine ambition was visible in her eyes.
Rian chuckled as he stood up. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance. But for now, I've got work to do in the game. I'll be studying the market and figuring out more strategies."
With that, he walked toward his gaming pod, ready to dive back into the virtual world. Meanwhile, Lila stayed behind, determined to study though her thoughts were already wandering to the adventure that awaited her in Everlasting.
As Rian entered the game world, he looked around and found himself back in his shop. It was empty every potion had been sold. While it was a sign of his success, he now needed to restock, especially with the guildmaster's request for him to relocate his shop to Village No. 1 looming over him.
However, before handling that, he focused on finishing his rare-rank mission: *Plea of the Grandfather.* He opened his merchant interface, typed "Venom tail Viper" into the search bar, and browsed the results.
Venom tail Viper Poison – 50 gold coins
(Deadly, capable of killing anyone below level 20 over time without an antidote.)
Venom tail Viper Hide – 100 gold coins.
(A common-rank material, though rare to find as the snake only appears in specific locations. Great for alchemy.)
Venom tail Viper Antidote – 100 gold coins
(The antidote for the deadly poison.)
Rian studied the list carefully. The poison and hide were tempting, but he decided to buy only the Venom tail Viper Antidote for now. He confirmed the purchase and closed the merchant interface. With the antidote in his inventory, he was ready to finish the quest.
He stepped outside his shop and began walking towards the Village Chief's house. The antidote was the last item needed to complete the mission, and Rian felt a sense of anticipation as he neared the chief's house.
As Rian approached the Village Chief's house, he noticed there wasn't a long line of players as he had initially expected. It seemed most of them were still out searching for the Venom tail Viper or the antidote, desperate to complete the same quest.
Village Chief Rufus was standing outside, looking anxious. When Rian approached, Rufus glanced at him and smiled with hopeful eyes. "Well, child, did you find what I asked for?" he said, his voice tinged with worry.
Rian nodded and reached into his inventory, pulling out the Venom tail Viper Antidote. As soon as Rufus saw the small vial, his eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. "Thank you, son, thank you! Now I can finally save my grandson!" His hands shook as he accepted the antidote, holding it as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
"To show my gratitude, take this," Rufus said as he handed Rian a ring. The craftsmanship was intricate, with mysterious runes etched into the surface.
Just as Rian accepted the ring, a system notification appeared before him:
[You have completed the rare-rank quest – Plea of the Grandfather]
[Rewards: Max favorability with Village Chief Rufus, and rare item acquired]
Curious, Rian inspected the ring, and its details appeared before him:
[Mysterious Ring]
[Level Requirement: 1]
Skill: Revive
(The player can revive after death once every week without any penalty.)
Rian's eyes widened in surprise. A ring with the ability to revive without any penalties was an incredibly rare and valuable item. This reward far exceeded his expectations.