Already recovered, Huxley thrust his fist toward me. "Lenny! I won't lose next time!"
"I'm just hoping there won't be a next time," I replied with a hint of sarcasm, deliberately sidestepping any promise of a rematch. Sorry, Huxley, but I really dislike fighting.
As the conversation wound down, it appeared Will and his group intended to return to their original mission. The duel had merely been a detour; they surely had some other task at hand.
"Well, we'll take our leave now. Unlike you, we're not just sitting around! Aha ha ha ha!" Will exclaimed, regaining his initial enthusiasm as he swept back his bangs and waved goodbye.
Behind him, a girl named Shtra, a Sorcerer, shrank back quietly. Her sister, the blacksmith Ishra, voiced her concern.
"What's wrong, Shutora?"
"I was... the essence of Sky itself..."
"Just go out there and shine next time."
"Okay..."
With that, the moment wrapped up neatly. Will took his three juniors and walked off, while we headed in the opposite direction. Over there lay the Ebony Forest, where Ivy and I had mistakenly wandered in. Huxley and his crew were at a higher level than us, so they would likely be able to handle that dungeon just fine.
They were moving ahead, but there was no need to rush. We could continue this game at our own pace.
Once Will and the others left, Ivy suddenly became subdued. It was eerie, especially since she had been so lively just moments ago.
She glanced up at me with a cautious look, her eyes pleading for acknowledgment.
"Um... Lenny?"
"What is it?"
I maintained a detached demeanor, wanting to convey my displeasure. Did she still have something to say? Surely she wouldn't apologize now, of all times.
"I... I'm so sorry! I caused everyone trouble..."
Was she actually apologizing? Unexpected, but I appreciated it. She truly was unpredictable.
Seeing her genuinely remorseful, I decided it was best not to dwell on it. Surprisingly, I found myself giving her a bit of a pep talk.
"You did this because you were looking out for me, right? I appreciate that, so thank you. But don't put everyone else at risk again. It's not okay to gamble with people's lives."
"Yes! I absolutely won't do it again!"
What a straightforward child she is. Yet, her extreme honesty can be foolish in a negative sense. In this case, her trust in others and the expectations she placed on me have taken a turn for the worse. Since my actions were well-intentioned, I couldn't yell at her any more than I already had. With a huff, I continued my walk through the meadow.
"Damn it! My character is starting to waver... and it's all your fault! I wanted to approach this game with a cooler demeanor!"
"Well, well..."
As I talked with the two since arriving in this world, I felt like another version of myself was emerging. I'm not that fiery, and I'm not the type to lecture based on emotions. It felt like the gears inside me just weren't meshing.
We set out again towards the village of Elb, not in a hurry, but wanting to avoid wasting time on unnecessary things. However, things rarely go smoothly. Another interruption was about to strike.
"Rain down the applause! Bravo! Bravo! Oh, simply wonderful! Beautiful! You are amazing!"
Suddenly, a third voice rang out across the plains.
Accompanied by a light explosion, a poker-faced man appeared from nowhere. He wore a hat split into two points, with a star mark on his left cheek and a droplet mark on his right. Judging by his flamboyant outfit, he must be a jester.
Violet was taken aback by the sudden appearance.
"What on earth is going on?"
"Ah, my sincerest apologies! I am Merrick, the jester. Please allow me to introduce myself."
The man extended his right hand and bowed politely, embodying the very essence of a jester. He seemed entirely immersed in his role, his face alight with satisfaction at our surprise.
"I have come to extend an invitation to all of you to the arena," Merrick continued, maintaining his courteous tone.
"The arena...?"
"Indeed! It's an event taking place in the capital, Viridian, where participants compete for points through combat. Win consecutive matches, and you'll rack up high scores! The one who claims first place will also top the duel rankings! It's quite an exhilarating challenge!"
Essentially, it was just a sales pitch—a fitting task for someone as silver-tongued as him.
But one question lingered in my mind: why was he, an NPC, promoting the arena? Violet seemed to share my curiosity, as she posed the same question to Merrick.
"You seem like a player, but do you work at the arena?"
"Oh, not at all! I'm just a part-timer. I invite strong individuals like yourselves to the arena and receive a referral fee in return. You see, solo play often leaves one short on funds."
"It's a tough world, isn't it?"
In this realm, where monster-hunting and crafting quests are part of everyday life, odd jobs at the arena aren't particularly surprising. Yet, if you're going to work, wouldn't you want to do something unique to this world? Apparently, that thought doesn't cross Merrick's mind. He approaches his job with an infectious enthusiasm.
"Here's my recommendation letter. Show it at the reception, and you'll receive a complimentary Ivy item! If you're interested, don't hesitate. Farewell for now!"
With that, there's a light explosion in front of us, and vibrant smoke bursts into the air as Merrick makes an elaborate exit, disappearing from the plain in a flash. What a whirlwind of a person! At least his eccentricity is backed by clear reasons, making him far more bearable than those silver-haired oddballs.
Shaking off the distraction, we continue our journey. We trample through slimes and goblins, heading north across the Celadon Plains. The way to the Elvish village is straightforward, with only a gentle stream along the path, and there are no obstacles to be found. The real challenge lies further north, toward the royal capital, Viridian. We can't afford to dawdle here.
As we progress through the plains, the usual slimes and goblins—the kings of weak foes—begin to fade away. In their place, we encounter troublesome enemies like the massive Killer Bees and the plant-like Mandragora, both capable of inflicting status ailments.
However, I didn't find any of it terrifying at all. With the skill "Status Resistance Up" and my cat-ear band equipped, I had already gained a decent amount of resistance, if not 100%.
"Poison won't affect me. Sleep is useless too."
"Lenny, you're so reliable!"
Thanks to my new skill, "Dismantle," I no longer struggled for sources of damage.
Being mindful of my PP, I decisively crushed the killer bee. Sorry, but I have no sympathy for bugs. I dislike them, especially gigantic wasps that make my skin crawl.
But I felt a bit bad for the mandragora. Its design, with a cute face attached to a large root, made it hard to bring myself to squash it. Yet, to move forward, sometimes a ruthless choice must be made.
"It seems you don't need my help. You two keep going!"
Violet, who was at a much higher level than us, mostly just watched. Even without her, we were holding our own quite well. The rush we executed together after Ivy's "Festival Stitch" binding was pretty powerful.
And then there was my technique.
"You're getting better at Just Guard!"
"Thanks to you."
I put myself at risk to practice my Just Guard. Before I knew it, just defeating monsters wasn't enough for me anymore. I had to succeed at Just Guard! I had to…!
Is this unsettling mindset a result of Ivy's schemes?
Ivy and I have both leveled up to 5, and we're doing quite well. Yet, an uneasy feeling lingers in my chest. Will this enjoyable journey continue like this?
For some reason, a twinge of anxiety crosses my mind. I can only hope that this doesn't turn into reality.
We were making good progress across the Seradon Plains and were nearing Elb Village. By a nearby stream, a crowd had gathered. It seemed that a man was being surrounded by several party members.
Just when I thought we'd escaped one trouble, another had found us. This stank of trouble.
"Th...this is a problem! I have a production request in Elb…"
"C'mon, help us out!"
"Just one piece, please!"
The entire party appeared to be pressing the man with some demands. What an infuriating group they were.
Of course, Violet couldn't just let it slide. She approached the crowd and confronted the men with a commanding demeanor.
"Hey! You guys, that man is in trouble! I'll report you to the Self-Defense Guild!"
"What's it to you? You're an outsider!"
"Fine, whatever!"
Realizing they were in the wrong, they reluctantly backed off. Surprisingly, the situation didn't escalate into a bigger issue. My instincts proved to be a blessing this time.
The young man saved by Violet bowed his head politely, expressing his gratitude. He wore a large bag slung over his shoulder and an apron with a patchwork pattern. There was no doubt; he shared the same profession as Ivy—a tailor.
"Ah... thank you. You really saved me," he said.
"You're welcome. But you know, this is your fault, right? If you'd just been more assertive, you wouldn't have ended up in such a mess."
"Ha ha... that's a painful truth."
It was true—his timid murmurs of "That's troublesome" had contributed to the situation. He should have been firm in his refusal. Still, if I were in his shoes, I probably would have struggled to say no.
The young man had a gentle face but exuded an aura of uncertainty. How had someone who looked so harmless managed to fend for himself in battle? That question would soon be answered by what emerged from his oversized bag.
"Master~. Are these people nice~?"
"Oh, they're nice people. Come on out."
To my surprise, a small girl's voice echoed from within the bag. After the young man responded, a number of dolls began to leap out—one, two, three, four in total. The dolls, shaped like boys and girls, landed on our shoulders.
"Yay! Nice people! Nice people!"
"Cool! A sword! A sword!"
"This person is a tailor, just like Master..."
"Wow~! This person has animal ears~!"
A girl in a pink dress and another in white are making a commotion on my shoulder. Violet is accompanied by a boy in blue, while Ivy has a shy girl in red. They're all small and adorable, but I'm startled when they suddenly leap onto me.
"Wh-What's going on?!"
"So... cute!"
Ivy gazes at the fairy-like dolls with delight, clearly enchanted. It seems girls really do adore things that are cute. However, I personally dislike children; to be honest, I'm overwhelmed by a sense of irritation.
Their emotions are so vivid, almost like real fairies, and they certainly don't appear like dolls otherwise. Yet, Baldy insists they're just dolls.
"I made these dolls. They'll assist you in battle as NPCs."
"Oh? So a seamstress can do this too?"
NPCs are characters not directly controlled by players, which means their emotions are entirely generated by artificial intelligence.
I find it hard to believe. Can human effort really convey emotions and thoughts? Yet, thinking back, the help function woman I first met and the shopkeeper from whom I bought Ivy's items both exhibited emotions just like anyone else. It's all undeniably real.
"I'm Spring!"
"I'm Sarma!"
"I'm Tarm..."
"I'm Win!"
The dolls start introducing themselves one by one: Spring, the easygoing girl in pink; Sarma, the mischievous boy in blue; Tarm, the shy girl in red; and Win, the cheerful girl in white.
Violet introduced herself in response to the four innocent dolls and their young master. "I'm Violet, and the one with the goggles and cat ears is Lenny, while the girl with the blue ribbon is Ivy."