So, yeah. After that whole "adventure awaits" nonsense, I've got one idea in mind. It's time for some peace and quiet. I need a day, maybe two, to figure out what the hell is really going on here. No distractions, no weird hero wannabes, no stupid quests. Just... me, some silence, and my inner monologue.
So, what do I do? I hide. Obviously.
I creep quietly toward the closet, hoping Haruto's stupidity will keep him distracted long enough for me to execute my plan. I slide the door open as quietly as I can, praying it doesn't make some creaky noise. It's so old I wouldn't be surprised if it spontaneously exploded. I slip inside, crouching down in the dark, holding my breath.
From my hideout, I can hear Haruto stomping around outside my door. His voice echoes down the hall.
"Jiiiin? Jiiiinnn? Where are you, buddy? I got a killer quest idea! It's gonna be awesome!"
I press my back against the wall, trying not to laugh. This guy's really out here, calling for me like a lost puppy. Does he really think I'm just gonna pop out and be like, "Oh, hey, buddy! Let's go on that epic adventure and totally ignore all the weird crap that's been happening around me!"?
"I know you're in there, Jin!" Haruto shouts, his voice getting closer. "I can sense your presence! You can't hide from me! Not when we're best friends!"
Yeah, Haruto, totally not hiding. I roll my eyes in the dark, silently praying that he just gives up already.
There's a dramatic pause. I peek out of the closet, just a little, to see if he's gone away. Nope. He's still standing there, looking like an idiot.
"I bet you're in the closet, aren't you?!" He starts laughing to himself like he just made some amazing deduction. "Classic Jin! Always hiding in the most obvious place!"
I smother a snort. If he only knew how not obvious this place was. I'm literally standing in an old, dusty broom closet that smells like regret and old socks. But I guess when your brain's as smooth as his, any spot is a "genius move."
"Alright, fine! I'll leave you alone for now," Haruto says, still talking to himself. "But we're totally doing this quest later, okay? Don't make me drag you outta there!"
He starts walking away, muttering to himself about how I'm such a "prankster." The moment I hear his footsteps fade, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Alright, peace. Sweet, sweet peace.
I wait a few more seconds, then peek out of the closet like I'm a sneaky spy on a mission. But no Haruto in sight. Perfect. I slowly stand up and tiptoe toward the door, keeping an eye out for any more interruptions.
Okay, Jin, I think to myself. You need a plan. A real plan. Something with actual thought in it.
I'm not ready to deal with the endless nonsense yet. Not today.
I step outside and look around, the quiet of the village almost eerie in its stillness. But I don't care. For the first time in days, I feel like I can breathe. I take a deep breath, enjoying the moment of solitude.
"Okay," I mutter, walking toward the corner of the village, away from Haruto's ridiculousness. "Time to figure out what's really going on here... I'm giving myself at least two days of peace before I even think about quests or... whatever the hell this world is."
I glance over my shoulder to make sure Haruto's not suddenly materializing out of thin air. But nope, nothing.
"Yeah, I'll figure this out. I will... somehow."
And with that, I take my first step toward... whatever the hell I'm supposed to be doing here.
For now? I'm just trying to survive this chaotic, confusing mess without losing my mind. Maybe after a few days of peace, I'll figure out how to actually escape this mess. But that's definitely not today.
"Two days of peace. That's the plan."
Famous last words, probably.
---
Okay, I'm out here now. Walking the streets of this godforsaken game world. If I thought hiding in that closet was the weirdest thing I'd do today... well, I was wrong. So, so wrong.
First thing's first, I'm totally taking a detour. No more rushing into weird quests or whatever. I'm walking around, just taking it all in. I need to understand this absurd game world—because let me tell you, it's a mess.
I pass a street corner and nearly trip over a giant banner. It's for some kind of gacha event. I mean, are you kidding me? Gacha? In the middle of a random village? I've already been subjected to enough mobile game nonsense in my real life, and now it's here too? The banner shows some limited-time character with an "epic" pull, complete with the most over-the-top, sparkly background ever.
What is this? I rub my temples. Who thought this was a good idea?
And don't get me started on the romance stuff. Everywhere I go, there's some romantic comedy scenario just begging for someone to play along. I see two NPCs, an elf girl and a human boy, in some weird romantic standoff over a bouquet of roses. The whole thing's so exaggerated, I half expect them to break out into a dramatic confession, or one of them to get hit by a falling piece of fruit. It's like the devs just tossed in every cliche they could find from a dating sim.
Is this... a freaking visual novel? I almost laugh.
And then there's the random RPG stuff. Out of nowhere, some guy dressed as a knight challenges me to a duel for "honor." I mean, seriously? Honor? Like, what year is it? This is a town, not a battlefield. I look at him, stare for a second, and walk away. He doesn't even try to stop me. That's the level of immersion they want, I guess.
I keep walking, and it just gets weirder. I'm passing by an alley when I hear loud voices and turn around. A group of adventurers is gathered, all of them in the most ridiculous outfits I've ever seen. One's in full-on armored armor, while another's dressed like a sexy nurse... um, yeah, that makes perfect sense. Just your average adventuring gear. Totally normal.
What the hell happened here? Did they just throw everything into a blender? I sigh, rubbing my temples.
After what feels like an eternity of walking through this fever dream, I start recalling bits of the game world that I actually remember—after a hundred hours of frustration and not getting anywhere.
There was a storyline, supposedly. Something about a hero—Haruto, that idiot—who was supposed to save the world. Except... well, Haruto wasn't exactly... helpful. He kept tripping over himself, announcing he was a Thunder Sage, and spouting nonsensical things like "Let's defeat the villains, best friend!" while having no actual clue about the plot.
I remember something about a dark sorceress—Lucia—who I spent hours on end trying to romance because that was literally my only skill in this world. Romance. But none of it made any sense! Why did I have to keep confessing my love to villains who hated me? Why were the events so damn specific? Why did I need to do absurd things like read a poem about how amazing their bodies were? Don't even get me started on that mess.
But as I keep walking, something starts nagging at me. Haruto. That idiot hero. I remember something strange—something that never quite added up.
There were whispers in forums. Forums where people had given up on the game after 20 hours. The rest of us who suffered through 100 hours all had the same question. What's Haruto's secret? Why does the world revolve around this clueless moron, and yet, there's something about him that nobody seems to understand?
Every time someone brought it up in a forum, the discussion would fizzle out. Everyone was so fed up with the game that they just... stopped. No one could figure it out. But I remember the feeling that there was something, some weird hidden piece to this puzzle that nobody, not even the forums, could crack.
What the hell was it?
Before I can get too deep into my thoughts, I stumble onto a coffee shop. Because yeah, apparently even in a world full of fantasy and magic, coffee shops are still a thing. I walk in, the doorbell jingling as I enter.
The place is way too fancy for my taste, with a mix of rustic charm and gaudy chandeliers. I walk up to the counter, trying not to gag at the absurdly overpriced tea menu. I'm way too broke for this. But I'm here, so I might as well live it up. I pull out exactly 1025 gold coins. How? Don't ask me. I still don't know how I'm getting paid in this world, but here I am.
The cashier—a big, muscular guy in a frilly maid uniform—looks me up and down and then proceeds to serve me my overpriced tea with way too much enthusiasm for anyone's comfort.
"Enjoy your tea, darling!" he says with a wink.
What. The. Hell?
I take the tea, sit down in a corner booth, and sigh.
"Two days of peace," I mumble to myself. "That's all I need. Two days."
And then I sip my overpriced tea. Of course, it tastes like burnt leaves and regret.