Chapter 103

“No, I’m serious, he really is an old friend…” “You say that every time! I know it’s just an excuse to hit up the bar!” “Please, you’ve gotta believe me this time. I’m not lying, I swear. Just listen to me for a sec!” There was a bang against the wall, followed by a good thirty seconds of silence. “W-well, I suppose I’ll believe you this time…” “Thanks, honey. I love you.” And that’s what had just transpired. Do neither of them care how loud they are? The thought of the whole neighborhood hearing them “make up” after every marital squabble was pretty funny. Opus retracted his earlier comment and grinned darkly. Jaeger was once the leader of a Red Kingdom guild known as the Silver Watches. The heroic swing of his blade was a visual marvel, and his frequent appearances in promotional footage for the game made him a bit of a celebrity. Perhaps thanks to his heavy fan service, Jaeger even had a fan club. These were mostly male fans who called him “the boss” with unbridled adoration. The Silver Watches also ranked as one of the game’s top three guilds, and their members numbered somewhere between two and three thousand. As the reigning guild in both group-battle Mission Quests and conquest-driven Story Quests, they were always on the front lines during large-scale events and wars. There were likely even two or three Limit Breakers among them. Jaeger himself was level 800. Once Opus confirmed this, it became clear that, of all the surviving players, he was a top-notch veteran (Cayna excluded). Jaeger and Opus had battled each other countless times during Battle Events, but they were nonetheless good friends who limited such contests to these periods only. Both also had their asses repeatedly handed to them in solo combat back when they were first starting out. Opus and Jaeger had a sort of rivalry where they recognized each other’s strength but got along well and occasionally teamed up on quests outside of Battle Events. “So when’d you get here?” Jaeger asked. “By ‘here,’ you mean this real-life version of the game? Pretty much since day one.” “Tch. You people and your damn longevity. At your level, you could’ve gathered up the rest of the players by now.” “True, but as you know, most decent players hate me. Most would ignore me if I reached out.” “…Guess I can’t argue that. At least one or two hundred thousand players died by fallin’ into your dirty traps. No one’s gonna join forces with a cheater like you.” “That was the part where you laugh, not pour salt in the wound.” Despite their mutual ribbing, the pair’s relaxed expressions suggested they were thick as thieves. Their conversation reached a lull, and Jaeger’s expression turned serious as he looked at the stone in his hand. “…Anyway, why’d you try to palm this off on me?” “To lay some groundwork for what’s to come.” “So you’re sayin’ I’m gonna need it later…” It looked like a completely average pebble, but this stone was a vital item for random events the Admins frequently initiated. Leadale was a game, sure, but it was still difficult for most players to gather at one specific point for an unscheduled event. Therefore, stones were passed out. Sometimes they were consolation prizes from a capsule machine, or one might be found in a dungeon treasure chest. Some were buried among bandit loot or randomly handed out in the middle of the street. There were plenty of opportunities for players to get their hands on these stones, and enough people stockpiled them that a ranking system was eventually developed. In truth, these stones could teleport a player to an event location from anywhere in the game. The process was straightforward: Simply crush the stone in your hand whenever an event popped up. Even if said event or quest was located at the farthest edge of the world map, the stone would take you there directly if you wished to participate. Unfortunately, these stones only worked for Admin-sponsored events. Sometimes participation was limited as well, so it was first come, first served. Players also repeatedly took to the forums demanding that the stone’s function look more obvious, and many were undoubtedly displeased when the Admins stubbornly refused to budge on this point. Jaeger had a good idea of what lay ahead if he was being offered one of these stones. Whimsy and empty theatrics didn’t make him the master of a powerful guild. This was also why he was one of the few people who knew what sort of responsibilities Heimer—that is, Opus—had within the game. “Are you sayin’ there’s gonna be an event where I need this?” “There aren’t many players left in the world, but I figured I’ll help whoever I can.” “You sound pretty confident.” “I’m just saying we have time before the dam breaks.” Jaeger scratched his head in defeat and let out a heavy sigh. “Got it. If you’re okay with this old geezer, I’ll come help when you need it.” “I’m counting on you.” The two high-fived with a loud thwack as they passed each other and exited the alley in opposite directions. Opus glanced behind him, his devious smile sending Jaeger down memory lane. “Geez, how much can an old man like me really help long-lived races like him? I’m feelin’ pretty nostalgic now, though. Maybe I should get in touch with those guys…” Jaeger recalled the friends he had reunited with since coming to this new world. Although he’d aged a bit as a human, his smile said it was nice to feel needed by an old pal. Murmuring to himself as he reached for the back door of the shop, Jaeger returned to his day-to-day routine. Cayna was still asleep when Opus returned to the hideout. Siren, however, was snorting triumphantly as she fist pumped the air. A vague sense of doom washed over Opus when he saw her jubilant expression, and he put a hand to his face with a sigh. He couldn’t remember a single time where he had been able to stop Siren once she got like this. Commanding his maid would, of course, be a cinch if he decided to pull rank as her creator. However, Opus thought it was more interesting to allow Siren to do as she pleased than force obedience. “What’s going on?” “Lady Cayna told me she is in possession of a wagon, so I’ve started preparing for our travels ahead.” The word wagon dredged up unpleasant memories for Opus. This was only natural since he had already witnessed Cayna’s creations back in the game. Regardless, he had one more thing to confirm with Siren. “Did you wake her up?” “Goodness no! She momentarily stirred a short while ago, so I spoke with her and inquired about the wagon then.” Siren didn’t so much as flinch under Opus’s sharp glare. She wasn’t frightened by her master in the least, so any attempt at intimidation was useless. Her cheery voice gave the demon a headache, and he sighed with another palm to the forehead. “I mentioned this before, but she and I can get from one side of the continent to the other in less than half a day. Packing for a trip is completely pointless.” “And I am saying that is why you lack communication, Master!” “O-oh?” Siren swooped down on Opus and pointed a finger right at his nose. He felt an indescribable force within that gesture and fumbled over his words. “You and Lady Cayna have been apart for such a long time, so you ought to chat with her more. There is no question the wall between you is both close at hand yet far off in the distance. I believe this upcoming journey is an excellent opportunity, so please have a niiiiiice long conversation in the wagon!” Opus stared at Siren blankly as she shot down his argument. He never thought in a million years that he would get lectured over something like this. Honestly, he couldn’t remember the last time anyone argued with him, period. The corners of his mouth curled upward of their own accord, and the next thing Opus knew, he was cackling. “Hmm? What’s this? Did I say something funny just now?” Siren was neither surprised nor confused; she smiled brightly as she brushed aside her master’s mirth. Whether as “Opus” or as himself, he’d never laughed so much. “Keh-keh-keh-keh-keh-keh. Very well, then. Make sure everything is ready for the journey ahead.” “Yes, sir!” Siren enthusiastically replied as she bowed with a hand to her chest. The elated maid then left the hideout. Since she’d gone shopping in town countless times before, her maid outfit was unlikely to raise any eyebrows. The villagers seemed to think she was the servant of a noble secretly playing adventurer. Siren had also previously sent multiple pickpockets flying with ease, so few in town believed her to be an average maid. At the same time, however, they would probably have a hard time conceiving that she was several times stronger than any grizzled adventurer. Since Cayna was still fast asleep, Kuu floated around aimlessly. “I guess even you get anxious…” “…She’s gonna wake up,” Kuu mumbled feebly. She stared daggers at Opus before burying herself in Cayna’s chest. He could tell she was still glaring at him even in her new spot. Snorting amusedly, Opus sat in a chair and closed his eyes. It seemed the day wasn’t over yet. “Well, then. This should be fun to explain.” So he waited for Siren to return and Cayna to wake, pondering how best to spend the time before sinking into the ocean of his own thoughts.