New Life Online 261 Warm Welcome

I finally logged in back again and I can tell that everyone really did a good job rebuilding and reinforcing the guild. Walls are higher, buildings are made of more st.u.r.dy looking blocks of rocks and everyone wears better gears. They probably trained well while I was gone. Unfortunately, I'm leaving again soon because I have something to do.

"Scy?!! Everyone, Scy is back!" Then here they come. Every single one of them showed up after Elou announced that. He even saw me from our watch tower... his eyesight and senses are way too good that you can't hide from him.

Everyone welcomed me back and I can see that everyone is happy seeing me again. It's good to be back but still... all those things that Azzie told me still bothers me.

"Hey, guys, I'm sorry, I was gone for quite a long time. I had some issues to deal with. So, I can see that we have some new faces around here." I said after seeing that we have Osia and Chara here.

"Why did you say that like we're strangers! Hmp!" Chara made a pouty face but eventually smiled after everyone laughed. Chara joined our guild after she decided to leave Jay's guild. Also, she's pretty close with Osia so they're usually together now.

"So, any news lately or something I should be worried about?"

"So far, everyone is doing great with their training and hunting. Other guilds are also quiet for a long time now. Our team managed to explore some areas of the Rocky Mountains but traveling further is way too dangerous. High-level monsters are roaming around and some of them got wiped out from an ambush. But other than that, we haven't encountered any other casualties." Elou reported to me.

"You forgot to tell him about your date with Panthie," Akko mentioned.

"Wait, you did?! You dog! Haha." I said and hit him on the back.

"Aww... well... it was fun..." Why does he sound like he didn't really have fun?

"Well if getting killed was part of your date and saying it's fun, then you did great." Akko interrupted him. So I guess he thought it was a date.

"At least you had a good private time with her," I added.

"Yeah, yeah. So, what about you? Everything ok?" He asked and I can tell that they really want to know if I'm really back for good.

"Yes. I'll talk to you guys later about something, for now, let me roam around and help others for a bit." And so we talked for a moment and everyone showed me new spots in our guild.

-Life Guild Hall-

Everyone gave me something as a welcoming gift. Some gave me new armors and weapons, even free drinks from the inn. Even Emily cooked the best dish for me. It was a fun and rewarding afternoon. I guess I have to disappear much often to get more free stuff. Petula should stop brewing some potions and other things because it makes her shop stink. Leion told me his adventures with his team and how they messed up a lot. Zia and her team traveled to many places and they've enjoyed it. Elle and Petula's team aren't that organized, though, maybe because Elle can't really decide on what to do while Petula's busy with her stuff and so their group just made a small party for doing hunting and explorations.

After that, I've decided to talk to the leaders about my future plan that needs to be done soon. While I was in a coma for three years, my parents are in some kind of prison and only G.o.d knows what happened to them for that long time.

I'm here now with Elou, Akko, and Lili inside the guild hall as I don't want to burden the others with what I'm about to do.

"To be honest Scy, you really need to explain to us what happened. You've been gone for a long time and we were worried that you might never play again. We were even planning to visit you in real life but we don't want to be intrusive with your privacy. Please tell us what bothers you. We're your friends, right?" Elou started the conversion showing how upset and worried he is at the same time.

"We were really worried, Scy," Akko's feeling the same while Lili just showed her dismayed face... as usual.

"I'm sorry. I don't really know what happened to me these past few days. I told you guys that my sister is grieving for the old man and I needed to be with her but... to be honest, I'm feeling guilty for the old man's death. I know that it's not my fault or anyone's fault but in reality... it's somehow my fault." I don't want them to worry but I need them right now. I can't handle all this pressure alone but it might also make their lives in danger... I don't know what to do anymore.

"Maybe you're just overthinking this, Scy. It's not your fault. This is just a game and what happened in real life doesn't really concern us. What happened to him is something we can't control." Elou... No, he died because he believed my parent's insane ideas and because he was trying to protect me from someone or some people I don't even know.

"I know that but I don't know... I'm also having these surreal nightmares that it haunts me whenever I sleep,"

"Can you tell us about it? We might not be able to help you but telling others might calm your mind and your feelings. I'm sure that you'll get through this." Akko said trying to cheer me up. I wish I could tell you my dream but I can't... with you there.

"It's just something weird that I don't understand. But I think I wouldn't be having those dreams now because I will play the game again. For now, I have a plan but I want to do it alone." I hope that they will understand what I'm about to do.

"What do you mean? And what plan?" Elou asked.

"I'm planning to cross the sea near Drowned Trident's Guild and I need a s.h.i.+p. Can we pull off something like that?" I asked.

"Well, what about two s.h.i.+ps instead?" Elou stood up and Akko joined him while Lili's clueless...

"I told you guys I need to do it alone," I really can't make them join me because it would be a suicide mission...

"Who said we'll join you? If you want to travel alone then we won't stop you. We will just travel by ourselves too, just behind your s.h.i.+p." Elou... I don't think that I can shake them off after telling them my plan. They might think it's an adventure but for me, it's something important.

"Well... I don't think I have a choice, do I? If you really want to join me then let's do it then. So, how can we build s.h.i.+ps?" I asked as I'm clueless too.

"The s.h.i.+p won't be a problem but we need a sailing master or a navigator." He pretty knows lots of stuff about sailing.

"Any idea where we could get one?" I asked as I'm kinda in a rush.

"Well... there's no one who really made that far while trying to travel the sea because the more you go further from the gra.s.sland, the more powerful the monsters are. I even heard about some group of monsters comparable to Rare Bosses for every single one of them. It's way too dangerous for an unprepared group of people but it's a different story for us. I heard of this notorious girl roaming around Vanguard's Stronghold who traveled with her crew and reached almost the end of the sea, exaggeration maybe, but their s.h.i.+p was shut down by some unknown power. I heard they even found an Island but it must be part of the rumors." Now... if Elou's story is real, then the island must be the place that Azzie was talking about. I need to go there as soon as possible. I need to know the truth.

"Is it just me, or Elou's a good story-teller?" I said and Akko laughed... I need more audience like Akko... unlike Lili...

"So, now, let's find this notorious girl you are talking about," I said and everyone agreed to it.

After that conversation... We prepared to move out and find the girl.

"Scy, can I talk to you for a moment?" Out of nowhere, Akko suddenly wants to talk to me, might be something serious.

"Ok, sure," For some reason, she led me to a place outside the guild, we're just alone now... it must be really important.

"Uhmmm... What do you... what do you think of my... my dress?" Huh?

"I'm not sure... shouldn't you be asking a girl for something like that?" Why would she ask me... am I that feminine to know if her dress is good or bad?

"But... it looks cute on you," I said as my answer earlier made her sad for some reason but after saying this, she lightened up. Thankfully, I watched a lot of anime.

"Thank you! Your face looks good too! Ahh!" She suddenly tried to cover her lips after saying those words and now she's trying to cover her face with her hair... I definitely know that my face in the game is way too ugly... now I don't know if she's really telling the truth...

"Well... thanks. But why are we here, really?" I asked as I'm really wondering.

"No... nothing. I just want to..." This is weird. Akko's definitely troubled by something. I need to make her comfortable for her to tell me her problem.

"Don't worry. You can tell me everything." Tried to calm her down and as I walk towards her to hold her arm...

"Kyaaaaah!" She screamed and then fell to the ground!

"Are you ok?! I didn't mean to scare you, I swear!" I panicked and trying to help her up. What the h.e.l.l?! I was just trying to...

"Please go out with me!" She shouted... Huh?!