NM 13

The place Kingsmaker took Hye-yeon to was a café called Ataraxia, famous as one of Evilon’s signature restaurants.

Located near the fountain, Ataraxia had its tables set out in the plaza rather than inside the building, making it the perfect spot to enjoy the cool breeze while watching the endless battles that never seemed to stop.

Another notable feature was the café owner, who never lost their composure even though players were constantly smashing up the paved roads right next to the shop.

Ataraxia served a wide variety of desserts made from Evilon’s specialty wild grape berries.

But there was no need to agonize over what to order.

“From here… all the way to there, we’ll take everything.”

Kingsmaker’s orders were practically magic.

Before long, desserts made from wild grapes were stacked layer upon layer across the round table like a circus performance. Watching the café owner effortlessly arrange the dishes, Hye-yeon realized they probably weren’t just some ordinary village NPC either.

Watching Hye-yeon sip purple juice through a straw, Kingsmaker asked casually,

“What class are you planning to choose, Duck? Combat? Production?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Honestly… I never really intended to change classes.”

Because she’d thought this was a healing game.

Maybe she’d forgiven Baek Hee-jun too easily after all.

“I should’ve extorted more out of him.”

She pictured the household Black Pikachu waiting back home.

Even if she’d demanded more while holding the electric fly swatter, Baek Hee-jun would’ve agreed—assuming he wanted to avoid getting electrocuted.

“My immediate future goal is becoming a rich unemployed person.”

Because she was planning to squeeze money out of Baek Hee-jun!

Kingsmaker tilted her head, not understanding what Hye-yeon meant, but let it go. She assumed Hye-yeon was planning to spend real money on the game.

“Still, it’s better to get a class as soon as possible. Without one, you can’t leave this city.”

“Huh? Seriously?”

“Yep. It’s not completely impossible, but you wouldn’t choose something like the Beginner class, right, Duck?”

Hye-yeon nodded immediately.

As Kingsmaker had said, becoming some reclusive master dancing around with a tree branch wasn’t really her style.

If she couldn’t become a cute, fluffy, round little butterfly-whatever-it-was…

Then she’d at least like to become something cool, like a walking neon sign.

“The East Gate quest Ray mentioned earlier also blocks people without classes. The guards won’t let you through because they’ll say you aren’t qualified yet.”

“Oh… then I guess changing classes comes first.”

Even as she said it, Hye-yeon looked troubled.

She’d intended to take her time choosing, so she hadn’t done any research. The only classes she knew were things like swordsman and mage.

As confusion over the world’s complicated class system spread across Hye-yeon’s face, Kingsmaker’s eyes sparkled.

“If you don’t know much about classes, I can explain them to you.”

“Uh…”

Hye-yeon weighed asking Baek Hee-jun for help against owing Kingsmaker another favor.

Her decision came quickly.

She really didn’t want to deal with her mother’s son even in the game world.

“Then… could I ask for your help?”

“Of course! Of course! Märchen’s class system is pretty different from other games, so you’ll regret it if you go in blind! I’ll explain everything properly!”

“Then—”

Just as Hye-yeon was about to ask for recommendations, she froze in horror.

Kingsmaker had suddenly swung her black scythe.

Thinking she might be the target, Hye-yeon instinctively pushed her chair backward.

Shing.

Despite its heavy appearance, the black scythe emitted a light metallic sound.

It pointed toward the space right beside their table.

A piece of cloth, cleanly severed as though sliced by the blade, fluttered to the ground.

Before Hye-yeon could process what had happened, someone she had never seen before suddenly appeared.

“I was only trying to take one piece of cake…”

“Get lost.”

“Okay.”

The thief awkwardly smiled after being caught and disappeared toward the fountain.

Just as suddenly as he’d appeared, he vanished from sight.

“What was that just now…?”

“Oh. A thief. He was using a stealth skill.”

First sleeve-stuffing criminals.

Now pickpockets.

When Hye-yeon stared blankly at the desserts on the table, Kingsmaker hurriedly told her to store them in her inventory.

As Hye-yeon’s inventory became unexpectedly abundant, Kingsmaker explained why Evilon’s security rating was listed as Bad (?).

“The reason Evilon’s public safety can never improve… is because of the players.”

“Ah…”

Hye-yeon immediately understood, recalling everything she’d witnessed during Ray’s tour and what had just happened.

“The question mark exists because most of the NPCs here are actually polite and righteous. Under normal circumstances, the rating should be Good.”

But because of the players…

The system couldn’t honestly display “Good.”

So the result became:

Bad (?)

“Still, Duck, you were lucky. You entered the city with an Administrative District NPC guiding you, so you weren’t in much danger. Sometimes people get bored and PK low-level players.”

“Is this game’s genre actually survival?”

“Not that extreme… but there are definitely a lot of weird people. Guild members throwing their weight around is considered mild.”

I really need to change classes and leave this city.

Fortunately, Kingsmaker already had a crash course prepared through years of experience.

They only needed a proper environment to begin.

CRASH!

“Ow…”

“…”

“I’m sorry.”

A player crashed directly onto their table with a loud noise.

He apologized immediately before scattering skill effects everywhere and disappearing again.

According to Kingsmaker, that one had been a swordsman.

“Swordsmen need both stamina and agility, so people with good athletic ability tend to do well with the class.”

“Right…”

Hye-yeon’s shoulders had gone rigid with tension.

At this point, she felt like someone could come flying out of nowhere and force her to log out at any moment.

Watching her reaction, Kingsmaker sensed opportunity.

“Duck.”

“…?”

“What do you think about leaving this dangerous, harsh place and moving somewhere safe and cozy?”

“…I think that’s an excellent idea!”

At that answer, Kingsmaker hurriedly gathered Hye-yeon’s belongings and led her into a quiet alley.

Then, not long afterward, she made an awkward expression.

“Hmm… that’s unfortunate. I just ran out of scrolls to go home.”

“You have a home?”

“Yep! There’s housing content. You buy land, register the building through the Administrative District, and then you can get one. People who find buying a house burdensome often use guild houses instead.”

“I see.”

After fumbling through the air several more times, Kingsmaker looked at Hye-yeon apologetically.

“What should we do, Duck? It really seems like I’m out of scrolls to my house.”

“It’s okay. We can just go back to where we were earlier.”

“No, no! It’s too noisy and dangerous there to have a proper conversation!”

“…?”

Coming from someone who seemed like the apex predator of that dangerous ecosystem, the statement left Hye-yeon bewildered.

Maybe Evilon really was terrifying.

“Hmm… I guess there’s only one option left. Duck, if you’re okay with it, would you like to go to our guild house and talk there?”

“Your guild?”

“Yep! At this hour everyone’s usually gone… and it’s in a secluded forest, so it’s quiet, safe, beautiful, and just an all-around wonderful place!”

It was an enthusiastic recommendation.

Hye-yeon personally didn’t mind either way.

If anything, Kingsmaker seemed to be the one taking on the burden by inviting someone to her guild house.

“You don’t have to go that far.”

“No! I absolutely want to take responsibility for your future! I want to stake my life on it!”

“…Why are you staking your life on my future?”

Before Hye-yeon could tell her to value her own life more, Kingsmaker pulled out a rolled-up scroll.

Bound with a red ribbon, it was covered in strange symbols.

“If you come to our guild house, you’ll get to see pretty fairies and fascinating chime—animals too! Cute, fluffy little round things you like!”

That…

Actually sounded tempting.

After a brief moment of thought, Hye-yeon nodded.

No matter how she looked at it, there wasn’t any real downside.

Kingsmaker wasn’t going to recruit her into some pyramid scheme inside a game.

And even in the worst-case scenario…

She’d just get PK’d.

The moment Hye-yeon accepted the scroll, Kingsmaker cheered inwardly.

[Substitution Scroll (Creator: 21st Century Kingsmaker)]

A scroll capable of swapping locations with a designated target.

Can exchange positions with the Empty Nest beneath the Three Trees of Mahallatin Forest.

Single-use item.

“If you tear the scroll, you’ll be teleported immediately.”

“Are we traveling together?”

“No, no. Single-use items are generally for one person only. I’ll use a guild skill to move. Just wait there, and I’ll come get you!”

As Hye-yeon nodded, white tree branches suddenly burst from beneath Kingsmaker’s feet.

Dense white branches concealed her.

Then slowly lowered to knee height.

When they receded…

Kingsmaker had vanished.

Hye-yeon immediately tore the scroll in her hand.

Had she known its true value, she might have hesitated.

The scroll split apart and shredded itself into countless pieces before sinking into the ground.

In place of paper appeared a black magic circle identical in color to Kingsmaker’s scythe.

Dark crimson energy flowed across its surface.

[Would you like to exchange locations with the Empty Nest beneath the Three Trees of Mahallatin Forest?]

“Yes!”

As the black magic circle glowed red, the scenery around her changed instantly.

It felt much like being transported from the character creation area to the desert fox.

The bustling voices of Evilon’s plaza disappeared.

In their place remained only the white noise of the forest.

When Hye-yeon opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was three trees.

Three enormous trees, each with separate roots, intertwined together and grown into one.

To get a better look at the strange sight, she took a few steps backward.

Pirong!

“…?”

She stepped on something.

Something hard, yet slightly soft.

Too smooth to be a tree root.

Something clearly related to the cry she’d just heard.

Wondering what it could be, Hye-yeon slowly turned around.

And there…

“…”

Pirorong?

A gigantic sparrow was looking down at her.

Could this possibly be the cute, fluffy creature Kingsmaker had been talking about?

Hye-yeon cautiously backed away.

The white bird tilted its head after lifting the foot she’d accidentally stepped on.

It was cute.

But it seemed like the kind of thing that was only cute from very, very far away.

It was genuinely hazardous to the heart.

“I… am not your food…”

The sparrow chirped repeatedly before poking Hye-yeon’s cheek with its short beak.

Startled, she tried to dodge, only to get hit once and watch a chunk of her HP disappear.

Panicking, she pushed both of the giant bird’s fluffy cheeks with her hands.

The soft puffball possessed strength matching its enormous size.

It didn’t budge at all.

“L-Look over there…! Over there! Shoo!”

She even picked up a fallen branch and threw it into the distance, hoping to distract it.

But the giant sparrow showed absolutely no interest.

Faced with that situation, Hye-yeon had only one option left.

“…Please save me, Mr. Sparrow.”

Pirong!