GameDev Reincarnated into His Own Creation

Vol 2 - Chapter 24.2: Hidden Parameters

When he glanced down, a soft blush had crept across her cheeks, partially hidden under the curtain of her long dark hair. Her eyes remained fixed on the rain-soaked courtyard, but the color in her face told him she'd caught the sentiment behind his words.

After a moment of silence that stretched between them like a delicate thread, Celia lifted her head from his shoulder. The sudden absence of her warmth left Vel feeling oddly bereft.

She straightened her back and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression contemplative as she watched the sheets of rain.

"Do you think my sister is still out there?" she asked suddenly, her voice quiet but steady.

Vel stared into the rain, Celia's question about Clara hanging between them. The droplets seemed to slow in his perception as his mind raced through years of accumulated knowledge about portals.

"It's been years," he said finally. "But I still believe she's out there."

Most had given up hope, considering her another casualty of the dangers adventurers faced daily. But Vel knew better. The portals he'd designed could lead to realms with different time dilations. Clara could be alive.

But the portal that took her was unstable. It would never open twice.

Unstable.

The word snagged in his mind, suddenly connecting two disparate ideas. Unstable portals. Unstable attunement. His research into the chaos element flooded his thoughts. Could it be the key to both?

Celia watched him, her eyes reflecting a mix of hope and resignation. She'd carried this weight for so long, the question of her sister's fate a hollow echo in the quiet moments of her life.

"I believe she's alive, Celia. And someday, she'll find her way back—or we'll find a way to reach her."

His promise wasn't empty sentiment. It was based on his understanding of the world's systems—knowledge he couldn't fully explain to Celia without revealing truths about himself he wasn't ready to share.

"Thank you," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "Most people stopped talking about her years ago, like she never existed."

"Well, I'm not most people," Vel replied with a small smile. "And I intend to keep my promise."

As Vel finished his promise, the steady downpour began to ease. A few rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, catching on the wet stones of the courtyard. The raindrops that remained on the lodging's surfaces reflected the light like countless tiny mirrors.

"Look," Celia said, pointing upward. "It's like even the weather agrees with you."

Vel smiled at the coincidence. The dampness remained in the air, but the oppressive weight of the rain had lifted. Celia stretched beside him, no longer tense from their earlier conversation.

An hour later, they stood before the Adventurer's Guild. The Lona branch was a fortress of granite, its massive iron gate pulled high to reveal an entrance that dwarfed them both.

"That's... bigger than I expected," Vel said, recalling the old design from when this was just a game.

Passing through the gate, they entered a bustling courtyard. Guild banners lined the walls while adventurers gathered on balconies overhead, their conversations drifting down.

As they followed the main paved path, the sheer scale of the Guild's growth became apparent. Adventurers in all manner of gear bustled about, some giving the two Academy students curious glances. The complex had even absorbed a nearby inn, its tavern sign now hanging beneath the official Guild emblem—a practical partnership for a place teeming with travelers.