Meet our ever sassy Feyre! Pusaaaaaaa!
-chapter thirty-two-
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'Without thinking, I turned right and ran after the girl. I'm not really sure what answer I'm looking for but something in me wants to talk to her.'
Central Metropolis, Earth • 2071—
ONCE AGAIN, I ended up losing the way.
Ilang beses akong pinagalitan ni River dahil sa nangyari. Para siyang nawalan ng anak nang tumawag ulit dahil hindi niya ako nakita sa labas ng Room 3305. Ilang beses niya din akong tinanong kung bakit hindi ko sinunod ang sinabi niya. I lied to him. Sinabi kong nakalimutan ko ang mga direksiyon kaya nawala ako.
"Nakalimutan mo?! Ang simple ng sinabi ko. Diretso lang! Straight line lang, strai~ght line! Kaya bakit ka lumiko?!" sigaw ng kakambal kong pilit na pinapakalma ni Irusu.
"Nakalimutan ko." tanging nasagot ko.
That girl! Hindi ko siya naabutan at natanong! Bigla siyang lumiko at nang sundan ko ay nakita ko na lang ang sarili na nawawala na. I should probably try to study maps and directions. Kahit sa left and right ay nalilito ako.
I stared at the dinner River cooked. Piniritong itlog at kanin. Umalis sila kanina ni Irusu at sigurado'y magdi-date. And he said he'll cook me dinner so I didn't bother. Pero ito lang pala ang ulam ko ngayon? Hindi ako mabubusog dito!
I stared at the kitchen counter. I can go and cook but I don't want to anger River even more. Lalo na't marami na akong kitchen incidents, to the point that I almost burned it down. Baka hindi niya na ako ipagluto. Given my terrible cooking skills, I couldn't survive without anyone to care for me. Kailangan kong makakain ng masarap bukas kaya kailangan kong magpakabait.
Hinugasan ko ang plato pagkatapos kumain. I didn't eat any desserts. Sasabihin kong iniwan ko iyon dahil napakabait kong kambal at gusto kong si River ang makaubos ng ice cream.
Which is totally unfair because he's having a good dinner with Irusu tonight. I'm tempted to go out and have dinner alone but I can't drive and I may get lost on the way too. Magagalit din ulit si River sa'kin kung gagawin ko 'yon dahil hindi ako nagpaalam.
Because I felt useless in anything, I decided to just log in the game.
[Town Central, City of Gaea—]
The familiar buzzing of the city rang in my ears, small chatters of the players present in the air. Ngunit hindi na sila gano'n karami kumpara sa nagdaang araw. Napapahinto sila habang dumadaan at napapatingin sa'kin.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Maybe I look awkward?
Since I'm standing in the middle of the rather busy city. A player who just won second place in the event yesterday. Maybe they're wondering who am I to rank that high. Kahit ako din naman hindi alam kung bakit bigla ako naging ganito kalakas.
"Woah, it's Solace, the slayer..."
"Grabe ang ganda at ang astig talaga niya!"
"Hayyy. She really looks dreamy. And she is also a dream. A dream I want to party with."
"Kung papayag siya! Kahit na puno ng mga wirdo ang guild niya, sobrang lakas ng mga 'yon!"
"Oo nga 'no! That foul-mouthed rogue is really amazing! Nawawala na lang tapos sa isang iglap bam! May damage ka na!"
"Their mage as well! He opened the gates of the underworld! That mist he summoned was really powerful and it increased the damage brought by the different attacks back then!"
"Alam mo 'yan?"
"Duh, naexplain iyon ng isang game streamer."
Every player that I passed by congratulated me. Nginitian ko lang sila at tinungo ang direksiyon ng shop ni Aeron. I wanted to ask about what happened back in the final game. Why my head felt like it was going to explode and why the power in my hand feels like volts. At bakit din wala akong masyadong maalala noong laban.
However, the loud shouts from behind made me stop. Nang lumingon ay nakita ko ang limang pigura na mabilis ang takbo papunta sa'kin. Feyre was the first one to arrive, instantly jumping to hug me. Sunod si Priamos na may malawak na ngiti sa labi, si Minerva na panay ang talon, si Vesta na may matamis na ngiti, si Voldmir na nagniningning ang mga mata, at si Hex na ubod ng saya. Seeing their faces erased all my worries, replacing it with relief, then painting a smile on my face.
This is my guild — the Oddcredibles. And the seven of us are all as odd and incredible as our name.
"Sol!" sigaw ni Feyre kahit na magkalapit lang kami. "We won! We own Takara City now and you can stay in the guild! Let's celebrate and have a drink!"
Binatukan siya ni Hex. "May mga bata dito. But, really, I can't believe that we got second place."
"Although I died..." ngumuso si Minerva.
"Hoy, rakista! Namatay din ako! Walanghiya kayong lahat, wala na akong energy no'n at ang liit na lang ng HP ko! Tapos 'yon pa ginawa niyo!"
"Astro is really... strong for enduring... those attacks..." komento ni Vesta.
"His members shielded him." wika ni Voldmir.
I smiled at all of them. "Still, we own a city now guys."
Humiyaw sila. I laughed when they started cheering and hopping around. Huminto sila at biglang tumitig sa'kin kaya nagulat ako.
"...What?"
It was Feyre who answered me. "Tara na? Why don't we start this greatest adventure for real?"
Kumunot ang noo ko. "What do you mean?"
"Get out of Gaea City and travel to Takara! Players who already reached Level 30 can get out. Pero dadaan muna tayo sa city ni Astro..."
"We can get out of the city?"
They all gave me a dumb look.
"Well yeah, duh," sagot ni Voldmir. "Arth is a world similar to Earth. Every continent consists of five cities. Ang natatapakan natin ngayon ay ang syudad ng mga bagong-pasok sa game. A city for novices."
"Kaya pala ang konti na lang ng players dito..."
Tumango si Hex. "They already went ahead. May mga nakaka-abot na nga ng Level 35."
"We should go to po. Asteria is really far and gano'n din ang Takara." sabi ni Minerva.
Sumimangot ako. "Kailangan ba talaga nating pumasok sa Asteria para makapunta sa Takara?"
"Yes, that way is safer. Delikado kung dadaan tayo sa Hadea Cliffs. Sabi kasi nila baka daw may mga Level 70 monsters doon na tumatambay. Hindi pa natin kaya 'yon!" sagot ni Feyre na nilalakihan pa ang mata. "Ayoko nga ding dumaan sa syudad ng guild na 'yon. Ang mahal ng payment kapag papasok ka! Fifteen gold!"
Siyempre ayaw mo kasi kuripot ka.
"May payment?"
Tumango si Hex. "Iyong sinabi ko sa'yo noong nakaraan? Once a place is under our guild's territory, we can charge fees for players who want to enter. Maganda 'yon para mas maka-earn tayo ng gold. Gusto mo lagyan natin 'yong sa'tin?"
I frowned. "Hindi ko alam. It sounds like a hassle."
"Pero we need funds po. Tapos, hehe, marami na po us na gold! I say twenty five gold po!" si Minerva.
"Fifty!"
Blanko kong tinitigan si Feyre, ang babaeng nagrereklamo kanina tungkol sa babayaran kapag papasok sa Asteria. Nagreklamo tapos maglalagay ng mas mataas na presyo. Itong pusa na 'to talaga. Okay lang kung ang makaperwisyo ng iba, basta hindi siya ang biktima.
"Ayaw mo nga sa fifteen eh." sabi ko.
Feyre gave me a sideway glance. "Magbabayad tayo ng fifteen sa kanila kaya dapat magbabayad sila ng mas malaki sa'tin."
"How about... one gold per entry?" suhestiyon ni Vesta.
"Nagpabayad ka pa!" singhal ni Feyre.
Vesta pouted. "But look... if we have 100 visitors... then we'll also have a hundred gold."
"Oh, i-multiply mo sa 50," tiningnan lang siya namin. "Kayo magmultiply! Magaling ako sa science pero hindi sa math."
"Aren't they somehow related though?" Voldmir tsked. "It's 5000 gold."
"See?!"
Napabuntong-hininga kami ni Hex. I looked tiredly at Feyre. "Sa tingin mo naman may papasok sa syudad natin kung 50 ang toll?"
"They need to if they want to go to Lunaria," kibit-balikat niyang saad.
"Lunaria?" tanong ko.
Ano ba itong naririnig kong mga bagong words? It feels like my head will suddenly burst from all the information.
"Oo. Ang ikaapat na city. It's already opened. Ang Eternia na lang ang hindi."
"Wow! I don't understand a thing!" masaya kong tugon.
"We'll explain it once we begin our journey. Bilisan naman natin at tama na muna ang chismisan," pigil ni Voldmir kay Feyre na magpapaliwanag sana. "The other guilds are way ahead than us. Gusto ko nang maglevel up!"
"Okay... Pero pupuntahan ko pa si Aeron. I have something to ask him," binigyan ko sila nang nalilitong tingin. "Mauna na lang kayo?"
Umiling si Voldmir. "Nah, we'll wait for you at the gate..."
I gave them a nod. Nagsimula na silang maglakad paalis maliban kay Feyre na nanatili sa tabi ko. I gave her a confused look but she never glanced at me. Nang lumingon si Voldmir at makitang hindi pa kami gumagalaw sa kinatatayuan ay pinandilatan niya kami ng mata. A soft chuckled made it's way out and I turned to head towards the blacksmith's shop again.
"Hey, Sol..." mahinang tawag ni Feyre sa tabi ko. Her eyes were focused on the road before us.
"Oh? Bakit ka nga pala sumama sa'kin?" tanong ko. Malapit na kami sa shop ni Aeron.
"I was just wondering if..." sumulyap siya sa'kin. "You were... were you?"
Tumigil ako sa harap ng pintuan ni Voldmir. From here I can make out a few persons inside. Mukhang mga bagong players na gagawin ang first quest. Well, doesn't this bring back memories? Although, I don't need to wear a mask and be covered by a cloak this time.
"I am... am I? Ano-?" nalilito kong tanong.
Umuwang ang labi niya. She inhaled air like she was going to speak. Kaya naman nagulat ako nang tinikom niya ang bibig at umiling.
"Don't mind me."
Kumunot ang noo ko. I'm used to Feyre's weird actions but she's not usually this strange. It reminds me of her passive gestures back then, when she was worried about me not staying. She's lucky I never break my promises.
Before I could ask what's wrong, lumabas ang pitong tao na nasa loob. They gave me a double-look before heading on their way. Pumasok naman ako sa loob ng shop ni Aeron. He was standing at the shop's counter with a blank look. Ngunit napatingin siya sa'min nang bumukas ang pintuan. And weirdly, his eyes has no recognition unlike last time.
"Hello, Player. How may I help you?" even his voice sounds a bit strange for me. Ang tono niya ay parang kakakilala lang namin.
"Aeron, I have something to ask you. It's about the sword..." panimula ko.
"A sword, player? Do you want to buy one? Or do you want to upgrade your current weapon?" aniya.
Napatingin ako kay Feyre na naniningkit ang mata. She was frowning while staring at Aeron. Our gazes met and she shrugged.
"Problema niya?" she mouthed.
I have no idea too. He doesn't call me by my name anymore. But as 'player'.
"Aeron?" tanong ko makalipas ang ilang sandali.
"Hello, Player. How may I help you?"
[Desert Plains—]
"MAYBE THE game was quietly cleaned? Baka narealize ng game masters ang pag-iiba ng attitude ng NPCs," wika ni Hex. "It's unusual for them to learn and remember names."
"And behave human-like. He can laugh and converse well with us," dagdag ni Voldmir. "When they are actually only fed with about five to ten lines."
We are wandering the desert outside the city of Gaea. We left the city about twenty minutes ago. Umalis kami ni Feyre sa shop ni Aeron when he just repeated his lines over and over again. We can't talk to him like in the past and gain answers.
Like promised, the five waited for us outside the gates. Nilalaro ni Minerva at Priamos sina Aslan at Poro. Voldmir is teaching Vesta about where to point her gun and Hex is just watching the four. Nang makita kami'y bigla silang tumalon at excited nang umalis. Ngunit ang desyerto lang ang naging kaagapay namin sa buong paglalakbay.
"Yeah, it's really weird..." wika ko.
"You mean po, it's normal now. What's weird is the NPC is able to engage in a human conversation po!" argumento ni Minerva.
Ngumuso ako. But talking to Aeron became my normal so, basically, not being able to talk to him would be strange. Kahit na ito naman ang dapat. Then how the hell was I able to talk to him normally? Can a bug be that severe na makakausap mo na siya? It was like he has a mind of his own.
"It's alright... Minerva. We're weird... so being weird is... normal?" Vesta assured but none of us got what she was pointing out.
Kaya minabuti na lang ni Hex na ibahin ang usapan. "Did you make an entrance fee for the city?"
Tumango ako. "Seven golds per entry."
"Ang cheap!" sigaw ni Feyre.
"Well, it's not like earning gold is easy," sumimangot ako. "You complain over fifteen gold too. We need to be considerate over others..."
"Sol, later, we're going to enter a city with a fifteen gold toll." she pointed out.
"I know, that's why I made our fee in a small amount. Maibabalik sa'tin ang gold na nagamit. But how about for other players who doesn't have a territory to earn money? Who is having a hard time saving golds? Kakagaling lang nila sa city na fifteen gold ang babayaran and they're going to enter another city which has a higher amount to pay for. Are you going to take their adventure away from them?" nakangiti kong paliwanag.
Natahimik sila sa sinabi ko. I said those in the calmest and quietest tone possible. Pinanatili ko ang ngiti sa labi para malaman nilang naiintindihan ko ang punto nila but we also have to consider other people's situations. Ngumuso si Feyre at umiwas ng tingin. Tumawa naman si Hex,
"And this is why Feyre is a deputy and not the guild leader." nagulat kami sa kaniya. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ko siya huling narinig na tinawag si Feyre sa buong pangalan.
"Hoy! Kahit na may choice ako, si Sol pa rin ang guild leader! May masabi ka lang, soro, ano?"
Ngumisi si Hex. "What? It's true. You need to have that mindset. Pero ikaw, siguro, cruel leader ka..."
"Leaders need to be cruel!"
"Oo, tapos makaka-attract ka ng mutiny dahil sa ginagawa mo."
At nagsimula silang magbangayan. Siguro hindi na nga mawawala sa dalawa 'to.
"It's true... my sister said that... earning gold after this will be... hard," komento ni Vesta.
"Really?" tumingin ako sa ibang kasama.
"Don't look at me. I don't have other friends aside from the six of you," itinaas ni Voldmir ang kamay.
"Me rin po! My previous party blocked me after kicking me out!" may saya sa tono ni Minerva.
"Ako din, Ate. Natatakot sila sa'kin kaya ayaw nila akong kaibiganin." ngumunguya pa ng pagkain si Priamos.
Ngumiwi si Feyre. "I don't need anyone else aside from you six."
"Ah, so in short wala kang kaibigan?" direktang tanong ni Hex.
Sinamaan siya ni Feyre ng tanong. "Hindi ko nga kasi sila kailangan, soro!"
Something tells me that no one wants to be friends with our foul-mouthed rogue. That's to our advantage though. At least this feisty cat will be all ours.
"Si Sol nga oh! Wala ding friends 'yan dito kahit popular siya!" tinuro ako ni Feyre. "'Diba, Sol? 'Diba?"
I don't know if I should answer her with a lie or tell the truth...
They noticed my hesitation with the silence kaya napasimangot si Feyre at tumawa ang iba.
"I have you as my friends. And of course my brother and Irusu..." sila lang ang inaccept ko.
"Can't you ask them?" tanong ni Voldmir.
"They're not online."
It was Hex who answered. "Totoo 'yon. The gold drops will be close to zero. Kaya naman kailangan talaga nating ingatan ang golds na naearn natin mula sa G-"
A loud shriek from Minerva made us all on-guard. Napahawak ako sa hilt ng sword. But I felt all confidence and strength draining away from me when I saw what we're up against.
A large snake-like creature who loomed a shadow over us. It's fangs glinted even with the sunlight behind him. And it looks like it's ready to kill us.
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-chapter end-
▪▪▪
[UPDATE!]:
1. Make a legacy with the Oddcredibles.
2. Arrive at Takara!
3. Hiraeth...
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[NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW]:
"Anong mangyayari kapag namatay tayo dito?"
"We'll resurrect back in Gaea since it's the last city we've been to."
"You mean babalik tayo sa city na 'yon?! Tapos babalik naman ulit tayo dit- OH MY GOD ANO ANG ISANG MATA NA HALIMAW NA 'YAN?!" Feyre shouted making her lose focus and fall.
Napatingin din ako. First, a sand serpent who are ten levels ahead of us. Now, a Cyclops?!
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