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Author's notes

Hey guys, I tried to make a picture of Characters with their current appearance so you could picture them easier :)

I couldn't get their faces right so I just let them blank... Sorry bout that :(

I've only done Haruki and Sylva at the moment. I'll probably do the others sometime next week. These images as well as future ones will be compiled in the setting thread so if you want to look at them again you don't have to find the exact chapter

Haruki

Spoiler :

Sylva

Spoiler :

What do you think? Again sorry about the blank faces....

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Chapter 21: Burden

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Having returned to the city first Hime and the rest were just waiting for Haruki to return. She didn’t know what his business was. When she asked Sylva, she was only told that he was meeting a friend. Hime knew that wasn’t the whole story though.

Her brother had left and looked like he had made an important decision. Sylva excessively worried for him also told that the situation was really serious, at least for her brother.

What truly bothered Hime was how Sylva was the one that knew. She gave him support while Haruki accepted it willingly. Before all this, Hime had also tried to be of help to Haruki. She tried to do part-time jobs to help cover expenses and have Haruki rely on her. However he always said that he’ll be the one she relied on. He would shoulder the burden so she didn’t have to. He had dealt with their parents funeral alone, tried his best to take care of her, and also became her sole guardian.

They had only each other. She didn’t care for anything as long as her brother was near her. But now it was different. She being the little sister even now was only relying on him. Now, Haruki had found someone he relied on. Someone he trusted his life with. Someone who was perfect for him.

“Hime? Are you alright?” Sylva asked with a small frown

“Ah, yes... Just worried about Nii-san.”

“Don’t worry. He’ll be fine. He promised right?” Sylva reassured her with a smile

The kindness she showed served only to stab her chest. When he left it wasn’t her he promised to, It was Sylva. Hime felt disgusted at herself for thinking this. Sylva was someone who had helped both her and Haruki. She shouldn’t be feeling this way towards their comrade....

“Oh? Something’s going down at the castle!” Amy spoke

“Hmm? What is it?” Hime snapped out of her deep thoughts

“Don’t know. Let’s take a look!”

As the group of three drew closer they started to hear the words spoken by who seemed to be a city official.

“- Lord has decreed that with the newly opened route between Roden and Prax, adventurers will be hired to accompany the Lord in travel to form a constitutional alliance with our neighboring region! All former expedition members are ordered to participate in this joyous event!”

While the announcement resumed a quest window had appeared in front of Hime and Amy

Quest: Formal Alliance

With the recent connection between Roden and Prax there has been a decision to create an alliance between the two regions. The Lord of Roden intends to travel and meet directly with leaders of the nearby region.

Quest Clear: Successfully escorted Roden’s Lord to Prax

Difficulty: D+

-Certain players will be unable to reject this quest. Failure will result in a large penalty from the Roden government.

Hime was surprised when she received the quest notification. If she had to accept that means she and Amy would have to leave! Sylva didn’t seem to receive the quest so that meant Haruki probably didn’t either...

“It’s fine. We were planning to move there anyway right?” Sylva noticed Hime’s distress

“....But you don’t have this quest, Sylva-san.”

“That isn’t important. We were going anyway so it’s best to stick together. Haruki will certainly agree.”

“Yeah! We’ll just have them tag along! Once the quest is done we’ll be where we were headed to anyway.” Amy cheered her up

“....Yes!”

Listening to the details of the quest they found out that they were already leaving tomorrow! Hime wondered if this quest was important. After all, they had only completed the expedition yesterday.

“It seems we only have to wait for Nii-san to return.”

“Geez, where’d he go anyway? Isn’t it weird that he’s meeting with someone? What sort of business does he have?” Amy questioned

“He’s.... tying a few loose ends with an old friend.” Sylva said with a sad smile

“That so?” Amy casually replied

“Anyway we should head back for now.” Hime suggested

Arriving at the quiet place they were staying at the three separated and went off to their own rooms. Hime entered and closed the door quietly while dragging a chair in front of the window.

As she sat down she again began to think about the condition they were all in. She became determined to have Haruki rely on her. If she couldn’t do something as simple as that she didn’t deserve to call herself his sister. He had done all of this for her sake so she had to at least be useful at something for him!

Staring intently outside the window she waited for her brother to come into view. She resolved herself to speak her mind regarding the matter with him. She’ll try her best to help carry the heavy burden that had always been Haruki’s responsibility alone.

When she spotted him , she nearly knocked over the chair she was sitting on! He looked exhausted but it seemed he was perfectly fine! Dashing out her room’s door she nearly leapt down the stairs but stopped when she heard a familiar voice.

“Are you alright?” Hime heard the worried tone

“Haha, you worry too much Sylva! I said I would be fine right?”

“But-“

“I did what I had to... I don’t regret it.” Haruki said in a firm tone

“.....I don’t see Riley. Where is he?”

“He said he’s fulfilled his purpose.... He’s at peace.”

“I see... I’m sorry to hear that.” Sylva’s voice was filled with sorrow

“Don’t be. He chose this path himself. We should respect it.”

“......What about you? This must be hardest for you.... They were your friends after all.”

“I’m fine. We said our goodbyes and merely parted ways...”

“You idiot! That’s why I’m worried!! Don’t you remember last time!? You were devastated! What if the same thing happens all over again!” Sylva started to cry

Hime was shocked to hear Sylva’s raise her voice like that. The usually calm and graceful Sylva showed her emotions clearly when it regarded Haruki. She even cried for his sake!

“....I’m apologize, Sylva. I should have realized you were that worried. But, If that were to happen again I have no doubt you’d be there for me again.” Haruki said with a gentle tone

Hearing her brother openly say he depended on Sylva caused Hime to feel emptiness in her heart. Bewildered at the complex emotions she accidentally stepped on a loose floorboard which made a loud squeaking noise.

Without a doubt both of them heard that. Knowing she couldn’t be found out eavesdropping she started head down the stairs.

“Oh Nii-san! You’re back.” She acted like she just knew

“Yeah, sorry for the wait.”

It seems Sylva had regained her composure. Slightly wiping her now wet eyes she started to talk again.

“Haruki, it turns out we have to leave already.”

“Hm? Why’s that?” Haruki showed a puzzled face

“Actually, it’s my fault Nii-san. We received a quest while you were gone...”

Hime explained the details of the quest while Haruki listened in with interest on his face. Hime found it weird that her brother was even interested in this quest because it seemed like a low level one.

“Aah, so that’s what you mean.”

“Sorry, Nii-san.”

“Nah, leaving faster is better anyway.” He waved his hand

“Is something the matter Haruki?” Sylva gazed at him

“This ‘alliance’. Doesn’t it sound like something that’ll affect the whole game world?”

“I guess.” Hime answered her brother’s question

“Right, there are a lot of places that aren’t found yet and if players keep connecting cities wouldn’t that create a type of new society ingame?”

“What’s your point Nii-san?”

“Haah, ‘Kingdoms’ or ‘Nations’ ; shouldn’t normal MMO’s be tightly related to these things? And yet there’s no clear information of anything of the sort in the game.”

“You’re right. It does seem like every place is disconnected from one another.” Sylva remarked

“Exactly! What I’m thinking is for the game to proceed wouldn’t access and development of the entire game world be needed to be cleared? If we continue to complete quests which have huge effects on the world than we might be able to finish the game!” He excitedly said

“....But wouldn’t doing that be difficult?” Hime was skeptic

“That’s not what really matters. What matters is we have a clear goal. Something to focus our efforts at. If the hardest quests have a possibility to end this then I will complete them!”

“Like I said we’re not capable enough to finish every quest in the game!”

“Then I will search for whatever power I need. I will not just give up and do nothing.” A will of steel was clear in Haruki’s eyes.

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The sun was high as we departed on the journey to Prax. Before it had taken weeks for the players to reach there but with the route established it should only take about a week at most.

From what I heard the quest difficulty was only D+. That hardly warranted for 200 players to participate in this quest. It’s probably some game mechanism to introduce the other regions in a form of an event quest.

When we joined in the group some of the NPCs didn’t allow us because we weren’t registered as adventurers that were contracted to guard the Lord. That however, was solved when Commander Gil stepped out and immediately argued that we were heroes of the city. I guess Sylva and I joining in won’t be a problem.

Looking around I saw a few faces that I recognized. Looks like the expedition members that Sylva and I rescued are all here. I notice most of them had either cloaks or pieces of gear that had Roden’s emblem on them. Was wearing their reward from the last quest also a requirement? They probably were items with great value anyway.

“Hey, it’s you guys again! Glad to see you’re with us!” A young guy walks up to me

“Oh yeah... uhm...”

“I’m Cameron. Just call me Cam. You saved us a few days back remember?”

“I remember. I just don’t really know any of you....”

“Well, I guess us small fries don’t match up to ‘Nero Argento’ anyway!” He said with a grin

“Ah! You’re that kid storyteller from before! Why are you here!?” Suddenly Amy shouted

“Storyteller?” I ask Amy

“He’s the one that told the story of you and Sylva to the expedition team!”

“And I was right wasn’t I? They really are top class players.” He said

“Yeah, we’re not lovers though.” I sighed

‘For Real!? Huh, doesn’t matter. I’ll keep telling that story. It’s a better version any way.” He shrugged his shoulders

“Haah, do as you like...” I gave up on dealing with him

Slowing down my pace I walk beside Hime and started to talk to her.

“Hey, Hime.”

“Oh... Nii-san.”

“Huh? Is something wrong? You look a bit worn out.” I said while rubbing her head

“No, I’m fine. I’ll definitely do my best.”

“Okay I guess? If something’s on your mind just tell me okay? You can count on me.” I smile at her

“.....Okay.” She quietly nodded

Feeling she would be fine for now I then talked to Sylva.

“Sylva, is something the matter with Hime?”

“I don’t think so. Why?” she faced me

“She’s been a bit gloomy lately. Especially when talking with me...”

“Ah!”

“What is it? You know something about this?”

“Oh, actually I told her about what happened before Tyrne. I’m sorry...”

“Aah, that explains it. No wonder she’s like that. I guess knowing I could kill another human being made her look at me differently.” I said with a wry smile

“Maybe I shouldn’t have told her?” Sylva started to regret telling her

“No, she would find out anyway. And it’s something I chose myself. If this is the price I have to pay then I’ll accept it.”

“Maybe it’s not that. Maybe she just wants to tell you something but just can’t?”

“Haah, I can only hope that’s true.... Either way I’ll just keep trying to talk with her.”

“I think... you should stay by her side. She desperately needs her brother now is what I feel.” Sylva looks at Hime with affection

“Thanks.” I said to the girl beside me

“Hm? What for?”

“For being a friend to both of us.”

That’s right I’m her brother. I’m all she has left and she’s all I have left. I have to keep carrying this burden for the both of us..........

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