Adventure World Online (AWO)

"The gate can be moved, my lord. You must pull up the four key-lock pins from the base of the mirror. After that, the gate will shrink down and become portable. That gate is under your sole authority; you decide who may or may not pass through it. To establish the army of the dead you've envisioned, all spirits must enter exclusively through that gate,"

Cedric, trying to avoid Alice-chan's gaze, explained.

"My lord, if that gate is installed in a stable location, we will be able to assist you again,"

Murik added with a sweet smile, seemingly nostalgic about the days of spirit-hunting.

"A stable location? Like a city or a residence?"

Chang Long asked, feeling a rising apprehension that she might be facing yet another massive undertaking.

"A private residence wouldn't work, my lord, as it's a personal space. If it's a city, it would need to either belong to you or be an ally's city where they grant permission to install the Mirror of Truth,"

Henrik explained as Cedric slipped behind Kearick and turned his face toward the throne, much to Alice-chan's frustration.

Chang Long exhaled heavily. It was just as she feared—a major task, possibly on a kingdom-ruling scale. Meanwhile, Devi-chan's eyes sparkled with excitement. He had long wished for Chang Long to claim special territory and establish a city.

"Maybe I don't need to go through all that trouble. Siegfried just acquired a city. I could ask him,"

Chang Long said, the idea suddenly coming to her. Devi-chan, who was about to propose a full-scale assault on a special territory was left with his mouth agape.

"No way!"

Devi-chan's loud protest turned all eyes toward him.

"Why not? Siegfried'd agree ally with me,"

Chang Long asked, puzzled.

"That guy is Heaven's heir. He's the rival you must surpass to claim the title of Supreme King. And mark my words—Heaven is probably drilling it into that boy's head daily. Asking your competitor for such a favor is the ultimate loss of dignity!"

Devi-chan declared with such fervor that Chang Long could not argue back. She blinked at him, realizing he was resolute about not letting her ask Siegfried.

"Well, once we're done here, I can finally travel... uh! Go monster hunting to level up in peace,"

Chang Long said cheerfully but quickly changed her tone after a sharp glare from Devi-chan.

"In that case, I suppose we should retrieve the mirror first,"

Alice-chan said, abandoning her focus on Kearick, who continued to ignore her.

"Indeed. But wouldn't you consider staying here for the night, my lord? You've endured so much to get here—it might do you good to rest,"

Henrik suggested, his tone full of concern for her, knowing that actually finding the Mirror of Truth was no easy task.

"Yes, my lord, stay the night. Why rush out to face a full day of bad luck?"

Hisa-chan added, shuddering at the thought of the day-long misfortune awaiting those who leave this realm.

"That's true. Resting here sounds like a good idea."

Chang Long agreed. Kearick smiled and led her on a tour of the entire castle before taking her to the largest and most luxurious room within.

That night, Chang Long rolled around on the soft bed with a good mood. She summoned Kitsune, Hulu, Brownie, and Anya. Even Little Jade, who had turned into stone while inside the Mist of Death, to rest on the island. Brownie was happily jumping on Chang Long's bed, while Hulu and Kitsune seemed to be plotting mischief against him. Anya sipped nectar from a flower on the table by the window. Meanwhile, Hisa-chan and Devi-chan were having an intense drinking duel in the next room, and Alice-chan had gone off in search of Cedric.

Beep, beep, beep, beep

"Hmm? It's Siegfried. Hello, Siegfried."

Chang Long, engrossed in watching her pets' chaotic antics, picked up her phone when she saw Siegfried's name on the screen.

"Hi, Chang Long. Am I bothering you?"

Siegfried asked, sounding a bit shy.

"Not at all. What's up?"

Chang Long replied, feeling strangely nervous for no apparent reason.

"I'm in Ark City, at King Duck's palace. Queen Anna has a quest she wants help with, so I thought I'd call to see if you're free to do it with me,"

Siegfried explained, surprised at how smoothly he managed to speak. Normally, he would stumble over his words when talking to Chang Long.

"Me? Uh... you're inviting me on a quest. What kind of quest is this?"

Chang Long asked, confused yet a little pleased. Siegfried had many capable allies; why would he ask her to join him?

"It's a quest that requires a pair. I thought... it'd be great if we... if we could do it together!"

Although Siegfried stammered, he managed to get the words out clearly. After speaking, he placed a hand on his chest to calm his nerve.

"Huh! With me? What kind of quest? It's not some silly quest, is it?"

Chang Long asked, wary as her mind flashed back to the couple quest she had done before.

"Queen Anna said she'd tell me the details once I found a partner. But I don't think someone as reasonable as her would give us a frivolous task,"

Siegfried reassured her, though he feared she might refuse. He truly believed Queen Anna would not give would be nonsensical.

"You said you're in Ark City, right? Alright, see you there tomorrow,"

Chang Long agreed.

"Wait! Really? Does this mean you've agreed to be my quest partner? I mean, I'll wait for you."

Siegfried's excitement burst out before he could stop it, his voice so loud that Chang Long was startled. Realizing his outburst, he quickly composed himself.

"Heh, heh. Sure... see you then,"

Chang Long chuckled, unable to resist smiling at how awkward Siegfried could be, both in and out of the game. Strangely, she did not think it was bad—quite the opposite. It made her feel good, so much so that she found herself smiling without realizing it.

"My lord, are you traveling to see lord Siegfried tomorrow?"

Kitsune, in his human form using the King's Shapeshifting skill, asked.

"Uh-huh. By the way, what are you two doing?"

Chang Long turned to look at Kitsune and Hulu, who were sitting cross-legged, facing each other. In Hulu's hands was Brownie, crying and wailing with tears and snot streaming down his little face, looking utterly pitiful.

"My lord. Help me. These two maniacs are going to eat me!"

Brownie wailed, pleading with Chang Long for help, while shamelessly calling the two celestial beasts maniacs without a trace of respect. Chang Long chuckled, shaking her head, unable to help feeling sorry for Brownie, who always ended up being teased.

"That's enough, Hulu. Look at him, he's so pitiful. Brownie, on this trip, I'd really like to see you evolve. You need to work harder, alright?"

Chang Long opened her hand to take Brownie from Hulu, who reluctantly handed him over, clearly unsatisfied with the amount of teasing he had managed. Brownie sprawled out on Chang Long's palm, using his tiny front paws to wipe his tears, while his master poked his little belly playfully.

"Does my lord really expect so much from me?"

Brownie sat up, looking at Chang Long with sparkling eyes, though a bit of eye gunk was still clinging stubbornly to one corner.

"Of course. You're one of my crew, aren't you?"

Chang Long replied, unable to suppress a smile at his proud demeanor, and the gunk.

"Alright then. If my lord expects this much from me, I'll make sure to work hard to gain experience and evolve. When I do, I'll be so handsome you won't even recognize me."

Brownie said with pride, turning slightly toward Anya as if his last words were meant for the fairy girl in particular. Anya chuckled softly and nodded.

"I'll be watching."

"Of course, my lord! I'm fired up now. Let's go hunt monsters right away?!"

Brownie stood upright on Chang Long's palm, striking a bold pose that drew laughter from everyone around.

"Tch, this little runt is getting cocky because the lord spoils him,"

Hulu grumbled with a tone of mock annoyance.

"Come on, you two, hop onto the bed. It's so soft and spacious,"

Chang Long invited. Hulu's ears twitched, and his grumpy expression was instantly replaced by delight. He quickly jumped onto the bed, urging Kitsune to join him.

"Big brother, come on. The bed really is super soft,"

Hulu exclaimed. Kitsune exchanged a knowing glance with Chang Long and let out a small smile.

"Such simple creatures,"

Kitsune murmured and climbed onto the bed as well.

The Next Morning

"Mmmm, ugh! So heavy."

Hulu opened his eyes, feeling an inexplicable weight pressing down on him. Worse, he could not move his body at all. He turned his head to nudge Kitsune, who was lying beside him.

"Big brother, what's happening? Why can't I move?"

Hulu whispered nervously.

"I can't move either. What's going on? Could it be, this bed is..."

"What about the bed, big brother!"

Hulu interrupted, his voice trembling with alarm.

"This is the bed of the Reaper King. Perhaps we weren't allowed to sleep on it,"

Kitsune replied, his face filled with thought.

"And because we dared to lie here, we've been cursed."

"No way. What kind of curse makes us this stiff?"

Snorrre...

"Huh?"

Both Kitsune and Hulu lifted their heads to locate the source of the strange sound coming from over their bodies. To their disbelief, the curse they had been speculating about turned out to be their snoring master, who often tossed and turned. Chang Long had rolled over in her sleep and was sprawled across the two of them, pinning them down completely.

"My lord!!"

The two pets exclaimed simultaneously in a mix of surprise and relief. Chang Long jolted awake, blinking her eyes open. Still half-asleep, she rolled off their bodies and kept rolling under the bewildered gazes of the two pets.

Thud

"Ouch!"

"Oh, my lord..."

Hulu and Kitsune sighed softly in unison, watching Chang Long tumble off the bed with a look of resigned sympathy.

"Who kicked me off the bed!"

Chang Long sprang to her feet and shouted in frustration. The two pets blinked at her innocently and shook their heads in denial. Huffing irritably, Chang Long stomped out of the room, heading off to find Devi-chan, Little Jade, and the others who had been left to roam the island.

"My lord is something else,"

Kitsune muttered as he rose from the bed, preparing to set out.

"She fell off the bed all by herself,"

Hulu chuckled softly in amusement, then turned to tease Brownie, who was still snoozing lazily on a pillow. Brownie let out a yelp and bolted out of the room in a hurry.

When everyone finally gathered in the throne room, with Chang Long still grumpy about her fall, Kearick asked her where she wanted to go. Then, using the mirror, he sent her and her companions to their destination through the mirror.

Chang Long and her pets materialized in the open square in front of the player service building. She began strolling down one of the city's narrow streets, heading toward the palace of King Duck and Queen Anna. However, as someone who had just left the realm of the dead, she was bound to experience a full day of misfortune—even royals were not exempt. Barely five steps into her walk, her bad luck struck.

Bonk!

A flowerpot, seemingly out of nowhere, crashed squarely onto Chang Long's head, making her eyes water. When she turned to find the source, she saw a male and female player fiercely arguing nearby. The woman, in particular, appeared much angrier, hurling nearby flowerpots at the man with abandon. Chang Long stormed over, seething. Regardless of what grievances these two had, flinging objects across the city was completely uncalled for.

"Hey,"

She called out.

"Stay out of it!"

The female player snapped, her sharp tone leaving Chang Long momentarily stunned.

"Hey you!"

Chang Long suppressed her rising anger and tried to speak calmly, but the woman turned her glare on her instead.

"Nosy, are you? Eat this!"

The female player hurled another flowerpot at Chang Long, immediately following up with a quick thrust of her sword. Her skill level was evident from the swiftness of her movements.

Chang Long leapt gracefully into the air and struck the woman's neck with the scabbard of the Sovereign Sword. The blow sent the player tumbling to the ground with enough force to disarm her. Glaring at Chang Long once again, the woman spat,

"Why are you butting in? Are you his friend? Fine, I'll call my guild and wipe you both out!"

"Huh?"

Chang Long muttered in confusion, turning to the male player, who could only respond with an awkward smile.

.....

In Heaven City, the unofficial settlement of the Pendragon Guild, guild members and Kimhant, who stood frozen in astonishment as they watched an unfamiliar woman approach. Clad in a crimson cloak and astride a unicorn, she gazed uncertainly toward the city gates. The young woman had little trouble uncovering information about the man she loved—he was not only famous but also strikingly handsome. She had hoped to see him at the Good Looking Player Rankings event, but her hopes were dashed when she learned he was occupied with an important mission: battling for control of a special territory.

"Hey, isn't that Narada!"

One of the gatekeepers from an allied guild whispered to his companion excitedly.

"The one they call the most beautiful woman in the game."

The other responded in awe, unable to believe they were seeing the famed beauty up close.

"That's right. Looks like she wants to enter our city. What should we do? None of the guild leaders are around."

"Should we ask her what she wants?"

"I wouldn't dare. A woman that stunning isn't going to talk to us. If we go up to her, we'll just embarrass ourselves in front of everyone."

As the two guards debated nervously, Narada dismounted her unicorn and strode toward them. She smiled sweetly, leaving the two men dazed and dreamy-eyed. Then, in a soft and melodious voice, she began her inquiry.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Siegfried in this city?"

"Yes, Guild Leader Siegfried is the lord of this city,"

one of the men stammered, clearly flustered.

"In that case, may I go in to meet him?"

Narada asked eagerly, thrilled at the thought of finally seeing the man she loved.

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