***
Rouya followed the old man and the younger man toward the village, her steps heavy and listless. Even now, she still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that she had spent an entire month walking in the completely wrong direction.
"Master... do you think we should go back and cross the forest again?" Blues asked gently, noticing her low spirits.
"And do what? Spend another month trapped in that damp place? I'd go crazy long before we ever reached a city," Rouya replied. "But actually, I just had a big realization."
"What is it?" Blues perked up, listening intently.
"It turns out neither of us has the slightest sense of direction."
"Well, navigation isn't exactly my area of expertise," Blues argued, trying to justify herself. As a system program, she wasn't supposed to have flaws, after all.
"Blues, you literally have a built-in map," Rouya stated plainly.
Blues immediately fell silent, looking thoroughly embarrassed. There had to be a bug somewhere. How could a Pixie Guide possibly get lost? It sounded ridiculous—and yet, it had happened.
"It's just a map! It doesn't explicitly tell you which way to go," she mumbled defensively. Rouya simply rolled her eyes.
"A map is there specifically to help people find the right direction."
"Fine, fine. It's my fault we went off course," Blues conceded. "I should have used my skills to sharpen your senses. If I had, we probably wouldn't be in this mess."
"Let's be realistic here—pixies can only unlock their skills one by one once their bonded master reaches Level 10," Rouya reminded her.
It was like a bucket of cold water dumped over Blues's head, and she felt tears pricking her eyes.
"Master... why are we so unlucky?" she wailed.
Rouya wanted to comfort her, but she felt just as helpless. Maybe the smartest move was to level up first before attempting to cross the vast Silent Meadow Rainforest again. That way, they could avoid making the same mistake twice.
"Welcome to End Village, young traveler."
Hearing the aged voice, the two immediately stopped their drama. Their attention was instantly caught by the name—End Village.
"Eh? Why is it called that?" Rouya asked, curious.
"It sits right at the very edge of the continent," the younger man explained. "And the only way to reach us is by passing through the Silent Meadow Forest—which those outside also call the Never-Ending Forest."
"It stretches on endlessly. Not many manage to make the crossing like you did. If you don't have enough resilience or courage, your spirit might break long before you ever see our path homes."
"I see," Rouya murmured.
As a straight-A student who had always lived up to high expectations, mental fortitude was something she had long cultivated. Dealing with pressure and expectations had taught her how to endure, and that was clearly her greatest strength here.
"You are welcome to stay with us for now," the old man said with a warm smile. "Truth be told, we actually lack an extra pair of hands to helps us around. By the way, what should we call you?"
"I'm Rouya... Rouya Crowell."
After they settled into his home, Rouya learned more about them. The elderly man was actually the village chief, known to everyone as Chief Serrum, and the young man was his grandson, Siere. Since Siere's parents and siblings were away traveling, the two of them lived alone in the large house built from clay bricks. Despite the material, the structure was solid, and the interior was clean and fresh, free of any damp or musty odors.
The following morning, Rouya officially settled into the house and lent a hand with the daily household tasks. She also accompanied Siere to work on the farm, though the old man, Chief Serrum, and Blues came along just as observers without lifting a finger.
Fortunately, Rouya is a diligent learner who pays close attention in class. While agriculture isn't her strongest field, she earned top marks in the subject, so she's far from inexperienced when it comes to farming work. Siere was pleased too—he didn't need to check or correct her work at all because she did it perfectly from the start.
Rouya felt great about doing such meaningful work, and her mood got even better when she notice she had risen to Level 4. As she had guessed, completing tasks and missions is the easiest way to earn experience points.
"Way to go, Master! You've already reached Level Four!" Blues twirled joyfully in the air, her eyes lighting up as she checked the stats. She was thoroughly pleased with how far her Master had come.
"Don't celebrate too soon. We still have six more levels to go."
"Oh, come on! Don't be such a killjoy," Blues huffed, puffing out her cheeks. "I know you're secretly pleased with your progress too."
"I am happy, of course. But compared to the vastness and mystery of this game world, what we've achieved is still very little. If I didn't know better, I'd almost think I was transported to some unknown fantasy realm instead of being inside a game."
"You're absolutely right—this game world feels incredibly real. But since I exist as living proof, don't be foolish enough to doubt it."
Just then, Siere's voice came from behind them. "Rouya. Grandpa asked if you'd like to join me later at the village's library. I thought you might find the records there useful."
"Thank you, Siere. I'll definitely come with you."
Knowledge is necessity. Without the right information, you're just groping in the dark, striving for goals you don't even fully understand.
***