Chapter 4: Give me something more interesting

Reylin kicked away the hole cover and finally left the sewage. He was disgusted by the tutorial choice, but it was a smooth ride nonetheless. A lot of other players let out their dissatisfaction around him.

They also left the tutorial mode.

“I just talked with my friend! His tutorial was in the fucking forest! I will fucking file the complaint!” One of the players roared in anger.

Another one, the lady with the bow, joined the fray, “I am so scared of mice in real life! If a mouse popped off here, I would have died both in the game and in real life! Gosh!”

A lot of them complained, but no one came out from the tutorial with the red name.

Reylin was the same, but that was the tutorial’s blessing.

[You have completed your tutorial.]

[You have leveled up three times in your tutorial.]

[You have killed fifty-six dirty slimes and five players.]

[Upon killing others, you receive the red name penalty. This penalty has been cleared in the main world.]

[Red Name Penalty – Your nickname is visible to everyone. Each city has different rules against players with red names, but no one would get a red name by killing you, and one unique piece of equipment is bound to drop after your death.]

Reylin whistled while reading the content.

He brushed off players asking him for his results and entered the main city.

[You have entered the Beginner City – Exodium City.]

The city was bustling with people.

Most of them were outside their houses, looking out for players with genuine curiosity rippling in their eyes. Many brats pointed their hands at players who wore the same clothes and asked their parents about them.

The parents were likewise curious, but the astute didn’t wait long.

“You can exchange potions for money or even buy more potions in my shop! Ludwig’s Treasure Shop is all you need!” NPC shouted.

His neighbor and the competitor from the opposite side shouted as loudly as possible, and the competition began!

All players were overwhelmed by the too vivid NPCs, and they didn’t expect them to have so many quotes.

No, they probably didn’t have any quotes prepared by artificial intelligence!

Otherwise, how could they be so real-like?

Reylin chuckled and went around with his game system checking up the shops and other buildings.

[Mirage’s Reliable Smithy.]

[Lucja’s Delicious Restaurant.]

[One Copper Shop.]

Many facilities entered his system and got their own pins on Reylin’s minimap. He kept whistling while looking out for the one he wanted to step in the most.

It was obviously either a mage’s shop or any other facility where Reylin could get more fire skills.

At last, Reylin found it.

[Layla’s Magic Shop.]

“Welcome…” Upon entering the shop, Reylin was greeted by a rather lazy and dull voice belonging to the lady lying on the desk. She didn’t spare a glance at him and just went with the prepared formula, “We welcome the newbie mages the most. You will find everything needed for your adventure with mana and magic…”

“Are you just a worker here? I want to speak with ‘Layla’.” Reylin’s words drew the lazy lady’s eyes, and she stared at him for a little.

Her eyes dropped, and she said, “Aren’t you just level three? And those are newbie clothes of people from another world, right? I don’t think you can speak with her. Hmm, but if you want to work, I can give you quests. Ah! Quests… True, you want quests…”

“To be honest, you are annoying with that lazy speech. I wanted to speak with the owner of this shop to get the best goods, but now I genuinely want to speak with someone else.” Reylin sighed.

“Is that so?” The lazy lady wasn’t offended, or she probably didn’t even feel like arguing in the first place.

Reylin turned around, “I will find another shop then.” He took a few steps forward, and in a quick sweep, Reylin snatched a book on the display. He didn’t give any side-glance to the lazy lady and just carried on with his steps.

Soon, an older voice rang out from the second floor, “You didn’t just test Monica, but also me, young man. Do you want to know how badly thieves are treated in prison here?”

“I don’t want to. Thanks for the offer, though. With such a worker, I think you have lost more than you think.” Reylin turned around, and he glanced at the woman going down the stairs.

Her figure was impossible to tell in her mage robes, but her face was pretty with mature charm, which would surely spark some flames in younger males.

She looked to be in her late twenties, but her level was three times her age.

[The High Mage Layla Lv. 74 HP:??? MP:???]

“Well then. Are you looking out for quests? We actually need an errand boy.” Layla chuckled as she took a seat next to Monica. Her hand brushed past Monica’s brown hair, and the lazy lady purred.

Reylin whistled, “Errand boy? You look down on me, Layla.”

“Oh? How bold calling me with my name,” Layla faintly smiled, not minding it much. For her, it looked like Reylin was just too young and too excited with the new world and magic. She was interested in world travel.

Alas, it was something utterly inexplicable, at least for now.

“Let me explain myself then. I wouldn’t be so haughty if it weren’t for my skills. I don’t know about you… residents, but we have something called a game system. All new players have used it to cast spells, and they also needed wooden staff. What about me? Here.” He flicked his fingers.

And the fireball appeared above his palm.

“Oh.”

“I want quests for fire skills. I am not so arrogant to bluntly ask you to give it to me. In exchange, you will get a skillful and promising mage in your team,” Reylin concluded and waited for her answer.

“The dark times are coming. The players are said to be an answer to those times… Not everyone can be saved, though.” Layla whispered, her voice serious.

Monica, next to her, also opened her eyes and looked at Reylin.

“Dark times, you said? Well, it’s just more fun for players, I guess.” Reylin said.

“That’s too heartless, you know?” Layla shook her head.

“Yeah, I apologize,” Reylin replied.

“So you can apologize. From your tone, I inferred and imagined you to be a different kind of person.”

“You could say I am adaptable. And, I just summoned my fireball not too long ago, didn’t I? I am pretty calm now… So, give me something interesting, Layla.” Reylin chuckled and looked forward to his first serious quest.

Not like the tutorial wasn’t serious, but Reylin felt like he did it too smoothly!