Authors Note: While Raine has the title Sylph equipped, she will be referred to as Sylph.
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Warm sunlight streamed down through the trees. Birds chirped happily as they flew through the air. The leaves rustled softly as a gentle breeze stirred Sylph’s hair. Her head rested against a solid tree while the rest of her body lay upon the soft grass.
The sound of muffled footsteps on grass echoed through the clearing. A collections of soft gasps escaped. Quietly, they started whispering amongst themselves.
“...”
“...”
Sylph was sleeping on a cloud. The temperature was perfect and the wind was gentle. Her only complaint was that her pillow was a little hard. A small ping representing a notification reached her sleep filled brain, but she ignored it. The subsequent pings were insistent, yet Sylph ignored them all. She was too comfortable to rouse herself for them. Eventually, the pings stopped.
The group once again quietly whispered amongst themselves. One member took charge. With gentle, careful steps, he approached the sleeping maiden.
Sylph was in paradise. Just as she was about to return to her peaceful slumber, a shadow was cast over her face and she heard a kind voice.
“Hey, a girl shouldn’t be sleeping in a place like this. Come on, wake up.”
“...Mmmm?”
Sylph opened her eyes. A large figure covered in plate armor knelt gently before her. At first shadows covered his face. Yet, as Sylph’s vision cleared, she smiled. She knew that face.
“...Good morning.”
“..!”
A bell like voice called out a warm greeting. The man froze in shock. A commotion arose in the people behind him. One figure dashed out and approached Sylph.
“..?”
Sylph caught an image of blue before she was engulfed in warmth as two soft things pressed into her. Slender hands wrapped themselves around her body and a head snuggled up against Sylph’s chest.
“..?”
Sylph was not sure how to respond, but she was still comfortable so she didn’t particularly care. With one hand, she hugged back the girl while with the other, she gently patted her silky head. Gaining such a soft and warm blanket, a sigh of contentment escaped Sylph's mouth.
“Eh… Uhm…”
The armored man before Sylph uttered dumbly. His eyes shifted uncertainly as if he didn’t know what to make of the scene before him.
“Hahaha.”
Brilliant laughter rang out behind him. As if following his lead, the last two figures hunched over in laughter as well. Their laughter was infectious.
“Haha.”
A bell-like laugh joined them. Upon hearing her laugh, the girl hugging Sylph finally looked up.
“Ummm… N-Nice to meet you!”
Nice to meet you? Sylph questioned why she said that. They were friends after all.
“...”
What was she doing before she woke up again? Also, why was Lily hugging her? The two of them did not have that kind of a relationship.
“Um…”
“...”
Lily trailed off in uncertainty at Sylph’s silence. Looking around, Sylph froze. She was finally fully awake. She was in the game. Upon waking up, she found herself surrounded by her friends.
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The man in full plate armor with orange hair before her was Drake. Off to the back and looking at the scene in amusement with blonde hair was Leon. Camellia stood with her fists clenched as if she was resisting something next to the red haired girl, Rose. Finally, Lily with her blue hair was hugging her.
“...”
What is with this situation!? Sylph complained in her head. She didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or terrified. Lily was still clinging to her, after all.
Don’t tell me this was her plan!? It is always the innocent looking ones that are actually the most dangerous!
One look at Lily’s happy face dispelled such thoughts. But Sylph noticed another problem.
“No, stop you traitorous hand!” Sylph commanded her hand.
Yet, it did not listen. Against her wishes, her hand continued to pat Lily gently on the head. Perhaps enjoying it, Lily had a warm smile on her face with closed eyes.
“Ah, no good. I can’t stop. I think I am getting addicted.” Sylph surrendered.
Still, she did not know what to do. Lily was usually shy with strangers so why had she hugged a person she just met? Helplessly, she looked at the girl who was hugging her. Perhaps encouraged by her glance, Lily spoke up once again.
“Nice to meet you!”
“...Nice to meet you.”
Seeing the innocent joy on her face, Sylph was stunned. She was happy over such a simple thing? Lily renewed her hug.
"Stop! Even though I am a girl, I am still a guy! " thought Sylph with conflicted emotions.
Lily happily rested her head against Sylph’s chest.
“... Why is nothing listening to me. Both my hand and Lily are traitors!” Raine tearfully complained in her heart.
Perhaps seeing some of her hesitation on her face, Leon called out.
“Sorry, she is not usually like this.”
“... It is fine.”
Sylph gave up on everything. Drake was still frozen in shock. Rose looked on with curiosity on her face. Lily was content and happy. Leon just smiled. Camellia looked frustrated as she walked up and kicked the petrified man. Finally, Drake woke up.
“Y-Y-Y-Y-You… C-C-Could it be!?”
“...?”
Sylph tilted her head. Drake was so incoherent she could hardly understand him. Leon took over.
“What is your name?”
“...”
Sylph felt Lily shift on top of her as she turned to look at her face. Five pairs of gazes latched onto her in anticipation.
“...Sylph.”
“..!”
“..!”
“..!”
“..!”
“..!”
Eh? Did I say something strange? Sylph thought they already knew who she was. So why were they so shocked?
“Your name is Sylph? Sylph is a reserved name that players can not use. Anyone who had that name during the beta test was forced to change it. Yet, you say your name is Sylph?”
“...It is the name you guys gave me, after all.”
“..!”
“..!”
“..!”
“..!”
“..!”
“Well, if you guys do not believe me, I do not particularly care.”
No, in fact, please do not believe me, thought Sylph.
“Is it alright if Camellia uses 「Scan」 on you? Her level is only high enough to see your name.”
Sylph nodded in acceptance. Finally, the warmth on her chest disappeared when Lily got off of her. Did she feel relief or disappointment at the hug ending? Not even Sylph herself knew. Taking the opportunity, Sylph stood up as well.
Sylph looked around. As nice as it was seeing her friends, the longer she stayed the more she risked exposing her secret. Just running into the trees would probably not work. The tree branches were too high to reach through one jump alone. Luckily, there was a platform right before her. As Sylph pondered her course of action, Camellia finished using 「Scan」.
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“...No way.”
Camellia words of disbelief became the cue. Raine leaped onto Drake’s shoulder, then in the same motion jumped back on top of the branches of the tree she was resting on. Five sets of gazes stared at her in shock.
“Well, as nice as it was meeting you guys, I have to go…”
“--Wait!”
Just as she was about to leave, a voice interrupted her. Normally, Sylph would have ignored it, but she had never heard this particular person raise her voice. Unconsciously, she stopped.
“Will we see you again?”
“...Yeah. See you later.”
Jumping from branch to branch, Sylph disappeared from sight. As soon as she confirmed that she was far enough away and she stopped. Looking at the several notifications she had received, she sighed wearily. They were all from Leon sent to Raine telling her that they found Sylph and that she should hurry to their spot. He was telling the actual person that he found that person. What a joke. Gloomily, Sylph logged out.
Laying on his bed, Drew wearily sighed. How could he say no to her? She was his friend and seemed to want to meet again so much. If it meant that much to her, then maybe it was worth the risk. Still, the first day had been a disaster. On that thought, he called it a night. He was not looking forward to the next day of school.
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Drake did not even give him a chance to start his food. As soon as Drew sat down, Drake started speaking.
“You will not believe what happened yesterday in Evolution Arts!”
“Given how excited you are, you met Sylph.”
“Nope. We met---”
Drake trailed off as he realized what Drew said. Perhaps it had not been the smartest move but Drew enjoyed the look of shock on Drake’s face. A couple of chuckles from around the table told him that the rest of his friends found it funny as well.
“Alright, you got me. We met Sylph. But! I bet you did not expect me to get this!”
With a triumphant grin, Drake thrust his phone at Drew. Upon seeing the phone, Drew almost choked on the food he was eating.
“Wha-!?”
“Haha, amazing right? Don’t worry, I already texted you a copy of it.”
Upon the phone was a simple picture of a silver haired girl. Her head rested against a solid oak tree. She had obviously been there for awhile as a couple of leaves sat in her hair. Her eyes were closed and her face, unguarded. Without a care in the world, the maiden was sleeping against the oak tree in a scene of pure innocence.
“Why would you take a picture of a sleeping girl! Who would even want such a thing!?”
At Drew’s words, two people sheepishly averted their gazes.
“Eh!?”
Not just Lily, even Camellia wanted a copy of the pictures!? No, knowing Drake, they both probably already had a copy of it.
“Besides, this Sylph is probably a fake, right?”
Drew wanted to make his friends question the validity of their belief. Even though he didn’t think he would be able to, his question had surprising results.
“Actually, we do not know.”
Leon took over for Drake. He probably spent the longest time pondering about it after all.
“You do not know?”
“Well, Camellia used 「Scan」 and proved that her name is Sylph. This points to the fact that the girl is real. It is just…”
“It is just…?”
“The real Sylph was sighted at the clock tower earlier in the day since then, the clock tower has been surrounded by players. She should still be holed up in the clock tower since nobody has seen her come out yet.”
Drew froze. He had suspected it but actually hearing it was a different story. They were waiting for him at the clock tower? All night, and they continued to do so? If he had not logged out and if logging out in that dungeon had not teleported him to the fountain, he would have been swarmed by players?
Drew thought that was too close of a call. Being swarmed by players would have been even worse than being discovered by his friends. The events of the god’s banquet after the beta test flashed back into his mind, a hundred plus players looking at him like ravenous hounds looking at a piece of meat. Only, it wouldn’t only be a hundred players now. It could be thousands of them.
Drew broke out into a cold sweat. He had been too careless. Yet, he had to know what his friends planned to do now.
“...So you saw Sylph. What are you going to do now?”
“Well, I wanted to post the video of our encounter on the internet, but..”
Drake trailed off and looked at Lily. Eh? Lily stopped him?
“That would trouble her so for now, we are not going to do anything!”
Drew almost had tears in his eyes. Lily, you are my savior! Still…
“Why are you so interested in Sylph?”
Upon being asked, Liliana's face glowed. Like a fan discussing their favorite idle, the quiet Liliana became the passionate Lily as she talked about Sylph's great points.
“She is cute! Just like a doll, I want to hug her and never let go. She was so comfortable to hug and her skin was so smooth and also--”
“No, she isn’t a doll!”
Drew couldn't take anymore and interrupted. Secretly, he was relieved to know she did not awaken to a forbidden interest…
Searching for something to change the subject, he remembered about the horrors of the forest at night. He did not quite understand what happened. Perhaps asking them about those golden eyes would help? Drake spoke up with such thoughts.
“Actually guys, I wanted to ask you something…”
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“You actually went into the forest at night!? Didn’t you hear the rumor that everyone who goes into the forest at night never returns? That those who are adventurers who go into the forest die without realizing what is going on?”
Leon exclaimed in shock. Huh, so that is why those guards gave me odd looks, thought Drew. Rosaline continued where Leon left off.
“Since you saw a pair of golden eyes, that was likely an area boss that only appears at night and kills anyone who enters the forest. The fact that it did not kill you was either coincidence or it was just toying with you. Still, I wouldn’t recommend going into that forest at night. The citizens tend to call it the Forest of Lost Souls.”
Drew could only sigh. He was now stuck in such a forest. On the bright side, if he could spend the nights hiding, the threat of the area boss will prevent players from getting too deep into the forest. As the bell rang, he headed off to class.