Location: Forest of Village Uri, South of Diptabhumi

Day: Healer of Triad (First day of Triad)

Eka made one last attempt to log in, but the result remained unchanged:

[Access Denied]

Frustration welled up within her, and she knew it was time to activate the emergency cue. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the chaos that had defined her day. Her heart raced, and each breath came in short, sharp bursts. Tears welled up in her eyes, and the hopelessness that had consumed her for hours threatened to overwhelm her. Her vision blurred, and she felt as though she might pass out at any moment.

Summoning every ounce of her remaining strength, Eka extended her right hand, fingers splayed wide, and then clenched it into a fist. This simple gesture prompted a robotic voice into action:

[Emergency Initializing. Calling 911]

[Error. Player not detected.]

[Error. Call detained. The player was not detected.]

With a sense of defeat, Eka slumped to the ground. The mental toll was immense, though physically, she felt capable of scaling the highest mountains in the landscape twice over. Her senses heightened, from the gentle caress of the breeze on her neck to the distant twittering of birds, all while her forest surroundings exuded a fresh, mossy scent, mingled with her sweat.

Then, Eka's thoughts turned to the messages she had received:

Failed. Failed.

Everything seemed to have failed. There had to be a response in the real world to her distress. Someone had to have found her. She couldn't accept the idea that nobody cared, not her parents, her brothers, or her friends, despite her reclusive nature.

Eka held a special connection to the emergency cue, a legacy from her father. He had been a great gamer, a renowned international player who had instilled her love for games. They had spent countless days together battling foes, exploring dungeons, and living the pirate life in virtual worlds.

Then came the day her father had passed away, while on the verge of victory. In the final seconds of the game, his character froze, and the boss's spear struck him down. Eka had been there, hearing the chilling silence and witnessing her father's lifeless form slumped over his desk, blood staining his keyboard. It had been a heart attack, a momentary lapse in attention in the heat of competition.

In honor of her father's memory, Eka had integrated the emergency cue into her game, determined to prevent such tragedies. Her plans included establishing an emergency helpline in her game company once she launched her own game and amassed the necessary resources. The current failure was a painful blow to her aspirations.

She began her beta testing journey in the World of Ira as the sole player. But now, she had no idea how many others were in this vast virtual world.

A shiver ran down her spine as an eerie sound echoed through the virtual landscape, "Cuuurrrrrl…"

Something brushed against her shoulder, a shadowy figure darting past her. It moved with uncanny swiftness, leaving only the rustling of the bushes and a chilling wind in its wake. Her initial numbness gave way to intense fear.

What if it decides to return? She thought, her heart racing. She glanced around, surrounded by lush greenery. Unconsciously, she followed the trail the lebrouts had created when they had taken her to their grotto. It seemed like the safest bet, and she relied on her in-game NPC character's memory to guide her forward.

She couldn't help but notice the lifelike sensation of pebbles biting into her bare feet. Occasionally, she lost her way, but her muscle memory as Eka, her character, kept her on track when her memory faltered.

Her recollection of Eka's life wasn't perfect; she struggled to remember if her character even had a home.

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After two grueling hours of navigating various trails, some false, others created by virtual animals, and startling encounters with strange creatures, she finally stood before the back door of Eka's in-game home, where she had spent the past twenty-five virtual years.

Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly turned the closed door's handle. It creaked open like a dying animal, making her wince as she braced for an attack.

But nothing could prepare her for the sudden impact of a small black figure that collided with her as she entered. The next thing she saw was a polished redstone floor—a floor that had transformed from a humble dwelling to a majestic mansion over the years, thanks to Eka's hard work. The question of how much time had passed nagged at her.

Pushing aside her doubts, she focused on the little black bundle that had knocked her over. It was a toddler, probably around two years old, clinging to her neck and wailing loudly.

Eka gently patted the child's back, her awkwardness palpable. As she entered the house, she found herself in a modern living room with sleek designs. Locating a plush, comfortable sofa, she gently settled the child, who had now quieted down.

"Mimi!" the child exclaimed.

"Sweetie, what's your name?" Eka asked in a soft, comforting tone, believing in approaching children with tenderness. She knew they were precious beings, sensitive to people, and capable of throwing tantrums when upset.

"Mimi?" The child tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh my, she's adorable!" Eka cleared her throat and tried again. "Child, what's your name?"

"Era." (Eee-ra)

"Era?"

"Era."

"Okay, Era—"

"No. Era." The child wriggled down, crouched, and retrieved a children's book of animals from under the sofa. She handed it to Eka.

Eka opened the book and found the child's name in the top right corner, written as "Hira" (hee-ra). On the same page, there was a black and white portrait featuring Eka's character, her brother, and the child.

Eka was taken aback. Was her character already a mother? A big house, a child; surely there was a husband somewhere. This revelation painted her character as a diligent person.

In the real world, Eka had started coding for the game at the age of twenty and had completed a quarter of the virtual world by the time she turned twenty-nine. Her impatience had driven her to participate in beta testing, leaving no time or patience for romantic relationships.

"Hira, why do you call me 'Mimi' instead of 'Mama'? Call me 'Mama.'"

"Mimi," Hira pointed to Eka and then to her brother, "Pupa."

Horror swept across Eka's face. She paled, nearly blending with the white leather sofa she was sitting on. The boy was a father at fifteen?! Her inner voice screamed in disbelief. She was the aunt, not the mother!

Mohira as the elder one in her family was puzzled. As a firm believer that the eldest sibling should be doing everything first, a boy who became a father at fifteen did not sit well with Eka. What had gone wrong with the character's brother's upbringing? She had never written the story in this direction. She had been so eager to dive into the game that she hadn't even completed her character's life fiction.

As Eka delved into her character's memories, she became convinced that the child was her character's niece. The strikingly clear grey eyes, identical to her character's, sealed the resemblance, though the child looked nothing like her father's straight brown hair and brown eyes. Her curly black hair made her look like a living doll.

Suppressing the urge to pinch Hira's cheeks, Eka battled a fierce internal struggle. The innocent child blinked up at Eka, unaware of the turmoil within her.

For some inexplicable reason, Eka couldn't recall the brother's name. He was nowhere to be seen, and now, this character had a daughter.

"Hira, where is your Pupa?" Pupa should be what Hira called her father.

"Pupa," Hira whispered urgently, retrieving a tattered note from the recesses of her dress and passing it to her aunt. "Pupa says he gone."

Eka carefully spread the crumpled note on the polished wooden table. It bore the cryptic message: "I have seen God. She spoke to me. I must go. Take care of Hir. I'll return someday."

Eka couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. If she were Pupa's actual sister, she might have disowned him the moment he considered such an idea.

"Pupa?" Hira's voice trembled.

"Hir, your Pupa is currently occupied elsewhere. As your virtual aunt, I'll be here to look after you."

A thunderous knock echoed through the front door, resonating throughout the house. The fragile structure of a house shuddered, and hairline cracks began to appear along the walls. The abrupt interruption startled both the makeshift aunt and her air niece, shattering their brief respite.

Hira cried out in panic, and a throbbing headache seized Eka. Another deafening knock followed, ringing loudly in Eka's ears. Hira's wails reached a near-piercing crescendo, which could be heard from the second floor.

Exercising great self-restraint, Eka refrained from hurling an expensive-looking vase to the ground. Instead, she locked eyes with Hira, silently urging her to stop crying. Strangely, this only caused Hira to increase her clamor, if that was humanly possible.

With no alternative, Eka scooped Hira into her arms and made her way to the door. She yanked the heavy door open, narrowly avoiding stubbing her toe in the process. Her eyes, ablaze with anger, bored into the intruder.

"You—" Eka halted herself just in time, biting her tongue before she unleashed a string of profanities. She glanced down at Hira, cupping her ears protectively, and mouthed her grievances at the unexpected visitor.

Some day, she vowed, she would deal with this individual accordingly. Who could pound on a door with such reckless abandon? The person outside, however, simply grinned back foolishly.