Woosh!

A gentle breeze blew by. The cool, summer breeze was so comfortable. The breeze wafted through the scent of wild grass and plants on the surroundings coupled with the fragrant smell of the lotus quietly floating in the pond.

Some lotus spun in place, some floats in one direction and there were also some that floats towards the others. It was a very beautiful and relaxing scene.

Together with this beautiful scene was a young man around 8 to 9 years old. He was quietly sitting there in a cross legged position while leaning at the huge tree behind him.

……..This young man is no other than, Hero.

Six months ago, a world breaking phenomenon shakes the whole world as millions of players were trapped inside the virtual game [ Fantasy Online ].

One of it was Hero also known with his Account name [ Hein Vilestone ].

Hein experienced many life changing events as well as achieved his lifelong dream back in the real world……He found a home he can really call family.

The fake world that should’ve stole millions of people’s hope, life and happiness have given him his one and only desired wish.

Ever since then, he decided to accept this world and treat it as a reality not just a mere data, a mere virtual world.

Whether you can call it a stroke of Luck or just a mere misfortune, Hein ventured into a dungeon where he almost lost his life countless times. But also due to this supposedly misfortune, he found some friends and companions…. even a Lover.

This event helped him grow stronger and understand this world more.

A few weeks after he came back from the dungeon, the King of the Berona Kingdom sent a letter to his father indicating he wanted to meet the rumored son of his. Without much choice, his father agreed and left for the palace.

When he first met the king, Hein’s first impression was that he was a kind and good ruler but he believed that all people have two or more secrets within them, so he decided to withhold his first good impression before he really make sure of it.

He don’t want to create unnecessary connection to wrong people, after all~

The king; who admired and liked his attitude and behavior, gave utmost freedom within the palace and treats him as if he is his own. The relationship between his father and the king might have also greatly attributed to it~

Now staying in the palace for almost two days, Hein have almost gotten used to staying inside the palace. Although most of it was spend within the library or the courtyard.

Hein was currently within the palace courtyard. Right now, he was seated in a meditative stance beneath a huge tree, constantly training.

What Hein achieved and understand the most in this past few months was that, this world is not just any ordinary virtual world. Same goes for his body.

A month ago, he discovered that his body was changing, making it look like his real body.

He can bleed to death or suffer muscle cramps, fatigue and any other physical problems. It’s as if his real body was transported into this world. It was really incomparable to the first time he entered the game where he’s body is like a virtual body.

It came to the point that; if not for his strong believe that his memories were not faked or modified, he would think that this is his real world and the earth he once knew was nothing but an illusion with his memories being fake or just a pigment of imagination.

But he strongly believes that the memories he shared with his past family and (Maybe) friends were true and they really happened.

Aside from his body, he also discovered that even if he can activate magic and sword skills just by thinking about it just like in a game, but without completely comprehending it you would never released its full power. Training is also necessary to completely master it and bring it to a new level.

He discovers it when one time he saw some players using sword skills; like simple slash or thrust to fight the monsters, he noticed that when he is the one using it the power released was a lot greater than the power used by those amateur players. He also knew where to hit a fatal wound that can deal great damage on the enemy.

With this insight, he immediately stopped grinding his level by killing monsters in the nearby forest and started training his sword and magic skills. Well, because of his current appearance, his training was slowed for a bit.

This is also his reason why he agreed to meet the king; he wanted to enter the royal library because he believes he can understand more about this world by reading some rare books that can only be found inside the royal library.

Right now, Hein was quietly comprehending a movement skill called [ Shadow Steps ]. It was a skill book he found in the deepest part of the royal library. Because it was covered with thick dust, he took it without telling anyone. ‘It was left like that so they must have forgotten about it’ he mused himself.

When he arrived at the quiet courtyard, he immediately learned it as the knowledge flowed to his mind, the book filled with dust slowly disappears. With the help of his skill [ Divine Vision ] and the archaic library; Arche, he found some additional information that could help him comprehend the skill more.

Countless leaves fell from the huge tree behind him however, whenever these leaves approached him, it’s as if it passed through his body. Not even a single leaf fell onto his clothes as if he wasn’t there ‘physically’.

Hein who had been quietly mediating this entire time suddenly revealed a hint of smile. He stood up and then,

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“[ Shadow Steps ]” He muttered softly.

Hein, who seemed to slowly walk forward suddenly slowly, disappeared. His body as if engulfed in the shadows, vanishes in thin air. Then as if it was just an illusion, his small body reappeared once again in his former position.

Only now did Hein opened his eyes and said, “Although I don’t know who made this skill or why did them forgot this skill, what I can only say is this is very amazing! A very incredible movement skill that allows the user to meld their body into a shadow….”

As Hein was engrossed with his new learned skill, he didn’t notice the silhouette behind him.

“Wow!”

“Hm?”

Hearing someone’s voice, he hastily turned his head around. There he saw the second princess, Mifuelle Alberona looking at him with sparkling eyes.

“Hey! How did you do that!? Teach it to me! Come on, Hey!”

Like a child that saw an incredible thing for the first time, Princess Mifuelle was shaking his shoulders excitedly.

“Stop it, hey!” Hein said. As if he couldn’t endure it anymore, he activated [ Shadow Steps ] and once again, his body was enveloped in the shadow and the hands that gripping his shoulder tightly passed through his body as he slowly disappears.

“Hey! That’s unfair! Where did you go!?” Princess Mifuelle shouted in displeasure.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop? Don’t you know it’s racking my brain? What would you do if I got dumb all of a sudden? It would be a loss for the whole world.”

A solemn voice resounded. After a few while, Hein’s figure slowly appeared in thin air, 5 meters away from Princess Mifuelle. “So what do you want?”

“Mou! Hein is a big dummy! A big dummy!” As if being wronged, Princess Mifuelle stamped her feet in anger. “Father is looking for you. He asked you to come in his room!” After speaking he angrily turned around and started to walk away while pouting her mouth.

Seeing this childish scene that is very different from his first impression the first time he met her, Hein couldn’t help but laugh.

‘She’s like a totally different person inside her home.’ he thought.

“Wait!”

————————-

On the Hallway, Hein couldn’t help but glanced around anxiously while being guided by Princess Mifuelle. The reason; all the soldiers, chamberlains, and maids they passed around were looking at him oddly.

Whether it was out of awe or in interest, he could not tell. Hein had never been looked at with such eyes before (Or so he thought) so he was utterly embarrassed or confused.

“…I,is there something on my face? Why are they staring at me like that?”

He anxiously asked Princess Mifuelle who seemed to be ignorant of what is happening. Hearing Hein’s questions, she twisted her neck a little and looked at him with a side glance and answered,

“There’s nothing wrong you know, It must have been your imagination~ more like maybe because you’re too cute?…….White hair, black eyes with pure black clothing….what a very strange appearance…hehehe”

Hein tilt his head because he didn’t quite understand her. Thinking maybe she’s right and he’s just too conscious of himself, he decided to ignore and forget about it.

Before long, Princess Mifuelle stopped before a certain door. It was adorned with beautiful golden linings with a lion’s head ornament at the center.

“Father, I have brought Hein” She spoke as she knocked on the door. Immediately after, a response was heard telling them to enter.

The princess pushed open the door and told Hein to follow her.

It was an incredible and beautiful looking office.

Although it was a small room, a fluffy looking red colored regal carpet was laid on the floor. The candelabra, the desk, the chair, and the book shelf were all golden knit rattan. The windows were large.

“Good afternoon Hein”

Greeted the man sitting at the desk. He was a dandy looking man with suave beard. Although he was already old but you can still see that he was very handsome in his youth.

“Good Afternoon, your majesty. Did you want something from me?”

Hein put his right hand to his left chest and then bowed politely. Although he didn’t know whether he was doing the right thing or not, he still carried himself with confidence and poised.

“First of all you should take a sit….the reason I called you here is because I want to ask you something.”

The king, Alexander Alberona the third started. Hein had already guessed as to why he was being summoned by the king. But he still pretend to be ignorant as he slowly sips the tea, the princess gave him.

“….Princess, you’re quite excellent in making things like this, aren’t you? I really thought that you were worst in terms with cooking~ you didn’t strike me as someone who’s good in it when we first met”

Hein remembered that a few months ago, this princess didn’t even know how to use a knife and could only wash potatoes.

— Ha~ People really do change fast.

Just like what they say; Like weather, one’s personality may change by the evening.

Recalling these things, Hein’s lips suddenly formed into a beautiful smile.

“Hahaha…well, I suddenly started to have an interest in this sort of field a few months ago so I started learning it….and it is really fun doing it.”

Hein tried to shift the topic because he really doesn’t want to hear what the king was going to say, so he casted his gaze to the princess in his side.

“I see, I would really like to taste it sometime~”

“Of course!”

“*cough!…”