Yrwin sat on his throne while wearing a regal robe and keeping a domineering pose befitting an emperor.
In front of him, eight groups of people were gathered. Two were lead by NPC nobles, while the other six were formed by free-roaming players of all kinds.
- I welcome thee, players, to my Imperial Room. You may be at ease. All other personnel except for the Royal Guard, dismiss!
-Damn bastard, has he gone crazy? - A certain nobleman NPC mubled lowly at the Emperors’ words, since they meant the players slaved under him would be free to speak about what he did. Also, he wouldn’t even be able to defend himself. Yrwin wouldn’t usually do such a thing, since it would greatly weaken his position and sow enmity on nobility, but now he could do it quite freely.
As for the Royal Guard, there wasn’t much of a treat. The game A.I., being very simple, would allow for players to say literally anything to the emperor, as long as he permitted. Small nuances like the difference in saying “your mom is a fat rat” and “your majesty honor us” were too much for the regular, non-hardcore, Another World main server.
Soon, all nobles and other NPCs, except for the five royal guards, left the room. “Holly hell, what was that?!” - Still, the players didn’t immediately burst into a commotion. Those who had come by themselves knew the procedures, and those who had been enslaved just accepted it and came with few troubles.
Most of them could spot an NPC from afar, after all.
-I’m very sorry for all that mess. I couldn’t do it in any other way and hope you all can forgive me. - Yrwin raised from his throne and sat on the stairs leading to it, so he wouldn’t be too above the other players.
They were thirty in total. The ones brought in by the nobles numbered five, and two of them were very unpleased.
As for the rest, most were quite thankful for his actions.
- As you guys can see, I’m a player too. It’s just that I needed a way to get out of the kingdom, and figured some of you guys would want to do so as well. I suppose everyone would be interested in forming a party? If you aren’t, then I can give you some national treasures and hope you all fare well. We should help each other as players, after all.
- I want to go. I can’t stand buying a single meal from the A.I. people on the city anymore. - MaxFarts said, looking a bit grossed out.
- Indeed, these NPCs are so creepy now… - A beautiful but weirdly young-looking half-elf adventurer spoke.
- But why should we get out of the kingdom? Didn’t you call us here to create a guild or something? I thought we would live around here. You’re the King, after all.
- No,no,no, being nobility is nightmare - Yrwin brushed off the fairy-race adventurers’ remark with his right hand - There are constant attempts at assassination, and managing nobility used to be fun, but now, it is a hustle. Not to mention my NPC wife, kids and so on… *sigh*
Most of the other players could sympathize with Yrwin, so the sighing sounds in the room were quite remarkable. Having to face an NPC child after coming to Another World… it was creepy, to say the least.
- So, what should we do? We can’t simply go away and try to live at a border town or things like that. There are constant monster attacks, and without players side-questing, soon all small villages and so on will be swarmed with monsters. I don’t want to risk being killed on a monster attack. - A bulking warrior with multiple scars said.
- We can’t get into dungeons as well. Even if we conquer one of them, forgive me, but I don’t trust you guys yet. - A thief-looking half-orc said.
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
- Not only that, dungeons have dungeon-destruction quests happening in them from time to time, not to mention mana circulation quests or dungeon core instability quests… if we go there, there will be bandit attacks, monster waves, collapsing ceilings and so on for us to worry about. It’s not much different from going to live at a border town. - Complemented a heavy-geared adventurer, clearly a dungeon-dweller.
Soon, the whole room was full of people talking, and Yrwin had to raise his voice.
- Calm down, calm down! Listen!
Since it was the Emperor speaking inside his own Imperial Hall, his plea for calmness would automatically launch a level 30 Heart Settling spell and calm people down.
- Here’s what I propose!
Of course, Yrwin wouldn’t abuse his authority. It was bound to be someone higher-leveled than he amongst everyone present, and he was able to ambush and kill the previous emperor a few times, even in front of the Royal Guard. They were there mostly for showing and to prevent even more assassination quests and side-quests from progressing further. So, he wouldn’t impose his view or try to treat the group as his servants. He would take the leading position as the one who gathered everyone, nothing more.
- We should form a party and head to either the Dragon King or the Demon King dungeons! They seem to have come to this world as well, or so has my Imperial Intelligence Agents reported. Employee-dungeons don’t suffer from regular quests like core instability ones, and there certainly won’t be any monster attacks which manage to threaten people close to their territory.
-UUuhm… - most people in the room immersed themselves in thought for a bit, even if..
- I refuse. I won’t be going to Calamity Jacks’ dungeon! That guy is an asshole! - Said the muscular warrior.
- The Demon King is a nice game employee, but to get there we will have to go through a Level 40 dungeon forest and a level 30 dungeon swamp. Not to mention the demon NPCs’ are hostile to the Light Races as per default and I doubt we can get through without being on bad waters. - a hobbit player added.
- She had amassed forces as well, in order to prepare for the “Draconic Wars” game patch, it would be disastrous to be spotted by a patrolling NPC squad. - The beautiful half-elf remembered.
- I think the Demon King would be the best person for us to go to as well, but it isn’t feasible…- Yrwin sighed again. - That leaves us with just Calamity Jack…
- No way! There’s a third option as well! - A half-orc player said.
- Oh, which would that be?
- We can go to the Goblin Empire! The Goblin Emperor is logged in, and he ordered for a total NPC extermination, or so a friend of mine has messaged me! - The Goblin Empire aficionados surely were a bloody bunch. A few of the weaker-stomached players present felt a small urge to puke after listening to the half-orc.
Bloody NPC genocide - it seems like the Goblin King hadn’t changed his ways at all.
- I refuse. - Yrwin said. - That guy is just too intense for me. Besides, I have a sea armada here. The level 10 water dungeons and level 20 coral reef dungeon leading to Calamity Jacks’ island are an easy deal for me to go through.
- Tsc. - The half-orc player clicked his tongue. He was counting exactly on that sea armada to get to the Goblin Empire. He was just a level 15 warrior, so he obviously wouldn’t be able to go through the water dungeons in the way. At least not by himself.
- I refuse. I will be going to the Demon King castle, and that’s it. Level 40 forest dungeons are tough, but I can do it!
- I will be heading to the Goblin Empire. Could you give me a ship or something?
- I want to go to Jacks’ island. I don’t have that many items anyway, and a friend of mine messaged me saying things are o.k. there, even if he requires for people to give all of their gold to him and pay a mana tax…
The players started to discuss amongst themselves, and soon three different parties were formed.
The Demon King party was the most numerous, with fifteen people willing to go through the danger. They had a few low-level players with them, but most were middle and even high-leveled.
A five-people party would read to the Goblin Empire, while the Calamity Jack Fools Party (unanimously agreed name) counted with ten people.
As for Yrwin, he presented everyone with treasures and NPCs. His own Fools Party would leave with most of the sea armada, while big chunks of the army would scout the Demon King Party until the Demon Territory outskirts.
As for the Goblin Empire Party, Yrwin gave them a dozen ships or something, so they should be able to reach their destination.
- So, lets’ leave at once. - Yrwin said, well-aware that, not even three days after leaving the capital, a bloody civil war would start and his former empire would be in turmoil.
As a least treat to his fellow players, he then gave other quest to be publicized on the whole empire. The : “The Emperor says: Those who have the ‘Player Skill Tree’ and accept this quest must ‘Leave the Empire at Once Since War is Coming’. Rewards are ‘five gold coins’ at the ‘border towns’. Obs: ‘Dragon King, Demon King and Goblin Emperor are logged in’.”