Aster briefly told him what had happened: the orc who had kidnapped Gelsomina and his urgency to save her. When he mentioned the nymph, Valantz seemed surprised. “A nymph, you say? Wait a moment... are you telling me you're accompanied by a nymph?!”
“Yes,” Aster confirmed. “She emerged from the Egg of the Guide.”
On the other end, there was an exclamation of pure surprise: “Are you serious?! I don’t believe it! That’s a one-in-a-million chance, or rather, 0.01%! A nymph from the Egg of the Guide... You are incredibly lucky!”
Valantz's surprise soon turned into excitement. “All right, tell me where you are right now. I’ll come to you immediately!”
“I’m in Lirisfont,” Aster replied.
“Got it. So you're a beginner?”
Aster nodded, even though he knew Valantz couldn’t see him. “Yes, I’m a beginner,” he admitted. The guides he had read, with titles like “The Perfect Handbook for New Adventurers: A Complete Guide for Beginners of Source Code”, had already made him understand that this term was used for beginner players.
Valantz chuckled. “Perfect, wait for me in front of the entrance to the Celestial Veil Tower. I’ll be there soon.”
Aster thanked him and ended the call. He headed toward the tower, where he waited eagerly.
After a few minutes, a figure emerged from the crowd. Even though Lirisfont was teeming with adventurers, Aster had no doubt who Valantz was.
Valantz was impossible to miss. He was a vampire with a majestic and magnetic appearance, long silver hair cascading smoothly over his shoulders, and vivid red eyes that gleamed like rubies under the sun. He wore an incredibly elaborate golden armor, which seemed more like a work of art than battle protection.
The armor consisted of thin, lightweight plates that fit perfectly to Valantz’s body, allowing him complete freedom of movement. Each plate was adorned with intricate engravings, depicting intertwined dragons and magical runes that pulsed with a soft glow. The pauldrons were shaped like bat wings, while the breastplate had a central symbol resembling a luminous gem, radiating an almost tangible energy. The leg guards and bracers, thin yet sturdy, were covered by a veil of black fabric that fluttered in the wind, giving him a regal and fearsome aura.
Aster saw him from afar and recognized him immediately. With a relieved smile, he ran toward him. “Valantz!” he called out.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The vampire saw him as well and, with a friendly expression, approached. “Aster, right?” he said, extending his hand.
The two shook hands, and at that moment, Aster realized he had found a valuable ally.
Aster and Valantz sat at an outdoor table in a bustling café, located right in Lirisfont’s main square. The tables were made of solid wood with refined inlays depicting mythical creatures, while the chairs, simple yet sturdy, offered unexpected comfort. Under the intense light of the two suns shining in the sky, players and NPCs blended into a lively and noisy atmosphere.
Some were eating steaming soups served in polished stone bowls, others were enjoying glasses of shimmering wine that changed color with each sip. Bards improvised melodies with instruments that seemed enchanted, and an intoxicating scent of spices and freshly baked bread filled the air.
A feral girl walked among the tables. She was clearly a waitress at the establishment, wearing a white linen apron that contrasted with her thick honey-colored fur. She had feline features: large golden eyes that sparkled like topaz, triangular ears peeking from her short hair, and a tail that swayed elegantly behind her.
Valantz, who had just decided what to order, raised his hand to call her over. “I’ll have a slice of miralume fruit cake, please,” he said in his confident yet gentle tone.
The waitress nodded with a smile and then turned to Aster. “And for you?” she asked.
“Nothing for me, thanks,” Aster replied politely.
The feral girl walked away into the café, and after a few minutes, she returned with the cake slice. The miralume fruit cake, made from a fruit with a bright red shell and iridescent green pulp, emitted a sweet, floral fragrance that made Aster’s mouth water.
“It looks incredibly real,” Aster observed, inhaling the cake’s aroma.
“It doesn’t look real,” Valantz replied with a smile. “It is real. In fact, I’ll tell you more...” He picked up a fork and took a bite of the cake, chewing slowly to savor every morsel. After swallowing, he let out a satisfied exclamation: “It’s even better than a cake in the real world!”
Aster raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “Seriously? Even the taste is that accurate?”
Valantz nodded and explained: “Absolutely. On Encrypted, the five senses are essential, and not just for immersion. They are actual game stats. For example, taste and smell aren’t just for enjoying food; a refined sense of taste allows you to identify rare ingredients or otherwise poisonous potions. Hearing helps you detect hidden enemies, and touch influences how precisely you handle certain weapons or delicate objects. Even vision is crucial for analyzing enemy weaknesses, and smell can reveal invisible traps.”
Aster was fascinated and wanted to learn more. “And how do you improve them? I mean, are there specific quests or...”
Valantz cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Not now. I’ll explain everything later. First, we need to focus on rescuing Gelsomina. So, tell me what you know about the kidnapping.”
Aster explained everything, though he admitted he knew very little. He didn’t know the orc’s name, nor did he remember in which of the chief towns of the Farindale Peninsula she had been kidnapped. He wasn’t even sure if the place was Lirisfont or another of the twelve chief towns.
Valantz, however, didn’t seem the least bit worried. “That’s not a problem,” he said with a reassuring smile. “I have something that will help us.”