The Gnome went on a little more about obedience, behavior and such, but I doubt most people cared. I mean I didn’t at least.

“Now, you are free to occupy your areas of your home and once the tower bell is rung, return to your cells or get a beating!” he finished off before walking off the gallows.

A few guards came and took the bodies off the ropes and went to dispose of them somewhere. The crowd around me began to thin and they all went their separate ways.

So…I’ve got freedom for let’s about five hours. Where to go, maybe…

I start heading back towards the keep where we all came from, there were others going the same way as me which was a good sign that I was going aimlessly. I took a left down a short hallway, a few guards and a few prisoners occupying it. But since my memory of human structures like this one was kind of good since they were so common..

Yes! Alright, I’ve found the library. Light gamble, but I’m damn lucky it paid off.

As I try to walk inside a halberd stops me from doing so, I look at the guard

Fuck am I in trouble?

“Registration.” He simply says

Registration? What? Do I need a fucking ID for this? Fuck can I not get inside?

I slowly shake my head in confusion.

The guard then points with his halberd to a desk where another armored guard was sitting. He doesn’t say anything, probably expecting me to move forward.

I nod and lightly bow to thank him before moving to the desk. The guard sitting there seems to be a shorter male. I can’t believe how they wear the same stuff, but each of them is different in a sense. You could probably recognize them all after a bit.

“Name?” he says catching me off guard

“Uh..um…Ynnessa…yes…Ynessa.” ah, there it is, my amazing people skills and my seemingly flawless common which was good, I guess it was like old world. If you’ve got a few languages down the switch yo them just happens automatically

He pushes forward a bracelet with a small, but thick coin hanging from it? I slowly take it and look at it. In the center of the little coin has my name printed on it, I didn’t even notice it being printed at all. I put it around my left wrist and nod with a small bow to the guard. Bowing might be some sign of obedience I hope

I do spot another thing he’s given me, a small notebook and pencil. I take both. Guess I’ll just need to hold them for now, I could put them between my boobs now that I think about it...but no no, I shouldn't, that might be weird, but getting writing materials was unexpected.

Maybe…hmm…It might be some kind of trade off now that I think about it. Kept in humane conditions, but whatever work we’re forced into might kill us…

Fuck…

I’ve got to be suspicious with about everything now that I think about it, but the library may be a safe zone…I hope..

So, let’s see what I can work with…

I turn around with the bracelet on my wrist and look at this library.

Three tables and a bunch of shelves, but most of the books seem to be close to the wall, that might come in handy for later.

I step forward, further into the library and begin to walk around.

You know it feels weird walking around, since this “shirt” doesn’t even reach the midpoint of my thighs, but since everyone is wearing the same thing it shouldn’t be that…embarrassing I think..or rather hope

Alright , Ynessa, focus..

Focus…

I called myself Ynnessa…

I…I…I don’t remember my real…no…my...old name suddenly…

I guess it makes sense

I shake my head and rub my face.

Focus!

You won’t find any books on magic, but maybe maps or history books, I’ll take anything at this point to be honest

I head to the nearest wall and start browsing the shelves quietly. I see a variety if things. From autobiographies, entire books on a single battle, no. That’s not it..no…oh..that might work. I reach out and take out a big book titled the “Kingdom of Man”

What year is it anyway, there was no in lore calendar back in Highlander. Maybe I’ll overhear something, I won’t try and talk to people just in case…

The book is a bit heavy, but I manage to carry it to one of the tables and place it down without making much noise. I open up the first page and like most fantasy books there’s a map of the country.

If only this was a world map…but..come on..be grateful here, you’ve got a map at least, and pray that it’s an up to date and accurate one.

So, the kingdom of man as they call it, is, if I remember correctly the fourth largest landmass in lore right behind the country of Elves, Land of the Beast folk and the Demon Continent which to..well to the moment of my death has never been fully explored by any player. It’s a permanent PVP zone there, no safe zones either but the loot is perfect there

The other countries are pretty large as well, but if I were to compare, most of these places can be the size of Pangea which is scary. There’s a lot of mixed territories but there aren’t that many larger cities in those areas. Mostly towns, starting settlements or camps. They were prone to be raided a lot by pirates in lore because of their weak infrastructure I believe

But now if I look for Leghen on this map I can find where I’m at. Well, obviously and maybe guess a few things.

I browse over the map extremely carefully for about five minutes or so before I spot it. A really small dot on this particular map. Alright, I’m East mainly and a little North, but right, we’re close to the coastline and a border by land. Maybe the Dwarven country is right next us. I can’t remember at the moment, but okay, I know that I came here on a cart, but we’re close enough to the oceans.

There should be a larger port close, but since I can’t see past the walls I wouldn’t know where.

I wonder..

I scratch my chin and start to think.

In Highlander, you could mess with the environment. Like plant trees or cut them down. You could also dig and mine, create mine shafts and tunnels.

So, that gets me thinking. There might be a tunnel under the prison that leads outside, maybe towards the port, maybe to the shores. But that would mean that those with good sneaking would be the ones that made it.

I doubt my sneaking skill is good and I might not even fit in small holes with my new body.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

In my thinking and observation I unknowingly flip the page and begin to read the book. It doesn’t take long before I zone out and just start to absorb the contents of it. A refreshing read on lore never hurt and that’s kind of what I did when I first logged in. Read all the codex entries on each race and country. I wanted to appreciate twenty years of work.

The one thing that snapped me back to reality was the sound of a bell. The bell

Oh crap!

I shut the book and hurriedly place it back to where I got it and left the library with my notebook. I did spot that I had gained some bonuses

+1 Detail Orientation

+1 Cartography

+1 World Knowledge

Alright, not bad, I’ve got two ways to slowly improve my skills, but as I glance up at my XP bar I can see that it barely moved. But it’ll have to make do for now. I’m guessing I need to slay monsters or anything really to get that bar up faster

It doesn’t take long till I get back to my cell, I wonder how many hours had passed since that execution. I don’t remember seeing a reaction from most people.

Fuck…

Am I in a prison with hardened criminals?

I shake my head and take out my notebook. Alright! I’ve got something to write with and to write in. Progress! I like that. I wonder if I’ll get any stat increases for noting down stuff. Maybe only for Cartography if I start drawing maps, but what if it gets confiscated?

I’ve got to be careful I guess. Alright, let’s start small

I open up the first page and slowly put the pencil to paper and begin to document the hours of the day. I’ve got no direct sense of time, by that I don’t know what hour is it or if they use that system at all. So for now all I’ve got is morning, noon, afternoon and evening.

But as I write I see that isn’t English, it’s literally the Elvish variant from the game. It’s not like I want to write like this, it’s more that it comes naturally to me like this. I could probably write common if I gave it a try. I wonder if there any hidden books as well.

Maybe there’s a black market of sorts..

Dammit, that requires social interaction which I’m not exactly cut out for.

After I finish writing down the events of the day I just look up at my cell bars. No sound, illusion still up, but what happens now? Do we just eat once? And in my haste I didn’t really catch a glimpse outside so I don’t know what time it is.

Another bell goes off, I don’t know what that means, but probably nothing good..

I try to relax in my bed, but I’m not getting anywhere.

I miss my consoles, my tv, my games, my porn..fuck me…

This time I actually need new hobbies…

Should I try to build up an alibi? What happens if they question me about where I’m from? I can’t get executed for now knowing where I was born right?

I reach up to my face, but remember the collar, I've barely noticed it since it got put on me. I nudge at it a little, but it doesn’t budge at all. It’s locked in place. I don’t think it would take anti magic to break this, maybe just someone really strong. But naturally strong races are held here as well. So that begs the question.

More dampeners?

And is the collar going to be removed? I don’t think I can sleep with this thing on, let alone nap. I’ll wait to see if it gets removed, after that I can try the exercising.

It doesn’t take long before I hear the steps again and the voice, I guess they do this for anytime new prisoners come. So, more than 10 would require this and since they got rebels, they got others. So it was a trap probably. The rebels were trying to free non-humans to get them to help.

It makes sense, at least to me. I sit on the bed and watch the cell bars as the illusion disappears. It might use material components to reinforce it. So either they import spirit plasma and green Spriggan sap from outside or somehow have source nearby or have some prisoners of the sort.

You can’t bind ghost, but you can trap them with warding spells so they might have that figured out. And since there are so many magic using guards I doubt any ranged offensive mages would stand a chance even if they got out.

I didn’t see any spell books on the guards that have used magic so far. So..no spell books for the guards either.

There has to be a smuggling ring somewhere. My best bet is to possibly find an underground entrance, but…wait..I can’t interact with people properly..

“Prisoner!” the guard yells

I quickly look up and jump up from my bed as the cell door opens. A guard came in and removed the collar and left without a word. Right right. I need to pay attention or might get beaten. Dammit.

Okay, so they remove the collars during the night, but that means outside there’s extra protection. Jesus how much are these guards paid for this stuff? Barracks shouldn’t be far from the main prison…unless the guards are also in a sense prisoners which might make things a lot worse…

I rub my neck, but feel no real leftover pain from the collar. So it’s mostly harmless which is good.

I glance towards the hallway, but only hear departing steps, so that means it’s sleeping time. I wonder if it’s the same in the other cell blocks.

But, since it’s nighttime and no more food..

I get up from my bed and stand in the center of my cell and begin jumping like before until my stamina hits zero.

+1 Acrobatics

That’s two..fuck this is tiring…

I lay on the ground panting while I wait for the bar to refill than do the process again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again until I’ve reached the max of ten.

I’m…exhausted even as my stamina bar refills for the tenth time. Fatigue is real here as well. And sweat..

I wave some air on myself with my hands and once I’m not that sweaty I get back in my bed and sleep. Tomorrow should be a bit of the same, nothing bad should happen I hope.

I awoke to the wooden club being clattered against every cell once again, the same process repeated with the shit food and uncomfortable stomach actions. Oh and let’s not forget about the “bathing”, but this time I didn’t mind it really. Before we were given the collars and were let out again I took the time to note down what I knew about the Dragon Fruit and the characteristics of the “grub” just in case.

That cold showering came in handy I won't lie. I didn’t want to walk around smelling and the clothes being in the bad shape they were didn’t retain any smell oddly. So that was good.

But this time there was no execution, and we were just given the collars and let out. I did leave my notebook back in my cell since I might have looked a bit suspicious noting down everything I came across. This time I didn’t head to the library. I thought exploring the place should be a priority.

The first thing I did was head outside and try and smell the air as odd as it sounds, but it didn’t have the sea air if you get me. So we weren’t that close to the coast. My theory of a road or underground passage to the possible port are getting a bit more valid

I went back inside and simply started exploring and partially people watching.

This is an extremely diverse prison..I got the idea from before, but as I walk around that’s a given fact now..

I’m seeing a good amount quarter breeds which makes sense with humans. Quarter breeds are basically Humans who’ve had kids with a half breed of any race and since the devs took a glance at the online life over the course of twenty years you can guess there’s a lot of variety in the quarter breeds

Imagine neko girls, women with lizard tongues, a dragon tail and such. Any small oddity on what initially looks Human is a quarter breed. Our species or..my old species was and probably still is extremely degenerate.

I wonder if there are any mechanic or artificer type people here. You could build fully functioning Homunculi and basically have fantasy androids and robots which a lot of people loved. I remember seeing some players make entire player armies of Homunculi which was cool.

Alright..

Where to go…

I haven’t seen a set of stairs that lead up or down anywhere which is a bit weird..

But since I’m on the ground floor I should probably just focus on that. I know where my cell block is and what’s West of it which is the keep, the library and part of the courtyard. Now, I went the opposite direction of the library this time

I’m seeing a few different rooms..

That seems like a mess hall? Wait, are we able to get more food?

I do take a step inside and slowly look around. There seems to be…oh man…

That’s a whole basket of fruit being guarded. It almost makes my mouth water. It’s just your basic stuff from apples to pineapples and peaches and some others, but have I missed that sight my god.

Besides myself and the guard there’s a few other prisoners here just eating different stuff.

I slowly and nervously make my way to the basket of fruit, but the guard stands in my way. He extends his hand and opens his palm like he’s waiting for something.

I just look at him confused. Do I have to pay for this? How the hell would I even get money?

“Uh..umm…I..” I bumble like an idiot

And before I could even put together a sentence the guard slapped me in the side of my tit making me fall back to the ground.

“If you don’t have money, then fuck off elf.” He said

Holy fucking shit that hurt. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck that is painful…

I slowly get up and would just step away to sit at some table. I’d hold the side of my boob for a little, but the pain would go away soon. After that I’d leave the mess hall.

Ouch…like really…that was painful…

I wipe away a small tear from my eye and glance up at my health, no change which is relieving. It would be really bad if I got damage from a tit slap.

I’d head back outside to check the courtyard next. God my boob still fucking hurts, but I can’t just start rubbing it right outside. I don’t really want to be branded as a prison pervert. That would bring bad attention all round.

Right..

So..what am I working with?

I’d spend the next hour or so exploring the courtyard but I couldn’t find anything that could possibly help me or give me any extra knowledge.

With nothing else to do and having no urge to read for the second day in a row I decided to head back to my cell. It was a bit odd seeing my cell block basically empty. I guess everyone has something to do outside their cells…

But as I opened my cell I froze in my tracks. There was someone in my bed..or at least I think…

There was a lump and…oh…a tail just appeared..

I gulped…

I'm scared...