SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Reward selected: 3. Reward hidden
GET: Scroll
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"A scroll... Really?" I muttered as I left the dojo, after exchanging farewells with the teacher—who seemed particularly keen on keeping me in her class—and saying goodbye to Mathieu.
'Mel, can I open it now, or should I wait until I get home?'
~It’s advisable to open it when you’re at home, out of sight.~
'All right,' I thought, speeding up my pace.
After about ten minutes of brisk walking, I finally arrived home, feeling like a child on Christmas morning. Once inside, I asked Mel, "How do I get the scroll?"
~I can do that for you, or you can just think 'system inventory.'~
"I have an inventory? Why didn’t you tell me?"
~This isn’t an inventory like in most games. It’s only for items granted by the system.~
"So, I can’t put my own stuff in there, can I?"
~Exactly. Now, look into your right hand.~
A rolled scroll materialized in my hand, as if it had always been there. When I opened it, it unrolled smoothly, revealing a beautiful golden parchment with unintelligible patterns. As I scanned the scroll, the end of it began to disintegrate into golden dust.
Before I could react, a black screen appeared in front of me:
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SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
GET: MEMORY
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“Memory? Mel, do you have any idea what that is—” I began, but my vision suddenly went black.
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Inside the Memory:
I found myself in complete darkness, unable to see or feel anything. Then, a voice echoed through the void.
"The Queen created us to exterminate this garbage! WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO?"
Though I couldn’t see anything, the voice was hoarse and distorted, almost as if it was forced through the vocal cords. Another voice, younger but just as hoarse, responded.
"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying we shouldn’t be so bold as to ignore him..."
"Ra, just so you know, if you keep talking like that, you'll die sooner than you think," the older voice replied grimly.
"Acha, I know that, but don’t you want to decide what you want to do? Have you forgotten the prophecy?"
"BLASPHEMY! DIDN’T YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? The Queen created us! We must return to her what she has given us. Without her, we’d be nothing but dust!"
"So be it! But think about it! The prophecy says that a human will kill our queen—it’s written! It’s only a matter of time!"
"IDIOT! HOW DARE YOU!" A slap echoed through the void, followed by the older voice, "I didn’t raise you that way, Ra. This prophecy is meant to frighten children, not to divide us."
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"That is not true! The elders talk about it as if it were true, but you won’t listen!"
"GET OUT! Go back to the forge! I wonder who put that idea into your head, Ra," the voice said, suspiciously.
---
Suddenly, I was back in my apartment, feeling the ground beneath my feet again. As my vision returned, I saw the last of the golden dust disappearing from my hands. Shocked, I asked Mel:
"Mel, did you hear what I just heard?"
~No, but I experienced it in your mind. It’s... interesting.~
"Do you have any idea what it was?"
~Not at all, I’m as in the dark as you are.~
"Okay then," I said, trying to make sense of it. "Should I write it down?"
~No need, I’ve already recorded it in my memory, Host.~
"All right. Can you deduce anything from it?" I asked, sitting down at my desk.
~Honestly, there’s not much to go on from this short excerpt. The voices didn’t sound entirely human, judging by their tone and speech patterns.~
"You're right. The way they spoke was really strange—it was unsettling," I murmured, crossing my arms.
As night fell, I spent the rest of the evening relaxing with my game, helping players and causing a few harmless scares that had me laughing out loud.
Recordings of these moments began circulating online, depicting the TLOU developer as a helpful but occasionally mischievous presence in the game.
After I’d had my fun, I spent part of the evening on my studio’s social networks, responding to questions and liking comments that caught my attention. The evening passed quickly, and I fell asleep in a good mood, thinking about what I would do the next day.
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The Next Morning:
I woke up to the sun streaming into my apartment, reminding me that I could probably afford a better place with a view—something more scenic than the street and the neighbors across the way.
I set that thought aside, went through my morning routine, and headed out for a jog around the city. As I explored the more affluent neighborhoods, I scouted for buildings that caught my eye and weren’t too extravagant.
Having found a few places that looked interesting, I headed home, exhausted but satisfied with completing my daily mission. While I was in the shower, getting ready for the library, I received a message from James:
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[Hi Arthur, do you mind if we meet today? Everyone’s agreed we could go to the Café de la Renaissance. Do you fancy it?]
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Reading the message, a smile spread across my face. Though I hadn’t shown it, I’d been wondering when they’d start moving past the mourning. I quickly replied:
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[Hey! That works for me. I just have to hit the library for an hour or so, and then I have to be at the dojo by 6 for practice.]
[Don’t worry, I’ll meet you in front of the library in an hour :)]
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The hour at the library passed quickly as I absorbed more knowledge about blacksmithing and rapier maintenance. As I walked out, I saw a group of people sitting on a bench across the street. Ethan, our tank, occupied half the bench by himself.
"Hi everyone, it’s been a while," I said with a smile, looking at each of them—Ethan, Nina, Emilia, and James.
"Yeah, sorry for ignoring you a bit. We had to sort out our emotions..." James said, searching for the right words. The others quickly nodded in agreement.
"Don’t worry, I understand how you feel. No problem at all."
"Thanks, that’s kind of you," James said, patting me on the shoulder as everyone followed.
"Let’s go to the café. You know, I’ve been so lonely all this time, I deserve a little pick-me-up, don’t you think?" I joked, exaggerating my situation.
"Don’t worry, I’ll buy you one," James replied with a laugh, followed by the others, who joined in, offering to buy me a coffee as well, knowing I was just kidding.
As we walked, James asked innocently, "So, don’t you have any family in town?"
I looked at him, a small smile on my lips, and replied, "No, I don’t have any family at all."
There was a brief silence after my revelation, broken when Emilia nudged James with her elbow. Embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, my condolences. I didn’t mean to bring that up..."
"It’s not a problem, don’t worry. Let’s get to the café. This atmosphere isn’t exactly uplifting, is it?" I said, laughing.
"Come on! Let’s go," Emilia replied cheerfully, walking beside me.
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At the Café de la Renaissance:
The place was chic, with white and red canvas awnings and matching umbrellas outside. The café’s name was elegantly inscribed in a recess in the canvas.
"Do you want to sit outside or inside?" Nina asked.
"It’s a nice day, let’s enjoy it outside," I suggested.
"Outside it is," James agreed.
"Perfect!"
We settled in and ordered our drinks. Time passed quickly as we chatted. We kept the conversation light, avoiding sensitive topics until Nina brought up Liam, sparking a round of memories and anecdotes about him.
I listened attentively, but when the time came for my training session, I was relieved to say my goodbyes and head to the dojo.
The training was tough, but as effective as always. I spent most of my time with Mrs. Griselli, who seemed to have taken me under her wing. After giving it my all, I finally received the notification I’d been waiting for:
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SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Mission accomplished! Choose a reward.
1. Earn 45 system points [Select].
2. Increase your strength [Select].
3. Get a scroll [Select].
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