ăThinking about it, I don't know how to log out.
ăI hadn't even gone through the instructions or the tutorial.
ăHow do I return to reality?
ăI muttered, but nothing happened.
ă"Log off. Exit. Pause. End. Menu. Open. Save."
ă"Menu open. Main menu. Exit menu. Options menu. Exit options. Window. Window open. Menu window. Exit window. Memory. Save. Save and exit. Overwrite save. Reset. Clear. Return. Return. Exit. End. End... End..."
ăI tried everything I could think of, but nothing happened.
ăIf this continues, I won't be able to return to reality.
ăNo, is this really a game at all?
ăMy senses tell me that this place is completely real.
ăThere's no doubt about it.
ăIt couldn't be a dream.
ăIf this is reality and a game, it must be virtual reality, but I've never heard of fully realized virtual reality.
ăAnd all it took was a click of the mouse on the browser screen.
ăI didn't even put on any kind of device like a headset.
ăA world that feels real but isn't virtual reality.
ăIn other words, it's just reality.
ăStill, the reason I think this is a game.
ăI tried to "Identify" and look at my appearance.
Kaga Michio, male, 17 years old
Equipment: Sandal Boots, Ring of Resolve
ăThis kind of thing is only possible in a game.
ăHowever, by confirming my appearance, I saw something.
ăThe bloodstains on my tracksuit.
ăIf this were a game, would it leave bloodstains?
ăIf this is a game, why hasn't the blood disappeared?
ăIs this really inside a game?
ăNo, even if it is a game, if I can't log out, it's the same thing.
ăCan I return to reality?
ăYou have chosen to abandon this world and live in another world.
ăYou will never be able to return to this world.
ăDo you wish to continue?
ăThe last memory I have of being at home.
ăAt the end of the settings, this message should have appeared.
ăIndeed, I can "Identify," and I have a weapon six, Durandal.
ăBut just because of that, I can't be sure this is a game world.
ăIf this is a world as set, then the warning that appeared during the settings is also true.
ăAs I was thinking about this, the village chief came in.
ăHe had someone bring in a wooden basin filled with water.
ă"Please use this water to clean yourself."
ăAn older woman, who seemed to be a maid, placed the basin and handed me a rough towel.
ăIt was more like a piece of cloth than a towel.
ă"And I have prepared some clothes for you. The ones you are wearing are dirty, so I will have them washed."
ăAnother older woman, who looked to be around 66 years old and seemed to be the village chief's wife, placed folded clothes on a board.
ăAfter finishing her task, she left with the village chief.
ăAlone, I took off my tracksuit and wiped my body with the towel.
ăThere were red stains on the tracksuit.
ăThe blood of the thieves.
ăThey didn't show any signs of disappearing.
ăIf this isn't a game, of course they wouldn't disappear.
ăIndeed, I can "Identify" and I have a weapon six.
ăBut who decided that this is a game?
ăYou will never be able to return.
ăIncluding the final warning, the entire setting is effective in this world.
ăIn other words, it's just reality.
ăThe other world mentioned in the warning.
ăI realized that I am escaping from reality.
ăWhat am I escaping from?
ăIf this is a game, I just defeated a game character.
ăIf this isn't a game, I killed a real person.
ăThat's why I want to believe this is a game.
ăIt's an escape from reality and a wish.
ăIt's just wishful thinking.
ăWhen I slashed, I thought it was just a game event, but the feel of Durandal is still clearly in my palm.
ăBut, it's a matter of perspective.
ăThis is a world where thieves normally attack villages.
ăIf I can't log out, I will have to kill again.
ăIt's probably unavoidable.
ăIf it's unavoidable, it's better to think it's a game.
ăIf I hesitate in a critical moment, I might be the one who gets killed.
ăI shouldn't be troubled or depressed.
ăIf I don't act, I will be the one killed.
ăI should accept this reality.
ăI took a deep breath and resolved myself.
ăAnd I have to live in this world from now on.
ăTo survive, I will have to get my hands dirty. I shouldn't be afraid of that.
ăI should do whatever I can.
ăBy the way, there was another reason I thought this was part of the settings.
ăI tried to "Reconfigure Character."
ăA character settings screen appeared in my mind.
ăIt seems I can move the cursor with my imagination.
ăThe character reconfiguration bonus skill seems to be effective.
ăIndeed, all the settings are applied, including the final warning.
ăThe bonus points are somehow at 1.
ăI must have overlooked something.
ăI finished the character reconfiguration as it was.
ăI decided to change into the clothes the village chief left.
ăA loose shirt and loose pants, both indigo, but the pants were a darker shade.
ăThey were rough and not very comfortable, but not so bad that I couldn't wear them. I gratefully put them on.
Kaga Michio, male, 17 years old
Equipment: Sandal Boots, Ring of Resolve
ăIt doesn't seem to affect the equipment.
ăDurandal isn't listed in the equipment because I have it unsheathed and leaning against the wall.
ăBy the way, it might be better to remove the bonus equipment.
ăDurandal is indeed an amazing sword. Too amazing. I realized this in the battle with the thieves.
ăBecause of this, it's a target.
ăIf this is a game, it won't be stolen.
ăBut if it's not a game, there are no such constraints.
ăI am currently wearing sandal boots. They must have belonged to someone.
ăIf I can make someone else's sandal boots my own, can't someone else make my Durandal their own?
ăThis is dangerous in two ways.
ăOne, if Durandal is taken, I might lose 63 bonus points.
ăBonus points are one of the few allies I have in this world.
ăNo, they are my only ally (I have 99 points).
ăI can't afford to lose them.
ăTwo, the person trying to steal Durandal might also take my life.
ăWhat is the penalty for death in this world?
ăWill my level drop and I be revived in a church? Or will it be a normal death?
ăIn any case, it's better not to carry Durandal around normally.
ăIf I need it, I can reconfigure it.
ăCan Durandal be removed if it's stolen?
ăI tried to "Reconfigure Character" without holding Durandal.
ăI couldn't change weapon six.
ăI could remove accessory two because I was wearing the ring.
ăIt seems that if Durandal is stolen, I will lose the bonus points.
ăI ended the character configuration, picked up the Durandal, and reconfigured it in my mind.
ăI removed weapon six. The bonus points increased to 67.
ăWhere should I allocate the bonus points?
ăI chose "Reduce required experience by one-tenth" and "Increase gained experience by ten times." 35 bonus points remained.
ăI chose "Reduce required experience by one-twentieth," leaving 3 bonus points.
ăI chose "Job setting" and "Third job (2 bonus points)," leaving 0 bonus points.
ăI ended the character configuration.
ăThe Durandal I was holding disappeared.
ăI tried to "Job setting."
ăMy job appeared in my mind.
ăVillager Lv2, Thief Lv2, Hero Lv1.
ăIt seems to have increased by one due to the third job selection in the character reconfiguration.
ăWhen I chose Hero Lv1, information appeared.
Effect: Moderate increase in HP, MP, Strength, Vitality, Intelligence, Spirit, Dexterity, Agility
ăDid I have this from the beginning?
ăNo, that's not possible.
ăIf I gained the Thief job by stealing the sandal boots, I must have gained the Hero job after that.
ăI probably gained this job by protecting the village from the thieves.
ăI tried to change my first job to Hero, but it didn't work.
ăFor the first job, I can only choose Villager or Thief. Why is that?
ăThe effect of the Villager job is a slight increase in vitality. No skills. It's weak.
ăI had no choice but to set my second job to Hero Lv1.
ăThe effect of the Hero job is quite powerful. It's incomparable to the Villager job.
ăI set my third job to Thief Lv2.
ăThe effect of the Thief job is a slight increase in agility. No skills.
ăIt's better than the Villager job, I suppose.
ăI finished the job setting and checked my status.
Kaga Michio, male, 17 years old
Villager Lv2, Hero Lv1, Thief Lv2
Thank you to everyone who read and favorited this story in just one day. I am deeply grateful.