I Don't Need To Log Out

Arlon wanted to take the day off, but he quickly realized he had no idea what to do.

Oceina offered a breathtaking sea view, and he tried to enjoy it. Yet, after an hour of gazing at the waves, he found himself restless. With nothing else in mind, he decided to return to the inn.

Instead of heading to his own room, he knocked on Shirl's door to check on her. When she opened it, her swollen, red eyes told him everything—she had likely cried all night.

It was no surprise. Learning about her parents' deaths the day before would break anyone. Despite the lack of solid evidence, she trusted Arlon's word, perhaps because she wanted to believe him. Of course, she would verify it later.

"Did you have breakfast?" Shirl asked, her voice hoarse but steady.

Arlon blinked. He hadn't even thought about food. As a player, he could eat, taste, and even gain nutrients, but Zeno, the system governing players, wouldn't let him starve to death. Eating was unnecessary, but hunger was still a mild discomfort.

"I haven't," he admitted.

"Then let's go eat together," she offered, managing a small smile.

Arlon nodded. It wasn't until they began descending the stairs that he realized how momentous this simple act was for him. In over a decade—including the years of his previous timeline—this was the first time he would eat with someone else.

The thought made him inexplicably nervous, but he pushed through and followed her downstairs.

The inn's ground floor was a bustling restaurant. The smell of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat filled the air, mingling with the chatter of early risers enjoying their meals before starting their day. However, when Arlon and Shirl appeared, the room fell eerily silent, as if rehearsed.

The patrons whispered among themselves. While they knew from Edrich that Arlon wasn't an administrator, his presence with the administrator—a figure typically aloof and unapproachable—was enough to spark intrigue. Their timing didn't help either. Arriving together in the morning fueled speculation.

Shirl seemed unfazed by the attention; she was used to the stares. But Arlon, who had grown unused to such scrutiny, felt his palms dampen with unease. Realizing he might be overthinking, he quickly found an empty table and sat down, his nervousness mounting as Shirl joined him.

When they placed their orders, the patrons, disappointed by the lack of drama, resumed their chatter. Arlon felt a wave of relief as the collective attention shifted away from him.

"Your escort party will arrive today," he said after a moment. "They're not particularly strong, but that's intentional—they won't attract attention. They are also a team formed by the saviors, so they can easily sacrifice themselves if needed."

Shirl frowned slightly. "You're not coming with us?"

"I can't," Arlon replied, oblivious to her disappointment. "I have other things to handle first. I'll join you later."

He needed to level up soon. The real hardship started at level 100 and before it, everyone could level up by killing easy monsters without even dying.

Their conversation meandered from logistics to casual topics, filling the time until their meals were finished. Afterward, they returned to their rooms to prepare.

---

Meanwhile, the Gamers were finally entering Oceina.

"Look at this view!" Zack shouted, spreading his arms dramatically. "Why didn't the devs let us start here instead of that barren wasteland, Istarra?"

The others chuckled, nodding in agreement. Oceina's vibrant scenery—its azure seas, lush greenery, and lively streets—was a stark contrast to the bleak, desolate start zone of Istarra.

The gamers entered Oceina a few hours after the servers opened. The road wasn't too dangerous for them anymore, but it still took a few hours to get from Istarra to Oceina.

"Well, at least we get to enjoy it today," Pierre said with a grin. "We're leaving tomorrow, so let's make the most of it." There was no leader of this group. June was the strongest, but she didn't want to become a leader, they were all friends.

Pierre was generally acting like a leader, but all he was doing was voicing what everyone was thinking. They would tell their thoughts if they didn't like Pierre's idea. Of course, they wouldn't fight each other.

"Let's stroll around for a bit first. I don't want to receive the NPC we will escort as soon as coming to the town. I believe she will follow us around. It wouldn't be nice to drag her everywhere we go," said Lei.

"Sure, let's hit the weapon shop," Pierre suggested.

Then, they started going around town, taking in the scenery, and visiting shops.

As they wandered through shops, a snippet of conversation between two local women caught their attention:

"Did you hear? That Arlon guy was seen with the administrator!"

"What? The administrator who doesn't talk to anyone? What were they doing together?"

"Having breakfast, apparently. And my husband's friend swears he saw him going into her room last night!"

"No way! Sir Edrich said they weren't related..."

"No matter how good Sir Edric's ears are, he can't know the future. Maybe they met here. Young people like that... It's good someone's warming up the administrator."

"I will ask about it as soon as I see..."

The group exchanged incredulous looks, unwilling eavesdroppers but intrigued nonetheless.

"That bastard... Is he going to make us babysit his girlfriend? I thought there was an urgent mission. I wish I leveled up instead of going back for the quest. Quests don't give you XP in this damned game," Zack complained.

"Don't jump to conclusions. It might be a baseless rumor," June said, though her reddened face betrayed her embarrassment at the implications.

"Why are you defending him? This is a game and it is the game's story. We collected information through rumors. I don't think the game would provide fake information." Zack was angry because he, again, couldn't get June's approval.

"Still, let's wait and talk to other people. And, let's find that Edrich guy. He seems to be someone important."

"June is right, this might be a part of the quest," agreed Pierre.

Lei and Carole also thought so.

"Okay, okay. But I will curse him if he is trying to get us to escort his girlfriend."

---

After that, they went around and asked about the issue at hand. People here seemed to like whispering rumors to each other, so they received the same answer wherever they went.

At last, they found their way to Edrich's shop, but, unlucky for them, the merchant was out on business.

So, they did what they should have done first and contacted Arlon.

"We're here," Pierre said through the crystal. "Where should we meet you?"

"Come to the inn," Arlon replied. "I'm in the third room upstairs. If you can't find it, ask for the administrator's room."

After the light on the crystal dimmed, each member of the group looked at the others.

The group exchanged knowing looks.

"He's in her room," Zack groaned. "Unbelievable." He looked at June while saying it, making it obvious that he was trying to say I was right.

"Let's go." June didn't respond to Zack's provocation. 

They went to the inn and asked the innkeeper for the administrator's room. The innkeeper and the customers around smirked when they heard the group was here for the administrator, but he didn't say anything and guided them to the room.

They knocked on the door, and in a few seconds, Arlon answered it.

---

"You're finally here," Arlon said, his tone tinged with mild irritation. He had expected them two hours ago.

"We're sorry, sir. We wanted to take in the scenery a bit," Pierre replied apologetically.

"Sorry, my a**. We kn—" Zack began to interject, but the girls quickly silenced him with pointed looks and a firm shove.

Pierre, trying to smooth things over, said, "Sir, how can we assist you today?" He stepped forward, hoping to distract Arlon from Zack's outburst.

Arlon sighed deeply before gesturing to the woman seated behind him. "This is Shirl. You'll be escorting her to Istarra tomorrow."

It was only then that the group noticed the woman. Shirl appeared unremarkable, with no standout features, but her demeanor was composed despite an undercurrent of sadness.

Even though the weight of her loss was still fresh, she offered the group a gentle smile. She needed to move forward—for the Keldars.

"Understood, sir," Pierre said with determination. "We'll escort her to Istarra safely. You can count on us! We won't let anyone get close to her."

Arlon raised an eyebrow at Pierre's fervor. While he appreciated their seriousness, he couldn't reveal the true reason for the mission—it was far too dangerous. The Keldars' grand plan had to remain a secret for now or else they would lose their advantage.

Charon wouldn't divulge anything either. Even if it wasn't classified, the enigmatic NPC rarely spoke without necessity.

Despite how odd the situation felt, Arlon was relieved by the group's commitment.

"Good. You're free to do as you like until tomorrow," he said.

"Hmm? She's not coming with us now?" Carole asked, puzzled.

Lei leaned in and whispered to Carole, "Maybe they want to spend some time together since she's leaving tomorrow."

Carole froze, realizing her question might have been misinterpreted. Before she could clarify, Shirl perked up and said cheerfully, "That's a great idea! Let's hang out together!"

Pierre hesitated. "Ah... Is that okay, Sir Arlon?" he asked cautiously, glancing between the two NPCs.

Arlon was momentarily taken aback. Maintaining his NPC persona was already taxing, and now he was expected to socialize with both Shirl and the Gamers. But it was his day off, and perhaps this was a chance to overcome his lingering anxiety.

"Why not? Let's go have lunch," he said at last.

---

As they ate, the Gamers couldn't help but glance repeatedly at Arlon and Shirl. Their curiosity was palpable, and their minds were buzzing with theories. To them, it was as if they were observing a rare, unscripted event in the game.

Arlon noticed their stares but chose to ignore them, chalking it up to their usual eccentric behavior. That is, until June, who had remained silent until now, asked a pointed question:

"So, when did the two of you meet?"

Shirl answered without hesitation, "Me and Sir Arlon? We met yesterday."

The Gamers froze, their jaws practically hitting the table. Even though Arlon and Shirl were NPCs, the implications of her statement were too much for them to process.

While most of the group quickly realized there must be more to the story, Zack didn't.

Unable to contain himself, he blurted out, "What the hell? We thought you were making us escort your girlfriend and we were already angry, but are you telling me you called us here for some random girl you picked up at the inn yesterday? Are you freaking kidding me?"