NOVEL NEXT Trying to try
"You're definitely trying to tempt me, aren't you, Senior?" As if able to see through my intentions, I met Ritta's sharp gaze. "With cash items, you can teleport there without any problems. And I'm sure, as a very, very old, ancient player, you have more than enough supplies to the point that using one or two won't disturb your provisions."
"You know me well, little Ritta."
The teleportation feature in the old days was not like it is now. Almost everything had to be done on foot, but hey, it's a mobile game. It wasn't until a few years later that teleportation was added as a simple feature. Each city had its own Teleportation Feather that could only be purchased in that city.
Then there was an update, and players could use cash items to teleport freely to any map. It was an expensive item for a teleportation item. Hardly anyone actually bought and used it. It seemed like the developers intentionally set a high price to prevent it from undermining the essence of the game. However, sometimes developers would give away similar items during events.
"Well then, I'll go ahead," I said, clicking 'Use' without much thought.
"Hey, wait—"
I noticed Ritta's concerned expression for a moment before my avatar disappeared from her presence and reappeared in a different place. Bustling crowds, the noise of people, and the splashing of fountains behind me—yes, without a doubt, this was a teleportation point that existed in almost every city.
As I tried to observe my surroundings, it turned out that I was the one being observed intently by them.
"H-Hey, look at him..."
"Isn't he the one from the video?"
"The Mage who pulled off the dual-cast?"
Aaaaah, I completely forgot about all of that.
There hasn't been any change at all to the equipment I'm wearing; it's still exactly the same as the player in that viral footage. That player being me. The meaningful and curious gazes from these MMO fanatics almost sent shivers down my spine (if only this avatar had one). Fortunately, I've set this account to private, otherwise they would surely flood me with countless pings.
Someone just arrived through teleportation behind me. "See, I told you to wait, this is why senior didn't want to listen to me." It turns out to be Ritta, accusing me in front of everyone. "Well, you did take precautions, so it's not that... but... oh well, come on, follow me."
She grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
The murmurs grew even faster and uncontrollable.
"Do you know that woman?"
"Are they on a date?"
From behind, I could see Ritta acting nonchalant, even though we could hear people talking as we passed by. She was trying to act normal, or at least that's what she was attempting to do, but I could see a hint of redness on her cheeks. She was holding back her embarrassment.
As we walked along the city streets, we became the center of attention, mainly because of my presence and the viral video. Although Ritta could have let go of our hands and let me walk alongside her, she didn't do so. I wouldn't get lost in this city, but she seemed to worry about me too much.
When the situation started to calm down, Ritta slowed her pace, and I adjusted accordingly. Despite occasionally stumbling over her words, she told me a few things during our journey.
Until we arrived in front of a specific building.
"A café?" I curiously asked.
"You could say it like that, but this is our destination."
A café-themed equipment store? Rather than eccentric, it seems more like weird.
The sound of jingling keys above the door chimed as we entered. A waiter NPC noticed our arrival and gave us a monotonous welcome. We were escorted to an empty seat, accompanied by... dozens of eyes glancing in my direction and various murmurs from the customers that I couldn't quite make out.
Damn, I couldn't play in peace because of that video.
With everything going on, I tried to reach for an album on the round table where Ritta and I were sitting side by side. I thought it was a book with many pages, but that wasn't quite the case.
Ritta scooted her chair closer, our sides touching, and I could even feel a tickling sensation on my cheek as her hair played and tickled me there.
Without feeling guilty, Ritta pointed at the album and said, "Senior can use this column to sort the desired type of equipment. Here, we can search by name. If you want to customize colors or change specific parts, I can teach you that later," she explained diligently.
"...Senior?!"
I seemed to be daydreaming as I observed Ritta's face while she explained things. Once I snapped back to reality, it was only natural for us to be so close that I became confused about how to respond. "Um, can it be sorted by class category and personal attribute needs?" I awkwardly asked.
Ritta smiled briefly at my question, and then we turned our attention back to the album in hand.
The time I spent not playing this game has been years, to the point where I can say I only focused on playing for about three or four years since its initial release. There is so much that I don't know, information that I should have gathered to truly create my own unique playstyle.
I operated the album as if it were a tablet device. I searched for equipment that I thought would be suitable, and there were hundreds of them that were completely unfamiliar to me. Determining everything in a short amount of time seemed quite challenging. But as I heard, this place has a training ground, so I can try and fail there.
The main issue for me right now is the fact that I can't use a main and sub-weapon. From the beginning, I didn't even consider those two categories and only focused on armor and other accessories. I also haven't really made up my mind on Versatile, so I can't make a decision that won't make me regret it.
From the many possibilities, I have narrowed it down to a handful of armors and accessories that I would probably like to use. Now what should I do? Should I try them out all at once?