In front of Na-me’s Private Room, a crowd of people was bustling around.
A big event had finally happened, overshadowing the controversy about her age.
How on earth had they brought an NPC from the game into the real world?
When the world is cleared, the NPCs who have been companions remain in the peaceful world of Wagal.
This meant that whenever players wanted to see them while playing another game, they could visit the Story Mode and interact with them at any time.
The residents of Arseria, known for their outstanding emotional connection, were buzzing with excitement, considering it wouldn’t be surprising if that software were used for the emotional robots coming later.
One among them had broken free from the game.
The broadcast remained silent.
Thus, a small number of viewers accessed the VR SPACE and marked the coordinates of NoName’s Private Room, waiting in anticipation.
“Open NoName’s Door!”
“Is Adella really inside?”
“Didn’t you watch the broadcast? It was definitely her!”
“NoName, explain yourself! Explain! Explain!”
The ownership of the cleared Open World belonged to each player.
But could bringing an NPC to one’s personal VR SPACE be considered a violation of intellectual property?
The public had no time to entertain such complex thoughts.
The gajju of the World of Arseria. This phrase wasn’t just common in Korea.
Because Dawn’s Cat Adella was vividly alive and moving right now.
[▶Private Mode – OFF]
[▶Communication Mode – ON]
Soon enough, a green lawn grew in an empty space filled with a white background.
A fence was erected to mark the boundaries, and a transparent house regained its form.
At that moment, eagerly awaiting the door to open, a youthful girl was the first to greet the crowd as she opened it.
“Wow, how many people are there?”
Na-me squinted one eye and estimated the crowd that had come to her house.
At least 500, and counting those running from behind, it was clear that there were thousands.
Despite the huge gathering, a heavy silence loomed.
Not a single person dared to speak.
Then, just as Na-me was considering how strange it was,
Another girl, swirling in a black cloak, stepped into the spotlight, and the crowd erupted.
“Waaaaahhhh!”
“That’s really Adella, isn’t it?”
A thunderous cheer exploded.
“Adella! Adella! Adella! Adella! Adella!”
One audience member shouted her name loud and clear.
Others joined in, a mix of high and low voices reverberating through the space, calling her name.
Adella found the situation rather uncomfortable.
“What… what’s happening here…?”
As she unconsciously took a step back, Na-me gently pushed her forward.
“Those are your fans.”
“I have fans? Why on earth?”
Seeing Adella’s genuinely embarrassed flush, Na-me couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You were undoubtedly the most exceptional person in the world of Arseria.”
Adella narrowed her brows slightly.
No matter how fake the world she lived in was, she believed there were many superior individuals around her.
Yet, the name “Adella” echoed endlessly.
“Still don’t believe it?”
Na-me took her hand, leading her toward the crowd.
Even during the walk, Adella’s head incessantly shook back and forth.
The way her long eyelashes fluttered was almost pitiful to see.
Meanwhile, Na-me randomly brought a viewer inside the fence.
It had inadvertently turned into an interview situation.
“What’s your name?”
“Uh… oh! Aston Merlin. Please call me Merlin!”
“Alright, Mr. Merlin, just a quick interview. Why do you think ‘Adella’ is so loved in the World of Arseria?”
Upon hearing this, Adella felt her heart drop.
After all, she was a person far removed from love.
Abandoned by her mother at the Academy, she received no recognition from her father either.
Until she turned eighteen, she had no friends, and her life was filled with betrayals and loneliness.
Just as she was about to ask Na-me to withdraw the question,
Merlin thoughtfully stroked his chin and slowly opened his mouth.
“I actually want to ask you back. Where’s the reason for Adella not being cited as the most charming character in Wagal?”
Hearing Merlin’s words, Na-me smiled with satisfaction.
Adella, who had been drooping her head, gradually lifted it.
“World of Arseria may be wrapped in dreams and hopes, but if you look closely, it’s filled with dystopia. Every character has their own ambitions and beliefs, which, thanks to that, brings us players various trials.”
Merlin’s gaze met Adella’s.
His smiling eyes made her flinch.
“But I believe that the dream you possess is dazzling and beautiful. Even in a dark reality, you never lost sight of your dream and always gave your best at what you were assigned.”
She simply lacked experience and was overly eager.
Even after failing many missions in the Abyss, she always got back up despite those failures.
“Those who did not truly understand her worth were busy criticizing her, but eventually, her true value was revealed by a noble sacrifice no one could have anticipated.”
As the serious tones of the interview continued, the voices of the crowd gradually quieted.
“There has never been a case where all the initiative passed to an NPC in any circumstance. If Adella had seized NoName’s body, she could have realized her dream. But Adella didn’t do that. What she truly yearned for wasn’t wealth or fame but rather recognition from her companions.”
Na-me quietly approached the trembling Adella and asked softly if she was okay.
Adella nodded slightly, her lips pressed tightly.
Merlin, noticing the girls, concluded the interview.
“There may be many NPCs with excellent skills and stats, but do you remember the catchphrase of World of Arseria?”
– Purity, Exploration, and the last thing left is Companionship –
Both Na-me and many others nodded in agreement.
“Ultimately, the person who realized ‘companionship’ in the most perfect form was Adella alone. I believe she deserves all this praise as she possesses heroically virtuous qualities that ordinary people cannot.”
“Adella, you’re the best!”
“Waaaahhhh!”
“I love you, Adella!”
“You were amazing when you defeated Asmodeus!”
“You’re so pretty, Adella!”
Whistles and murmurs of admiration hammered at the cat girl’s eardrums.
As Merlin stepped back outside the fence and returned to where the others were, Na-me casually told the stiff Adella.
“They truly cheered for us all, united just to save you. Because you’re a person worth that.”
“But… I…”
Adella’s voice was somewhat hushed.
She was probably dizzy from the unfamiliar sensations that had stirred within her.
“If you want, I could send you back to your world. There, you’d become a hero who vanquished demons, and the Imperial Palace would bestow all kinds of wealth and titles upon you.”
That was the right of an NPC who had cleared the game.
“You’d sleep in the finest inn in the capital, and eat whatever food you desired. A whole world would be yours.”
Yet, as if she had already made a firm decision, Adella slightly furrowed her brows and shook her head furiously.
Nonetheless, out of courtesy, she asked again.
“What if I decide to stay here?”
“You’d get to meet your many fans in this world. Even though it’s virtual reality, you’ll have to sleep in a Narrow Room for now since there’s some currency involved.”
“Geez, sis, you’re so passive-aggressive…!”
Adella wiped away her tears and smiled brightly.
“However, it will take time until I retrieve the body from reality. I can’t use golem magic like before, but I’ll do my best.”
“Right now, it feels like it might be nice to live here.”
Her legs began to move slowly.
The thousands of people who had come to see her were now circling the fence.
As Adella took in the sight of each and every one of them, her heart filled with an indescribable warmth.
“It feels like… it’ll be super fun here.”
“VR SPACE is a fun world, too.”
“Can I go out right now?”
“Hold on, let me set your name first.”
[▶Please enter your nickname.]
“What’s our Cat Beastman lady’s name?”
Na-me asked playfully while manipulating the interface.
To which Adella smiled and replied.
“My name is Adella. Dawn’s Cat Adella!”
A name preserved after 17 reincarnations.
Na-me evaluated the name of the first AI to live in this new world as follows.
“I don’t know who named you, but it’s a pretty crummy name.”
“Ugh, sis!”
*
[▶Would you like to connect to the World of Arseria?]
[May the blessings of the World Tree be with you.]
While Adella was happily playing, I quickly reconnected to check my inventory.
[Memories of Mephistopheles – α]
[The memories of Mephistopheles scattered in the fog of death. No curse can be found in the mist.]
[Casting: Emotion]
It was a useless item given as some sort of loot for clearing the final boss.
Unfortunately, the administrator rights disappeared when I logged out, but it seemed I could still peek through using the Emotion spell.
Lines of simple item codes, just like before, appeared in ten lines.
Since it had no particular abilities, the length was short.
However, upon opening the file that was indicated as 57,344 bytes, there was 57,345 bytes of information inside.
One byte had been added in the middle.
Could I view the information that was added last?
Indeed, it was possible.
[search: 4]
“So that’s how it was. That’s why they kept telling me to defeat Mephisto.”
A message sent to an unspecified multitude.
And most ranks where Mephistopheles appeared as an object were at least Challenger level.
It seemed like the Wagal broadcast would go on much longer than I had anticipated.
