Hero

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

So much for things going smoothly.

A small, tiny voice said that Kazuki should apologize. His initial assumption was completely biased and aside from an unpleasant comment before everything happened, he had no real reason for his words aside from a gut feeling. Nothing Graves said was wrong. Nothing he said was inaccurate. Well, this is probably what he got for trying to be social. He should have considered this a possibility, but he hadn't really thought Graves would get so emotionally defensive over someone not worth it. No, the best thing to do was to calm down. Apologizing was for the weak, but for the sake of unity, it was probably needed.

At the last sentence, however, Kazuki's eyebrows shot up for a second before he narrowed his eyes, his eyes cold and every previous thought thrown out the window. He knew it. He knew he wasn't just being paranoid or hard on himself. He knew that this is what they'd pin on him.

“I’ll never forgive you.”

"Say it," Kazuki challenged Graves, ignoring Alja for a moment.

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

Kazuki had to resist the urge to roll his eyes--why in the world did Graves assume he was talking about Rael? Was he the only one that saw it? Well, Graves was all about battle and violence, maybe picking up on subtleties wasn't one of his strengths. Which wasn't a bad thing, but he supposed being diplomatic would only get him so far. While he would have chosen another word for it, Graves was right, he should be his usual blunt self. There wasn't any point in hiding his intentions, and the last thing he wanted was for him to think the wrong idea. This was definitely ironic considering he had previously hoped he wouldn't end up with either of them yesterday, but no one needed to know that.

"Fair enough," He decided to be as plain as possible. "I don't believe the Augustine assassin is to be trusted. Their contributions were minimal yesterday and unlike the rest of us, doesn't seem to be able to hold it together without causing issues. Clearly she's the reason behind both altercations that had just happened; she'll bring nothing but problems going forward."

Biased? Yes. But it didn't matter, no one knew enough about him to call him out on it. Rael was too valuable of a DPS to let get away anyway. He would have to figure out how to get Alja on board since the argument, but he figured so long as the troublemaker wasn't in the way, he could probably figure something out. Weeding out the weakest was probably for the best. If she wanted to spend all her time sobbing, she could do it in the safety of the town and not while they were doing things.

"I know Rael has shown some personality issues in the past, but I think she's more reliable in a fight. She handled the news the best out of everyone--it's telling of her character," Kazuki continued. "I'd rather have her as an ally. She's a little reckless but it produces results."

"But I have to ask," He couldn't really stop his curiosity. "Why did you think I was talking about Rael? Alja and Sieg also got into it, too."

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

Wow, they agreed! A massive relief for sure, but Kazuki was so sure he was going to have to make more of a case. Maybe he undersold his diplomacy. It was a nice boost of confidence considering the last twenty four hours and he wasn't going to complain. Both men had already more than proven themselves and he felt he could trust them both. Graves' confidence would be a boon and he didn't seem as wild as he was before. Alex had already given him a good feeling and his acceptance did wonders for his nerves, even if his drinking concerned him a little. But he still trusted the two more than most, and he knew his brother would put any differences aside for the greater good.

However, the same could not be said for the entirety of the group. To his dismay, Kazuma was already talking to Sif, but he supposed it couldn't be helped. And of course there was something of an argument that further cemented the thought--apparently Alja and Rael were going at it, and who was next to them but Kalie, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. As quickly as it started it ended, though he caught Siegfried going over to probably tell Rael off. He didn't even have to know what happened to guess that the 'roleplayer' had caused it.

"That being said, we should be careful who we do choose to associate with. I'll be the first to admit I'm wary of certain people," Kazuki would admit that much, shaking his head. "For one, I sincerely doubt anyone from Mystic Prophecy would want to even look at me right now, let alone associate with me. For another...we should all at least try to get along. Anyone that causes issues should be avoided, no matter how innocent they look. Other players can be unpredictable, and it helps to be wary."

He couldn't quite stop the bitterness in his voice at his last sentence, but he felt the need to address something Alex mentioned. "So long as we keep our heads on our shoulders and take things as they come, we can probably handle it for the most part," He replied. "We have to throw away most of the things we knew about this 'game' and treat it as reality. For some, it'll be easy. For others, not so much."

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

Graves' arrival had been convenient and Kazuki was glad to see him. There was something about his consistency that was refreshing, even if it was accompanied by a metaphorical gut punch. Oh no, was that what everyone thought of him? Was his failure just going to follow him around forever? It was one thing for his every spare thought burying him in anxiety over it, but somehow hearing it out loud was a thousand times worse. At least Graves was open about it, what of the rest? Would they just look at him in pity? Would Alex be reminded and reject his offer? Was it his destiny to drown in his failure and be blacklisted from any parties because they want a competent healer despite him pouring over medical texts and doing his best to improve oh no what if they saw him buying the books and laughed at his attempts--

Before Kazuki would drown in his thoughts, Graves mentioned a meeting, snapping him back to reality. Yes, of course, he should take advantage of the fact that Graves had openly approached them. He was still convinced the man was probably better off with the guild but if there was any chance at him possibly being open to the idea of sticking with them, then Kazuki would be a fool to pass up the opportunity.

"Actually--" Was he saying that too much? 'Actually'? No, it was happenstance. "--you're someone I wanted to talk to as well," Kazuki admitted. "I was just mentioning to Alex that his performance yesterday proved that he was someone to be trusted, and now that you're here, I'll extend that to you as well. There's no denying your skills and I understand if you feel you're better off elsewhere, but I was hoping you'd consider sticking to Benkei and I--and Alex as well, if he agrees."

Even if he felt like he was repeating himself, he figured it was best to explain. But whereas he thought Alex had one approach, he thought it was best to change it up a little for Graves. Aside from not wanting to come off as repetitive, different targets required alternate methods of recruitment. That thought did not sound manipulative at all regardless of what his conscious told him.

"I don't think anyone yesterday would deny your abilities and strength came to the rescue a multitude of times, and your synergy with the others was unparalleled," He continued. "I think coming together as a group would benefit everyone. The rules have changed in more ways than one, I don't think it's unreasonable to believe that there are strength in numbers. We don't know what else has changed aside from the monsters, as well as..."

He trailed off as he thought back to Marianna. "...the rest of this world. When I was on my way back from the shop, a NPC approached me and spoke to me of my performances. It's not surprising that they remembered as a majority of my revenue came from them, but it was strange that she approached me first. Everything about the conversation was strange, I almost thought I was talking to another player," He shook his head, a little more determined. "Which is why I would like--why I was hoping we could also count on your support."

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

It had definitely felt like a long time, Kazuki agreed with that much. Still, he couldn't help but slightly raise an eyebrow as Alex drank. The tavern obviously reeked of alcohol, but he was a little surprised to see someone his age--were they the same age?--take a swig like an experienced drinker. Then again, he couldn't really blame him, even if he wished he had arrived beforehand to stop him. There was just something wrong about seeing an obviously sullen Alex trying to drink his woes away. Gone was the warrior archer from yesterday, replaced instead with a young man that seemed like he was in over his head.

Not that he was one to talk.

Alex spoke of a letter and followed where he had gestured to, only now seeing Seele and Alja. It looked like Alja was in the same boat as Alex with Seele comforting her. Was there ever a moment she wasn't comforting someone? He had to admit it was admirable to see her the same as yesterday as she continued to be there for everyone. He never did thank her, did he?

Kazuki tore his gaze away from Seele and looked over to Kazuma for advice, only for the latter to have gone elsewhere. Alright, he supposed recruiting Alex would now fall to him, the socially inept Kazu. Well, if he succeeded, maybe afterwards he could catch Seele and Alja. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Alex. He was pretty sure the poor guy didn't even realize he had ink all over his chin.

"Actually, 'plans and stuff' is why we're here," Kazuki told him with a slight shrug. "Ka--Benkei and I thought that maybe banding together would be more effective than staying apart. At the very least having more people to rely on isn't a bad thing nowadays."

He had no idea if what he was trying to say even made sense, but he knew he had to try. "Yesterday happened and we're all still here. We're still alive, and that only happened because we were together," He continued, pausing for a moment as he scratched his cheek. "Truth be told, I--It's difficult to find people that are trustworthy. People that are reliable. You're someone that people can rely on and you pull through when needed."

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

Suddenly Kazuki was wishing he could turn invisible.

He didn't think he had ever been anxious before, what the hell was this world doing to him? Then again, having to show his face to people who knew of his failure was also a first--there was a bitter thought at the back of his mind that figured at least a beating was more predictable and would eventually end. But Kazuma was right, there was strength in numbers and as disastrous as the dungeon had went, on their half, they managed. No, that was giving the group too little credit; they all survived and lived to tell the tale. And with the glitch firmly in place that was more of an accomplishment than it should have been.

He had to admit he was still slightly distrustful, although he admitted he wasn't sure if there were any specific reasons or if because he was expecting them to blame him the same way Luci had. Well, there was one for sure he was uneasy with partying again: the scythe user spelled out trouble for him. She reminded him too much of Minako and he would be damned if he was stuck with someone like her again in this world. The way she roleplayed, the way she tried to apologize to him, it stirred up some uncomfortable memories that he would rather stay far away from. Then there was Rael and Graves to consider. The former had more than held her own, and Graves was a madman but effective. It was less about wondering if they would want to stick with them and more about if they weren't already scooped up by the other people that remained in the guild. Alja, too, probably, that last ice attack was really something. He supposed Alex and Seele seemed more the type to join up with them, but maybe they were more comfortable elsewhere.

That said, together they had been pretty balanced. Everyone had pulled their weight considerably and synergized considering they had never partied together as a group. Initially he had been asked if he could handle healing alone and he managed. Seele was a fantastic support alongside him and he had to admit he liked working aside her even after the announcement. Still, they didn't have any long range attackers, and his healing had been proven to be subpar at best. Maybe he could work more on his offensive spells as well, he should add it to his list.

Kazuki exhaled, shaking his head at himself. Why was he thinking so hard about all this? Kazuma was the one that would do all the talking, anyway. He should stick to what he knew, and that needed some serious work. His plan had been to study while all the talking was happening, he wasn't exactly a diplomat nor was he popular. Still, it left a bad taste in his mouth, he may as well put in the effort. Even if only one person decided to join them, he would count it as a success.

The tavern was much more bustling than he had anticipated, but then again, every other player had wisely chosen to seek shelter in the cities. Taking a look around, he was a little relieved that he hadn't seen anyone from Mystic Prophecy. Not that it meant they weren't around, but out of sight, out of mind. He did, however, spot the familiar brunet hunched over a paper.

Approaching the man, he tapped his shoulder. "Hello," He ended up greeting him.

---

---

①⑨⑥⑧

S T A R F I R E

---

The thrill of a good fight was something Koriand'r didn't realize she had actually missed. Whatever strength she had had been used toiling away under a hot sun or being little more than a glorified trophy occasionally, but the teachings of the Warlords of Ookara were instilled in her the same way breathing was. It would have felt a little more justified against the spineless Psions, but she had to admit, the Gordonians gave much more of a fight--all the better to release years of frustration and pent-up anger. It felt so good to whack something living, to feel the rush as she dodged an attack.

Of course it was nice to have some allies on her side, too!

The Blue One (whose name she really should have asked by now) managed to surprise her yet again, especially as he was so foolhardy to intercept an attack. But the real surprise was that the bolts from the Gordonians' weaponry did nothing to him. She had a high pain tolerance but the electric charges hurt, so the fact that he could just shrug them off like that astounded her. Perhaps she had underestimated his planet after all.

There was no time to remain in awe, however, as the Green Lantern seemed to not have the ability of flight. It must vary between the colors of the people on this planet, she would need to remember that. "Then you take point, I shall return in just a moment!" She told the flying blue guy before zipping downwards, discarding her makeshift club in favor of grabbing the green one away from the not-friendly green one.

Placing him down on the group, she offered him a grin, though it didn't last as a Gordonian landed on her. It stepped down on her abdomen, speaking in its native tongue as she lifted her hands up, the green energy glowing in her hands until she blasted the thing off her. As she clumsily got to her feet, she made another attempt at breaking the cuffs, frustrated as she was unable to free herself.

"Would you be so kind as to remove these so I may better fight against my former slavers?" She asked the Green Lantern as sweetly as she could. "I would be much more effective with freer hands."

---

_{@Asura@DocTachyon}

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

---

"Now that we have a moment, I would like some clarification on your earlier comment."

Kalliope didn't bother looking up from her soup, enjoying it too much to let Sirius' sourpuss face ruin it. Only after she had her fill did she finally look at the man, impressed as he kept up his consistent glare. She much preferred interacting with the younger brother--the eldest was much too stiff, too formal, too nosy. In her opinion he also had quite the ego all things considered. Lord Ioannis had entrusted him and Lysander as his right hand men, and yet Sirius acted like he had any sort of rank over her. The Knights of Seiros only answered to one, and he wasn't it.

"Do you have a moment? I assumed you'd be shaking trees to get Theo down," She chuckled. "Must be nice to have so much time on your hands, the bureaucracy must suit you."

Sirius narrowed his eyes, albeit he kept his voice low. "Your instructions were to spy on Duke Charon, and yet here you are," He reminded her.

"And then I was recalled. I figured it was only a matter of time, the archbishop is quite soft," She replied airily. "He may be a child but I won't go disrespecting any orders. Such a thing would disrupt the already delicate balance of the church, even you know this much. So I don't quite understand the hostility."

"Lord Ioannis wanted the Church to keep an eye on the Duke, his actions have been concerning to the King of Faerghus."

"Correct. And then he changed his mind after speaking to one Derec Ballard," She dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a napkin, though she didn't missed Sirius' look of disbelief. "It's true, the young man came and asked to speak to the archbishop privately and was granted an audience. After that, the word was sent out, and here I am. If you ask me, the Gerth is the one to be wary about."

Sirius let out a huff, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had no idea the bastard had even come, and to learn this from Kalliope of all people made the news worse. "And you think the future Imperial princess is more of a concern than the disgraced Ordelia heiress?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you find it strange that the entire family went into hiding once they were released only for the heiress to pop up here?"

"The late Duke Ordelia was all about appearances, I don't doubt the rest of the family is the same. Besides, I'd heard she returned to her family, she is the sister to Duke Daphnel's wife," She decided to explain herself. "His Imperial Highness initially wanted some time before the prince was to be wed, and now suddenly the marriage is to take place at the end of this year? Something changed behind the scenes, something big."

As Sirius opened his mouth to disagree, the sound of clattering iron filled the halls next to them. The pair watched as quite a few guards had given chase to a thief. It didn't happen often, but the Monastery was unfortunately no stranger to such a thing. Sirius rolled his eyes, moving to stand when Kalliope stopped him.

"If the Knights don't get them, they deserve to get away," She chuckled, continuing to eat her soup. "And the chef is masterful today, you should really eat."

Said thief had somehow eluded the guards, confident in their speed as they dodged several grabs and jabs of spears. Unfortunately, once they passed the hall, a sharp pain erupted through their calf. Stumbling down and releasing the bag they held, they let out a howl of pain as the guards surrounded them.

A little distance away, Euphemia clucked her tongue in disappointment, lowering her bow. "I was going for the ankle," She muttered to herself, joining the guards as they successfully lifted the thief to their feet. Their face was hidden by both hood and a mess of green hair, but she didn't really care who they were. "Bold of you to steal from the Church. Don't you know that the Goddess doesn't smile kindly on thieves?"

"I had to!" He all but shouted, eyes crazed as he glared at Euphemia. "If you know what's good for you, you'll release me at once!"

Narrowing her eyes, Euphemia stepped closer to the thief, only to quickly step back as he tried to kick at her. "You lot with the Mark will bring this world to its knees! You remember this, because when she comes, those Marks will bring the world to its knees!"

At this point it was clear that their little conversation was being heard all around. Letting out a sigh, Euphemia waved off the guards. "Take him away. Inform the Advisor and Captain--" She stopped as she looked through the hall door to the Dining Hall, staring straight at the pair in question. "...never mind, I'll inform them myself."

Kalliope gave Sirius a shrug. "Be a dear and take care of things, I wanna finish up here," She told Sirius, ignoring the scowl he threw at her.

Sirius stood from his seat, joining Euphemia in the hall as she picked up the bag the thief had dropped. Her eyes widened considerably, hastily covering it in her arms before rushing over to the man. "Sir, he managed to get into the...well," She put her voice down to a whisper, showing him a peek of what was within.

There was maybe two seconds before Sirius immediately took a hold of the bag, barking an order at the nearest pair of guards. "Speak of this to no one," He muttered to her before taking off.

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

Finally arriving at his home-away-from-home, Kazuki let out a small sigh. The interaction with Marianna bothered him more than he wanted to admit. It wasn't enough that the mobs and bosses weren't acting like themselves, but the behavior of the computer characters could mean that they had no real way of knowing what was going to happen even in the safety of the town. Couldn't anything stayed consistent in this stupid world? Were the NPCs going to start talking to him out of nowhere? Were they actually watching his every move? Was he going to suddenly get jumped by a desperate guy trying to get by? The last one caused the hair on the back of his neck to rise, freaking him out somewhat as he looked around.

"Oi! Kazuki!" Kazuki jumped in place, having been so absorbed in his thoughts that he somehow didn't notice the man next to him. The bard known as Robin Goodfellow flashed him a grin, with Kazuki somehow having missed both him and the cart next to him. It wasn't an extraordinary sight; despite the guy's look, he was a madman with his hands, favoring alchemy. The cart was a little more packed than usual, but what really held Kazuki's attention was the way the bard had a firm grip on it.

Robin's smile faded just a touch as he got a good look at Kazuki, not liking what he was seeing. "Jesus, you look like you've been through some shit," He commented.

"You scared the crap out of me," Kazuki scowled, relaxing after a few seconds. "I thought you'd be in Iblenar, I sent out a message to you and Hammer."

"I was meeting a friend here that I had just introduced to a game," He explained, his smile looking particularly pained as he let out a hollow laugh. "We were in the field when he accidentally stabbed himself with his own sword. Not the brightest of the bunch, but you can imagine the panic that ensued once he started bleeding everywhere. Fortunately, we found a healer in time, but...shit freaked everyone out. I mean, everything did, but you know..."

Kazuki couldn't help the pang of jealousy, though he nodded in understanding. "I'm glad you're alright," He said quietly, glad to see that he was okay.

"Wish I could say the same to you, but like I said, you look like you've been through some shit," Robin frowned at him, dropping all of his previous joy. "You ended up going with your brother to the dungeon after all, didn't you?"

There was no need for any lies; he figured word would get out sooner than later. "We lost three people," He sighed.

"Well, shit. So much for Mystic Prophecy being 'the guild'. Still, you ended up better than that small guild that went for a rerun. Think only two of them ended up coming back," The bard muttered, shaking his head. "Anyway, I came looking for you because I'm heading back to Iblenar. I figured I'd bring you along, we could hole up with Hammer and ride this out until the devs fix shit."

Hammer did have her guild, and being back in his home territory would probably help out in the magic department. Maybe putting some distance would help, too; God knows he had avoided any street that was even close to the guild hall. That said, he knew he couldn't just up and leave without talking to Kazuma, and in the back of his mind it felt wrong to just up and leave without saying anything. At the very least he would say goodbye to his party. If they wanted to see him, that is. He wasn't sure if they blamed him for Aaginim's death, too.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm going to see what Kazuma wants to do next," Kazuki told Robin. "If we do end up heading over there, I'll make sure to let you know."

Robin teetered on a response, initially looking like he was going to insist but changing his mind at the last second. Instead he turned back towards his cart, pulling out a small box. "Sounds good. Take this, then."

"Whatever it is, take it with you, you might end up needing it for the trip," He declined.

"Or you could take it while you figure your shit out. C'mon, take it," Robin insisted, shoving it into Kazuki's hands. "It's just some food and a few potions I rationed for you if you ended up coming, might as well keep it. Once I'm settled over at the guild hall, I'll send you some stuff from time to time and if you ever need something, just let me know."

As much as he wanted to protest, Kazuki figured he may as well take it. Who knew what other effects the glitch had that he hadn't accounted for? Extra food was never a bad thing to have, anyway, since hunger was now something else to worry about. "Fine. In exchange, feel free to use my place. Hammer has a spare key, if you guys need it for whatever reason, use it."

"Giving me a place for my booty calls? You're too kind!" Robin let out a genuine laugh. "Alright, alright...but send Hammer another letter saying so, she probably won't believe me."

"Thank you. Be careful out there," He said, giving him a deep bow.

Robin nodded, giving him a serious look. "Don't go dying out there, Hoshizawa," He said.

"Yeah. You too, Yukine."

Kazuki watched Robin walk off with his cart until he was out of sight. At some point he'd probably go that way, but for now he would finally enter his home, closing the door behind him. Settling the box down, he examined its contents. He wasn't a fantastic chef or anything but he could probably make something out of this stuff to make it last longer. There was a recipe book somewhere around here, he could add cooking to his improvement list. It probably wasn't a bad idea, if the goal was to survive, then he may as well.

An unfamiliar sound caught his attention and pulled him out of his thoughts once again, though his heart splintered as he realized what it was. He entered the bedroom freely, watching his brother for a moment. Yesterday must have gotten to him. Not that he'd blame him, but Kazuma had been more invested in both the game and the people they'd lost. He was probably overwhelmed. Still, as bad as he felt, Kazuki had to admit that it gave him a little resolve. He was going to make sure to be the big brother Kazuma deserved, he promised himself right then and there to be his rock.

Kneeling down next to the bed, he reached over and squeezed his hand. "It's okay," Kazuki soothed him. "Let it all out."

---

---

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

---

---

Lighter on money, heavier on books--just like the real world. Except instead of buying a ton of fun sheet music, he had stuffed as many magical and medical texts as he could fit in his bag. Go figure, he had way more space to carry things when he actually organized it. To think he was so messy in-game when he was usually a neat freak. But gone were the days of dumping his inventory into a chest and then wincing when he went to dig out a potion only for it to have been crushed at the bottom, now he was applying his real-life organizational skills in game. Which he probably should have done in the first place.

Kazuki made his way back to the small house he owned in Thorinn, adjusting the strap on his shoulder. He was already mapping out the most efficient way to tackle on the reading material, hoping it would give him some insight on becoming more efficient. Yesterday had proven to him that his skills were sorely lacking and he never wanted a repeat if it could be helped. Never again would he be the weakest one--he was going to conquer his weaknesses and survive this stupid world. If there was no update from the game masters by now then it meant they were stuck here for a while, and he'd be damned if he was going to die here.

Last night's awkwardness was palpable but he knew he wasn't wanted. Not that he would have lodged with the group as it was, he couldn't possibly bare the shame to even look at Luci. Fortunately his daytime stringing and tendency to roam had netted him a place to stay in every City-State, with Thorinn being no exception. He had plenty of money as well, but who knew how long it'd last. Who knew how long they'd be here. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to get a good night's sleep for the next six years or so, the few hours he got due to pure exhaustion. Enos' body had haunted his nightmares while Aaginim had haunted his every waking moment, Luci's words on a repeat anytime he had a moment to himself.

And thus there he was, his small home in sight. As he walked, he spotted a familiar looking young woman with a basket of eggs in hand. Kazuki recognized her as Marianna, one of his NPC neighbors. She had been a frequent attendee of his performances, too, often chiding him for 'staying away' whenever he was somewhere else. He used to like following her routine, finding it interesting how detailed the game was with the NPC routes. She was sweet, if a little generic, and liked to talk about her dreams of packing up and moving to Iblenar.

She paused as she heard him approach, giving him a small smile. "Hello, Kazuki!" She greeted him warmly.

Kazuki paused, for some reason finding the greeting weird. She was polite, yeah, but something was off. After being unable to figure out what, he replied, "Hello. Fetching eggs for your family?"

"Mhm!" She nodded, bright and bubbly as always. "I was hoping I'd catch your performance, but it looks like you've been shopping. Are you leaving Thorinn?"

The Japanese man slowly blinked, a little surprised. Their conversations were basic, but usually predictable and usually about the same two or three topics. This was the first time she was asking about his schedule. Was she stalking him? Now that would be humorous after all the time he had spent following her around. And now he sounded like a creep. So long as no one could read his thoughts, he would be fine. "No, I was shopping for some reading material, but I don't think I'll be performing today," He replied. "I'm sorry to disappoint."

"Oh, no, no, everyone needs a break once in a while!" She giggled. "Although, if you have the time and change your mind, I think you should. There are a lot of wayfarers around, you'd probably get a huge audience today."

How did she know about that? Did NPCs usually keep track of how many players were around? Kazuki was dense when it came to this game, yeah, but he felt like he was talking to another player instead of some AI. Marianna was examining his face, her eyes flickering up and down as she waited patiently for a response. But after a moment of an awkward silence where Kazuki could only stare at her in disbelief, she let out a nervous laugh. She was acting like a player that had been weirded out, too! "Well...I'll see you around!" She gave him a weird look and a small wave before she walked away.

Kazuki couldn't help but stare after the girl, bewildered. What the hell was that?! Did the glitch include giving the NPCs realistic responses--wait a minute, that was what he initially found so weird about their encounter. Marianna had never initiated the conversation, she only ever replied to his inquiries! But there she was, striking up a conversation like a neighbor, like a person. No, he was probably overthinking things. NPCs always had realistic conversations. Letting out a slight groan, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. Maybe he should at least try to take a nap.

---

---