NPC wa Eiyuu no Yume wo Miru ka? (MMORPG : Elysia Online)

I stared out the window, the sky still dark. Dawn was still far off, but for some reason, I couldn't shake the strange feeling left by that dream.

That dream... was it really just an illusion?

I sighed, trying to clear my foggy mind. I needed to focus on reality. After lying in bed for a while, I finally decided to get up early.

As I stepped out of my room, the inn's hallway was still quiet. My footsteps echoed faintly as I walked down the stairs to the main hall. The morning air was still chilly, but the smell of toasted bread and tea began to fill the room.

As I sat at a table near the window, an inn attendant approached me warmly.

"Good morning! Would you like breakfast now?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Soon, a bowl of warm soup and a piece of bread were placed in front of me. I began eating quietly, enjoying the morning silence before the city became busy as usual.

However, the peace didn't last long. I heard the sound of quick footsteps approaching, and before I could turn—

"Rei! You're up already, huh?"

The cheerful voice came from Lyra, who was already fully dressed in her adventurer gear. She sat across from me with an energetic expression.

Shortly after, Celine also appeared, though she looked a bit sleepy. She yawned softly before sitting next to me, rubbing her heavy eyes.

"Why are you two up so early?" I asked.

"Well, we can't laze around forever, can we?" Lyra smirked. "We've got a lot to do today."

Celine just gave a small nod. "Besides, I'm also curious about our next plan."

I let out a long sigh, sinking a little deeper into the wooden chair in the rest area. The morning air still felt fresh, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of wet leaves and a faint aroma of wood smoke from the inn's kitchen.

In front of me, Lyra and Celine were still busy enjoying their breakfast. A cup of hot tea steamed in Celine's hands, while Lyra leaned back casually, biting into her bread with a satisfied expression.

"Finally, we can enjoy a peaceful morning," Lyra said, stretching her body. "If possible, I'd like a full day without any weird incidents."

I glanced at her before snorting. "With our luck? I think that's almost impossible."

Celine, who had been quiet until now, sipped her tea slowly before murmuring. "But it's been a while since we've relaxed like this..." She then turned to me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Rei, have you thought about our next move?"

I leaned back, looking at the bright blue sky. "Actually, not yet. But maybe we should start considering a few things before continuing our journey."

Lyra nudged my arm with her elbow. "Hey, at least let us enjoy this moment first. Don't get serious right away!"

I just shrugged. "Alright, alright. Let's take it easy today."

With that decision, our conversation turned to lighter topics—from the best food they've tried during our journey to Lyra teasing Celine about the incident at the hot spring last night. Celine's face turned bright red, while I could only hold back my laughter as she tried to avoid the topic.

Today might be a calm day—for now.

"It's rare to enjoy a morning like this," Lyra commented with a small smile. "Usually, we're always chased by quests or monsters that don't care about time."

I nodded, sipping the tea that had been served in front of me. "Yeah... a quiet morning like this feels strange, but I don't mind."

Celine let out a long breath, leaning back in her chair. "Me too. It feels like it's been a long time since I last sat back like this without having to think about strategies or battles." She glanced at me. "But you look a bit restless, Rei. Still thinking about something?"

I paused for a moment. Honestly, the strange feeling from last night's dream was still lingering in my mind. However, I wasn't sure if I should bring it up now.

"I'm just... used to being cautious," I finally replied, putting the cup down on the table. "This world never really gives us time to fully relax."

Lyra chuckled, raising an eyebrow with a teasing expression. "You need to learn to enjoy life, Rei~. Being too tense isn't good for your health."

Celine sighed. "You say that as if you've never worried yourself."

"Hey, I know when to be serious and when to have fun." Lyra smirked before glancing at me. "And speaking of fun, Rei... you've gotten used to us by now, right?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Lyra leaned back in her chair, her expression a bit mischievous. "At first, you always kept your distance. Now, look at us—relaxing together, going through so much as a team."

I fell silent, then shrugged. "I'm just trying to adapt."

Celine smiled slightly, looking satisfied with my answer. "And that's not a bad thing."

The three of us enjoyed a moment of silence, accompanied only by the sound of the attendants passing by and faint chatter from other tables.

However, this calm atmosphere wouldn't last long. I could feel it.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the world map open on my system screen. Elysia Online had many unexplored regions, and honestly, I still didn't know where to go next.

In front of me, Lyra sat casually in her chair with her arms crossed behind her head, while Celine was seriously looking at the list of quests that appeared in her system window.

"Alright," I finally spoke up, "we have a few options. We can continue exploring other regions, or we can take one of the quests available in this city."

Celine nodded while stroking her chin. "We should choose carefully. If these quests are related to the strange events we've experienced before, we might get more information about this world."

Lyra, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed. "But if we keep being this serious, we'll get bored quickly! Why don't we take something more exciting? Like... a tournament or a special event?"

I sighed. "Our priority is to find out more about this world and possibly a way out of here, not to seek entertainment."

Lyra clicked her tongue softly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But isn't gathering information also something we can do while having fun?"

I looked back at the list of available quests:

InvestigationQuestInvestigationQuest — A merchant reported that some of his goods have been mysteriously disappearing every night. Could this be the work of thieves or something bigger? (Difficulty: C+)

HuntingQuestHuntingQuest — Several mid-level monsters have been roaming closer to the city, threatening novice adventurers. The guards are asking for help to deal with them. (Difficulty: B-)

GuildEventGuildEvent — A tournament among adventurers is being held by one of the largest guilds in Elysia. The winner will gain access to rare items and information from within the guild. (Difficulty: B+)

I glanced at Lyra and Celine, who were still sitting across the table. Our breakfast was almost finished, but the discussion about quests had just begun.

"So... are we really going to take this InvestigationQuestInvestigationQuest?" Celine asked hesitantly, her fingers tapping lightly on the edge of her cup.

"There's no harm in finding out more," I said, sipping my warm tea before continuing, "Besides, this quest sounds more like an investigation than a frontal battle. If there's something suspicious, it's better we find out before it blows up."

Lyra shrugged casually, but her gaze was sharp. "If that's the case, I'm in. Besides, we don't have any other plans for today, do we?"

Celine sighed, giving in. "Alright... but we need to be careful. If something feels off, we retreat and regroup."

I nodded. The quest started with a report from a villager who claimed to have seen strange lights in the forest not far from here. No monsters were spotted, but there were strange noises at night.

I sighed, sipping the warm tea in my hand. "Alright, we need more information before taking the next step," I said, looking at Lyra and Celine sitting across from me.

"Hmm... If we talk to some NPC informants, we might be able to get something," Celine said, her fingers tapping the table with a slow rhythm, indicating she was deep in thought.

Lyra leaned back in her chair with a bored expression. "We should relax first. But if we really have to investigate, where do we start?"

I opened the map in my mind, trying to find the most likely spot for information. There were a few options:

The bar in the shopping district, where many adventurers gather and share gossip.

The city library, which might have old records related to the Mystic Core Fragment.

The Adventurer's Guild, where various missions and reports are collected, and there might be clues there.

We walked toward the shopping district, which was already bustling with morning activity. Merchants shouted their prices, tempting food aromas filled the air, and the clanging of metal could be heard from the blacksmith's workshop on the corner of the street.

"If we want to get information quickly, the bar in this district is the best place," Lyra said, glancing around. "Usually, adventurers who've just returned from dungeons or quests like to share stories there."

I nodded. That was a good idea. If something strange was happening around the city, chances were we could get a lead from them.

We entered one of the largest bars in the shopping district. The atmosphere inside was lively, filled with adventurers of various classes and levels. Some sat at tables, enjoying drinks and food, while others were busy discussing the results of their quests.

Celine took a deep breath before approaching the bartender. "Excuse me, are there any interesting rumors going around lately?"

The bartender—a middle-aged man with a thick beard—narrowed his eyes before leaning his elbow on the counter. "Huh? You looking for gossip or serious info?"

"If there's something related to strange occurrences or unusual monsters, we'd like to know about it," I added, trying to catch his attention.

The bartender stroked his beard for a moment before finally speaking.

"Actually, there's one thing that's been the talk of adventurers lately."

I, Lyra, and Celine exchanged glances before focusing back on his words.

"A few days ago, a group of adventurers went to some old ruins outside the city. They claimed to have seen strange lights and heard unusual noises. Some say it's just an illusion or the effect of a certain monster, but no one has dared to investigate it further."

I crossed my arms, digesting the information. Strange lights in old ruins? This sounded like something related to the Mystic Core Fragment we had found earlier.

"Did any adventurers survive that place?" Lyra asked in a serious tone.

"A few came back," the bartender replied. "But they refused to talk further. They said they felt like they were being watched the whole time they were there."

Celine bit her lip, deep in thought. "Maybe we should find one of them and ask directly."

I nodded in agreement. This was clearly something we needed to investigate further.

I leaned back in my chair, observing the surroundings. The bar was quite lively, with adventurers from various backgrounds chatting and enjoying their drinks.

Lyra played with her glass casually, while Celine sat upright, her gaze still analyzing the situation.

"Are we staying here?" I asked, confirming our decision.

Lyra nodded lightly. "Who knows, there might be something useful."

Celine also agreed. "We can observe for a while before deciding what to do."

I glanced at a few tables. A group of adventurers had just returned from a dungeon, looking exhausted but satisfied. Meanwhile, a heavily armored man was speaking seriously with the bartender.

I walked over to the table of adventurers who had just returned from the dungeon. From their appearance, it was clear that their expedition hadn't been easy. Some of them had minor injuries, while others were still catching their breath, quickly finishing their drinks.

"Excuse me," I greeted casually, making sure not to disrupt their mood too suddenly. "You just got back from a dungeon, right? Seems like the journey was pretty tough."

One of them—a man with messy brown hair and light combat gear—glanced at me briefly before chuckling. "Yeah, you could say that. The dungeon was far more dangerous than we expected."

I glanced at Lyra and Celine standing behind me. Lyra looked interested, while Celine seemed a bit cautious. I could understand why—not all adventurers liked to share information about the dungeons they'd just cleared, especially if there was something valuable inside.

"Mind if I ask more?" I continued, keeping my tone neutral. "We're looking for information about that area. Is there something interesting inside?"

The man exchanged glances with his companions. One of them, a woman with a slightly burnt hem on her magic robe, finally spoke up. "We found something... strange in there."

I narrowed my eyes. "Strange how?"

The woman took a sip of her drink before continuing, her voice lower, as if she didn't want others to hear. "We found a hidden room inside the dungeon. There was some kind of... glowing crystal."

I felt Lyra and Celine tense up behind me.

"A crystal?" I asked, making sure I heard correctly.

The man who spoke first nodded. "Yeah. We don't know what it's for, but when we tried to approach it, something felt... off. The air around the room changed. It felt like something was watching us."

Celine bit her lip, deep in thought. "Did you take the crystal?"

The man laughed bitterly. "No. We're not stupid. After feeling that atmosphere, we immediately retreated. But it felt like something there didn't want us to leave so easily."

I exchanged glances with Lyra and Celine. This was clearly more than just an ordinary dungeon.

I looked at the man seriously. His words were quite concerning. It felt like something there didn't want us to leave so easily, he said. That wasn't just a bad feeling. If experienced adventurers like them felt that kind of pressure, then there was definitely something wrong with that crystal's location.

I exchanged glances with Lyra and Celine. From their expressions, it seemed they also realized this wasn't information we could just ignore.

I shifted my chair a bit closer to them and asked, "Can you explain in more detail? The exact location of the crystal, and were there any other suspicious signs around it?"

One of the adventurers, a man with a scar on his left cheek, let out a heavy sigh. "We found it in the deepest part of some ancient ruins south of Eldoria Forest. That place... it was supposed to be just ordinary ruins, but as we got closer, we started feeling this strange pressure. Not normal magic. It felt like... something was watching us."

"And when you decided to leave?" I asked, trying to dig deeper.

The man smirked bitterly, then took a sip of his drink before continuing. "As we retreated, we felt something... like whispers in our ears. Faint, but enough to make our hair stand on end. And what's even stranger, our footsteps felt heavier, as if something was trying to hold us back. We barely made it out before everything returned to normal."

Celine looked deep in thought, her hand gripping her glass. "Whispers... and the feeling of being held back? That's not something normal in a regular dungeon."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Then it's not just the crystal that's suspicious. Maybe there's something guarding it or... something dormant there."

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Damn, this is starting to sound more complicated.

"Has anyone investigated that place before?" I asked.

The scarred man shook his head. "Not that I know of. The ruins are pretty hidden and not marked on any official maps. If it weren't for the quest we took, we wouldn't have found it either."

I nodded, digesting this information. If the ruins weren't marked on any maps, then this was definitely not a regular dungeon. And if there was some kind of force preventing them from leaving, then there was a possibility that something there was being "guarded."

Celine looked at me, her eyes full of questions. "Are we going to investigate it?"

I looked at the crystal still in my hand. Damn... There was no other way.

"Yes. But we need to be very careful."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms while my mind raced, trying to piece together the information I had just received. Mysterious ruins, an unnatural atmosphere, and the presence of a strange crystal that seems to have some unknown effect. This was all too much of a coincidence to ignore.

Lyra was still swirling her now-empty glass, her expression showing a vague interest. Meanwhile, Celine looked at me with a thoughtful gaze, as if making sure I wasn't being reckless in making this decision.

"So, are we heading out tomorrow morning?" Lyra asked casually, but I could see a glint in her eyes—she was probably already imagining various exciting scenarios in her head.

I sighed, rubbing my chin while thinking. "Not necessarily. We're still lacking information. If we go in blind, we'll only be putting ourselves in danger."

Celine nodded in agreement. "At the very least, we need to confirm what's in those ruins before diving in. If there's really something dangerous, then we'll need a strategy."

I shifted my gaze to the adventurers who had just given us the information. If they felt something intimidating there to the point that they chose to retreat, then that place was clearly not an ordinary dungeon.

"Alright," I finally decided, "We'll spend today digging deeper into those ruins. If we can find historical records, rumors, or even someone who's seen it up close, that would be better."

Lyra sighed, but her expression showed that she was still enjoying the situation. "So, more investigation, huh? I hope we at least get something interesting this time."

Celine tilted her head slightly, then asked, "Then, where do we start?"

I thought for a moment, considering a few places that might provide additional clues. There are a few options we can take to continue this investigation.