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

Lyra sat back casually with her arms crossed, her expression as cheerful as usual, while Celine tapped her fingers on the table, looking a bit more serious.

"So, are we really going to investigate those ruins?" I asked, making sure we were all on the same page.

Celine sighed, then nodded. "From the information we've gathered, that crystal has something strange about it. If the place really 'rejects' the presence of players, there might be a mechanism or something we don't yet understand inside."

Lyra smirked. "Or maybe there's undiscovered treasure?" she said jokingly, though her eyes sparkled as if she hoped the theory was true.

I rubbed my chin, analyzing the information we had so far. "From what the adventurers at the bar said, they didn't find any monsters around the ruins. But... they felt something invisible."

Celine nodded slowly. "Right, that's the strangest part. Nothing attacked them, but they still felt unwelcome there. And when they tried to retreat, it felt like something was holding them back."

"Maybe a system trap?" I suggested.

Lyra shrugged. "Could be. But usually traps in this game are more obvious. Either in the form of gravity fields, magical barriers, or something detectable."

I sighed. "Then there's a chance that place isn't a normal area. It might have elements not registered in the system we know."

The three of us fell silent for a moment, each thinking about the best course of action.

"So, how do we proceed?" I finally asked.

Celine tapped the table with her finger again, this time with a thoughtful expression. "I think we should gather more information before diving in."

"How far?" Lyra asked.

Celine turned to her. "Maybe we can visit the city library or find someone with more knowledge about these ancient ruins. If the place really isn't a normal dungeon, there must be historical records or legends related to it."

Lyra looked a bit disappointed. "So, no going there directly? Boring."

I turned to her. "But it's the wiser move. If we go in unprepared, we might end up in a place we can't get out of."

Lyra clicked her tongue but eventually nodded in agreement. "Alright, alright. So, we head to the library first?"

Celine smiled. "That's one option. Or we could look for an NPC researcher or historian who might know more."

I leaned back in my chair. "We have two paths for this investigation. The library or finding an NPC with information."

"We need more preparation. We don't know what's waiting there, so we have to consider every possibility."

Lyra crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, her casual expression slightly diminished. "So, we dig deeper first, huh? That's a good idea, though I'm a bit impatient to just go there."

Celine let out a soft sigh, sipping her drink before speaking. "I agree with Rei. We can't act recklessly. If these ruins truly hold something mysterious, we need to make sure we're not walking into a trap."

I tapped my fingers on the table, thinking for a moment. The information we had was still too vague. We knew the location, but we didn't know what awaited us there. The only logical choice was to gather more information before making a move.

"We can start by checking places that might hold this information," I said. "We've tried the library before, but maybe there's a book or record we missed. Besides that, we could look for NPCs or adventurers who might have explored the area before."

Lyra propped her chin on one hand, her expression thoughtful. "When it comes to information about ancient ruins, there are a few places that might have it. Maybe there's a collector of artifacts or a merchant who unknowingly holds important clues."

Celine nodded. "There's also the possibility that the adventurer's guild has records of expeditions to that area. If we can get access to their archives, we might find something."

I started forming a strategy in my mind. There were a few ways to gather more information:

Search the city library again, this time more thoroughly. There's a chance we missed something before.

Visit artifact collectors or antique merchants. They might have come across something related to the ruins.

Go to the adventurer's guild and check old expedition records. Some adventurers might have explored the area before and recorded something useful.

I looked at Lyra and Celine. "Alright, we have a few options. We can start with..."

Celine rested her chin on both hands. "Honestly, I want to know more about those ruins. There's so much information we haven't uncovered yet."

Lyra nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and I think the library is the more logical choice. We can dig deeper to find records or books we might have missed."

I crossed my arms, thinking for a moment. The library... Maybe that's the best step for now.

"Then, we'll head back to the library." I looked at both of them. "We need to look for historical records or old documents that might mention something about the ruins and that crystal."

Celine gave a faint smile. "I'm curious, are there any legends or folklore about that place? Sometimes, the most valuable information is hidden in old stories."

"Exactly," I replied. "So, we'll focus on ancient history books and folklore. Maybe we'll find a pattern that can help us understand more."

Lyra sipped her drink casually. "Then, let's get going. The sooner we start, the sooner we find something."

I nodded and stood up, ready to head back to the library.

Lyra stretched lazily, while Celine had already started organizing her things. "This time, we really need to focus on finding clues," I murmured, glancing at both of them. "We can't just rely on guesses."

The Elysia City Library wasn't far from the shopping district, but the atmosphere this afternoon was busier than before. We walked past crowds of merchants, adventurers, and other NPCs going about their business. The fading sunlight cast long shadows along the cobblestone streets of the city.

"Hey, Rei," Lyra suddenly tapped my shoulder from the side, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "Don't get too serious, or you'll age faster than you should."

I just sighed. "This is important."

Celine turned with a calm expression. "She's right. If we want to know more about the crystal and the ruins, we need to dig deeper than the information we got at the bar."

As we arrived in front of the library, I pushed open the large wooden doors. The air inside felt cooler, filled with the familiar scent of old paper. Rows of tall shelves were packed with thick books, some looking worn and dusty, while others were neatly arranged with well-preserved leather covers.

A librarian—-a middle-aged woman with thin glasses—-glanced at us before returning to organizing scrolls on her desk.

I stepped further inside, looking around. "Alright, where do we start?"

Celine ran her fingers along the shelves, her eyes scanning the titles. "The ancient history section might give us some clues."

Lyra, on the other hand, just leaned against one of the long wooden tables. "If there are any maps or illustrations, that'd be easier. I'm not a fan of thick books."

I took a deep breath and started searching through the rows of promising books. We needed more than just legends or folklore—-we needed concrete records that could lead us somewhere.

After a while of searching, I finally found an old book with a deep black cover. The title was faint, but the writing was still legible: "Chronicles of the Forgotten Ruins."

I opened the first page and immediately noticed something interesting.

The paper was yellowed, with edges that were starting to crumble. The writing inside was faint, as if the ink had faded over time. But before I could read further, something fell out of the book and landed softly in my lap.

A worn-out map.

I picked it up carefully, unfolding it slowly. The map showed an unfamiliar area—-or rather, one that wasn't on the usual system maps used by adventurers. Small, winding paths led to a specific point marked in red, but there were no clear place names or descriptions.

"What's that?" Celine leaned closer, her eyes squinting as she tried to identify what was depicted.

"I don't know either." I frowned. "But this is definitely not a normal map."

Lyra peeked over my shoulder, her expression showing vague interest. "Hmm... if this is inside a history book, then there's a chance this place really exists, right?"

I nodded slowly. If this map was found inside the Chronicles of the Forgotten Ruins, then there was a good chance it was related to the ruins we were investigating.

But the question was... how accurate is this map?

I ran my finger along the lines of the map, trying to recognize any familiar patterns or landmarks. But the more I looked at it, the more I realized that this place... seemed hidden from the outside world.

"Do you think this is a trap?" Celine asked, her tone serious.

"Or a valuable clue," Lyra smirked slightly. "Honestly, this makes me even more curious."

I took a deep breath, staring back at the map that now felt even more mysterious. Where exactly will this take us?

On the wooden library table, illuminated by the dim light of a hanging lantern, I carefully placed the map. The lines were rough, with ink that had faded in some places, but there was something unusual about it.

"This map..." I murmured, furrowing my brow

Celine leaned in a bit closer, her fingers carefully tracing the lines of the map. "This doesn't seem like an ordinary map," she said, her expression showing interest.

Lyra, on the other hand, just leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed behind her head. "So, what do we do? Go straight there and look for this place?" she asked in a casual tone.

I shook my head. "Not that fast. We need to make sure what we're actually looking at here."

I focused intently, narrowing my attention on some strange symbols scattered across various points on the map. They weren't ordinary location markers—-more like ancient runes that might have a specific meaning.

"If this is really a clue, can anyone explain it?"

I looked up at Celine. "Can you read these symbols?" I asked.

Celine bit her lip, trying to recall something. "I'm not sure... but I can try analyzing them with magic."

I nodded. "Give it a try. Maybe we can get something out of it."

Celine extended her hand over the map, chanting a soft incantation. A faint blue light emerged from her fingertips, enveloping the surface of the map with a magical glow. However, as her magic began to work—-

"Fzzzt!"

Suddenly, the map pulsed, and a faint light emanated from the symbols. Lyra and I immediately braced ourselves in case something happened, but Celine remained focused, letting her magic flow into the ancient paper.

A few seconds later, faint letters began to appear at the bottom of the map. I squinted, trying to read the nearly invisible text.

"Only those who understand the balance of the world can find the path to truth."

I let out a sigh. "I guessed right... this isn't just a map."

Lyra smirked. "Well, this just got more interesting."

Celine was still staring at the text, as if trying to understand its deeper meaning. "'The balance of the world'... is this some kind of test or riddle?"

I leaned closer to the map, thinking hard. "Maybe this clue is related to the ruins mentioned in the book earlier. It could be some kind of protective mechanism, or maybe... something more."

We all fell silent for a moment, letting this information sink in. Whatever is hidden in this location, it's clearly not something trivial.

I looked at Lyra and Celine. "We need more information before deciding where to go."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the next step?"

The information about the ruins and the mysterious crystal was starting to come together, but there were still too many gaps to make sense of it all. The worn-out map we found earlier only added to the complexity of the situation.

"The balance of the world..." I muttered, staring at the strange symbols etched on the map.

Lyra crossed her arms, her face full of curiosity. "If it's something important enough to be written on the map, there must be records about it somewhere."

Celine, who was still flipping through the pages of a book in front of her, finally nodded in agreement. "I think so too. Maybe we can find more clues in the historical archives. Things like this are usually recorded somewhere."

I sighed and nodded. "Alright, let's focus on gathering more information in the library. At least, we can get a clearer picture of what we're dealing with."

The three of us continued our search in the vast library. With so many towering bookshelves and the quiet atmosphere only occasionally broken by the sound of flipping pages, this place truly gave off a mysterious vibe that suited our quest.

I started reading through some books that discussed the history of this world. Some of them mentioned major events from the past, but none specifically addressed the "balance of the world" or the symbols on the map.

Lyra, who was already bored with the heavy books, started complaining while resting her chin on the table. "Ugh... reading history books isn't my thing. Why can't anyone write this stuff in a more interesting way?"

Celine gave her a flat look. "This is a library, not an adventure novel."

I chuckled softly at their interaction. Even though the situation was serious, at least the mood between us remained light.

After some time searching, Celine finally found something interesting. "Hey, look at this." She pointed to an old book with a thick black cover. "This book mentions something about the balance of the world and how this world was formed."

I quickly moved closer and started reading with them.

The open page of the book revealed ancient text that was barely legible, as if the ink had faded over time. Some strange symbols were displayed on the margins, mixed with diagrams that were hard to understand.

"The balance of the world..." I muttered the words in my mind. This concept had come up several times in the clues we'd found so far, but it still felt vague.

Celine narrowed her eyes, her fingers tracing the lines of the text. "The balance of the world is not merely the harmony between light and dark, but a system that sustains the continuity of reality. Without balance, the world will face total destruction..." She read it with a serious tone.

Lyra leaned back in her chair with a blank expression. "Sounds like a cliché fantasy game trope..." She sighed, looking at me with a slightly lazy gaze. "But we all know this isn't just any ordinary game."

I nodded, suppressing the frustration that was starting to build. "If this balance is something real in this world, then the question is... is it related to the crystal we found?"

Celine continued reading, this time faster. A few seconds later, she tensed and looked at me. "Rei... there's something interesting here."

Lyra and I immediately moved closer.

"In every era, the balance of the world is maintained by pillars of energy hidden at various vital points. If one of these pillars is disrupted, the effects can spread and affect the entire world. However, the existence of these pillars has long been forgotten, and only those with 'eyes that can see the truth' can find them."

I immediately felt a strange intuition. Eyes that can see the truth...

"So, if this theory is correct, the crystal we found might be part of one of these balance pillars," I said, trying to piece together the information.

Lyra tapped her chin, looking thoughtful. "Or maybe someone's trying to destroy it. If these pillars are what maintain the balance, then destroying them would have a huge impact."

Celine looked increasingly anxious. "If that's the case, we need to find out more about the other pillars. It's unlikely that just one crystal is the key to everything."

I closed the book gently, letting all the new information sink in. It felt like pieces of a larger puzzle were starting to come together, but there were still too many gaps.

"Now, we need to decide our next move," I murmured, my eyes still fixed on the worn-out map lying on the table.

Lyra leaned back, her hands folded behind her head. "So... we're going to look for these balance pillars, huh? Sounds like a big adventure," she said casually, though her eyes showed genuine interest.

Celine, sitting next to me, tapped her fingers on the table in a steady rhythm. "But we still don't know exactly where they are. The clues we've got are too vague," she said thoughtfully.

I nodded. "True. But if we look at the pattern on this map..." I pulled it closer, trying to match the markings on it with locations we were familiar with. There were a few points that seemed related to areas mentioned in the history book earlier—-ancient ruins, regions reported to have strange phenomena, and places believed to be connected to the "balance of the world."

"There are a few locations worth checking out first," I continued. "The ruins to the north, near the dark forest border, or the old city to the east that's said to have been abandoned long ago. Both have suspicious histories."

Lyra leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "If we have to choose, I'd rather head to the ruins in the north. More action compared to an old city that's probably just dust and stones," she said with a smirk.

Celine, on the other hand, seemed more inclined toward the second option. "The old city might be a safer place to start. If there are historical records or relics we can study there, it would help us understand what we're dealing with."