Races: Online

Although the classes in the afternoon seemed to be canceled, it didn't mean that Han could relax. Instead he decided to focus on the things he had neglected. He might have already cleared things out with Ellynn during their earlier conversation but he hadn't gotten the chance to talk with her father.

Before Sir Leon de Harrington or the others could pull him into the group, Han immediately walked off and lumbered to a nearby but empty corridor.

He pulled up the Chat Feature and frowned as he checked out the people he had conversed with—not a lot but one of them had blocked him. It was the Demon Lord of course and though he was worried, it was one of the reasons why he made an alliance with the Wood Elf.

Their name so happened to be lit up in green and showed that they were active, he hoped that they would be prompt this time.

Han: Hey, uh, I kind of forgot to ask about the Colossal Wyvern, how did it go?

He probably should have worried about this the first moment he relogged in but since he ended up in Kraelonia Academy and all was well—it was easy to assume that the City was safe. 

A few glyphs and characters appeared on screen, which weren't translated before the Wood Elf's response appeared on screen.

Wood Elf: Ah, I was actually wondering if you had managed to forgot about how you shoved that duty to me without even a word of thanks. But there was no problem. The teleportation scroll worked perfectly and I had set the coordinates to the Endless Passes

Han sighed in relief, it would have been troublesome if the Colossal Wyvern had still been in the area. He formed another statement and sent it to the chat.

Han: Thanks, what about the other Players? Did they already leave?

Wood Elf: You're not eyeing our little Mermaid are you? She's returned to the Ocean but I can't say the same for the others. You did kind of stole away their fastest mode of transportation...Hopefully they don't stick around and trigger another event. That would be most unfortunate!

The young man visualized another appearance of a gigantic creature or monster appearing and did not like his chances—regardless if he was going to level up a ton. Instead he decided to ask his Ally another question.

Han: The Demon Lord blocked me, is there anything I should be worried about? Would it be appropriate if I try to reconnect with them again or not?

His answer to his own question came right after he had asked it. Or perhaps he already had this opinion right from the start and just wanted to ask for another perspective—why should he be the one reconcilling? They were the annoying one who had tried to kill him off when he first got here for no good reason except for spite. They even killed the villagers with Gargoyles! It was a stupid question to ask.

Or perhaps it wasn't, it all depended on his Ally's assessment. 

Wood Elf: That's kind of new but you don't have to worry of your territory near the Enchanted Forest, I'm taking care of it and you should rather think about yourself when they find you—well, they already know

Han: W-What?!

Wood Elf: It's not too hard to pinpoint you, you lack the ability to travel fast and not to mention you've chatted in the Universal Chat before—everyone is aware that Lucia, Bleu and Tierra was heading here to trade with Odele. But then you chatted about the scroll. It's easy enough to piece them all together, don't you think?

Han: Crap, you're right.

He felt a sense of dread at those words. This was going to be way worse than the Colossal Wyvern, won't it? The Demon Lord was a Player so they were a more difficult opponent—forget the fact that he'd managed to trick them once. He stared at the screen as another reply came his way.

Wood Elf: They won't attack immediately you know? They were able to do it at some backwater village but that's the Capital City, unless they want war with the King of the Yegarian Kingdom—they won't attack. Your old man, that retired Hero's decision to enroll you at that Academy was strategic.

He blinked at that and rubbed his chin, he would have to thank the old man. Although if he was honest, he would have preferred to stay in the village. Who knew how much he could grind back at Rockfall village with those living crop monsters he defeated before?

Han was pretty sure that there was a narrative plotline included in this simulation, when he first played Races: Online on his phone—there were clear choices given to him and options. A structured storyline.

It had only been deliberately ruined when the Demon Lord came around.

A ding would take him out of his mulling as he saw another line of text from his ally.

Wood Elf: If the situation does arise though where the Demon Lord exacts their revenge, I expect you to keep my daughter safe.

This was his chance to ask someone else regarding their opinion on the world of the Creators, he asked once again.

Han: About your daughter, she's not your real daughter right? She was a Half Elf that happened when you slept with a Human here and we all know that this world is…

Fake?

Wood Elf: Is like any other world. Although the body that we use, well mine is a sim​u​la​crum, I don't know about yours. Even if our body here is not exactly the body that we were born with, I wholeheartedly believe that she's my daughter. Now that I think about it—I perhaps should be worried about you. I noticed you two were very close despite the chaos that had ensued!

Their words didn't go unnoticed, it was hard to ignore the implication as Han blinked and answered the last portion.

Han: I didn't go around here to make babies or anything!

If he had wanted to play that sort of game, then he might have chosen another kind of life simulation game. Did a new version come up? Han Jing would check his phone later. Although he was afraid that it may pale in comparison to this...

Wood Elf: Or so you say, you've just been starting. Perhaps you'll meet someone, I admit that despite the benevolence of the Creators, there may be something interesting.

Han: I don't think so, but thanks for the chat. I'll see you around.

It may have been a little rude to not talk for a bit but he didn't like small talk and so he closed the screen and frowned. Not to mention that with their conversation, he received another startling piece of information. "Just like any other world?" He looked at his hand and wondered if that had been the answer to his question.

Perhaps he really was adhering stupidly to email. Which should especially be questionable when it was the Moderator who answered them, the contents of the email said it was a simulation and he believed that. Sure, his Soul was getting transferred to this body or avatar but he assumed that they were all code, or rather, not as real as him.

Like an actual virtual reality of sorts.

He felt bad when they died but he assumed they were all simulations and experiments, simple—no complex creations that simulated life in order to gather them all around here and hoped that they would understand the Creators' will.

Belatedly, it would seem like a session of what could be a very long campaign in a tabletop roleplaying game where they'd realize and fulfill the wish of the Creator. Except the other Players he was playing with were different Races. That might have explained why they strictly gave him the 'Human' role, they wanted him to be the Human Representative.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, through Han's hair. If his understanding of this world was wrong… had this body belonged to someone else? They did seem to have a background that hadn't been his option. Where was their Soul now? Did they die? Was it forcibly removed to accommodate him?

Han shook his head and decided to focus on something else. He had to be more concrete with his actions or else someone was going to see him in a catatonic state in some random part of the Academy. If there was no classes—he was going to the city and do something useful.

The young man walked out of the corridor and half-wondered if Timothy also turned out to be available. It was easier to concentrate if he had a companion to distract him from his thoughts—but they had been upset with him. Perhaps it was better that he did this alone.

He decided to stake his thoughts on the singular item in his inventory to move his goals along and it really was better that he did it without his companion.

.

.

.

But once he arrived at the city, he would soon realize that he wasn't the only one who had thought about this.