Chapter 2 The Appearance of the Holy Son of Light in the Real World
Anxia's professional ethics as a combat designer came to mind. This unreasonable character development path was clearly interfering with the player's gaming experience. She silently cursed the combat designers of "Westlife" for working overtime all night and having their performance bonuses deducted.
Although she doesn't have any damaging skills, Ancia does know a little bit about martial arts. She recalls helping her mother make glutinous rice cakes during the Lunar New Year and raises her staff to smash the slime.
-4.
That's exactly Ancia's strength stat, a very precise damage.
The slime's beady eyes turned dizzy, and it stood there swaying its body blankly.
-4-4-4-4-4-8-4……
A critical hit occurred midway through, but Ancia continued to pound the mochi—no, the slime—without expression.
As Ancia swung her staff at the slime, she watched her health bar. When it dropped to half, she cast a healing spell. Should she be glad that the slime couldn't heal her?
After being hammered dozens of times, the slime turned into specks of light and dissipated, a warm current flowing through its body.
[Congratulations to the player for defeating the first monster, achieving the achievement "[Relying on yourself is better than relying on heaven or earth]".]
The player has gained 666 experience points and reached level 2.
The upgrade didn't change many attributes, except that Spirit increased from 37 to 38. Ancia accepted the fact that her stats were unbalanced, closed the attribute panel, and continued walking towards Red Maple City.
The outer side of the Monster Mountain Range is filled with low-level, weak monsters, about as dangerous as slimes. However, swinging the staff will also accelerate the rate at which satiety decreases, so Ancia has no choice but to try to avoid the monsters in her line of sight.
As she passed a thicket of bushes, Ancia heard soft breathing and a faint smell of blood.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Ancia pushed aside the bushes and met a pair of moist, amber eyes.
"Ah, it's a puppy."
Ancia ducked into the bushes and picked up the cub to examine it.
"You're not a World of Warcraft player if you don't have a red name. Let me see, your stomach is injured..."
Ancia has loved puppies since she was a child, but her mother is allergic to dog hair and was too busy to keep pets after she started working, so she has never owned a puppy. Now, seeing the injured puppy, she patted its head with pity.
"Oh dear, why are you alone in such a dangerous place? Let me help you heal."
Perhaps everyone who loves pets will unconsciously soften their voice when facing small animals. Ancia gently soothed the twitching puppy and raised her staff to cast a healing spell on it.
After several healing spells, the puppy's rapid breathing eased somewhat, and the wound on its belly began to scab over. Ancia touched its wet nose, and the puppy affectionately licked her fingers.
"It tickles! Why does your tongue have barbs, hahaha." Ancia withdrew her finger and scratched the puppy's chin. "So cute, want to be my pet?"
The pet contract system in the game allows players to bind their pets to monsters or ordinary animals. Although the puppy looks like a weak and ordinary dog, Ancia inexplicably feels a sense of kinship with it. She doesn't expect her pet to go to college; its cuteness is enough.
The puppy tilted its head, but before it could respond, its gaze suddenly sharpened, staring straight behind Ancia.
Ancia felt a chill run down her spine, sensing danger approaching. She decisively rolled forward from the bushes, creating distance between herself and those behind her.
A level 5 gale-force python stood upright where she had just been, silently watching the person and the dog.
The sturdy body of the Gale Python sent chills down Ancia's spine. She could grind down a level 0 slime with her staff, but a level 5 Gale Python was impossible; she would be strangled before she could even finish it off.
"Why are level 5 Gale Pythons appearing on the outer edge of the mountains? System, speak!"
[Dear players, please note that the game world does not support saving or loading saves. You only have one life, and there is no way to restart after failing.]
As its name suggests, the Swiftwind Python lunged at Anxiya. Anxiya narrowly dodged, but even though they were more than a meter apart, the python's sharp teeth still grazed her shoulder, tearing her dress and causing blood to quickly spread and stain her shoulder red.
Seeing that Ancia was injured, the puppy rushed out and bit the serpent's body. The serpent also lowered its head and turned its attention to the puppy.
Without much hesitation, Ancia took advantage of the Swift Swamp's momentary distraction to cast a healing spell on the puppy before running away.
The attack from the Gale Python took away nearly half of Ancia's health. Ancia could only pray that the dog could hold off the Gale Python for a little longer so that she could escape.
I'm sorry, little puppy. Although I love you very much, please be my little puppy again in the next life!
Anciya thought to herself, "This garbage system is even less useful than a puppy!" She never expected that the most difficult step in clearing the game would be avoiding being bitten to death by the Gale Python.
Northwest.
Perhaps sensing Ancia's inner grumbling, the mechanical voice suddenly indicated the direction. Ancia quickly adjusted her direction and ran towards the northwest. However, her agility was too low and could not compare to the Swiftwind Python that roamed the mountains year-round. The rustling sound behind her grew closer and closer. That intelligent little dog should have already perished in the snake's belly.
A chilling aura approached, and in her panic, Ancia tripped over the tangled vines on the ground and fell to the ground.
Mom, I'm sorry, I can't go home!
With her eyes tightly shut, Ancia awaited the arrival of the Swiftwind Python's gaping maw.
“Discipline and bondage”.
A gentle voice rang out, but the expected pain and stench did not come.
Ancia opened her trembling eyelashes. The Gale Python was bound in the air by several golden ropes and was struggling incessantly.
"Lady, are you still able to stand up?"
Ancia looked up and met a pair of crystal-clear, azure eyes. The newcomer's short golden hair was dazzling like gold, and his skin was so white it was almost transparent, lacking any color.
He wore a meticulously tailored sacrificial robe, with wide sleeves and a solemn stand-up collar that covered his entire body completely. The finest linen was embroidered with sacred runes representing light in silver thread, exuding a sense of holiness.
A hand wearing a white glove reached out to Ancia, and a gentle voice sounded again, "Can you still stand up?"
Ancia calmed her racing heart, took the hand, and stood up. "Thank you."
She recognized him—one of the five male protagonists, the Holy Son of Light, Herigalo Claudien.
Heligalo released his grip and ordered the knight behind him, "Jess, kill it."
The Knight of Light stepped forward and politely said to Heligalo and Ancia, "Please stand a little further away."
Ancia was confused, but she followed Heligaluo to a more distant place. She saw the knight draw his greatsword from behind and cut the Gale Python in two with a single blow. Blood splattered everywhere, and the spot where they had just stood was also not spared.
...No wonder he was standing so far away, because Heligalo is a germaphobe.
Only after witnessing the Gale Python dissipate into specks of light did Anxiya finally relax. The relief of escaping death left her exhausted, and the shock of almost being strangled by the Gale Python had not yet subsided. She realized that this game world was more than just a game to her; it had become the real world she was in.
If you are killed here, you will truly die.
After dealing with the Gale Python, Jess looked at Ancia with a scrutinizing gaze. The girl was dressed in an exquisitely crafted dress, with fair and delicate skin, clearly not a commoner. But why would she appear alone in such a dangerous place as the Monster Mountain Range? Her strength was not great, and given her family background, she should have been accompanied by guards.
“Miss, which noble family do your parents belong to? The Monster Mountain Range is not safe. I can escort you back to your manor.” Jess inquired about Ancia’s origins.
Ancia shook her head. "My parents are no longer in this world. I have no home here."
The fact that the real badge hidden in Jess's hand didn't react indicates that she was telling the truth.
"I-I'm sorry!" Jess stammered, having unintentionally reopened the other's sore spot. His knightly conduct made him feel guilty for his words, and he probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Ancia didn't think too much about it and raised her staff to treat her wounds. The wounds left by the Gale Python were still bleeding, and the fall from the vines had also caused many abrasions. She hadn't had time to heal herself in her haste to escape.
A healing spell was cast, and a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Skill Healing Spell - Basic Proficiency is sufficient, upgrade?]
Ancia silently repeated in her heart, "Yes."
[The skill Healing Spell - Beginner has been upgraded to Healing Spell - Intermediate.]
The upgraded healing spell is much stronger than before. An injury that would have required several basic healing spells to heal was completely healed with a single intermediate healing spell. If it weren't for the dust and bloodstains still on Ancia's body, you would never have guessed that she had been injured.
The intense fluctuations in light elemental energy surprised Heligaluo. "Lady, may I inquire about your affinity for light elemental energy?"
The descendants of nobles undergo elemental affinity tests after awakening their magic to determine the degree to which resources are allocated within the family.
Ancia was taken aback. The panel only said it was full, without any specific value. She said with some distress, "Just call me Ancia. I don't know the exact value either, but it won't be low."
An overlooked descendant of a noble family, possessing exceptional talent as a priest, currently without any allegiance to any faction, perhaps cast into the Monster Mountain Range to be silenced due to family feuds.
After compiling this information, Heligaluo casually asked, "Ancia, where are you planning to go next?"
“I’m going to enroll in Gracia.” Ancia sighed. Where else could she go but to the academy to follow the main storyline?
“What a coincidence, I’m also a freshman this year. Since you don’t have anywhere to go for the time being, why don’t you stay at the Holy See of Light for a while? You can move to the college dormitory after the semester starts.” Heligaluo offered a helpful suggestion.
Ancia didn't agree immediately. Instead, she waited and waited until Heligalo and Jess were both looking at her in silence, but no option appeared.
In Ancia's memory, the male protagonist would have two options when inviting players: accept or refuse. But now there is nothing.
[Dear player, please note that there are no story choices in the game world. Play as you see fit, and you are responsible for the consequences.]
Ancia clicked her tongue inwardly, thinking, "Why don't you just tell me all the other unfriendly hints you have?"
[Also, dear players, a friendly reminder: there is no affinity rating displayed in the game world.]
Ancia: ………………
Great, that dispelled her idea of checking Herigalo's initial affection level. Now, whether it leads to a happy ending or a bad ending is entirely up to guess.
Heligalo waited for a long time but did not hear a reply from Ancia. The girl in front of him had blank eyes, as if she was worried about the unknown future. He waited quietly without urging her.
“I’ll go with you. Thank you for saving me and providing me with temporary shelter.” Ancia took a deep breath and gave Heligalo a wry smile.
"The Goddess of Light will bless her followers. Your affinity with the light element is very high, and you will become an excellent priest in the future. Moreover, we will become classmates. This is just a small favor, don't worry about it," Heligalo said.
Ancia emerged from the Monster Mountain Range under the protection of Heligaluo and Jess, their carriage parked at the entrance of the mountain range.
"Miss, please get in the car." Jess pulled down the footstool.
Ancia hesitated, glancing at her dusty and blood-stained dress. Herigalo had already boarded the carriage, with Jess acting as the driver. She was to sit in the carriage with Herigalo.
"Ancia, what's wrong?" Heligaluo looked at her questioningly.
“You seemed to dislike the bloodstains just now.” Ancia took a step back. With the level of affection unclear, she had to be careful with her actions, at least not do anything that would lower the level of affection.
A note from the author:
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