Astralyth Online

Chapter 20 – Aeloria

Madelyn made her way through the village streets, her bare feet moving swiftly across the cobblestones as she weaved between the bustling crowds. The familiar sights of the village passed by in a blur as she focused on getting to the Adventurers Guild. Her mind was still buzzing with the events of the day, and the anxiety from earlier hadn’t fully left her. Even so, she arrived at the guild faster than expected.

As she stepped through the large wooden doors, a wave of noise and activity washed over her. Adventurers of all kinds filled the hall—some laughing and boasting about their recent quests, others in quiet conversation over maps and strategies. The sheer variety of people and energy in the room made her heart race. Her fox ears twitched at the chaotic blend of voices, and she instinctively hugged her tail a bit closer.

Madelyn stood awkwardly near the entrance for a moment, feeling the familiar sense of being overwhelmed creep back in. She hadn’t really thought about how to hand in her quest. Glancing around, she spotted the reception desk where a line of adventurers waited, each of them talking with the receptionists, turning in what seemed to be quests.

Taking a deep breath, she brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and moved toward the receptionist, her steps hesitant but determined. She joined the small line, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt as she waited. Only two people were ahead of her, and she shifted from foot to foot, trying to calm her nerves. As her gaze wandered to the front of the line, she recognized the receptionist—it was the same bunny girl who had helped her when she first arrived. The woman's long ears twitched occasionally as she chatted with the adventurers before her, her cheerful demeanor making the conversations seem effortless.

When it was finally Madelyn's turn, she stepped forward hesitantly. The bunny girl looked up from her papers and immediately smiled, her soft eyes sparkling with recognition.

"What can I do for you?" she asked, her voice warm and welcoming.

Madelyn swallowed, feeling a sudden surge of shyness as she clasped her hands together. "Uh, I finished the slime job," she mumbled, trying not to stumble over her words.

The receptionist's smile widened. "Great! Let’s get that sorted for you," she said cheerfully, pulling out a ledger and preparing to log Madelyn's quest completion. "Do you have the cores with you?"

"Yeah, but I have more than were necessary," Madelyn said, her voice still soft but a little more confident this time.

The bunny girl smiled reassuringly. "Oh, that’s perfectly fine! You can just place them all on the desk. You'll get a bonus for each slime core over the quest’s requirements," she explained, her tone bright as she gestured toward the desk.

Madelyn carefully reached opened her inventory, pulling out the collection of slime cores she had gathered during her battles. One by one, she placed the glistening orbs on the desk. As she continued, the pile grew larger—43 cores in total, including several rare ones that shimmered with different hues.

The receptionist’s eyes widened in astonishment as the last core was set down. "Forty-three?" she breathed, clearly surprised. Her ears perked up as she quickly assessed the rare cores among the pile. "You’ve got quite a few uncommon ones here too! This is impressive work, especially for a first quest."

Madelyn's cheeks flushed, her tail swaying slightly behind her as she tried to process the compliment. "Thanks," she murmured, "I guess I got carried away." She felt a mixture of pride and embarrassment at the bunny girl’s reaction.

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The receptionist quickly gathered the cores, her fingers deftly sorting them. "Let me just tally this up for you," she said, still smiling. "You’re definitely getting a nice bonus for all of these!"

"Okay, so the total will be 1 gold coin and 54 silver ones," the bunny girl said cheerfully, handing Madelyn the small pouch of coins.

Madelyn nodded, carefully placing the coins into her inventory as the receptionist efficiently put the slime cores away. The sound of clinking metal before she had put the coins in her inventory felt oddly satisfying, though the weight of the gold and silver didn’t compare to the nervous energy still buzzing inside her.

"Thank you for your hard work!" the woman said with a warm smile, giving Madelyn a slight bow of appreciation.

Madelyn returned the gesture awkwardly, not quite used to the formalities. "Thank you too," she replied, her voice quieter than before, though she felt relieved that the exchange had gone smoothly.

A window popped up in front of her:
Quest Completed: Slime Slaying in the Eastfield Plains

Rewards:

You’ve gained 50 Silver Coins
You’ve gained 500 Experience

Madelyn felt excited at seeing the message; she had finished her first solo quest. She stepped away from the desk, and took a moment to glance around the guild hall. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes filled the space—some sharing animated stories of their battles, while others prepared for their next quests. The lively atmosphere was both inspiring and overwhelming. She wasn't eager to jump into another quest right away; the weight of her earlier anxiety still lingered. Maybe later. Hopefully, Sarah would be able to join her. The thought of her friend’s energy and company eased some of her worries, and Madelyn felt herself relax just a little as she left the Adventurers Guild, stepping back into the familiar village streets.

Madelyn wandered aimlessly through the village, her feet carrying her down familiar streets without a real destination. Her mind was swirling with too many thoughts, each one vying for her attention. It wasn’t just the attention she had gotten on the slimefield that unsettled her—it was everything. The transformation, her new abilities, the confusion about who or what she was becoming, the dreams, her friends. The attention she got after the battle with the slimes had just been one more thing to overwhelm her.

Sure, it had been nice to get the reward and finish the quest. She’d tested her weapon ring, and it had worked better than she expected. But now, with the adrenaline fading, the whole experience left her feeling drained. The excitement from completing the quest was a stark contrast to the confusion she carried inside.

Madelyn’s tail drooped as she walked, her mind replaying everything that had happened over the past days. The reward at the guild had felt like a small victory, but even that was overshadowed by the growing sense of unease she couldn’t quite shake. It was all just too much at the moment.

She needed time to process it all, to figure out what came next. But for now, she kept walking, hoping the steady rhythm of her steps might help clear the noise in her head.

As Madelyn walked past a small fountain in the village square, the soft sound of water trickling down the stone caught her attention. She paused, drawn to the soothing sound, and for a moment, she allowed herself to just breathe. The tranquil moment was interrupted by the quiet sobs of a little boy sitting beside the fountain, his face buried in his hands. His small shoulders trembled with each cry, and the sight made Madelyn’s heart ache.

She glanced around, expecting someone to stop and help, but the villagers hurried by, caught up in their own tasks and conversations. No one seemed to notice the child, or if they did, they simply chose to ignore him. Madelyn’s chest tightened with sympathy as she watched him, her ears twitching in concern.

For a moment, she hesitated. Her mind had been full of her own worries, but seeing the boy there, alone and upset, made all of that seem distant. Without thinking, her feet carried her toward him, her tail swaying gently behind her as she approached.

“Hey,” she said softly, crouching down beside the boy. “Are you okay?”

The boy looked up at her, his tear-streaked face full of hope. "Mom?"

Madelyn froze, her heart skipping a beat. That was definitely not what she had expected. "I—I’m not your mom," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with surprise.

The boy’s expression crumbled as he realized his mistake. "Sorry," he mumbled, looking down again, his small hands gripping his knees tightly.

Madelyn's heart twisted at the sight. She quickly shook off her awkwardness and knelt down beside him. "No, no, it's okay. Don’t be sorry," she said gently, her voice softening. She paused for a moment, unsure of what to say, but the boy’s sadness tugged at her. "What’s wrong? Can I help you find your mom?"

Her tail swayed behind her in a comforting rhythm, and she leaned in slightly, hoping to ease his distress.

“She said she would be back soon, but I’ve been waiting for a while,” the boy sniffled, wiping at his eyes.

Madelyn's heart ached at the loneliness in his voice. "Well," she said gently, sitting down next to him, "I can wait with you. I’m sure she’ll be back soon."

The boy looked up at her, his eyes wide with gratitude. “Really?”

Madelyn smiled and nodded. “Of course.”

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before the boy's mood began to brighten. He began talking excitedly about how he wanted to be an adventurer just like his dad. His voice bubbled with enthusiasm as he described the kinds of monsters he wanted to fight, the gear he’d wear, and how strong he would become.

Madelyn just nodded along, offering smiles and occasional words of encouragement. The conversation was easy and light, and she found herself enjoying the boy's excitement. His innocent enthusiasm was infectious, and for a brief while, her worries felt distant. The boy's bright eyes and animated gestures made her smile, and she was glad to be there, sharing in his dreams.

Just as the boy was finishing another story about adventurers, a woman came rushing toward them, her eyes wide with relief. She quickened her pace when she saw her son, her voice trembling with emotion. "Oh, I see you’ve made a friend?" she said, her voice warm but a little frazzled.

"Mom!!" the boy cried, jumping up and running to her side, hugging her tightly.

The woman smiled down at him, then looked at Madelyn with an apologetic expression. "A bit dramatic, sorry about him," she said with a sheepish smile. "Thank you for keeping him company."

Madelyn stood up, feeling a little flustered by the sudden attention. "Oh, uh, no problem," she replied, her tail swaying nervously behind her. She was relieved to see the boy reunited with his mother, but she couldn't help the small pang of sadness at the reminder of her own uncertainties.

Before she could say more, the boy looked up at his mom, his eyes wide with excitement. "Mom, mom, don’t you think she looks like… like Aeloria?"

The woman’s face froze in shock at the boy's words, her eyes widening. Without a word, she quickly covered his mouth with her hand. "Don’t say that, Niko," she whispered sharply, her voice thick with urgency.

She glanced back at Madelyn, her expression unreadable, and offered a hurried, "I’m sorry." Then, with her arm firmly around her son, she led him away, leaving Madelyn standing there by the fountain, confused and wondering what just happened.

As she watched them leave, the boy's words echoed in her mind. Aeloria? Madelyn couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of connection to the name, though she shook it off, unsure of what it could mean.

With a sigh, she turned away from the fountain and continued her aimless walk through the village. The gentle breeze brushed against her face, and she tried to push the strange encounter to the back of her mind. She had enough on her plate without trying to unravel strange comments. Still, the name lingered in her thoughts, an echo she couldn't quite ignore.

Aeloria.