The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

Chapter 22: Ghost NPC

I can't sleep. I think I keep saying that lately.

I am tired, and playing this game is tiring, and I want to sleep, but I just can't sleep.

Maybe it's because I am eagerly waiting for the morning?

I will go to Elena's house in the morning.

It's 2:42 AM right now. I will go to her house at 7:30 AM.

It's been like 2 hours since I logged out of the game.

This game is only playable for 4 hours a day by one player and 8 hours on weekends.

The server is only open for 18 hours, from 7 AM to 1 AM.

The server is closed for 6 hours, from 1 AM to 7 AM; no player can play the game at that time...no player...can...play it.

This reminds me of my authorities, I have 'Early access' and 'No restriction' permission, so maybe I can log in?

I patched myself with VR gear, wore my dive gear, and pressed the switch.

[Welcome to Len World Online]

"It...worked?"

I am in a game now. I can't believe it worked.

There is no one around; of course, there is no one about.

I am the only one here; even the NPCs are not here.

I just wanted to test if this works or not, but what now? I don't have anything to do.

"Maybe I should log out?"

There is no fun if no one is around; I should log out...

"But if no one is around, that means I have this place all by myself."

Maybe I will just wander around and pass my time; I can't sleep after all.

As I was walking...I thought of Lily. She usually comes to meet me as soon as I log in, but...

"She isn't here?"

"Lily? Lily? Are you here?"

I remember what she said to me, 'I am real, but I only exist in this world.'

"Does that mean she disappears every time the server is closed?"

Just thinking of that makes me feel...

"She will be here when I log in when the server is open, right?"

That means I am alone here. No one is here.

I am not scared or anything; this is just a game.

Being alone in a world, that situation is exciting enough that I don't feel scared.

As I was walking...

"Hihi."

The sweet voice was enough to make me sweat.

What was that? I should be alone here, right?

Maybe it was just my imagination.

"Hihi."

It's not; it's not my imagination.

What's going on? A ghost? But this is a game.

The voice is coming from the bridge.

To be honest, as a prodigy, I have doubts about ghosts` existence, but it's not like I don't believe in them at all. I am just skeptical about stuff like that. I won't believe it unless I see it myself.

"Hmmm mmmm mmm hmmm."

Now it's a humming sound, and I am pretty sure it's a girl's voice.

"But still, her voice is so sweet."

I still can't see the girl, but I can feel I am getting closer. I am at the bridge now, but I don't see anyone.

"Mmmm hmm hmm mmm."

The voice is coming from exactly where I am standing, but I don't see anyone.

Could it be a ghost or something? But this is a game.

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I did say that I don't believe in ghosts and stuff, and I am skeptical about it.

I did say that I won't believe it unless I see it myself, but what if I can't see it at all?

"Hmm mm mm hmm mm hmmm."

I can hear it, but I can't see it.

Wait, maybe I am overthinking? This is a game; stuff like a ghost can't be in a game.

"Maybe it's some NPC character? Or a bug?"

"Mmmm mmmm mmm mmmm."

The sound is coming from where I am standing...

"Where I am...standing?"

I am on the bridge, and the sound is coming from where I am standing, but it may be coming from beneath the bridge?

"But beneath the bride is a flowing river."

I looked down at the bridge and...there she is.

I can see a girl; she is wearing a white dress, it's one of the game's outfits.

She is sitting on the river bank, half of her legs are in the water, and she is swinging them.

And she is kind of...

"Shining?"

No, maybe it's because of moonlight. She is wearing a white dress, so it's reflecting the moon, right?

It has to be like that.

"Mmm mmm hmm mmm hmm."

But what's going on? An NPC? I don't see any other NPCs around then that mean she's another player?

But the server is supposed to be closed.

"What's going on?"

"Who is there?"

Crap, she heard me. Her voice is lovely.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. "

I jumped down to where she is sitting.

The bridge is not that high, so...I wasn't scared.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Adas, a player."

"A player? But how is that possible? The servers are supposed to be closed. How are you here?"

"I...."

What should I do now? I can't tell her the truth. I am supposed to keep the developer thing secret, and aw shit, I was wrong. It's not her dress that is shining; it's her skin. The moonlight is illuminating her skin.

"So beautiful."

"What?"

Crap, I said that out loud.

"The moon and this world, the moon is reflecting in the water and the cold breeze, the sound of the river. It's all beautiful."

Did I seriously just say this stuff?

"Yeah, it's beautiful."

You look more beautiful, but Elena is the most attractive to me.

"You didn't answer me; what are you doing here?"

I certainly need to make some excuses, but it's impossible, I can't think of anything. No player should be here, and I am here, there is no way I can make any excuses...wait...if no one can, then...how...is she...

"What about you? How are you here?"

Nice one, Das, dodged the question. Now I will say the same reason she told me.

"I asked first, so you need to say it first."

"Wha...."

"I will answer if you answer me first."

It didn't work; I suck.

"Well...you...see..."

I told her everything.

"I see, so that's why."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I promise."

"Now your reason."

"My father is one of the developers of the game, so..."

"I see, you also have 'No restriction.' "

"Yeah, something like that."

That developer did say that there are 16 developers of this game, including her.

'All the other 15 developers are backing someone up, so I chose you like mine' that's what the developer said.

"But I don't understand what you are doing here? At this time? Shouldn't you be asleep?", She asked.

The same goes for you, and I can't tell her the reason.

"Well, you see..." I ended up telling her everything again.

"I see, so you fought with your girlfriend, and now she is ignoring you."

"We didn't fight."

"At least you have a chance to make up with her."

"Huh?"

"You should make up with her before it's too late."

"Yeah."

"What about you? What are you doing here at this hour, alone, laughing and humming."

"You heard that? Wah...so embarrassing."

Her face flushed. Well, I can understand that. If someone were to hear me humming, then I would surely get embarrassed too.

"So...?"

"You told me your reason, so I will tell you to mine too."

"Please do."

"It's just a simple reason."

"I am listening."

"I am afraid of people."

That's way too simple.

"I don't get it."

"I don't play this game when the server is open."

"Huh?"

"I log in at night when the server is closed. "

"Wait, you mean...you play alone?"

"Yeah."

"But at this time, there are no monsters, and you can't level up."

"I don't want to level up; I just enjoy being alone. I can enjoy this world at night."

This girl...

"You are weird."

"Kukukuku...weird, you say? You are pretty weird yourself; you play this game to forget about your breakup."

We didn't break up! And...that laugh, it feels like I have heard this before.

"What happened?"

"The way you laugh is just like the developer I talked about."

"I see, so she is the one who gave you the authorities."

"Yeah?"

"My friend used to laugh like that; I was always with her; we were inseparable. I loved her."

"...."

"You remind me of the person I love."

The person she loves? Does she mean her boyfriend?

"I love her."

Hmm? Her?

"Wait, you are a girl, right?"

"How rude, of course, I am a girl!"

"Then you said, 'I love her'?"

"Yeah, so?"

"The person you love is a girl?"

"That's right."

"And you are a girl too?"

"Yeah?"

Wait, is this what I am thinking?

"Is it weird for a girl to be in love with another girl?"

"No, I mean yes, it's not normal, but it's not rare; there are many girl couples."

Not that I have met any.

"Is that so?"

"So how is it going with that girl? You said all the stuff about her in the past tense. You don't love her anymore?"

"No, I love her, I will always love her."

"Then that means..."

The other girl couldn't accept her feelings.

"She was my childhood friend. We were always together, as I said we were inseparable, but the world doesn't work as we want."

"....."

"Things don't always go as we want."

That, I know of. This world, how it works. The world is scary; the more you know about it, the more you will fear it, at least that's how it is for me.

"Well then, you should go now."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I should."

I looked at the time. It's nearly 6 AM. Time passes very quickly in games.

"Umm.. "

"What?"

"If you don't mind, can I add you as a friend?"

What did I just say? I asked her to be my friend. I have never said that to anyone before, but this is a game, so...

"Sure."

She agreed. Let's see, her name is...

"Rias?"

"Yeah, that's my name."

"I see."

"It's my real name."

"I see."

"But I suggest you don't log in when the server is closed, "

"Huh?"

"As I said, I am afraid of people, and I like being alone."

"..."

"And I can be alone here, and if you keep logging in, then..."

"I understand, I won't."

"I see."

That's sad; I wanted to talk to her more; I wanted to be her friend.

"Umm..." she stopped me.

"Huh?"

"Thanks for keeping me company; I really enjoyed it.", she said.

"Me too."

"And I did say not to come here, but you can come once in a while; I will always be here."

"I understand; I will come."

I guess we can be friends.

I logged out. This time my head doesn't hurt, and my legs are fine too.

It's nearly 6:30 AM.

"Guess I can't sleep now."

I will get ready to go to Elena's house.