Gazing along the lower part of the bridge, Victor spotted Eleanor leaning against the railing, twiddling her thumbs as if caught in an invisible loop of thought. She looked almost out of place, with a crestfallen face that spoke a thousand words.

  “Are you alright?” Victor asked, a bit confused.

  Eleanor sighed, glancing up with an unusual weight in her eyes. Victor realized that after she escorted Lillie to her room and accompanied her for the night, she’d returned with a somber expression that hadn’t lifted since. Considering she’d always been a capricious girl, it was strange to see her so dispirited.

  “It’s just that Lillie’s situation is so similar to what happened to me,” she admitted quietly. “I don’t know what to feel right now.”

  It made sense. All this time, she had been single-mindedly pursuing her goal with everything she had, rarely looking back in the process. Lillie’s arrival must have struck a deep chord, stirring memories she’d long since locked away.

  Victor found himself at a loss, struggling to find the right words. In stories, the hero always knew exactly what to say to lift their friends’ spirits, with grand speeches that stirred courage and resilience. But Victor wasn’t a storybook hero; he wasn’t someone with an endless reserve of inspiring words or poetic wisdom.

  Still, he was the headmaster. And if there was ever a time to rise to that title, it was now.

  With that in mind, Victor made his best attempt, speaking up with a calm tone. “Does thinking about it change anything?” He shifted his gaze to the soft glow of dawn filtering through the windows with a melancholic expression. “You know, I once had a complete, loving family too. And then… they were gone— Poof. Just like that.” He gestured. “Sometimes you think you’ve moved on… and then something reminds you.”

  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that they lost him instead, but Victor felt there was no need to explain in detail to Eleanor.

  Eleanor’s gaze softened as she looked at him in understanding. “You’re talking about the Asteriscus family, aren’t you?”

  Victor didn’t answer, only giving her a small, wistful smile, allowing the silence to speak for itself. He looked out the window, the landscape stretching before them. “Losing people changes you,” he said gently. “Maybe what we’ve lost—who we’ve lost—can—”

  “—Victor, look! It’s the City of Brightmoon!” Eleanor suddenly exclaimed as she pointed out the window.

  Really now? Here he was, attempting to convey something profound, but, as usual, this airheaded girl couldn’t read the moment. Well, not that he cared anyway.

  He glanced at where she pointed. Below, fields spread like patchwork blankets of green and gold, stretching far beyond the reach of Thornwood Village’s modest farmland. Further ahead, about five or so kilometers away, a sizable city hugged the shore of a large lake, shimmering as though a thousand candles flickered in greeting. With the lake reflecting the daylight in a soft glow, he could see how the city had earned its name.

  “Ahem. Let’s inform the play— acolytes about this,” said Victor, steering the conversation back on course.

  “Will I be going down too?” Eleanor asked excitedly, eyes gleaming at the thought of exploring the city below.

  Victor shook his head, much to her disappointment. “I need you to stay here to protect the dirigible. Lillie will also require some company—it’s far too risky to bring her into the city.”

  After all, she was the last remaining heir of House Brightmoon. Every other family member eligible to inherit the estate was dead, leaving the land essentially under the Merlin family’s rule. Victor could change his appearance with the Mask of Impersonation, but it would be difficult to disguise Lillie with simple spells, especially when there might be unknown Magi keeping watch.

  There was always the option of retaking the city from the Merlins outright. Yet such a move would draw the attention of both the kingdom and the Arcane Radiance College, and that was a risk he couldn’t bear at this point in time. Confronting his former academy right now would be tantamount to suicide. Even if the players were immortal beings and could resurrect endlessly, a single Nexus Temporal Magus could flatten what they had built—truly an unwinnable battle.

  A village in the boonies would be overlooked. But a sizable city like Brightmoon would undoubtedly draw questions from every direction.

  Putting that aside, Victor stepped toward the bronze-yellow pipe at the side and announced, “Attention, all acolytes. We’ve reached our destination—the City of Brightmoon. Time to drag yourselves out to the lounge and prepare for the briefing. Don’t keep me waiting.”

  A smile crept over his face as excitement rippled through the dirigible; he could already hear eager chatter filling the corridors. The vessel wasn’t that large, and within moments, players hurried to the lounge, eager to be the first to hear the mission details. For them, this would be their first glimpse of a city within the game.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  As he turned to leave the bridge, a light punch on his shoulder made him spin around to find Eleanor with a mischievous grin. “Even if I can’t join the fun down there, I’ll keep things secure up here. Just bring back something interesting.”

  Victor nodded. “Hold the fort, and I’ll make sure to return with something worthwhile.”

  When he arrived at the lounge, the scene was just as he’d imagined—players crowded against the windows, craning their necks to catch their first glimpse of Brightmoon City. Though the view was limited because the lounge only had windows on the right and left sides of the dirigible.

  “Esteemed Headmaster!”

  “Sir Astralium, are we landing now?”

  “Will we be allowed to roam free?”

  As soon as they saw him, the players immediately bombarded him with all sorts of questions. Most were eager, their voices sparkling with excitement and uncontained glee.

  “Silence!” Victor commanded, unleashing a surge of mana force that pressed against the room before he settled into a nearby chair. The players instantly hushed, knowing his next words would be important.

  “From here on, you are to follow my instructions precisely,” he continued. “The city is currently under the control of the Merlin family, who have illegally occupied it and murdered the rightful lord of the region—Lillie’s father. While this injustice is something we will address in time, we cannot afford to draw unnecessary attention for now.”

  The players exchanged glances—a mix of excitement and concern crossing their faces. Some clenched their fists at the news that Lillie’s home had been snatched away.

  “Remember, we’re here for a specific purpose—to gather materials and secure a channel for future trade,” Victor went on, his gaze sweeping the room. “You will be divided into teams, each with specific tasks to complete. You’ll receive briefing details on your Shadowlink Mark, and I expect each and every one of you to stay out of sight. Blend in and avoid trouble.”

  Naturally, Victor wouldn’t allow the players to scatter until they had safely entered the city. Brightmoon City had strict regulations; it wasn’t the sort of place where random strangers could stroll in without proper identification. A group of mages in robes was bound to draw suspicion. Fortunately, the players’ acolyte robes were dull in color, designed to blend in with the surroundings. Only Victor’s acolyte robe appeared to be of high quality, but that would be taken care of by his Mask of Impersonation.

  A murmur spread through the crowd as they absorbed his words. Judging by their stupid expressions, Victor could tell they were thrilled by this infiltration mission.

  “Now then,” Victor began, standing once again, “let’s get started.”

  “Yes, Headmaster!”

  “As you command, Sir Astralium!”

  “Just watch—this pro’s about to show you amateurs how to sneak without a sound.”

  Enthusiastic responses came as several players grinned, ready to take this challenge.

  “Good.” With that, Victor turned toward his room to make final preparations, leaving the players to ready themselves.

  The city walls of Brightmoon loomed ever closer, casting long shadows over Victor and the players as they approached. He had carefully anchored the dirigible behind a nearby hill, hidden from local inhabitants to avoid unnecessary attention. Given the circumstances, he didn’t want even a hint of trouble finding its way back to them.

  As they joined the line of people waiting to enter, Victor subtly scanned the players, ensuring their hoods were pulled low and their expressions neutral. Well, they looked the part—just another group of quiet acolytes moving through the city—but he couldn’t help noticing the subtle contortions of their faces betraying their excitement. Truly a bunch of gamers, through and through.

  “Wow, look! Are those guards on the wall holding muskets?” one of the players said, pointing to the top of the wall.

  “Confirmed. This game’s setting is indeed not medieval,” said Storm.

  Indeed. While muskets couldn’t compare to modern guns, any ordinary human could use them to effectively deter enemies, especially in defensive terrain like this. However, their effectiveness was quite abysmal when used against extraordinary beings and life forms, as round bullets propelled by black powder wouldn’t be able to injure strong Ki-Warriors, much less destroy Magus’ defensive spells.

  Eventually, they reached the gate—

  “Halt!” a stern-faced man shouted as he blocked the path with his spear. “Show me your identification document and state your purpose in the city,” he demanded, eyeing their robes with suspicion.

  Victor’s current appearance was that of a wise-looking, middle-aged man who appeared no different than a typical distinguished Magus. Without hesitation, he tossed an insignia toward the guard, who caught it with a grunt. “That should be sufficient proof of my identity,” Victor said coolly.

  The guard examined the insignia carefully, and his eyes gradually widened in shock. “The Arcane Radiance College?!” He looked at Victor and turned back at the insignia with unimaginable surprise and awe. “Honored sir, please, come right in.”

  The insignia was an official identification object, one given only to Arcane Radiance College’s acolytes and staff. Displaying it here would raise no suspicion, as the kingdom was under the rule of the academy, and it was not that uncommon for acolytes to venture to this city.

  After reclaiming the insignia, Victor stepped forward. However, as the players moved to follow, the guard blocked their path. “Please show me your identification as well.”

  “They’re under my direct supervision,” Victor replied authoritatively. “You may grant them passage. I will vouch for each one of them.”

  “This…” The stern-looking guard hesitated, looking troubled as he glanced back at Victor. “I apologize, sir, but because of the recent change in…” He pointed at the sky. “Regulations have tightened considerably. Any guests or outsiders must undergo individual inspection. I’d be punished otherwise.”

  Victor tossed two platinum coins to the guard, saying, “That should cover their entry and ensure your discretion.”

  The guard caught the coins, his stern expression becoming gleeful as he examined them. “Yes, this is more than enough! More than enough! Please call for me if you have any trouble.”

  For a city guard, two platinum coins represented a small fortune, enough to sustain half a year of lavish living. It was clear that he had never held such wealth in his hands before.