章節 5: CHAPTER FOUR : A CHANCE (4)

Emilia stood before the gaping entrance of the dungeon, her eyes narrowing at the dark abyss ahead. The dim light from the cavern mouth flickered like a distant warning. She wasn't a novice; she knew exactly what this place was—the beginner dungeon for new players in Heroes of Cartea. Yet, she couldn't help the surge of frustration bubbling within her.

Why was she here?

Her eyes flicked to the status window hovering in her vision, its glowing letters taunting her.

[Tutorial]

[Welcome to the game Hero of Cartea.

We invite you, player from another world, to finish the story and we shall grant you a new life that belongs to you! Brace yourself and get ready. All synchronization has begun. Please refer to your status below.]

[Name: Emilia Ein Vilheim (Emilia Lancaster)

Age: 18

Title: The Great Sage of Wisdom

Gift: Reincarnation, World Divinity, Eyes of Overseer

Abilities: Blessing of World Tree, Blessing of Tersia

Coins: 999,999++]

Emilia groaned and smacked her forehead lightly with her palm. "Great. A tutorial," she muttered sarcastically. "Am I supposed to be grateful for this now?"

Her frustration only grew as the reality of her situation sank in. She wasn't just an observer or a player anymore. She was inside the game, and worse—she was the character she had created, Emilia Ein Vilheim, the very one tied to all the messy, complicated drama of the Vilheim family.

The daughter of a Duke. The real child who had been exchanged at birth. The one with powerful, mysterious gifts—and responsibilities she had never asked for.

But instead of tackling that monumental disaster, here she was, stuck at a beginner dungeon, as if she were some clueless rookie.

"Isn't this supposed to be easy?" she muttered, walking closer to the dungeon's entrance. Her reflection caught briefly in the polished surface of the water nearby—a tall girl with long black hair that fell in loose waves, her deep blue eyes sharp with awareness. There was no mistaking it now. This was her—Emilia Ein Vilheim, the real daughter of the Duke, who was supposed to have been raised in luxury.

Instead, she was just an orphan who had grown up in a small cathedral, forgotten and unwanted by the world.

"Why do I even need a tutorial?" she grumbled, stepping forward cautiously. The dim light of the dungeon's opening stretched before her, eerily quiet, save for the distant echoes of dripping water. She tightened her grip on the short staff she found in the log cabin earlier. At least the game mechanics hadn't changed much. Her abilities as a Great Sage should get her through this with ease.

Still, the sheer absurdity of the situation made her want to scream.

I was literally dying back there! she thought. I had given up on everything. And now I'm thrown into this stupid game as a cursed tutorial?

Taking a deep breath, Emilia forced herself to focus. She had no choice but to continue forward. If this really was Heroes of Cartea, then the dungeon would be manageable—if she played by the rules.

But rules had never been her strong suit.

"Okay," she said aloud, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Let's get this over with. What's the worst that could happen, right?"

As she descended into the dungeon, the air grew colder, thick with the scent of damp stone and earth. The flickering torches along the walls cast long shadows that danced around her, and the occasional rumble of stone shifting far below sent a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, a familiar sensation hit her. It was faint, but unmistakable—the feeling of something watching her. Instinctively, she activated one of her gifts, Eyes of Overseer, and immediately her vision shifted. She could see beyond the walls, past the dungeon corridors, and into the rooms ahead.

There, lurking just beyond her current path, was a small group of low-level monsters—goblins.

"Typical," she sighed, bracing herself. She had faced far worse in her countless playthroughs of the game, but still, being physically present in the dungeon was an entirely different experience.

With a small flick of her wrist, she summoned one of her abilities, Blessing of the World Tree, and felt a surge of power course through her veins. It was a basic spell, meant for healing and regeneration, but in this early stage, it would help her recover mana and stamina after each fight.

The first goblin lunged at her from the shadows, its rusty sword raised high. Emilia side-stepped with ease, her movements fluid, almost automatic. With a quick chant, she summoned a bolt of energy and sent it crashing into the creature's chest. It disintegrated in an instant, leaving nothing but a faint wisp of smoke behind.

"Too easy," she muttered, moving forward, already anticipating the next wave of enemies.

But as she continued through the dungeon, defeating monsters with practiced precision, a thought nagged at the back of her mind. The status window had mentioned World Divinity, a gift she didn't remember adding to her character's stats.

"Reincarnation, sure," she whispered, casting another spell to obliterate the next group of goblins. "But why World Divinity? What's that supposed to mean?"

The game had always been detailed, with deep lore and complex mechanics, but this felt different. Almost as if something—or someone—had altered her character's destiny without her knowledge.

She wasn't just Emilia Ein Vilheim, the forgotten daughter of a Duke. She was now tied to something much larger. Something that transcended the game itself.

As she reached the final chamber of the dungeon, the air seemed to hum with anticipation. The boss monster, a hulking stone golem, towered over her, its eyes glowing red with malice.

But Emilia barely blinked. With a calm, practiced motion, she raised her staff and began casting her most powerful spell.

In a matter of moments, the golem crumbled to dust, defeated as easily as all the others before it.

And yet, as the dungeon door opened and the light of the outside world flooded in, Emilia couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.

"Fine," she muttered to herself, stepping out into the bright sun. "If this is my new life, I'll play along. But I swear, if that stupid status window pops up again…"

As if on cue, the glowing letters appeared in front of her once more, the words mocking her determination.

[Congratulations! Dungeon cleared. Next task: Survive.]

Emilia groaned, rubbing her temples. "This is going to be a long, long journey."

*****

As Emilia stepped out of the dungeon, the sunlight greeted her like a long-lost friend, but the brief moment of relief quickly faded. Just as she thought she could take a breath, the familiar sensation of the system activating sent a shiver down her spine.

[System Notification]

Caution! You are about to engage in combat with hostile creatures. Would you like to initiate the Holy Prayer ability before battle? This may enhance your next attack!]

Emilia rolled her eyes, exasperation bubbling to the surface. "Of course, I'd like to initiate a prayer. Because slaughtering monsters solemnly is just what I need to make my day brighter," she muttered sarcastically.

In her previous life, Emilia had been fiercely independent, unafraid to express her emotions, especially anger. But this new persona, forced upon her by the system, made her feel like she was living in a ridiculous parody of herself.

"Fine," she sighed, taking a deep breath. "Let's get this over with."

The next wave of goblins charged toward her, their guttural snarls filling the air. With every instinct telling her to curse them into oblivion, she felt the system's influence restraining her. Instead, she clasped her hands together, allowing the light of her gifts to flow through her.

"May the light guide you to peace, fallen creatures," she murmured, the gentle, serene tone of her voice contrasting sharply with the violence around her. "I pray for your souls."

The goblins hesitated, confusion flickering in their beady eyes, as if her words held some weight. But Emilia had no time to wonder if it would work. The moment she completed her prayer, she felt a surge of energy radiate through her, amplifying her power.

The first goblin lunged at her, and before she even had time to think, she channeled her abilities. A burst of holy light erupted from her fingertips, blasting the creature back into the air, where it crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

"Great, now I'm the praying assassin," she said under her breath, shaking her head at the absurdity of it all.

But as she continued to fight, a strange calmness enveloped her. With each goblin she faced, she recited a silent prayer, feeling both the weight of her actions and the purpose behind them. The monsters had no choice but to attack her, driven by instincts she couldn't change. Perhaps her prayers could offer them a semblance of solace, even as she sent them to their end.

"This is so twisted," she muttered, her staff glowing brighter with each prayer. "I didn't sign up for this!"

She fought relentlessly, her mind a swirl of thoughts and emotions. She was still angry with the game developer, still resentful of her family, and yet, as the blood of her enemies stained the earth, she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, she was meant to be here.

"Why is everything so complicated?" she sighed, dispatching another goblin with a flick of her wrist. As it fell, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the creature. "Rest now. I hope your next life is better."

The last of the goblins fell, and with it, a wave of exhaustion washed over her. The light faded, and the stillness of the battlefield hung heavy in the air.

[Congratulations! You have defeated all hostile creatures. Holy Prayer activated. You have restored balance to the realm. Dungeon will be permanently closed.]

"Yay me," she said dryly, watching as the notification faded into the ether.

The system didn't allow her to revel in her victory. Instead, it simply prodded her to move forward, relentless in its purpose. "Next task," she thought bitterly.

As she took a moment to catch her breath, she sensed the warmth of the sun on her face, a stark contrast to the heaviness of her heart. Here she was, playing the part of a saintly warrior, praying for the monsters she had just slain, while deep down, she yearned for something different.

"Ugh," she groaned, standing up and brushing the dust off her clothes. "What's next? Saving kittens? A tea party with the fairies?"

Emilia took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Fine, I accept my fate. I'll be the Great Sage of Wisdom or whatever," she muttered. "But I'm not going to like it."

With one last glance at the bodies around her, she felt the familiar tug of her gifts, urging her to continue. Whatever twisted purpose the system had for her, she would confront it head-on. She had no other choice. After all, she had fought too hard to let this new life slip away, even if it meant embracing the ridiculousness of it all.