Chris tio delve into the various funs I was already familiar with. His steady voice filled the room yet drifted in my ears as my mind wandered elsewhere. Wasting time wouldn't be good, would it? So, I was just figuring out all sorts of things in my head. Just as when waiting for a bus to arrive, I would read something on my Helios rather thaime pass unnecessarily.

  But, ihis interlocutor of mine shouldn't be uimated. He suddenly asked, "Do you uand what is in the Daily or Weekly in Vaughan?"

  'This isn't good.'

  If I didn't reply, he would realize I hadn't been listening from the start. Hence, I said, "Daily is a task that be done every day, so it is advisable to finish it before tomorrow. By trast, Weekly has a weekend deadlihough, it is up to us whether we want to do it or not."

  Hearing my expnation, Chris ughed. Although his ughter wasn't as intense as Daniel's, I could feel it was genuine, not as artificial as his usual fake smile. Possibly, this was because my answer sounded general.

  "Let's delve deeper into your journey here in Vaughan."

  Oh?

  From his response—a brief pause in his talk, eyes narrowing slightly, a ugh, and then ging the subject—it was clear Chris reized I hadn't been listening to him.

  And he didn't seem to mind? Maybe the system required him to keep expining to the pyer even if he didn't want to? But that rea was what surprised me. Like he knew my behavior. He was okay with it. While the question was just a medium to get me to refocus on him as he wao discuss something important.

  What I tried to say was this NPC used "social navigation."

  Social navigation in this text referred to his ability to navigate social iions in a way that sidered human attention, e, and responses. I couldn't help but ask myself: why did Noir, a far higher-ranking NPC than him, not act this way?

  That was weird. Noir, unlike Chris and Daniel, seemed detached. Was she desighat way (as her personality)? Could Noir have social navigation but chose not to use it? That could be her way of asserting trol: watg and assessing but withholding the kind of e that Chris demonstrated so effortlessly. She was the "leader," anyway, and it was uandable that some were cold to the point of being expressionless.

  I became quite curious. I started listening to Chris as he said, "To truly ie into our unity, it is crucial to align with one of our Departments: Gear, Dragonic, sultation, or Execution. Each path you choose affects the missions you will receive. It would be better to research each before deg on any. You e to me again after that."

  Then, a pop-up windoeared in front of me.

  Would you like to receive detailed expnations about each Department?Hmm. Knowing that suformation was readily avaible through reading and sidering Chris's advice to research, I felt no need for a verbal expnation. I reached out to seleo] on the virtual dispy, and the window disappeared.

  Chris nodded, seeming to respect my choice to explore autonomously. "Very well. If you have any questions or need assistance, reach out."

  Ding!

  Main Story updated!The s in front of me, however, dispyed red text rather than the regur Quest list description.

  Level Requirement!Your progression in Main Story is currently paused. To tinue, you must reach Level 15 Current Level: 5Ah, yes, the usual bang system—an effort to prevent pyers from rushing everything immediately, especially the [Main Story]. It was also an attempt to ence pyers to explore and check out other avaible features rather than stantly fog ohing.

  Putting that aside, something bothered me.

  "...You hid one, huh?"

  You know, like I said, I got curious. Other than the four mentioned, what about the one led by Noir? I remember that she was the leader of the Discipliment, which Chris didn't say. I also recall how the system prevented me from being her friend. If I got the eet her—and that was by being in the same Department—I could dig deeper into how to get close to the leaders.

  But as Chris heard my question, his eyes sharpened, and a smirk appeared on his lips. This expression of his, to say the least, felt quite gripping. "Hm? something like you be a system?"

  He uood what I meant but chose to be ambiguous. Ah, typical AI.

  So be it; I would interpret it myself.

  From a broader perspective, this question served as a meta-entary oure of gaming itself. It suggested that pyers while believing in their autonomy to make choices within the game, were ultimately still following a set of predefined systems and rules. Thus, it questiohe illusion of freedom.

  Or he meant that the Discipliment ecialized only for NPCs, ag as the security personnel for this game. That was why they were categorized as a system.

  Still, I would reply to his words.

  "'t."

  And Chris responded with only a slight smile.

  With his silence, I realized that our versation had ended. So I gave him a brief nod a his room.

  While on my way out of the building, specifically in the elevator (thankfully less packed), I moved my hand forward to access the main menu. In [Quest Log], the array of avaible Quests sprawled before me was extensive. Yet, amidst the standard, one shoh a golden hue—discussing [Hobbies]. Its unique coloration indicated a [Special Quest], likely unlog the game's casual features that I have ighus far.

  Despite the allure of this varied list, my sights were set on one.

  DescriptionCecil is on the brink of a breakthrough iest research project. However, she needs materials to duct her experiments. With her dedication to advang, Cecil seeks help to gather these essential pos. ObjectivesPurchase 5 bottles of Ented WaterCollect 2 Solvent Flower stemsIndeed, I po stick with Quests that had the potential to provide good clues—perhaps somethied to the NPC (like befriending them) so I could uand what was happening in the game from the perspective of its inhabitants or something close to how the system worked, like expl their lore.

  But looking at this list... nothing stood out; everything was too generic.

  I had no choice but to choose this retively straightforward one. And efficy always wins everything, right? I quickly pressed [Accept].

  Ding!

  Side Quest taken! New Quest!The Essence of Research

  TaskVisit the Dragonic Department's Research Lab and talk to "Cecil"Location962mTime limit8hrPrize150 Gold; 60 EXPWith my objectives clear, I made my way to the Dragonic Department's Research Lab as soon as I exited the building. I quickly opehe [Map] and prepared my Mount. From the s before me alone, I could see that the long-distandicated a detour.

  Once I started my ride with the hoverboard, the gothic-styled academy gave the impression of well-preserved a structures, even though it had been mixed with teology. Like in a garden I passed through, there was a holographic fged dragon with giant wings spanning its gushing waters, which occasionally appeared to roar silently. And the lo around like this, the more I might memorize—Oh...

  'Why didn't I memorize it instead of stantly opening the [Map]?'

  Even though the [Map] dispy was less detailed than when passing the road directly, at least I would know its general route. Vaughan was huge, like a small city in itself. But just looking at the yout was enough for me to memorize it. Besides making things easier iure, this could distract from the busy surroundings packed with activities. Pyers haggled with vendors. Some sat and gathered on park benches. Chatter. Footsteps. The distant drone of other Mounts filled the air.

  Amidst this cacophony, I found myself busy examining the [Map]. Despite my focus, the sounds around me mao break through, slightly disrupting my iion of Vaughan's yout.

  Entering Dragonic Department DistrictThe fshiangur s that appeared for three seds above my line of vision caused me to pletely lose tration. So, I switched the mode of the [Map] I was using to view Vaughan's overall yout, direg it to point at the active Quest.

  The s indicated I should tur, so I followed its guidand saw a boxy white marble building in the distahat building stood out for its simplicity and expansive width, trasting with the other multi-story structures in the area. It gave the impression that it was much rger than it looked from a distance.

  'This must be Research Lab.'

  I dismounted from the hoverboard, retur to Heart ode, and stored it in [Iory] before approag the building.

  Linear pathways led me around the well-kept gardens, suggesting that the research ducted here was extehe whole botanical se itself looked fasating with its spes, but through the gss walls, there was a hint of rows of maery emitting a soft glow; observation rooms filled with holographic dispy globes showing star systems and researchers ily studying their analyses. I even caught sight of drical tanks filled with cloudy liquid taining floating anic shapes—no doubt part of some geic experiments.

  But what truly caught my eye was the botanical research se. Uhe oral greenery scattered throughout Vaughan, these pnts were different—vibrant and experimental. One had leaves with a metallic sheen that folded and unfolded as if breathing. A nearby bush was heavy with small, orb-shaped fruits covered in crystal-like shells that fshed in the sun.

  Though ied, I kept my eyes on the clock; there was still a time-limit Quest to be pleted.

  Wele to the Dragonic Department's Research Lab!Wheered, the Quest instru didn't directly point to whi Cecil was in; instead, it directed me to the reception desk in the lobby. My assumption that this was a straightforward [Side Quest] instantly vanished... Urgh. Why did this game keep f me to adjust my approach?

  With a long sigh, I walked towards the reception desk, where an NPC assistant in a typical b coat greeted me with a nod. "Wele to our b. How may I assist you today?"

  "I am here to see Cecil." Even though I was annoyed, I spontaneously went bato professional mode. "I have a Quest to assist with her research."

  The NPC assistant tapped on the holographic dispy. "Ah, yes, Cecil is currently in Lab 3B. Please follow the signs to the b. Would you need guidance?"

  "No. Thank you." I bowed my head out of politeness and excused myself, then began navigating the long hallways.

  I moved, my footsteps lost among the background murmurs of passing people: researchers in white coats, assistants hurrying with datapads, and the occasional security officer monit the hall. The building was huge, with high ceilings supported by crossbeams. The deeper I walked, the more the facility's scale became apparent: row after row of rooms brang into specialized ses.

  After a while, I began to see a marker. The letter [B] on the wall indicated that I was on the right track. I tinued down this corridor, which felt even more specialized, with a floor that reflected subtle lighting strips embedded along the walls' bases.

  'Now looking for room three... 1B... 2B... Ah, here.'

  I tried to open the sliding door—

  "Ah!"

  —but the door ened first by a girl who looked like she was in a hurry! Whoa! That sound of surprise startled me!

  Thankfully, her reflexes were pretty good; she stepped back with a jolt, avoiding the cliche se of "colliding with the opposite sex." She also seemed to ignore my presence? One gnce, and she was off running down the hallway behind me. A brief view of her expression suggests she was worried...? Not sure. From the number of accessories like pins and hair ribbons she wore, she must be a pyer.