Chapter 3

I took a deep breath and looked around, but there was nothing much to see—just a gray road, a grassy plain, and a distant forest.

Ah, I can see some buildings in the distance.

As I got closer, a small castle, the kind you might find in Europe, came into view. It was surrounded by stone walls, and a tower was visible in the center.

"That's the Isel Fort. Have you heard of it?"

The blonde man asked, and I shook my head vigorously.

"I see. ...Well, you can hear the details when we get to the fort."

As we got closer, I noticed a moat around the castle walls, and a bridge was spanning the entrance. Then, a voice came from the walls, and a drawbridge began to lower with a rumbling sound.

The drawbridge hit the ground with a thud, and I felt the vibration along with a sense of unease.

Inside the fort, it was like a small square. As the leader and others entered, people gathered around.

"Argo, take care of Yurii. Wait for us in the office."

"Yes, sir."

Argo, who had dismounted first, helped me down from the horse. My feet touched the ground with a thud, and I felt the solid vibration.

No, that's not it.

This is a dream.

It has to be a dream...

"Yurii, come this way."

Held by Argo's hand, I followed him, feeling almost overwhelmed by anxiety.

After passing through the square, we came to an entrance just wide enough for one person. We climbed a narrow, dimly lit staircase. Feeling a bit uneasy, I gripped Argo's hand tightly, and he turned back to smile reassuringly at me. His blue eyes were gentle.

"It's a bit dark and scary, isn't it? It will get brighter soon, so just bear with it a little longer."

I nodded, and Argo turned back and continued forward.

At the top of the stairs, it seemed like the roof of the building. The sudden brightness after the darkness made my eyes dazzle. Once my eyes adjusted, I saw that there were two more buildings and a tower on the roof.

Argo walked to the larger building, greeted the knights standing at the gate, and entered.

"Come on, this way."

Inside, a large hall-like entrance led to a staircase that went from right to left. We climbed the stairs and headed to a room on the right. When we entered, a large desk was the first thing I saw, and a stack of papers that looked like documents.

"Alright, sit here. Hmm, maybe some drinks would be good. Just wait a moment."

He pointed to a sofa by the wall and pulled a cord from the other side of the desk. After a while, someone knocked on the door. Argo gave permission to enter, and a bearded man who looked like a bear came in.

"Did you call, Deputy Leader?"

"Yeah, could you bring this child something to drink? Something a child can have... Yurii, is there anything you can't drink?"

I tilted my head when asked.

I mean, how am I supposed to answer that in a dream?

"Maybe Rico's juice will do. Georg, could you get it?"

"Understood."

The bear-like man, Georg, left, and Argo sat next to me.

"Alright, um... Where should I start?"

I decided to ask Argo, who was frowning, a question.

"Um... Where are we? What country is this? What's the name of the continent?"

"Huh? Start with that?"

"Yes, please."

"The continent is called Elycia. And this is Isel Fort, on the outskirts of the Ares Kingdom, right next to the Forest of Evil. Have you heard of it?"

Elycia...

At that moment, I remembered being asked if I wanted to go to the real Elycia when I changed my job to a Sage.

But, no way, it couldn't be...

I haven't heard of Isel Fort, but I have heard of the Ares Kingdom. In fact, I've visited it many times on quests.

Recently, there was a quest to resolve the conflict between the royalists and the prince's supporters over the succession to the throne. The two were actually good friends, but a mastermind was deliberately causing a rift between them. The quest had a good reward, allowing me to choose between a sword and a staff.

But that's not the point!

What? What? What?

Am I really in the game world?

Is this inside Elycia Online?

What? But if it's not a dream, what will happen to me from now on?

Can I return to my original world?