William PoV

“I can’t believe you have been cleaning dishes these four days”

Gabe is sitting in front of me, eating a bowl of rice.

“You are lucky I can pay for your food”

Four days ago when I arrived to Arumio Town, my uniform from the academy disappeared and I found myself in the simplest of clothes, no weapons with me, no money, luckily my bag and brooch from the academy were still in my possession.

That day as my satiety reached zero I almost died of hunger.

An old lady passing by gave a rye bread and which gave some time to figure out what to do.

Without weapons I couldn’t fight against monsters.

This village is surrounded by young goblins and wolves, considering I could barely beat the goblin from the test while armed, I doubt I stand a chance.

The price for a sword, five silver. A shield, three silver.

Food is cheaper, but I was penniless.

After asking around I was pointed out to the only restaurant in this small village, they were in need of a dishwasher, thirty coppers a day and two free meals.

That was the best option to gather money to buy my equipment.

“I see”

My brother looks amused after hearing my story of the past four days.

“I think we can beat a goblin or a wolf if we fight together”

He explains his skills, if I manage to get a shield it is possible for me to tank a monster while he uses his magic card to diminish its health little by little.

“I got one silver and ten coppers”

Should have been twenty coppers, but I had to pay for his meal.

“You have to find a job and help me get three silver for my shield”

He sighs, I know he is reluctant to find a job within the game.

“Who would have expected that after getting everything for free at the academy we would be thrown like this to the world?”

I understand what he means, I almost died the first day here.

Dying is no joke, when I woke up today I read the forums, a player posted his findings after dying for the first time.

You permanently lose a ten percent of your maximum health, with a minimum of five points. But that is not the worst thing, if your health ever reaches zero permanently, your character is deleted and you have to start again.

Looks like these penalties didn’t apply while we were in the academy, but when we left, the world got a lot harsher.

That is why I’m not rushing to fight monsters outside of the village.

“Well, you can try fighting a goblin by yourself if you don’t want to work”

Gabe knows about the penalties too, so he isn’t going to risk it.

He glares at me. He believes we stand a chance if we go out to fight together.

“But the rewards for beating monsters are really good”

“Good enough to die for them?”

After dying, you can loot the monster and receive certain objects that can be sold for good money.

You can get wolf meat, which you can actually eat or its mane can be used for clothes.

Also, the villagers pay for each goblin you kill, you just have to bring a pair goblin ears and you get fifty coppers, meaning, one goblin is worth more than my daily pay washing dishes.

“I know, the penalties are too heavy”

My brother keeps silent for a while.

“I will go find a job”

Finally, he gave up on the idea of going hunting.

He finishes his meal and leaves the restaurant and I return to my job.

My only regret is that I have barely increased my status after arriving here.

Somehow I got one agility point while cleaning dishes, one point in four days.

If I knew how things were going to turn out, I would have remained at the academy training for an extra couple of weeks.

‘The Queen of Hearts has been chosen’

What the ---?

This message appeared in front of me while working.

‘A new skill has been acquired’

This is clearly a surprising turn of events for me.

“Show Skills”

‘Class Skills:

Royal Presence – Beginner Level 1

Red String – Not Ranked

Common Skills:

Sword Mastery – Beginner Level 2

Bash – Beginner Level 2

Naleya’s Shield – Beginner Level 3’

Red String? Not ranked? Come on!

‘Some of your skills have been modified’

First let’s see what this ‘Red String’ is about.

“Red String Description”

‘Red String – Not Ranked

The King and the Queen are connected by an inseparable bond, this bond allows them to communicate through a mental link.

1 mana for 10 seconds

This skill cannot be upgraded, replaced or deleted’

What does this mean exactly?

Let’s check my other skills.

‘Royal Presence – Beginner Level 1

Your body has been imbued with an aura of royalty, people around you will feel its effects.

Intimacy with NPCs raised 1% faster

Allies stamina consumption reduced by 1%

Enemies stamina consumption increased by 1%

When the Queen of Hearts is in your party, effects are doubled’

‘Naleya’s Shield – Beginner Level 3

By following Goddess Naleya’s teachings you can use your shield efficiently to protect those important to you.

Shield Defense +3

Stamina Consumption -13%

When the Queen of Hearts is in your party, defense doubled upon defending her’

Only those two skills were modified.

Quite an improvement if I were to play with the Queen of Hearts in my party.

‘The Queen of Hearts is trying to communicate with you

Do you accept? Y/N’

Interesting.

[Hello?]

A sweet female voice resounds within my mind.

[Good evening]

By just thinking in my answer, my voice is projected through to my mind.

[Wow, this really works]

I’m guessing she is as surprised as I am.

[My name is William, I think you already know, I am the King of Hearts]

[I’m the Queen of Hearts, my name is Victoria]

I’m sure I have heard that name before.

Miss Daniah’s apprentice, the one she said had a similar aura to mine.

I suppose it can’t be a coincidence.

This damn game had already decided back then that we would cross paths.

[Just out of curiosity, are you miss Daniah apprentice?]

She takes a while to answer.

[How did you know?]

[I was in the temple for a week, she talked a lot about you]

[I see]

Awkward silence in three, two, one.

For minutes neither of us says anything.

Being connected to another person is kind of strange.

It isn’t like I can leave the room with an excuse or something.

Somehow it feels like I’m being forced to talk.

[I think we need to have a serious conversation]

I guess I will learn more about her and then decide how to proceed next.

It isn’t like we are forced to play together.

We could just ignore each other and never talk again.

[Yeah, I just left the academy so I have free time]

[Give me a minute, I will take a break from my job]

I speak to my boss asking for an hour, I can make up for it later.

Then I find a bench near the center of the village and take a sit.

[I’m ready]

She takes a while to answer.

[This is awkward]

I wonder what kind of expression she is making right now.

[I know, it is a strange sensation to have someone else’s voice inside of your head]

By the way, my mana isn’t being consumed, looks like she has been holding the conversation this whole time.

[What do you think about our class situation?]

Her voice sounds uneasy.

[Well, there are some benefits to it, did you check your skills?]

[No, let me check]

Then her voice disappears for a couple of minutes.

[Incredible, effects are doubled if I’m in a party with you]

[It is the same for me]

At least she sounds pleased by the opportunity to make better use of her skills.

[I use sword and shield skills, how about you?]

[I’m a magic user, I have both healing and attacking skills]

Hearing that I think about the red little devil, the memory of her still angers me.

[Looks like we could complement each other]

She says while I’m trying to calm down my rage.

[Yes, it is possible for us to work well together]

That’s to be expected from Naleya, I’m guessing she didn’t chose us randomly.

[It was Goddess Naleya who chose us after all]

I laugh, she was thinking the same thing.

[Why are you laughing?]

Oh.. my laugh is also connected to the conversation.

[I’m sorry, it is just that I was thinking exactly the same thing]

She laughs.

[We are connected after all]

She sounds amused.

I think it’s possible for me to get along with her.

[Maybe we should meet]

Let’s see how she answers.

[I think so too, we should make the most of our classes]

[I have to admit, at first I didn’t like the idea of being forced to play with someone else, but I have the feeling that we will get along]

[I have a similar feeling]

After that we keep talking until my hour is up, I have to go back to work.

We talked about our experiences within these weeks in the game, what we have learnt so far.

She didn’t know about the death penalties, so I urged her to find a job and some food.

We decided to meet but there is a great problem, she is in a different kingdom, for the time being we will both investigate about the world and figure out a place to meet.

I told her that I’m going to be traveling with my brother and she told me that she is waiting for a friend to get the game next week.

For the rest of the day I was washing dishes and helping out at the restaurant.

When my shift ended, I found my brother outside.

“Did you find a job?”

He avoids my gaze.

“There was an old man player something similar to chess, I couldn’t help myself”

This guy will never change.

“I’m guessing you are hungry”

He shakes his head.

“The old man gave me a meal for keeping him company”

At least I won’t have to spend my money on his food.

“If things keep going like this, I will have to work for at least a week”

He grins.

“Look at this”

Gabe shows me a round piece of wood.

“This was the lid of a barrel in the old man house, he gave it to me when I asked”

I see what he is trying to do.

“You want me to use that as shield, don’t you?”

“Of course”

I sigh.

“Let’s go find the blacksmith, I’m guessing with one silver I can get it modified and reinforced a little”

My brother clenches his fist.

I was tired of working anyway, talking to Victoria made me want to leave this village.

“If I end up dying you will pay for it”

The smile on his face disappears.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you die”

He sounds confident.

“Sure, I guess you can bluff your way out of death”

I laugh.

“Hey! Faking my death did work against the goblin”

I imagine the situation, it must have been hilarious.

Then we leave towards the only blacksmith in the village.