Wandering Knight?

Clad in cumbersome, rusted armor, one might assume mobility was an impossibility, yet this knight moved with an effortless grace, commanding the metal to his will. Each heavy footfall and the faint creak of rusted joints reverberated through Lennon, the bustling city to the north of Farris. His presence startled the NPCs he passed, their gazes wary, convinced he harbored nefarious intent. Despite the initial unease he caused, the knight paid no heed to their concerns, continuing his determined stride, his destination shrouded in mystery.

In this world, players typically eschewed such encumbering armor, opting for more practical attire. However, this wandering knight was an exception, clad head to toe in impenetrable metal, his features obscured from view.

His advancement came to an abrupt halt upon noticing a flyer affixed to a nearby board outside a quaint shop. What caught his attention was the presence of Japanese characters, one of the languages typically translated by the game. This particular flyer, however, was handwritten, a detail only discernible to players like himself.

In this immersive gaming world, the game seamlessly translates written and spoken languages in real time, allowing players and NPCs to communicate effortlessly. Each NPC possesses their own unique language, varying from kingdom to kingdom, yet the game's translation feature ensures mutual understanding between players and NPCs. However, NPCs lack access to this translation ability, leading to potential language barriers when encountering NPCs from different linguistic backgrounds.

The flyer that caught the knight's attention proved to be an invitation for eager players to join The Clandestine Knights, promising greater rewards and opportunities for advancement within the game. Despite crumpling up the paper in apparent disdain, the knight's intrigue was palpable. With a determined stride, he turned away from the flyer, opting to journey in the opposite direction towards the city of Ferris.

Lennon, though smaller in size compared to Farris, boasted a vibrant atmosphere and a reputation for offering a plethora of activities. One of its most anticipated events was the Enchanting Elements Festival, held every three months. Each festival celebrated a different element—fire, water, earth, and lightning—each with its own unique theme and captivating decorations. These festivals drew attendees from far and wide, adding to the city's lively charm. With the water-themed festival only a month away, anticipation was high among the locals.

The Pruiseon Kingdom, where Lennon was situated, was one of the 27 vast kingdoms within the expansive world of Three Realms Online. Besides Lennon, important cities within the kingdom included Pruit (the capital), Farris, Huntington, Gundal, Byron, and Folkrath. The kingdom also boasted numerous towns and points of interest, such as the Town of Northern Red Windmill and The Forest of Dark Dreams.

Ruled by a king and queen, the Pruiseon Kingdom was protected by the formidable Pruiseon army, renowned as one of the strongest forces in the region. Despite years of peace, tensions simmered between Pruiseon and its neighboring kingdoms—Secoba to the west, Puitus to the north, and Ustaeya to the south. To the east, the kingdom bordered the ocean, providing a bountiful supply of seafood goods.

Just outside the gates of the Town of Northern Red Windmill, two figures prepared for an expedition by carriage. It was evident that they were early risers, eager to embark on their journey.

"It's too early, Karina!" Figmond protested with a yawn.

"Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to find someone willing to bring me here last night? I hardly slept, so don't complain when you've had plenty of rest," Karina retorted, clearly annoyed as she tossed her bag into the carriage.

"I didn't expect you to wake me up this early," Figmond replied, feeding the horse an apple and stifling another yawn.

"Figmond, this is important. You're the best healer I know, and you've helped me train before," Karina urged.

"Helped," Figmond muttered, his mind drifting back to the perilous adventures Karina had dragged him into. Despite initially agreeing to assist Karina in her quest for strength, Figmond had found himself in numerous life-threatening situations. While he had improved his healing magic during their training sessions, his inability to heal himself left him in constant fear for his life.

"Now, I've decided to take it up a notch by venturing into the Eugine Stretch," Karina announced, her determination evident.

"Th…the Eugine Stretch!! Why there of all places? Do you realize how incredibly dangerous that place is?" Figmond exclaimed, shocked by Karina's choice of destination.

"Yes, I'm aware, Figmond. But I have until tomorrow at 17:00 to get stronger," Karina replied calmly.

"Stronger in a single day? That's insane!" Figmond protested.

"Figmond, I really need your help, please," Karina pleaded, her gaze fixed on the nervous Figmond.

"Ah, okay, okay. But it's a five-hour trip there and back. What's your plan?" Figmond relented, resigned to helping Karina.

"It is far, but it's only an hour away from Farris. We'll head there afterward. So we should arrive around 11:00, spend the night in the stretch, and then head toward the city late in the morning," Karina explained.

"Spend the night? Now you're truly mad! No one I've heard of has ever even entered that place, let alone spent the night!" Figmond protested, his worry evident.

"Don't worry, I spoke with locals in Farris, and the plains are only dangerous the deeper you go. If we stay near the outer edge, we should be safe," Karina reassured him, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Karina, you're going to get us killed! There's a reason why no one ever talks about that place. Its story is even scarier than that of the Forest of Dark Dreams!" Figmond's fear spilled out, but Karina's reassurance seemed to calm him.

"Don't worry, Figmond. Besides, this is something I have to do to get stronger," Karina said, her determination unwavering.

Figmond let out a sigh and took a deep breath, trying to control his fears and the slight shaking in his knees. "You're aiming to level up, aren't you?" Figmond asked as he climbed into the carriage, which was pulled by a single horse.

"Yes," Karina replied, settling in beside him and taking hold of the reins.

"Are you still level 8?" Figmond inquired.

"No, I reached level 9 after leaving town on my way to Farris," Karina answered.

"I never imagined you'd be interested in that flyer the heroes left in town. I couldn't even read the thing. How did you find out what it said?" Figmond asked, curious.

"It was simple. A hero wanted to buy something they couldn't afford, so I offered they translate the flyer in exchange for the item they wanted to buy," Karina explained, giving the reins a gentle slap, urging the horse to trot forward.

"I don't know, heroes being knights? It all sounds very suspicious to me. I can't trust any of them," Figmond expressed his distrust.

"Me either. But when I met their leaders, they weren't anything like the rowdy ones we've seen. They actually have manners and morals," Karina said, defending her decision.

"You never really told me how it went. You just woke me up and said, 'time to train.' You know that's not the best way to wake up a friend," Figmond remarked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Again, Figmond, I really need your help. Please, you can take a short nap on our way there," Karina suggested.

"Nonsense! I must protect you at all costs!" Figmond replied, puffing up his chest with determination, despite his frail appearance.

"You protect me? Haha, you're a real comedian. Anyways, it went really well. I met this girl who almost beat me in our bout," Karina revealed.

"Someone almost beat you?! No way, I don't believe it," Figmond exclaimed, surprised.

"Yes, although she'd insist that she wasn't anywhere near, I still believe there was a chance" Karina replied.

"Personally, I believe there is no one better than you, Karina," Figmond added confidently.

"Thank you, Figmond, but I still have much to improve on. Luckily, I'm now a member of the Clandestine Knights, and so is she, even though I won our bout to decide which of us would advance," Karina finished with a smile.

"That's great! I mean, I already knew you could do it, but I get the feeling you're happy she joined too," Figmond replied.

"Yes, thanks to her, I've gained valuable experience. I've never faced someone as skilled as her," Karina admitted.

"That's good, I'm glad. By the way, I've been meaning to ask, why do you need to get stronger by 17:00 tomorrow?" Figmond inquired.

"It's because I already have my first adventure planned—to raid a dungeon, as they called it. It's a place deep underground, like a massive maze of caves, filled with strong monsters and something even more horrifying deeper inside," Karina explained.

"So, this is why you want to train in the Eugine Stretch?" Figmond surmised.

"Yes, many heroes from Farris go there to get stronger," Karina confirmed.

"This dungeon place sounds terrifying," Figmond remarked, his voice tinged with apprehension.

"Yes, it does," Karina agreed before urging the horse to pick up the pace by slapping the reins.