Pandora of Fantasy And Reality Chapter 43

Sayonara Tom

Ten minutes before 5 AM.

Maya took a deep breath for who knew how many times already. She was  wearing headset and waiting impatiently for the moment to login.

Only several days left until the summer vacation was over.

But Maya was busier during summer vacation than when school was open.  For her today was the day that she had been greatly waiting for.

She went to cram school and the like from morning until evening, and  then at night her schedules were packed with lessons and also dinner  party.

Her days were very busy, however she was unable to login to Pandora to have fun during such time.

Then the service resumption was announced and on top of that a new  promotional video was published. She had been playing the video dozens  of times in order to distract her mind.

「Just a bit more, it’s just a bit more……」

It felt like the flow of time was slowing down.

Finally there were only nine minutes left.

Maya was waiting impatiently. She kept looking at the time, counting  very second of it. She was really looking forward to the game.

.

.

.

At Asano Yukine’s house.

Her home was in an apartment house. Inside her room, Yukine was putting on a headset.

「Err……the setup is finished, and I’m already doing the character creation. After that toilet too……」

She borrowed money from her parents, saying that she would pay it  with the pay from her part-time work. And then she purchased a VR  machine.

She thought about playing because Yakumo was a Pandora’s player.

「Well, I won’t be able to meet senpai though.」

The number of player was vast, and on top of that she didn’t know when Yakumo usually logged in.

Besides, although Yakumo told her she was a player, she didn’t talk about it in any detail.

「It looks like she’s also not telling anyone in the store that she’s a  player. I wonder if she’s also keeping it a secret from Naruse-senpai?」

She once saw Naruse purchasing Pandora’s electronic money at the store. He was definitely a player.

And yet, Yakumo didn’t tell Akito that she was also a player.

「Perhaps their relationship is actually bad? But, their distance is close.」

The time was approaching while she was thinking of various things.

She hurriedly lied down and then her consciousness was sent off to somewhere.

◇

The Capital of Hope.

It was the beginning city at Pandora’s Box Garden.

Player would appear here when they played for the first time, but Ponsuke also appeared at the Capital of Hope.

The silver haired orc placed his hand on his forehead.

「That’s right. I logged out from the Capital of Hope at the last day.」

It wasn’t the green city that he was used to seeing recently, but the cheerful plaza that was made from stone. He looked around.

Then a screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.

The information regarding the resumption of service was written  there. The players around him either immediately closed the screen and  met up with their friends or checked the information thoroughly.

Ponsuke checked the important points.

「There are addition of new race and also adjustment of balance so  players can enjoy this world even more. There’s also changes to some  skills and jobs……」

It was written that there were substantial addition of contents and improvement so the virtual world felt even more realistic.

Ponsuke checked all those information and frowned.

「……Is this alright?」

Originally it wouldn’t be strange for the regulation to be tightened even more for this game called Pandora’s Box Garden.

However now the game sought to feel even more realistic and even the time that players could spend on this side was increased.

Ponsuke thought that it wouldn’t be strange if this could cause problem at real life while closing the screen.

And then he accepted the present for the service resumption.

He received the consumable items, and then the information screen for  the beginner invitation campaign after the update was opened next.

Player could receive precious item if a new player that they  introduced to this game played for a certain time and cleared the  tutorial.

It also wrote that the penalty for malicious act toward new player had become heavier.

Conversely players that helped new player would obtain reward like item and so on.

「There are people who like to harass the rookies after all.」

Ponsuke muttered that and closed the screen. Then he went to contact his friends.

A reply came from an unexpected person when he did that.

.

.

.

The Capital of Hope.

In an establishment that had both a bar and an inn in it, there were players that had been gathering there since the morning.

Gathering there were Ponsuke, Mariela, Alfie, and also the orc group.

A cake was placed on the table.

「Err……everyone, thank you very much.」

The cat beastman Nanako was sitting shyly in front of the cake.

Ponsuke was holding a tankard. Of course the content was juice.

「Then, to celebrate Nanako-chan’s successful surgery and the game resuming……cheers!」

Mariela lifted up her cup energetically.

「Cheers!」

Alfie was also the same. But she was glaring at the orcs who were trying to do something strange.

「Oi, you there! Why are you lowering my chair!」

The orc group……it was a gathering of only orcs who were centered  around the leader Prey. Orc was considered as a joke race, but there  were still some players who were using it as their avatar though they  were few in number.

There was a rookie orc among them. He was wearing a robe and eye patch.

「Kuh! Even though I heard that I’ll be able to become her majesty’s chair……」

Prey warned the eyepatched orc.

「That’s no good “Sumoguri”. Her majesty will be crusty unless you do it more naturally.」

Alfie kicked Prey hard.

「Who’re you calling her majesty!」

The huge orc was sent flying by that splendid kick. Luckily there was no other player or NPC at where he was sent flying.

「Ofuu!」

However Prey was looking happy from getting kicked.

He crashed on the wall before he weakly got back on his feet. He was feeling moved from the damage.

「M-magnificent. I can’t believe how real the feeling of pain has  become. My only regret is that her majesty doesn’t go further and step  on me.」

The orc group……all of them had one thing in common.

The one thing in common that they shared was how they were all “hardcore M”. All of them were masochists who were beyond saving.

Ponsuke saw Nanako tilting her head in confusion, so he quickly used his large body to block her sight from seeing that scene.

Warning letters floated around Alfie because she attacked another player. She roughly shook her hair while yelling.

「Enough screwing around! This is Nanako-chan’s celebration party. Be more considerate!」

Ponsuke also thought that what Alfie said was only right, but because  of the magnificent kick that she displayed just now, the other orcs  were also starting to go 「Me too, me too」 and fought each other in order  to get a turn.

Prey who was looking ecstatic even though he just got kicked clapped his hands and returned to the table.

「Hahaha, please be quiet everyone. This is the celebration party for the princess remember?」

Nanako who was called as princess looked down in embarrassment. Her mannerism healed Ponsuke.

「This is it. This feminine behavior, it’s healing me.」

Mariela glared at Ponsuke while asking Prey.

「Why princess?」

Prey spoke with a serious face.

「Alfie-san is the queen after all. We wish that the princess  Nanako-chan will also grow to become a splendid queen one day. We’re  calling her princess with that hope――kahah!」

Mariela’s sharp punch sunk into Prey’s stomach. The twist of her  waist, her forward step as she punched, all of them produced a clearly  powerful punch.

Booing showered him from the surrounding.

「You bastard, don’t screw with us! How dare you monopolize all the rewards!」

「You have guts to show off like that right after logging in……」

Prey also retorted back.

「Just think of it as abandonment play! S-stop, don’t hit me. You guys are making me turned on」

The jealousy was focused on the beaten up Prey so Ponsuke talked to Nanako.

「Nothing has changed even after we meet again. But, I’m glad that  Nanako-chan’s surgery is successful. Have you gotten discharged from the  hospital?」

Nanako answered shyly.

「E-err, I’m still under observation and needing treatment. Besides, I  also still need to go through rehabilitation so I won’t be able to  leave the hospital any time soon.」

Mariela was kicking the orcs in turn right nearby. Alfie too was  yelling things like 「Line up you pigs!」 or 「Do you want this? Ah? I’ll  give you your reward so shut your trap!」 and stepping on the orcs.

The orcs too were yelling things like 「Moreee!」 or 「You’re the best  your majesty!」 happily. These players were really beyond saving.

Ponsuke thought that the sight was really bad for Nanako’s eyes. He made Nanako to be focused on him.

Fortunately there were no other players inside the bar, so they  weren’t bothering other people. Though Ponsuke himself was feeling  bothered.

「More importantly, Ponsuke-san and the others have advanced to the  next city right? Then, are you going to aim to go to the next city  quickly?」

Ponsuke thought while drinking the juice in his tankard.

(Somehow it feels like I’m drinking for real.)

It wasn’t just the sense of taste. There was also the feeling of food entering the stomach and the feeling of getting full.

「We want to progress but, if you ask how quickly, I think it will take some time. There’s also the orc-related event.」

It was necessary to complete the required events and quests in order to progress ahead.

In order to do that, they were being required to gather comrades too.

Other than those there were also minute preparations that needed to  be done like leveling up or being able to use their skill well.

「T-then, do you think I I will be able to catch up?」

「I think it won’t be too hard. It’ll be nice if all of us can progress together.」

Everyone――he looked back after saying that. There he saw his comrades  who were looking refreshed as though they had gotten a good workout and  the orcs.

Just what is this, Ponsuke thought. Even so he did his best to enjoy the party.

.

.

.

「We can play for four days! We used up one day for Nanako-chan’s party but, we still have three more days remaining!」

The next day.

Alfie was looking happy in front of the tourist area. She was spreading her arms wide open while twirling around on the spot.

Alfie usually cooperated with them but, she was fundamentally a player who wanted to have fun.

「No, that’s fine. It’ll be boring to do nothing but fighting.」

However Ponsuke too was an ordinary player.

He wasn’t like the players at the clearing group who efficiently leveled up their level and skill to get stronger.

Because of that he thought it wasn’t bad to accompany Alfie to have fun like this.

Mariela too was a type of player who liked to have fun.

Player like them wasn’t in the minority.

「I want to cook, so I want to go shopping for ingredients. Accompany me Ponsuke.」

Mariela grabbed Ponsuke’s arm. Alfie pouted seeing that and pointed with her finger.

「You there, don’t steal a march! Or rather, don’t leave me alone. Let’s have fun together. That’s why Ponsuke, come over here.」

Alfie hugged Ponsuke’s empty arm.

Ponsuke carefully pondered the two’s suggestion, and then he suggested for all of them to act together.

「Then let’s buy ingredients and cook first. It’s still early in the morning. Our lunch will be Mariela’s bento.」

Alfie looked really reluctant.

「Ee~, what are we going to do if it’s inedible?」

Mariela turned red and argued.

「I’ve been getting better recently! Stop treating me like a disaster all the time.」

The three were being noisy. Some players who were passing them were chuckling.

There were a lot of players at the tourist area who was in this game  more for enjoying virtual world rather than playing the game.

They were players whose objective was to experience the stretched out  time to experience things that they couldn’t experience in real life.

There was a narrow alley between the buildings at that tourist area.

Ponsuke accidentally caught sight of a player who was hugging their knees on the ground of such gloomy place.

「Eh? That girl, she has the beginner mark.」

He found the beginner mark when he checked the player’s status.

Both Mariela and Alfie also stopped quarreling when they saw the player hugging her knees like that and moved toward her.

.

.

.

Inside a restaurant at the tourist area.

「Thank you very much. Thank you very much.」

The one saying thanks while eating like that was the player called  [Sierra]. Her avatar was [half-fairy race] which was newly added in this  update.

The setting of the race was that they were half-fairy and half-human.  They were physically frail, but in exchange they had high aptitude for  magic. This race was the opposite of orc.

The three listened to the story of this player called Sierra.  Apparently she went outside with other beginner players at the first day  and they got annihilated.

She then got resurrected at the shrine. There was no problem until  there but, she then met a player who told her that she wouldn’t be able  to do anything with just the initial equipments.

Apparently that player brought Sierra to the tourist area and into the casino.

「In a sense that’s the orthodox pattern of game.」

Perhaps that method would work in offline game instead of online game.

Mariela was exasperated.

They were in a hamburger shop at the tourist area. She was eating French fries as she cautioned Sierra.

「After that you spent all your money and sold your initial equipments and become penniless now huh……」

Alfie was listening while drinking juice.

「What about the other player?」

Sierra talked about what happened after that while looking like she was going to cry.

「His class is fighter so he left to earn money. He said that he would  be able to defeat small fry even unarmed. But, half-fairy is really  weak」

Ponsuke’s eyes turned round when he heard the detail of her status.

「That’s too low even for level 1. But, can’t you defeat enemy with your magic?」

Sierra shook her head.

「Even when I still had my equipments I was the first one who got  defeated. That player said that he won’t be able to protect me so he  won’t bring me with him. He also said that perhaps I should make a new  avatar.」

Sierra was sniffling while eating her hamburger. Ponsuke, Alfie, and Mariela looked at each other.

「What to do?」

Mariela guessed what Ponsuke was implicitly asking and nodded a little.

「We’ll be able to get item from helping beginner. Besides, it’ll be great to have magic specialist with us.」

Alfie was also laughing.

「We should secure her. Let’s secure her. Secure!」

They talked about adding Sierra into their party so their party became complete. For that they would help her out.

Ponsuke thought.

(To make that happen, rather than buying her equipment and teaching  her various things, perhaps we should teach her the way to somehow  manage by herself in consideration for the future? But, she won’t  continue playing the game if she thinks that it’s too much work……)

Alfie was talking to Sierra while he was deep in thought.

「Well, either way it’s a waste if you don’t know anything in the  tourist area except the casino. We have also just gotten the large scale  update, so how about we have fun together?」

Alfie invited Sierra to have fun. Ponsuke scratched his cheek seeing that.

(Well, that’s also fine I guess.)

.

.

.

Evening.

The four played in the tourist area for almost the whole day. They were now crossing a large bridge smilingly.

Alfie would do things like suddenly jumping into the river, which  shocked Sierra. Each time Alfie would smile mischievously seeing her  mischief succeeded.

However――.

「It won’t dry up.」

――The soaked wet Alfie sighed seeing her state.

Until now her clothes would dry quickly even after getting wet, and  yet apparently now the wet state was staying longer due to the large  scale update.

Ponsuke thought that was inconvenient, but Alfie changed into another  clothes in her possession. She changed into the wear that was for  exercise, but her hair was still wet.

「Isn’t this just making thing inconvenient?」

「Things wouldn’t be troublesome like this if only you didn’t jump into water. Ponsuke, what now?」

Sierra was flustered because she was worried for Alfie, so Mariela told her 「Ah, you don’t need to worry about her」.

Ponsuke saw an inn nearby.

The inn’s price was quite expensive, but it was no problem for them.  They had enough money so Ponsuke told the three girls to enter the inn  first.

Mariela glared at Ponsuke.

「What about you? Don’t tell me, are you planning to have fun somewhere?」

Ponsuke shook his head.

「I won’t. I’m thinking to go to Tom’s place.」

Ponsuke was calling the NPC in charge of teaching aerobic sometimes as Bob and sometimes as Tom.

It had been a long time since he last logged in, and the building  with dance classroom was also nearby, so he thought of showing up there.

He wanted to see if there was any change to the place.

Ponsuke parted from the three and headed to the dance building.

Other players were entering inside the facility for learning how to dance. Then Ponsuke noticed the change.

「On the sign, the aerobic class is……eh?」

The name of the class that was teaching aerobic was gone from the sign. In exchange there was a new class on there.

Ponsuke hurriedly rushed through the stair that he was familiar with and came in front of a classroom.

But, he only found a ballet classroom there. There wasn’t any trace of the aerobic classroom remaining there.

Even the trainer NPC there wasn’t the brawny Tom but a slender male NPC.

It was a different person.

Ponsuke recalled Tom’s last words.

『If it’s you Ponsuke then you’ll surely be able to become a true Exercise Master. I have high hope for you.』

Ponsuke recalled Tom’s smile as he gave him a thumb up. He crumbled down on that spot.

「……Tom.」

When he tried investigating later, he found out that apparently it  frequently happened that an unpopular facility that had few visitor  would get closed and replaced with new facility after a large scale  update.

The exercise classroom also got the same treatment.

Prev Table of Content Next