The very first thing to do was to lay out the foundation.
A foundation that would motivate these Earthlings to tread onto the Mortal Pathway and improve themselves.
Looking around this white space of the Virtual Simulation, I brought up the Administrator Command list.
Everything I needed was already incorporated here and since the Virtual Simulation relied on copying the user's memory before he dived in, the database of this Full Immersion Device was now filled with different landscapes, different races, different worlds and different situations I experienced before.
I shuffled through my memories to recreate a world where I would send these Earthlings.
To give them the Full Immersion as intended… it would be a slightly realistic world that they would be able to be engaged in. Be it the atmosphere, the theme of the game as well as the way they would be exploring the Virtual World
Well, naturally, I would tone down realism for a bit.
The purpose of introducing this game was to jumpstart them into threading the Mortal Pathway of the Earth.
Once more than half of the Earth's population became aware that they could do the same thing as they did in the game… its popularity would die down as they would all focus on reality.
Whether this technology would be abandoned or the Full Immersion Chamber would be shelved, that was something I had no idea of.
"Let's see. The most common setting is a tower or a dungeon where one could easily understand the progress of every floor they passed through. Is there something like that in my memory?"
Yuko, Yumiko and Hikari were watching from the monitors outside to watch what I was doing and through those, they could also communicate with me.
Upon hearing me muttering those words, Hikari's face instantly popped out in front of me with Yuko and Yumiko in the background.
"Master! Isn't that boring? Towers and Dungeons are already overused!"
"Is it? But won't you agree that using the more familiar setting will easily get them accustomed to it? I can put some other stuff as expansions."
"Expansions… That could work. Well then, I trust master. I can't wait to play it!"
After saying that, Hikari stepped away and the screen disappeared. Yuko and Yumiko only smiled at me with their eyes filled with trust in me.
Because they're not that knowledgeable about it, those two were letting Hikari take the center stage.
In any case, I will also let them play it. The more tester, the better.
Having decided that, I began constructing the Virtual World around.
-
-
Back in the Dark World, Alwyn who was staying in the Great One Illiana's territory to wait out the search for the culprit of massacring the Portal Camp was suddenly roused from her seat.
"Alwyn, the Great One is asking for your presence. Go into the Crimson Chamber and wait for the Great One's descent."
The one who addressed her was one of the Rank 4 Transcendent Monarchs serving closely to the Great One.
With her few weeks of stay in this… Crimson Palace of the Great One Illiana, she was already almost considered as one of its residents.
The Crimson Chamber was where Illiana was meeting her direct subordinates to give them specific missions.
When Alwyn received her mission to help Daisuke, she was also summoned to the same Crimson Chamber.
"Am I being given another assignment by the Great One? I wonder… will it involve that guy again?" She wondered. However, she immediately shook her head. "No. He's back in his world, there's no way it will involve him. I still haven't given his crystal to the Blade Monarch... Good thing he didn't ask about it the last time he called me."
Traversing the space towards the Crimson Chamber, Alwyn began recalling the events that transpired ever since she was assigned to that task a month ago.
A little Rank 1 Transcendent. To be given that much importance by the Great One Illiana, she speculated about his true identity to be someone important to her.
However, the more she interacted with him, the more the mystery about his identity deepened.
Now that he's back in his world and his memory recovered, she is finally aware that… the man who even had the gall to flirt with her was actually the Great One Illiana's man from a long time ago.
At first, she thought he was joking when he told her that and asked her to keep it a secret. However, Daisuke's voice back then sounded so serious that she even felt a sudden chill on her back.
'Why am I thinking about him again? He is worlds away from here. He's weaker than me. And there's no way to confirm what he said.'
After another sigh, Alwyn slapped her own cheeks to sweep away those thoughts.
And that's because she was already before the Crimson Chamber.
In front of her was a tall crimson door with two Exalted guarding it.
Alwyn then kneeled in front of the door before respectfully calling out to it.
"Great One, your servant is here."
A few seconds later, the tall crimson door opened revealing the bright room inside.
"You may enter now."
One of the two Exalted said to Alwyn.
After nodding to the two Exalted, Alwyn entered the Crimson Chamber.
As soon as she reached the middle of the room, the tall crimson door closed behind her.
Following that a bright crimson light suddenly filled the room as the lean figure of a veiled woman floated down from above.
If Daisuke was there, he would immediately recognize the woman.
Naturally, it was none other than the Great One Illiana.
Even among her subordinates she still kept the veil on. The striking red mark on her cheeks could still be seen, however, that was only adding to her mysteriousness.
Not daring to lift her head to meet Illiana's gaze, Alwyn kneeled down once more and waited for the command.
Amidst her slight nervousness, the excitement of being of service to the Great One was filling Alwyn's heart.
In her mind, before she could be confused about what she thought of that guy, she was still the Great One's servant. If what he said was true then… she didn't deserve to have thoughts towards him.
"Alwyn." Illiana started. Her voice was so melodic that it could produce some kind of phenomenon in this Chamber.
The walls glowed with crimson light as birds that had the crimson streak on their feathers fluttered upwards.
"You don't need to kneel before me anymore. Stand up."
"But…"
"It's not a command. It's a request. No matter what, he now favors you."
Upon hearing that, Alwyn's eyes widened as if she was doused in cold water.
'Is it really true? He's… the Great One's lover…' Her mind instantly became chaotic as she slowly lifted her eyes to look straight to the woman she served ever since she began treading the Crimson Spirit Pathway.
"I am aware that you're in contact with Daisuke. You do not need to fear me anymore... Anyway, I have something I need you to do. This is for him."
With Illiana's statement, Alwyn totally ignored the first half of what she said but focused on her last sentence.
"... Great One. I am your servant and I will always be. Give me your command and it will be done."
Alwyn hurriedly bowed again, however, before she could lower her head, Illiana's hands prevented her from doing that.
"I don't want to be scolded by him if you're still this subservient once he comes back. So… Can I ask you to talk to me like we are equal?"
Although covered by a veil, Alwyn could vaguely imagine a bitter smile appearing on the Great One Illiana's lips.
She was somewhat confused to suddenly be treated like this by the Great One she was serving.
"No… I cannot do that. I'm not in any kind of relationship with him. I only followed what you commanded me."
"You say that. But, are you still not aware of his interest in you?"
When Alwyn heard that, she recalled their last conversation before she sent the two back to the world. He called her as his benefactor because of the medicinal pills she gave him to save her face when she fell asleep in his room. She also recalled how he told her that he has a favorable impression of her.
"I… I am aware."
"Then that's settled. I cannot leave the world as I am. There are a lot of eyes watching my every move. The World's Will is the same. That's why, at the moment, you're the only one we can rely on."
Alwyn thought of rejecting at first since she's still confused with how the Great One she always served and looked up to suddenly wanted her to treat her as an equal. However, after contemplating for a while, especially with the tone of her voice and the content of what she said, she dropped everything that was confusing her and only focused on the words 'you're the only one we can rely on.'
It's an honor for her to be relied on by the Great One. So… after her initial silence, Alwyn slowly raised her head and stood straight before Illiana.
"...Please tell me what do I need to do?"
"Great! I need you to go to this World Zone and search for…" Illiana trailed her voice as she waved her hand before her crimson-colored energy coalesced to become an image that depicted a certain planet. "… this World."
Inside the image, there were writings on it that pertain to the World Zone's location.
"I understand…" Digesting the information shown to her, Alwyn slowly nodded her head.
Read latest chapters at f(r)eewebnov𝒆l Only