The cheers of players celebrating Illfang the Kobold Lord's defeat still echoed through the final chamber of the first floor—until a player's shout tore it all apart.

  —Why did the beta testers abandon us? Why did they let us die?

  Silence wrapped the place. Then came murmurs, and soon chaos erupted. Players bickered, accusing one another of being beta testers.

  —Why?

  —We have the right to live too!

  —We don't want to die just so you can survive!

  Yuiha froze in place, heart pounding, fists clenched tight. One player turned and glared at her with resentment.

  —YOU! You were in the beta too!

  Her eyes went wide. She stepped back and raised her hands defensively. But when she backed up, she bumped into someone else. She spun and found another player looming behind her.

  —You knew this would happen and kept it from us!

  —Murderers! —another girl spat, eyes blazing with hatred.

  —I didn't know, I swear! —Yuiha's voice cracked under the weight of anguish—. I didn't join the boss raids. I don't know anything about them!

  More players closed in, surrounding her menacingly. She trembled in place, terrified of what they might do. The accusations sharpened.

  —Think you're better than us?

  —You're just using us!

  —Monster!

  —No! —she cried, desperate—. I don't have much info, and I'm not a great fighter, but I try to help however I can!

  —Pathetic. If you don't know anything and can't fight, you're useless.

  She tried to answer, but a sharp pain pierced her back. She looked down and saw a sword sticking through her chest. Her health bar plummeted fast...

  Yuiha jolted upright in bed, fear consuming her soul. Her first instinct was to grab her chest where the blade had run her through—but found nothing. Slowly, she recognized the inn room where she'd been staying since the start, the faint bustle of the waking town drifting in through the window.

  She covered her eyes with her hands and wept. The nightmare had repeated since the boss raid, but this time it felt more real than ever. She stayed like that for a long while as morning light crept over her.

  —I swear I'm doing what I can... —she whispered, to herself and to the phantoms haunting her dreams.

  Later that day, Yuiha walked through the town's streets. NPCs greeted her warmly, and she smiled back at each one. Crossing the main square, she turned toward the grand cathedral. Nearby, she saw children playing as if they were in the real world, carefree. A girl spotted her and ran over.

  —Yuiha-nee! —the girl cried, hugging her.

  —Hello, Mina. Have you been good? —Yuiha greeted her gently, patting her hair.

  Two more children rushed up.

  —Look, Yuiha-san! My sword skill gets better every day —one boy announced, swinging a branch like a weapon—. Soon I'll be able to join the players clearing the game!

  —That's amazing, Kain —she replied with warmth—, but someone also has to stay here to protect everyone else.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  —But you're here to protect us all.

  Yuiha watched him for a moment, silent. She wanted to tell him she wasn't strong, that she doubted she could defend them all if it came to it. But she knew what the children needed most was hope, so she smiled as naturally as she could. Then Ginn, the other boy, spoke.

  —Yuiha-san, you won't stay here forever...

  —Yuiha-nee will stay with us, right? —Mina asked.

  —I don't plan on leaving. But if I ever do, I promise I'll always come back.

  At that moment, a woman in a nun's robe appeared and approached them. She greeted Yuiha warmly and invited her into the cathedral for tea.

  —How are things with the kids, Sasha? —Yuiha asked, sipping.

  —Good. They're all good children. Sometimes restless, but they make life here more bearable —Sasha answered—. I heard you joined the boss raid.

  —Yeah... it was a mess —Yuiha forced a laugh—. Several players died. Apparently there was a problem with the guide the beta testers made.

  —How unfortunate. But why would they give false information? What would they gain?

  —It wasn't on purpose, I think —Yuiha's gaze slipped to the window—. Games sometimes change after the beta; they adjust things based on what came up in testing.

  Yuiha opened her menu and transferred 3000 col.

  —This is what I can give for the week. I know it's less than before, but hunting hasn't gone well lately.

  —It's more than enough! —Sasha said quickly, taking her hands—. Without your help, these kids would go hungry. But... I worry you give us so much. Do you leave enough for yourself?

  —I don't need much —Yuiha shrugged—. Just an inn room and food.

  —When we go back to the real world, I'll repay you for everything.

  Yuiha looked at her gratefully, hands still held in Sasha's, and smiled genuinely for the first time in days.

  December 11, 2022. 10:43 AM – Forest Area, Floor 1

  Yuiha walked through the forest beside a cow that demanded salt at regular intervals or else would return to its farm. The first time she'd cleared The Heifer Strikes Back quest, she'd thought it bizarre: a calf that had run away and would only return if accompanied by its mother. She'd heard of players wasting an entire day trying to catch it, only to rage-quit the quest in frustration.

  The mission gave nothing special, and after the first days, hardly anyone attempted it again—even though it was infinitely repeatable. The reward—a couple loaves of bread and a pot of cream—wasn't worth the trouble for other players.

  But for Yuiha it was different. Those loaves were free food, and the cream was a luxury ingredient on Floor 1. Christmas was coming, so she decided to stockpile as many jars as she could to give Sasha—so the children at the orphanage could celebrate and forget, for just one night, the nightmare they were trapped in.

  —Don't worry, Heif-chan. We'll find your baby safe and sound —she told the NPC cow with odd tenderness.

  By now she knew exactly when to feed it salt so it wouldn't wander back. Truth be told, the cow had zero maternal instinct.

  After more than 30 minutes trekking the woods, they found the calf. It ran toward them at the sight of its mother; the quest updated instantly:

  [Escort the calf back to the farm, protecting it from Swamp Kobolds]

  The return was slow, keeping pace with the little one.

  —Easy there, little guy. You'll be home soon —she told it soothingly.

  —Moo! —he answered, as if he understood.

  She always smiled at him, eyes glowing in that particular way of hers.

  Sometimes Swamp Kobolds appeared—pathetically weak compared to the Sentinels she'd faced in the boss chamber. Still, she never let her guard down; she knew well that even one mistake could be fatal. She moved with mastery even against groups of three: Vertical Arc, Slant, Horizontal Arc. Each precise strike dropped another before they could get near the calf.

  The last kobold before reaching the farm brought an unpleasant surprise. It countered just as she struck it in the head, smashing into the base of her blade.

  [Your weapon has been damaged. Needs repair]

  —Son of a—! —she squealed angrily at the message. It was the third time that week her weapon had broken.

  She pressed a hand to her chest, took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes, her smile had returned.

  —We're almost there, Heif-chan —she told the mother cow, who ignored her entirely.

  She delivered the animals to the farm, and the owner handed her the reward:

  [Reward: 2 Bread, Pot of Cream, 200 col, 400 exp]

  Yuiha smiled to herself and started back toward town, ready to repair her gear yet again.