Reinh's first night in Sekandaya Port—or more accurately, in the now-real world of Tierias—was spent in restlessness in a narrow alley between a sharp-smelling fish warehouse and a grimy tavern, The Salty Dog Inn. The pungent, fishy aroma mixed with the smell of stale beer and vomit became his unwelcome bedfellows. He didn't have a single Copper Piece to rent even the cheapest room. His already tattered clothes became dirtier, and the cold of the night sea breeze pierced him to the bone, a sensation he had never felt from the weather effects in Tale's of Aurora, which were merely animations of raindrops or snowflakes on his monitor screen.
When the first dawn broke over the harbor, casting a golden light on the rippling seawater and illuminating the towering watchtowers, Reinh awoke stiff and with a rumbling stomach. He rubbed his now bright yellow eyes, trying to banish the remnants of nightmares about Yui and her vow, which felt increasingly real in this world.
He rose, stretching his aching muscles. Sekandaya Port in the morning was a lively and energetic sight, far different from the static city with NPCs walking in limited routes that he remembered from the game. Fishermen in small boats, called Sea Skiffs and Brine Cutters, were just returning from sea, bringing their diverse catches—gleaming silver fish like Silverfin Herrings, giant crabs with menacing claws called Stoneclaw Crabs, and multicolored shells. Their voices shouting to offer their goods, haggling with fishmongers at Fishmonger's Square, and the creak of wooden boats rubbing against the docks created a noisy yet authentic morning symphony. Young children ran between the legs of adults, laughing merrily as they chased low-flying Sea Gulls. The aroma of freshly baked bread from "The Rolling Pin Bakery" at the end of the street mingled with the scent of the sea, creating a strange yet appetizing contrast.
Reinh walked aimlessly, observing all these details with a mixture of amazement and despair. In the game, all of this was just a facade, textures and 3D models designed to create an illusion of life. Here, every individual had an expression, every object had weight and texture, every sound had a clear source. He saw a blacksmith, whose avatar he once knew as 'ForgeMasterJax', now perhaps with the real name Theron Ironhand, forging a sword in his workshop, "The Adamant Anvil." Sweat drenched his forehead, the muscles in his arms bulged as he struck the hammer against a glowing metal, sparks flying—all these details were so real, not just repetitive animations.
However, the beauty and realism of this new world couldn't dispel the growing hunger. His stomach twisted. He had to find a way to get food and, if possible, more decent shelter. His mind went back to the basic mechanics of MMORPGs: quests. In Tale's of Aurora, the Adventurer's Guild was the main place to get jobs and rewards. Perhaps it was the same in this world.
With a glimmer of hope, he asked an old fruit vendor who was arranging shiny red Crimson Apples in his basket. "Excuse me, Sir. Could you tell me where the Adventurer's Guild is?"
The merchant, with a wrinkled face and a friendly smile, pointed to a larger street. "Straight ahead towards the main square, son. You'll see a large building with an emblem of a shield and crossed swords, 'The Valiant Hall'. That's our Adventurer's Guild."
"Thank you, Sir…"
"Just call me Old Man Elmsworth," he replied with a chuckle.
Reinh nodded and walked in the indicated direction. The Valiant Hall. A heroic-sounding name. The guild building was indeed grand, made of solid gray stone with high arched windows and large double oak doors. The emblem of a shield and crossed swords was clearly carved above the entrance. In the game, the guild building was just an interaction point, a facade. Here, it felt solid and real.
With a little nervousness, Reinh pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. The interior was spacious and bustling, though not as crowded as the guild lobby in the game, which was filled with hundreds of player avatars. Several adventurers in leather armor with weapons slung on their backs were chatting at round tables, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses occasionally heard. The walls were adorned with various monster trophies—the head of a Dire Wolf with yellowed fangs, the curved horns of a Minotaur Chieftain, even a pair of giant Gryphon Skyhunter claws—all looking authentic and terrifying. A large notice board made of dark wood, called the Quest Board, hung on one wall, filled with various parchments offering jobs.
Behind a long, polished mahogany reception desk stood a young woman with light brown hair tied neatly back and bright green eyes that looked at him with professional yet friendly gaze. Reinh was stunned for a moment. It was Elara, the guild receptionist NPC, exactly like in the game, down to the small flower-shaped hairpin she wore. However, something was different. Her gaze was more alive, her smile more sincere, and there were slight fine lines at the corners of her eyes when she smiled, details that were never present on the NPC character model.
"Welcome to The Valiant Hall, Sekandaya Port's Adventurer's Guild. How can I help you?" she greeted him with a melodious voice.
Reinh was still trying to process this within a "game" framework, even though the bitter realization from the previous day was beginning to sink in. He approached the desk, trying to remember the standard dialogue for accepting a quest. "I… I'd like to register as an adventurer," he said, a little awkwardly.
The woman smiled. "Of course. My name is Livia Thorne, guild administrator. What's your name?"
Livia Thorne? Not Elara? Again, a different name for the same face. Reinh took a breath. He couldn't use the name "Luminere." That name was his in Tale's of Aurora, the name of a powerful and respected Awakener. Using it now, in this condition, with his disheveled appearance and no power whatsoever, felt like a bitter irony. That name was a reminder of what had been lost, a reminder of the confusion and alienation he felt when he first realized the terrible change in this world, as he had experienced yesterday in the forest and when he saw his different reflection. He needed something neutral, something that didn't carry the burden of his virtual past. "Reinh," he replied curtly. He decided not to use the surname "Aggna" he had mentioned to Barnaby. For now, "Reinh" alone was enough.
Livia took a piece of parchment and a quill. "Alright, Reinh. Do you have any prior adventuring experience? Or a letter of recommendation from another guild?"
In the game, the process was just a few clicks. Now, there were forms and questions. "I… I've adventured for quite some time," Reinh replied, unsure how to explain his experience as a high-level player. "But I don't have a letter of recommendation."
Livia nodded understandingly. "No problem. Many adventurers start here. There's a registration fee of five Copper Pieces for the creation of a guild ID card and initial administration."
Five Copper Pieces. Reinh fumbled in his pockets. Empty. His face must have shown his disappointment, because Livia looked at him with a hint of pity. "Is there a problem, Reinh?"
"I… I don't have any money right now," Reinh confessed, embarrassed.
Livia paused for a moment, then smiled sympathetically. "How about this. There are some very urgent jobs that don't require high qualifications. If you're willing to take one of them and succeed, the registration fee can be deducted from your first reward. How does that sound?"
This was different from the game, where NPCs never offered such leniency. "That… would be very helpful, Miss Livia. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Please take a look at the Quest Board over there. Choose a job with a bronze star mark, those are for novice adventurers, or Bronze Rank Quests. Once you've chosen, bring the parchment back here."
Reinh went to the Quest Board. The parchments were neatly handwritten, some with crude drawings of monsters or locations. Titles read: "Cellar Rat Extermination at The Tipsy Mermaid Tavern – Reward: 10 Copper Pieces," "Lost Tabby Cat Retrieval for Old Lady Willow – Reward: 7 Copper Pieces, plus apple pie," "Urgent Scroll Delivery to Old Mill Bridge – Reward: 15 Copper Pieces." This was a far cry from the epic raid boss quests or legendary artifact hunts he used to lead as Luminere.
He chose what sounded the "safest" and something he could do with his remaining basic magic skills: "Herbalist Elara's Request: Gather Sunpetal Flowers near Elderwood Grove – Reward: 12 Copper Pieces." Gathering flowers. In the game, this was just walking to a specific point on the map and clicking an object. It should be easy. Wait, Elara? The same name as the guild receptionist NPC in the game, but Livia Thorne is the receptionist's name here. Could there be another Elara, an herbalist?
He brought the parchment back to Livia. "I'll take this one."
Livia noted it down. "Alright. Sunpetal Flowers usually grow in the meadow just before Elderwood Grove. Herbalist Elara at The Gilded Mortar is in dire need of them. Be careful of Forest Sprites or small Wild Snappers that sometimes appear there. Bring back at least a dozen fresh flowers before sunset."
Forest Sprites? Wild Snappers? Those were level 1 or 2 monsters in the game. But Livia's warning sounded serious.
With the little bread left from Barnaby and newfound determination, Reinh left the guild. Elderwood Grove wasn't too far from the city's eastern gate, Eastgate. He walked, feeling every pebble under the thin soles of his shoes. The meadow was beautiful, filled with wildflowers of various colors he had never seen in the game. He soon found the Sunpetal Flowers, bright yellow flowers with petals like the sun, exactly like their icon in the game, but now with real texture and fragrance. However, collecting them wasn't as easy as clicking. He had to crouch, choose perfectly bloomed flowers, and pick them carefully to avoid damage, feeling the sticky sap on his fingers.
While he was busy picking, he heard a rustling sound from the nearby bushes. A Wild Snapper—a small turtle with strong jaws and a greenish, spiky shell—emerged, its small black eyes staring aggressively at Reinh. In the game, he only needed one low-level Ignis Minor to defeat it.
Reinh prepared himself. "Ignis Minor!" A small fireball shot out, but the Wild Snapper deftly dodged to the side with an unexpected movement, then lunged quickly, trying to bite his ankle. Reinh was surprised by its speed and aggressiveness. He jumped back, then tried to cast the spell again, this time more focused. The second fireball hit the turtle's shell, making it smoke a little but not significantly injuring it. The turtle attacked again, hissing softly.
The fight against one low-level monster turned out to be much harder and more exhausting than he had imagined. He had to keep moving, avoiding bites, while trying to cast spells with limited energy. Each spell felt like it drained his stamina. Finally, after being hit several times by his magic on its unprotected head, the Wild Snapper stopped moving, lying on its back with its legs in the air. Reinh panted, sweat drenching his forehead. This was just one small monster. What if he encountered something bigger, like the Shadowfang Wolves Barnaby had mentioned?
He continued gathering flowers, now with heightened alertness. After getting more than a dozen Sunpetals, he hurried back to Sekandaya Port before sunset.
Livia smiled when she saw him return with a bunch of fresh flowers, even though Reinh's clothes were a bit dirtier and there was a small scratch on his arm. "Good work, Reinh. Herbalist Elara will be pleased. Here's your reward." She counted out twelve Copper Pieces and handed them to Reinh. Five coins were immediately taken for the registration fee. The remaining seven copper coins felt so heavy and precious in his hand. This was the first money he had earned in this world, through real hard work.
"Your guild ID card will be ready tomorrow morning," Livia said. "Welcome officially to The Valiant Hall, Reinh."
With those seven coins, Reinh bought a larger piece of wheat bread and a bowl of warm Hearty Vegetable Stew at a simple eatery near the market, "The Weary Traveler's Hearth." The taste of the food, though simple, was the most delicious he had ever tasted, perhaps because he was so hungry, or perhaps because it was the result of his own efforts. He also rented the smallest and cheapest room at The Rusty Anchor inn, a narrow room with a straw bed and one small window overlooking a smelly back alley. At least it was better than sleeping among fish warehouses.
That night, lying on his slightly uncomfortable straw bed, Reinh stared at the low wooden ceiling. He had survived one day in this world. He had food, shelter, and a job. He even had a new name, Reinh Aggna, an empty identity he could fill. However, the loneliness was still there, even stronger. The detailed beauty of Tierias that he could now feel with all his senses—the salty sea breeze, the aroma of baked bread, the warmth of the sun, the cold of the night—it was all real. But he was alone with his memories. Everyone he knew from Tale's of Aurora was now a stranger. His original world felt so distant, like a fading dream.
Yui's vow echoed in his mind again, resonating in the silence of his room. "...no happiness will ever stay with you." Was this the beginning of the fulfillment of that vow? Thrown into a strange world, alone, without power, without friends. Reinh closed his eyes, trying to banish the thought. Tomorrow was a new day. He had to keep fighting, searching for answers, and maybe… find a way not just to survive, but also to find meaning in this world that felt so real yet so cruel.