Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 157
157. Mari-nee and Night Talk
After that, I asked Gils to fetch the water while I unsteadily returned to Roulette-san’s side and supposedly cooked.
I say “supposedly” because the shock of what I had seen earlier was so great that I ended up in a state of denial… even though this is a game world.
Still, the fact that I unconsciously managed to do what needed to be done must be thanks to the resilience I built up from surviving the potato chips ordeal.
By the way, I made a mixed rice dish with the mushrooms we received, a soup with greens and root vegetables, and grilled river fish we bought from the villagers.
The rice and seasonings I had stocked up on in Liberta came in handy here.
I think it turned out deliciously, but I have no recollection of the taste.
I probably didn’t have the mental space to appreciate it.
I fell asleep without even realizing it…
And then I woke up, startled and drenched in sweat from a nightmare…
While my mind was now clear, waking up covered in sweat was the worst.
I pushed aside the bangs sticking to my forehead and looked out the borrowed house’s window to see it was still dark outside.
I didn’t feel sleepy enough to go back to bed, and I certainly didn’t want to lie down again in my sweaty state.
“Maybe some fresh night air will help me feel better. Walking around should help dry the sweat, too.”
With that thought, I got out of bed and noticed that Roulette-san’s bed next to mine was empty.
The bed was cold to the touch when I approached it.
An inexplicable anxiety washed over me, and I rushed outside, looking around frantically.
A sliver of the moon hung in the night sky, surrounded by twinkling stars that painted a delicate picture.
The faint moonlight triggered my [Night Vision].
Thanks to that, I had no trouble searching the village, but I couldn’t find Roulette-san.
“Where could she have gone…”
I walked out of the village along the forest’s edge until the trees disappeared, replaced by a small hill.
Atop the hill, standing on a rock with one knee raised, was a solitary figure.
“Roulette-san…”
She turned towards me, having heard my whisper.
She looked a bit sheepish, perhaps because she had snuck out in the middle of the night without saying anything, or maybe because she had stayed silent until now.
I approached her without a word, stopping just a step away.
Not too far, yet not too close—a comfortable distance.
As we shared the silence, Roulette-san finally spoke up, her voice soft and contemplative.
“My job class is called ?Rakshasa Woman?, an advanced martial artist class. In fact, I’ve been skipping over the initial job classes since the official service launch.”
“What? Is that even possible?”
I recalled Zela-san explaining that individual differences would arise based on one’s experiences when acquiring job skills. But I had never heard of someone skipping job classes entirely.
“It’s a special exception, according to Zagreus.”
She shrugged as she said this, indicating it was as unexpected for her as it was for me.
And if it’s an exception from Zagreus… yeah, it makes sense. He can pull off anything, really.
I remembered the incident where I was suddenly bestowed with ten thousand Karma points after clearing an event, and I couldn’t help but nod in understanding.
“Moreover, ?Rakshasa Woman? was something I obtained during the beta test by encountering a certain NPC.”
Her faint smile held a mix of nostalgia and sadness, with a touch of ephemeral allure.
Roulette-san then recounted how she became ?Rakshasa Woman?.
She had participated in a rare monster hunt for the drops, but it was a terrible ordeal that involved sacrificing NPCs. She managed to escape with an abducted NPC.
Although they escaped, she was injured and lost consciousness. When she woke up, she found herself being tended to by a stranger – a man with glasses, who had a cat familiar that later inspired Nero.
Living in a small village in harmony with nature, her heart and exhaustion gradually healed, according to Roulette-san.
However, their peace didn’t last. The players who hadn’t given up on the hunt attacked the village, and the man was killed.
Roulette-san fought alongside the man who turned into a monster, but they were outnumbered.
When the man died, Roulette-san prepared to respawn, but at that moment, she awakened as ?Rakshasa Woman? and repelled the players.
The man entrusted her with his glasses before passing away.
When the official service launched, Zagreus requested her to skip the initial job classes and select ?Rakshasa Woman? during her first login.
Listening to this story stirred intense emotions within me.
For Roulette-san, who experienced it firsthand, I could only imagine the whirlwind of feelings.
“The glasses from that man were something I had to return eventually. The battle with Jade made me remember – no, it forced me to confront – that I couldn’t stay weak and indebted forever.”
She smiled wryly and murmured, “And indeed, I lost.”
Her expression showed a hint of her usual self, mixed with a touch of self-deprecation.
“After the official service launch, I went to the village’s location based on my memories. But it was in ruins, and no one was there. I had pushed the memory away in despair, but I recalled his words.”
“Words?”
“Yes. He said, ‘One day, someone worthy of these eyes will appear. Until then, it’s a loan.’ I was alone back then, but now it’s different.”
Her gaze told me that she was referring to me.
I couldn’t say for sure if I was the one he meant, but I was glad Roulette-san thought so.
“There might be dangers ahead. Even so, Maria-san, will you—”
I placed my index finger in front of my lips, stopping her from continuing.
My resolve remained unchanged.
So instead, I answered,
“If it’s a debt, I must repay it with interest. To ensure that person can rest in peace.”
Roulette-san looked momentarily taken aback by my cheerful response, then smiled softly.
With a quiet “Thank you” to follow.