Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

[You have accepted a History Mission from Ravastine and Lidia Spelloyal].

[Mission Name: Botanical Gardens

You saved Lidia Spelloyal from marrying someone she didn't want, but it's not all over yet. The sisters have something to tell you, a secret, but it can wait for now.

Rewards for completing this quest:

- Find out what Ravastine and Lidia Spelloyal have to tell you.

- +5000 XP]

[The current objective of this quest is: Find the Tretidian Princesses in the Botanical Gardens west of the Royal Capital].

'Well, then I'll have some time to focus on other things. Ahhh! There are so many things to do that I can hardly make up my mind.... It would be nice for me to finally help Bleeding Lily with that Centaur Druid business, but I also want to get back to my Class Missions and exploring the world.' Kaizen thought as he walked through the deserted halls of the Arena an hour after the battle took place. 'If only before I do either of those things, I have to go take a shower.'

[Do you wish to disconnect? YES/NO.]

"Yes, otherwise soon even my avatar will start to stink too. Hehe!"

[Disconnecting Kaizen user...]

When Klaus Park opened his eyes in his small dark room, he immediately stood up. His back was stiff from lying down for so long, so he stretched a bit.

Playing Rise Online hardly tired him physically, as the deep immersion system basically worked like sleep for the human body, but mental fatigue was inevitable. The more time a user spent playing, the brain wear became more acute, because NeuroGear stimulated neurons constantly. Feeling headaches and fatigue was normal for VR game players, and the symptoms could get more severe over time as well, such as experiencing nausea, sudden fainting, and among other known symptoms of Burnout Syndrome.

Klaus was reminded of all this when he looked at the date that his computer's lock screen showed. It was December 21, which also meant that Christmas was near and consequently Rhyzer Park's birthday, which was on Christmas Eve. As a regular wage earner, this was usually the time when there was most work and even after he had left his regular job, December was still tiring.

"Although it would be nice to get some rest too, at least for today... Soon it will be another one of his birthdays and I wouldn't want to get a scolding from him for spending the whole day and night just playing, as he always told me not to do. Yes, I always tried to take care of my health because of him and because I didn't want to give medical expenses to my family, I can't change that now that I have obtained a few tens of thousands of dollars." Klaus said to himself and stood up.

As he left the room with his towel over his left shoulder, Klaus got a surprise. Jayaa's older sister Emma was standing in front of his door.

Initially, Klaus was taken aback, but he connected the dots faster than anyone could.

"You came to talk about Jayaa, didn't you? I understand you being angry. I confess that I acted wrong in not telling you about him being in my group," Klaus stated, closing the door to his room calmly.

"No... It's okay about that, I'm not mad about it or anything like that."

"What?" Klaus was more surprised by her conformism than the fact that she was waiting for him outside his room.

"When I saw Jayaa on television, I was angry, not because he was playing Rise Online, nor because he was fighting Taznaar, but because he didn't tell me, because he was participating in something so important and didn't even think about his sister.... Feeling that made me realize how he might feel if he suddenly found out that I am Bleeding Lily."

"You're more empathetic than you seem, Emma." Klaus crossed his arms and said innocently.

"Idiot!" she answered him by punching one of his arms a little hard. "Of course I am empathetic to Jayaa, he is my younger brother after all! Don't expect me to have that same empathy with you!"

Emma's punch didn't even tickle Klaus' big arms, and he simply started walking toward the stairs. "It's okay, I'm used to it."

"Hey, Klaus." She suddenly shouted with a less aggressive tone.

"What?" Klaus looked over his right shoulder and raised his eyebrows as he noticed a blush on her face.

"Can I ask you something?" inquired Emma, looking away.

"Sure, go ahead."

Klaus' acquiescence was automatic. He wasn't even thinking straight when he answered her, because his mind became a mess just from seeing the rigorous Bleeding Lily's embarrassed expression. That was something he didn't expect to ever see.

'That blush... I wonder if she...?'

Klaus was someone with some romantic experiences, mainly because he frequented many different kinds of places thanks to his odd jobs, which made him meet people of all kinds, and because Chun Park always set up some dates for him with daughters of her friends. So when he saw the blush on Emma's face, he knew something had changed, and perhaps the early mornings they enjoyed together in front of the television meant more to Emma than he could have imagined.

However, Klaus Park's expectations were suddenly shattered when Emma said:

"You...can you help me talk to Jayaa about me being the Bleeding Lily? You're his best friend, so I think he'll accept it easier if you're at the moment I tell him."

At that moment, Klaus sighed and looked toward the door to Jayaa's room, which was in the middle of the second floor of the duplex. His door was ajar and the room was dark, signifying that he had already left for his date with Isabella, as he had warned he would.

So Klaus thought about Emma's request for only a moment and replied as he walked down the stairs:

"That is a matter that should be settled between you and him. If I got involved, Jayaa might get the wrong idea. Anyway, settle it between you two and don't involve me in it, please."

"Ah! What a bad guy you are ~! It's okay, if you don't want to, there's nothing to do." She leaned on the ledge of the second floor and continued to stare at him as he walked down the stairs. "By the way, Kaizen, I almost forgot.... Congratulations on beating Taznaar, not just any player can pull that off."

"That was nothing." He muttered a little disappointed. "And don't call me that outside the game." Klaus said to her and went into the bathroom to finally bathe.

Emma continued leaning on the ledge for a few seconds, staring at the bathroom door.

'Could Jayaa have the wrong idea? What does that mean?' she wondered, not understanding what Klaus was talking about.

Under the shower, the hot jets of water coming from above lowered Klaus' hair, forming a small fringe, which he repeatedly had to throw back. However, on this particular day this seemed much more annoying. He couldn't tell if he was stressed because he had over-prepared himself to fight a mentally weak enemy, or because he wasn't happy with his performance in leading Ravastine and Jayaa, or if it was because he was expecting some sort of statement from Emma.

Perhaps 'all of that' was the answer.

However, the scene of Emma's shy expression wouldn't leave his memory and his heart began to flutter.

"What is... that?" He thought, placing a hand on his chest.

*Tudum, tudum*

He felt his heart beat faster.

"No, that can't... I know almost nothing about her, like favorite food, whether she likes dogs or cats more, her dream... I know more about some clients' lives from the time I worked at Arc Insurance than I know about her.... I hope this is a heart attack, because if it is love..."

Klaus came out alive after finishing his shower, indicating that he definitely did not suffer a heart attack.

Still, he convinced himself that his pounding heart and Emma's expression was just a big coincidence and that because he had not exercised for the past few days it had happened.

The next day Klaus returned to his normal calisthenics routine, because now that his intense preparation for the duel against Taznaar was over. He just hadn't imagined yet that he would have to prepare for a much bigger battle that was not far off.

+

[Statistics Screen

Nickname: Kaizen | Class: Psych

Current Title: The descendant of the Ironstones; Talented; Master of Languages.

Profession: Blacksmith Apprentice.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral | Fame: 490].

[Attributes

Level: 46

HP: 690 | Vitality: 71

Intelligence: 90 | Luck: 47

Attack: 92 | Agility: 83

Charisma: 39

Defense: 75 (+120)

Magic Resistance: 28 | MP: 355

PR: 120]

[Abilities:

<Telekinesis>

<Analyzing Eye>

<Sword Art>

<Deep Cut>

<Death Touch>

<Writer>

<Giant's Lungs>

<Free Flame Manipulation>.]

…

Edited by: DrHitsuji

If you want to see original illustrations of Rise Online characters, consider helping me on pa treon: Pa treon.com/NandoFalske

More character images in:

https://discord.gg/bpqq9u4gS8

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