The Newbie's Encounter
A small shadow stood wearily on the side of the road, leaning against the wall with no strength left.
Sweat dripped down her forehead, and taking a deep breath made her lungs burn like fire.
"..."
Sia exhaled, raising her hand to shield her eyes.
Her fingertips trembled faintly.
Tension and fatigue.
And an unfamiliar landscape.
She slowly turned her gaze to the street she stood on.
A bustling market.
People came and went, haggling, and the merchants' voices never ceased.
Skewers sizzled on the street, and a sweet scent carried on the wind brushed the tip of the nose.
It was definitely a completely different scene from before.
Sia looked down at her hand.
Various items were clutched in it.
And a small bag slung over her shoulder.
Inside, the things she had brought from 'there' remained.
The quantity was so immense that the bag overflowed, so she held some in her hands.
Sia recalled the previous situation for a moment.
Escaping the Ant Tunnel had been nothing short of a miracle.
After that day of escaping the deep Ant Tunnel.
Sia continued staring at the items in her hand.
"Is this... really valuable?"
At first, she dismissed it as empty hope.
But when she asked the guild master just in case.
"This is...! Where did you get it?"
The moment his expression changed, Sia realized.
This wasn't just trash.
Most of the items Sia had picked up in the Ant Tunnel were high-value materials.
Of course.
Even monster loot, since they were from the Ant Tunnel, which boasted high levels.
In this RPG world where NPCs of relatively low levels were common, these were high-grade materials not easily seen even in shops.
Sia sold them all.
And glittering gold coins entered her hands.
The first sight of these shining coins.
They changed her fate.
Thus, Sia was now living a life completely different from before.
She wasn't wandering the road without knowing anything like before.
She didn't have to worry about food costs, and she could stay at a small inn instead of on the ground.
And most importantly.
She no longer had to hunt monsters one by one to survive each day.
"..."
Sia slowly took small coins out of her pocket.
Two glittering gold coins flashed on Sia's hand.
Now, she didn't have to worry about starving.
Sia exhaled quietly, as if the tension had left her.
She no longer had to hunt monsters desperately like before.
No more worries about eating and living.
So, what was left now?
"..."
To soothe her tired mind and body, Sia suddenly recalled the word 'resort'.
Since she had money in hand, she could rest properly this time.
Naturally, she moved her feet toward the famous beach resort, Emerald Beach.
After that.
Sia opened her mouth slightly as she saw the scene unfolding before her eyes.
Blue sea, sparkling sand beach, a path lined with palm trees.
Stores were scattered everywhere, and people were strolling around with relaxed faces.
The sea breeze blew gently, wrapping around her body.
"Wow, so this is the resort area..."
To her, who had been walking the dusty road covered in sweat and dirt, it was a paradise-like scenery.
Sia sparkled her eyes and looked around.
Stores were selling colorful tropical fruits, and on one side, fresh seafood was being grilled and sold.
People were leisurely walking while holding coconut juice, and on the beach, adventurers were playing with monsters.
'Really, it's a completely different world.'
Sia walked happily towards the beach.
When she stepped on the sand, she felt the crunching sensation.
The sunlight shone warmly, and the sound of waves came like pleasant white noise.
Then, a large clam entered her field of vision.
It was a large, round clam.
Its shell looked hard, and it sparkled when it received light.
It looked like a chair from somewhere.
Sia smiled happily while looking at the clam.
It was big enough to sit comfortably, and its shape looked soft.
Since the surrounding chairs were already occupied by people, this was the perfect spot.
So, Sia sat down on the clam without hesitation.
At that moment,
BANG!
A loud noise rang out.
Sia jumped in surprise.
At the same time, the clam opened with a whoosh, and a large eye sparkled inside.
Lv.20 Furious Giant Clam
The giant clam was a monster.
Because Sia had woken it up while it was sleeping, it was forcibly awakened.
"Kyaaak!!!"
The giant clam roared in anger and slammed its mouth shut.
Sia wiped sweat and took a step back.
"Ah, no, that's not it..."
She tried to make an excuse, but the clam was already in attack stance, flashing its hard shell.
'Ah.'
It was over.
Sia instinctively turned her body and started running.
"Kyaak!!"
Sia running desperately across the beach.
And the giant clam monster chasing right behind.
It was a desperate moment.
While running, Sia's foot slipped in the sand and she lost balance.
Wheeled.
Sia couldn't maintain balance and fell forward.
'It's over...'
At that moment.
In front of her eyes,
A small shadow appeared.
A small figure standing in front.
A small shadow with the sun behind it was looking down at her.
Her white hair was fluttering in the sea breeze.
The giant clam monster disappeared in an instant.
It was quiet.
The monster that had been chasing her just moments ago had disappeared like dust in an instant.
Sia blinked with a shocked expression.
"..."
The being who helped her was a small girl with white hair.
Sia stared blankly at the figure in front of her.
Even in her blurry vision, her appearance was particularly clear.
A small, slender silhouette.
White hair that shone softly in the sunlight.
Silver strands of hair that fluttered even in the light breeze, with a mysterious gloss like moonlight rippling.
Below it, clear eyes like they contained the blue sea.
Those eyes that shone transparently were quietly looking down at her.
"..."
Sia unconsciously swallowed.
Thanks to the low angle of the sun, a soft light fell beside her face.
The sunlight wrapped around her snow-white skin and added a subtle glow.
It was truly a mysterious beauty.
For a moment, Sia thought that the being in front of her was not a human,
but perhaps a god or spirit existing in this world.
It was an appearance of perfect harmony.
Slowly, her small lips moved.
Slightly.
With a languid gaze and a faint smile, Sia felt her breath stop for a moment.
"Be careful."
A soft, gentle voice.
The child's tone was gentle yet neat.
The clear resonance that tickled the ears was a tone that made one feel good just by listening.
Sia looked at the being in front again.
Now it was clearer.
A small, cute face.
A somewhat unruffled atmosphere contained within.
She wasn't just a pretty girl.
She looked young, but the atmosphere gave a mature feel.
This mysterious aura that drew people's gazes.
If she grew older, she would surely become a 'beauty' that would make many people cry.
Sia suddenly recalled a familiar silhouette.
Quiet Ant Tunnel side,
A small food stall under the cave ceiling.
And a small shadow sitting at the table eating a hamburger.
The being in front and the silhouette she had met then overlapped.
Sia opened her mouth casually.
"W-wait a minute!"
Instantly, she reached out and grabbed Rumiel's sleeve.
Rumiel felt the touch and stopped walking.
However, she just turned quietly and looked at Sia.
Sia exhaled and looked at the girl in front again.
And at that moment.
There was no level indicator floating above Rumiel's head.
"Eh...?"
Sia's eyes shook.
In this world, whether NPC or monster, there should be a level and name floating above their heads.
[Rumiel]
But above the small girl's head, there was only the name floating, no level.
'What is this...?'
Sia was momentarily panicked.
"..."
From the time she came to this world, she had never seen such a being.
Rumiel just quietly looked at Sia.
Her clear, deep blue eyes shone calmly as if she knew everything.
And,
"..."
Rumiel said in a soft voice.
The voice was still gentle, but it felt like she was excited as if meeting an old friend.
Sia felt her heart drop suddenly.
"Player."
A small, languid voice, but that one word stuck deep in her ears.
Sia's face paled for a moment.
The items she picked up in the Ant Tunnel.
Sia's guess was that this wasn't originally Rumiel's.
She didn't know well, but she roughly knew what it meant for someone to take drop items from another person in RPG.
The act of taking someone else's hunted spoils without permission.
It was equivalent to stealing.
So, perhaps.
Sia felt an ominous premonition and shook her head.
"Ah, no! I'm not a player!"
Instant denial.
Sia instinctively opened her mouth.
Somehow, if she answered wrong now, it would be a big problem.
Rumiel stared at Sia fixedly.
Clear, deep blue eyes.
Seeing herself reflected in them, Sia felt even deeper unease.
"W-what is a player...?"
Sia felt like her heart was being squeezed.
"What is that... I mean, I'm just the person who was originally here! What does player mean."
Her voice trembled.
She tried to make an excuse as naturally as possible, but she felt it was clumsy herself.
Rumiel looked at her silently for a moment.
Sia, wrapped in anxiety, tried to avoid her eyes.
What if she was being interrogated?
What if she asked to return the things she picked up in the Ant Tunnel?
Then, would she have to fall back to the bottom of society again?
No matter what, she absolutely could not be found out.
It was game over.
Sia deliberately put on a bold expression and looked at Rumiel.
However,
Rumiel didn't waver at all.
Rather, Rumiel quietly stared at Sia and opened her mouth.
Her blue eyes deepened.
"..."
"Why are you so anxious?"
"..."
Sia was momentarily choked.
She hurriedly closed her mouth.
But the reaction had already come out.
Rumiel slowly narrowed her eyes and looked at her with interest.
"I was just asking."
A low voice.
For a moment, Rumiel's languid gaze met Sia's gaze.