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nChapter 84

nC84: I’m the one who feels the closest to the other player

nMidnight, I’ve been keeping an eye on the village all day except for meals, but so far there hasn’t been much change. The dark elves have not stepped out of their buildings, and are either sitting or lying down. More than half of them have their eyes closed, but the ones that are open have no sign of life in their eyes…….Only one person, Sudhir, the daughter of the chief, sat in front of the Bible on the floor, staring at it without saying a word.

n“They’re just waiting for God to tell them what to do.”

nI mentioned it as if it was someone else’s problem, but my key members were doing the same, standing still around the Bible on the desk. They had gathered at Lodis’ house to discuss the future, but as the day wore on, they naturally gathered in front of the Bible.

nIt’s the time of day when I’m usually long asleep…….Carol is sleeping soundly, isn’t she? Both sides seem to be aware of the dangers of the current situation.

n“I’d love to reassure them with an oracle right away, but I’d rather wait and see how they react before I make a decision.”

nDepending on what the other party’s oracle says, there’s a good chance I’ll change the text. If out of desperation they order a reckless assault, I must do my best to stop them. If they suggest something, I must give them an answer.

nI’ve decided on a few things to write, but that depends on the person I’m talking to. However, I have about an hour to wait. I can’t leave the anxious villagers behind and go to sleep. I’ve always wondered about the players on the other side. I don’t know what kind of miracles the God of Nature can perform, but if I were in their shoes, I’d spend all my savings to save my villagers.

nBut there was no sign of a miracle being activated even when we attacked the enemy territory. I considered the possibility that he was a boorish type who was not good at thinking, but he had the wit to speak to me through an oracle. From the way he admonished the Dark Elves, I guessed he wasn’t stupid. There are a few things I can predict from that.

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nOne, I used most of my points in the last “Temptation of the Evil God” to activate the miracle so I don’t have many left.

nA player who enjoys the game as just a game, not enough to spend all his savings, this is the right style of play, isn’t it? I’ve seen many people online who regret pouring a lot of money into a game and then messing it up. But this is not that kind of game. And there are benefits for the player as well.

nIf he’s like me, he’ll receive tributes, or if his village level rises, he’ll be able to use miracles in the real world according to the god he plays. This is a boon that no one wants to give up. By the way, I can also use the miracle of the God of Fate in the real world. When I was level 2, I could only change the weather, but after I became level 3, the number of miracles I could use increased.

n“I guess I can do some God of Fate miracles over here now.”

nAs I was about to check the miracle section again, there was movement on the PC screen. The dark elves Bible was glowing. I zoomed in on the map, filling the screen with the words of the open Bible.

nI’m sorry about the attack, everyone. I am sorry that there is nothing more I can do for you. I would like you to think about abandoning the village and moving to another place, as I have suggested before. I understand that you don’t want to leave the village, but I would rather you choose the path of hardship than the path of destruction. Please don’t do anything reckless. That’s what I, God, want you to do. God of Fate, if there is a way to save my children, please lend me your strength once again.

nIt seems that……the other player is not willing to abandon the villagers. I was first relieved to hear that. I’m sure that with the way things are going, they will listen to me if I make a suggestion. If that’s the case, here’s my oracle!

nDo not be afraid, villagers. I have an idea. First of all, prepare your forces and regain your strength. Make the most of your days in preparation for the coming day. And here are my words to the God of Nature. If you are serious about overcoming this challenge with me, please call……00-0000-0000-0000. Let me tell you that this is not a violation of God’s covenant. If you really want to save the villagers, then make a decision.

nI wrote it down and activated it. I listed my phone number, which is a bet. I confirmed directly that it’s not a violation for players to contact each other, so it’s not a problematic action that will cause game over. The only question now was what the other player would do.

nIt took a lot of trouble for me to come to this conclusion, but the key to overcoming this predicament is to share information and strategies with each other. If we communicate with the oracle once a day, we’ll never make it in time for the next Temptation of the Evil God. Even if we were to devise a plan of survival, it would be meaningless if we could not communicate with each other. That’s why I took this seemingly reckless gamble.

n“Exposing personal information on the Internet is a dangerous thing to do.”

nI can assure you that when I was a recluse, I would never have exposed my phone number.

n“Now, what about the other player?”

nAlthough I was nervous about calling a stranger, this was a rare experience from my Internet days that turned out to be a plus. There are many ways to make free phone calls on the Internet, and I have had the experience of making friends with strangers through voice chatting with them many times in online games.

nSo, I am not afraid of talking with strangers. However, I’m still not good at making phone calls that involve real life. I still get nervous when I get a call at home or from the president. I waited while thinking about it, but there was still no call to my phone.

n“Well, you can’t decide right away, can you? I guess I’ll give up tonight and leave it for tomorrow. Huh!”

nAs soon as the tension dissipated, the sleepiness came over me. I turned the volume on my phone to the maximum and put it under my pillow so that I could wake up whenever I got a call. Just before I got into the futon and closed my eyes, I heard a ringing sound. I jumped up and checked the LCD, but there was no name on the screen. Before the other party could hang up, I hurriedly put the phone to my ear.

n“Hello?”

n“Hey, uh…I’m sorry it’s so late at night. Is this the God of Fate?”

nHe had a frightened little voice that seemed to be about to fade away. He had a tone of voice that could be used by either men or women, and above all, her voice was young. Mid-teens, maybe? He might be in his twenties, but I intuitively thought he was a middle or high school student.

n“Yes, that’s right. Am I correct in assuming that you are the God of Nature?”

nIn order to put the other person at ease, I speak in a calm, mature voice. This tone of voice and demeanor is a skill that I have acquired during my stay in the “Village of Fate.”

n“Yes, I am.”

nApparently, I’m not the type that is good at talking……I can’t speak for others either, but I’ve been trained in the past few months. I have to do my best to be the facilitator here.

n“Thank you for calling me. I’m glad you called.”

n“Thank you, too!”

nI’ve only just started talking to him, but I have a feeling he’s not a bad kid. This was conveyed by the oracle’s concern for the dark elf’s well being.

n“Don’t be so nervous. The reason I wanted to get in touch with you was to discuss our future plans. I really want to protect my village. I don’t want to see the villagers grieve.”

n“I don’t want to see the villagers suffer either. I’ve only been doing this for two months, but I feel the villagers are like family to me.”

nSo you’re a new player, more recent than me? If it’s been two months, you don’t know that much about this game yet.

n“By the way, what is the level of your village?”

n“Um, two. Sorry.”

nIs it possible to use the forum at lv 2? I mean, of course you can. Otherwise, you wouldn’t know that there are other players in this game besides yourself.

n“No need to apologize. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but are you a student by any chance?”

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n“Oh, um, I’m a former student of…….I dropped out of high school a year ago, and……I’m home all the time now.”

nThe last part of his voice was so quiet that it was almost muffled. I’ve asked the wrong question. But now I’ve solved a mystery. If you’re a recluse and a NEET, you can’t pay bills.

nEven though he wanted to help the village, there’s nothing he can do if he doesn’t have money. I started to work part-time in that situation, but that was only because of my father’s help. If I had been on my own, I don’t know if I would have been able to find a job after that.

n“I see. I’m sorry for asking you something that’s hard to say without hesitation. But don’t worry; I used to be a NEET and a recluse too!”

nI try to convey my self-deprecation in a deliberately cheerful voice.

n“Oh, really?”

nYou’ve got a little strength back in your voice. I hope that by letting you know that I was in a similar situation, you’ll feel a little more comfortable talking to me.

n“Oh, yeah. I was a NEET until I found this game. But that’s not what I’m going to talk about now. I need your help to get over this predicament.”

n“I’m sure you’re right. I’ve been able to live on …… thanks to this game.”

nDoes he mean emotional support, or does it mean that he is like me, receiving tribute and supplies? I was a little curious about it, but let’s not mention it. Also, since I’ve been saying “he” for a while now, this girl is probably a boy.”

n“I’m relieved to hear that. Let’s work together to overcome this predicament!”

n“Yes, sir. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

nHe’s a good, honest boy. If this is an act, he’s quite an actor, but if I doubt him that much, the story won’t move forward.

n“Part of me wants to help you, but if your village is destroyed, I’m sure I’ll be the next target. In fact, they might even leave you alone and attack my village in the next raid.”

nYesterday, when we attacked the enemy base, the enemy side found out that the dark elves and my villagers were together. Unless they’re really stupid, they’ll realize that the players on the Lord God’s side have teamed up. If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be surprising if they decided to put off the village that was just about to be destroyed and hit me while they can…….Maybe they will. I have a feeling that this is a sure thing.

n“So I have a few suggestions for you. Or should I say conditions?”

n“What are they? I’ll do whatever I can. I don’t want to see any more villagers die…….”

nOh, yeah. That’s right. Based on the state of that village, a number of villagers must have been killed. Has he witnessed the scene of the slaughter……? Fortunately, the number of casualties in my village is low. It’s not zero, but it’s still only a few.

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nI didn’t see the scene of the killing firsthand, but I was still shocked and depressed along with the villagers. I wish I could be of help…….

n“First, I need you to tell me what kind of miracles the God of Nature can perform and the points required.”

n“It’s okay to tell you, but I used up all my points in the last Temptation of the Evil God. I’m sorry, but I don’t have any money, so I can’t pay for it. Sorry…….”

nI guess my prediction was right. I know what it’s like to feel miserable because you don’t have the money to help. The reality is that if I had worked and saved, I could have saved the villagers. He is like the old me, who had the courage to take the first step and recovered with the help of others, but he has not yet had the chance to do so.

nIf that’s the case, then I should be the adult to guide him. I know I’m not in a position to say anything great, but I’ll still reach out to him in a way that makes me look good. I’ve spent so much of my life getting help from others. This time, I want to take his hand and pull him along, so that we can walk together.

nI know it may seem a bit presumptuous, but I want to share some of my good fortune and fate with him. I hope that he won’t waste his precious ten years like I did.

n“Don’t worry; I’ll take care of that too. So, is it absurd to say that you believe me……? You’ve just talked to me today. Then you need to believe in the game. As a player on the same side of the Lord God of the game that’s saving me and you.

nMy words resonated with him, and he revealed to me all the miracles of the God of Nature and the points needed to perform them. I decided to teach him my own miracle and join forces with him. We ended the call with the promise that I would contact him again tomorrow.

n“I hope this helps…….”

nThings are looking up. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but first I’m going to go to……bed to prepare for tomorrow’s work. It’s a good idea to say “good night” to the villagers who are also trying to fall asleep and to Destiny, who is sleeping in his case.

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