『Normal Woman』
"Choco, you did great today! We went over 20 kilometers."
Woof Woof
I smiled as I lay on the couch. I seeped in the cold, comforting air from the AC after showering from my evening run. My dog, Choco, accompanied me today yet again.
"Hehe, I love you so much."
Using this big, fluffy creature, I wrapped my arms around this docile, affectionate dog—as if using him as a blanket. Life wasn't so bad like this. I was fine, even if everyone else had left me.
"Today was the special event, right? I have to log in."
I completely forgot about it.
The game that I recently started playing again. Come to think of it, I really liked this game back then, if only I didn't associate this game with that scumbag.
"I would have played this game more..."
I trailed off and booted up the game.
[2 Notifications]
"Hmm?"
[Phase 1: Voluntary Sign Up for our Fully Released Game!]
[King's Cradle is Live!]
[-------------------------]
[Cradle Invitation]
[You have been invited to Cradle EVO-C1191]
[Accept?]
[Y/N]
What's this? It was the first thing that I thought.
"Some kind of role-playing event?" I clicked it without hesitation.
Why not, right?
After that, that's as far as I can remember. It was all blank and bright, like I was ascending into heaven. That's so stupid, haha.
<<----------->>
Desperation.
Swing.
Swing.
Swing.
"How long will this keep going?"
Fran thought to himself. All he could sense was his sword swinging and swinging—each cutting off a head of the goblins.
His only purpose was to swing the metal blade that was in his hand as fast as possible—he surprisingly did not feel tired.
"Is this because I leveled up while fighting..."
Leveling up in King's Cradle meant that your physical status reverts back to its optimum state. In fact, some players would calculate and predict their next level up and time it by taking on a difficult stage.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
[Endless Strike (R) Lv. 1]
[Max Stacks Acquired: (Agility 200%)]
[Agility - 2 (83%) -> Agility - 4 (83%)]
Fran had never experienced anything like it; the world became a blur. His speed was unparalleled—everything else became so much slower in his eyes.
He had stopped noticing the passage of time and his surroundings. All he had to do was swing his sword at the enemy—the shrieks and screams muffled in his ears.
<<----------->>
[Congratulations on Clearing Stage 1 - Barrett Village Outskirts (Special)]
[Cradle resources have been credited]
[Total Kills: 387 Goblins; MVP: Fran Asroth]
[Portal is now fixed and ready to exit.]
[Special MVP Clear Bonus]
[Attribute Stone (Random) x3]
[Training Stone (Random) x3]
[Attribute Stone (Select) x1]
[Training Stone (Select) x1]
[Goblin's Cry Scroll (U) x1]
[Gain (Strength 50%) to all allies within range]
[A gigantic amount of EXP has been awarded]
[Clear Bonus]
[Goblin Chest (R) x1]
[Weapon Enhancement Stone (C) x3]
[Attribute Stone (Random) x1]
[Training Stone (Select) x1]
[A moderate amount of EXP has been awarded]
"With this... I'll be able to..." Fran panted, dropping on all fours.
How long was he fighting? He thought. All he could hear earlier was screeching noises, the sound of his blade hitting his opponent, and his racing heartbeat.
"That's funny, I could still hear the screams..."
Blood was everywhere, which stained the beautiful green grassland. Fran was always fond of nature and couldn't bear to see it tainted like this.
"That's right, the others..." Fran looked around.
"Little Fran."
The calm and docile old man looked at Fran, extending his bloodstained hand. Albert looked gloomy, as if losing the gentle and heartful aura that he had just a while ago.
The battlefield was now eerily silent, Fran observed—the gust of wind was the only one making noise.
"Let it go, old man."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
He thought to himself as Vaclova stopped Albert from getting closer. Fran had wondered why, but he was too exhausted to care. In fact, his ears were still buzzing.
"Why are they looking at me like that? Both Albert and V."
"Where's Aria?"
None of the words came out of Fran's mouth. Slowly, it began to be clear to him, the battlefield wasn't silent—his ears had gone deaf from all the noise.
Ahhh! AHHH!
"Urgh, I hate people who scream. Did Aria get injured or something?"
Fran annoyingly thought to his head—screams becoming more apparent by the second.
"Oh. There you are, Aria. No, Moo Hee-Young."
Relieved by the thought, he held the beautiful blonde girl, who always had that intelligent, and skeptical look. Her eyes had somehow softened, as if letting go of all the doubts she had in her mind.
"You're so careless, getting injured like this. Aren't you a KC player?"
Blood.
"Hey, say something."
Silence.
"Hey!"
Motionless.
"Say SOMETHING!"
"..."
Fran's voice could never be heard; the voice that surrounded them superseded him.
[...]
The screams were loud, louder than ever before.
Fran looked around, looking for the person who kept wailing. This was not the time for that; this was an emergency, he thought.
"Oh."
"It's me."
"I'm the one who's shouting."
Ahh!
AHH!!!
Aria was dead.
It seems Fran had lost his sanity.
And had dissociated from his body.
The vast open plain—the bodies of multiple little green creatures called goblins lie there, along with the lifeless body of their companion.
The body, isolated from others, had an arrow pierced in its chest.
No one noticed.
No one saved her as they were too busy surviving.
She did not die while protecting someone to make for a dramatic exit.
She never showed it, but she wanted to go home more than anyone, more than Vaclova. That's why she fought, even if she was paralyzed by fear.
More than anything, she missed her dog dearly, which she left back home. And wondered if he will be alright if she's not there.
He was her only family, after all.
The dog made her feel less lonely and has always healed her, time and time again.
Even if things were tough, and she had tried to end her life many times, she lived on. Because who else would take care of this little creature?
Her last thought was:
"Choco, are you eating properly...? I'm sorry... don't go hungry now. I'm sorry, I left you alone—when you've never left me once."
She died silently, without anyone ever knowing that—or knowing her.
That was Moo Hee-Young.
A Normal Woman.
Who was trying her best in life. To survive.