Chapter 4: Play the Arfellium (Part 1)

A space completely covered in pure white.

As Sung Shihyun stared blankly at the endless whiteness, something suddenly appeared before her eyes.

She was startled by the sudden appearance of something in her vision and flinched.

[New user recognized.]

[Biometric information registration complete.]

It seemed that the notification window that appeared was a system message.

[Please register your nickname.]

“A nickname, huh…….”

It was the most wierd moment in the world.

They say that choosing a character nickname is the most difficult and time-consuming part of starting a new game.

She was also usually very particular about nicknames.

But, it was different now.

Because the nickname she would use was already decided.

“Shihyun.”

Her real name.

Even when she was playing the role of a hero in the other world, she used her name from the modern world.

The people there whined that it was difficult to pronounce, but in order to maintain her sanity in that hell, she had no

choice but to keep reminding herself of her memories of the modern world.

That’s why she used the name she used in the modern world.

And that was an excellent choice.

If she had created a new name and used it, she might have forgotten who she was.

That’s how arduous the times were.

In the other world.

Anyway, the nickname she would use was her real name.

She didn’t even consider any other nickname.

But.

[That nickname is already in use.]

“Eh.”

Sung Shihyun blinked her eyes wide.

It’s in use.

Duplicate nicknames aren’t allowed?

‘It’s a strange system.’

It can’t be helped.

Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing to go this way, but she can’t give up her real name, ‘Shihyun’.

She called out a new nickname again.

“Shihyun1.”

[That nickname is already in use.]

“……? Shihyun2.”

[That nickname is already in use.]

“…….

Shihyun3.”

[That nickname is already in use.]

“…….”

So Sung Shihyun tried registering various nicknames for a long time.

Sung Shihyun, Sung Shihyun1, Shihyun4, Shihyun5, Sung Shihyun2, and so on…….

And finally.

[This nickname is available.]

[Would you like to use ‘Shihyun13’ as your nickname?]

Only when it became ‘Shihyun13’ could she use her name as a nickname.

Sung Shihyun nodded quietly with a bitter expression.

“……Yes.”

[Nickname registered.]

[Shihyun13.

Welcome.]

“……Finally registered.”

It was a tough fight.

‘I didn’t expect ‘Shihyun12’ to be in use.’

So many people in South Korea have the name ‘Shihyun’.

She learned a truly surprising fact.

As she was briefly amazed by that fact, a new notification window appeared.

[Downloading interface.]

[TIP: You can move freely here.

If this is your first time in virtual reality, try adapting to the virtual world!]

“Adapting…… do I have to?”

She didn’t understand what it meant for a moment.

But, soon she was able to understand what the tip was saying.

Because she suddenly felt an awkwardness in her movements.

‘Ah, this is what it’s talking about.’

Awkwardness, it’s a strange feeling.

But it’s not incomprehensible.

It’s ‘virtual’ reality.

Since it’s a virtual world different from reality, it might be natural to feel a little awkwardness.

Sung Shihyun moved her body lightly.

There was no great awkwardness in her actions.

It seemed to be just ‘awkwardness’ as it was.

‘If it’s this much…….’

Sung Shihyun hopped in place.

She also ran around, did some light push-ups, punches, and kicks.

It felt a little strange at first, but soon she was able to completely adapt to this awkwardness.

‘The reaction speed is a little slow.’

She could sufficiently cover that much.

‘Of course, it might be different when I enter the game.’

But there was no major problem for now, so it was okay.

“Good.”

The interface download finished at just the right time.

At the same time, various buttons appeared before her eyes, like smartphone apps.

As she had researched in advance, she naturally pressed the game item and downloaded Arfellium Saga.

[‘Arfellium Saga’ is downloading.]

[Downloading…… 67.3%]

There wasn’t much time left until completion.

Staring at the download bar, Sung Shihyun clenched her fist.

‘Yes.

I’ll know everything when I enter the game.’

The truth about ‘Arfellium’ could be found inside.

While she briefly turned on the internet and searched the web for how to purchase swords and get a sword

possession permit, a notification popped up saying that the game download was complete.

“It’s finally finished?”

Sung Shihyun closed the internet window and turned on the game item.

Then she saw an icon with a large A shining at the top of the screen.

She immediately launched the game.

Then, in an instant, the world changed.

The pure white space had turned into a clearing in the middle of a forest with dense bushes, and in the clearing was a

tree trunk with a long sword stuck in it.

It wasn’t a place in her memory.

‘Who would stick a sword in a tree like that?’

It would damage the blade and make it difficult to draw.

It was the worst way to store a sword.

‘Swords shouldn’t be kept like that.’

Thinking that to herself, Sung Shihyun slowly approached the sword.

Then a new interface appeared before her eyes.

[Welcome to the world of Arfellium.

‘Shihyun13’.]

[……Setting character nickname.

Setting complete.

Setting character appearance.

Setting complete.

Setting character gender.

Setting complete.

Character…….]

No, to be precise, the interface only ‘appeared’.

There must be a lot of things that users should set in a game.

The notification windows, which were difficult to read properly because they appeared so quickly, said that the game

had set everything arbitrarily without even giving her a choice.

“……Are there no options originally?”

She didn’t know.

It could be that the game was originally like that, or it could be that the problem was that she was a user called ‘her’.

It would have been nice if she had searched for information in advance, but she didn’t expect this problem to occur,

so she didn’t know any particular information.

‘I didn’t know there would be no options…….’

It was disappointing that she couldn’t set her character as male, but it couldn’t be helped.

And even if she had set it, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

Even if her appearance changed, her voice wouldn’t.

‘It seems too far to use a voice changer to change to a male voice.’

She didn’t want to go that far to regain her original gender.

‘……Let’s proceed for now.’

She was embarrassed by the unexpected situation, but that didn’t mean she started the game without knowing anything.

She had done some research.

‘First, it said that you do a draw when you start.’

It was called the ‘Arcana’ system, but in simple terms, it was like a job draw.

And the job was an important element.

‘I have to draw a job…….’

It felt strange because it was like a gacha game.

‘Gacha even in the era of virtual reality games…….’

It was a truly sad thing.

Fortunately, the first draw was free.

But, after that, she heard that it cost a whopping 150,000 won.

‘150,000 won, it’s too expensive!’

So she had to draw well the first time.

Sung Shihyun clenched both fists.

“I must draw a good job.”

It would be even better if it was a unique job like Moonlight Sculptor!

As she was making that determination, a blue aura suddenly rose from the sword stuck in the tree trunk.

The aura that rose to the sky spread like starlight adorning the night sky.

Soon the auras spread out in a square shape.

The next moment, dozens of square cards filled her vision.

They were cards with stars, moons, and suns drawn on them.

Presumably, the jobs were written on the back.

“Wow.”

It was a very beautiful sight.

It was also mysterious.

‘Now I choose from those cards?’

While she was thinking that.

Suddenly, the cards that filled her vision shattered.

“Huh?”

Did she make a mistake?

Could it be that she chose just by thinking?

As she was embarrassed by the sudden situation, the broken card fragments gathered in one place.

And then it turned into a shining, pure white card.

“…….”

Sung Shihyun stared at the card.

Something, for some reason.

She felt like she knew what was written on the back of that card.

She slowly reached out towards the card.

When her fingertips touched it, the dazzling light of the card went out.

Sung Shihyun took the card in her hand and slowly turned it over.

[Hero]

“…….”

Her face looking down at the card.

It was probably stiff.