Page 291

Three months later.

Ember Kingdom, Northwind Fortress, Magic Affairs Office.

"Master Mage, you must save my husband. He... he’s been missing in the labyrinth for three days! I’m willing to give up everything."

A plainly dressed woman knelt before Charlotte, clutching his pant leg tightly, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded.

The mission panel appeared before him.

[Exploring the Labyrinth]

[Mission Description: Underground merchant Cruz mysteriously went missing in the cave. Originally a smuggling shortcut, a mishap triggered a mechanism, turning it into a terrifying labyrinth. Unknown monsters seem to be howling within.]

Reward: 5 gold coins, unknown experience.

Charlotte scratched his head helplessly and said, "Alright, we’ll take this mission."

The mission only offered a reward of five gold coins. Sending too many people would make the cost outweigh the reward. But for the sake of the experience, Charlotte decided to accept it.

Three months had passed since the game’s launch. The [Magic Coin] guild, as a mage powerhouse, had attracted many new players, expanding its scale to an unprecedented 300 members. What they needed most was experience.

Most new players were still at level two or three, a significant gap compared to the beta players. Charlotte himself had already reached level six. He wouldn’t miss any opportunity to help the guild’s newbies level up—it was a great chance for practice.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you..."

The woman, still kneeling, cried hoarsely.

Charlotte quickly helped her up. As a modern-day player, he still wasn’t accustomed to such blatant hierarchical displays.

However, to the woman, this was equally incredible, as she wasn’t a local of Northwind Fortress.

Mages in the North were highly revered. Even nobles treated them as honored guests, and for commoners like her, obtaining a mage’s help was nearly impossible.

But now, the long-time residents of Northwind Fortress were used to the "special" assistance of these mages. They could even commission them to find lost pets, integrating magic into everyday life in ways previously unimaginable.

Charlotte opened his panel and sent a group message in the forum’s new "Guild Chat" feature.

Charlotte: Come take the mission! It’s an experience mission with little gold. One beta player leads three newbies.

Charlotte: Also, Lonely as Snow, come too.

Lonely as Snow: ?

Flying Witch: Hehe, let me lead this time! ヾ(▽’)

Shortly after the message, a beta player responded—it was none other than the guild’s "infamous" Flying Witch.

Suddenly, the guild chat fell silent.

No new players dared to speak, fearing they’d catch her attention.

Last time, this wild sorcerer had taken six clueless newbies to explore a dungeon. Though it should have been an easy mission, Flying Witch’s recklessness made it a near-disaster.

Her magic wave triggered a stink cloud spell that almost wiped the entire party. The footage even made its way to the forum in a thread titled "Wild Sorcerer Highlight Reel," still circulating among players.

Flying Witch: Huh, why’s the chat so quiet? Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Lonely as Snow: Guild Leader, can I opt out this time—?

Charlotte: No.

Charlotte: Take the Emperor with you too. And Kyuri, don’t think you’re escaping either. You two have the lowest experience.

Emperor: ?

Kyuri: ??

Emperor: Guild Leader, are you sure pairing us with Witch isn’t just sending us to die?

Charlotte: You’re both level two chickens. Useless here. Better to take a gamble than end up mining for gold as slaves.

Lonely as Snow: What about me? I’m already level four!

Charlotte: I trust you. You’re the team’s sturdy shield—er, backbone.

Flying Witch: Let’s set off then! (*≧▽≦)

Lonely as Snow: ...

And so, under Charlotte’s orders, a four-person team was reluctantly assembled.

The team consisted of one paladin, two negligible mage newbies, and one high-level wild sorcerer—a wild lineup indeed.

Lonely as Snow stood fully armed at the entrance. Clad in mithril-heavy armor and wielding a silver greatshield, he resembled a walking tank. Passersby didn’t bat an eye, used to seeing these extraordinary "Starfallers"—even fully naked ones.

"Sigh."

"Feels like a scam..."

Underneath his helmet, Lonely as Snow’s face was filled with despair.

He had joined this game to become a heroic adventurer battling monsters, yet found himself stuck as a tank, a path with no return.

As [Magic Coin]’s carefully nurtured Crown Oath Paladin, he specialized in defense and could force enemies into single combat, enabling teammates to deal damage safely.

At level five, he would unlock the god-tier skill "Guardian Link," allowing him to share damage with allies. Combined with his nearly indestructible mithril-heavy armor, his utility to the team was unmatched—even if he wasn’t thrilled about it.

"Hello! You’re early!"

"Don’t worry, nothing will go wrong this time!"

Flying Witch’s cheerful voice rang out as she skipped over, patting Lonely as Snow’s shoulder.

Behind his helmet, Lonely as Snow managed a wry smile. To him, this sweet-looking player dressed like a magical girl was more of a demon—capable of wiping her own team with a single spell.

"H-hi..."

Soon, two more mages in shabby robes arrived, faces filled with dread.

Burdened with debts from loot boxes, they’d been taken in by Charlotte’s "kindness" and forced to grind just to repay their loans. Fellow guild members jokingly called them the "African Duo."

However, as with the Four Heavenly Kings often being five, the African Duo had a hidden member—the guild leader Charlotte himself. But this was whispered in private, fearing his fragile ego would suffer further.

"Now that everyone’s here, let’s head out! Our goal: the underground labyrinth!"

Flying Witch’s enthusiastic voice filled the air.

"This time, I’ll show the newbies how reliable I am as a senior!"

She clenched her fists, vowing silently.

"Yes..."

The three responded in unison, though with little energy.