13 Where am I?

After the screen went black, Cen Jiu pulled up the thirty-minute game replay built into the holographic pod system and carefully reviewed the recent events.

Her final mining actions had indeed become increasingly sluggish—in real terms, the character was tired.

Yes, the game registered that the character was fatigued, but in reality, she herself felt no exhaustion whatsoever.

Well, since the game was so enjoyable, watching the resources accumulate little by little was also a kind of pleasure.

She had learned her lesson about unchecked gaming and vowed to be more careful next time, no longer pushing her energy bar to the limit during exploration...

After summarizing the key points of her failure, Cen Jiu plunged back into the game.

Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the system’s save completion notification, the dazzling sunlight, and a stone ceiling overhead.

Good news: she was not dead and did not have to reload.

Bad news: the in-game time had advanced to 10 a.m. the next day, meaning she had missed the early morning exploration window.

Her energy bar had only recovered halfway, and a negative “fatigue” status was active for two hours—a clear penalty for overexertion and fainting.

Moreover… where was this place?!

Cen Jiu sprang to her feet and immediately checked the contents of her waist pouch—nothing was missing. What about her backpack?

Looking around, she found her backpack resting on the storage chest by the bedside, its contents intact without a single item lost.

With the inventory accounted for, she took in her surroundings.

Simple furnishings, two single beds each pressed against a wall, doors and windows with curved decorations, and a garden with flowing water visible outside.

It seemed to be the estate of that old Ortega fellow…

Could it be that the patrolling guards had rescued the player who fainted at the quarry?

With a click, the door opened, and a familiar face entered.

“You’re awake!” Bella exclaimed with delight, carrying a bowl of something between soup and mush. “Are you hungry? I brought you some food.”

“Thank you, Bella.” Food was paramount; Cen Jiu took the mysterious bowl and drained it in one gulp.

[Consumed corn porridge soup: Stamina +1, natural energy recovery speed increased (duration: 59 minutes).]

So it was corn porridge after all—thank goodness for the system; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known that bland-tasting dish contained corn.

The effect was obvious: her energy bar visibly rose a small notch.

Bella sat beside her on the bed, concern evident in her voice. “Jiu, why did you faint at the quarry last night? Luckily, someone found you. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I thought I could mine a bit more. Won’t do that next time,” Cen Jiu admitted guiltily, though she knew fully well that depleting a character’s stamina was an inevitable part of playing.

“Is this your room?” Cen Jiu noticed signs of habitation—scrap paper, writing tools on the desk, and a familiar bag of lemon slices.

“Yes, I’m the only one living here for now. The Ortega family is short on hands. After arriving onshore, I found work here, and everyone else has found their ways to survive.” Bella stood, opened the slightly ajar window, letting in a cool breeze that swept away the stale air. “Have you found a place to stay? You’re a guest of the master; the butler will arrange your accommodations. Last night, I only cared for you with his permission.”

“Congratulations!” Cen Jiu felt genuinely happy for the character she had saved, then shared her own situation. “I have a place near the church, so no trouble for you. Are you still hiring? I can help when you’re short-handed.”

Short on staff? That sounded like an invitation for players to lend a hand!

Bella, aware that Cen Jiu was also an adventurer—always adept at solving problems—smiled. “You’re a guest too, but I think the butler won’t refuse. I’ve heard the town has quite a few vacancies. If you’re interested, you can ask around.”

[Seeking work (optional): In this unknown land, you want to run errands, earn rewards, and gather intelligence.]

[Talk to Ortega estate’s butler about staff shortages (optional) 0/1]

[Talk to residents of White Rock Town about their troubles (optional)]

A side quest triggered—a substantial linked quest, no less. Cen Jiu gave Bella a grateful hug. “Bella, you’re my lucky star!”

The clue to the hidden achievement on the ship came from Bella, and now this chain of side quests was also triggered by her. Cen Jiu could not help but favor her; in her eyes, Bella was clearly a key character designated by the system.

If there were a player vote, Bella’s popularity would rival that of the legendary Seven-Color Strings mascots. Who wouldn’t love a character who delivers intel, important missions, and looks out for the player?

Bella was a bit taken aback by the sudden embrace, laughing awkwardly. “Jiu, can you let go now?”

“Sorry, did I hurt you?” Cen Jiu quickly released her, recalling that just days ago Bella was bruised all over and probably not fully healed yet.

Bella gently shook her head. “I’m fine. My injuries have mostly healed. I…”

Her voice dropped to a whisper, but the subtitles clearly displayed: “I just thought of her…”

Cen Jiu pretended not to hear and changed the subject. “Is that bag of lemon slices good for making tea?”

“Pfft. Well, I have to get back to work now.” Bella smiled. “Next time I’ll brew some for you, but for now, I have to continue working.”

“Take another rest, Jiu,” she reminded before leaving. “You don’t look well. Please take care of yourself, okay?”

Bella closed the door behind her. Cen Jiu faced the window, angling just right to examine her reflection.

Not looking had been better—who was this zombie-like ghost in the mirror, drained of energy and spirit?

Did the player’s “fatigue” status affect the character model? Wouldn’t it be more efficient for the game to simply register the status without visual changes, especially since there was no third-person view?

Cen Jiu lay back down and touched the face of her character model.

Forget it. Better not wander around and attract unwanted attention. She’d just sleep off the negative status for two hours.

She opened the sleep menu and set the duration.

Sleep!

…

Upon waking, the negative status had vanished, and her energy bar had recovered to about eighty percent.

Cen Jiu packed up and left the room.

The servants in the corridor all seemed aware of her identity, politely stepping aside as she passed.

Eager for information, she tried to engage them, but they all responded with a subtle air of fear, trying to avoid trouble.

“Miss, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”

“Miss, I have things to do.”

Some panicked and fled after she initiated conversation.

“M-m-miss! I have urgent matters to attend to!!”

…Alright then, she’d refrain from bothering the passing characters.

But why was the old man so strict with his servants? Why were they so afraid of a mere guest?

Cen Jiu decided to pin the blame on the old man—this surely wasn’t her fault; she’d only been here less than two days.

She wandered freely around the house, inspecting every corner without obstruction but found nothing noteworthy.

This was a two-story building separated from the main house by an open-air garden. The decor was plain, clearly intended for the servants’ quarters.

Outside in the small garden stood a life-sized stone statue of a figure clad in armor, hands resting on the pommel of a sword planted in the ground. Amid the cool-toned courtyard lacking bright tropical flowers, it looked solemn and dignified.

Cen Jiu wickedly imagined opening the armor to find a Mediterranean old man inside—it was a hilarious mental image.

No malice, just amusement.

She stifled a laugh.

With no one around, she quickly composed herself and moved on.

“Miss Jiu, sorry to interrupt your happy time. It seems you’re quite pleased with our garden scenery.” The voice of the bearded old butler suddenly came from behind. “Are you feeling better?”

“Hmm, thanks to Master Ortega’s kindness and your care.” Cen Jiu promptly adopted a serious tone.

She had relaxed too much and hadn’t noticed someone approaching.

“Heh heh, you’re our esteemed guest of the Ortega family; we can’t allow anything to happen to you on our grounds.” The butler’s tone was tinged with sardonic humor, much like the old man’s.

“This place is quite safe; I like it a lot.” Cen Jiu mirrored the attitude, silencing Bandras immediately.

Are all young people today this irreverent?

Sensing the atmosphere cooling, Cen Jiu took it upon herself to warm things up, asking the butler, “I heard you’re short on staff. Is there anything I can help with?”

The young adventurer’s eyes were earnest, her whole being radiating sincere enthusiasm. She patted her chest. “You helped me yesterday; consider this a way to repay that kindness.”

Her words struck a nerve. The estate was indeed short-handed, but Bandras preferred quality over quantity. He needed to assess whether this mysterious Jiu was suitable for work here.

“That is true, but our master is a devotee of the Observers.” The butler’s expression turned serious. “I may need to ask you some rather personal questions. Are you willing?”

“Of course!” Cen Jiu readily agreed.

How personal could it be? She was playing a game, after all. Characters had no privacy in her eyes.

Seeing her ready, the butler took off his pocket watch, glanced at the time, the triangular loop pattern on the cover faintly shimmering in the ambient light, and began his questioning.

“Miss Jiu, you are from Ael as well, right? Presumably a follower of the Observers?”

[The Skyward Observers Church: A widely followed faith across Ael, one of the three major orthodox religions of Elyas.]

“Yes,” Cen Jiu answered calmly and without a trace of embarrassment. From the game’s story details, the player character should be much like what the butler described—understanding the Ael common tongue, equipped initially with many local specialties.

The butler studied her briefly, nodded thoughtfully, and with a tone both serious and respectful, asked the next question:

“Pardon my boldness, but may I ask if you are... still a virgin?”