Chapter 18 The Hero’s Trial
(Elus, are you comforting me?)
When she realized this, Lonis’s mood had already lightened a lot.
Elus didn’t say much more, just led Lonis all the way down to the underground commercial street.
Neon colored lights, noisy sound systems, small pubs around the corner, and even a band composed of students singing their hearts out… Although it wasn’t her first time here, Lonis always discovered something new each time.
“Boss, the usual, Room 9.”
Elus handed over the voucher, and the burly owner scratched his bald head, revealing an embarrassed expression: “Uh, I’m really sorry, guest, Room 9 is not available for rent right now.”
“What?!”
Elus raised her eyebrows, her imposing demeanor exerting pressure even on the burly man: “Didn’t we agree to rent it for a whole week?!”
“Guest, that… there’s a leak, and we’re rushing repairs.”
“Hmph, it’s already been rented out, isn’t it? How much did they pay?”
“Ah…”
The owner, knowing he was in the wrong, could only smile apologetically and say: “Ah, it’s not that much more, it’s just that they had some… um, an irresistible situation. Ah, right, guest, I can rent you Room 66. No one is using it right now, and to express our apologies, we’ll give you a 70% discount. What do you say?”
“Room 66?”
“That’s right, it’s a very auspicious number, isn’t it?”
“Hmph, 10%.”
“Huh? 10%… if it’s 10%, we’ll lose a lot of money!”
“Then 11%, no more than that.”
And so, tonight, Lonis didn’t go to their usual Room 9 with Elus, but to Room 66.
Originally, Lonis didn’t have any expectations. After all, Room 9 was already quite run-down, so Room 66 must have been even more difficult to stay in, right?
But the moment she entered…
“H-how can it be so beautiful!”
Lonis was stunned, because Room 99 was like a presidential suite, not only spacious but also gleaming.
There was a large double bed, a sofa, a long table, a kitchen, and a living room, all fully equipped… and there were even two Leve Devices!
(Is it because it’s expensive that no one wants to rent it?)
Just as Lonis was thinking this, Elus let out a cold snort and said, “This room is quite interesting?”
“Elus?”
“We don’t have much time, Lonis… we have to register tomorrow and adjust to the time difference for the exam. So tonight is the last time we can use the Leve Device.”
“Eh?”
“Hurry up, you won’t need me to do the fixing this time, right?”
“Mm…”
Lonis’s cheeks flushed as she sat on the “electric chair.”
Having used it so many times, the silver-haired girl already knew what the straps on the electric chair were for… They were mainly to protect the user.
After all, in the virtual world, the real-world body might react due to stress, which could even cause the Leve Device to be interrupted unexpectedly. Therefore, restraining the user’s limbs was an essential action.
Elus, on the other hand, walked over to Lonis, who was already tied to the chair, and looked at the silver-haired girl with interest.
“Oh~~ this is a bit loose? Let’s tighten it up.”
“Eh?”
“Hmph, as expected, unauthorized ones are inferior, these straps have also aged… Alas, I can only reluctantly reinforce them again~”
Although she said “reluctantly,” Elus hummed a little tune and took out a roll of hemp rope from her storage ring.
“E, Elus?”
“Hehe, Lonis, see how much I care about you? I was worried you’d hurt yourself, so I specially prepared 20 meters of hemp rope~”
“No, that…”
“Lonis, you’re happy too, right? (You’re not allowed to be unhappy)”
“Wuwu…”
Although it was nominally for her own safety.
In reality, there was no need for so much rope.
Lonis lowered her head and looked at her body, which was bound by 20 meters of hemp rope. It reminded her of the zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival in her past life… No, even the ropes on the zongzi were not as numerous.
However, on her thighs, below her chest, on her lower abdomen, and around her neck… there were more than a dozen sturdy knots, causing Lonis to feel a sense of shame with every slight movement.
“Elus, w-why did you tie so many ropes?”
“That’s naturally for your safety?”
“Eh?”
“This Leve Device, something’s not right… Simply put, someone might have died here.”
“Died?!”
“Yes, some people get too carried away with the Leve Device and might die during use. If they die in the virtual world, a part of their consciousness will remain in the life support device, turning into monsters that attack latercomers… So, no matter how gorgeously decorated this room is, no one would want to use it.”
“????”
“However, our maid Lonis was the hero who saved the world in her past life, wasn’t she? In the virtual world, dealing with suddenly appearing terrifying monsters should be no problem, right?”
“!”
Lonis froze. She suddenly understood… This was a great opportunity to prove herself!
After all, although her current body had become that of a girl, her mental domain hadn’t changed much: in the virtual world, as long as she wasn’t afraid or terrified, no monster could cause her any substantial harm.
So…
…
“Elus, watch my performance carefully.”
“Oh, you look full of confidence~”
“Of course, hurry up and put on the helmet for me.”
“No, before that, I should correct your title. You, fellow, seem to not understand the rules…”
“Master Elus, please put on the helmet for this servant qa q.”
Seeing Elus raise the remote control, Lonis surrendered before the battle even began.
(It’s really different, isn’t it?)
Unlike the blank world before, as soon as Lonis’s consciousness entered the virtual world, she saw a very majestic castle.
It stood on the summit of a mountain, entirely lacquer black.
Dark clouds rolled in the sky, and lightning struck from time to time.
Lonis looked around and found herself standing on a path overgrown with weeds, with the castle gate in front of her.
“It seems there are no monsters around?? And this sky is just too strange, why is it deep purple?”
This scene couldn’t help but remind Lonis of some games she played in her past life, like Dark Souls, Dante, and the Castlevania series. They liked to set the starting scenes in such places, firstly to instill fear in the players instinctively, and secondly to create a sense of immersion, making the players feel like heroes.
And Lonis didn’t need to “feel” like a hero, because she “was” a hero.
“Spirits of Ognis, please answer my call and grant me power!”
When she was a hero in the past, Lonis used this method to summon various strange powers. And the situation at this moment was no exception. A white light blade appeared in her hand.
And just as Lonis was about to form armor, she discovered a problem.
Her body was still that of a girl!
No matter how much Lonis wanted to become a magnificent boy, even if she pressed down on her chest, the person who appeared in this world was still a delicate girl.
Her silver-white long hair, her milky-white skin, all of her appearance was exactly the same as her appearance in the real world.
“Ugh… C-Darn it? Can’t I change my own appearance?”
Lonis pouted and could only use her female body with “dissatisfaction” to begin the hero’s trial.
