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Given my level, I could have quickly dispatched the Ogre Bear, but overly aggressive actions might appear as kill-stealing. Thus, I moderated my attacks, concentrating on maintaining the boss’ attention on me.

Meanwhile, the newcomers, though freed from immediate peril, were now preoccupied with fending off Pluto Bears, neglecting necessary healing in the process.

“Prioritize healing first! The Pluto Bears can wait!”

Their lack of clear strategy was evident, prompting me to offer guidance. However, their next responses left me momentarily dumbfounded.

“I forgot to bring any healing potions.”
“I only had five, and they’re all used up.”
“Do you have any potions to spare? It would help if you could revive these two as well, perhaps with a couple of elixirs?”

Their entitled demands rendered me speechless.

In «E.H.O», the death penalties weren’t as harsh as those in older games like UO, yet they remained significant. Particularly, elixirs were costly items, not common herbs to be casually distributed.

Their bold request, typical of newbies, irked me, but I suppressed my frustration. As I pondered how to tactfully refuse, a message from another player popped up in my open-chat.

I checked the source and noticed a female avatar—a petite, black-haired girl dressed in a rose-themed black gown, wielding an elegant translucent longsword, nonchalantly making her entrance through the same doorway I had used.

A mere glance at the name floating above her head was enough to recognize her. Her sudden appearance unwittingly parted my lips in surprise.

“Miss Hiyuki, your timing couldn’t be more perfect. I apologize for the urgency, but could you please revive the fallen players and heal the group behind me?”
“Sure. …Are these your guild’s new recruits?”

She spoke as she nonchalantly cast Resurrection on the players sprawled on the ground like frozen tuna. Although her avatar belonged to the vampire race, she held the rare job of «Saintess» in «E.H.O.»

“Actually, no. I came to collect ‘Pyro Flowers’ to use High Heal Points for an easier dragon hunt. I stumbled upon them struggling and decided to tank until they regrouped. What brings you here, Miss Hiyuki?”
“Heh, always the caretaker, aren’t you? Next month, we’ve got the guild event, «Ba-damp☆Boys Bustling Swimsuit Convention». I was scouting locations and thought the lower strata might work. It’s a male-only event—hunting bears in swimsuits and leather armor, and I’ll be the healer.”
“Bear hunting with the weakest gear? Your guild’s penchant for quirky quests never ends, does it?”

During our conversation, Miss Hiyuki quickly revived the fallen players, restoring their HP and MP to full. Despite this being sufficient, she proceeded to cast additional buffs on them.

“So cool.”
“This is my first time seeing a saintess in action.”
“I’ve never seen so many effect icons at once before.”

Seeing their amazement, I took the lead and advised, “You’ve received ample support. It’s time to take down the boss now.”

Snapped out of their daze, the party of five gripped their weapons and charged at the Ogre Bear.

◆◇◆◇

For a brief moment, the man appeared to have dozed off, still seated in his chair.

Reflecting on the futile days he had chased in his dreams, the man chuckled in self-derision.

(…In the end, the boss dropped the «Demonic Stroke» just as I had expected. It even sparked infighting among the newbie party over its ownership.)

Hiyuki’s timely intervention, offering to buy the item at a higher price than it might fetch at auction, settled the matter amicably before it could devolve into a heated argument. She distributed the money equally among the five players on the spot.

I wonder if she still has that «Demonic Stroke»… or perhaps she’s already sold it? Regardless, those newbies were quite troublesome. They eagerly applied to join her guild once they learned she was the guildmaster and continued to pester her even after being rejected.

Moreover, anyone well-acquainted with «E.H.O» would never spout such nonsense. The «Calico Cat Trail» guild, though only medium-sized with about 30 members, wasn’t to be underestimated—nearly all were max-level players, with five boasting high ranks. It was renowned within the game.

I couldn’t read Hiyuki’s mind, but I knew her guild wasn’t a place for mere rookies. Their bonds were so deep that hardly anyone ever left the guild.

In contrast, our guild accepted anyone without exception, growing into a large-scale organization. However, we lacked unity—quarrels were daily, and the guild fragmented into countless factions. Every day, someone would leave. Frankly, I envied Hiyuki’s guild. Or perhaps, it was Hiyuki herself I envied.

Back then, I had lost my job and immersed myself in games for countless years, continually rejecting reality. But that person… she was like my antithesis. Despite a life far more bitter and cruel, she never strayed from her path, always looking forward. No wonder I…

He sighed, suddenly realizing he was drowning in sentiment, perhaps influenced by the dream. He glanced at the two crystal balls, the «Silver» and «Purple» flames flickering within, and nonchalantly tossed them back onto the wall.

As if guided by an invisible line, the crystal ball moved in a straight line and halted just above a shelf on the wall.

“They could serve as leverage against her, but there’s no harm in leaving them alive for the moment.”

The man’s murmur echoed through the empty room, then faded away.