Reasons to Come to Drunai
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Loli asked, while for some reason she felt strange walking with her real body. She also sensed something odd in her surroundings—she could see faint glimmers here and there. It worried her, thinking it might be from spending so much time in the game, especially since Sig had the same problem. Though it seemed to only happen with objects that used mana to function, which she found particularly strange.
Both walked through the city streets while Alfred followed behind them like a bodyguard, his gaze alert and thoughtful. He scanned the area before pulling out a notepad and jotting something down.
"Have you heard about the new food prices? Now we have to pay more tribute. Many families can barely keep up as it is, and this could make things much worse. We also need to bring more people to Drunai; the place is advancing slowly but surely, but it still lacks manpower. And of course, we already have a solid structure, better than most, so we can extend a hand to others. You know the people from our city aren't really bad. Thanks to them, we can protect ordinary folks from the idiots who come from outside trying to kidnap and loot," Sig said seriously.
"Well, you're right. Although maybe we should have told Lua first," Loli replied softly.
"Don't worry, Bert will handle explaining everything in detail, as well as presenting the pros," Sig said with a smile in her direction. "Although I'm sure if you had to explain it, you wouldn't understand anything," she added with a slight tease.
Loli shot her an annoyed look.
"So, have you made any progress?" Sig suddenly asked, changing the subject as they walked.
Loli glanced at her before answering with a slight frown. "I don't know," she said, staring at the ground.
Sig raised an eyebrow at her.
"Although… I feel like she treats me differently sometimes. I think it's just because of the food. She's really a glutton," Loli said with a smile; far from annoyed, she blushed.
Sig let out a sigh.
"That means yes," she said, continuing forward until they arrived at their destination: a huge house in the center of the city. In the past, it had been the mayor's residence, but now, obviously, no one lived there, and it was used for other purposes—such as what was about to take place.
Sig looked toward the entrance of the mansion, where several men and women were talking casually. When they saw the two arrive, they all greeted them with a nod.
"Miss, I will wait outside with the others," Alfred said politely before stepping away. Sig nodded, and Alfred joined the people who greeted him.
"Alright, let's go talk to the other city leaders," Sig said calmly as she headed inside.
As soon as they opened the door and entered, the place was full of noise. A large poker table was set up in the reception hall, where several men and women were playing, arguing, and laughing as if they had been friends all their lives.
When they saw Sig arrive, all eyes turned to her.
"Oh, the brat's here," said Charles, an old man with a cigar in his mouth and a mocking look. He had long white hair, a long well-kept beard, and wore bright orange clothes. He came from a family of teachers and, although official titles no longer existed, he funded schools through donations. He had been Sig, Loli, and Evan's teacher.
"I hope this stupid meeting is worth it, shorty. I was enjoying fishing at the river when I got the invitation," said Harlan, a massive man covered in muscles and with several scars on his face. Black hair, a fisherman's coat, and even the hat. An old friend of Joe, he led the security force that protected the city from bandits and outsiders.
"Don't be rude," said Miranda, a mature woman with a deep neckline and a sharp glare aimed mostly at the men, though she greeted Loli and Sig warmly. She wore a red suit, matching red hair, and several jingling jewels. She was the city's main information broker, with contacts in other settlements.
"Bastard, Charles, don't try to swap your cards, I saw you," said Evan, a young man the same age as Sig and Loli, pointing at the long-haired old man. He was blond, blue-eyed, and elegantly dressed in a black suit. He had been their classmate and inherited his family's tech repair business. He had feelings for Loli, though he tried to hide them.
"You're all too loud. That's why I don't like being around you," said Raven, a woman with an eye patch, hair tied back in a ponytail, and a biker outfit. She led a group of motorized scouts who roamed the outskirts looking for useful resources.
"My dear wife, would you like to leave this silly place and have a beautiful date under the stars?" said Derek, a man with a large hat and mustache, gazing at the woman seated next to him.
"Of course, hubby," replied Clara sweetly. They had once been rivals in the food trade, each with their own gang, but now they had joined forces. Although they had a mafia past, they dedicated themselves to protecting the city—natural in a community born from an old academic city.
"Can you stop flirting just once? We all know you got married a month ago, but you're disgusting. Makes me jealous—uh, I mean, sick," Evan said from the table.
"Heh, you'll find the right one. You just have to stop being you," Derek replied with a smirk.
"You!" Evan said, standing up, visibly irritated. He seemed rather volatile.
"Enough noise. The one who called us is here. I want to hear what she has to say and then get back to fishing," Harlan said, adjusting his coat.
"What do you even want to fish? The rivers and lakes are contaminated," Evan said with annoyance.
"Fishing is about being a man," Harlan replied with pride.
"You're an idiot," Evan shot back. "So then, Sistina, what the hell did you call us for?" he asked with some frustration, crossing his arms—though his gaze kept drifting toward Loli every so often.
"I have something that could change our lives, the city's… and maybe even the world," Sig said with a smile before looking toward Loli. "The computer, my dear assistant," she added.
Loli looked at her in confusion. "What computer?" she asked.
Sig froze before leaning in and whispering, "Idiot, I told you to bring the computer so we could show how the beast core works. It's easier to see than to hear about it," she said quickly, with a touch of anger.
"You never told me anything," Loli retorted immediately. "And if that's what you wanted to do, why did you keep it as a secret plan and not bring it yourself, like you should have?" she said, clearly annoyed.
Meanwhile, the others watched them argue in low voices and sighed.
"There's a computer in the common room. I repaired it thinking it might have something interesting, but there was nothing," Evan suddenly said.
Loli and Sig turned to look at him. "You're a genius, Evan… too bad your personality sucks," Sig said, pointing at him. Evan's face flushed with anger, but everyone followed Sig toward the common room.
…
Meanwhile, in Drunai, Lua listened to Bert's explanation, nodding as he spoke.
"I actually trust the people from our city quite a bit. There's a reason we live much better than other cities. Even though they're separate groups, we have several joint projects and alliances. I can't say the same for the entire city, though, because there are also many smaller gangs fighting over territory. These are the main and largest ones, always in favor of protecting civilians. Although, at some point, I'm sure the other gangs—whether good or bad—will also end up coming to Drunai. It's better to bring these first, so they have a bit of power over the rest," Bert explained, giving the reasons why those bands had been chosen.
"And above all, we have a teacher who seems to know almost everything. Though he's a bit eccentric, he knows things many would overlook, and that could be useful. There's also a man who's an exceptional fighter, and all his men train every day without rest, acting as the city's security. Thanks to them, we have no crime—they're like the police or military of the past. Then we have a woman connected to all the cities, able to bring information and locate people in the real world with ease.
Evan… well, he's a bit loud, but he's not a bad guy. He can repair any kind of technology just by seeing it once and can create memory circuits. He's a bit annoying, especially since he's been in love with Loli since we were kids.
Then there's a woman who's an excellent explorer; she's found ruins with ease, and her team is constantly roaming everywhere bringing back valuable items. They even once found a spaceship.
Lastly, there's Derek and Clara. They have the largest number of people working for them—food cultivators, producers, and hunters. With just those groups, they control half the city. The other half… well, it's better to wait and see," Bert concluded.
"I see," Lua said calmly. "Alright, you can do as you wish," she added.
…
Meanwhile, in the mansion, everyone stared at Sig in surprise. In her hands, she held five high-quality mana flasks, the liquid inside glowing with an unusual intensity. For some reason, Loli and Sig could see something more—a faint aura emanating from each flask, like a barely perceptible halo—something that hadn't happened before. It left them momentarily puzzled.
"Hey, what's wrong with you two?" Evan asked, frowning at their bewildered expressions.
"Sig… did you notice it?" Loli asked, completely ignoring the others.
"Yeah," Sig replied, without taking her eyes off the flask, studying it as if trying to unravel a mystery.
Loli carefully took one of the flasks, while the rest of those present exchanged glances filled with questions. Still, the two seemed to be in some kind of trance, completely oblivious to the curiosity they were stirring.
Then, without warning, Loli raised the flask to her lips and drank it down in one go.
"What are you…?" Evan began to say, but didn't finish. Right beside Loli, a blue portal suddenly opened—an ethereal whirlpool that instantly pulled her in, making her vanish before their eyes.
"Hey!" Evan exclaimed, taking a quick step forward to try to catch her, but it was useless; the portal closed just as abruptly as it had appeared. The rest of the room fell silent, their faces filled with confusion and surprise.
"Well… looks like we just found the reason why we were feeling strange," came Loli's voice suddenly from behind them.
They turned to see her opening the door and walking in casually, as if nothing had happened. It wasn't that she had appeared inside the room—somehow, she had ended up outside and had simply walked back in.
The others looked from Loli to Sig, even more bewildered than before.
"Well, boys… looks like you've just got another good reason to want to come with us to Drunai," Sig said with a smile full of intent.