After another hour of information gathering, I finally came back into the game, breathing heavily as I nervously smoothed the creases of the plain clothes I'm currently wearing in the game.
It seems like I'll have to enhance my appearance soon...it will serve as good investment if I'm going to be a merchant.
But those matters aside...the last time I checked, it's currently 4 pm in the afternoon in the real world.
Coincidentally, the color of the skies in this world also matches the timeframe that I've speculated.
Perhaps it's fate? That Catelia, of all places, has a similar timezone to the country I live in.
Heh, maybe it truly is my fate...
Or maybe I'm just delusional...
Nonetheless, those thoughts aside, what I look for first when I enter the game again is a majestic and gigantic mountain prominently rising above the surface, with a beautiful cherry blossom forest atop its peak.
From the forum of "Geography of Catelia", a forum I read recently...that was none other than Mount Lianthan, a mountain that looked like it was sloping down. As stated in other players' experiences, in usual cases, it scared many players who came close to the mountain due to its imposing form that looked like it could crumble down on you at any moment.
It should be a prominent landmark...but I don't see it anywhere.
I look around, staring at the sky for any sort of silhouette that can be made out of the haze of the clouds.
However, it felt like I couldn't find anything that would give me a clue to this huge mountain...
So I moved straight past North, hoping to find a path to what I was looking for.
Thankfully, I managed to see the mountain the more I walked!
As the description stated...it was much more of an impressive sight than I actually imagined!
Arguably...I don't have many thoughts or sights in my mind to compare...
But it didn't change the fact that the mountain served as a beautiful testament of resilience and endurance that their master embodies!
Am I just gawking and admiring right now?
Yes.
But who wouldn't?
It was a pretty sight. Breathtaking and dangerous.
...from hindsight, there was a goofy banner that hindered you from seeing all the marvels that the mountain had to offer. Hued in shades of red and black, the banner boldly stated: "Wanted: Husband" with an atrocious subtext of "Reach the path to the skies if you believe you are worthy!"
All written in a font of some ancient style of writing that seemed threatening.
It suits Rosylviana quite well.
And yes, this time, I memorized her name!
What suitor would I be if I haven't?!
Thus, figuring that it would be better to make my way to the mountain path as soon as possible...I urged myself to move. To walk a step closer to an accommodating stairway path that extended from the mountain top to the bottom.
However, there was an obstacle to the path.
A woman with a high ponytail, kept together by a non-flimsy hair tie.
Hanfu dyed in red and white, just like what Rosylviana wore.
Great gait and posture that maintained a certain distance.
And a menacing-looking spear that could kill me with ease.
"Halt, what did you come here for?" The woman says, blocking the pathway with her spear. She looks at me with disinterest evident in her yellow eyes, even yawning in front of me as she stands guard.
Well...it makes sense in a way. Maybe many people have come here already?
"I want to meet with Rosylviana Edensfield...for the err...husband application event?" I answer honestly and laugh awkwardly at my poor response.
She only withdraws her spear with a slight frown evident on her face...Maybe I said Rosylviana's name wrong?
To be fair, I don't even know how to pronounce her name.
She stares at me for a good while.
I blink back, unsure of what to do.
After a few seconds, she sighs.
"You may pass. You're the 51st today," She remarks, staying in her post and not moving away.
She regarded me with disinterest, so I couldn't figure out what she was doing...what the heck just happened?
Did I pass the vibe check or something?
Wait, I'm getting distracted. I have to lock in.
I look around as I walk these long stairs that serve as the path to the mountain.
There are many people ahead of me...all with anything but beginner equipment.
But I can't lose to them.
Rosylviana is the only known beauty who abolishes the "harem" system when you marry her.
It's exactly what I was hoping for!
So I walk faster, doing my best to reach the peak...but after a long and excruciating 30 minutes of reaching just the middle part of the path, I can feel my legs trembling and my heart racing to the speed of infinity.
It's 4:30 pm now.
I'm cooked.
I think I should really start working out.
These steps might take me another 30 minutes before I can actually reach her...
But giving up now?
I can't do that.
Not when she's my only chance of forcibly only having one woman in my "harem".
Thus, after another 30 minutes, I finally reached the top.
I'm at the peak now: greeted by a scenery of cherry blossom petals fluttering in the wind as the trees swayed from the intensity of the wind in the area. Adding to the ambience and my rejuvenation, the floral scent of the pink petals wafted in the air.
It's peaceful— distractingly so...
But it's 5 pm now.
I have to do this strategically and determine whether I should try again tomorrow or continue doing so today.
I can't play until 7:30 pm...I have things to do before mother gets home.
Nonetheless, back to what I'm currently seeing...
At first, I thought a solitary house would be all I could see here aside from the cherry blossom forest...but there's actually a whole sect here?
Its structure is so different from the world beneath the mountain.
If we're talking about life below this mountain, one noticeable thing would be that the civilization and its structures are comprised of the typical fantasy-medieval look that you see in fantasy-based games...but here, it's another world entirely.
It's one you see in those Murim comics.
An Eastern-inspired civilization!
I don't even need to explain from there on.
I look at a sign displayed at the very center.
It showed the directions of where to go...well, it was specifically for the players since it only said one thing.
Husband Wanted: North.
And of course, I went North— just like the direction I've been going to for my whole time in this journey.
Moving closer, the silhouette of a gigantic gate gradually came into focus, showing neither opulence nor grandeur.
It seems to focus more on simplicity than on showing off.
Sturdy and durable...it seems to be reinforced with some sort of energy I can't understand.
This is rather paradoxical, considering that despite its sheer size, it seemed to look way too simple for a pavilion where the guardian of Catelia resided.
But...I'll have to admit, something was calming and peaceful about a place like this.
I walk past the gates and enter...all to see a big line!
It's crazy! I can't even count the people waiting in line for this!
It seemed like there were 40 more people in front of me...
If it's 5 pm now, and my travel time to go down the mountain is an hour...that means I only really have an hour and 30 minutes to spend here!
I take into account everyone's expressions. Some seemed nervous, and the others seemed confident.
Some weren't even waiting in line yet!
There were people still looking at their reflections on a pond's clear surface, and then there were those practicing recitations for poems whilst the others were wrapping their gifts with a manic intensity.
However, despite all the ongoing chaos outside...I've taken notice of how other people brought specific high-end gifts.
Amongst the grandest of gifts, it would be some pretty clothing that looked custom-made to fit her style and beauty. The most important asset of that gift was the ruby gems that could only be obtained in two dungeons known in-game.
Let's not even talk about the fact that those dungeons are high-risk!
Only a...umm...what ranking was it again?
...yeah, I forgot again.
I'll talk about it another time when I come across that forum on how player and dungeon rankings work...
Ehem, back to my observations!
On the other side of the spectrum, the lowest-tier gift was an expensive brush used for calligraphy...which is nothing much if you compare it to the grandest.
In retrospect, one still had to consider that this lowest-tier gift could easily sell for ten thousand dollars in the real world due to it being a popular courting gift for Equilibrium or Unveiled-tiered scholarly women.
In fact, it's the ruby dress that's an oddity! It could sell for a hundred thousand!
Yet, despite understanding the worth of these gifts by other suitors...I try not to let this dissuade me from meeting with her. I have to try my best, even if I don't have anything to offer her aside from my loyalty and sincerity...
However, whether it will be enough or not is still unanswered.
...30 minutes later, it's 5:30 pm.
I finally get to see her a bit closer, making out a sight of her sitting down in a chair with a bored look on her face.
This time, there are only 10 people in front of me!
You could say that an average of a minute was spent on every suitor...
That must mean that the trial is conducted in a short amount of time, enough to ascertain what she is looking for.
So for now, I try to observe what that potentially may be as I check the others in front of me.
I gain an advantage in seeing what the others do...and why they potentially fail.
Now, it's that person's turn.
The one with the grandest gift confidently offers her his gift after finally getting his turn. He flashes a confident smile at her, as shown by the prominent grin of his that can be seen from his side profile.
"My lady, surely this will make you change your mind?" He asks, intentionally using a romantic tone of voice to incite her to his intentions. "A ruby dress, bathed in the blood of a gem wyvern's blood," He continues, eyes grinning with pride.
"I don't mind offering you gifts over and over again, and I will prove my loyalty to you if you fight beside me in battle," He sweet talks. "It's my 27th time coming up here again. Do you truly not believe in me? I would gladly give up my rights to a harem for you."
For a moment, I believed that he could truly win over her heart.
It's his 27th time proposing to her.
He's relentless, and it shows.
Although she's not reacting to his gift right now...
Doesn't his pursuit show his sincerity? Doesn't it reflect an act of loyalty?
What more could a guardian of her people want from a man if not those qualities?
...I don't want to root for the guy, because it could mean an end to the plans I had for this game.
But I still have to admit...
Maybe this could be the end—
However, a sharp swish sound breaks my thoughts in a state of daze.
And now? I am left gawking at what I see in front of me...
"A fool whose intention is to deceive will only succeed in adding up to their own sense of worthlessness," She says with calmness...just as if she didn't slash those ruby gems as if they were nothing!
The dress was tattered and torn.
The guy in front could only kneel in shame as he looked at the dress— his effort, with a manic look in his eyes.
He was doing his best to hide it: the anger brimming within.
Small bodily reactions, such as the way he tightened his wrists and the way his back was visibly shaking.
...perhaps then, it was also a lesson for mine to learn: that not everyone is as sincere as they present themselves to be.
And she? She knew exactly how to discern the truth from lies.
With utter disregard, too!
"Next," Her voice echoes the room, casting away the ruined dress to the pile of gifts with her sword...
...what a cruel yet admirable woman!
Her standards are really high...will I even be able to cut it?
I don't know.
But...I think I'll be needing all the luck I can get.