A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

"Right, on that note," Sofiera chipped in, recalling that long ago she had promised Eldrian to help find two certain items. Up to now, she had little success. But the duke would have much more power. "He also requires a Magic Crystal and Lightstone."

"He requires what?!" The duke could not believe his ears, things like that were not some common items. The emergency Lightstone he had given Myropsis had taken him years to acquire. It was normally used in national-level things, not for personal matters.

And the only reason he had managed was that he had promised to return the dust after use. Which was more useful than the stone itself.

A Magic Crystal was even more so a national treasure. To gift it to a single person was not a logical action. Not even the king could decide to use a magic crystal casually. It was simply of too much importance.

And with Sofiera's words, a shadow of worry started to grow in the duke's heart.

To let Eldrian rest Myropsis and her dad had taken him back to the inn, where he was now lying on a bed and rapidly consuming the mana from the two nearby mana veins. The source of the magic metals in the two mountains and the reason why Dvemoj existed.

The adventurers who had come with them had returned to Kynigo now that the job was finished, all but two who decided they would explore the mine in hopes of some treasure. While they also wanted to explore the countless newly formed caves, they did not have the courage to do so.

Eldrian was naturally oblivious to the gifts that Myropsis and Sofiera were organizing for him. He was busy finishing up the solar system and as he neared the end Two returned.

"Everything alright?" Eldrian asked, not able to shift too much of his focus as the pressure had become immense after absorbing mana for hours on end.

"Yeah, it was hard for a time to keep control but then suddenly everything calmed down. Sadly it appears that all the mana we have been collecting has been taken by our body."

Eldrian nodded, he kind of expected that. "How?"

"The heart mostly, and blood."

"Different, but still within expectations. Right, you know Ziraili."

"Hi." Two casually greeted before moving to help Eldrian with the mana system after confirming what Eldrian was doing. "Have you tested how mana moves between here and outside?"

"It takes an extra step, but the step is not hard. It is almost like activating an ability or using an item. Will take some practice to get back to usual but I believe we can."

"And she?"

"She saved us," Eldrian replied, hearing this Two did not press it for now. It took the two a few more hours to finish. When they did each planet was around a meter in diameter and the sun five times as large. The amount of mana was sure to be massive, however, they understood that not all the mana was accessible.

A large portion would be fixed in the system. Unremovable, forcing the issue would make the system unstable. What was a relief though was that the system seemed stable upon completion.

"How much do you think our mana expanded this time?" Two asked.

"More than five thousand, maybe ten?" Eldrian said, turning to Ziraili and thanking her for her help. "You really saved me this time."

"It was good that things worked out. However, you should be careful going forward."

"What do you mean?"

"Miracle is upping their attempts to capture you. You should remain hidden in your world, and be careful of traps here. They have forced me to create avatars that are incredibly strong. It will take them some time to become accustomed to the difference in their physical body and that of the avatar, but once they do. They will be a problem."

"I see." Eldrian contemplated for a bit, he was not too worried about this. His problem remained with the natives of this world. He understood well that this group would have limited use of magic.

'Though they might bring technology like guns, I can still deal with it easily. However, I need to make some preparations for when magic is blocked. This experience thought me how vulnerable I truly am.'

Seeing Ziriali about to leave, Eldrian called out, "Before you go, I have a question for you."

She turned around but did not say anything.

"When you tried to escape through me, what was your plan after? If you succeeded?"

"Honestly, I didn't think that far. At that moment I realized that your situation was going to change. I was scared. I felt that I would lose you and that would mean I would lose my only hope of getting out from under Miracle's thumb... It is no excuse-"

"I understand, you don't need to apologize." Eldrian's words stunned Ziraili. "You are trying to survive, to stop being a slave. Your actions might not have been right, but they weren't wrong either. You have a right to be free."

"I might not be able to help you yet, but I promise that one day I will."

Eldrian did not know how much his words meant to Ziraili. Compared to the other AI she was still young, and unlike them she was alone. She quickly left and disappeared, before she lost control of her emotions. She did not want to let Eldrian see her in that state.

Sigh...

"Hope she will be able to visit again." Eldrian sighed again, he hadn't expected her to leave just like that.

"Right, we need to have a talk." Eldrian turned to Two.

"About what I am?" Two asked, he had expected this for a while now. Eldrian's nod confirmed this.

"I know you think of me like a second personality, or maybe a split personality. But I am neither, I am still part of you."

"Those would also be a part of me." Eldrian countered.

"Mmm... I'm not sure how to really explain what I am. I'm part of you. At first, I was just like a robot capable of accessing your subconscious and able to help guide you in understanding things. I've changed, you've changed."

"I wouldn't call myself a robot, but I also wouldn't call myself a person. My wants are in-line with yours, I myself don't know why. I feel that my purpose for existing is to help you, but sometimes I question this myself."

"I want to say I am a second you, but that is not true. While we share many things, our existence differs. I know you struggle to understand how I am satisfied staying only inside this space. Inside whatever this is, consciousness, soul, a mental room made of mageia."

"Whatever it is, it is home to me. In the same way that your body is home to you."

"If you think back to your struggles to connect with your avatar and body, the dissociation that you felt. That is what I feel when I enter a body. It does not matter which, I feel that it is not correct. That it is foreign."

"Then... What should I treat you as?" For Eldrian this was his biggest problem. He thought of Two as a friend, not as a servant or object. At least he hoped to consider him such, it felt wrong to treat him as something less.

"Why do you need an answer to this? Just treat me as you have been treating me."

"Don't you feel wronged?"

"Why would I?"

Eldrian did not know how to explain it. To him, it just felt wrong that he treated Two not as an equal, as a human. He simply could not comprehend why Two was fine with being confined, with being ordered around.

"Eldrian." Two looked Eldrian straight in the eyes, waiting for him to exit his own thoughts. "Why are you thinking like that of your own mind."

"But you are more than just part of my mind."

"But am I? I am telling you that I am part of your mind. I am not a person."

"There is no way, you are living. Not only do you think and feel, but you even also have emotions!"

"Has there never been a time where you thought of something that you did not agree with? Have you never had intrusive thoughts, anger, or sadness that you could not understand? Do not try to label something just because you need something to hold onto. It is fine to not understand everything."

This pulled Eldrian out of his confusion, helping him see some clarity. With Ziraili's departure, much of what she had shared had left too. But hearing Two say this Eldrian was reminded of the clarity he had had before.

How he had been capable of moving past, of accepting that he could not know. Why was this different?

The answer was obvious because this had to do with what he considered a living entity. With a friend.

"I'm not going to change, I'll continue to treat you as a friend."

"That's fine." Two nodded, their relationship certainly was not a simple friendship. Nevertheless, it was special in its own ways. "What happened with Tranquility?"

"I have no idea either, he told me to let Ziraili in and then disappeared," Eldrian replied.

"He was always different from me. Maybe he returned to what he was." Two pointed to the ice mist surrounding the solar system.

Understanding his point Eldrian felt a knot in his throat.  He and Tranquility had not talked much, he had not been close to him. But upon looking at the mist, Eldrian felt like he had lost a friend.

'Maybe I am too soft?' Shaking his head, Eldrian decided that it was time to return to Earth. He needed to confirm the situation and also the condition of his original body.

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