Leo walked away from the guild center. The noise faded behind him, replaced by the scattered bustle of merchants setting up morning stalls.
He stopped mid-step.
"…Ah, crap."
Scratched the back of his head. "I forgot to ask Susan where to hunt."
He turned slightly, debating whether to head back. The guild was just a few blocks away, but the idea of pushing through that crowd again didn't exactly thrill him.
He kept walking.
The streets gradually thinned. Fewer buildings. More dirt paths. Fewer people.
Eventually, the capital gates came into view, tall and dull with age. The guards nearby leaned on their halberds, half-watching the passersby.
Leo slowed near the edge of the gate, looking past the walls. Forest ahead. Hills to the side. He wasn't sure which direction was.
"Hey!"
A voice called out, sharp but not unfriendly.
He turned.
A soldier near the gate pointed with his thumb. "That way's the wrong route. You're headed straight into mid-level territory."
Leo blinked.
The soldier gave him a once-over. "Are you a new adventurer?"
Leo gave a sheepish bow.
"Follow the road west. You'll find the forest. Slime Sanctuary's right inside."
Leo nodded, adjusted course, and followed the path the soldier had indicated. The trees grew denser with each step, and soon enough, the gate disappeared behind him.
A notification blinked in front of his eyes.
Slime Sanctuary
Susan was right. Adventurers dotted the forest like ants around honey. Some moved solo. Others grouped around small clearings. Energy buzzed through the trees, shouts, laughter, and battle cries. The ground trembled faintly now and then with the splat of slimes being flattened.
As Leo walked deeper in, he slowed.
Ahead, a guy stood completely still.
Then, like clockwork, three translucent blue blobs appeared at his feet.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
The man swung once. A smooth, practiced slash. All three slimes burst.
Leo grinned.
"So, grinding spots are normal here too, huh…"
It made sense. In games, standing in one place and farming respawns was practically a tradition. Efficient. Predictable. Safe, sort of.
He continued wandering until the noise thinned out. The forest wrapped around him tightly, trees pressing in close. No more adventurers nearby.
Just the rustle of leaves. The call of a bird in the distance. Wind brushing past his ear.
He double-checked the area. Empty.
Leo opened his menu and tapped through to Personal Assistant.
[System Notification] Summon Assistant?
His finger hovered, then tapped.
A prompt slid in.
[System Notification] Please select Aether's gender.
He didn't think long. Female.
Another screen appeared.
[System Notification] Enter Aether's name. Leave blank to use "Aether."
He hesitated.
"…Ai," he muttered.
Author's Note:Quick pronunciation guide: Ai — Pronounced "Aye," like "Aye aye, captain!"
Simple. Easy to remember. Fit the world better.
He typed it in and hit Enter.
Light gathered around him. Not blinding, just warm. Like sunrise condensed into a single moment. He took a step back, heart ticking faster.
The glow folded inward, shaping itself.
Then she appeared.
She had long, flowing hair and eyes like the calm surface of a lake, deep, intelligent. Her clothes looked tailored for a butler. Practical elegance.
"Greetings, Master," she said, bowing slightly. "How may I assist you today?"
Leo raised a brow.
"Can I change your appearance?" he asked.
Ai tilted her head. "Yes, Master. I can alter my form, but only once. Please specify."
He gestured, lining his hand just below his chest. "Your height, maybe around here."
He paused, then added, "Make yourself a cat demihuman. Is that what they're called?"
"They are referred to as felines in this world," Ai said. "Shall I proceed?"
"Yeah."
Light swept over her again, smoother this time. Her form shifted, elegant dress turning playful and sharp. Deep blue fabric. Silver threads tracing subtle patterns. Long socks. Tail.
Her height adjusted. Hair turned soft yellow, curling at the ends. Cat ears perked on her head, twitching ever so slightly.
When the light faded, she stood with one hand on her hip, eyes sharper, voice steady.
"Is this satisfactory, Master?"
Leo blinked. "Perfect. But, uh… two things."
Ai waited.
"First, don't call me Master. Just Leo. Second, you talk way too formal for your look."
Her eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at the edge of her lips.
"Got it, Leo. Tone it down and throw in some flair." Her voice now carried a relaxed, confident note. Almost smug.
Leo took a step back, inspecting her. Posture shifted. Tail swayed lazily. One eyebrow raised, like she already knew what he was thinking.
"That's perfect," he said.
"Anything else you want, boss?" she added with a playful grin.
Leo chuckled. "Let's find a good spot. Think you can help?"
Her voice echoed in his mind.
I can. Try using your Elf's Perception skill. It'll help locate safe zones and monster activity.
He called it out instinctively, but a notification popped up.
[System Notification] Race skill unavailable: Elf's Perception cannot be used.
Leo frowned.
Ai was mid-sentence in his head, explaining the skill restriction, when Leo suddenly spoke aloud.
"Wait… you can talk to me like that, too?"
Of course, she answered smoothly. Her voice, even in his mind, had that same calm edge. Reassuring. Confident.
Leo blinked, then grinned. That's actually… super useful.
Now he had a way to communicate with her without anyone hearing. Silent. Instant. He leaned into it.
So, how do I use the race skills?
You'll need to switch to the correct race, Ai replied without missing a beat. In this case, Elf. That requires a Race Change Scroll.
Don't have one.
It's in the VIP Store. Ten coins. Want me to handle it?
Leo glanced at her, briefly stunned by how efficient she was. He hadn't even considered the store lately, definitely hadn't noticed any scrolls like that.
It would've taken him forever to dig it up himself.
Yeah. Go ahead, he confirmed mentally.
A soft pause passed.
[System Notification] Race Change Scroll (Elf) purchased.
A chill pricked the back of his neck.
Changing race, just like that. Not an illusion. Not a cosmetic skin. It was real. Tangible. It meant rewiring what you were, maybe even who.
He pushed the thought aside before it could go deeper.