Dream Land Online.

  A legendary game spoken with reverence by gamers across the world. More than mere entertainment, it offered a new, fantasy life.

  Players didn’t just control characters, but they became them. They could choose from a wide variety of races and immerse themselves in rich, sprawling storylines shaped by the history of their chosen race.

  Yet despite its fantastical name, Dream Land was anything but a paradise.

  The game’s setting was a post-catastrophic world, a shattered realm where civilization had crumbled beneath the monstrous invaders. Various nations had fallen and some races had gone extinct. Only a few scattered towns remained, and even those teetered on the brink of collapse.

  Players were tasked not merely with surviving, but with reclaiming and rebuilding. The ultimate unspoken goal, to restore the world, forge new hope, and transform the scarred lands into something worthy of being called a Dream Land.

  One of the first territories designated for restoration, particularly for those who chose the human race, was a place owned by the Stelluna household, though no family members survived in the game.

  A land once proud, now on the brink of collapse, and soon, it would exist in name only. Not because of a monster invasion, but because of a debt to a random merchant.

  (“Just give him all the gold we have, then.”)

  Ayla’s voice echoed casually in Cryssa’s mind, as if she were suggesting they toss out an old loaf of bread.

  Cryssa blinked in surprise and replied in her mind.

  “...That’s your solution?”

  (“I’ve never even heard of such a gold vault before.”)

  Ayla had played Dream Land Online since its early days, and Stelluna’s land had been one of the first human territories opened to players. Back then, before the guild system had been implemented, thousands of players crowded into the same limited regions, first the starting town, and then this town. The town had been explored to every corner.

  If such a gold vault had existed in the game, word would’ve spread like wildfire. There was no way the players could hide something like that, at least not from the lore lovers like Ayla.

  (“Which means, even without our interference, Lyra will choose to use that vault. She has no other choice.”)

  Cryssa’s thoughts spiraled as she followed the logic.

  In the early game, gold had held little value. With travel between towns restricted by monster-infested roads, players and residents of the world had relied on bartering, food, gear, and rare items. With no lords managing the territory, the coin was all but useless.

  And the debt was due tomorrow.

  There was no way they could gather enough money in a single day. The Stelluna vault was their only real option.

  But even then… it wasn’t enough.

  “...What options do we have to pay the rest of the debt?”

  Cryssa asked, her voice low, the words dragging under the weight of dread.

  Lyra sighed and straightened from the desk. Her eyes, tired but resolute, turned toward Cryssa and raised a finger.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “There are only two real choices. First, we sell some of the family treasures that have been passed down through generations.”

  Cryssa furrowed her brows. She knew what that meant, not just gold and jewels, but legacies. Not heirlooms in the strictest sense, perhaps, but paintings, statues, weapons, armors, scrolls, potions.

  Lyra added.

  “I don’t want to choose this option. They are what was left by our ancestors.”

  Cryssa nodded in understanding. For nobles, such collections were like sacred symbols of their heritage.

  Lyra raised another finger.

  “Second… we hand over one of our towns to the royal family. In return, they’ll provide funds to pay off the remaining debt.”

  Cryssa’s eyes widened. Ayla stirred uneasily within her.

  “...One of our towns? This town?”

  Cryssa muttered.

  But Lyra shook her head.

  “Not this one. But the other. You wouldn’t know it. You’ve never been interested in governance, and you’ve never visited there.”

  Cryssa winced, sheepish.

  “Ugh… sorry…”

  Lyra chuckled softly, the sound warm despite the heavy conversation.

  “It’s fine. You can learn now. We only have two towns, but they’re large enough to matter.”

  Cryssa leaned forward.

  “So… where is this other town?”

  Lyra’s expression sobered.

  “At the kingdom’s northern border. It’s a dangerous place. Beyond it lies an endless forest, teeming with monsters. We’ve barely held the line for years.”

  Cryssa and Ayla were both stunned. The implications were immediate and chilling.

  Before Cryssa could respond, Lyra continued, her voice quieter.

  “Our house, Stelluna, was entrusted with the defense of the kingdom’s northern frontier. That’s been our duty for generations.”

  She turned toward the window. Sunlight slanted through the panes, casting long shadows across her weary face.

  “But now… we can’t afford it anymore.”

  Silence settled between them.

  Now, there were no knights in Stelluna. All of them, every last defender, had died in the rebellion just a month ago. Only a few dozen guards were stationed.

  (“The kingdom’s border… A forest…”)

  Ayla’s voice echoed thoughtfully in Cryssa’s mind, her tone laced with a growing sense of familiarity.

  “You remember something?”

  Cryssa asked silently, her curiosity piqued.

  (“I’m not sure yet… Do you have a map?”)

  Cryssa looked up quickly.

  “Sis, can you show me our towns on the map?”

  Lyra nodded.

  “Of course.”

  She stood from her chair and stepped over to a nearby shelf. After a moment of rifling through scrolls, she pulled out a rolled sheet of parchment and brought it back to the table. She unrolled it across the surface, revealing a detailed map of the kingdom.

  “These two towns are ours.”

  She pointed with her fingers.

  Both were located in the northern region of the kingdom. One was Selini, the town they were in now.

  Just north of it, slightly larger and nestled near the forest’s edge, was another town, Stellar.

  (“This is—!”)

  “This is—!”

  Cryssa echoed aloud, her sky-blue eyes flashing wide in recognition.

  Lyra blinked in surprise. She asked as she tilted her head in confusion.

  “What? What is it?”

  Cryssa turned to her sister with a sudden burst of excitement. She leaned forward over the map, voice urgent.

  “Sis, sell the treasures! Start with the decorations, paintings, statues, jewelries, everything that’s not essential!”

  Lyra stared at her, startled by the sudden shift.

  “What? Why?”

  But Cryssa’s mind was already racing, her thoughts completely aligned with Ayla’s.

  Looking at the map, they shared the same thought.

  Stellar town wasn’t just any other town in the kingdom.

  It was… the birthplace of human players.

  One of the first strongholds of humanity in Dream Land Online.

  Not a vault of coins or jewels, but something far more valuable. A hidden goldmine that no one had realized until now.

  The true golden vault.

  The starting town.

  And now, it belonged to the Stelluna household.

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