Ibro felt strange about this man’s question. Wasn’t he a player just like him and Palry? Was he an NPC? Nevertheless, he answered naturally:
“Yes, sir. When I came here, I met a man who tried to kill me. I managed to kill him, so I’m now at the eighty-third level.”
The man kept a little silent as if he was thinking about Ibro’s words. After moments of silence, he said:
“And you accidentally overcame that man as well?”
Ibro felt more and more nervous. This man’s gaze almost penetrated his body. Ibro said anxiously:
“Yes, sir.”
“So how did you get your current level? By killing this foraz? You are new here and don’t know the penalty of liars. Liars’ punishment in my city is detainment forever.”
Ibro was confused and said without knowing what that governor meant:
“I didn’t understand your meaning, sir.”
“I will simply explain it to you. The situation here in Apidon is different from the situation on your Earth.
There, when you kill any of the monsters or perform any quest, you will get your reward, as well as XP that raises your level.
Here you cannot get any XP or a reward by killing any person or monster. Here you can’t get any quests at all.
There are no NPCs here or any game features. You can simply sum all this by one simple sentence: “In the Apidon world there is no Rioneed game.”
Ibro felt that the man before him did not lie to him. But his words contradicted what happened to him.
Nevertheless, Ibro found it difficult to believe what that governor said. He received XP and rewards for his murder of Palry from the Rioneed game system.
He carefully and cautiously decided to ask more info about the matter, saying:
“The game told me that my level has risen as a result of killing this man. I also got rewards for that. Are there exceptions to that rule that you just mentioned?”
Ibro tried as hard as he could to be cautious in expressing his objection to the view of the city governor. The governor’s frozen expression was replaced by astonishment and extreme shock.
This time, the governor took about a minute to return to his usual look. Ibro also noticed the change in the features of everyone around him, including the three guards.
“Are you sure the game told you that?”
“Of course, sir.”
This time Ibro did not feel nervous but puzzled. In front of him, these elders began a hot discussion in a low voice. Though he could hear some words like:
“It is the first time ever.
“Why did Rioneed choose him?”
“Does Rioneed want to send a message?”
“Why now?”
In addition to many vague words, which Ibro understood nothing from. He guessed how strange it was for the game to communicate with a player in this world.
After a few minutes of whispering among them, the governor looked at him and said:
“Can you tell me everything the game told you?”
Ibro was almost about to answer the governor’s question, but his intuition made him not do so.
He still didn’t know anything about this world of Apidon or Pnro. Why did he trust a stranger even if he was the governor of the city?
All he knew now was that his promotion because of his killing Palry was not an ordinary matter. So, what was the guarantee that it was a blessing and not a curse?
He decided to be cautious and did not say any relevant information until he was certain of its consequences. So, he asked:
“Why do I do that, Governor?”
Ibro felt a tight hand grabbing his heart through the governor’s gaze. Soon the governor retracted his gaze before saying diplomatically:
“I know that you do not trust us, especially after your experience with that foolish Foraz. But we are on your side and will never harm you.
As a sign of goodwill from me, I will give you the opportunity to fulfill two demands.
Provided that these demands are logical and would never threaten my city. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Roliv, the Governor of the city of Shonty.”
Ibro looked at him suspiciously. This governor would fulfill two demands in exchange for info about what the game told him!
This was a great deal for him. Nevertheless, there was a strong suspicion in his heart. Why would a man in his position seek the trouble of fulfilling two demands to a person without any significance like him?
Was what the game said to him so important? He decided first to continue being cautious and he should take advantage of that opportunity to know all that could know about this world.
“I’m honored to meet you MR. Governor. I hope that you can help clarify many things for me. I am completely new here, and I do not know anything other than what the criminal who tried to kill me told me.
That is why I hope you allow me to ask about the importance of the game communicating with me.”
“I have no objection to your request, but such issues are very dangerous, especially in the world of Apidon.
So, you have to promise me that you will stay here in the city and not get out of it under any circumstances. What do you think?”
Ibro answered without hesitation:
“Unfortunately I cannot promise you MR. Governor. I have to take care of many things in my world.”
“So excuse me for not being able to answer your question.”
Roliv’s answer was not strange to Ibro’s expectations. It seemed that if he wanted to know more about this world he would have to depend on himself. That left him with Roliv’s request, or it would be better to call it a trade.
He now needed to determine two requests for Roliv to fulfill. If this opportunity were abandoned, he did not know how many years he will regret it in the future.
Would he make one of his two demands for Roliv to answer his questions? He felt that this demand would be a big loss to him.
He began to think seriously about what he should ask. Through his experience, he was aware that this opportunity would never come again so he had to make the best use of it.
When he thought about this point, an idea arose in his head, and he immediately expressed it:
“My first requirement is that I have the right to visit you whenever I come to the city.”
Roliv laughed loudly when he heard Ibro’s first request. It seemed that Ibro’s first request was such an easy request. Ibro was well aware of the importance of this request to him in the future.
Meeting the city governor meant that he could get infinite privileges like having the ability to know more info anytime and asking the help of this city to him.
Although he didn’t know a lot about this world, his gut feeling was telling him that he would need the help of Roliv a lot.
“I can approve this first request Ibro. Isn’t your name Ibro?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you very much.”
“No need to thank me, we are doing a mutual transaction with each other. Now tell me what the other requirement is.”
Ibro felt that Roliv was very eager to hear what the game had told him. Ibro was thinking about what he might need later, taking all the time he needed without any pressure or tension.
He already knew that equipment, items, scrolls, ..Etc. he gained here wouldn’t be able to use them back in his world. So when he remembered this part, he said in a calm voice:
“The game told me that I can’t use any of the things I gained from here in my world. Was this info true?”
“Yes, it’s true. We can’t use anything from here back in our world. If you need anything to use back at your home there is only one way though. We can give you some of what we brought from our original worlds.
But I have to remind you that we have a limited amount of these things in our possession so I can’t give you a lot of them.”
Ibro thought hard. Would he accept some legendary scrolls or legendary equipment from Roliv?
He knew that a single legendary scroll made the game scheme against him. So, what would happen if he returned with an Inventory full of legendary items?
Would the game cancel his account? He couldn’t guarantee this crazy game reaction. It was better to solve his current problem instead of creating new ones!
“My request may sound strange but I desperately need it.”
“If I can do it for you, I’ll do it.”
“I came here by chance. That is why I have no way to return to my world. Are there any return scrolls for the cities in my domain in the game?”
The governor laughed and then silently looked at one of the men standing next to him.
The man had a very fragile body, walking on a thick short stick and his face was full of wrinkles. He was so old! The man said in a very weak voice that Ibro hardly heard:
“There are, of course, scrolls in the city library. It is expensive as return scrolls for new worlds were limited. Each scroll is worth 100 Apidon coins, but I will exclude you from paying this time.”
Ibro felt as if the heavy stone lying on his heart had been lifted finally. His bet coming here to this strange world had succeeded. He said in delight:
“Thank you very much, sir. What I want is a return scroll for the city of Ihnasia.”
“Don’t thank me. What you will tell us exceeds these two requests. That is why I will give you two return scrolls for every major city in your domain. Do you want scrolls for all the major cities in your world?”
Ibro laughed happily then said:
“If I could get all of them I would be grateful to you.”
“Okay, I’ll get you them after you tell us what the game told you. This is my promise to you.”
