Isekai Online Game Developer

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The elves were experiencing a somewhat different routine after their wager with the dark elves.

For some reason, they often found themselves playing games against the dark elves, and their interactions with humans had increased compared to before.

They still called it “Kanpra.” But they no longer reacted as sensitively as they used to.

There was certainly a vibe of change in the air.

Then, the news of the “Maple Leaf Story” update reached those elves.

“The Queen is making an appearance?!”

One elf exclaimed with surprise.

Every nearby elf turned their eyes to her.

“Did you call for me?”

Hearing that, the elf queen approached and spoke.

It was rare for an elf to be this surprised, so everyone was focused on her.

“Oh, Your Majesty! It’s not about you… They say the elf queen is coming out as a new class in ‘Maple Leaf Story’! The name is Mercedes…”

“Maple Leaf Story?”

The ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ which had promised a continuous addition of new classes.

It was the biggest update since the recent Resistance update.

“Yes. I think I should try it out, so I’ll be on my way!”

The elves, who were users of ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ dashed off home.

The queen, who preferred COL over ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ was rather indifferent to their reactions.

“Hmm… Even though I don’t have time for solo queues, I suppose I should give the elf queen character a try.”

After all, the new class called “Mercedes” seemed like something she had to experience.

It was, after all, an elf character being released.

The queen felt a bit displeased that the Illusion Tower had launched an elf character without consulting her.

As the representative of the elves, if Mercedes were a character that could tarnish the dignity of elves, she might have to formally protest to the Illusion Tower.

Dealing with a race as a subject was a sensitive issue.

Even before the advent of fantasy games, such issues had often arisen in literary works, etc.

Creators, whether writers or artists, assert that they are merely works of fiction and individual expressions.

However, from the perspective of the subjects, it was an undeniably sensitive issue.

No matter how much of a fantasy tower it is, if the same issues arise, one cannot simply remain silent.

The queen logged into ‘Maple Leaf Story’ with a pout.

And so, she created “Mercedes” and started the tutorial.

[Now I must seek sleep as well. To the King’s Rest… let’s take a long sleep until this curse breaks… a long sleep… until this curse is lifted…]

Mercedes’s main story began with the newly revealed lore of ‘Maple Leaf Story.’

Long ago, the “Black Dark Mage” attempted to engulf the Maple Leaf World.

Heroes fought against him and ultimately succeeded in sealing him away.

However, the heroes also suffered great losses and had to bear individual sacrifices.

Mercedes was one of those heroes.

She was the queen of the elves, and the elves of ‘Maple Leaf Story’ shared a fate with her.

In the final battle against the “Black Dark Mage,” Mercedes was cursed.

The elves were also affected by that curse, and those who weren’t strong enough to overcome it faced death.

In the end, Mercedes and the elf elders decided to seal away all the elves and their city until the curse was lifted.

Though they didn’t know when it would be, it would be a very long time until the curse on the elves was broken.

So, Mercedes’s tutorial involved entering a long sleep alongside the elves.

[When time flows again, may the curse of the Black Dark Mage be lifted, and may all elves live in a peaceful world of happiness…]

As the tutorial concluded, the elf queen found herself sobbing internally.

Mercedes, who should be going out to battle the Black Dark Mage in order to save the world.

A decision made to protect the elves with whom she shares a fate.

The noble and beautiful heart of the elf hoping for a happy world.

The resonance between her true plight as the Elf Queen and Mercedes’s story made the queen’s heart resonate louder than ever.

[Ugh… Level 10?!!!]

Thus, centuries later, Mercedes awoke.

Her previous level of 300 had dropped to 10, while the other elves remained asleep.

Realizing the state of the world after hundreds of years had passed, it seemed that the initial story involved waking up the elves again.

The elf queen played Mercedes without noticing the passage of time.

Though she didn’t particularly like ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ she couldn’t help but be sucked into Mercedes.

“This is really…! So touching!”

After playing for a while and logging out, the elf queen exclaimed.

All her initial dissatisfaction with the Illusion Tower had completely vanished.

“It’s truly a moving story, Your Majesty!”

“What a noble spirit… Surely, humans will come to admire elves even more!”

“The status of elves will rise even higher!”

The reactions from other elves were likewise.

Everyone believed that Mercedes’s nobility would elevate the status of elves further.

“I’m looking forward to the reaction from humans.”

“I’m sure that along with the update, praises for elves will make the whole world buzz. Hehe.”

With such thoughts, the elves brought back human newspapers a few days later.

They may not care about external matters, but they couldn’t stand ignoring their own story.

However, the expressions of the elves as they read the newspapers began to scrunch up slightly.

There were no articles praising elves anywhere.

There were a few exploratory articles about Mercedes, but that was it.

“W-What’s this…? Eban?”

Instead, the newspapers were filled with stories about the other class that had been launched alongside her.

That class character was named “Eban.” The Dragon Master.

The world was far more enthusiastic about Eban than Mercedes.

“W-We’re saying we’re not as good as a dragon race?!”

Elves screamed in shock at a reality that was different from what they had anticipated.

And it was only natural that elves were weaker than dragonkin.

In fact, it would be fair to say that there were barely any entities strong enough to compare with dragonkin in the world.

Thus, the elves’ expectations gradually faded, overshadowed by “Eban.”

*

“Have you seen this update? They say a new class is being added to ‘Maple Leaf Story’!”

“Really? I didn’t know because I’ve been lost in COL lately.”

“It’s something you definitely can’t help but look forward to. One is an elf queen archer character, and the other is…”

“…and the other is?”

“They say it’s a Dragon Master!”

“A Dragon Master?!!”

The news of Eban’s release in ‘Maple Leaf Story’ sent shockwaves throughout.

Dragons are beings that stand at the pinnacle of all races.

They possess transcendent magical power and are arrogant beings endowed with immense wisdom.

They are divine beings, beyond the reach of ordinary humans.

A class that tames such dragons? People in this world couldn’t help but be excited.

“I heard there are even ten classes of advancement!”

“Ten, ten classes?”

What was even more extraordinary was the advancement system.

As dragons grew stronger, it was a class that could advance up to ten levels.

With the update, the recent quietness around ‘Maple Leaf Story’ flared up into excitement once more.

Everyone began to level up “Eban.”

Along with that, the story revealed related to the “Black Dark Mage” was also receiving a tremendous response.

“So this was the circumstance in the ‘Maple Leaf World’…”

“What on earth was the Illusion Tower thinking when creating this game? It’s far more riveting than some ordinary play.”

“I need to level up Eban instead of running my Kanpra character… Mercedes isn’t that appealing…”

Before they knew it, theatrical performances related to the story of ‘Maple Leaf Story’ were emerging.

But even greater reactions emerged among some adventurers.

“Dragons, huh… I remember entering the lair of the Gold Dragon thirty years ago…”

Dragons are, at their core, an arrogant race standing at the peak.

They don’t show interest in other races for no particular reason.

That shows just how high the status of dragons is.

However, if someone were to anger a dragon, then things change.

For instance, if someone were to intrude recklessly into a dragon’s nest, the lairs are known for containing all kinds of rare treasures, a fact well-known since ancient times.

Throughout history, there have always been those who sought to loot such lairs. Even to this day.

“I almost died back then…”

Of course, most don’t return alive.

Those who do could either be immensely lucky or exceptionally skilled.

In Hetz’s case, he was both.

Despite facing numerous challenges, he succeeded in raiding the lair of the Gold Dragon and return.

With the treasures he obtained, he had become wealthy.

He now played “Eban” in ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ reminiscing about those times.

Enjoying a life of luxury by selling dragon treasures felt splendid.

But as he grew accustomed to that lavish life, a rebellious thought arose within Hetz’s heart.

Having lived a life of adventure, he longed for one more thrilling journey.

“Yet to raid a dragon’s nest again… that’s madness.”

For a moment, Hetz envisioned that time but shook his head.

Having been through it once, he knew how incredibly dangerous it was to enter a dragon’s lair.

In retrospect, it was almost akin to madness.

However,

[Once again, the ‘Maple Leaf Story’ craze. The new job ‘Dragon Master Eban.’ Adventurers heading into lairs.]

[Warnings from veteran adventurers. “Reality and games are different. Lairs are dangerous.” Yet, young adventurers are departing. Who will become the first Dragon Master?]

There were plenty of individuals willing to partake in such madness.

Inspired by Eban, they set off on adventures into the lairs.

It wasn’t just to steal treasures, but rather to steal dragon eggs.

Though Hetz briefly entertained that thought, he couldn’t dare execute it, knowing the dangers of dragons.

“These days’ youngsters really lack fear. It’s insanity. Truly insane…”

Yet strangely, upon hearing that news, Hetz’s heart began to race once more.

Knowing full well that it was far riskier than stealing treasures.

Hetz’s heart was drawn again toward that distant dragon lair.

The reason young children keep playing dangerous games is clear.

Because they know the thrill and pleasure that come when they surpass that danger.

Even knowing it’s dangerous, they can’t stop for the sake of that pleasure.

Hetz stood up from his armchair and opened a drawer.

Inside, there were dusty yet neatly organized gear.

“…I must have gone mad too.”

Having once crossed that enormous danger to seize treasure, Hetz could not help but have his heart race once again, knowing that pleasure.

Thus, a trend started for adventures to become the Dragon Master in the world.