A few minutes of complete silence pa.s.sed and Liya slowly opened her eyes for the second time. 'Nothing ever gets accomplished by just lying on the bed. If I want to leave this VR game, I have to somehow get kicked out... Somehow…' Moving her right forearm from her forehead, she got up from the bed and walked up to the door.

Leaving and navigating the house's corridors, she reached the door that led outside. But as she reached it, the door suddenly opened.

Through the door came in a middle-aged man with short black hair, who was dressed in tight blue pants, white s.h.i.+rt, blue jacket with an insignia on the top-right corner of the tiger's head which was the coat of arms of the tiger country, and a sword sheathed on the right side of his waist. Upon seeing Liya, a frowning expression appeared on his face. "Who are you? Why are you in my father's house?" he said as he moved his right hand to the sword's hilt.

>

<350 50="">>

'This man is that old man's son? Regardless of that, from his clothes and the insignia on his jacket, it's safe to a.s.sume that he is a guard from some city, and if I don't answer him quick, he will pull his sword on me. That much is certain.'

"My name is Liya. I gave a hand to your father, and as payment, he offered me to stay the night."

Rick's eyebrows furrowed. "You helped my father and he let you stay the night?" he said with doubt in his voice as he knew that his father was not that kind of a man that would ask strangers to help around the farm or let strangers into his home even if they gave him a helping hand.

Nodding her head, Liya said, "Yes, he asked me to kill the wolves that left the forest."

Rick's eyes widened and mouth slightly opened from surprise. "You killed the wolves?" he said with surprise in his voice and he moved his right hand away from his sword's hilt.

Nodding her head for the second time, Liya said, "Yes I did."

Nodding his head in understanding, Rick said, "I see—" But before he could finish his words, an elderly voice sounded behind Liya, "Son."

Hearing this voice, Liya turned around and Rick moved his head to the voice, and they both saw the old man, standing not too far away from them with a broad smiling facial expression on his face.

"Dad…" Rick said and a broad smiling facial expression appeared on his face as well.

Glancing at Rick, Liya thought, 'So they really are father and son.'

Rick walked past Liya, approaching his father and the old man walked towards him, approaching his son, and they enveloped each other in a tight hug.

"Long time no see, dad," Rick whispered into his father's ear.

"Yeah, long time no see, Rick," the old man whispered back into his son's ear.

Hugging for a good minute, the old man and Rick separated from one another.

"I came as fast as I could—" Glancing at Liya with his right eye, he shook his head. "—but it seems, I was not fast enough."

The old man nodded his head. "Yes, the adventurer has already helped me." He turned his head to Liya, looking at her. "Tonight was the first night in many years since I didn't hear a single howl. I believe that there is not a single wolf remaining."

Rick's eyes widened and mouth opened from shock and he turned around, locking his eyes on Liya. "You killed all the wolves?!" he couldn't help but shout out.

"I did," Liya replied and turned her head to the old man. "Thank you for yesterday's dinner, and for letting me spend the night, but I should be going on my way now."

The old man shook his head. "It's fine, it's fine, but before you go at least eat breakfast with us."

The corners of Liya's lips rose, forming a faint smiling expression on her face. "Thank you."

"Now that's rare," Rick mumbled and they walked into the kitchen. Liya and Rick sat down at the table facing each other, and the old man started preparing the breakfast.

"I don't believe, I introduced myself. My name is Rick."

"Nice to meet you, Rick," Liya said with a faint smiling expression on her face.

"Nice to meet you too, Liya," Rick said with a faint smiling expression of his own.

The old man nodded his head and the corners of his lips rose, forming a broad smiling expression on his face as he was happy to hear that his son and the adventurer were getting along.

"Liya, will you go to a forest with me?"

Hearing these words, the old man furrowed his eyebrows and turned his head back – to his son as he wanted to scold him for being so direct, but before he could say a word, Liya crossed her arms, tilted her head slightly to the right and said, "You want my help in finding out what drove the wolves away?

The old man blinked his eyes and shook his head. He turned his head back to the food he was preparing and mumbled, "I should just focus on the food."

Rick nodded his head. "Yes, you showed that you are capable enough. So what do you say? Will you help me?"

'I have no reason to refuse.' Nodding her head, Liya said, "Alright."

>

>

…

After eating the breakfast that was prepared by the old man, Liya and Rick left for the forest. Walking towards it, they didn't encounter anything they had to fight, and reaching it, Rick said, "All the wolves are really dead, aren't they…"

"They are. Let's go into the forest."

Rick nodded his head and he raised the right corner of his lips, forming a smirk on his face. He with Liya walked into the forest, and once they stepped into the forest, a notification message flashed in front of Liya.

>

'A dungeon?'

"What's wrong, Liya?"

"It's nothing, let's go."

Nodding his head, Rick said, "Mhm."