The sunlight poured through the window as Rio grabbed her jacket and backpack.
Her mother appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a towel from the kitchen.
"Rio," she called softly, "where are you and… your boyfriend going?"
Rio froze.
Her mind raced for a proper answer.
"…We're going out," she said quickly, trying to keep her voice casual.
Her mom raised an eyebrow.
"When will you be back?"
Rio smiled nervously.
"…Dinner."
Her mom nodded slowly.
"Alright… have fun, but be careful."
Rio breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"Thanks, mom."
She grabbed Ryota, who was waiting by the door, and started walking toward the school district.
The streets were warm with early afternoon sunlight, and Rio kept her head low, sulking slightly as she trudged forward.
Ryota glanced at her.
"Why the long face?"
Rio crossed her arms.
"…I just spent the last of my savings enrolling you at my school."
Ryota's eyes widened.
"…You did what?"
Rio didn't answer, simply continued walking.
Eventually, they arrived at the school's enrollment office.
Rio pulled Ryota's paperwork from her bag.
"Here," she said.
"You need to fill this out."
Ryota took the papers, a little hesitant.
"You're really doing this… for me?"
Rio didn't answer, focusing on handing him instructions and payment.
"…Yeah. I guess I am."
The enrollment officer glanced at Rio and the money she handed over.
"Everything seems in order."
Rio sighed and handed over the last of her savings.
"…And that's it," she muttered under her breath, sulking as they left the office.
On the walk home, Ryota noticed her mood.
"You're heading back first," he said suddenly.
Rio blinked.
"…Huh?"
Ryota smiled faintly.
"I'll handle a little business of my own."
Rio tilted her head, still sulking.
"…Business?"
Ryota nodded. "I need to visit a place I used to work."
Rio raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
He walked toward the old bar where he had worked in their past life. The familiar building stood quiet but welcoming. He approached the owner, who looked surprised to see him.
"Ryota?" the owner asked. "Is that really you?"
Ryota bowed. "I'm back… and I need a temporary job."
They spoke quietly, coming to an agreement, and Ryota left with a small envelope in hand.
Meanwhile, Rio walked home slowly, still sulking. Her thoughts were a jumble—she had spent all her remaining savings just to get Ryota enrolled, and now her stomach was in knots over what she had done.
Inside the house, dinner had already started. Rio, her sister Akari, and their mom were seated at the table.
"Rio," her mom asked casually, "where is your boyfriend? I thought he was with you?"
Rio froze mid-bite.
"…He… he's still out," she stammered.
"He said he was going to be late," she added quickly, hoping it would pass as a reasonable excuse.
Just as she finished her sentence, there was a knock at the door.
Rio jumped slightly.
Her mom stood up. "I'll get it."
Ryota appeared in the doorway, holding an envelope with a small stack of cash inside. Rio's eyes widened as did her mom and Akari's. He then handed the money to Rio's mom which surprised her.
Rio stood up and excused herself and grabbed Ryota dragging him upstairs and whispered to him, barely audible, "You didn't steal that, did you?"
Ryota smiled faintly. "No… I went to the bar where I used to work. They hired me again."
Rio blinked, impressed.
He then slowly grabbed something from his pocket and handed it over to Rio "I know it doesn't cover much compared to the tuition you spent on me, but I'll pay you back. I promise."
Rio stood there shocked, still surprised, looked at him. "I… apologize if I was rude the first time we met." She then realized, Ryota was a good guy.
Ryota shook his head. "It's fine. Really." they then went downstairs again
Dinner continued quietly but pleasantly, the atmosphere warmer than it had been in the morning. Akari chattered about school while Rio and Ryota exchanged small smiles.
Chapter 9 — Launch Day
A week had passed in a blur of preparation, rules, and planning.
Rio sat on her bed, the VR headset resting in her hands like a treasure. Beside her, Ryota adjusted his own headset, fingers hovering over the controllers with a mix of anticipation and excitement.
The city outside hummed with the usual morning sounds, but inside Rio's room, time seemed to slow. This was the day. The day Evermount officially launched.
Rio took a deep breath and glanced at Ryota. "Ready?"
Ryota nodded firmly. "Absolutely."
Rio placed the headset over her eyes and activated the VR system. The world around her dissolved, replaced by a lush, vibrant landscape. Rolling green hills stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with sparkling rivers and ancient-looking stone ruins. The soft chirping of birds and distant clattering of blacksmiths working in towns filled the air.
"Wow," Ryota breathed. "It's… beautiful."
Rio smirked, her fingers already moving to access her character creation menu. "Don't get distracted. This is Day One. Every second counts."
Ryota chuckled nervously. "Got it."
Rio clicked through her pre-planned build, selecting her preferred class and skill paths. She felt the familiar thrill of stepping into the game she had lived for fifteen years. But now, she had the advantage of knowledge—knowledge of every early quest, every hidden dungeon, every secret NPC.
Ryota hesitated at his menu. Rio leaned over and tapped the notebook she had prepared for him. "Swordsman. Strength focus. Close combat. Early leveling potential. Follow this for now. We'll adapt once your main skill appears."
Ryota nodded, selecting the recommended starting options. "Understood."
The countdown began. A digital timer appeared above the bustling starting town hub:
3… 2… 1… LAUNCH!
The city around them in-game erupted in life. Players streamed out from the main hub, many rushing to the beginner forest, others clustering around early vendors and trainers.
Rio took the lead, her fingers flying across the controls with practiced precision. She moved swiftly to the forest path she had memorized, scanning for the first monsters she would need to defeat for experience. Ryota followed close behind, his movements slightly awkward but steadily improving as he adjusted to the VR controls.
"Stay close," Rio instructed. "We can't waste time wandering around. Every mob, every quest, every hidden item counts."
Ryota nodded. "Got it. I'll keep up."
They began clearing the first set of low-level monsters. Rio's attacks were precise, combos hitting perfectly as she guided Ryota through the process. Despite being new to actual gameplay, Ryota's reflexes and careful observation let him avoid mistakes.
As they fought, Rio couldn't help but grin. "See? This is how you dominate Day One. Knowledge plus execution."
Ryota smiled. "I can feel it. This… this is amazing."
The forest faded behind them as they leveled up quickly, collecting loot and completing early quests. Rio glanced at the digital clock in the corner of her display. Every second mattered, and she refused to let a single advantage slip by.
She leaned slightly toward Ryota. "We stick together, follow the plan, and we'll have an unstoppable start. Are you ready for what's coming?"
Ryota grinned, eyes bright behind his VR visor. "Yeah. Let's do this."
The adventure of Evermount had officially begun. And for the Silver War Goddess and her unlikely ally, the game—and their new lives—were only just starting.