I Don't Need To Log Out

A wolf leaped from the shadows, its claws extended as it lunged at Mei's back.

Mei reacted on instinct, dodging to the side. But her focus on evading the wolf caused her to misstep, and she triggered a hidden trap.

The sound of grinding stone filled the air as a massive boulder materialized above her, poised to fall.

"Mei!" Arlon called out, his voice sharp.

Thinking quickly, Mei raised her hands, forming a glowing magic circle above her. The boulder shattered into dust before it could touch her. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

If that rock had fallen, Mei would have been crushed and many other traps would have been activated. So, her only option was to eliminate the rock.

There were probably measures preventing students from dying but triggering that would make them lose points or get eliminated altogether.

Knowing this, Mei went for the crushing blow instead of dodging or getting crushed.

Unfortunately, this meant that the wolf could attack again and there was no way for Mei to dodge or defend against it this time.

So she braced herself, closing her eyes and raising her arms to protect her face.

But the attack never came.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself held securely in Arlon's arm. His other hand gripped his sword, its blade dripping with silvery mist as the wolf dissolved into nothingness.

Arlon jumped back to where June, who was holding back the remaining two wolves, was.

"Are you alright, Mei?" Arlon asked before setting the red-faced Mei down gently.

Mei's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red but she quickly nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." She steadied herself, brushing imaginary dust off her robes. "Let's finish this."

The last two wolves, still circling June, growled menacingly as if sensing their disadvantage.

"I'll hold them in place," June said, gripping her staff tightly. She muttered a quick incantation, and a layer of frost spread across the ground, freezing the wolves' legs in place.

"Your turn, Arlon," she said with a small grin.

Arlon didn't hesitate. In two swift motions, he dispatched the remaining wolves, their bodies dissolving into mist like the others. The clearing fell silent once more, save for the faint rustle of leaves.

"That wasn't so bad," June said, exhaling as the frost melted away.

"It could've been worse," Mei admitted, glancing at the now-empty space where the wolves had appeared. "Thanks for the save, by the way."

Arlon gave a small nod but didn't respond. His focus had already shifted back to the marker, its soft blue glow visible just ahead.

The trio approached cautiously, ensuring there were no traps around the pedestal. Mei cast a quick detection spell to confirm.

"It's clear," she said, and the three of them stepped forward.

Arlon kept his sword at the ready while Mei activated the pedestal. A soft hum filled the air, and the glowing orb disappeared into her hands.

"Got it," Mei said with a satisfied smile, holding up the marker.

"One down," June said, glancing around the forest. "Now let's grab the next two before the others catch up."

---

The second marker, which was yellow, came into view after a short trek through the forest.

It was perched atop a tall, jagged rock formation surrounded by shifting platforms suspended in midair, each glowing faintly with runes.

The platforms floated and rotated unpredictably, forming a challenging parkour route to the top.

Mei sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Great. A parkour trial. Of course, it had to be something like this."

June studied the platforms, her eyes narrowing. "This looks... doable, but it'll take forever to get up there."

Arlon stepped forward, his sword already sheathed. "I'll go. I can Blink up."

Mei blinked in surprise. "Ah, is that the one you used against the Professor?"

Arlon nodded, and without another word activated his spell and disappeared in a flash, reappearing on one of the higher platforms.

With a few more Blinks, he reached the top effortlessly, grabbed the glowing marker, and began his descent slowly.

Mei watched him, impressed. "Efficient, isn't he?"

June leaned against a tree, her arms crossed. "That's Arlon for you."

Mei tilted her head, studying June's expression. "You sound like you know him pretty well. Are you two...?" She trailed off, her tone teasing.

June's eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. "What? No! We're not in a relationship."

Mei smirked, but her curiosity didn't wane. "Then are you friends?"

June hesitated, her confident facade slipping for a moment. "I... I wouldn't call us friends, exactly," she admitted, looking down at her boots. "Arlon's... complicated. I don't think he sees any of us that way."

Mei raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? That's surprising. You seem like you've been together for some time."

June sighed. "We have, but... he keeps his distance. He's more focused on whatever goals he has."

Mei nodded thoughtfully, then grinned suddenly. "Well, that's good to know."

June frowned. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to confess to him," Mei said casually as if discussing the weather.

June blinked, caught completely off guard. "Wait, what?"

"You heard me," Mei said with a confident smile. "In Trion, the most important thing is strength. And Arlon? He's one of the strongest people I've ever seen."

June stared at her, trying to process the sudden declaration. "You're interested in him... because he's strong?"

It wasn't easy to understand for someone from Earth, but it was the rule in Trion. The strong was always respected.

"Partly," Mei admitted, shrugging. "But it's not just that. Strength isn't just about power—it's about presence, too. And Arlon has that. He is also kind and handsome.

Did you know he already has a fan club at the academy? Some of the girls were talking about him after his match with Professor Orlen."

"A fan club?" June repeated. Her tone was a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Mei nodded. "Yup. It's not official yet, but give it time. He's the talk of the academy. And honestly, I get it. Someone like him? Strong, mysterious, and apparently capable of taking down wolves and solving parkour puzzles in minutes? Yeah, he's got people interested."

June crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "He's not exactly the easiest person to talk to, you know."

Mei grinned. "All the more reason to try. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? He says no?" She shrugged, completely unbothered by the prospect.

June didn't respond immediately. She glanced up at Arlon, who was already halfway back down, his movements precise and efficient as always.

"Good luck, I guess," she said finally, though her tone lacked conviction since she knew the age difference.

"Thanks," Mei said with a wink. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"Jealous? No," June said quickly, shaking her head. "Why would I be?"

Mei gave her a knowing smile but didn't press further.

She wasn't jealous, but in June's eyes, Mei was really beautiful. She was even more beautiful than most of the Elves she saw on Trion.

She knew that if they were 17 like Mei, the male players would go after her without a second thought.

No, maybe if there weren't solid rules of age from Earth, most would accept her even with the age difference.

Of course, that was on Trion. She knew that at least the players she knew weren't that kind of people.

By the time Arlon landed back on the ground, holding the second marker, the conversation had shifted back to the task at hand.

"Let's move," Arlon said simply, handing the marker to Mei for safekeeping. "The third one won't wait for us."

Mei tucked the marker away and flashed a quick smile. "Onward, then."

As the trio continued through the forest, June walked slightly behind the others, her thoughts lingering on Mei's words.

A fan club? Seriously?