Varocia : From Gamer to Mentor

The moment he passed through the asymmetrical gate and entered Garet Town, what greeted him was exactly as he had expected.

Though he had heard all about it from Edith, the reality still sent a shiver through his soul.

Asymmetrical roads, asymmetrical houses, asymmetrical fashion choices, and even asymmetrical trees!

How could a tree being asymmetrical be a problem? It was a question he never thought he would ask himself. Most trees usually grew as they pleased, and he had no issue with that, but somehow even the trees in this town has triggered him.

Fortunately, he was not alone in his discomfort.

Lenna seemed unfazed, having accompanied Edith since childhood. In contrast, Olex's face had turned pale, and he quickened his pace, eager to reach the Teleportation Circle as swiftly as possible.

Olgan observed the bewildered expressions of the other visitors, their shock at Magect's local culture evident.

This is just a border town... what about Magect's main city? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

As they walked, they arrived at a large square paved with stone tiles arranged in a dizzying pattern that threatened to make him faint. To his left, an asymmetrical fountain, while to the right stood an asymmetrical building that housed a Teleportation Circle.

Olex quickly excused himself. "It's been a pleasant journey. I must report to His Royal Majesty the Emperor, so I'll take my leave now."

He bowed and, after a brief exchange with the guards on duty in front of the building, stepped into the Teleportation Circle, vanishing in an instant.

"Alright~, would you like to explore a bit first, or shall we head straight to my mansion?" Edith asked, turning to Olgan with an eager glint in her eyes.

"Um... what do you recommend?" he replied stiffly.

Her eyes sparkled as she suggested, "There's a fantastic Kaseto Steak here! How about a quick meal?"

"What's a Kaseto?"

"Oh, it's a boar! Specially bred only in our territory. When they reach adulthood, they grow to resemble little trees!" she explained proudly, puffing up her chest.

".....what?" He understood her words but struggled to comprehend.

"I mean, they develop a body that makes them look like mini trees because of their skeletal structure, just like the trees in our territory! I can guarantee its deliciousness!"

Those poor boars! The thought horrified him.

"Uh... on second thought, I'm not hungry yet. How about we head straight to your mansion?" he forced the words out, making Lenna stifle a laugh behind her hand.

"That's too bad..." she said, lowering her gaze in dissappointment, though she didn't press him further.

Edith walked over to the guards at the Teleportation Circle, leaving him and Lenna alone.

"Lenna... have you ever tried that... uh, Kaseto Steak?" he asked, curiosity tinged with dread.

She smiled, mischief dancing in her eyes. "I have. It looks pretty repulsive at first, but it's actually delicious. It's like eating a mini tree with bones."

"Stop! Stop! Don't make me picture it!" He covered his ears.

"If you're going to live in the Magect Castle in the future, you need to prepare yourself. Kaseto meat is like water to them; they eat it every day."

Olgan remained unfazed. He either didn't hear her because of the hands covering his ears or was too busy denying the implications.

Suddenly, Lenna grabbed his hand and pulled, uncovering his ears.

In a hushed, eerie tone, she leaned in, her breath a chilling whisper, "If you think Garet Town is hard on your heart, you are not ready to witness true horror that is the interior design of Magect Castle."

"Ahhhhh!" Olgan screamed, feeling a wave of regret wash over him as scenes after scenes of his life flashed through his mind.

------

"What's wrong with you two?" Edith asked, returning to find Olgan hugging Lenna's legs like a scaredy cat.

Lenna's small smile shone brightly, "Nothing, Princess Edith. Shall we head back?"

Edith glanced down at Olgan, who appeared to have lost his soul. "Are you sure he's okay? Should we visit the Cleric first?"

At the mention of the Cleric, Olgan perked up slightly, an image forming in his mind of an asymmetrical nurse wielding an equally asymmetrical syringe, grinning at him with unsettling enthusiasm.

He straightened abruptly. "I'm fine! Let's go!"

"It's good to hear you're fine, but are you sure you don't need a Cleric to check up on you?" Edith asked, concern lacing her tone.

"I'm okay. Really," he replied, nodding stiffly.

He was fine with nurses in custom asymmetrical outfits in some gacha game, but the thought of a Magect's nurse sent chills down his spine!

As Edith tilted her head in curiosity, she turned and led them toward the Teleportation Circle.

Olgan followed closely behind, Lenna at his side, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about her.

"Huh? Why do you look so dejected?" he asked.

"It's nothing!" she insisted, her cheeks flushing as she turned away.

Stepping into the Teleportation Circle, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. At least the magic circles here looked normal, providing him with a sense of peace.

It made sense; it would be impossible to activate a magic circle if it were drawn as haphazardly as the roads around them.

"Hold my hand. Only I have permission to access the Magect mansion's Teleportation Circle," Edith instructed.

He nodded and took her hand, watching as she closed her eyes and murmured an incantation.

Moments later, a blue light enveloped them, and the three of them vanished from the chaotic square of Garet Town.

------

As the blinding light began to fade, Olgan wrestled with the decision of whether to open his eyes and face whatever awaited him.

Knowing he couldn't escape the future that lay ahead, he slowly surrendered to his fate and opened his eyes.

What greeted him was a small circular room made of stone bricks, with the Teleportation Circle still glowing beneath him.

Two knights stood guard, their easily recognizable asymmetrical suits of armor marking them as parts of the Magect.

Olgan surveyed his surroundings in surprise. He had braced himself for an overwhelming experience, yet it was the knights' armor that sent a shiver down his spine, not the room itself.

"Good work!" Edith praised the knights on duty before leading him and Lenna toward an enchanted door crafted from a peculiar purple material.

As she pushed the door open, Olgan steeled himself for whatever psychological terror awaited him outside.

No...not like this.. he thought, instinctively trying to close his eyes, unwilling to face the unknown.

But his eyes widened involuntarily as he took in the scene before him.

Stepping outside, he found himself in a spacious entrance hall, where high, arched ceilings rose majestically, adorned with intricate stone carvings that shimmered with luminescent magic. The soft glow of white and grey illuminated the space, while the walls, composed of solid stone bricks, whispered of a rich history.

Most importantly, everything was symmetrical.

This mansion... no, this castle is... strangely normal? He was stunned, caught in a web of disbelief. It stood in stark contrast to the chaotic asymmetry of Garet Town.

"L-Lenna... didn't you say…" He turned to her, only to find an uncharacteristic, punchable smirk on her face that seemed to say, "Hah! I got you!"

Damn you! Olgan inwardly cursed.

He had been had!