I looked at the large stone tower in front of me. It had a wooden door leading inside and a few windows on the higher floors, above which stood a telescope attached to the blue roof.

  So this was his house, huh. I never bothered checking it out before, since I spent my days just hanging around and doing random stuff.

  “Come in!” a voice called out from the inside before I even knocked.

  Here goes nothing.

  I opened the door inside and grimaced. It was as if the grass and trees had combined and multiplied by a hundred to create an overwhelming scent. The interior featured a wooden floor with a peculiar pattern, a fireplace at one end, a table, and a mysterious altar in the corner. It looked quite cozy, to say the least.

  Rasmodius stood to the left, mixing a strange, green concoction in a massive cauldron from which green smoke spread out. He turned to look at me and stopped.

  “Welcome. I am Magnus Rasmodius, seeker of the arcane truths, mediary between physical and ethereal, master of the seven elementals, keeper of the sacred chambers, and so on and so on. And you are John Doe, one whose arrival I had long foreseen.”

  “Hey. So, what was it about a rat problem?”

  “Yes, take a look at this.” Rasmodius approached the formation on the ground. He made a strange hand sign.

  From the formation burst out a white light, and in the middle of it appeared the green little thing.

  “Junimos are really cute,” I muttered.

  “Oh? You are aware of them?” Rasmodius asked.

  No harm in telling him, I guess. “Ancient tree spirits and all that. You know, I saw a disc with strange text lying on the ground back in the Community Center.”

  “Hmm? That’s intriguing,” Rasmodius mused. He waved his hand and made the Junimo disappear in a flash. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

  The wizard’s figure turned into white light, flying outside the tower. So weird. I looked around his house to find anything interesting, but in no time, Rasmodius came back, appearing in the middle of the formation.

  “I have managed to decipher the ancient text,” he said. “It said: ‘We, the Junimo, are happy to aid you. In return, we ask for gifts of the valley. If you are one with the forest, then you will see the true nature of this scroll.’ Hmm. What could this mean?”

  So it was a scroll. I glanced at the bubbling cauldron and gulped. Rasmodius noticed and exclaimed in joy. “Ah-hah! It should be fine if you just drink this. It is made from ingredients straight from the forest – baby fern, moss grub, caramel-top toadstool… and others.”

  I’m sure it’s delicious. Oh boy. I knew this day would come sooner or later, but only now did I start feeling apprehensive. I never even took drugs back on Earth. This? Ugh.

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  Rasmodius filled up a bowl. “Here. Drink up. Let the essence of the forest permeate your body.”

  I picked up the bowl and gulped. No point in delaying it, I guess.

  With a deep breath, I drank the entire thing. It tasted how grass smelled. Strangely, it wasn’t hot.

  “Do you feel anything yet?” Rasmodius asked.

  “Hmm. No, not really.” I scratched my head. Suddenly, I felt light-headed.

  Oh…

  OOOHHH.

  FUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

  My whole vision turned green. I only saw leaves and trees floating around in space. When people talked about smoking grass, this was not what I had in mind.

  What the fuck is happening to my boooodyyy?

  Was I even standing? No. Probably not. I was floating in space! Where’s my body? Nowhere. It disappeared. Eh. Who cares?

  I laughed. This was so stupid. If someone told me just two weeks ago I would be taking drugs from a wizard…

  Oh, it’s ending. Aw.

  My vision slowly turned black. The leaves and trees disappeared, and I was sleepy. So, so sleepy. Well, who was I to deny what my body wanted?

  I fell asleep.

  ---

  We had watched over this valley for centuries.

  Now, we watch as a young human takes their first step in becoming one with the forest. We cannot wait to see what gifts he will bring to us. We cannot wait to see what he will bring forth from the land he was given.

  May this young human bless the forest, so we may bless him in turn.

  ---

  Rasmodius wasn’t there when I woke up. He left me a letter instead.

  ‘Unfortunately, I had to leave in order to make sure the foundation of the world doesn’t fall apart. Once you wake up, head over to the Community Center and see if you can read the scrolls.’

  Geez, who was this guy, really? Maybe he could teach me magic one day, that would be pretty cool.

  I headed to the Community Center. It was still the middle of the day; I couldn’t have been out for too long.

  The first thing I did was head over to the right, to the aquarium. Another scroll appeared.

  Just as in the game, it presented a set of bundles related to fishing. I checked every other bundle. They had the same requirements as in the game, and even rewards written down.

  Well, it was time to get the rewards!

  I never had a proper goal to work towards here before. Just go out, do some stuff on the farm or maybe in the mines, fish, and hang out. It’s not that there was anything wrong with it; I definitely had fun. But still, I felt a bit… aimless.

  There was the whole reaching-perfection-thing, but that was too far away. Besides, it was such a ridiculous achievement. Completing the Community Center was the shit. No point in rushing, though. I didn’t know how long I would spend here, after all.

  I got back home and picked out everything I could to give. Since today, I also developed a strange sense – one that allows me to tell if the item I am carrying could be gifted in a bundle. It was like the infinite pocket – I didn’t question it.

  Speaking of pockets, it was time to upgrade them. It was true that I could carry an unlimited amount of items, but only twelve different kinds.

  I headed to Pierre’s shop.

  Pierre greeted me from behind the counter, while Sam turned around and waved. He was a young man with pulled black blonde hair who mostly wore a blue hoodie.

  Abigail was there too.

  “Hey there, John,” Abigail greeted me with a smile.

  “You seem energetic for someone whose ass I beat in Kario Mart,” I replied, recounting our gaming session from three days ago.

  “Ghh! Next time I’ll win. Later, though. We have to go and beat Prairie,” she said.

  “You guys are playing Prairie together?” Sam chimed in.

  “Yeah.” Abigail nodded. “We only got to the second stage, though.”

  “You know, uh?” Sam scratched his ear with a blush. “I’ve actually been playing it lately. Can I join you two?”

  Abigail and I looked at each other with a smile.

  “Sure,” I said.

  “No problem with me,” Abigail added.

  “Awesome! Are we going to your place, Abigail?” Sam asked.

  “Yep. You know, now that I think about it, let’s invite Sebastian as well,” she said.

  “I was just about to say that. I didn’t know you can play Prairie with four people, by the way,” Sam said.

  “We just need extra controllers. I’m sure Sebastian has them, though,” Abigail said.

  “Then let’s go to his house,” I said.

  They agreed, and the three of us left after our purchases. Finally, I got to enjoy carrying more than just twelve sorts of items.