《On Vacation in an VRMMORPG: A Vacation LITRPG Adventure》


 Chapter 1: Source Code

    After a long day spent among piles of dusty books and distracted university students, the librarian returned home. His small apartment was neat and simple, almost a reflection of his calm personality. He set his bag down on a chair, then glanced at the gift box left on the table: the VR headset and the mysterious metallic sphere gifted to him earlier that morning by the student.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never really been a fan of video games¡­¡± he muttered to himself, picking up the sphere. It was light and smooth, with a small power button on its side. The headset, lying beside it, looked more familiar¡ªsimilar to the ones he¡¯d seen advertised in tech stores.


    He sank into the armchair, examining the gift with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. ¡°Well, I suppose it doesn¡¯t hurt to try,¡± he said with a sigh. He followed the brief instructions included in the box:


    ¡°Press the power button on the sphere.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he thought, finding it odd there weren¡¯t more instructions. Nevertheless, he pressed the button.


    Suddenly, the sphere began to glow with a bright white light. He flinched, startled, as the metallic surface slowly opened, like the petals of a blooming flower.


    ¡°What the...?¡±


    At the center of the robotic flower, a tiny figure emerged: a mechanical fairy, perfectly sculpted, with translucent wings that pulsed faintly with green light. Its body was a combination of polished metal and opalescent materials.


    The fairy raised her head and began to speak, her voice melodic and crystalline. ¡°Greetings, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you! I¡¯ll be your guide for Source Code.¡±


    The librarian stared at her, his mouth slightly agape. ¡°Wait, wait¡­ You can talk?¡± he asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s... quite the gimmick.¡±


    The fairy nodded, hovering lightly above the robotic flower, which now floated gently in the air. ¡°Oh, of course I can talk! I¡¯ll be by your side for the entirety of your experience. Before we begin, why don¡¯t we introduce ourselves? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The librarian hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°Leonardo. Like Leonardo da Vinci.¡±


    The fairy twirled gracefully in the air. ¡°What a wonderful name! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Leonardo. I, however, don¡¯t have a name... But if you¡¯d like, you can give me one.¡±


    Leonardo stroked his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, ¡°How about¡­ Gelsomina? It feels fitting for a fairy that lives on a flower.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The fairy¡¯s luminous eyes glowed even brighter. ¡°Gelsomina¡­ I love it! From now on, my name will be Gelsomina. Thank you, Leonardo!¡±


    Leonardo allowed himself a smile. ¡°Alright, Gelsomina. So, what do I do now?¡±


    ¡°First, I need to scan your body,¡± Gelsomina explained. ¡°Your avatar will look like your real self, though you¡¯ll have the option to choose a different race. Shall I proceed?¡±


    Leonardo nodded, still a bit hesitant. The fairy gestured with her tiny hand, and the flower emitted a beam of light that enveloped him from head to toe. After a few seconds, Gelsomina announced, ¡°Perfect! Now you can put on the VR headset and lie down on your bed.¡±


    Leonardo followed the instructions, settling onto his bed and putting on the headset. "And now?" he asked.


    "Now close your eyes and repeat after me your Source Code, the access key to your account," Gelsomina said gently.


    Leonardo closed his eyes. He felt his heart beat a little faster. He repeated the fairy''s words, a string of letters and numbers that seemed random but sounded curiously harmonious.


    Then came darkness. A sensation of falling into a void enveloped him, leaving him breathless. For a moment, he thought he had fallen asleep, but Gelsomina''s voice broke the silence.


    "Welcome to Source Code, Leonardo!"


    When he opened his eyes again, Leonardo found himself standing in a white room that seemed to have no end. The environment was strangely calm, almost unreal. Gelsomina''s crystal-clear voice caught his attention once more.


    "Look up, Leonardo!" she said cheerfully.


    Leonardo lifted his gaze but saw nothing. Before he could ask anything, he felt a light pressure on his head. Confused, he reached a hand to his hair, but before he could touch it, Gelsomina leapt off, landing in front of him with an elegant pirouette.


    "Just kidding!" she said with a laugh, her face glowing with a mischievous smile.


    Leonardo stared at her for a moment, unsure whether to be amused or annoyed, but he ended up smiling. "A very mature guide, I must say..." he commented with a hint of irony.


    Gelsomina was unfazed. "No time to waste! It''s time to create your game avatar."


    Leonardo looked at her the way one looks at a cheerful, slightly mischievous child. With a sigh, he agreed. "Alright, let''s get started."


    With a smooth motion, Gelsomina flew down from her floating flower, grabbed it as if it were a torch, and pointed it toward Leonardo. From the flower, a bright light emerged, projecting a semi-transparent screen in front of him, framed by a floral design perfectly fitting the fairy''s style.


    The screen read:


    Name:


    Leonardo looked at the screen, then turned to Gelsomina. "Can I use my real name, or do I need to come up with a new one just for the game?"


    "You can use whatever name you like," the fairy replied. "If it¡¯s unavailable or not allowed, the screen will let you know."


    Leonardo pondered. Using his real name felt too mundane, and there was the risk of someone recognizing him. He already had to use his real appearance; at least he could pick a different name. After a moment of hesitation, he looked at Gelsomina. "Why don''t you help me choose?"


    The fairy shook her head. "No, it has to be your choice. I can''t guide you on creating your avatar," she said with a smile. Then she added, "But... you do look as graceful as an elf. Where I come from, there are legends about an elf who defeated a dragon and saved his homeland. His name was Aster."


    "Aster..." Leonardo repeated, savoring the sound of the name. After a few moments, he nodded. "I like it. I''ll be Aster."


    Gelsomina clapped her tiny hands, delighted. "Excellent choice!"

 Chapter 2: Botanical Guardian of the Woods

    The screen updated, displaying a new option:


    Species or Interspecies?


    Aster frowned. ¡°What does that mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ask the screen,¡± Gelsomina suggested. ¡°It¡¯s definitely more knowledgeable on the subject than I am.¡±


    Now fully adopting his new identity, Aster turned to the screen. Immediately, it split into three sections:


    <ul>


    <li>In the center: Species or Interspecies:</li>


    <li>On the left: Adeva Species or Adith Species?</li>


    <li>On the right: Adevaith Interspecies or Aditheva Interspecies?</li>


    </ul>


    Confused, Aster asked for further explanations. Four additional screens appeared, each corresponding to one of the two species or interspecies. The first screen explained:


    Adeva:


    Available races: Elf, Human, Dwarf, or Adeva Hybrid.


    As soon as Aster saw "Elf," he stopped reading the other options and chose Adeva Species without hesitation.


    The next screen led him to select a race. Naturally, he chose the elven race.


    Diploma:


    A new list appeared:


    <ul>


    <li>Weapon Arts</li>


    <li>Nature Arts</li>


    <li>Divine Arts</li>


    <li>Magic Arts</li>


    <li>Martial Arts</li>


    <li>Fine Arts</li>


    </ul>


    Aster paused to consider. Since his goal was to enjoy a vacation, he chose what he thought would be most useful: Magic Arts.


    Gelsomina congratulated him but added, ¡°The elven hero Aster, on the other hand, had a diploma in Nature Arts.¡±


    Hearing this, Aster reconsidered. ¡°Can I change my choice?¡± he asked the screen.


    The screen went back, allowing him to modify his decision. This time, Aster opted for a Diploma in Nature Arts.


    ¡°Excellent choice!¡± Gelsomina exclaimed. ¡°Now, there¡¯s just one last thing before we take you to Encrypted, the world of Source Code.¡±


    Aster nodded and looked at the final screen. At the top, it read:


    Degree: ...


    Aster read through the available degrees one by one. They were all related to nature: Rare Species Conservator, Beast Caller, Ecosystem Architect, and many more, totaling twelve in all. They seemed like specializations of his diploma, so he took a moment to evaluate them carefully.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    He focused particularly on those that might prove useful for a relaxing vacation. After much thought¡ªand after consulting each informational screen that popped up and disappeared before him¡ªone degree name stood out as particularly fascinating: Botanical Guardian of the Woods. It seemed like the perfect choice for someone who wanted to explore and enjoy an enchanted world without too many worries.


    Gelsomina watched curiously as Aster made his decision. ¡°Well?¡± she asked with an amused smile. ¡°Have you made your choice?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making it now,¡± Aster replied, then turned to the screen and declared decisively, ¡°Botanical Guardian of the Woods.¡±


    As soon as he spoke those words, the floral screen glowed, surrounding him in a warm, pulsating light. Within moments, Aster felt a slight pressure in his ears. Looking at his reflection in the screen¡ªnow serving as a mirror¡ªhe noticed the change: his ears had become long and pointed, a defining trait of elves.


    ¡°Well, here we go. Now I¡¯m an elf,¡± he said in a tone somewhere between irony and fascination with his transformation. ¡°Although¡­ I look pretty much the same, except for these ears.¡±


    Gelsomina giggled. ¡°They suit you perfectly. You look even more... elf-like!¡± Then, with a pirouette, she floated back up onto her flower. ¡°But now we can¡¯t waste any more time! Are you ready to go to Encrypted?¡±


    Aster took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for what lay ahead. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Then off we go!¡± Gelsomina exclaimed excitedly, leaping onto Aster¡¯s head as her personal vantage point.


    All around them, the endless white void began to shift. A cascade of numbers, symbols, and lines of code came to life, dancing in the air like a rain of colorful lights. The world seemed to dematerialize, dissolving into a spiral of data that reconstructed itself into something new.


    Within moments, Aster found himself in the middle of a city straight out of a fairy tale. The buildings were a fusion of elven elegance and dwarven sturdiness: slender towers made of crystal and living wood stood side by side with solid stone structures engraved with glowing runes. Majestic trees grew directly through some houses, intertwining with suspended bridges and balconies.


    The streets bustled with people of every imaginable race: elves, dwarves, humans, creatures with horns or wings, and even figures that were half-animal, half-human. The shops were just as diverse: market stalls selling glowing potions, armories filled with shimmering weapons, and dusty bookstores overflowing with ancient tomes.


    Aster was left speechless, his eyes widening in awe as he took in the vibrant world around him. ¡°Wow¡­¡± he whispered, unable to contain his amazement.


    He was so mesmerized by the scenery that he didn¡¯t immediately respond to Gelsomina¡¯s welcome to Encrypted. He admired every detail of the city: the storefronts gleamed under the light of two suns, people of all races chatted animatedly along the streets, and even the air itself carried a scent of magic. It was only when Gelsomina spoke again, her tone playful and teasing, that he snapped back to reality.


    ¡°Hey, did you disconnect or something?¡± the fairy asked, flying right in front of his face.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Aster replied with a smile, still enchanted. ¡°It¡¯s all so... beautiful.¡± Then, he looked up at the sky and noticed the two suns intertwining as if dancing. ¡°Even the sky is breathtaking.¡±


    As he observed the suns, something momentarily blocked his view: Gelsomina had flown down from his head, now sitting on her floating flower. But something had changed. She and the flower were no longer metallic¡ªthey no longer looked like artificial constructs. Now, they were alive.


    Gelsomina¡¯s long violet hair, shaped like flower petals, swayed gently. Her skin was a luminous pale green, and her transparent wings shimmered like glass, refracting light in dazzling colors. The flower she sat on no longer had a robotic appearance but was now a living sunflower, its golden petals emitting a delicate fragrance that Aster could sense even from a distance.


    Aster¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise. ¡°Wow, you¡­ you look way cuter like this!¡±