Chapter 2
 
Wonderland.

A virtual reality game created in 2031 by the genius developer Ha Jiseok. Within three years of its release, it had become the greatest game in human history, boasting over a billion concurrent players.

Magic, swords, crossbows, maces—even firearms and magitech. Every existing weapon and technology was implemented in this world, allowing players to live out any life they desired.

They could become a grand mage who summoned thunder, a pirate ruling the seas, or even a farming tycoon rivaling the earth goddess herself.

With a map the size of Earth, unparalleled freedom, and legendary tales woven by its players, Wonderland was a living, breathing world of adventure.

Wars, banquets, and regional events took place daily, keeping players enthralled with an endless stream of content.

Every day brought new thrills and discoveries!

And in one of Wonderland’s beginner villages, Hemona Village, a particularly special event was being prepared.

“Elder… At this rate, we won’t be able to properly conduct the ceremony.”

“I fear you may be right. Even if we proceed, we won’t receive the same blessings as in previous years.”

Under the stained glass of the cathedral, two men exchanged grave expressions.

They were Charles, the choir director, and Elder Germano.

“Charles, isn’t there any way to resolve this?”

“Hmm…”

Typically, beginner villages maintained a peaceful and stable atmosphere unless something unusual happened.

However, this year, Hemona Village was shrouded in an air of unease due to a serious problem.

The upcoming ritual ceremony in three weeks.

Every year, the villagers performed a sacred melody to ask the goddess for her blessing. In return, she bestowed divine favor upon the village.

This blessing was crucial, influencing agriculture, livestock, and the overall well-being of the residents. It was an indispensable boon for the village’s prosperity.

Moreover, the quality of the blessing depended on the performance. A masterful performance ensured a high-tier blessing, while a poor one resulted in a weak blessing.

Even the village children knew that a top-tier blessing could prevent natural disasters.

In other words, the ceremony was of utmost importance to the village’s survival.

“Paolo… To think that someone so full of life would leave us so suddenly…”

The elder’s eyes were filled with sorrow.

Paolo had been the village’s dedicated pianist, a musician so skilled that he had once been invited to join the royal court.

Yet, he had turned down the opportunity, choosing instead to return to his hometown, where he served as Hemona Village’s pianist for over twenty years.

He was a pillar of the community.

Then, just two months ago, Paolo had passed away suddenly.

‘He wasn’t even forty… No one could have foreseen this. ‘

His unexpected death sent shockwaves through the village. Having been in perfect health, his passing was both tragic and surreal.

Out of respect for his lifelong dedication, the villagers held a grand funeral in his honor.

But soon after, a worrisome realization set in.

‘…Who will perform at this year’s festival?’

‘…Paolo was the only one who could play the piano.’

Despite their grief, anxiety loomed over the upcoming ceremony. With only a month left, the villagers were in a state of panic.

It was an emergency—an absolute crisis!

Charles and Elder Germano immediately began searching for a replacement.

— “Elder, what if we recruit a musician from outside the village?”

— “That’s a good idea. Let’s reach out to musicians from the capital and even the royal court!”

They attempted to invite professional musicians, even contacting Paolo’s former mentor, a royal court musician.

But the responses were all the same.

— “500 gold. That’s my minimum fee.”

— “W-what? 500 gold for a single performance?!”

— “Do you know how many concerts I’d have to cancel just to travel to your village? Considering that loss, 500 gold is a bargain.”

Renowned musicians, including those from the royal court, all declined the offer, citing the long journey and their busy schedules. Ultimately, it all boiled down to money—the village simply didn’t have enough to meet their demands.

After much deliberation, Charles looked at the elder and spoke cautiously, “Elder, how about this approach?”

“Do you have a good idea?”

With a resolute expression, Charles proposed, “What about the ‘Outsiders’?”

“The Outsiders? You mean those who call themselves ‘players’?”

In the world of Wonderland, ‘Outsiders’ referred to players.

“Outsiders often possess astonishing abilities. Among the thousands who arrive daily, there must be someone skilled at playing the piano.”

“Hoo… You have a point! Charles, this is a brilliant idea.”

The elder paused in thought before asking, “Charles, how much usable funds do we have for the ceremony?”

“Unfortunately… only 50 gold.”

“Hmm, 50 gold…”

Elder Germano’s eyes narrowed.

At its core, this was a money problem. The reason professional musicians declined their offer was simple—lack of sufficient payment.

“Let’s offer all 50 gold as prize money. Inform the villagers to lower prices for any Outsiders who participate. And perhaps…”

Would 50 gold be enough to entice an Outsider?

It seemed they needed something more—something truly enticing.

As the elder pondered, Charles suddenly took out an item from his coat.

“Elder, what about offering this?”

“That is…?”

Charles held up a gleaming silver emblem.

“I’ve heard Outsiders go to great lengths to obtain these. If we include this as a prize, skilled players are sure to take interest.”

“That emblem…!”

“However, since it’s a valuable item, I need your approval before offering it. What do you think?”

The elder’s eyes narrowed further.

‘Indeed. Outsiders struggle immensely to obtain these. If we offer it as a reward, it will surely attract attention.’

After a long contemplation, Elder Germano made his decision.

“Let’s do it. The winner will receive 50 gold and the emblem!”

“Understood, Elder! I’ll take care of it immediately.”

That day, a notice was posted on the Hemona Village bulletin board.

 

[ Seeking Pianist for Ritual Ceremony ]

 

Charles watched the notice with hopeful eyes.

‘Please… Let there be many applicants.’

 

 

*  *  *

 

 

Meanwhile, across Wonderland…

“Hey, did you see this? The prize is 50 gold!”

“Wait, so all you have to do is play the piano well?”

Contrary to Charles’ concerns, the recruitment notice quickly became a hot topic among players.

Typically, 50 gold was an amount that could only be gathered after reaching level 30.

Since it took roughly three months to hit level 30, this event was essentially offering a way to earn three months’ worth of gold in an instant.

It was more than enough to attract the attention of beginners.

“Hey, the winner even gets an Honorary Devotee Emblem!”

“And it’s a silver-grade one? That’s basically endgame level. No more grinding those annoying emblem quests… This is actually pretty good.”

At the same time, even veteran players who weren’t particularly interested in the prize money found the reward tempting.

That was because the reward was none other than the Honorary Devotee Emblem.

Depending on its grade, the emblem granted various privileges within the cathedral.

Some of the main benefits included purchasing holy water in bulk at a discounted price and receiving blessings from priests. There were also several other perks.

As players progressed to higher-level content, they frequently encountered undead monsters, making holy water and blessings essential. In those situations, having an Honorary Devotee Emblem was practically a necessity.

It was well-known that veteran players had to endure an infamously grueling grind to complete the emblem quest, requiring countless hours and effort.

And yet, here was an event offering that same emblem as a prize.

Not just any emblem—one of silver grade!

[ Why the hell are they holding an event like this in a beginner village? LOL ]

[ This makes no sense, seriously. LOLLL ]

Despite the overwhelming interest, there weren’t that many applicants heading to Hemona Village.

More precisely, many players wanted to go, but most simply couldn’t.

That was because only beginners were allowed in beginner villages.

“This might be a good time to make a secondary character… Having an Honorary Devotee Emblem would be such a huge convenience. I’m not even that attached to my current class.”

“Yeah, sounds like a solid plan. 50 gold and an emblem? That’s a total freebie start, for real.”

Still, some players found ways to get to Hemona Village no matter what.

Some created secondary characters just for this opportunity, while actual beginner players already in Hemona became prime candidates.

Thus, waves of players started flocking to Hemona, and a full week passed.

Ding!

“Disqualified.”

Charles shot a sharp look at the pianist.

It had been over a week since the auditions started, yet not a single performer had met his standards.

— “Charles, it’s time to make a decision.”

— “Then I’ll wrap things up this weekend, Elder.”

In the end, if they couldn’t find a pianist by the weekend, they would have no choice but to modify the piece and proceed with the ritual without the piano.

But that was merely a backup plan.

The piano played such a critical role in the composition that even with rearrangements, the piece would likely feel dull.

At the same time, picking an unqualified pianist was even worse. It would inevitably lower the overall quality of the performance.

The only ideal option was to find a pianist whose skill suited the ceremony.

‘I have to push forward as much as I can.’

Even after listening to thousands of applicants and hearing thousands of subpar performances, Charles refused to give up.

Holding onto the slimmest hope, he continued recruiting until the very last moment.

Ding! Ding ding!

“Disqualified.”

Once again, another performance failed to meet his standards.

 

 

*  *  *

 

 

Inside a capsule room…

Sssshhh─

The capsule Han Yuhyeon entered slowly closed, and his vision dimmed.

“Login.”

As darkness enveloped him, a bright light soon followed.

 

[ Welcome, Adventurer, to Wonderland. ]

[ Scanning iris data… ]

 

Before long, a vast expanse of blue unfolded before Yuhyeon’s eyes.

Multicolored lights beamed down, illuminating an endless space stretching beyond sight.

It felt like he was seeing cyberspace from an old movie come to life.

‘Beautiful…’

Yuhyeon marveled with pure admiration.

While he had been struggling in his cramped one-room apartment, the world had advanced so rapidly that he could barely keep up.

Now, I somewhat understand why Sangcheol-hyung is so obsessed with Wonderland.

Just then, a blue holographic window appeared before him.

 

[ No existing account detected. Would you like to create one? ]

[ If you wish to create an account, please say “Create.” ]

 

“Create.”

 

[ Please customize your character’s appearance. ]

 

The perspective instantly shifted, allowing him to see his own face.

‘It’s me?’

The reflection in the game was incredibly neat.

Gone were the signs of malnourishment and the dark circles under his eyes. His skin was as pale as milk.

Most people apparently spent hours customizing their characters, but he had no intention of doing the same.

‘Maybe I’ll just change my hair color.’

When else would he get the chance to try something like this? Only in a game.

Satisfied, Yuhyeon smiled as he observed his silver-haired reflection.

“Just the hair—make it silver. Keep everything else the same.”

 

[ Please set your character’s nickname. ]

 

“Yuhyeon.”

 

[ Character customization complete. ]

[ We look forward to witnessing your heroic tale, Adventurer. ]

[ Connecting… ]

 

‘Ugh.’

A flood of light forced Yuhyeon to shut his eyes.

Warm sunlight touched his forehead.

As he slowly opened his eyes, an entirely different world stretched before him.

The ground was covered in dry earth like a training field, with patches of weeds scattered about and rows of scarecrows neatly lined up.

Ssshh…

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp air.

Then he moved his body, testing his range of motion.

Every movement felt smooth and unrestrained.

‘Amazing.’

This world felt more real than reality itself.

Or rather, it was better than reality.

The place where he lived was polluted with smog, making it nearly impossible to breathe in such fresh air.

‘It smells so clean and sweet.’

Chirp chirp—

Then, a sound reached his ears from somewhere nearby.

‘…Huh?’

Yuhyeon blinked in surprise.

For a moment, it felt like he had heard something he shouldn’t be able to hear.

‘It must be my imagination.’

But as soon as doubt crept into his mind, the sound came again.

Chirp chirp—

“……!”

His eyes widened in shock.

‘I heard it. I definitely heard it.’

Quickly scanning his surroundings, his gaze landed on a small creature.

Chirp chirp chirp—

A sparrow was perched on a scarecrow’s head, pecking at its straw hat.

“H-huuh…?”

With trembling hands, Yuhyeon touched his ears.

Is this a dream? No, I’m inside the game, so it cant’ be a dream.

A whirlwind of thoughts raced through his mind.

And then—more sounds flooded his ears, as if proving this was real.

The rustling of grass in the wind, the flapping of the sparrow’s wings, the soft crunch of his footstep against the earth…

Yuhyeon blinked rapidly.

“I-I can hear! H-huh? My voice—I can hear my own voice!”

For the first time in years, even the sound of his own voice, which he had once disliked, was clearly audible.

Just as he stood there, dazed, a towering man approached him and said, “A new outsider has arrived. Take the wooden sword in front of you.”

Ding!

 

[ Quest: Strike the scarecrow with the wooden sword ten times. ]

 

Grade: Tutorial

Requirement: Tutorial participant

Reward: Basic Swordsmanship

Failure: Unable to proceed with the follow-up quest ‘Basic Swordsmanship (1).’

Description: Follow the instructor’s orders and swing the wooden sword.

 

A notification sound rang, and a quest window popped up before Yuhyeon’s eyes.

“Hey, can’t you hear me? Pick up the wooden sword.”

With his eyes gleaming, Yuhyeon turned to the instructor.

“…What did you just say? S-say it again. Just one more time.”

“I told you to strike the scarecrow with the wooden sword.”

Ding!

 

[ Would you like to decline the quest? ]

[ Declining will prevent progression to the follow-up quest. ]

[ Training Instructor Olsen’s favorability will decrease slightly. ]

 

A warning window popped up repeatedly, as if declining would bring dire consequences.

But Yuhyeon, overwhelmed by emotions, barely registered any of it.

“Tsk, are you going to do it or not? If not, forget it.”

The instructor waved him off impatiently.

Yuhyeon spoke in a trembling voice, filled with emotion: “…I can hear. I can really hear.”

Every night, he had prayed for this miracle before going to bed.

Every morning, he had opened his eyes hoping to hear again.

And today, that miracle had finally come true.

After ten long years—right here in Wonderland.

Just then—

Ding!

 

[ You have received a private message. ]

[ SupremeSangcheol: You whacking that scarecrow properly? ]

 

It was a message from Sangcheol.

 

[ SupremeSangcheol: If you haven’t started, hurry up and get that quest done. Your first goal is to reach level 10. ]

 

“Hyung, hyung!”

Yuhyeon wanted to share this overwhelming joy with Sangcheol immediately.

 

[ SupremeSangcheol: I’ll be out hunting for now. Message me if you have any questions. ]

 

“Hyung, this is insane!”

But no matter how loudly he shouted, his voice didn’t reach Sangcheol.

Obviously—just yelling wouldn’t convert his words into chat messages.

“…Wait, does voice chat not work?”

After muttering to himself for a while, Yuhyeon turned toward the instructor with renewed determination.

‘First, I need to beat up that scarecrow, right?’

Did it really matter?

He could tell Sangcheol later.

For now, he just wanted to bask in this moment and relish the sounds around him.

“Instructor! I’ll do it!”

“Hmm, so you’ve finally decided? Pick up any wooden sword from the rack and strike the scarecrow ten times.”

“Yes!”

Grabbing a wooden sword from the rack—

Whoosh—

He swung it lightly, hearing the crisp sound of air being cut.

‘It sounds so clear!’

Whoosh—

Whoosh, whoosh—

Even the sound of the wooden sword slicing through the air was music to his ears.

“Stop swinging at nothing and hit the scarecrow!”

“Ah, right! Got it!”

Raising the sword high, he struck down—

Thwack!

A dull impact resonated, sending a vibration up his arm.

Thwack! Thwack!

‘It’s fun, this is so much fun!’

As he lifted the sword for his next strike—

♬

A familiar sound reached his ears from somewhere.

A sound he had heard for half his life—one he could never forget.

It was the sound of a piano.

♬

Before he knew it, Yuhyeon’s head snapped around.

The piano sound was coming from the plaza.

“Th-this place has instruments too?”

“What a foolish question. Is there any place in the world without music?”

“Ah…! I shouldn’t be wasting time swinging this wooden sword!”

Thud.

As soon as he dropped the wooden sword, the instructor watching him spoke up:  “What are you doing? Why did you put it down in the middle of training?”

Without hesitation, Yuhyeon bolted toward the plaza.

“W-wait! Where do you think you’re going? You only need to swing four more times!”

“Instructor, I’ll finish later! There’s something more important right now…!”

Before long, the instructor’s voice rang out from behind him.

“What on earth are you doing?! You just arrived in this world—what could possibly be more important than this?”

The voice faded into the distance. Yet, Yuhyeon kept running, unwavering.

“This is much more important to me!”

For the first time in ten years, he was hearing the sound of an instrument with his own ears.

At this moment, nothing mattered more than following that sound.

“I’ll be back later!”

With determined steps, Yuhyeon rushed toward the plaza.

 

To be continued

Brought to you by Gourmet Scans

Translator: Japchae

Editor: Maize