Players' NPC Big Daddy

As soon as Gedelock was released, it took the world by storm. Naturally, the highly skilled development team behind it became prime targets for interviews. However, these programmers kept an incredibly low profile, accepting only one interview—yet that single appearance was enough to burn their image into everyone’s memory.

The scene could only be described as absolutely mind-blowing.

There was a burly guy picking his toes in a maid outfit, an eccentric Lolita beautiful girl, a mascot in a full-body suit, a muscular otaku who looked like some twisted action figure mashup, a masked wrestler, and a guy wearing nothing but white briefs with a black mosaic bar perpetually covering his face.

It was a live broadcast, and the moment the cameras rolled, the entire audience was stunned into silence.

Host: ”The most popular aspect of Gedelock is undoubtedly its lifelike AI, isn’t it?”

Muscular Otaku: ”Of course. That AI was built using SK—uh, to put it in layman’s terms, supercomputers and super servers. The data itself is so complex that it’s practically human.”

Host: ”So, you’re saying... digital life?”

Maid Outfit Guy: ”Creating life isn’t that simple. Have you ever watched Digimon? We just let the AI accumulate data continuously, fill in the gaps, and produce specific divergent reactions to key data triggers.

”Right now, they’ve gone from the ’In-Training’ stage—where they could only repeat dialogue—to the ’Rookie’ stage, where they actively learn. They are currently around the ’Champion’ stage, able to break past some of our logical programming constraints during emergencies or under pressure. Our future goal is the ’Ultimate’ stage, where they can grow on their own and evolve beyond the personalities we assigned them.”

Host: ”And what about the ’Mega’ stage?”

Maid Outfit Guy: ”Probably... when they can comprehend the weight of life. (Laughs)”

Host: ”There is another question many people are curious about, though it might be a bit out of bounds. Will these NPCs be able to reproduce?”

This question made the programmers pause for a long time. Finally, after a commercial break, the mascot—who was the lead developer—answered in an incredibly eerie tone.

”How else do you think these NPCs came to be? Gedelock isn’t just a simple game.”

”Hey! Pregnancy is no joking matter.”

”I’m not mistaken. I used a song that checks the state of life. There are two lives inside that body, and judging by the faint aura, it must have just...” Audrey shook her head, her expression turning grim.

”A taboo mixed-blood,” Blaze said, his expression darkening.

Mixed-bloods had always been a taboo topic. Half-elves, the mixed-bloods of elves and humans, constantly wandered between the human and elven worlds, and elves would even hunt them down. If the mixed-bloods of the beautiful elf species were treated this way, it went without saying what would happen to the offspring of an infamous wild monster like a werewolf. Furthermore, a werewolf’s body was coursing with filthy blood comparable to an evil god’s blood. No one knew what would happen when such blood mixed with a human’s.

”No wonder the village chief played dumb. We can’t let anyone know about this. She’ll be, sigh... thought of as a witch carrying a werewolf’s child with filthy blood in her veins?”

Blaze scratched the back of his head, momentarily unsure how to respond to this seemingly grave topic. Because there was no precedent, he had no idea just how serious it really was. His knowledge in this area was completely blank.

”Will they tie Juliet to a stake and burn her? I heard from the foreigners that barbarians used to treat witches like that in the past.”

”Arcadians are not barbarians! The customs of those foreigners are simply too terrifying.” Audrey rubbed her arms, looking unwell. ”Regardless, we have to deal with that werewolf first. Are you confident?”

”As long as it’s a living thing, I can kill it... but not bugs.” Blaze cracked a joke. Then, crossing his arms, he asked somewhat absentmindedly, ”Is that werewolf different from the others?”

”It’s just more despicable. It disguised itself as a human and deceitfully played with Juliet’s feelings,” Audrey said indignantly, raising her fist and hammering it against Blaze’s shoulder.

Her Strength Value wasn’t high, but it was enough to smash the windowsill of the old wooden cabin, so she could only take it out on Blaze.

”Played with her feelings, huh... Do you think Juliet knows about this?”

”Of course not! They—they’re not even the same species! If—if she knew, how—how could they do that kind of... that kind of... and the size...”

Audrey gestured wildly, her face flushing red. Blaze made a circle with his left hand and formed a fist with his right. Before he even brought them close together, he earned another angry, embarrassed punch from Audrey.

”Ouch, ouch! I was just visualizing a werewolf and human romance.”

”Even beastmen and humans are better than this! A werewolf is universally recognized as a monster of madness.”

Before she knew it, Audrey was leaning halfway out the window, while Blaze helplessly parried her attacks. For some reason, he couldn’t erase the look in that silver-white werewolf’s eyes from his mind—the look of someone stepping forward to protect the one they loved.

Inside the room, Juliet lay on the bed with her brow tightly furrowed, as if she were trapped in a nightmare.

”Then we have a deal.”

Herbie held a sheepskin scroll, unable to hide the nauseated look on her face. This was the skin of a two-legged sheep. Still, she fought down her gag reflex and signed her name on it.

”You are practically my laxative,” Greenland smiled in satisfaction, nodding as she looked at the identical sheepskin scroll in her hand.

Nature’s call? It didn’t matter anymore. It wasn’t urgent now.

A true professional player would secure an escape route for vice players even if they had to wet themselves. Besides, as long as she felt no shame, no one would know she leaked.

”Logically speaking, with my Vice Value being this high, even a beggar would refuse my charity. Yet you, an advanced partner of Hermes’ Travel Hat, are actually willing to make this kind of deal with me.”

”You have to meet my demands first before you get my help.” Expressionless, Herbie rolled up the important contract and tucked it at her waist.

”No problem. It’s just the assassination of the deputy lord, right? I might not be enough on my own, but fortunately, I’m not the only one who needs this contract.” Greenland exhaled heavily, turned into the darkness, and dissolved into virtual polygons before disappearing.

She had to log off now, because the warning for nature’s call had escalated into a short-circuit warning.

”Alright.” Herbie patted her cheeks vigorously, forcing her face back into its usual playful and cheeky grin.

”Audrey~”

Herbie skipped out of the dark alleyway. Not paying attention, she suddenly bumped into a broad, furry body. Even though she was the one who initiated the collision, Herbie was the one who bounced backward.

”Blaze, why are you wandering around here?” Herbie started complaining before she even got a clear look. In the entirety of Wolf Head Grass Village, the only person with such a large frame and a furry cloak was Blaze.

However, the other party didn’t answer. Herbie’s eyes flew wide open. She smelled the scent of a wild beast.

Looking up, what she saw was a silver-white werewolf.

That werewolf had actually returned to this village so brazenly!?