Escapia: A VRMMO

Chapter 4: Day-Off

The morning sun cast a gentle glow over the lush grass, enveloping the surroundings in a serene ambiance. The forest came alive with the melodious chirping of birds perched on the branches of mighty trees. The distant sounds of chickens in the fields added a touch of rural charm. It was a refreshing and picturesque day in Escapia.

Daemon was enjoying the pleasant morning, engaging in polite conversations with NPCs. He handed over some woods to a young child NPC.

The NPC smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you for the woods, adventurer-"

Daemon, growing frustrated with the inability to skip through NPC dialogue, interrupted abruptly, "Kid, spare me the details."

"Oh, adventurer! I knew you would help me the moment I saw your face."

Daemon clenched his fist, feeling annoyance simmer within him.

The NPC continued, unaware of Daemon's frustration, "When I bring these woods to my dad, he'll be overjoyed-"

Unable to contain himself any longer, Daemon exploded, "Let me skip it! Let me!"

In a fit of anger, he furiously clicked the jump button, but it seemed to glitch, intensifying his irritation.

"Kuudere Dev! I'll feed you to the pigs, you bastard!"

A notification appeared, indicating that Daemon had been muted for five minutes due to his excessive use of profanity. He shouted until his voice gave out, compelled to endure the NPC's excitement about a mundane chair for those long minutes. Finally, he claimed the experience reward, and his level rose to 25.

A message appeared on the screen, "Cooking system has been unlocked!"

Daemon muttered to himself, "I can't take it anymore. This has gone too far. Why am I always forced to talk to these NPCs and gather meaningless items? I want to engage in battles, grow stronger, and socialize. If I'm already high level and overpowered, why am I wasting my time on missions instead of establishing a guild with beautiful companions?"

Daemon took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "I need to have some fun today, or I'll lose my mind."

---

Daemon teleported near Lockheart, who was enjoying the warmth of the sun beneath a sprawling tree.

"Hey, Lockheart! Rise and shine."

Lockheart reluctantly opened her eyes, thinking to herself, "Ugh, he's probably going to ask me to grind again."

Lockheart had initially teamed up with Daemon out of pity, but now she found herself trapped in the game, with no other options but to stick with him. However, she couldn't deny that Daemon, besides being a "neet," was incredibly dull. All they did was slay monsters and level up. The only variation in Lockheart's routine so far had been killing tiny cactus hybrids in Desertium instead of wolves on the Main Floor.

Lockheart stood up and let out a yawn. "What do you need?"

"I've unlocked the cooking system, and I want to try my hand at cooking," Daemon replied.

Lockheart felt a flicker of excitement at the prospect of Daemon discussing something other than combat and quests.

She smiled and said, "So, you finally need my assistance?"

"I never said that," Daemon retorted.

Lockheart laughed, "Well, I've studied some in-game recipes. I learned how to make a Chicken Sandwich!"

Daemon whispered to himself, "And feminism marches on..."

"What did you say?" Lockheart asked, noticing his murmur.

Daemon let out a sigh, "Never mind. Please, continue."

Lockheart explained, "To make the sandwich, we'll need a chicken, which can be found on the Main Floor. We'll also need bread, crafted from collected wheat found on farms. Additionally, we'll require oil, along with a few spices like salt, black pepper, thyme, and paprika. Lastly, we need some vegetables—lettuce, onions, and tomatoes—that can be obtained from an NPC in a random village."

"Alright, I'll be right back," Daemon responded.

He used his Teleport Crystal to travel to a nearby village on the Main Floor. The tranquil atmosphere of the village provided a temporary respite. Daemon strolled leisurely, encountering a wheat field along the way.

[Daemon obtained 35 units of Wheat!]

Upon entering the village, the rhythmic sounds of forging emanated from the blacksmith's shop, and children NPCs could be seen scampering about. The gentle breeze brushed against Daemon's face as he continued his walk. Suddenly, a chicken crossed his path.

[Daemon obtained 1 Chicken!]

Just as he was about to depart, a young boy NPC approached him. "Adventurer, have you seen my chicken?"

Daemon playfully patted the boy's head and smiled, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He continued his peaceful stroll, feeling a sense of relief. The immersive ambiance of the game world momentarily freed him from the burden of completing trivial tasks assigned by a negligent developer and engaging in forced conversations.

Daemon arrived at the shop and purchased the remaining ingredients from the NPC shopkeeper. He then teleported back to Lockheart.

Lockheart, reclining on the grass, had been entertaining herself while waiting for Daemon's return. She muttered, "He's going through all this trouble just because I enjoy cooking."

She sighed and lay back, contemplating, "Maybe it's not so bad after all, although it doesn't change the fact that he's both an incel and a neet."

Daemon's serene expression vanished instantly, his true self resurfacing. "I suppose I'm reverting back to my usual self. Farewell, inner peace," he thought to himself.

Daemon materialized behind Lockheart and questioned, "Did you just call me a neet?"

Lockheart, irritated, responded, "For God's sake, Daemon... Stop teleporting near me and eavesdropping like a creep!"

"I teleported because I gathered the ingredients you mentioned," Daemon justified.

Lockheart replied, "Okay, now we can begin cooking."

Lockheart attempted to find the "Cooking" button in the menu, but it remained locked.

"Damn it! I don't have a high enough level," she lamented.

Rolling his eyes, Daemon said, "Fine, I'll do it myself."

Lockheart chuckled, "Daemon, I don't want to be rude, but I highly doubt a neet like you has ever cooked anything in his life."

Daemon responded, "True, but since this is an MMO and not a cooking game, I think I can handle it. Let's go to the village's oven and make this SSR meal!"

"It's S, what the hell does that mean?"

"In gacha gam- Oh just shut up and nevermind."

---

[Daemon obtained 1 E-tier Chicken Sandwich!]

"Daemon, I told you, putting everything into the oven won't work," Lockheart admonished.

"But this is an MMO! Who really cares about cooking to this extent?" Daemon retorted.

Lockheart sighed, and Daemon continued, "But, Lockheart, I did learn something important today."

Curious, Lockheart concealed her interest and asked, "What did you learn, Daemon?"

Daemon replied with a sly smile, then sighed, "I've learned women really do belong in the kitchen."

Lockheart shook her head, "Of course, you won't change even a slightest bit from the degeneracy."

Daemon clasped his hands behind his head, "But on a serious note, I did find some solace today. And you know what? Even if the sandwich isn't S-tier, it's still edible. Let's consider it a reward for our efforts and enjoy it."

Lockheart shrugged, "Well, why not? What's the worst that could happen?"