As dusk slowly settled over the city, the magical street lamps flickered on one after another, bathing the streets of Solaria in a warm glow.
"Lake, put the boxes down. That's enough for today."
The potion shop owner brushed the powder off his hands and looked at the young elf still hauling goods. A hint of pity crossed his face as he took out a few large coins.
"This is your pay for today."
Hearing that, the young elf carefully set down the box and wiped his slightly dirty hands across his face. He stepped forward happily to receive his pay.
Fifty Bailey in total for a full day's work.
Lake was an apprentice at the potion shop, though that title was a rather generous description.
Because he was still too young, he could only earn a meager income by helping out from sunrise to sunset. His mother had been bedridden for years due to illness, and their tiny household relied entirely on the money he earned.
Now that he was off work and had his pay clutched tightly in hand, he headed home as usual. Before long, he reached a familiar street corner.
That was when he noticed the unusually decorated shop ahead that hadn't been there before.
The holographic projection on display showed dazzling scenes that instantly captured all of Lake's attention.
Curious, because he had never seen anything like it before in his life, he glanced at the promotional poster by the entrance.
"Free for three days?"
"Really, I ain't gonna have to pay?"
He murmured to himself in disbelief.
The truth was, he was simply too poor to indulge in luxuries. The money he earned had to cover daily expenses, and whatever remained went toward buying medicine for his mother. There was no room for anything else.
He looked at the luxurious interior of the experience center and desperately wanted to see what it was all about.
But then he glanced down at his patched linen clothes, worn thin from years of use.
A faint sense of inferiority welled up inside him.
Someone of his status seemed completely out of place in such a grand establishment.
He stood hesitating at the door awkwardly. Through the glass, he could see the lively scene inside, and a trace of longing flickered in his eyes.
"Forget it. I'm just a lower-class elf. This isn't somewhere I belong."
After struggling with himself for quite a while, he finally decided to leave and not embarrass himself.
Just as he was about to turn around, the door suddenly opened.
Joseph walked out with a bright smile on his face.
"Hey kid, come on in and have some fun!"
In the end, Lake was pulled inside by Joseph's infectious enthusiasm.
Under the guidance of the staff, he sat down in a soft seat that felt more comfortable than his bed at home. He watched as a kind elf woman patiently explained everything to him.
His face flushed bright red at the attention.
But she didn't mind at all and gently taught him how to operate the equipment without judging him.
Following her instructions carefully, he put on the device and entered the Dreamscape
The moment he stepped inside, he was stunned beyond words.
The dazzling scenes before him left him speechless.
In Plants vs. Zombies, adorable plants fought against shambling zombies. He played for a while, then tried out the farming life in Stardew Valley, which felt peaceful and rewarding.
Soon after, he was drawn into the vast world of ARK: Survival Evolved.
These were experiences he had never imagined in his entire life. It was all so unbelievably fun and immersive.
After quite some time, Lake suddenly snapped back to reality with a jolt.
He still had to go home to his mother.
A glance at the time told him that two whole hours had flown by in the blink of an eye.
Reluctantly casting one last look around the magical shop, he quickly logged off and rushed home. His mother was still waiting for him, and he needed to bring her dinner.
Meanwhile, the DreamNet cafe no longer looked as deserted as it had that morning.
Some players had been there since opening and were still going strong.
After all, not everyone had worries like Lake weighing on them.
"Pulling an all-nighter tonight! No one's stopping me!"
Some were so excited that they planned to stay up all night playing. It was just too amazing to quit now.
And so, time passed quietly as word spread.
The news traveled like wildfire through the streets and taverns.
The once quiet entrance gradually became more and more crowded with curious onlookers.
Some walked in skeptically, only to return later with new friends in tow after trying it out. Passersby, hearing words like "free" and "revolutionary games," eagerly joined the line.
From just a handful of people at the start, the entire cafe was now packed to the brim.
"So fun! This is incredible!"
"Right? I've never seen anything this fresh before!"
"I can't believe this came from Lunaria!"
"I'd heard of Lunaria's Dreamscape before, but wasn't it supposed to be super boring? And ridiculously expensive too?"
"Exactly! This is nothing like what I've been told!"
This new concept quickly captivated the residents of Solaria with its accessibility, the biggest allure being the free trial period. Many thought that if it was free, why not try it out?
Olaf had become completely addicted over the past two days.
At first, he had only been curious about those innovative firearms in the projection. Now, he was utterly hooked on the entire experience.
Battling gangs in Liberty City, adventuring through the ancient wilderness in ARK, and experiencing things he'd never imagined possible.
Drinking ale and eating roasted meat had been completely forgotten, which was saying a lot, coming from a dwarf.
That day, he didn't even feel his usual craving for alcohol. Instead, he dragged his dwarf companion, who was enjoying a mug of ale peacefully, straight toward the cafe.
"Come with me! There's something even better than ale!"
But when they arrived at the entrance while panting for breath, Olaf froze in dismay.
Every seat was taken. There was barely even room to stand inside.
"Damn it!"
He was so angry his horned helmet nearly tilted off his head.
"Boss, there are too many people now! Every single spot is filled!"
Joseph hurried over to Alto, who had been dozing off in a corner chair, both anxious and excited at once.
Alto took one look and was genuinely stunned by the development.
In the short time he hadn't been paying attention, the line had almost stretched out the door and into the street.
With so many people demanding access, he had no choice but to set a rule. Each person was limited to two hours of play.
After two hours, they had to log off and give up their spot. If they wanted to continue, they'd have to queue again from the back.
And so, a strange yet hilarious scene appeared in this otherworldly internet cafe.
Behind every machine stood someone waiting impatiently for their turn.
Some even kept track of the time obsessively. The moment it was up, they started urging the player on.
"Log off, log off! It's my turn!"
"Stop rushing me! Let me play a little longer!"
"You've been playing forever! My legs are numb from standing. Hurry up!"
"Hey buddy, your mom's calling you home for dinner! Go on!"
The shop grew more and more crowded throughout the day. The bizarre spectacle attracted even more curious onlookers, and the line extended far outside the door.
Some who had tried it and had a bit of money saved headed straight to the purchasing area upstairs.
After spending a hefty sum on equipment, they happily took it home to play on their own, leaving others green with envy.
But after seeing the steep prices displayed, most people still hesitated to commit.
The staff bustled about nonstop, overwhelmed by the sheer number of customers demanding attention.
In the end, they had to adopt a number-calling system just to maintain order.
Watching the lively scene before him unfold, Alto's face showed a trace of nostalgia for something familiar.
Yeah, this really had that classic internet cafe atmosphere he remembered so fondly.