While Giuseppe returned to his dormitory in a fit of pique, joining his friends in cursing the "blind" Lorne Dungeon and wishing for his company's swift bankruptcy, Luca was sitting in his rented shack. By the dim glow of a gas lamp, he was writing a letter to his parents back home.
[Dear Mom and Dad,]
[I hope this letter finds you well. I received your last letter, and I must tell you with regret that I do not plan to return home, nor do I plan to join the army. Please don't misunderstand; it's not because I want to continue wasting money and time on a hopeless exam, but because I have secured a position in Norelia.]
[I'm not sure if you've heard the name "Magic Games." It is the freshest, most interesting thing in Norelia right now. Mr. Lorne Dungeon, the creator of these games, gave me a chance to work for his company. The job is related to drawing. As you know, drawing is my life's ambition; if I can earn money while doing it, why not?]
[Even if I used my entire vocabulary, I couldn't describe to you how miraculous magic games are. I feel incredibly honored to be part of the team and contribute to the development of new games.]
[My boss, Mr. Lorne, is very good to me. He is courteous, humble, and never puts on airs with his employees. You wouldn't believe it, but he actually paid out of his own pocket for me to get a haircut!]
[It was my first day on the job. He said my hair and mustache didn't quite suit me. To be honest, it's a bit embarrassing—I had specially used hair oil to part my hair and grew a small mustache just to make a mature, stable impression. It seems my perspective was too narrow.]
[Lord Lorne paid for me to go to a salon for a new style and a shave. I have nothing but gratitude. It's no wonder my colleagues treat him with such respect and call him "Lord Lorne." I don't think it's because of his status or power, but because everyone truly respects him from the bottom of their hearts.]
[You often worried in your letters that I wouldn't get along with city folk. I must say, while that might have been true before—many Academy students walk around with their noses in the air—you can rest easy now. My colleagues are all very kind and gentle. Although their personalities are a bit eccentric, I believe they are all good-hearted citizens.]
[Miss Selina and Mister Silas, who manage the shop, are the most beautiful people I've ever seen. Miss Selina has a bit of a fiery temper and speaks her mind, but she is very organized, which is why Lord Lorne values her so much. Mr. Silas is her younger brother; he isn't as clever as his sister, but he is honest and loyal. If he messes something up, he never tries to hide it; he confesses honestly and begs Lord Lorne to punish him. Even if Lord Lorne forgives him, he insists on punishing himself. Oh, such honesty and integrity! In this day and age, such qualities are truly precious!]
[Now, let me tell you about my work! my position is called "Game Artist." Our office is on the second floor (the first floor is the shop selling games and slates). On one side are easels, and on the other are work cubicles. I draw various pictures according to the requirements of the Game Designer (Lord Lorne), and then give them to colleagues who "input" the images into the magic slates.]
[It might be hard for you to understand. Let me put it simply: those skilled in magic can turn scenery they see into illusions and display them in magical devices. Think of a crystal ball and you'll get the idea. After I finish a drawing, other colleagues display it in the magic slate and process the images with various spells to create different effects...]
[Dear Mom and Dad, please don't be afraid when you hear the word "magic." My colleagues aren't scary wizards, at least not the kind you find in towers. They are just ordinary people with magical power.]
[When I first arrived, I knew nothing about magic. Not only did they not look down on me, but they patiently guided me. They taught me the general process of game production, the responsibilities of a game artist, what UI is, what character sprites are, what concept design is, and even what "Gacha" and "P2W" are—why humans are so willing to spend money on virtual pieces of paper...]
[The three colleagues I work with are all lovely people. Mr. Heidres is the eldest; he always wears a full-face helmet, and I've never seen his true face. It's said he served in the military and was disfigured in battle. Perhaps because of this, he is very silent; I haven't heard him speak once since I started.]
[Mrs. Banshee is a melancholy old widow who always wears mourning clothes. She occasionally breaks into sudden wails while working. I was terrified at first, but I got used to it after a few times. I think she must have loved her late husband very much.]
[The third colleague is a gnome named Lepre, whose hobby is minting counterfeit coins. But supposedly the police have never found evidence, so they can't prosecute him. I never dare to accept the coins he offers me.]
[That Lord Lorne is willing to hire these "marginalized" people shows how magnanimous he is.]
[My job consists of sitting in the office drawing from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day. I get two days off a week, Lord Lorne buys us insurance, and we get an extra month's salary at the end of the year. It's much easier than my old job at the café! And the pay is several times higher!]
[You probably wouldn't guess it, but for such a good position, there were very few applicants. It's no wonder—people have never heard of a "Game Artist," so they don't dare apply. As for the "top students" at the Art Academy, they look down on commercial art. So, for now, I am the only artist in the company. Lord Lorne is quite worried about this.]
[I recommended a few of my friends to him; they are all rejected Academy applicants. I will never forget the expression on Lord Lorne's face when he heard the words "rejected art student." "Solemn respect" is the only way to describe it. He agreed to look at their resumes and portfolios, and if they meet the requirements, he will hire them.]
[He also said that if my friends are determined to take the Academy exam and don't want to work full-time, he can cooperate with them through "outsourcing."]
[I don't quite understand what "outsourcing" is, but if it allows my friends to earn money while studying for the Academy, it must be a good thing.]
[Lord Lorne gave me a month's salary in advance. I've enclosed a money order for five gold coins with this letter. With this money, the family won't have to worry about making ends meet! Once I save enough, I'll bring you to Norelia. My brother and sister can go to the best schools, and you can open the bakery of your dreams.]
[The Academy students look down on us rejects, but Lord Lorne treats us with great courtesy. Every time I think of this, my eyes well up. I must work hard and never fail his expectations...]
"I've truly picked up a treasure..."
Sitting behind his desk, Lorne's gaze swept across the office, finally landing on the young man at the easel, painting with grand flourishes.
When he first hired Luca, Lorne didn't have high expectations; he just hoped the kid had the basic skills to draw according to requirements. He couldn't help it; there were no specialized talents in this world, so he had to find a few "raw cabbages" and cultivate them.
To his surprise, Luca's potential far exceeded his imagination. With just a few words, the young man understood the composition Lorne needed. After seeing Lorne's reference images, he taught himself both Western and Japanese art styles. Even when his work was sent back for revisions, he never complained or talked back.
Compared to the artists on Earth who were always ready to murder the Game Designers and dance on their graves, an angel like Luca almost moved Lorne to tears. This was an SSR-tier artist!
Luca had even taken on the role of a headhunter, recommending several of his "rejected art student" friends. (Lorne felt a bit suffocated just thinking about how many rejected art students there were in this world.)
Several had already agreed to join, and for those planning to retake the Academy exam next year, Lorne agreed to give them outsourced work. Consequently, Luca had been promoted from an ordinary artist to Art Director.
Things at the Gulf Bank were also going smoothly. Lorne had dispatched several magic-proficient monsters to set up a magic transmission platform at the bank. According to his estimates, by the Winter Solstice Festival—this world's version of Christmas and New Year—The Hero's Legend 2 and Magic Online Banking would launch simultaneously. By then, the production of magic slates should be able to keep up with market demand.
The world was about to receive a New Year's gift it would never forget. Just imagining the revenue, Lorne's smile nearly split his face.
"Sigh..."
A soft sigh interrupted Lorne's daydream. He looked toward the source. Luca had put down his brush, his shoulders slumped dejectedly as he stared at an unfinished work on the easel.
"What's wrong, Luca?" Lorne stood up and walked behind him. Today's task for Luca was monster sprites. The canvas already had rough outlines blocked in with color, waiting for details.
Luca pouted like a poor child afraid to face his parents after a bad test score. "I don't know how to draw this, Lord Lorne," he said. "The heroes and gods I drew before, even if I haven't seen them, at least they look human. I can handle them like human figures. But these monsters you want me to draw... how do their bones and muscles grow? For example, a werewolf—is it a wolf that walks upright, or just a human with a wolf's head? How do you combine a human body with an animal? It doesn't fit the principles of anatomy! And the dullahan, the banshee, the leprechaun... I haven't even seen these monsters, I have no idea how to draw them!"
Across the room, his three colleagues turned and stared at Luca with complex expressions.
The young man lowered his head in fear. "I'm sorry! My incompetence is dragging you all down! It's all my fault!"
The expressions of the three colleagues became even more complex. You see monsters every day! Downstairs are a succubus and a werewolf; upstairs are a dullahan, a banshee, and a leprechaun! And the guy standing next to you is the Demon King who leads all monsters! Monsters are all around you!
Lorne suppressed the urge to roast him and comforted him: "Imagination, young man. Let your mind take flight on the wings of imagination."
Luca looked blank. "But how can a human imagine something they've never seen?"
"...You stole my line."
Lorne thought for a moment and asked, "How about I help you find some photos or drawings of monsters? You can just use them as a reference."
Luca sighed. "Thank you, Lord Lorne, but that's just how I am. If I haven't seen it with my own eyes, I can't draw it well... Maybe the Academy teachers were right, I have no artistic talent..."
He rested his chin on his hand in thought, then suddenly jumped up and bolted downstairs like a cannonball. Lorne pulled back the blinds and saw the young man run out of the shop and dash into a bookstore across the street.
"I knew that human wouldn't last!" the gnome rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "Humans! Because of their short lifespans, they're always so hot and cold!"
The old widow lifted her veil and peeked downstairs. "Don't say that. I think he just went to the bookstore to buy a picture book to learn what we look like."
The gnome was shocked. "There are picture books like that in this world? People who have seen our true faces are still alive?"
"...Fair point."
Before long, Luca returned excitedly, spreading his spoils from the bookstore on the table. His three colleagues leaned in curiously. The gnome stood on tiptoe to get his eyes above the table.
"Whoa, the me in this book... I mean, the leprechaun, is drawn quite tall and mighty, isn't he?"
The old widow said in a calm, raspy voice, "That's a map, dear. That thing you're looking at is the outline of the Coastal Kingdom."
Gnome: "..."
Luca's cheeks were slightly flushed with excitement. "Lord Lorne, I've thought of a brilliant solution. But I'll need a few days off."
The gnome said, "Oh, you're going back to your hometown?" He glanced at Lorne as he spoke, his face practically screaming I told you so.
"No, Mr. Lepre! I just want to go on a trip to do some sketching and gather inspiration." Luca pointed to a small dot on the map. "Look, Lord Lorne, here is Norelia."
His finger moved westward, landing on an area marked "Wasteland."
"Don't be fooled by the empty space. I've heard a terrifying legend about it from the elders of Norelia..." Luca lowered his voice, his tone eerie, like telling ghost stories at a summer camp.
"An ancient dungeon sits there, protected by an evil magical barrier. It is inhabited by the most terrifying and darkest monsters in the world. There are mad, brutal werewolves, undead skeletons that kill without blinking, savage slimes that feed on the corpses of their enemies, and fierce sirens who can boil your brains with their song... and of course, eerie dullahans, sinister banshees, and cunning leprechauns. Only the bravest heroes dare to venture there, and even they barely survive..."
The three colleagues exchanged proud glances, as if someone had just given them a "Lifetime Achievement Award in Monstery."
Luca continued: "So I thought, if I go to the dungeon and see what monsters look like with my own eyes, I should be able to draw them. Lord Lorne, what do you think?"
The office fell into a long silence. Bathed in Luca's expectant gaze, Lorne cleared his throat awkwardly.
"But as you said, it's dangerous there. I wouldn't want my best employee to lose his life over such a small thing."
"It's okay, Lord Lorne, I can hire bodyguards," Luca said confidently. "Times have changed! In the past, heroes could only use swords, but now we have guns! I can borrow some from friends. I don't think even the most vicious monsters can withstand bullets and explosives."
Are all rejected art students in this world so militarily inclined?!
"But... what if?" Lorne tried to discourage the young man's reckless plan.
"If the bodyguards can't beat the monsters, we'll splash them with holy water and run. Monsters can't be unafraid of holy water, right?" Luca said. "If you don't mind, I'll set out tomorrow. I plan to go on foot; it's not far. I'll spend the first day getting there, stay for a day, and return on the third."
If Lorne didn't know the destination, he might have thought Luca was going on a three-day wilderness tour.
"Wait, Luca, you're just in a creative slump, there's no need to—"
Luca interrupted him: "Don't worry, Lord Lorne, I'll pay for the whole trip myself. I saved a bit of the advance salary you gave me, enough to hire bodyguards and pay for travel. I'm not so thick-skinned as to ask you for more money."
Is money the thing I'm worried about?!
Lorne suppressed the urge to roar, trying to keep his face pleasant rather than a mask of pain. "You're being too formal, Luca. Since it's for work, it's only right that the company provides assistance. I actually want to visit the dungeon to find inspiration myself. Why don't we go together?"
"Lord Lorne, what are you say— Ow!" The gnome was cut off by Lorne stomping hard on his foot, causing him to double over in pain.
Lorne said, "Let's skip the bodyguards and just let Wolf protect us. Don't let his silly look fool you; he's actually quite strong."
"What about shop security?" Luca asked.
"Silas and Selina can handle it," Lorne waved it off. "It's settled then. We'll meet at the city gate tomorrow morning. You can go back and pack now."
He rolled up the map, tucked it into Luca's waistband, and pushed the young man downstairs, waving goodbye vigorously.
Luca scratched the back of his head, a bit confused. He had been prepared to be rejected and scolded by his boss, but he hadn't expected him to agree so readily—even saving him money. Lord Lorne truly is a rare gentleman. I am so lucky to work under him. Luca reaffirmed his opinion of his boss once more.
In the office:
"Lord Lorne, you're going to let a human into our beautiful dungeon? Are you letting him be a Hero?" the gnome (leprechaun), whose foot had swollen to twice its size, wailed tearfully.
"What choice do I have besides letting him 'gather inspiration'?" Lorne frowned, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back.
"With all due respect, Lord, why not just replace him? Surely in a city as big as Norelia, you can find a human who knows how to draw?"
"Changing the lead artist mid-project? The game will miss its release date!"
On Earth, a certain game company had a famous saying: No one remembers a bad game released on time. (Note: the quote Lorne is referencing is actually "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad").
But that didn't mean players would tolerate delays indefinitely. Delays usually resulted in players cursing the developers. Not to mention the fallout of changing the Art Director. Lorne had suffered enough in his previous life; he wasn't interested in a repeat.
The best way was to let Luca gather inspiration—safely, under Lorne's supervision. Lorne would decide what he should and shouldn't see.
"Pass it down: full Level 1 alert for the Dungeon tomorrow!" Lorne waved his hand. "A human is coming for an inspection!"
The next day. Norelia's West Gate.
Wolf couldn't stop scratching his back. Today's outfit made him feel uncomfortable all over, but he had no choice—dressing like this was the Demon King's command.
Lorne, standing beside him, wore the same attire—khaki outdoor jackets and leather boots, a pith helmet, a massive hiking backpack, and a canteen and binoculars hanging from his waist. They looked like explorers about to embark on a grand expedition into a tropical rainforest.
"This is probably the first time in a hundred and fifty years a human has stepped into the Gloom Palace," Wolf grumbled. "Honestly, I miss the days of outwitting Heroes. But that beanpole of a painter...? Fine, a human visiting the dungeon is good; consider it recharging the Core's magic."
Lorne pulled out a handgun and handed it to Wolf. "You probably won't need it, but you should carry it to put Luca at ease. You can practice with it, but don't actually fire."
Wolf looked skeptical, lifting the gun to his eyes to take aim. In the werewolf's massive palm, the revolver looked like a tiny toy.
Lorne pushed his hand down. "It's backward, Wolf. Don't point the muzzle at your own eye. It's dangerous."
Wolf looked a bit embarrassed, stiffening his neck as he said, "I didn't have it backward! I wanted to see if this thing could pierce my fur!"
"I'll sit at the kids' table at your funeral feast."
Before Wolf could ponder the meaning of that, a carriage rattled toward them. The driver was Luca. He wore a straw hat, and beside him was a wicker picnic basket. Lorne swore he could smell ham and freshly baked bread.
"Is that guy going to a dungeon or a picnic?!" Wolf complained.
"Please get in, gentlemen." Luca pulled the reins and gave Lorne a salute. "But don't sit on the cargo. It's borrowed, and I'll have a hard time explaining if it gets damaged."
Only then did Lorne notice the carriage was carrying some heavy cargo covered by a waterproof tarp, pressing the wheels deep into the ruts.
"What is that?"
"Weapons," Luca said with a bashful look. "I met a Miss Yvette at the café. She seems to have some connection to the military. When she heard I needed something for self-defense, she borrowed this for me from the Norelia City Guard."
"Miss Yvette!" Lorne couldn't help but exclaim. "Small world!"
"You know her?"
"More than know her. She's our honorary player, a legendary 'grinder' known throughout the server."
Luca looked awestruck. "I knew that lady was extraordinary!"
Wolf poked his head around the carriage. The horse watched him in terror, stamping its hooves uneasily. "What weapon is this? Is it as powerful as a battle-axe forged from star-iron?" he asked defiantly.
Luca pulled back the tarp, revealing the brass-colored machinery underneath. Now Lorne understood why Luca had shown no fear when mentioning the dungeon trip.
"Miss Yvette said this thing is called a 'Fully Automatic Multi-barreled Rotary Machine Gun.' She even gave me a demonstration at the Guard training ground—it's incredible!" Luca gave a thumbs-up. "With this, we'll be able to move through the dungeon unimpeded!"
Lorne said with a deadpan face, "Oh. Back home, we usually call that thing the 'Merciful Gatling Bodhisattva'."