Ignis' First Firesday of Harvestfall, 1442, alleyways, city of Luminara.

Kaelyn materialised in the quiet alley near the market, the faint shimmer of the teleport lingering around her for just a second before fading into the warm afternoon air.

After her prolonged absence, she should have been ecstatic to be back, but something immediately felt off. She looked down at her hands and at her body, puzzled. Everything looked fine; her slender arms were still there, her long fingernails and lightly tanned skin the same as she had expected to see.

A quick glance in a glass window showed everything was in place—long golden hair cascading over her shoulders, cat ears and tail, and the snug starter outfit, which left her feeling like an open secret. It had amused her, empowered her, back when Kaelyn had been fully in control. But currently, she just felt exposed.

Her perfect eyebrows and eyelashes framed her emerald green eyes the same way they had yesterday. But her eyes lacked their usual spark of confidence. It was like Kaelyn was absent, and only Ryan was here. It was not normally this hard to slip into her shoes.

What changed?

Normally, a thought like that would be enough to bring her teasing voice into his mind, a snarky remark or a confident reassurance. But this afternoon, there was only silence. He tried to reach out to her, like extending a hand to someone standing in the dark, but there was nobody there, no response, as if he was entirely alone.

Is it something Megan said?

The memory of the encounter tugged at him. His girlfriend had been so careful, so intentional in her questions. Trying to understand both Ryan and Kaelyn.

Is this what made Kaelyn back off? Is she upset, scared, or just sleeping off the alcohol?

Kaelyn frowned, almost laughing at the absurdity of it, but the thoughts lingered, unanswered. Without her usual presence, there was no one to laugh at his musings, no voice to echo back with her own opinion. For the first time since stepping into her skin, he felt the void left behind from her absence.

She squared her shoulders, tilted her chin, tried on the smile she had worn so easily yesterday. But it did not feel the same. The grin in the mirror looked right, but inside, Ryan felt like a pretender.

Where is she?

He could not even tell if Kaelyn was watching him from some distant place, completely out of his reach, or if he was well and truly on his own. Despite this, he kept trying to convince himself she was just holding back, just out of reach.

Is this what you want, Kaelyn? Why are you doing this?

Silence.

His mind drifted back to their conversation with Megan. It had felt so… complicated. Megan had probed, trying to understand Kaelyn as if she were a person, not just a character.

Is this what scared you off? Being seen for once?

Maybe she just wanted him to face his own insecurities?

She gently gave her cheeks a light slap.

We're back home! In Luminara! Cheer up!

The Half-blood felinae priestess was finally ready for another evening of gaming. Ryan had overslept, then travelled to her parents' place, gave an interview, and called Megan—no wonder she had logged in far later than planned. She knew the game was not going anywhere, but it was important to stay ahead of the competition! She already felt like she was significantly behind the curve.

Time to make up for lost time!

She turned to face the market and started making her way to her hunting grounds. As she did, her body automatically slipped into a smooth, swaying walk. The motion should have felt powerful, enticing. But it felt exaggerated, almost like a parody. He forced himself to walk normally, but the stiffness in his movements made him feel even more out of place. He settled for something in-between the two extremes. Not quite a catwalk, but neither did she look like she was trying to disappear.

On her way out, she caught a few glances from passing players, their eyes lingering on her hips, her face, her tail. Usually, that attention felt exhilarating, like she could draw people in with just a look. Today, it only made her feel vulnerable, like she was a few levels too low and everyone knew it.

Come on, Kaelyn, back me up?

He tried to will her usual confidence to wash over him, to slip into that fearless, magnetic skin. But nothing happened. He was just Ryan, in a beautiful, borrowed body, feeling oddly hollow.

She paused at the edge of the alley, watching the bustling market square from a few steps back. It should have felt like home—the perfect place and time to play the game her way. But today, it felt daunting, like an ill-prepared understudy stepping into a role she was not quite ready for.

As she stepped into the market, she quickly noticed how different the place looked compared to yesterday.

For starters, the plaza was bustling with players in high-level gear and classes she could not even identify—tall figures cloaked in shadowy armour rippling with dark magic, others wrapped in flowing, crystalline robes reflecting the sun in dizzying prisms, even a few fully armoured juggernauts wielding weapons twice her size. Instead of seeing a majority of homini and Kindred dracan, she could now see members of every species mingling with each other. She could not help but gape at the red Sovereign dracan wearing midnight black armour, a giant scythe on his back. She had never seen one of the actual dragon-men before. Not only did he look truly intimidating, but he towered over everyone. None, even with the muscular Full-blood felinaes milling about, came close to his height. She found herself lost in thought, imagining him fighting enemies and harvesting their souls like the grim reaper. Good thing this game had no open PVP zone—he would turn a squishy priestess like her into paste.

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But he was not the only exceptional person around. Higher-level players were everywhere, standing out with their rare, radiant equipment pulsing with light colourful enchantments. Vanity and power intertwined in a tumultuous and chaotic spectacle in the plaza; it felt like a masquerade gone wild, with each person playing their part in a bizarre drama.

As she took it all in, Kaelyn's eyes narrowed slightly. There were dozens of players milling about who acted suspiciously familiar. Not merely familiar, she recognised instantly what they were doing; the place was full of felinae and sylvani with shining eyes and colourful hair, some with even more exaggerated curves or slightly shorter skirts than her own. All of them using the same tricks she had perfected yesterday: the playful smile, the flirtatious tilt of the head, the low-key voice dripping with charm.

She felt a pang of irritation. Yesterday, she had wrapped the market plaza around her finger, easily talking her way into free items, easy quests, and a few extra coins from players who could not resist a beautiful priestess asking them for a favour. But now? Now there was an entire army of players doing the same thing, many of them clearly trying to ride the wave she had started.

Kaelyn's ears flicked back in annoyance as she noticed a nearby player—another Half-blood felinae wearing a low-level priestly robe, with dirty blonde hair and an even more pronounced hourglass figure—giving her the same innocent eyes she had herself used on half the marketplace yesterday.

She could have flashed a coy smile, given a knowing tilt of her head to match the other felinae flirts. But the thought made her stomach twist, a strange aversion flickering through her mind. She did not want to play their game. There was no point in having a catfight against this one, or any of the others. The thought surprised her, and she glanced away.

The player caught sight of Kaelyn's reaction, smirked, and then turned to a Full-blood felinae ranger to murmur something with a light touch on his arm. The ranger, blushing furiously, handed her a small pile of cuprum coins, and they walked off together, the priestess hanging on his arm.

"Seriously?" Kaelyn muttered, half to herself, tail flicking with annoyance. Her character was based on Megan, after all—a realistic beauty, not some idealised bombshell from a fantasy catalogue. Ryan had made Kaelyn look approachable, someone players could relate to, which made it easier to win people over. But these newcomers had taken the idea and dialled it up to eleven. Heterochromia, tattoos, extreme make-up, hair of unnatural colour with even wilder coloured highlights. Anything they could do to get an edge in the arms race.

As she moved deeper into the crowd, every sound seemed amplified—the clink of coins, the chatter of players, the shuffling footsteps and laughter. Yesterday, Kaelyn's sharp senses had felt like a superpower, but today they were almost too much, leaving him feeling exposed, too aware of every gaze, every lingering look. She caught snippets of conversations and watched as players—many higher-level than her—gave wary looks to the army of flirtatious players. The sparkle had faded from yesterday's novelty, leaving behind a wary, skeptical crowd. The tidal wave of fake friendliness had left many wary, their defences up; smiles and compliments were met with a quick "no thank you" or a chillingly indifferent gaze, the memory of past burns still raw. A palpable tension hung in the air; the crowd's irritation was clear from their restless shifting and muttered complaints.

So much for easy-mode…

Ryan's confidence wavered. Yesterday, Kaelyn had been the centre of attention. Today she was the face of the glitch, the viral sensation known to millions. Yet, nobody paid her any heed. He had built Kaelyn to be magnetic, charming, someone everyone wanted to be around. And it had worked—she had practically floated through her day, with items and offers piling up. But now, with so many others flooding the plaza, she felt plain. She was not the one and only Kaelyn anymore; she was just one of many, blending into the crowd.

Her hand tightened slightly on the staff at her side.

It was bound to happen. And I still have Vaelith.

Still, Ryan would not give up easily. Kaelyn walked until she found a secluded corner, then went through her inventory. She had received many gifts yesterday, and she took them out. A proper set of priestly robes, a sacred staff. Some finger-less cloth gloves, a silver chain necklace, and a new pair of leather boots. Those all provided benefits to her attributes and would give her a significant boost. With a sigh, she donned them all, first slipping the robe over her clothes. A small comfort, but enough to make her feel like she had not completely wasted yesterday's efforts. She checked her coin pouch; she could purchase herself a few more pieces—she had more than enough to afford it. But low-level items were of limited use, and she would outgrow them within a few hours. She opted to save her ferrums for the time being.

She adjusted the gloves and caught her reflection in a window. The white and red robe was a perfect fit, obviously. Clothes in video-games and VR games had this uncanny ability to adjust themselves to the body of the wearer. She shook her head and wondered if the V-neck and high side-slit were in any way beneficial for her adventuring career as a group healer. According to her status screen, her current attire was miles better than her previous equipment, both in offensive and defensive power, despite the obvious exposed areas.

The robe was more modest than yesterday's outfit, but not by much. Kaelyn ran a finger along the high slit with a grimace, feeling suddenly conscious of how little it left to the imagination. She reminded herself how it was just a game, but the thought did not stop her from feeling defenceless.

As she considered this, her mind wandered back to the conversation she had earlier. Megan's concerns echoed in her mind, how she had talked to Kaelyn and tried to understand her. Ryan had made her to command attention. Kaelyn had loved every second—it was exhilarating, walking into a room and knowing all eyes were on her. But now? She felt a prickling self-consciousness, a subtle tension she had not felt yesterday.

The constant flirting and playful teasing she had adopted as Kaelyn's signature moves now felt different. Like they did not quite fit anymore. Her usual confidence had taken a hit, leaving an uncomfortable gap where Kaelyn should have been. She felt less like the charming, easygoing catgirl and more like Ryan—unsure, a little anxious, and deeply aware of how he was putting on a performance.

She forced herself to take a deep breath, resetting her posture, lifting her chin. You're still the founder of Golden Dawn, she reminded herself. She still had allies who needed her and a role to play, even if her tactics would need to shift. The thought of trying to out flirt these flashy newcomers felt exhausting, and frankly, a little beneath her. There were other ways to get ahead, other methods that did not require fighting a battalion of catgirls trying to win over the same handful of players.

Time to show them all that the face of the glitch doesn't need to rely on cheap tricks.

Ryan felt a renewed sense of purpose. Maybe it was time to focus on actual adventuring for a change.

She looked up. Towering figures in dazzling armour surrounded her, their shadows stretching long across the plaza. She felt strangely small. The modest priestess robe and her slender frame made her feel inconsequential in the crowd. It was an odd feeling, standing here in a body that had once felt magnetic, now just another face in the chaos.

With one last glance at the swarm of coquettish felinae crowding the plaza, Kaelyn headed out towards the city gates. She could still feel the gazes following her—most of them gauging how juicy of a target she might be.

Me? A target?

It was so surreal to imagine Kaelyn being conned. She wanted to laugh, but she ignored the looks, brushing off the attention.

If you're out there, Kaelyn, I'm ready for you to come back any time now.

But there was only silence, leaving him to wonder if she would even answer at all. After all, had he not just thrown away the role she had been built for?

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