Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 149: A Bridge Between Worlds

The crimson-eyed girl jolted awake from her nightmare, her arm still outstretched. Her chest heaved with shallow breaths, the echoes of sorrow still clinging to her like a heavy shroud. Beside her, the fawn slept soundly, its small body rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. Both were nestled against the mother deer’s silken fur that staved off the night’s bitter cold.

she thought dejectedly, tears welling up in her eyes as she stared up at the luminous moon.

She wondered when she had last felt a warm touch, or heard gentle words spoken by another. At the bitter thought, a fleeting memory surfaced—a glimpse of the man and woman’s radiant smiles. For a moment, it filled her heart with warmth, but as she tentatively raised her hand toward the starry sky, reaching for the fragile memory, it slipped away like mist.

Warm tears silently slid down her cheeks, but as the image of the moon blurred through her watery gaze, another familiar memory began to take shape in her mind, its presence stirring something deep within.

Cradling the precious memory of Zephyr and Daisuke, the girl allowed a soft, wistful smile to bloom on her lips. Then she curled closer to the fawn, drawing warmth from its gentle presence, and slowly allowed the comforting embrace of sleep to pull her back into its depths.

***

What could have easily been a treacherous and solitary journey across the sprawling landscapes of the Arcanium Kingdom was transformed into a delightful adventure, filled with joy and companionship. The crimson-eyed girl and the fawn embraced every moment of joy they could find. Whenever the Mithrilcrest Deer grazed or rested, they indulged in playful games of tag and hide-and-seek, their laughter ringing through the air like a melody.

They splashed through the crystal-clear stream, droplets shimmering like tiny crystals in the sunlight. The fawn pranced about, its legs springing with youthful energy, while the girl skipped alongside it, her radiant smile and gleaming eyes reflecting pure happiness.

The fawn frolicked beside the girl as she knelt to forage for mushrooms and fiddleheads, her delicate fingers brushing the cool, mossy earth. Soft giggles bubbled from her lips as she held up her discoveries for the fawn who leaned in with wide, curious eyes and a gentle twitch of its nose. From a short distance, the Mithrilcrest Deer watched with quiet vigilance, its silvery coat shimmering faintly even in the dappled forest shade.

Suddenly, her ears twitched, and her muscles tensed. The air shifted, carrying with it a faint but unmistakable danger. The sharp crack of a twig underfoot followed, and the Mithrilcrest Deer let out a shrill cry—a sound so primal and urgent that it jolted the girl to her feet and sent the fawn bounding toward its mother.

The girl barely had time to process the warning before a group of poachers emerged from the shadows. Their laughter was coarse and filled with malicious glee as they tightened their grip on their weapons. The glint of drawn bows and the hungry gaze of their horses left no doubt about their intent.

thought the girl in a panic as she scrambled onto the Mithrilcrest Deer’s back. The fawn darted close to its mother, its tiny frame trembling in fear.

Wasting no time, the deer sprang forward, her powerful legs cutting through the forest like the wind. Trees blurred into streaks of green and brown as they fled, her hooves pounding the earth in a desperate rhythm.

“Neigh~!”

But the poachers were relentless. Mounted on sturdy horses bred for endurance, they tore through the undergrowth, their malicious shouts growing louder as they closed the distance. The men were armed with bows and arrows, so although the deer held the advantage in speed—

The poachers could easily compensate for their disadvantage with their long-ranged weapons. Arrows hissed through the air, glinting in the patches of sunlight breaking through the canopy, their sharp points biting into the ground just inches from the fleeing deer.

“Wh-Why are they chasing us?!” the girl cried, clinging to the creature’s neck, her heart pounding with dread.

Ignoring the child’s distress to prioritize their escape, the Mithrilcrest Deer surged forward, its muscles straining as it pushed itself harder. Its silver coat glimmered faintly, almost as if trying to vanish into the light itself, but the poachers were tenacious. Another volley of arrows sliced through the air like a war cry.

A pained cry tore from the deer’s throat as one of the projectiles buried itself in her hind leg.