That night was the first time I actually started to read the guide book. I caught a glimpse of the strange text when turning it to the context and my head was already spinning. Luckily it faded fast and I managed to actually focus on the words before me. From the context animals captured my interest. I had seen horses but only drawing carts never used as a steed. Turns out they were actually purchased directly from the system for almost insane amounts to drain gold from the economy. While it was possible to breed them it was near impossible and were so many pages that it didn't interest me that much after all. Even transferring animals between people had a tax that drained gold. Since gold drains had taken my interest and I learnt about a few more like creating a faction had an even larger price requirement of five billion. That was just to create one not the normal player costs that were involved. Land around the hub another gold drain, not quite as insanely high but enough that even a small plot of land would be near impossible for a new player. Overall it was interesting I hadn't really though about it but remember learning about hyper inflation in the past and it seemed there were methods to counter it creating a mostly stable economy even if large amounts flowed into players' pockets everyday.

I stopped there for now and slept. After my routine I went downstairs to see Victoria as the first. Oddly no one else I was normally one of the later people to rise when others might have already left.

“Enjoying the guide book?” Victoria asked casually fiddling with her glass.

“I just started it last night but even seeing the strange text on the first page seems to stop my thinking,” I commented as I motioned to order breakfast.

“It is the kind of text,”

“And what kind of text is that?”

“In due time,” was all she would give me on that no matter how much I pressed. All things considering I dropped the topic pretty quickly, I wasn't going to fight her over things she didn't want to reveal. It was very much a case of when with her rather than if. Sarah was next to appear but it was from the entrance rather than the stairs.

“Did I get up late today?” I asked a little surprised at that.

“No, I think you might be a little early even but you know what they say; the early bird gets the worm,” she responded getting a drink before sitting down.

“That's an old one, however I believe the response is, the second mouse gets the cheese,” Victoria replied with a smirk.

“Surprised you knew that one,” Sarah commented with a smile. Seem they had some neutral ground after all. Here I thought Victoria only really responded well to Nelson, Emily and myself. She wandered but her people skills were basically perfect when interacting and when controlling.

“Where did you go anyway?” I asked as I bit into my piece of bread.

“Just catching up with a few old friends and family,” she replied but her expression wasn't one that screamed had a good time.

“Not go well?”

“Just an obligation rather than something I want to do,” She was bitter about that but I could understand, I had times when I had to visit my family in the past and didn't really want to go so ended up having a poor time, “Seems Nelson was up even earlier than me but I don't know what for,”

“Who can say,” Victoria commented. Conversation mainly died after that with few comments. It was only when it was just Nelson and Emily missing that conversation really started but I wasn't taking it in, mostly just banter. My thoughts were just strayed I guess with all the recent events.

Nelson finally arrived via the front door when restlessness was setting in. He was called over to the counter first to receive a message which he took a glance at before sitting.

“Anyway lets get straight to business since Emily is taking a day off,” he mentioned taking a seat, “all of our information was bought from Gerald yesterday from multiple sources. Not just a small group but in the hundreds,”

“Someone must have done something awesome to have that happen,” Sammie cheered wanting to hear the latest. My face felt a little hot when everyone dismissed themselves.

“You?” Sammie asked noticing how uncomfortable I was.

“I kind of was sparring with Jasper yesterday, it was completely one sided but I managed to end up with a sword to his neck,” I sheepishly commented. I then went into what happened leaving out all words spoken but made it clear we talked through it.

“That would about do it,” Nelson confirmed, “however with this it is best we lay low for a few days including ditching this place. From my knowledge Victoria is the only one who’s information was generally out of the price range of others, selling to only two,”

“If you would like you could stay at my house,” Victoria offered, “however I warn you in advance it is small,”

“That would be good, can you write down an address I can leave with the owner so Emily can find it?” Nelson asked. Victoria nodded making a quick note and handing it over, “Anyway pack whatever you wish to bring and keep in mind we will likely be keeping completely inside during this time,”

With that we were dismissed to prepare. Luckily I just had a change of clothes, my map and guide book to pack deciding to leave my funds here and advancing my room payment for another few weeks just in case. It still felt odd that such a seemingly small event had sparked us into hiding. Hopefully it wouldn't be for long, I would miss this room, the routine, everything.

I was naturally one of the first, it seemed Victoria hadn't left the table.

“Didn't pack?” I asked.

“I will be able to move the most freely and honestly I need to rent a cart to move my recent gains,” she responded. Made sense considering.

“I am just wondering how did you manage to move the first selection of funds to pay for the silence?”

“Naturally rented a cart, I have considered getting my own but honestly I don't wish to be harsh to the horse while I am not using it,” I wanted to talk more but I knew it would be hopeless and I waited in silence as the others packed and returned. Lance was naturally pretty quick followed by Matt. The rest came almost together.

“Everyone ready?” Nelson asked shifting a heavy looking bag on his shoulder. With nods he instructed us to put on hoods to hide a bit before having Victoria lead on. It was quite a far walk since the inn wasn't on the same side of the spire as where she lived and luckily no one seemed to pay us any attention.

I wasn't sure what to expect, I mean she said she didn't have a huge place or anything but I did wonder if scale wise it would be big. Without a doubt I hadn't guessed what it was. It wasn't a house I would have thought I would see in this game but it looked like a small house, maybe a single room upstairs, fairly large garden and what seemed like a shed but with blackened windows. She didn't really make any comments as she led us to the front door and opened it.

“Like I said it is small,” she finally commented as she sat down on a sofa. This house was without a doubt a house from the outside world I thought. There is no way the detail would be picked otherwise. Tiled kitchen floor, actual taps, decorative television props and everything.

“Is this the house you lived in when you grew up?” Matt asked and I was glad he had said something for I had really wanted to ask.

“No, it is the house of my grandmother, it meant a lot to my mother. I better lay out some rules. The door midway up the starts will be locked and remain locked so don't bother trying it. There is a single bedroom downstairs and a living room for dividing sleeping areas up but the shed is mostly just a prop.” Victoria explained as she gave us a brief tour, “There is water from the taps that is fine to drink but no food in the kitchen. There are some board games and cards under the fake television also if you get bored but I would ask you treat everything with respect,”

“You heard her everyone this place is our current shelter but treat it well, I don't want to imagine how expensive this place is and damage to it would be unacceptable,” Nelson ordered, “Victoria I have packed some food but I am doubtful it will be enough thinking about it. Any suggestions?”

“I will be able to travel pretty easily so I already considered stocking up shortly when I go get some stuff from my room at the inn,”

“I am not sure how long till that place is flooded so be careful,”

“At least the inn will make a lot of money from this,”

“True but I am worried about Emily, she isn't so good with crowds,”

“I will keep an eye out for her,” Victoria managed before gesturing we could relax and she left.

“This house is incredible, I mean it looks really old fashion with only a smart TV prop but I have never felt like I have been outside of this world more than I have now,” Matt said with awe.

“It does raise questions, I mean this is so detailed and I haven't seen working taps before,” Sarah replied.

“Remember I don't want a single thing damaged or changed without permission, we are guests and as such we must show respect above and beyond the usual habits you have,” Nelson was really stressing respect here but I could see why.

Matt was the first one to grab the board games already struggling with boredom. It seemed he would be playing snakes and ladders with Lance. I felt like he was already struggling with that since his eyes were unfocused. It didn't help when Lance won and he almost damaged the board before Nelson yelled at him. Seems Matt was going to struggle with this hiding. If he was struggling within the first hour, how he would manage a day or even a week was beyond me.

Victoria came back riding a horse cart, dismissing the person at the reins before coming inside.

“If you would be willing to help me unload that would be useful,” Victoria requested and Nelson signalled for us to go help. I recognised the load of rucksacks filled with gold with a few sacks nearer to the back.

“I hope that isn't all food we would never get through it all,” Nelson worried.

“Just a few bags the rest is to go to my underground storage from my room at the inn,” Victoria explained and both Sarah and I knew full well we should tell the others about that when she wasn't around. After the cart was emptied Victoria dismissed it paying more than a few extra coins it seemed for silence.

It was only after lunch when Matt had once again almost broken something when the door was knocked on and Emily let in.

“Why the hell can I not even go about my business today?” she challenged us. When Nelson explained he made a grab for her hand but she shook it off and full strength punched me to the floor.

“Don't you ever thing about anyone else? I loved the freedom this group gave me but you constantly seem to be changing it all,” she yelled at me before Nelson and Sarah managed to get control of her and calm her down, she wouldn't apologise and avoided me accepting the situation. I worried she might leave the group for the amount of trouble I was causing. I was doing a lot recently to get violence aimed at me and honestly I was still lost. Was I really causing too much trouble? Would it be best if I threw myself to the wolves so to speak so the others could just relax. I kept my distance from the others as the day went on. Spending time reading the guide book or trying to memorise the map I had, anything I could do alone without causing more problems or even interacting with the others. Dinner I pretty much kept my distance also except to help do the washing up. Victoria had decided that the room division would be women in the bedroom and men in the living room. She took the bed but more because it was forced on her by Sarah. I honestly didn't care where I slept. I was the only one unable to sleep it seemed. I had already had a brief look around the room seeing some of the strange symbols from the guide book in a framed certificate. Sarah had commented about having a headache when she saw it but when she looked away it instantly went. I really did wonder what Victoria was hiding but decided to just leave it taking a walk into the kitchen to sit alone at the table.

“Can't sleep?” Victoria asked gently sneaking up on me.

“Not really, I guess I am worried I might be causing harm to those around me,” I responded.

“I understand that, I have tales I could give but maybe another time, want to come to my normal spot when I couldn't think clearly?”

“Sure,” I replied accepting a hand to help me up. She showed my outside then climbed a drainage pipe and lay on the roof looking at the stars. I tried but fell pretty fast. After struggling a little Victoria helped me up and I lay beside her star gazing.

“I love the night sky,” she started, “no matter what is wrong, I felt like I could always count on the vastness of space to calm me down. All my problems feel small compared to it for when you understand that you are realistically nothing on a universal scale, your problems are even smaller,”

I honestly couldn’t tell if that was a depressing or genius way of looking at it. Basically dismiss yourself and then dismiss your problems for being even smaller.

“You have some strange views,” I finally replied.

“True but they keep me managing in this vast reality,”

Was she referring to the real world or the virtual world? Did she even consider them anything different? I wasn't really in the mood to press for clarity and just watched the fake clouds and stars happy enough I could still see this sort of things even with my death. I think it might have been the first time I had truly accepted I was dead and living in this virtual world while actively thinking about it. It wasn't painful, it was a simple fact. It wasn't a problem for me to accept fate any more and that felt wonderful.