While the test players were immersed in their wonderful days inside Liberty City, time in the outside world quickly passed. A month flew by in what felt like mere days.
The Boreas Solstice Festival of Lunaria was about to arrive.
"Finally done!"
Alto let out a long breath, his eyes full of exhaustion, yet unable to hide his genuine excitement.
"Spread the news. Liberty City will release, and the date is set for the Boreas Solstice Festival!"
"Final price, one hundred twenty-eight Baileys!"
The thrilling moment he'd worked toward was about to come.
Outside, players who heard the news were already beyond excited. After waiting what felt like an eternity, the real thing had finally arrived.
The forums were instantly flooded with passionate discussions.
[One month, a whole month! How do I survive for so long??]
[Sir Alto, you're seriously evil for deliberately teasing us like this!]
[Shut up and take my money!!]
[In this freezing season, I can finally get something to warm my soul...]
[First time in years I've looked forward to the Boreas Solstice Festival this much!]
[I've played Stardew Valley to death already. Finally time to see a city...]
During this time, the test players had kept their mouths tightly shut about any details. Not a single useful clue could be extracted from them, no matter how much people begged. Potential buyers could only guess from scattered hints and scenes in the promotional trailers, growing more excited by the day.
No matter what the players said online, Alto remained extremely busy. All employees were rushing nonstop to prepare for the official release.
At the Saint Oros Trading Company, magic communicators rang endlessly as staff urgently contacted Moonstone workshops and affiliated shops across the city.
All the test players had also been logged out and sent home. The experience center suddenly felt empty and quiet.
Some people were still in the middle of rising to power in the game, like Boshita and Rowan. Being suddenly cut off from their progress left them feeling a bit dazed and unsatisfied.
But they obediently went home to wait for release day like everyone else.
In this heavy winter with snow falling constantly, everyone's hearts burned like the sun with anticipation.
Finally, under massive expectations, the Boreas Solstice Festival arrived.
"Open the doors already! I can't wait any longer!"
"Yeah! I lined up at three in the morning, and I'm freezing into a snowman out here!"
Players had gathered early outside Alto's shop, and some were so afraid they wouldn't get a copy that they'd come in the middle of the night.
Scenes like this happened all over Lunaria at every shop selling the game.
Before dawn had even broken, long lines stretched like winding snakes down the streets.
Snow still fell steadily from the sky, yet no one minded the cold. They bundled themselves in thick clothing and stood firm in the accumulating snow.
Some rubbed their hands together and breathed warm air into their hands. Others stomped their feet to keep their circulation going.
A few were more impressive and showed off their abilities. One mage chanted a brief spell and conjured a small glowing red orb that floated above the crowd. The orb emitted warm magical energy that made people feel cozy and comfortable.
Clearly, a powerful mage, who left ordinary citizens feeling envious. Those standing nearby enjoyed the free heating with gratitude.
Finally, when daylight fully broke over the horizon, the doors of the shop opened with a ceremonial flourish.
Players who had been unable to wait any longer immediately surged inside.
"Boss, give me one copy of Liberty City!"
"I want two copies! Two!"
"Hahaha, I finally got it! I'm off first, I'm starving for some action!"
"Don't push! Line up properly!"
"Damn it, who just grabbed my butt?!"
Sales of Liberty City were absolutely booming, and the festive atmosphere throughout the city was equally lively.
Every household was decorated with beautiful ornaments and warm lights.
The Boreas Solstice Festival was an ancient holiday of the Elven Empire, though it wasn't quite like Christmas or New Year on Earth. Compared to major celebrations, it was closer to a Flower Dance Festival in spirit, yet still extremely lively and anticipated.
Players who successfully bought the game rushed home immediately to experience it.
Then they began freely exploring and rampaging around Liberty City according to their personalities.
Of course, many players suffered a bit during their first hours.
For example, quite a few entered the game only to be taught a harsh lesson right away. Either robbed at knifepoint, pickpocketed by nimble thieves, or politely invited for tea by the police after breaking some law they didn't know existed.
Others simply wandered around sightseeing peacefully, completely amazed by the never-before-seen city architecture and atmosphere:
The towering Sacred Heart Tower reaching into the clouds.
The lively summer beaches with their golden sand.
The bustling North Point Mall packed with shops.
Many were left genuinely speechless in awe.
The most shocked player was Antru.
Standing on Liberty City's busy streets and watching the passing vehicles, he stared at the countless designs with wide eyes. From four wheels to two wheels, all kinds of strange and innovative shapes.
The streamlined bodies minimized air resistance to an incredible degree.
Such design work was simply masterful craftsmanship that spoke to his engineer soul.
And the sheer quantity and variety of them on display.
Especially when a hovering motorcycle glided past him silently, Antru's eyes looked as if he had just seen a peerless beauty walk by.
No, he absolutely had to study these vehicles thoroughly and understand their mechanics.
After thinking for only a moment, he immediately exited the dream world and grabbed his magic communicator to contact someone important.
"What now? Didn't I tell you not to disturb me unless it's genuinely urgent? My research is at a critical stage right now."
"Stop your research for a moment! I've got something amazing to show you!"
This elf was his close friend, a rune master particularly skilled in constructing complex magical arrays. The two were frequent collaborators on projects.
Paste sounded completely unimpressed listening to Antru's excited rambling.
"Your workshop is full of metal junk and wood scraps scattered everywhere. What good stuff could you possibly have?"
Clearly, he didn't believe him at all. As a dedicated research fanatic, Paste stayed inside his magic tower every day studying advanced runes and rarely bothered with the outside world.
"You'll know when you come see it!"
"No time!"
Hearing this flat refusal, Antru almost wanted to punch him through the communicator itself.
Inside a remote magic tower on the outskirts of Lunaria, Paste continued his research with intense focus. He completely ignored Antru's dramatic words.
That naturally eccentric and loud elf always acted overly dramatic about everything. He was already used to such behavior.
Knock knock knock!
Suddenly, loud pounding came from his tower door.
"Open up already, you stubborn bastard!"
Antru had physically rushed over and now burst inside. He grabbed Paste by the robes and dragged him into the Dreamscape without giving him any choice.
At first, Paste didn't care and prepared to complain about the interruption.
But once he actually entered Liberty City and looked around, he was instantly stunned by the incredible sight before his eyes.
The two immediately transformed into excited children and began carefully studying everything they could find in Liberty City with great interest.
While players across the city were having endless fun exploring the new world, inside the luxurious mansion of the Saint Oros family, the atmosphere felt unnaturally heavy.
On a finely crafted bed surrounded by expensive furnishings lay a very elderly elf woman. Her breathing was shallow and labored.
"Mother!"
Beside the bed stood three people. A middle-aged couple and a young elf, seemingly a close relative.
Hearing the worried voice, the old woman who had been sleeping deeply slowly opened her cloudy eyes with visible exhaustion.
Hey guys, so sorry I was only now able to update it. I didn't have any connection for almost the entire day and was really starting to lose hope. Tomorrow I'll upload as per usual. And I'll also read through all the comments you guys made. I finally have time again tomorrow.