Hvisland: A VR Colony Sim Game

Days passed with Manu continuing to practice blacksmithing, from melting iron to forging various weapons. Then, at night he would dissect firearms and study them with Suja.

Seb had a job to cook, while the others had almost nothing they could do. Leva mostly beats the training dummy. Kat trains with the rifle. However, because the available bullets and gunpowder were limited, she mostly just practiced aiming to get used to the weapon.

What worries me the most is Eric, whose body is starting to get thin. He mostly stays in the corner of the house, eats very little, or sometimes doesn't eat at all. The man also sleeps very little, and every day he looks unmotivated.

This man has been through a lot. And no matter how much his father talked to him, it didn't matter at all. The man's condition seemed to be getting worse by the day.

Until one day, I stopped the fast-forward feature because Eric came out of the house and looked like he would leave, even though I didn't ask him to do anything.

"Where are you going, Eric?" Leva stopped hitting the training dummy.

"I just wanted to take a walk to change the mood." Eric said in a limp tone, bloodshot in his eyes, thick eye bags, and a lackluster expression.

"Ah, be careful then." Leva watched the man walk away, then started beating the training dummy again.

"I sensed something dangerous was coming." Leva spoke to Kat, who was about to enter the house. "This may sound strange, but after the stump scorpions attack, I can sense the danger ahead."

Having a bad feeling after hearing that, I ordered Leva to catch up with Eric. However, because Seb's son has the trait of agile feet, Leva is far behind.

Eric entered the tree area at wild breath intervals. His steps also began to be irregular.

"I'm sorry.... I'm sorry.... I'm sorry...." The man kept muttering in his steps. His tears began to fall drop by drop. "I failed all of you ...."

And then, he took out something from his parka. Something that made me gasp hard and turn back to Leva, ordering her to run instead of walking.

Eric just pulled out a long rope.

When I returned to him, the man made a knot in the rope and then climbed up a large tree. Weeping again, he climbed onto one of the thickest branches, tying the rope to it.

The rope dangled downwards, the ends forming a loop like a small lasso, a circle that would clearly be where Eric's neck would be.

"What are you doing Eric!?" I screamed at my colonist. "Please, don't do this!!! Don't kill yourself!!!"

I kept yelling at him, but the man ignored me and continued to tie the rope to the branch.

Why hasn't Leva come yet!?

"Do something, Leva!!!" I screamed when Leva finally appeared.

Wide-eyed and choking, Leva quickened her run, then climbed the tree fast.

"Leave me alone! Don't stop me! Get out of here!" Eric screamed like a madman. He had trouble making a knot on the branch because his hands were shaking. "I can't take it anymore! Let me do this! I don't deserve to live!"

However, Leva didn't care. She kept climbing and finally reached the branch Eric was sitting on.

Seb's son inched away. "Get away from me!"

Leva still didn't reply and continued to come to Eric. At first, I thought the red-haired woman would talk to the man, but she didn't.

I jumped in surprise as Leva pushed Eric from the tree.

Are you crazy, Leva!? What if Eric gets injured!? What if he falls headfirst!? Luckily the snow was thick enough, so Eric was only in pain and could get up again. A nasty disaster would occur if the man landed on the usual ground.

Leva jumped off the branch, landed on a roll in the snow, then tackled Eric to the ground.

Ugh. Am I wrong to choose this savage Leva to stop Eric?

There was a fierce struggle. The two humans rolled in the snow, But finally, Leva managed to restrain Eric by twisting the man's arm behind his back.

"Why? Why did I choose Sebastian who I thought was dead a long time ago?" Eric groaned as if holding back pain. "Why would I betray my friends who I've lived with for years? Even Emma was killed, even though I had promised to marry her. If I knew this would happen, I wouldn't want to be reunited with Sebastian. It's better for him to be someone else to me."

"But, in the end you still love your dad, right?" Leva sighed. "If you end your life, do you know what will happen to him?"

Eric was silent. His hair covered his eyes.

"Just so you know, your dad had gone through a lot before our raid that time." Leva continued her words. "We did help him to survive. However, all of that still came from him...." Leva gulped, loosening the lock on Eric's hand. "The point is, I don't know if he can survive without you, Eric. You don't want him to be broken, do you? So, live for your dad."

I didn't expect that Leva would give such a piece of advice with a much gentler tone.

Leva rose from Eric's body. Eric also rose to his feet, then walked with his head down.

Sighing, Leva climbed up the tree to retrieve the string of ropes that were still there.

I chose to stick with Eric. The man's gaze, though shedding tears, looked as empty as that of a dead man.

"O guardian angel.... If you really exist.... Please listen to me.... Tell me what to do...." The man raved in a low voice. "I really lost my way..."

"You have to stay alive, Eric." I answered him. "This is for your dad's sake and for your own sake. There is still much you can do in this world. I beg of you."

The man laughed with a bitter tone, but it was only for a moment.. He walked again with unsteady steps.