I Thought It Was a Healing Farming Game Chapter 3

His voice sounded as though he was certain the surgery would succeed, and even the last remnants of my nervousness melted away.

“We’re going to administer the anesthesia now. Try counting from one to ten in your head.”

I followed his instructions and began counting silently.

One, two, three.

My consciousness abruptly cut off.

Everything went black.

Then, at some point, I faintly heard the sound of a machine beeping somewhere in my unconscious mind.

Beep—.

Generating data……

Unfamiliar words appeared before my eyes and began to blink.

Beep—.

Please set your nickname.

Beep.

Miel

As though a program were being installed automatically, my name was entered on its own.

Would you like to enter “Miel”?

.

.

Creation complete

Ding!

My eyes fluttered open at the same time as a cheerful notification chime rang out.

And when I finally came to my senses……

Blink, blink.

“You’re awake.”

There was an angel standing before me.

My mind, unable to grasp reality, turned sluggishly.

Snow-white hair, and purple eyes shimmering mysteriously beneath shadowed eyelashes.

The moment I saw the angelic figure before me, my mind went completely blank.

Did I… die?

Even as I remained stunned by the shock, a voice as sweet and soft as cotton candy slipped into my ears.

“I found you collapsed in the forest and brought you here.”

“Di… Huh? The forest?”

I hurriedly tried to gather my scattered thoughts.

Only then did I realize that the angel standing before me seemed strangely familiar.

No, this person wasn’t an angel……

“This is the village of Node.”

Siad?

He was a villager from the game I’d been playing.

Ding!

-Tutorial-

Tired of the harsh realities of life!

Just then, familiar text appeared floating in midair with a cheerful notification chime.

Have you ever wished you could live peacefully in a quiet place where nobody knows you?

Congratulations! You are one of the chosen ones!

It was the message I’d seen when I first started the game.

I stared blankly back and forth between the system window and the man frozen in place, as though time itself had stopped.

You have arrived in the peaceful and beautiful island village of “Node.”

My vision soon flashed white.

I squeezed my eyes shut against the dazzling light, then opened them again to find an entirely new landscape spread out before me.

The sea that stretched out before you when you headed to the harbor.

White foam broke ceaselessly across the blue sea.

A cool breeze carrying the salty scent of the ocean tousled my hair in every direction.

I remained dazed for a moment before another scene came rolling in like a wave.

The beautiful scenery of the village.

A large clock tower and a fountain stood in the center of the village.

Trees laden with plump fruit, two-story houses with red roofs, flower-lined paths, a lush herb garden, and even a grand mansion deep in the forest……

The graphics I’d only ever seen through my tablet had suddenly become reality before my eyes, and my heart began to pound involuntarily.

The residents of “Node,” who always live freely.

This time, familiar faces appeared one after another.

Siad, brewing potions from herbs.

Kais, reclining diagonally on an office sofa as he skimmed through documents.

Priam, smiling as he placed freshly harvested fruit into a basket.

The twin siblings, hugging their dolls as they waited for snacks at an elegant dining table.

All the NPCs I’d interacted with in the game were alive and moving right before my eyes.

“This is really……”

Just as I murmured in disbelief, stretching my arm out toward the unbelievable sight—

The wind suddenly stopped, and I found myself back in the room, still holding my arm outstretched.

On a bed bathed in warm sunlight.

Begin a new life in “Node,” a perfect countryside village where everything is wonderful.

If you wish to become a true resident of Node, its people will always welcome you!

As I watched the words slowly scatter and disappear, a thought crossed my mind.

Perhaps this was an opportunity God had given me.

“You’ve only just woken up, so it would be best to start with a light meal.”

Siad held out a plate of food in a kind, gentle voice.

I looked down at the potato soup with bacon and mushrooms, greeting him somewhat dazedly.

“Thank you……”

The game’s story was simple.

I was the protagonist, who had woken up in a forest with no memory after collapsing.

And the angel who had brought me to Node……

No, wait. Siad, the healer.

I understood what was going on now, but there was one problem.

Had the surgery failed?

No.

Was I dead?

That wasn’t it, either.

Then was it the fact that I’d somehow ended up inside the game?

Not even that.

My……

Yumiel. LV 1.

My level……

I stared at my profile window, unable to bring myself to finish the sentence.

Everything had been reset.

The affection levels I’d worked so hard to raise with the villagers, and even my skill levels, which had been close to maxing out.

The money I’d painstakingly saved, and the house I’d decorated with all my heart and soul!

I’d spent almost an entire year in game time……

And now all of it has gone to waste.

I tried not to pout in front of Siad as I scooped up some soup.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“It’s sooo goooood……”

My voice trembled with sadness, yet it came out sounding as though I were deeply moved.

In truth, after eating nothing but low-sodium meals for so long, having something properly seasoned and savory again really was moving. The flavor was so much richer.

“I’m glad.”

Siad smiled happily.

He’s beautiful……

I was admiring his saintly appearance as though I’d completely forgotten my sense of loss when he rummaged through his clothes and took out a bottle, holding it out to me. A blue liquid sloshed inside the glass vial.

“This should help with your recovery.”

A potion!

I stared at it in fascination when a cute little speech bubble suddenly popped into existence, pointing at the bottle.

Recovery Potion (Common): Increases the speed of wound recovery by 20%.

Ding!

-Tutorial: Items-

Various useful goods can be found throughout the village.

Items with special effects are collectively referred to as “items.” Gaze at an item for three seconds to see its name and description.

Descriptions of items crafted by villagers or belonging to fields you haven’t learned yet may appear with a “?” symbol.

As you acquire knowledge through books, activities related to the relevant field, or asking questions, you will be able to view more detailed descriptions……

In short, all I had to do was look at an item to see its description like this.

“Thank you! I’ll drink it!”

After greeting him cheerfully, I tilted my head back and gulped down the potion in one go.

The cold, bitter liquid slid down my throat with a series of gulps.

Once I’d finished drinking, Siad gently brushed his palm over the top of my head.

“It must taste awful, but you did well.”

I felt a little embarrassed, yet happy, as though I’d become a child being praised just for taking her medicine.

Siad took out another bottle.

There were candies inside, and when I stared at them for three seconds, another speech bubble popped up.

Siad’s ?? Candy: Candy made personally by Siad. The ??? The effect lasts for one day.

While playing the game, I would occasionally get into accidents or hurt myself, so I often had to visit Siad for treatment.

Whenever that happened, he’d always give me a piece of candy after finishing the treatment, saying it was because the medicine tasted bitter.

I naturally assumed they were store-bought candies. He made them himself?

No wonder I experienced a different effect every time I ate one.

The parts marked with question marks were probably due to my lack of relevant knowledge.

My Herbalism level must still be too low for me to know what kind of candy this is.

Just then, Siad’s fingers, holding a piece of candy, moved toward me.

I reflexively opened my mouth.

His fingers hesitated in midair for a moment, then slipped a piece of candy between my lips.

“Mmm. Strawberry flavor!”

Delighted by its sweet and tangy taste, I began sucking on the candy.

“You’re like a baby bird.”

I looked up at the sound of his voice, the candy still in my mouth.

Siad gazed down at me and murmured softly.

“So completely defenseless.”