Chapter 118: Meeting (3)

Chapter 118: Meeting (3) (A day before the meeting) "Hey, Unnie." The gentle voice of Ellie drifted through Nathira’s bedroom as she shifted lazily on the bed. After a long pause, she rubbed her eyes slightly, her blanket still wrapped snugly around her. "Hmm..." As her eyes fluttered open, she met Ellie’s gaze. "Why are you waking me so early, Ellie?" "Sorry," she murmured, perching on the edge of the bed. "But, Unnie, would it be strange if I asked about Art’s past?" Nathira’s drowsiness vanished the instant she heard those words. She didn’t even need to ask how Ellie knew, anyone aware of the prophecy would know Arthur wasn’t from this world. She yawned quietly. "You don’t want to ask him yourself?" Ellie nodded quickly. "Yeah. I feel like it’s my duty as his wife to find out. Of course, I’ll tell him, but even if I just learn a small detail, I’ll be happy." Nathira smiled faintly. "Arthur’s past life, huh?" She drew a deep breath, eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Well, for one thing, he was a complete loser... and he died because of a kiss." Ellie let out a soft chuckle. "I thought as much." Nathira’s smile softened as she went on. "He was nowhere near as attractive as he is now—not even by a long shot. He was naive, innocent, but also incredibly smart, though he still carried his own scars." Ellie’s expression darkened at the word ’scars’. "I guess even Husband had his share of hardships." Nathira tilted her head, glancing at Ellie. "But he loved and cared for us regardless, instead of drowning in misery." Ellie stayed silent, prompting Nathira to continue. "So, Ellie—who do you love? Is it Arthur Val Arcain, the charming, handsome man... or Lee Beom-seok, the loner from Earth?" The question felt awkward even to Nathira, but she refused to accept anyone who loved Arthur solely for his looks or current abilities. For a long moment, Ellie didn’t answer, her grip tightening on her gown. "I don’t know," she finally replied. "Unlike you, Unnie, I’ve only seen one side of Art. But I want to know more about him... and love both his past and present." Nathira’s face froze briefly before a tender smile curved her lips. "You remind me a lot of myself, Ellie." "What?" Ellie asked, slightly confused by the shift in tone. Nathira shifted closer and placed two fingers on her forehead. "Let me show you something." Before Ellie could react, a flood of memories—foreign to their world—flashed in her mind. They began when the young man was about fourteen, but they gave her enough context of his life. She didn’t witness his suffering directly, yet she could sense it through his post-traumatic behaviors. Her chest tightened as the images played out. At first, she couldn’t see the man named "Lee Beom-seok" in those memories, but over time... it became clearer Her Art wasn’t ’hers’ because he was Arthur Val Arcain—he was Arthur Val Arcain because he was ’Art’. As soon as the memories ended, she stood and smiled warmly. "Thanks a lot, Unnie." Nathira returned the smile, though her suppressed emotions swelled once more. ’Husband, I think I’m breaking again,’ she thought as Ellie left the room. ’But she’s a good seedling.’ Ellie, on the other hand, went straight to her room and sat at her desk. "So, this world was a game?" She twirled a pen between her fingers as she opened a book. Arthur’s life was overwhelming to process, but now wasn’t the time to get sentimental. If what she saw was true, there was no guarantee their plan would succeed. ’Think, Ellie.’ She closed her eyes, replaying every gameplay she had seen in that brief glimpse. Yet the memory that stood out most was her in-game death—compared to how Arthur had saved her in reality. She immediately dropped her forehead onto the desk, her cheeks burning. "Idiot," she whispered, smiling faintly. Shaking off the thought, she began jotting down everything she knew—along with all the patterns used in the games. It might not be much, but creating a plan beyond ’Plan Z’ was still worthwhile. Considering this part of the story wasn’t in the original plot, and given how the cut-out sections were often more brutal than the main storyline—it was safe to assume it wouldn’t be easy. ’Perhaps Cassie has turned to the bad side?’ She quickly dismissed the idea. ’No... that doesn’t add up.’ Cassie, even without her pre-reset memories, wasn’t the type to be swayed easily. That meant the "villain" had something over her. Ellie paused, her brain snapping into focus. "A binding contract." Cassie had no family except for her father, who had died—but if Rachel claimed she could bring him back in exchange for signing a life contract, it would explain a lot. And that would also mean Rachel might already know their plan—leaving no second chance after the first meeting. ’If a life contract is torn, it becomes useless, right?’ she thought, tapping the pen against her lips. ’If I can find the contract, then Art can focus on Cassie while my sisters handle the others.’ Ellie’s lips curled into a bright smile. "Bingo." --- PRESENT DAY— (Back in the VVIP room) Cassie’s mouth opened and closed again. "I’m sorry, but I can’t—" Before she could finish, the magical sound system connected to the entire bar rang out: "Code Red! Intruders! There’s An Intruder In The Building!" Cassie’s tearful eyes turned to Arthur. "Run... She’s going to come here soon." The young man didn’t move for a second, seemingly caught off guard by the announcement. He reached beneath his shirt and pulled out a gun tucked between his belt and skin. Throughout the night, Arthur had worked on a contingency plan—something beyond ’Plan Z’. That’s when the idea struck him. He knew the general mechanics of firearms, and with Elizabeth’s help, it was possible to create one before daybreak, right? And the answer was: Yes! Swinging his arm back so the weapon hovered near his shoulder, Arthur glanced at Cassie over his shoulder and smiled. "Don’t you trust me anymore?" Cassie couldn’t quite read the man in front of her. ’What is his problem? Is he a masochist who loves being in pain?’ His smile softened. "I love you, Cassie." Her face immediately turned crimson. "Huh? What? What did you say?" "Don’t act so dense..." he muttered, stepping toward the door. "Though, it’s kind of cute." Without another word, he rushed out of the room. Now things were more complicated, but he had expected this possibility. Even with a gun, victory wasn’t guaranteed. Still, if Rachel unleashed her full forces on him, he was certain of one thing— He’d win. Not because justice always prevails, but because sheer strength could never outmatch brains ’and’ brawn. ’Ellie said she needed to speak with Cassie, right?’ As if in response, the system chimed in his head—bringing both an old notification and a new one: Ding! 『 You have earned an infinite lover 』 Ding! 『 Cassie’s memories have been restored 』 Arthur almost stopped mid-sprint, eyes widening at the second message. ’What the hell happened in the short time I left?’ Resisting the urge to look back, he pressed on. ’No... I have to face my current problem and leave the rest to them.’ If Ellie had found a way to trigger Cassie’s memories, then it was good for him. That meant the only thing left would be defeating Rachel’s group. At first, the plan had been to contact Cassie during the meeting, find a way to break her and some of the other girls out, and leave the rest for the government once they escaped the city. However, Arthur wasn’t sure that plan would work. Rachel was no fool, nor was she some cardboard-cutout character, and considering the fact that she had survived this long without being caught, it was safe to say she had a Plan A, B, and C. Meaning everything had to end today. One night. They only had one night to end everything. Screak... Screak... Arthur gripped his ear tightly as a piercing sound rang in it. After a moment, it faded. "This is Sylvia, over..." ’Huh?’ he thought, puzzled. A moment later, another voice came through. "This is... Uhmm... Eira, over..." Arthur, who was in the veranda leading to the third floor, looked out the window and spotted a faint golden light glowing in the sky. ’No way.’ As if in answer, the voice continued: "Alright, my dear husband and sisters, I think it’s about time I show you why I was called a goddess for a thousand years." A/N: I’m feeling a little better so more Chapters from tomorrow. ─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───