Chapter 278: What⦠was going on?
[Aliceâs Current Mood Level: 3/100 (Despair, Distrust)]
[Aliceâs Mood Level is critically low. Host, please comfort her immediately!]
The systemâs notifications were always objective, devoid of any emotion.
But this time, the situation seemed so dire that even the system couldnât stand Ryanâs behavior, urging him repeatedly.
âI know, I know! Just let me convince myself first, alright?â
Ryan flipped off the empty air, slumping against the wall, feeling defeated.
Alice was his mission target, but she was also his friend. Walking away just nowâwasnât that a bit too careless?
There had to be a better way to handle things, but instead, he chose to run away.
He thought back to the photo on her bedside table, the family picture from the amusement park with a missing figure, and the contrast between Aliceâs past and presentâthe smile that had vanished from her face. All of it explained why Alice had become the way she was today.
He was asking Alice to trust him completely, but did he really deserve that trust?
Sure, his goal was to help Alice survive, but wasnât there a lot of selfishness mixed in too?
Complete three Dangerous Events, earn a Wish Point, and then use it to make Alice kill him. After that, heâd disappear from her life for good. Wasnât that Ryanâs plan all along?
Whether it was due to the circumstances or his own inner thoughts, Ryan had kept a lot from Alice. If he could just say, âI want to help you,â and earn her trust, wouldnât that trust feel a bit too cheap?
Rubbing his temples, Ryan finally had a moment to gather his thoughts. But looking at it now, it seemed like he was the one who had been wrong all along.
[Aliceâs Mood Level is critically low. She may take extreme actions. Host, please comfort her immediately!]
âFuck, donât you think I know that? Just give me a second!â
The systemâs constant nagging was driving him nuts. Ryan covered his ears, staring blankly at the floor, lost in thought.
He hadnât been honest enough. He had appeared in Aliceâs life out of nowhere, started helping her out of nowhere, and would eventually leave her just as suddenly.
Emotional investment goes both ways. Alice had already taken her step forwardâher Favorability score of over 70 was proof of that. But Ryan? He was still stuck in place. Wasnât it only natural that Alice felt insecure?
âCould it be⦠I was wrong?â
Frustrated, Ryan ruffled his hair, tossing and turning on the bed.
Alice had confiscated his journal, so he couldnât even grab a piece of paper to analyze the situation. His mind was now consumed by a nameless emotion.
What Alice did was wrong, but he had been wrong first. Unfortunately, by the time he realized it, it was already too late.
âWhy did I act so fast just now⦠I shouldâve waited a bit longer.â
Muttering to himself, Ryan glanced at the surveillance camera in the corner of the basement. Alice had probably suspected him from the start, and he had known something was off from the beginning too.
Why hadnât there been such a strong reaction before? Why had things suddenly become unbearable this time?
Ryan stroked his chin, thinking about everything that had happened recently. A few faces flashed through his mindâMia and Anna among them.
Had the girlsâ behavior influenced his judgment?
Mia was always trying to convince him to leave Alice. Her hostility toward Alice had rubbed off on him a little, too.
As for Anna, she and Alice seemed to get along okay on the surface, but their relationship probably wasnât as harmonious as it appeared.
Annaâs kindness and warmth had really touched him. Even though Alice had softened a lot compared to before, she still couldnât quite match Anna in that regard.
But⦠no, that couldnât be it, right? Ryan hesitated, rubbing his chin.
The next second, he shook his head, trying to banish the thought. He was being unfair, assuming the worst about people.
Mia might have a bit of a devilish streak, but when it came down to it, she was reliable. Besides, the gap between them was too bigâboth in terms of status and age. Miaâs flirtatiousness felt more like playful teasing to Ryan.
And Anna? That was even less likely. They were just friends. She had no reason to go after Alice for his sakeâ¦
âDamn it, this is starting to feel like one of those harem anime love triangles. Why are girlsâ relationships so complicated?â
This was even harder to figure out than why Alice had been spying on him all this time. Maybe he already had some ideas but had been denying them all along.
Either way, now that he had sorted things out, it was time to go find Alice.
The system had been quiet for a while now. Maybe it had crashed from repeating itself too many times. Either way, Ryanâs mind had finally calmed down.
Ryan didnât believe there was anything that couldnât be talked through. Alice might seem cold on the outside, but deep down, she was more gentle than anyone.
If they could just sit down and have a proper conversation, there was still a chance to turn things around.
The more Ryan thought about it, the more convinced he became. The main reason for his confidence was the over 70 points of Favorability Alice had for him. That gave him some leverage.
Looking at the system panel, he realized that the earlier warnings had made it seem like the situation was beyond saving.
But now, after checking again, he saw that Aliceâs mood had stopped plummeting once it hit a certain low point. In fact, it had even slightly improved, easing up just a bit.
[Alice Mood Level: 10/100 (???)]
Her status had become unknown again, which was probably why the system had suddenly gone silent.
âNowâs the time. I should go apologize to Alice.â
âGirls need to be comforted, right? Iâll get her Mood Level back up first, then we can talk about everything else.â
Ryan made a quick decision. The situation couldnât wait. Aliceâs unknown status was far more dangerous than just having a low Mood Level. If something went wrong, and he couldnât complete his mission, heâd be done for.
Seriously, why couldnât Alice just be a little more cheerful?
The downside of having such high Favorability was starting to show. Every move Ryan made now had a direct impact on Aliceâs reactions. Was this the kind of crisis the system couldnât predict?
And this was just the beginning. Things were only going to get scarier from here.
Having made up his mind, Ryan prepared to act. After all, it was his fault for not giving Alice a chance earlier and walking away. Now, he was ready to face the consequences.
Youâve got to think about the future. Sure, storming off in a huff mightâve looked cool, but going back to beg for forgiveness? That was going to be embarrassing.
He stood up and headed toward the stairs. He knew exactly where Aliceâs room wasâheâd been there enough times. Sneaking back to her room wouldnât be too hard.
But before he even reached the stairs, he heard a commotion outside.
Peeking out the window, he saw that the guards who had been stationed at the door were all leaving. The maids and other staff were also lining up, heading out of the villa.
âHurry up! Miss Alice told us to leave. Stop dragging your feet.â
Hearing the guards talking to each other, Ryan frowned slightly. Alice had sent everyone away?
Why?
Not sure what was going on, Ryan left the basement, his mind full of questions. He cautiously made his way toward Aliceâs room on the second floor.
It seemed like Alice was really upset. Sending the guards away was probably her way of making sure no one saw her lose control.
Thatâs what Ryan thought, anyway, as he glanced up toward the second floor. But what he saw next made him freeze in place.
Standing at the top of the stairs, facing him, was a girl in a black dress. She looked elegant and regal, like the most precious gemstone.
âMiss⦠Miss Alice?â
âMmâ¦â
Who else could it be but Alice? But this outfitâ¦
Ryanâs eyes were glued to her, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. Aliceâs current state was completely different from what he had imagined.
What⦠was going on?
âââââââ
PS:Oh boy, Ryanâs definitely in deep now! Between juggling Aliceâs emotional rollercoaster and trying to figure out why she sent everyone away, this guyâs got his hands full. Honestly, can you blame him for being a little confused? One moment, Alice is distant, her Mood Level dropping like a rock, and the next, sheâs sending the entire staff away and standing there in a black dress looking like sheâs ready for⦠well, something big. Talk about mixed signals, right?
Ryanâs got a lot to figure outâfast. His first instinct? Apologize, smooth things over, and hopefully get back in Aliceâs good graces. But is that even going to be enough? Letâs be real: this is more than just a quick apology situation. Alice is already at a critical emotional point, and one wrong move could send everything spiraling out of control.
And can we talk about that black dress? Itâs not exactly casual attire, and itâs definitely making Ryan rethink whatâs going on here. Is this a confrontation? A farewell? Or something else entirely? The fact that Aliceâs mood level has stopped dropping is a small win, but itâs clear Ryanâs got his work cut out for him if heâs going to patch things up.
Ryanâs good nature always puts him in these tricky situations. He tries to keep the peace, but sometimes it just feels like no matter what he does, things keep getting more complicated. With Alice in such a delicate state and Ryan realizing his own mistakes, it looks like heâs finally starting to understand just how deep his connection to Alice runsâand that this isnât just about completing a mission anymore.
So, whatâs next for our guy? Will he be able to comfort Alice and fix things between them? Or is he about to step on another emotional landmine? One thingâs for sureâRyanâs got a tough conversation ahead of him, and this situation is far from over.