Villain Ch 66. The Succubus is In Love
Allen's hand hovered over the selection of Mana potions displayed on the screen before him. His eyes roamed over the glowing labels, searching for what he needed for his upcoming hunt.
Beside him stood Vivian, her curves accentuated by the black leather outfit she wore. The succubus watched with interest as Allen pondered over the potions, her long lashes casting shadows on her porcelain skin.
Previously, they accidentally met each other on Allen's way to the NPC room and had a conversation about why Vivian went AFK.
"I just got an offer from a magazine company to be their model for a series of photoshoots!" she spoke up
Allen turned to face her, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "That's great news. What kind of photoshoots are we talking about?" he asked, curious about the details.
"It's a set of photoshoots based on the popular theme of popular female novels. They are all over on social media," Vivian explained, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "The theme is 'a good girl and a criminal'."
Allen couldn't help but chuckle at the theme. But he had to confess, "Bad handsome boy" was a popular troupe among female authors. Only for handsome Male Lead of course, if the man was ugly, it would become a tragedy genre.
"Sounds interesting," he spoke, knowing that Vivian wouldn't have accepted the offer if it wasn't worth her time.
"Yeah, and they will give me a good payment," Vivian replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I couldn't resist the offer."
Allen nodded in understanding. "Well, I'm happy for you. You deserve it," he said with a warm smile on his face. "So, you would take pictures with another model?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her face.
Vivian's expression turned slightly guarded as she mulled over Allen's question. She didn't want to admit it and the thought of posing with another model made her uneasy. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with his question, but rather that she didn't want Allen to think that she was easily swayed from one boy to another. After all, while she and Allen didn't have a formal relationship, she could feel her feelings for him growing stronger with each passing day.
Still, she knew that lying to Allen would only lead to more questions, so she nodded hesitantly. "I... I guess. But that would be okay," she said, her voice a little uncertain.
Vivian managed a small smile, but her heart was heavy as she thought about what the photo shoot with another model might entail. She couldn't help but wonder if it would push Allen further away from her, or if it would bring them closer together.
"It's just a photoshoot, Allen. They said I don't need to be so intimate with the other model," she quickly added before he said a word.
Her words were filled with eagerness and emphasis as if she was trying to convince not only Allen, but also herself, that there was nothing to worry about.
Allen raised one of his eyebrows, a perplexed expression crossing his face as he took in Vivian's sudden enthusiasm. "I see," he said slowly, wondering why she was so excited all of a sudden. He hadn't even said anything yet.
She sensed Allen's confusion and quickly tried to explain herself. "I mean, it's just a professional shoot. I don't have to do anything I'm uncomfortable with," she said, her words rushed and breathless.
"I understand, Vivian," he said once again. He didn't understand why she suddenly explained herself that much while he knew it was her job.
Upon his explanation, Vivian turned to the NPC once more, her face burning with embarrassment. She couldn't bring herself to meet Allen's gaze after her outburst, feeling foolish for getting so worked up over nothing.
She busied herself with examining the potions once more, her hands shaking slightly as she tried to regain her composure. She could feel Allen's eyes on her, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at him. Instead, she focused on the potions, trying to distract herself from the awkwardness of the moment.
Just as Allen wanted to speak, an announcement about a new message popped up.
[Lullaby: Sorry. I don't think I can join you guys. I have to go to my meeting right now. There's something I have to take care of first. I will be online again this afternoon. Also, Zoe said she will be late.]
It was a party message, so everyone could read it.
"Too bad," Allen said, disappointment written all over his face. He had been hoping for a bigger team, knowing that more members meant they could explore further and discover more secrets on the Tower of Power's second floor. Who knew what treasures and hidden chests lay waiting for them?
"Yes, it's a shame..." she trailed off, lost in thought. She had already tasted the first floor of the Tower of Power and she had to admit it was intense, let alone the second floor.
Vivian glanced over at Allen, her mind couldn't help but wander to the time when she and Zoe went AFK and left Allen alone with Shea. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them, but at the same time, she couldn't bring herself to ask. Part of her already knew what had happened, and the other part of her didn't want to admit it.
She knew that Allen's request to be alone with Shea had only been out of his duty. It would be foolish and irrational for her to feel jealous over something like that, especially when Allen had already done the same thing with her during their first meeting.
Allen noticed the change in Vivian's expression, the uneasiness that seemed to flicker across her features. He furrowed his brow in concern, sensing that something was bothering her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle. "Is something bothering you?"
Before she could say a thing, Vivian's response was cut off as Zoe came rushing over to them, her expression urgent and concerned. Allen turned to face her, his frown deepening at her unusual behavior.
"Zoe, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.
Zoe took a deep breath before speaking, her words rushed and frantic. "Can I ask you something?" she said, her eyes darting back and forth between Allen and Vivian.
"Sure," Allen said, though he was still confused by the sudden change in Zoe's demeanor.
Zoe hesitated for a moment before blurting out her question. "What just happened between you and my mom?"