Villain Ch 78. A Homebody
After finishing his food, he took a quick shower since he planned to be online late at night. Then he slipped into his comfort outfit.
The time was showing 06.31 PM when he put on his VR headset and went online. Allen felt the weight of the VR headset as he placed it on his head. He felt the familiar rush of excitement as he prepared to enter the virtual world. He knew he would be in for a long night ahead, but he didn't mind.
Since he had some time before the event started, he decided to head to the Cursed Crypts mansion to visit the NPC room. He planned to sell this afternoon's hunting results and maybe distribute some of his skills
But before he could even take a step inside, a sudden burst of light caught his attention. A portal had opened before him, and through it emerged a figure. It was Jane. Her appearance was sudden and unexpected, and Allen was taken aback by the shock that was etched on her face. Shock was clearly written on her face since Allen was the first person she saw once she escaped from the Ghouls' siege in the Tower of Power's second floor. She just wanted to check that place, but it quickly turned bad in five minutes.
Jane stood there, her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it might burst out of her chest. The unexpected meeting with Allen had left her feeling disoriented and vulnerable. But that was not the worst of it. As she took a moment to collect herself, she realized that things were not good. Her HP and DP were both dangerously low, and her character's appearance was a mess. She had wounds all over her body, and it was not a pleasant sight to behold.
Despite her battered state, Jane tried her best to compose herself. She knew that she had to be strong and push through the pain. She forced herself to take a deep breath and focus on the present moment.
Jane remained silent, Allen could sense that she was lost in her own thoughts. He decided to tease her a bit, hoping to bring her back to the present moment. "Welcome back, my sweet wife," he said with a playful tone. "I see you are grinding with enthusiasm," he added simply.
Jane's heart trembled at the sound of his voice. It was simple, yet it held so much power over her. She couldn't help but feel drawn to him, even though she knew it was just a game.
Feeling shy and unsure of what to say, Jane replied with a meek "Y-Yeah." She couldn't believe how nervous she was, but something about Allen's presence made her feel vulnerable.
"I'm glad you're back to the game. How are you?" Allen asked, trying to make sure that she was okay.
Jane took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. "Good," she admitted, grateful for the chance to talk to him. "I read your note. Thank you for the sandwiches. They're delicious," she added, trying to make small talk. Internally, she screamed at herself to calm down. She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her, especially not in front of Allen.
Jane's mind was in a state of chaos as she tried to push away her feelings for Allen. 'He was just being nice! Stop thinking stupid thing! You are an adult for God's sake!' she reminded herself, but it was no use. The more she tried to ignore her emotions, the stronger they became.
Allen noticed her internal struggle and tried to alleviate the tension. "No problem, it's just a simple sandwich, nothing fancy," he said with a dry smile. "Well, I just made it with available ingredients," he added, explaining that he had wanted to make a bread pudding, but the lack of cinnamon, dried fruits, and chocolate chips had made that impossible.
Jane was grateful for the sandwich and expressed her thanks to Allen. For a moment, his gaze was fixed on her, and she could feel his concern. "You should take better care of yourself, Jane," he said suddenly, his voice serious. "You live alone, and no one knows if you pass out in your room. You need to eat well and get some light exercise every day. Your health is important," he added, his tone filled with genuine concern.
Jane felt a sense of relief wash over her as Allen reminded her to take better care of herself. It was like music to her ears, and she didn't expect to hear such thoughtful advice from someone she hardly knew. Despite feeling uncertain about her ability to make significant changes, Jane nodded and said, "I will try."
Deep down, Jane was fed up with her sedentary lifestyle. Spending most of her days in front of a computer screen had taken a toll on her body and mind, and she knew she needed to make a change. Allen's words had given her the push she needed to start taking better care of herself.
"I want to go to the NPC room. Wanna come?" he offered.
"Sure," she said.
As Jane walked alongside Allen, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. Even though she had reminded herself that his kindness was likely just normal teammate behavior, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something different about him. Was it his calm and collected demeanor? Or was she just expecting too much from him?
Jane couldn't help but second-guess herself. Was she being too desperate for someone to connect with? She didn't consider herself unattractive by any means. If she were to go out to a club or bar, she was sure that she could attract the attention of one or two boys. But that wasn't her style. She was more of a homebody, preferring to spend her free time reading books and playing games. Her work was entirely online, so she didn't have to socialize much, even though she knew it would be good for her. And she knew she wasn't having any lack of social skills that would make her seem dull or uninteresting.