Chapter 503 Valuable
Villain Ch 503. Valuable
Allen warmed the soup in the pot, filling the kitchen with the comforting aroma of herbs and spices once again. Stirring it gently, he poured it into a bowl, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he savored the homemade goodness that his companions had left for him.
After finishing his meal, he swiftly made his way to the shower, eager to freshen up. He didn't want to shower too late; the guild betrayal event in the game was scheduled to start in just a couple of hours. The anticipation made him more eager to prepare swiftly. The warm water cascading over him was a welcomed sensation, washing away the fatigue and leaving him invigorated.
Once out of the shower, Allen swiftly dressed in his favorite comfortable attire, a pair of sweatpants and a worn-in T-shirt. With a quick swipe, he put on his VR device.
In the eerie ambiance of the Cursed Crypts' Hall, Allen's character materialized near the entrance, blending seamlessly with the dimly lit surroundings. Alice, Bella, and Vivian, their avatars clustered in fervent conversation, stood not far from him. They seemed engrossed. Despite his arrival, they remained oblivious to his presence.
Just as he was about to speak up, he halted at the sound of Bella's voice reverberating through the hall.
"I don't understand why Shea stopped me. I just did it with Allen and I already feel his inside me. So there's no harm in that, right?" Bella's disappointment rang clearly, a pout evident in her features as she spoke. Her avatar's visage held a serious, somewhat troubled expression.
"Uh, hello? You said yourself that you already did that with him, why do you suddenly want to know his size?" Alice chimed in, her tone tinged with visible discomfort. Her question echoed the confusion.
"Moreover, I think taking off his pants without his consent is illegal," Vivian interjected with a note of caution, emphasizing a fundamental point about ethics and morals.
Bella twiddled her fingers in a cute gesture, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Well... I wonder what it looks like in its limp state," she quipped, sneaking a glance to the side. "Maybe I could touch it a bit and wake him up for round two," she muttered under her breath, but her words carried across the virtual space loud and clear to the trio and Allen's ears.
The unexpected comment took everyone by surprise, including Allen, who was just about to step in. "I don't mind that, if you do it when I'm healthy," said Allen. His avatar moved closer to the girls as they turned their attention towards him.
Bella's initial grin faltered, and a shade of pale crossed her face. "A-Allen, you're here," she stammered, her grin now awkwardly strained. "You should stop your eavesdropping habit," she quickly interjected, trying to mask the awkwardness in the air.
Allen's digital character stood amidst the group, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Hey, sorry to intrude on your uh... interesting conversation," he began with a chuckle, the hint of amusement evident in his voice. "But I couldn't help overhearing. Don't worry, I'll pretend I heard nothing." He accompanied his words with a playful wink in the game, attempting to diffuse the sudden tension that cloaked their gathering.
A playful smirk adorned his face as he spoke up. "But in my defense, I left my character here yesterday, so don't blame me for it," he quipped, raising his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug, his words carrying a hint of amusement.
Vivian jumped into the playful exchange. "Since Bella has gotten her permission, does that mean it also applies to all of us?" she teased, a mischievous glint shining in her eyes as she aimed the question towards Allen.
Allen glanced at Vivian, matching her mischief with a grin. "Yeah," he replied, nodding in agreement. "Just remember the terms and conditions," he added in a mock-serious tone, a playful reminder about the rules of their quirky conversations.
Vivian responded with a smirk, her avatar mirroring the mischievous smile. "Got it," she said, embracing the playful atmosphere with a gleam of amusement.
"Anyway, where are the others?" Allen inquired, glancing around the hall.
Alice took a moment from the game, her character pausing briefly, and replied, "They still have a little business to handle in real life. You know, adulting stuff. They should be online in about half an hour to an hour," she explained, sharing the information that had been relayed before their departure from Allen's place.
She refrained from mentioning that their visit to Allen's place had caused a bit of a delay in their schedules, necessitating more time to complete their tasks. Instead, she kept the conversation light, emphasizing the real-life commitments that had momentarily pulled the others away. Currently, only Bella, Alice, and Vivian were logged in; the trio had finished their tasks and had been online for about an hour.
"I assume you've already completed the daily quest, right? I'll just finish up mine in a moment," Allen announced, preparing to embark on the daily tasks within the game.
"Okay," Vivian replied.n()0vElb1n
Before he left, Allen's avatar displayed a rare expression, a genuine smile etched across his virtual face, as he spoke words he never thought would escape his lips. "Thank you for everything you did today. I'm very happy. This was the first time I felt--- truly appreciated and valuable. I hope our relationship gets better in the future and we can spend more time together," he expressed with a sincerity that surprised even himself.
As the words reverberated, a thick silence enveloped the scene. Alice, Bella, and Vivian mirrored a collective disbelief. It was a moment that resonated beyond the game; it felt like a glimpse into Allen's inner world, a world rarely visible, a heart rarely laid bare. His words were a surprising departure from his usual reserved demeanor, revealing a newfound depth of emotion and vulnerability that they had seldom witnessed.
The moment stretched, laden with unspoken emotions. Allen looked different—warmer, more expressive. His words carried a genuineness that lingered, almost tangible in the air. It was as though a part of his inner self, kept guarded for so long, had momentarily slipped through the facade. This shift in Allen's demeanor wasn't just about expressing gratitude; it was an opening, a gesture that signified the walls around his heart were slowly but surely beginning to crumble.
For Allen, those words were more than just a casual sentiment. They were a revelation of the evolution he was undergoing—a metamorphosis that, unbeknownst to him, was gradually reshaping his perceptions and interactions. The courage to voice his feelings had surprised him, revealing a side of himself he hadn't fully recognized before.
The weight of the moment became almost palpable, the air heavy with the unspoken understanding that something significant had transpired. It felt like a moment that would shape their future interactions, a watershed that signaled a shift in their dynamics.
However, the vulnerability of that moment left Allen feeling exposed and foreign. With a mix of embarrassment and a tinge of newfound realization, he hesitated for a moment, then turned and left, his character disappearing from the scene.
The flush of embarrassment crept up his face as he pondered the implications of what he had just shared. Allen found himself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions, a mix of relief for expressing himself and a pang of unease about the vulnerability he had revealed.
As Allen moved away, the air lingered with a strange mixture of shock and intrigue among the girls. Alice, her gaze fixed on Allen's retreating avatar, was the first to voice the curious observation. "Wait... Is he blushing?" she inquired, her eyes wide with surprise.
Bella's reaction was swift, an exclamation of surprise. "Oh my God..." she uttered, feeling her own heart race in response to this unexpected sight. She found this unexpected glimpse into a more vulnerable side of Allen incredibly intriguing.
Vivian, not immune to the unfolding scene, expressed her own bewilderment. "You know... Now I'm starting to think like Jane," she muttered. Her gaze, too, fixated on Allen's departure, captivated by this unforeseen shift in his demeanor.
Alice and Bella, startled by Vivian's unexpected comment, turned their attention to her, a mix of amusement and curiosity in their expressions. "About what?" Bella inquired, eager to understand what sparked such a bold statement from Vivian.
Vivian's response was surprising, even to herself. "I want to kidnap him and lock him up in my room," she confessed, her voice betraying a hint of embarrassment. Her cheeks flushed with an unexplained rush of emotions, her heart beating faster. It was a sentiment that caught her off guard, leaving her grappling with these newfound feelings that seemed to have taken root in her heart without warning.
The boldness of Vivian's statement drew a mix of reactions. Alice, intrigued by the idea, chimed in eagerly. "Can I be your partner in crime?" she asked, finding the notion equally appealing and mischievous.
Bella swiftly joined in. "Count me in," she declared, eager to be part of the playful conspiracy.