Escape - Chapter 31.1
Chapter 31.1
“Wow, this meeting is taking forever,” Luce muttered, ripping open a bag of potato chips and shoving his hand inside. It had already been a full day since Adeline left for a meeting he’d promised would be short. Not just a few hours, but a whole day. Luce had fully expected Adeline to be back by the time he woke up, but the guild-provided lodging remained his alone.
“She said she’d be back in the blink of an eye with that teleport thingy…” He couldn’t help but worry. Not that the Adeline would be easily duped, but years of “love your comrades, love the world” indoctrination at the academy made it hard to relax.
Moreover…
“That blond guy was definitely giving her the googly eyes.” They say there are three things you can’t hide: poverty, a cough, and love. That guy (Eric) was clearly concealing any poverty or coughs, but he was failing miserably at hiding his love for Adeline.
“Damian would not be happy.”
He startled himself with his own words. Had Adeline’s optimism been contagious? Damian couldn’t possibly be alive. The thought of him brought a familiar wave of guilt, regret, and the unique longing one feels for a lost comrade. Adeline would never know. She’d been incredibly popular as a freshman at the academy.
Adeline always complained about having no luck with men, but the truth was, Damian had scared them all off. He’d been friendly enough with the other guys, but the moment they showed even a flicker of interest in Adeline, he’d encourage them with a chilling smile that was utterly terrifying. He was like a two-faced psycho, all wrapped up in jealousy and obsession, just better at hiding it.
“Those were the days…” Luce sighed, snapping shut the book that lay open on his lap with his elbow. The title and the worn cover, depicting a lone woman, caught his eye. The illustration, though faded with age, hinted at its original vibrancy and beauty.
“You know, this somehow…” It resembled Adeline. Luce hesitated, swallowing the rest of his thought. Maybe it was because Adeline was on his mind. But the vivid hazel eyes that seemed to stare back at him, the cat-like tilt of the eyes, the delicate dark brown hair… It could have been a portrait of Adeline.
“Nah, that’s impossible.” The book, freshly finished, wasn’t about a human, but an animal. A captivating novel about a lion escaping from a zoo. Told from the lion’s perspective, the story was surprisingly suspenseful and filled with a sense of injustice.
“But it’s strangely unsettling.”
The narrative style, a third-person omniscient perspective, was what bothered him. While common, this was the first time he’d read a novel where the protagonist seemed aware of the author. The “human” who tells the lion that the thirteenth cage is the safest is, after all, the author.
Perhaps that’s why the author’s masterful portrayal of the animals’ tragedy felt so disturbing. It felt like the lion’s escape was being orchestrated for entertainment, as if the author was deliberately prolonging the lion’s plight for the sake of the story.
“Is this how all novels are written?” Luce was no literary expert. Maybe it wasn’t the story that was strange, but him. He swallowed his unease with the last of his potato chips, crunching loudly.
That’s when it happened.
Ding! A notification chime filled the air, and a message appeared in his vision.
[Error: Designated Area Exceeded / Player Playground Entered.]
Startled, Luce swallowed the mouthful of chips whole and choked.
Then, in the next moment…
Zzzt. Crackle.
The “Error” message flickered and faded. Another text briefly appeared in its place:
[My Info – To confirm, say “My Info.”]
Who could resist such an invitation? Still coughing, tears welling in his eyes, Luce stammered, “My… My Info?”
Ding.
[Name: Luce Benedict Gradel
L.v.: 123
Occupation: Storyteller
Title: The Wordsmith Warrior / This Area’s Supreme Egoist
HP: 1,545,000
MP: 53,700
…More (Click)]
It was the player information window he’d heard so much about. Jaw agape, Luce scratched his red hair, staring blankly at the information. It was exactly as Adeline had described. So, it had finally appeared for him too. He’d been secretly feeling left out, so the sudden appearance of the information window was both surprising and welcome.
