(William's POV):
It's been a while since Denzel never left his room in the sky floor. Even after a week had passed, he still didn't leave the room. He looks like he didn't eat nor he tried something crazy.
"Lilith, how are you?"
Currently, we're in the crystal palace in front of Denzel's room... Lilith stayed there for most of her time trying to comfort Denzel after everything that had happened.
He was stabbed by Rika and was betrayed for the second time. At this point, I didn't have anything else to say against him.
"I'm fine, but as expected... I'm more worried about him." - Lilith
She's definitely referring to Denzel. The more times we discussed this, the more Lilith becomes affected. I already asked Malech about what to do afterwards but I have no idea what he's on about right now.
During the week, Seymour had already left the palace. The blue coin is in no one's hands and has been living here without much issue.
"Umm... I'll go down for a bit okay?"
"Alright, I'll try to wait a bit more..." - Lilith
I dropped down to the ninth floor and moved towards Malech's room...
"He's not here?"
He seems to have been moving around if that's the case. While looking around the room, I heard a voice calling out to me from a different room.
"William? Are you looking for someone?" - ???
"Huh? Oh Mea... How is it being in the palace now?"
Her maroon hair that reached shoulder-length flutters around as she walks closer to me. I immediately gave her a pat to her head.
"It's pretty calming here, everyone is very reliable and I could talk to them easily." - Mea
That's great, she's starting to fit in...
After Denzel executed Rika. I had made preparations for Mea to move to Denzel's crystal palace from his recommendation. As expected, I had moved her to my room immediately.
When Malech noticed that I had moved her to my room, he was immediately becoming interested with knowing whether we do something. He reaches the point where he interrogated me if me and Mea had did something such as sex... I immediately shut him up.
"I'm trying to find Malech, have you seen him?"
"He's in the sixth floor. He told me that he'll be asking them for some tips." - Mea
"Alright, should we head there?"
"Mm..." - Mea
Mea nodded and followed me around the crystal staircase. I gotta say that these stairs can scare the shit out of me.
After moving down to the sixth floor, I noticed multiple presences gathering in a single room. Me and Mea entered the room after knocking.
"Ooh! William! You finally arrived?" - Malech
At that point, we heard Malech calling out to me immediately. He was sitting right next to Thrish while explaining the situation.
"It seems everyone is here? You guys could've used the meeting room though?"
"Ahaha, honestly... I was only expecting to explain this situation to Thrish, Gayle, and Lester... But more people started showing up unexpectedly." - Malech
So he didn't bother huh?
"What are you guys talking about?" - Mea
"Ah well, you haven't met the builder and the owner of this place right? He's currently depressed right now and is seemingly not recovering after a week." - Malech
"I see..." - Mea
She's really fitting in right now...
"Guys, let's stop with discussing about the executed three. What we're here for is to try to find a way to cheer Denzel up. Got any clues?" - Malech
"Well, this was the first time I saw him like that... We don't have much clues about his past after all." - Gayle
Question is, how does someone cheer up a person who experienced betrayal twice?
"I didn't have much information about Denzel's past but I when I heard it from Lilith... We wouldn't really have much clues either." - Malech
"Well, it's only his past after all. We need to think about someone he would care deeply, and try to let him be."
"So I guess let's leave it to those who are with him huh?" - Malech
"What do we do then?" - Lester
"Again, let's leave it to the perfect people there. Soon enough we can be able to comfort him on our own but, right now we can just wait."
Or so I want to say because Lilith entered the room.
"Lilith?" - Malech
"He's... He's slowly recovering..." - Lilith
"Ooh, you made progress?"
"Kind of, he's thinking of going to the area." - Lilith
"You should follow him? Don't worry about us, we won't peep or anything.." - Malech
"I don't know what would comfort him anymore..." - Lilith
Oh boy, that's a somewhat bad sign. I don't know what to do either...
While hearing the chatter of most people inside the room, I opened a panel and messaged Malech privately. He replied back with something like: 'Don't worry, I got this!'
"Lilith, this topic might be a little bit sensitive to various people but I think I can help you a bit." - Malech
"Huh?" - Lilith
Lilith seemed confused as Malech went out of the room with her. I naturally followed them as I left Mea who was talking with Jilean happily.
"Malech?"
"Judging by your innocence? You haven't heard of doing THAT, in the virtual world?" - Malech
"What do you exactly mean?" - Lilith
Lilith is still worried about Denzel's feelings. However, she seriously hasn't heard of it.
"You know, when full dive virtual reality was released... It was told that even pornography is possible with it?" - Malech
"Malech... You're..."
Lilith blew up and started blushing in shame.
"No way! It's impossible for me-!" - Lilith
"I know that you're the closest one to Denzel, so I think he'd trust you more than the others. I don't know if you want to do it with him but I think it could help him forget."
"Try your best, Lilith... We need Denzel on our side after all." - Malech
Lilith seems to have cheered up quite a bit and has started smiling once again. It seems she has resolved herself to fully return Denzel to his normal state.
"Thanks, you two... I'll be sure to let him settle down for sure." - Lilith
Lilith starts walking up the stairs once again.
"Who's room were we cramping on?"
"Ah, it was Thrish's room..." - Malech
"So you just entered her room casually? It sounds a bit fishy when you did that you know?"
Malech laughed off my words and tried to avoid the subject. I pushed in further to interrogation mode.
"I know Denzel has asked you this but... How do you feel about Thrish?"
"You see-" - Malech
"Don't lie, you're pretty damn obvious."
"Damnit..." - Malech
Malech seemed to finally give up and looked downwards.
"Honestly, I'm trying to grab her attention more. I'm somewhat close to her but I feel like I'm still distant." - Malech
"Hoo?"
Now this is interesting... That's why he focused on protecting her.
"Is that why you focused on protecting her?"
"I guess so. It's true that I cherish her somewhat but I'd protect the supports even if my role is an assassin." - Malech
"Well..."
So he's unconscious of his own feelings huh? I think I'm gonna stage out a plan for these two to get together.
After talking with Malech for a while, I had thought of finding a way letting him and Thrish be together. It's a simple method but it sure is effective.
"Malech, don't you want to date someone? Thrish seems to be a good fit for you..."
"I think I'd be fine with anyone, though I guess Thrish is a good girl so..." - Malech
"You guys, what are you talking about?" - ???
The cold voice interrupted Malech which made both of us look toward the owner of the voice.
And there we saw Denzel showing a wry smile with unhappy eyes.
"Denz, you're finally ok?"
"I guess I am, I still need to reflect more." - Denzel
"Dude, at least eat you know, I may have sto-, I mean taken a bottle of your experimental bottle down at the kitchen. It feels as nostalgic as drinking cola at my home." - Malech
"Oh, you tried some huh?" - Denzel
"Wait, that was cola?"
I didn't know he actually made cola here... I should grab some later!
"Where are you going?"
Denzel lost his smile when I asked that question. Lilith who was behind him answered my question on his stead.
"We're heading to that igloo... He's planning to reflect there for a while..." - Lilith
"You two... I'm sorry for doing that." - Denzel
"Ah! No don't, it's fine that you're doing fine." - Malech
"Right, you were tricked after all."
Denzel was one-sidedly tricked by Rika which managed to fool even Gayle and Thrish who are mystics. It kept me wondering if how careful the plan was carried out but... I guess we tried our best.
Denzel and Lilith walked down the stairs and probably went outside of the palace.
"So, I guess he's fine now."
I looked at Lilith who was clinging onto Denzel's arm while they were descending. Malech also looked over to the two of them and smiled in instinct.
"I hope she does successfully cheer him up. She's the only one who could do this at the moment." - Malech
"I think any of the four girls that were with him could do that. What made you think Lilith could do it though?"
"Her feelings are the most obvious one towards him. The others see him as a friend so they're probably against if I told them." - Malech
"Hmm~?"
"Well, in reality... I saw Denzel groping and kissing her when he suddenly teleported using an ice mirror." - Malech
"Never mind..."
So it was that huh? Wait, was it mouth to mouth?
I asked Malech of the details and he gladly told me everything.
"Well, when he teleported back to the cave... He immediately tripped and landed on Lilith, he somewhat felt her up and locked lips with her. I think that's enough info that he might actually fall in love with Lilith instead. That way, he'll forget Rika much easier than anticipated." - Malech
"So you thought it that far huh?"
"Kinda, but I think telling her that she can have sex inside a virtual world is taking it to the extreme. But it's what I think could help Denzel right now." - Malech
So the only thing we can do is wait huh?
"Well, let's see how things turns out."