Task Failed.
You have died.
Interface system.
Checking Game System.
Completed.
Finding Game Checkpoint.
Preparing Checkpoint Scene.
꥟ Restoring memory and body senses.
꥟ Transferring gathered database.
Restoring and Transferring Completed!
Scene loading.
Dive in.
─────☽☀︎☾─────
Luna winced when she came back to her senses, breathing heavily as she saw the floating screen in front of her. Her eyes furrowed.
[ Task
Go to the Masquerade ball with Remus and Shiki
Reward: Backstory and an artifact
Remaining time: 3 Days
Accept ✔ Deny ✘
Remaining task attempt: 2]
The screen was the first task she saw, her eyes landed towards her front to see Shiki and Remus looking at her bewildered by her sudden action.
Ah.
'That's right, I died.'
Was the first thing she thought, she came to a conclusion that every task she will receive will be her check point. Now that she think about it, it's already been two weeks. When did the main scenario start? if she remembers correctly, agapius had said that the main scenario shall start after a week.
She instantly looked to her side to see agapius with black fur and red eyes, also looking at her with a serious look.
[You probably already know the gist of it. Obviously, you failed the first time, this is your second try, every check point consist of only 3 trials. Once you've failed all three you'll get back from scratch.]
Luna heaved a sigh as she looked at the screen and accepted the task using her mind. She then smiled awkwardly at the two men who was still looking at her weirdly.
"Are you ok?" Remus suddenly asked.
"Yeah I'm fine, I just, uhh, remembered something unpleasant." She lied as she took a sip at her frappe cappuccino as she averted her gaze.
"So, about our request..?"
"Yeah sure, I don't mind." Luna replied, placing down the frappe cappuccino on the table as she look at the both of them.
Remus's eyes sparkle as if he was glad that she accepted their invitation, but then fell gloomy.
'He must've remembered that Rei was his partner.' Luna thought while looking at Remus with an stoic expression, holding her laughter. Her gaze then landed on Shiki who was silently looking down on his phone.
The time flew quickly. Events happened today was still the same as Luna's first attempt. They went to Justin's shop and took their measurements, but Luna kept on being on a daze. Unlike her previous attempt, she went home by herself (with agapius), however this time, Shiki insisted on taking her home. The man only drop her by her apartment and drove ahead, didn't even accepted Luna's invitation to have a coffee or snack.
Currently, Agapius and her are having a talk while eating dinner. He was in his original form, he was glowing that it's becoming a distraction for Luna to eat.
'Doesn't he have a switch for him to stop glowing?' She thought as her eyes squint while chewing the food as he swallowed with a gulp.
"So, care to tell me what happened? Why did you die?" Agapius started while munching food.
Luna shook her head, "I don't know, I just felt an excruciating pain all of a sudden. Then a tremendous pain in my chest after that I black out." She replied, putting down her fork and spoon.
"It was... horrible, it hurts that it terrified me. It scared me because I don't even know why I was in pain in the first place I just suddenly felt something hit me, and then my body began throbbing in pain." She continued, her gaze went down as her brows furrowed, hand clutched firmly onto her pajama.
Luna felt like she could still feel the excruciating sensation. She know that her life won't be easy as being a protagonist in this Game, but to think it's actually much worse that she had imagined. It's truly a life and death situation, she was now sure that something more painful would await her in the future. Can she fight it? Can she actually pull it off?
"I see, quite tragic but anyway, anything else?" Shrugged agapius as he turn to his cat form.
Luna looked at him in disbelief, well sure it was nothing to worry about but what if this wasn't a game where there's three trials? What if it was real? He could've at least show his concern to his host.
But speaking of which, Luna did recall a man trying his best to save her. He had a white mask, and a pink long hair. Who was he?
'I feel like I know him...' Luna put her hand into her chin as she began to remember someone with familiar traits.
Ah!
Agapius fall over the table when Luna suddenly jolt back up from her chair, her mouth agape as if she just remembered something.
"It's him!" She suddenly yelled.
"Who?!"
"It's the guy with Pink and Golden eyes. You know?"
"You mean Hikari's brother?"
"No!" She cried, "the person I am talking about has long hair and a very vivid Golden eyes."
"You have a golden eye too, maybe he's your son from the future." Said agapius putting up his paw on his mouth snickering.
Luna rolled her eyes as she started to pick the dishes and put them in the sink. She then strode towards the living and sat heavily.
"Mine's dull and fall in a more golden orange than a golden yellow, his, are like...a very bright yellow Color. Show me his status." Luna demanded.
Agapius was bewildered by what his host said, just who exactly was the guy she's talking about? He knew for sure there wasn't any characters with golden eye other than Luna.
'Could it he be an unidentified Character? But I have all the information of every single Character from the main to the Supporting and Background characters. An intruder, perhaps?'
No, It couldn't be an intruder. If there was he should've known, the system should've alarmed him. He was After all connected to this world.
"Are you sure, that's what you saw?" He asked.
Luna looked at him with her one brow raised. "Yeah, I'm sure of it." She replied confidently.
"Hmm, sorry but I can't."
"What? Why?"
Agapius stayed quiet as he just looked at Luna with an apathetic expression. How can he show her an status of a person that he doesn't even know they exists. He never felt an ominous aura, perhaps this person wasn't a threat but who exactly is he? A pink haired boy with golden eyes... 'I need to get to the bottom of this.'
─────☽☀︎☾─────
Monday has arrived and just like on the previous timeline, Shiki gave her the exact same brooch and said the exact same words. She knew it was coming but still couldn't help but be shock and be creeped out by it.
Currently, they now arrived at the banquet hall, with the exact same appearance and exact same scene. But this time Luna didn't paid much attention to the stares of people. As soon as they arrived at the same spot a bucket of two wine was already there.
"Man, I can't believe you had a brother!" Rei exclaimed as she pour wine on the empty glass. "Also why do my brothers know about him while I don't? Especially when we're all so close since childhood."
"Of course you won't remember him, you guys didn't even met." Replied Remus.
Earlier this day, a certain scene happened which Luna didn't experience on the previous time. A character who look quite alike with Remus appeared during lunch on their usual spot at the cherry tree, unexpectedly confessing to Rei. However in reality he actually plan to give her a poisonous plant, that was surely deadly after being smelled.
"Remember when you refused to go with us in the countryside? That's where I and alios met Lucas." Shiki interrupted.
"Oh... Well I was sick so... Nevermind." Shrugged Rei as she gulp down the wine in the glass and poured another one.
"Hey, easy on the wine, you have low tolerance to alcohol." Scolded Remus, snatching the wine bottle from Rei as he placed it back to the bucket.
"It's wine not liquor, geez."
"Same thing, tsk."
Luna chuckled at the two, in the previous Timeline, they bicker like kids—they still do, but they're surprisingly getting along without them complaining why they have to be partnered up with each other. She was quite happy to see other versions of the two.
'I need to avoid going into the forest. Especially dozing off so I won't be left behind.' Luna thought as the crowed started to applause.
There came a very familiar scene, it is where Vincent introduced Zachary the Sub head of the Black Arts. It may have been her second time to witness this, but she still felt chills down to her spine. Such a strong presence.
For a moment, Luna felt a much more overwhelming feeling. In a glance she could tell, Zachary was looking directly at her. Does he know about her leaping? No, that's just absurd. Those red—bloody colored eyes, that seem to be piercing right through her soul.
"That Zachary's quite a looker." Suddenly commented Rei, she had her hand clutched onto Remus's hair who was bowing down trying to get Rei's hand off of him.
"Is she...drunk?" Luna asked.
She then heard Shiki hummed in response, Luna glanced at him to see him casually drinking wine. "She likes to grab things that are near whenever she starts to get drunk." He explained.
All of a sudden slow beat music started to play. This made Luna bewildered, things are pretty much happening quite fast than before. She then stood up and excused herself from the three, unfortunately Shiki insisted on accompanying her, which she didn't refused even though she wants to.
The two strode to the balcony and leaned towards the barricades. Just like the scene from the on the previous time, Luna was just admiring the dimly-lit forest in front of her.
Looking at sky waiting for agapius, but as expected, he didn't show up this time. Perhaps because they needed to avoid that particular scenario. Agapius was with her but parted ways when they entered the banquet hall.
Luna heaved a sigh as she stood up Straight fixing her hair that was slightly moving from the breezy cold air.
"So...why are you following me?" Luna asked as she turned to Shiki.
Shiki looked at her before turning towards the front as he lift his chin up and stared at the dark blueish night sky that was filled with glittering lights and a bug full moon.
"I don't know either, I feel like I have to." He said indifferently.
Well, it was probably an auto generated movement or decision for he was a character inside a game.
Luna turned towards inside of the banquet hall, leaning at the barricades as her arms are crossed below her chest. "Shouldn't you be investigating?"
"Will do, but later."
No matter what he answers, his will always be lifeless and cold. Luna suddenly thought on how did this man exactly became the obsessive type?
[Shiki Drust
...
Likability: 10%
Affection: 0% ]
It seems to her that only his likability rate was moving, but his affection towards her stays the same.
Once again, Luna heaved a sigh as she slowly shook her head. The translucent screen disappeared. Her eyes then landed inside the music filled room, people dancing on the slow romantic beat.
She then can't help but wonder, is it even possible for her to get out of this dream like reality? Can he even fall in love, be romantically involved with someone? Especially with a guy? It is more possible for him to fell in love with the girl rather than with the guys.
Looking down as she pinch the bridge of her nose frowning to such ridiculous thoughts overflowing inside her mind. All this things seems to be making her crazy.
Once she looked up, a glimpse of a familiar silhouette caught her eye. The person was stroding at their direction making her squint her eyes as she just stood there bewildered about it.
Luna's eyes widen when she came to realization. It's him!
The person was exactly the man who tried to save her life, with the same hair, mask and attire. But why? Stroding right at where they're at in an incredible pace.
She then found herself confined in the arms of the said man. His hands firmly holding her shoulders. Luna was perplexed as she look directly to the two eye hole of the mask. A golden orbs— a pellucid golden eyes can be seen through.
The man then opened his mouth and what he said made Luna to be perplexed and aghast.
"Never go to the forest, or else you'll die."