"I curse every scoundrel to endless suffering! May they meet a terrible end!"
In the classroom, Elias suddenly woke from the curse-induced nightmare.
Gasping for air, his chest heaved violently, sweat beading on his forehead.
His classmates were startled by his abrupt behavior.
"Elias, are you okay?" his desk mate asked with concern. "Do you feel unwell?"
Elias, disoriented, glanced around the familiar classroom and at his desk mate. Had he not just died?
His shirt was spotless, void of any bloodstains, yet he vividly remembered Luna's tentacle piercing his heart.
As he looked around in astonishment, the classroom was as it had been before – the girl who got dumped was still crying, and the classmates who were initially condemning the heartbreaker now curiously gazed at him.
He hadn't died; he was back where he started.
Just then, a familiar game interface appeared before him:
[2.0 Version Update Complete]
[Chapter One: The Ghost of Rose City University]
[Investigate the student disappearances at the Royal Magitech Science Academy and uncover the true culprit.]
[Reward: +10 to any attribute point; Random item reward]
[Affection System Activated]
[Alchemy/Potion System Activated]
[Save Point Updated]
[Read Count: 4/5]
[Reminder: The game cannot be restarted. For your safety, please approach each load cautiously.]
Elias stared at the game prompt, realizing he would have to face Luna again. And if he died five times, it would be the end for real.
Frustrated by the system's slow update, he knew this was his only chance at survival.
The new 2.0 version was similar to what he had played before, but with entirely new chapters. However, Elias was not in the mood for investigating a "campus disappearance case."
He was still reeling from the shadow of death that had enveloped him – Luna's twisted smile, her mind-warping contamination, and her lethal tentacle.
The thought of her transformation into something so terrifying and the searing pain of death still haunted him. Even with the ability to load a save, he dreaded experiencing it again.
Elias clenched his fists tightly, determined not to let history repeat itself.
With a male classmate's call-out—
"Elias, your girlfriend is here looking for you!"
What was expected has finally happened.
The classroom fell silent as everyone's attention turned to the doorway.
Despite his preparation, Elias's heart raced uncontrollably.
He struggled to compose himself as he slowly looked at the girl bathed in sunlight.
"Please, is... is my bro here?" she asked timidly, standing there just as she had at the beginning.
The beautiful, elf-like girl captured the gaze of the boys and stirred whispers among the girls.
But no one knew of the twisted heart beneath her angelic appearance.
"bro! I finally found you!" Her blue eyes were filled with Elias's reflection as she approached him.
This time, Elias didn't move to greet her. He unclenched his fists, took a deep breath, and prioritized his survival over confrontation. He looked at Luna with a gentle, broly smile. "Luna."
Luna, feeling the weight of the eyes around her, shyly lowered her head. "bro, let's go home... I've waited so long for you..."
Elias silently observed her.
To anyone else, this harmless and pitiable girl would never show a hint of danger.
But Elias knew if he upset her or made her feel betrayed, she could turn lethal.
The air was tense with silence. Perhaps sensing Elias's lack of enthusiasm, Luna cautiously looked up. "bro?" she asked.
"Yes?" Elias responded, maintaining his feigned smile.
Luna fidgeted, "Did Luna do something wrong...?"
"No, not at all," Elias reassured her. "It's just that you've changed so much, I almost didn't recognize you."
Luna lowered her head again, resembling a guilty child. The desk mate, curious about their relationship, asked Elias, "Is she your sis?"
Elias nodded. "Yes, she's my sis. We haven't seen each other for a few years."
Relieved to hear Luna was not his girlfriend, the desk mate playfully winked at Elias. "Hey man, don't be so distant with your sis. It's freaking her out!!"
"Come, come over here to sis~" she said, intending to warmly take Luna's hand.
However, Elias was one step ahead and grabbed Luna's hand first.
"Eh?" The female classmate was momentarily stunned.
Elias stood up, blocking everyone's view.
"My sister doesn't like physical contact with strangers," he said, shooting a meaningful glance at his classmate. Keeping Luna away from the innocent students seemed the safest option for now.
"If there's nothing else, we'll be heading home. Bye," Elias announced.
The desk mate, still captivated by Elias's handsome face, nodded absentmindedly, "Uh... okay, bye..."
As they were about to leave, a student called out, "Elias! The professor wants to see you in her office!"
Elias responded, "We'll talk about it tomorrow," and walked out of the classroom with Luna, not looking back.
On the way home, Luna hung her head guiltily. "If you don't want me to go to your school, I won't do it again," she murmured.
Elias shook his head, "Why would you think that? I'm just worried about you being around strangers."
Luna looked up, surprised. "Really? You're not rejecting me?"
"Of course not," Elias replied softly, stroking her light-colored hair. "How could I ever reject you?"
Hearing this, Luna's eyes lit up joyfully. "So you really were thinking of me! You're so kind, bro!"
Then, Luna looked at Elias and finally asked the crucial question, "Can you stop going to school, bro? I want you to stay with me at home!"
Elias maintained his calm exterior and smile, though internally he was panicking.
This was the question that had led to his demise last time. He couldn't afford to answer incorrectly. Looking into Luna's hopeful blue eyes, he replied without hesitation, "Of course, I can."
"Really?!" Luna's eyes widened in excitement.
"Absolutely," Elias affirmed, keeping his composure.
It was all about acting – a skill he had mastered during his first playthrough when juggling multiple love interests.
And this time, with that face added to the equation, the effect was even more pronounced than before.
Elias gazed at Luna, his face breaking into a dazzling, gentle smile.
In the most sincere tone, he softly said, "I adore you, Luna. How could I not want to spend every day with you?"
The effect was immediately evident. Luna was stunned, her eyes filled with adoration as she looked at Elias's magically captivating smile. "bro... loves Luna... Luna loves bro too..." she whispered, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Elias was taken aback by Luna's reaction, which was far more intense than he expected.
She murmured to herself and displayed peculiar smiles. "bro... such a kind bro, such a smile... is mine... only mine..."
Suddenly, Elias felt a powerful grip on his hand, pulling him towards their house. "bro belongs only to me... no one will take him away," Luna muttered, her eyes darting around suspiciously, as if guarding against anyone who might steal her bro away. Her expression darkened.
Elias, struggling to maintain his composure, started to feel fear creeping in.
Why was she reacting like this, even when he answered correctly?
He realized he might have gone too far, not considering Luna's unstable mental state and her inability to handle even the slightest provocation.
As the door to their home closed with a resounding thud, Luna's excitement was palpable.
"I'll prepare dinner for bro! I need to step out for a bit!" she announced, adding that she had been improving her cooking skills during their separation. "Wait for me at home, bro!"
Relieved at Luna's departure, Elias relaxed momentarily, only to be startled by her sudden reappearance behind him.
He winced as his wrists were clasped in cold, heavy metal handcuffs.
Elias looked at Luna in shock.
"Bro needs to wait obediently at home, no funny business, okay~?"
"Otherwise, if Luna finds out, Luna will get angry, you know~"