In a desolate place...
"graaa"
"graeeee- iaaaaa"
Two goblins snickered as they gazed into the distance, where a curious white silhouette observed them.
The place they were in was an icy cave, where the cold atmosphere mixed with the wind, creating a faint white mist.
*Footsteps
*Footsteps
The silhouette approached, and as it did, the two goblins could better distinguish its appearance.
"Graa... hehe"
"Hahaha"
The goblins' excitement grew as they saw what the silhouette was.
*Smile
What awaited them was...
--
Explorer's POV:
Elsewhere...
"So... you're lost?"
"Yes, I don't know where I am, I can't remember where the main base is."
I found myself at a crossroads.
As an explorer hired by a high-ranking, prestigious boss in the VR games, I had an important mission on the mountain's outskirts, near a mine.
(What should I do now?), I wondered. I needed to find the enemy's approximate location to prevent a surprise attack.
(The boss told me not to deviate no matter the circumstances), I recalled, looking into the distance towards where I was supposed to go.
This task was crucial in a war where we players had no apparent advantages. Goblins, monsters, maybe something else... everything had to be reported if it was close enough to the area.
So, why not just give simple directions to that player?
(Damn, what a beauty...), I couldn't help but think as I looked at the player.
Pure white hair like snow, crystal blue eyes like the frozen sea, an explosive body, but with an elegant and somewhat naive demeanor.
She was undoubtedly a top-tier woman, a beauty that should not disappoint, a beauty worth every second of escorting.
*Grabbing coat
"Please," she pleaded.
My indecision turned into conviction when I saw those pleading eyes of the beautiful white lady.
"Haaa, fine, my name is Dixon, what's yours?"
"Yuki," she replied with a smile capable of charming even the most devout monk.
(It's just taking her to the mine, what could go wrong?), I thought, disregarding my duty for that white lady.
"Let's go."
"Thank you."
*Relaxed footsteps
And so, I escorted her at a relaxed pace, unaware that every step I took brought me closer to my downfall and that of my companions...
--
*Zoom! (Capsule opening)
*Sigh
With a sigh, Ethan stepped out of the virtual reality capsule, feeling a bit down about his real-life situation. There wasn't much left to do in the game, and he had nearly reached the 8-hour continuous connection limit, so he decided to log out early and face reality.
(Time sure flies, doesn't it? Though I must admit, I've had a lot of fun), he thought as he stretched.
The scenery, the adventure, the thrill of shooting, the feeling of superiority in crushing others, the fear, and the guilty pleasure of acquiring something valuable... All those sensations formed an addictive cocktail that Ethan craved every time he entered the capsule.
But... to enjoy the game without worries, he first needed to sort out his life.
Ethan's POV:
*Steps *Steps
I walked to my desk and turned on the computer.
(Let's see... any responses yet?... Yes, just as I expected). I wasn't at all surprised that my application had been answered quickly; after all, time is money.
"Interview in person, time, address... wait, this place," I murmured, looking at the address for the interview.
*Click *Click
Just to be sure, I opened the maps app on my laptop and the result...
(Just as I thought...)
That's right, the place I was called to was a few minutes' walk away, something 'normal' until you realize exactly where the neighborhood is.
"This is where the wealthy people of the city live," I whispered slowly.
I'm studying at one of the city's most prestigious universities, so it wasn't unusual for my university's location to be in a more opulent area.
(I guess I should get ready, huh?)
And so, I prepared to head to the meeting.
--
After making sure everything was in order, I double-checked what I needed to bring, according to my own criteria.
Presentable clothes... check
A bag... check
A notebook... check
There weren't many things, after all, I planned to meet my pupil and learn how to handle them before starting the next day, assuming I got selected.
(Although I'm not the best in my faculty, I'm confident), my thoughts were confident. After all, you don't survive this kind of university just by attending and doing homework; you need much more, especially if you're an orphan.
I looked at my watch.
30 minutes left...
(I'll take a walk and arrive about 5 minutes early, that might earn me some points for punctuality)
With that thought, I immediately set off.
*Open the door
*Close the door
--
After a boring walk around the neighborhood where my pupil lived, I checked my watch, and it was finally time to meet them.
The neighborhood was quite clean, talking about the streets and houses in general.
Each house had a beautiful garden, they were quite large, and you couldn't hear the typical noise of street vendors you find everywhere.
Instead, the streets were relatively calm with just an occasional sound here and there, so I walked slowly while admiring the place.
As for my thoughts...
I wasn't really that nervous. After all, high school was ridiculously easy for me, to the point that I was sure I'd get promising results from the first month.
But I guess it depends on my pupil, right?
Regarding the interview, I was doubly confident. After all, I have most of the qualities someone actually wants in a tutor.
Even my simple appearance gives me an advantage if it's a girl.
"Let's see... this street... and... it should be this house," I stopped when I saw I had reached my destination.
The house, like the others in this place, was quite large, maybe three stories? It was sky blue with a beautiful rose garden on each side of the main door, bordered by white fences to keep out unwanted intruders.
I proceeded confidently to the main door.
*Knock *Knock
I knocked on the door, and it didn't take long to get a response.
*Footsteps *Footsteps
*Door opening
The door opened, and the person who greeted me was...
(Wow, she's quite beautiful)
She was a mature woman, with platinum blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing gym clothes and sneakers that I didn't even dare look at because they seemed so expensive.
Her figure was slender, and her expression seemed very serene.
"Hello... are you the tutor?"
"Yes, I am, nice to meet you, my name is Ethan, I applied for the tutor position."
I introduced myself while showing my university ID, which she naturally verified.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Adriana, come in, come in."
"Thank you."
Seeing everything was in order, she introduced herself and invited me into her home.
Inside, the house was quite beautiful, with an ideal distribution of spaces and furniture of considerably good quality.
Even the floor tiles looked like real wood, though...
(Have I gotten too used to the mansion?), I had that thought as I wasn't too surprised by the wealthy atmosphere of the place.
"This way."
I was guided by the woman, Adriana, to a nearby sofa.
*Sitting down
As I sat, I fully prepared myself to be interrogated about my life, but instead...
"All right, this is the pay I have set and the bonuses I offer, do you have any questions?" she began, handing me a paper with the details.
She started directly with the pay and the bonuses she promised if her daughter—yes, it was a young girl—achieved good results.
(Wow, those are good bonuses)
The things she promised were quite good to be true, too good...
"I have no questions, actually, I'm quite satisfied," I responded with a nod and a smile.
"That's good, then... here are my daughter's report cards," she said reluctantly as she handed me the report card.
Her clearly embarrassed behavior didn't seem strange to me. After all, rich people almost always tend to put on a front, and if you need a tutor, what I'm about to see won't be excellent.
"Thank you, now, let's see..."
(Holy cow...), I immediately understood why she was acting that way.
F, F, F, and more F's, all subjects were failed with pathetic performances, not mediocre.
You can only call this kind of performance pathetic.