Returning to the hospital room after their evening out, Arthur slowly pulled out the guest bed provided for family members and sat down on it.
'This bed is quite comfortable...Well, anything is better than cardboard, I guess,'
Charlotte moved toward the hangers on the back of the door, removing her jacket and scarf.
She hung the clothes neatly before turning back toward him, her pale face tranquil.
With a small gesture, she signed: "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. Goodnight Arthur."
Arthur nodded, offering her a soft smile.
"Goodnight, Charlotte" he replied, his tone warm. "I'll stay awake for a bit. I need to fix a few things on my phone."
Charlotte nodded, as she climbed into her bed.
She tucked herself under the blanket, her small, fragile frame almost disappearing beneath it.
Arthur focused on his phone, updating a few apps and skimming through some update notifications.
The room was peaceful, with the sound of their breathing the only breaker to the silence.
Time passed quietly, and as Arthur adjusted his phone brightness, he felt a slight touch against his hand.
Looking down, he noticed Charlotte's hand touching his, her delicate, long fingers brushing against his slightly.
Their beds were close together which allowed the contact.
He glanced at her, but her face was turned away to the other side, her breathing even and steady as though she had already fallen asleep.
A faint smile tugged at Arthur's lips as he gently held her hand, enclosing it in his own.
Her fingers were cold, and he warmed them as he rested back against his bedframe.
'This girl...' he thought.
The realisation softened him, filling him with warmth as he held her hands softly but tightly.
Charlotte's lips curved into a small smile as she drifted deeper into sleep, though Arthur couldn't see it.
She seemed at peace, her hand remaining loosely in his as her breathing deepened.
An hour later, Arthur noticed the rhythm of her breathing hadn't changed for a while.
'She's asleep now,' he thought.
Carefully, he released her hand, placing it softly back on her bed. He stood up slowly, his movements careful not to disturb her rest.
Walking to the window, Arthur stared out at the city lights.
'I can't just sit here and do nothing,' he thought, his fists clenching at his sides.
'Her treatment, the future… I need to make more money, and fast.'
With a determined expression and unshakable resolve, he entered [Armageddon].
He smiled feeling the familiar pull into the void as the real world faded around him, and he reappeared in the vast, unpredictable world of Armageddon.
Looking around him, the village was still bustling with players who were either trying to flirt with female NPCs or other female players.
'What are these idiots doing? How can you possibly waste your time doing this shit, when this world is so unpredictable. Like, this isn't just a random game. Its origins are unknown, and the creators are also unknown.'
'Some of these guys are way too thirsty,' he thought with a sigh. 'Horny for missions and just about anything that walks and has a hole.'
Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a small weight land on his right shoulder, startling him.
His heart jumped as he quickly turned his head, only to find Neko perched there, her tail curling lazily around his neck.
"Neko, you scared the shit out of me. At least meow or something, don't just jump on my shoulder." He said, shaking his head.
Neko, as expected, completely ignored him. Instead, she rubbed her ears with her paw, her face the epitome of indifference.
Arthur shook his head. "Figures," he muttered, continuing his walk.
**
As he wandered deeper into the village, Arthur passed by a small but familiar run-down house.
A familiar figure caught his eye, it was a drunk old man sitting slouched against the wall, a bottle in his hand.
Arthur recognized him immediately.
'It's that guy from before,' he thought. 'The one who said he didn't need help.'
The old man seemed oblivious to Arthur at first, lazily sipping from his bottle.
But as Arthur passed, the man's gaze shifted to his shoulder, locking onto Neko.
His blurry eyes squinted slightly, and for a moment, his entire personality changed.
The man's body stiffened, his drunken stupor fading instantly.
His eyes widened as they met Neko's calm, golden gaze. His hand trembled, and he nearly dropped the bottle as fear crept onto his face.
'That beast…' he thought, his mind racing.
'How the hell is this kid walking around with that thing on his shoulder like it's a normal cat?'
Neko continued to stare back at him, her gaze unwavering and unreadable.
The old man swallowed hard, the bottle slipping from his hand and clattering to the ground. The sound snapped him out of his daze, and a sudden idea struck him.
'Maybe… maybe he can actually help me,' he thought, standing up with surprising speed for a supposed drunkard.
The drunken wobble was gone from his step almost as if it never existed in the first place.
Arthur frowned as the old man approached him, a wide smile plastered across his face.
"Hello, young man," the old man began, his voice unusually cheerful. "How are you doing today? I heard you're an amazing adventurer! I was wondering if—"
Arthur raised an eyebrow and cut him off mid-sentence. "Wait a damn second," he said, his tone sceptical.
"Aren't you the same guy who told me he didn't need any help? You were pretty sure about that, too. You made me waste minutes that I could've been using to level up, what do you want now?"
The old man froze, his smile faltering. For a moment, he simply blinked at Arthur, his mind scrambling for a response.
'What the hell?' he thought, his panic rising. 'Aren't players supposed to be desperate for quests? Why is this one rejecting me?!'
Arthur tilted his head, his expression deadpan. "Well?" he asked. "What's changed? Or are you just here to waste my time again?"
The old man's lips parted, but no words came out at first. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his confidence wavering. 'How am I supposed to explain this?'
Finally, he cleared his throat and forced another smile. "Ahem. Well, young man," he said, his tone overly formal almost boot-licking, "I may have… uh… underestimated you before. But I can clearly see now that you're someone special."