Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 278: What… was going on?

[Alice’s Current Mood Level: 3/100 (Despair, Distrust)]

[Alice’s Mood Level is critically low. Host, please comfort her immediately!]

The system’s notifications were always objective, devoid of any emotion.

But this time, the situation seemed so dire that even the system couldn’t stand Ryan’s behavior, urging him repeatedly.

“I know, I know! Just let me convince myself first, alright?”

Ryan flipped off the empty air, slumping against the wall, feeling defeated.

Alice was his mission target, but she was also his friend. Walking away just now—wasn’t that a bit too careless?

There had to be a better way to handle things, but instead, he chose to run away.

He thought back to the photo on her bedside table, the family picture from the amusement park with a missing figure, and the contrast between Alice’s past and present—the smile that had vanished from her face. All of it explained why Alice had become the way she was today.

He was asking Alice to trust him completely, but did he really deserve that trust?

Sure, his goal was to help Alice survive, but wasn’t there a lot of selfishness mixed in too?

Complete three Dangerous Events, earn a Wish Point, and then use it to make Alice kill him. After that, he’d disappear from her life for good. Wasn’t that Ryan’s plan all along?

Whether it was due to the circumstances or his own inner thoughts, Ryan had kept a lot from Alice. If he could just say, “I want to help you,” and earn her trust, wouldn’t that trust feel a bit too cheap?

Rubbing his temples, Ryan finally had a moment to gather his thoughts. But looking at it now, it seemed like he was the one who had been wrong all along.

[Alice’s Mood Level is critically low. She may take extreme actions. Host, please comfort her immediately!]

“Fuck, don’t you think I know that? Just give me a second!”

The system’s constant nagging was driving him nuts. Ryan covered his ears, staring blankly at the floor, lost in thought.

He hadn’t been honest enough. He had appeared in Alice’s life out of nowhere, started helping her out of nowhere, and would eventually leave her just as suddenly.

Emotional investment goes both ways. Alice had already taken her step forward—her Favorability score of over 70 was proof of that. But Ryan? He was still stuck in place. Wasn’t it only natural that Alice felt insecure?

“Could it be… I was wrong?”

Frustrated, Ryan ruffled his hair, tossing and turning on the bed.

Alice had confiscated his journal, so he couldn’t even grab a piece of paper to analyze the situation. His mind was now consumed by a nameless emotion.

What Alice did was wrong, but he had been wrong first. Unfortunately, by the time he realized it, it was already too late.

“Why did I act so fast just now… I should’ve waited a bit longer.”

Muttering to himself, Ryan glanced at the surveillance camera in the corner of the basement. Alice had probably suspected him from the start, and he had known something was off from the beginning too.

Why hadn’t there been such a strong reaction before? Why had things suddenly become unbearable this time?

Ryan stroked his chin, thinking about everything that had happened recently. A few faces flashed through his mind—Mia and Anna among them.

Had the girls’ behavior influenced his judgment?

Mia was always trying to convince him to leave Alice. Her hostility toward Alice had rubbed off on him a little, too.

As for Anna, she and Alice seemed to get along okay on the surface, but their relationship probably wasn’t as harmonious as it appeared.

Anna’s kindness and warmth had really touched him. Even though Alice had softened a lot compared to before, she still couldn’t quite match Anna in that regard.

But… no, that couldn’t be it, right? Ryan hesitated, rubbing his chin.

The next second, he shook his head, trying to banish the thought. He was being unfair, assuming the worst about people.

Mia might have a bit of a devilish streak, but when it came down to it, she was reliable. Besides, the gap between them was too big—both in terms of status and age. Mia’s flirtatiousness felt more like playful teasing to Ryan.

And Anna? That was even less likely. They were just friends. She had no reason to go after Alice for his sake…

“Damn it, this is starting to feel like one of those harem anime love triangles. Why are girls’ relationships so complicated?”

This was even harder to figure out than why Alice had been spying on him all this time. Maybe he already had some ideas but had been denying them all along.

Either way, now that he had sorted things out, it was time to go find Alice.

The system had been quiet for a while now. Maybe it had crashed from repeating itself too many times. Either way, Ryan’s mind had finally calmed down.

Ryan didn’t believe there was anything that couldn’t be talked through. Alice might seem cold on the outside, but deep down, she was more gentle than anyone.

If they could just sit down and have a proper conversation, there was still a chance to turn things around.

The more Ryan thought about it, the more convinced he became. The main reason for his confidence was the over 70 points of Favorability Alice had for him. That gave him some leverage.

Looking at the system panel, he realized that the earlier warnings had made it seem like the situation was beyond saving.

But now, after checking again, he saw that Alice’s mood had stopped plummeting once it hit a certain low point. In fact, it had even slightly improved, easing up just a bit.

[Alice Mood Level: 10/100 (???)]

Her status had become unknown again, which was probably why the system had suddenly gone silent.

“Now’s the time. I should go apologize to Alice.”

“Girls need to be comforted, right? I’ll get her Mood Level back up first, then we can talk about everything else.”

Ryan made a quick decision. The situation couldn’t wait. Alice’s unknown status was far more dangerous than just having a low Mood Level. If something went wrong, and he couldn’t complete his mission, he’d be done for.

Seriously, why couldn’t Alice just be a little more cheerful?

The downside of having such high Favorability was starting to show. Every move Ryan made now had a direct impact on Alice’s reactions. Was this the kind of crisis the system couldn’t predict?

And this was just the beginning. Things were only going to get scarier from here.

Having made up his mind, Ryan prepared to act. After all, it was his fault for not giving Alice a chance earlier and walking away. Now, he was ready to face the consequences.

You’ve got to think about the future. Sure, storming off in a huff might’ve looked cool, but going back to beg for forgiveness? That was going to be embarrassing.

He stood up and headed toward the stairs. He knew exactly where Alice’s room was—he’d been there enough times. Sneaking back to her room wouldn’t be too hard.

But before he even reached the stairs, he heard a commotion outside.

Peeking out the window, he saw that the guards who had been stationed at the door were all leaving. The maids and other staff were also lining up, heading out of the villa.

“Hurry up! Miss Alice told us to leave. Stop dragging your feet.”

Hearing the guards talking to each other, Ryan frowned slightly. Alice had sent everyone away?

Why?

Not sure what was going on, Ryan left the basement, his mind full of questions. He cautiously made his way toward Alice’s room on the second floor.

It seemed like Alice was really upset. Sending the guards away was probably her way of making sure no one saw her lose control.

That’s what Ryan thought, anyway, as he glanced up toward the second floor. But what he saw next made him freeze in place.

Standing at the top of the stairs, facing him, was a girl in a black dress. She looked elegant and regal, like the most precious gemstone.

“Miss… Miss Alice?”

“Mm…”

Who else could it be but Alice? But this outfit…

Ryan’s eyes were glued to her, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. Alice’s current state was completely different from what he had imagined.

What… was going on?

———————

PS:Oh boy, Ryan’s definitely in deep now! Between juggling Alice’s emotional rollercoaster and trying to figure out why she sent everyone away, this guy’s got his hands full. Honestly, can you blame him for being a little confused? One moment, Alice is distant, her Mood Level dropping like a rock, and the next, she’s sending the entire staff away and standing there in a black dress looking like she’s ready for… well, something big. Talk about mixed signals, right?

Ryan’s got a lot to figure out—fast. His first instinct? Apologize, smooth things over, and hopefully get back in Alice’s good graces. But is that even going to be enough? Let’s be real: this is more than just a quick apology situation. Alice is already at a critical emotional point, and one wrong move could send everything spiraling out of control.

And can we talk about that black dress? It’s not exactly casual attire, and it’s definitely making Ryan rethink what’s going on here. Is this a confrontation? A farewell? Or something else entirely? The fact that Alice’s mood level has stopped dropping is a small win, but it’s clear Ryan’s got his work cut out for him if he’s going to patch things up.

Ryan’s good nature always puts him in these tricky situations. He tries to keep the peace, but sometimes it just feels like no matter what he does, things keep getting more complicated. With Alice in such a delicate state and Ryan realizing his own mistakes, it looks like he’s finally starting to understand just how deep his connection to Alice runs—and that this isn’t just about completing a mission anymore.

So, what’s next for our guy? Will he be able to comfort Alice and fix things between them? Or is he about to step on another emotional landmine? One thing’s for sure—Ryan’s got a tough conversation ahead of him, and this situation is far from over.