When the plot-skips players into the game world

Princess Isabel's talent was not weak.

Now, midway through November, the fall of Avalon was to occur the following autumn. As members of the same protagonist team, their levels were quite similar.

In other words, over the span of nearly ten months, both Aiwass and Princess Isabel had easily advanced to around level thirty without feeling much pressure. And level thirty was already considered the fourth Energy Level, which meant they were among the elites even in the whole Kingdom of Avalon.

In this world, there were no player characters, nor was there a team of adventurers—a so-called "adventurer's party"—who somehow fetched godlike powers to overcome any obstacle; that is, those other players who formed a team through matching. Aiwass needed to build his own foundation.

Based on the various settings his friend would frequently babble about, Aiwass could figure out the personalities, life stories, and talent directions of these key characters... as well as the theoretical paths of growth that existed only in theory.

He knew many secrets, and in this world, secrets were power.

But he obviously couldn't use them all for himself.

When one could fully utilize resources, going solo as a hero was the utmost folly. After all, there was a limit to what one person could achieve alone. But choosing the right people was even more important—a mix of mediocrities, traitors, and ungrateful wretches would only have a destructive effect.

Only those who were sufficiently reliable and trustworthy deserved to share in Aiwass's precious experience.

Princess Isabel was one of them.

The future "Queen Vanhua" was a teammate he had already earmarked early on.

Therefore, even without a special request from Master Yanis, he would have taken the initiative to get involved in Princess Isabel's growth path. To seek better development for her.

After all, Aiwass lacked companions. Helping her was helping himself.

Although according to Master Yanis's request, Aiwass could actually delay until the third promotion—at which point he could formally form a permanent team with Princess Isabel when advancing from level 29 to 30...

—but Aiwass felt that there was really no need to do so.

The initial reason he assumed the identity of "Mr. Fox" was to shine in plain sight. Delaying it too long would be pointless.

The reason Aiwass did not immediately volunteer the information "I am Mr. Fox" when he met with Isabel this time was because Isabel's current character had not yet been honed and lacked sufficient self-confidence.

Because of Master Yanis's own growth trajectory, she believed in the type that "as long as one has genuine knowledge and skills and continuously overcomes difficulties, one can grow rapidly through pain." They do not need too much interference from others and do not need to correct others' life paths—every life will have its own way out.

So, Master Yanis tended to keep building up Isabel's "substance." To lay a tremendously solid foundation for her, to let her learn how to handle various situations. But she would not teach Isabel the principles of life, nor would she elucidate her moods.

Master Yanis hoped Isabel would forge ahead in life based on the truths she realized by herself.

This wasn't necessarily wrong, and it could even be said to be far-sighted. Because according to the original course of history, indeed, after experiencing sudden life changes, Isabel quickly stood strong using her accumulated substance and continued to grow rapidly amidst a thorny path.

From the soft and tender little girl of today to the reliable and mature queen of the future, Isabel took less than five years.

And the Isabel of today, still tended to subconsciously choose to flee when overwhelmed.

She was like that shy and reclusive girl. Although she also had a crush on him, if he confessed too early or too suddenly, without giving her time to prepare mentally or react, her emotions might become muddled, and she might subconsciously flee the relationship due to not knowing how to handle it.

—Even though it seemed like goodwill had been sufficiently established, but if one were to suddenly approach her, she might flee. Isabel was just that kind of troublesome type.

Aiwass knew how to handle this situation.

Essentially, it was because she wasn't ready. A girl would flee because subconsciously, she hoped "the present comfort could last forever," not wanting to step further into the unknown.

In essence, Isabel was afraid of the unknown.

And this fear was cultivated through her constant worry about the "Royal Curse" and when it might take effect.

Every day she feared whether her father, brother, or younger brother might die of sickness; every time she fell ill, she doubted whether it was the curse or if she was going to die; because of her grandmother's old age, she also feared the chaos and war that the queen's death might bring about.

After Avalon's downfall, she was able to stabilize—because all the worst outcomes she had worried about had arrived.

So there was nothing left to fear.

So, a calmed Isabel, for the first time when there was "no way back," did not choose to flee but courageously moved forward—

...However, this solution could not stand in this timeline.

Aiwass couldn't harm Isabel just for the sake of her growth.

If her family was destroyed both before and after the historical change, what would be the point of his coming?

—It felt like having traveled to the start of an anime or game's plot, where despite having changed many things, at a critical junction, one lets the familiar "original story" unfold, allowing the altered plot to return to the track of the original material, just like a fan protagonist.

Therefore, Mr. Aiwass deliberately made another preparation.

As early as the first advanced ceremony, Mr. Aiwass had already laid the groundwork. He originally planned to talk about it later, but now the timing was coincidental... Master Yanis took the initiative to propose that he hoped Mr. Aiwass would team up with the Princess.

So, the moment to put it into action had arrived.

At the banquet, Mr. Aiwass cheerfully dined while chatting with Isabel.

Perhaps because her teacher was present, Isabel was a bit reserved and silent at the start, preferring to listen rather than speak.

But after the two had a few glasses of white wine, the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

Music, poetry, philosophy, secrets... the topics were much like those Mr. Aiwass talked about with Isabel in Dreamland, inside that abandoned chemical factory. This time, however, they had the more knowledgeable Master Yanis to engage in meaningful conversation with Mr. Aiwass, unlike the foolish questioning of herself in her dreams.

This took the interest and substance of their conversation up a notch.

Although Mr. Aiwass deliberately avoided repeating topics, his perspective, tone, and level of erudition were very much like the "Fox."

—This was Mr. Aiwass deliberately showing some cracks.

He hoped Princess Isabel might vaguely guess, or realize that "Mr. Aiwass could possibly be Mr. Fox," but hesitate to speak out due to insufficient evidence.

And for Isabel, the fact that "the Mr. Aiwass she knew in reality" and "the secret friend Fox she met in dreams" were the same person was not a bad thing... on the contrary, it would be a "good thing" that she would rather believe to be true.

Because the identity of the "Fox" was too mysterious.

While mystery ignites curiosity and a desire to explore, the sense of mystery retained after establishing a connection can provoke feelings of unease. And Isabel happened to be particularly afraid of this kind of unease.

If the "Fox" continued to maintain this mystery, Isabel would inevitably start to ponder if he had reasons for not revealing his identity—leading her to guess his identity might be tainted. At least, he was someone she couldn't openly introduce to her father, grandmother, or teacher... If so, even if their relationship was close, it could only become a private friend she couldn't share or boast about with others.

But Mr. Aiwass was different.

The Moriarty Family was one of the twenty Founding Families, holding high prestige and status in Avalon.

Though Mr. Aiwass was only Professor Moriarty's adopted son, as long as Old Moriarty was alive, he remained a member of a Founding Family. And if Professor Moriarty made a will before his death, leaving the Moriarty Family inheritance to Mr. Aiwass... although it might be difficult due to the lack of blood relation, the chances of a successful inheritance were not small.

After all, Professor Moriarty had no biological children, nor any living relatives of the same generation. He could only pass it on to his adopted children.

Just as Mr. Aiwass was now able to be directly invited to the Hall of Silver and Tin— his identity was clean, his future bright.
Your journey continues with m v|l-e'm,p y r

Becoming friends with such a person would surely not be opposed by the elders.

Could I only meet "Mr. Fox" in my dreams? If Mr. Aiwass knew of "Fox's" existence, would he be angry? What if "Fox," upon learning my true identity, developed hostility towards me or thoughts of using me?

—As long as the "Fox" was Mr. Aiwass, all the problems and worries on Isabel's mind would cease to exist.

While Isabel hoped so in her heart, in fact, she was already preparing herself psychologically.

For a girl who, under the slightest pressure, would spook and run away like a little animal, words from others, no matter what, might not work—not even those of her most trusted Mrs. Yanis might be willing to listen to.

Only the thoughts within her own heart could be accepted by her.

And if the outcome she hoped for came true smoothly, without any reversals or shocks—then she could build a sense of "hope."

Among all the ways to combat fear, hope is a harmless, healthy remedy.

What Isabel lacked most was confidence. And real confidence could not be instilled by others. Only when decisions she had firmly made yielded positive feedback could her wounded spirit heal and be soothed by this feedback.

But for that very reason, Mr. Aiwass couldn't delay too long.

Because a "prank" you reveal yourself and a "lie" that gets exposed are fundamentally different.

Mr. Aiwass couldn't truly let her catch him out, but had to reveal his identity voluntarily, admitting his initial deception. Otherwise, their relationship would gradually begin to mix with a suspicion named "doubt." And that would also harm Isabel, causing her "avoidance" to shift to "mistrust."

That would be fostering her the wrong way.

For Mr. Aiwass, the process of nurturing Isabel from now on was like a beauty training camp—

Even though their relationship wasn't like that of a father and daughter in video games. But compared to Isabel's irresponsible, absent father, Mr. Aiwass who helped Isabel in her dreams, chose a brighter future for her, chatted and played with her, encouraged her growth and learning, treated her psychological illness, personally cultivated her self-esteem and confidence, and prevented her from being hurt in the future...

—Perhaps he was more like her real father than her biological one.