Villain Ch 165. Scapegoat
With his apartment now tidy and his laundry folded, Allen decided to use a few hours to write and finish some of his chapters and update his story.
Finally, as the clock displayed the time as 3:15 PM, he went online.
The world around him seemed to shift and transform. The mundane confines of his apartment faded away, replaced by a breathtaking virtual landscape. He found himself standing at the entrance of the Cursed Crypts' Gate.
Taking in the surroundings, he was hoping to spot his companions, but the area appeared empty. With a shrug, Allen made his way toward the grand mansion nestled beyond the gate. Navigating through the hallways, Allen eventually arrived at the NPC room.
After he completed the transaction, selling off his loot to the NPC, he waved his hand in front of him, opening his friend list screen. The familiar translucent interface materialized before his eyes, displaying the profiles and online status of his companions.
He scanned the list and took in the unexpected sight of his friends all being online simultaneously. Such an occurrence was a rarity. What's more, their fully restored HP and Mana bars puzzled him even further. It was clear that they were not in the midst of a battle or engaged in the pursuit of leveling up. Also, when his eyes scanned their status updates, he confirmed that each of them had already accomplish their daily quests.The peculiar circumstances hinted at something out of the ordinary, and Allen's curiosity was piqued.
Intrigued by the mysterious alignment of their online presence, Allen couldn't help but wonder what had transpired.
A thought crossed his mind. "Maybe I should check out the throne room," he mused silently, contemplating their usual gathering spot where they often engaged in lively conversations.
With a decisive nod, Allen closed the friend list screen and made his way toward the throne room. As he approached the grand entrance, he could hear fragments of their voices drifting through the air. Rather than entering right away, he opted to linger just outside the room, hidden in the shadows, eager to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Carefully positioning himself where he could hear without being detected, Allen strained his ears to capture the snippets of dialogue that floated his way.
The jubilant sound of laughter emanated from within the throne room, reaching Allen's ears with an infectious energy that stirred his curiosity, their voices brimming with enthusiasm and mischief.
"Did that Elio guy turn pale?" Vivian's voice resonated with excitement, the anticipation palpable in her tone.
Shea chimed in with a sly smile. "No, he managed to keep his composure and played the role of a knight to the hilt. But that red-haired guy... oh, he definitely turned pale," she revealed, relishing in the intrigue of the situation. "You know, police or not, fear can still grip their hearts. And it was exactly what I expected, they tried to shift the blame onto Allen. But my actors held their ground and focused solely on them." Pride laced her words.
Jane, however, couldn't help but voice her dissatisfaction. Her tone carried a hint of frustration and discontent. "Ugh, that's dirty," she grumbled, her voice filled with disdain. "They're the ones causing trouble, yet they have the audacity to cast blame on others." Her words conveyed a deep-seated sense of injustice.
Zoe chimed in with a huff. "They needed a scapegoat to absolve themselves of responsibility," she scoffed, her voice tinged with irritation. It was clear that she harbored little patience for such underhanded tactics.
Larissa's frown deepened, her voice carried a hint of frustration. "That red-haired guy... What's his name again?" she inquired.
"Jacob," Zoe promptly supplied the missing detail.
"Right, Jacob. Well, if he's so afraid, then maybe he shouldn't be making trouble in a public place," Larissa retorted, annoyance lacing her words. Her no-nonsense attitude shone through, unwilling to tolerate reckless behavior without consequences.
Vivian nodded in agreement, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and mild disapproval. "Some people just have a knack for creating trouble, oblivious to the consequences," she remarked, shaking her head in mock exasperation. Her words hinted at the often impulsive nature of certain individuals who seemed to have a magnetic attraction to chaos.
Bella added her own perspective to the discussion. "Or maybe Jacob was just trying to impress that girl. I mean, let's admit it, she gave off that conventional princess vibe," she chimed in, a playful lilt in her voice.
Larissa furrowed her brows in confusion, her eyes fixed on Bella. "Conventional princess? What do you mean?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Bella leaned to her, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know, the type of girl that usually exists in fairy tales," she explained with a sly smile. "The one main character of a conventional princess story. When the villain attacks or tries to kill her, she can't fight back, but can only cry and bemoan her fate. Then a prince or a knight comes to save her and-"
Before Bella could finish her sentence, Alice interjected with her trademark wit. "They're fucked. The end," she added, a playful tone lacing her words.
Bella shot her a flat stare, her lips forming a thin line. "They're married," she corrected her, her voice carrying a hint of exasperation.
Alice grinned mischievously, clearly unfazed by Bella's correction. "Same thing, really. I mean, what does a married couple do on their first night of the wedding? Hunt a dragon? Kill an orc horde?" she replied, her teasing tone never wavering.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Bella's lips, despite her best efforts to maintain a serious expression. "You know, I hate it when your jokes actually make sense," she remarked, a hint of playful annoyance in her voice.
Alice's smug smile widened at Bella's admission. "Well, thank you. I've been perfecting the art of blending logic with humor my whole life," she quipped, her eyes dancing with amusement.
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