"By the way, this is my favorite form. So I’ll be like this from now on, okay? Teehee~!"
"Also, from now on, please refer to as she/her, okay? Thank you! Mmmuach~!"
Akuma chirped, striking a cutesy pose with her hands curled like a pampered kitten.
For a mont, Midnight’s mind spun.
Object of desire?
The phrase rang oddly in his ears—like a cognitive dissonant of notes in an otherwise perfect score. His thoughts churned, struggling to grasp the elusive concept that seed to gnaw at the edges of her understanding.
"Oh? Fufufu~ Soone’s confused, aren’t they? Maybe one of you can explain it for us? Don’t be shy, just raise your hand."
Silence.
Not a single hand was raised. The oppressive atmosphere Akuma had conjured still gripped the hearts of the participants.
But the entity behind Akuma’s avatar didn’t seem ready to let her spotlight dim.
"Alright then. I suppose we’ll just pick soone. And do rember... I take no responsibility for the consequences, okay?"
"The punishnt... WILL BE EXCRUCIATING! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Her sadistic laughter echoed, shattering the silence.
Yet even in the face of threat, no one dared to volunteer.
Defeat clouded the faces of the participants—like the weight of life had long since broken their will. But Midnight was different.
His curiosity only flared hotter. What was the purpose of this ga? Who orchestrated it? And what hidden motive lurked beneath?
"Alright, let’s start the countdown! Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five..."
Panic danced in the eyes of everyone present.
"No one? Really? Four... three... two..."
Then, through the silence—a voice rang out. Cold, soft, but resolute.
"Wait."
Midnight felt it: an icy presence in the voice’s tone. Firm. Commanding attention. The speaker’s na floated above her avatar: VelvetVice. But it wasn’t arrogance that drove her to speak—it was sothing closer to resigned necessity.
A tall and blonde-haired female avatar with a ponytail wearing a black suit.
"Oh, who else it is but the one and only VelvetVice! Everyone, give a round of applause for our one and only psychology expert!"
Akuma announced with exaggerated cheer.
Wait, psychology expert? In a ga like this?!
Midnight’s thought ran deep akin to the river, while Akuma continued her speech.
"Deep down, I knew you’d speak up eventually,"
She added with a knowing smile that made Midnight’s skin crawl.
"Shut it, you horny bear. I just want to speak,"
VelvetVice replied flatly—her tone cutting like a blade through fog.
"Awww~ How an! We’re both girls, you know?! Or do you prefer I switch to a male form instead?" Akuma teased.
"Alright, alright, I’m kidding—oww!"
Was that real?! Midnight blinked.
Before her eyes, VelvetVice pecked Akuma’s head with swift precision.
"Ouch! That hurts, you know! Hey, that’s discrimination against bear-kind!"
Akuma pouted, half-joking, half-genuinely offended.
The participants were stunned.
So mouths fell open, unable to process VelvetVice’s audacity.
"You’ve got a death wish, huh?" Akuma sneered, her voice darkening.
"You can’t kill . Your threats are in-vain, aren’t they?"
VelvetVice retorted, her tone laced with disdain.
"Alright, alright. You win. Now please, do explain objet petit a and object of desire. Hehehe~" Akuma conceded, flashing a sinister grin.
VelvetVice turned her face away, ignoring her entirely.
"Hmph! Hey, look at ! Huh? Hello? Hel-looo? Akuma calling VelvetVice?! You can see , right? Right?" Akuma waved her hands frantically in front of VelvetVice.
"Hellooo? Hey, are you ignoring ?! How dare you!"
She whined, voice rising in frustration.
The scene teetered between absurdity and cody—a stark contrast to the earlier tension. Laughter flickered in the hearts of the players, stifled by fear.
Perhaps only a few weak smiles and restrained chuckles escaped.
"So, the object of desire refers to..." VelvetVice began with an academic air.
"Hey, don’t act like I’m not here! I am right here, VelvetVice! Helloooo~!"
Akuma interrupted like a child being ignored.
"Now, as for objet petit a, Jacques Lacan once explained that..."
VelvetVice continued unfazed.
What a pretentious nerd, Midnight thought bitterly.
She had a deep-rooted dislike for VelvetVice’s type.
Overconfident. Pedantic. Speaking with an air of entitlent as if she held all the answers. Midnight hoped he’d never et anyone like her in real life. Even the thought of becoming close to such a person—let alone liking one—was more horrifying than death itself.
She tuned out the rest of VelvetVice’s drawn-out explanation.
Eventually, VelvetVice ended what felt more like a compulsory lecture than a conversation. So participants were yawning, and a few seed to be nodding off.
"Alright. That concludes my explanation. Any questions?"
Everyone shook their heads in perfect unison, silently praying it was finally over.
"Okay, seems like there’s nothing else. Alright, I’ll take my leave from the stage," said VelvetVice, turning to face Akuma with a sharp glare.
"Happy?"
Her gaze was cold and piercing, as if it could kill a naughty, annoying, and whiny teddy bear right on the spot.
"He-heee~! Y-yeah, I’m satisfied! Please don’t look at like that! You’re scaring ~!"
Squeaked Akuma, for the first ti showing genuine fear.
She looked like a little girl in a red hood cornered by a wild wolf.
The players’ reactions varied. So looked disappointed, perhaps because VelvetVice didn’t eliminate that annoying mascot. On the other hand, so seed relieved, as if VelvetVice’s courage had sparked new hope.
"Hehehe, JUST KIDDING!" shouted Akuma suddenly, the sly grin returning to her face.
BRAKKK
A low, swift, and powerful kick struck VelvetVice’s unguarded leg, sending her collapsing with a muffled scream.
"Ughhh, you..."
In an instant, all the hope that had just begun to bloom was crushed. That faint light was snuffed out again. Akuma had turned the tables with her shocking brutality.
"That’s what you got for scaring this sweet and adorable teddy bear, you know!" Akuma shouted, her voice laced with cynical triumph.
Truly the cunning little red riding hood. What a brilliant coback.
Midnight hated to admit it, but Akuma’s tactic—pretending to be weak before her "predator"—was actually very clever.
However, VelvetVice didn’t give up just like that.
She struggled to stand even though the pain was obvious.
In terms of aura and charisma, both managed to preserve their dignity despite the montary defeat they had earlier.
"Oh, still able to stand? Impressive. What kind of physical activity did you do to be that tough?" Akuma asked with a mocking tone, though tinged with admiration.
VelvetVice replied calmly, "Playing Go and writing books."
"Ho-ho-ho~! Fascinating. Trying to act like the main character who’s secretly overpowered, huh? Isn’t that right?" teased Akuma.
"What I can do... is none of your business," VelvetVice responded coldly and firmly.
"Okay, okay. You can keep your power hidden for as long as you like. No worries! Hahahaha~!"
Akuma laughed, then slapped VelvetVice’s back hard, as if they were old friends.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
Wait, maybe that was actually the case...
Midnight assud VelvetVice might be the mastermind behind all this.
Or, if not, maybe this was all a scripted performance.
Because it just didn’t make sense—how could soone act that boldly, spark hope in the other players, and then just snuff it out?
But Midnight quickly brushed away that baseless assumption.
There was no solid evidence supporting that suspicion.
"Okay, VelvetVice, please return to your place! We’ll have a little chat backstage later, okay~ Hehehe, just kidding!" Akuma said teasingly.
Damn it, I forgot she can read minds,
Midnight cursed inwardly, feeling uneasy at Akuma’s words.
Akuma then tried to toy with the other players, as if entertaining the idea of her collaboration with VelvetVice. Her goal was clear—to make the players think that all of this might have been orchestrated.
"Alright then, that’s it for today’s warm-up event! Now, please rest in your assigned rooms. There are 50 rooms available with full facilities~! No worries! And for navigation, the location of each participant’s room has been sent via GPS to your ’screen.’"
A large and complicated floor plan suddenly appeared in a screen before Midnight. Strangely, she didn’t see a similar screen for the other players.
So, only the user can see their own screen? Thought Midnight, watching the blank stares of the others toward what must have been invisible screens.
The players began to move out of the arena, following the navigation map.
However, just before they completely left...
"Oh right, almost forgot. Each room will be shared by one male and one female avatar, hehehe. Why, you ask? Because it’s fun~!" said Akuma with a sly smile.
Damn it! Bastard! You son of a bitch—! To hell with you, Akuma!
Midnight cursed inwardly, sensing the inevitable doom awaiting her.
A fate he couldn’t escape—not even a little...
He hurried out of the arena, heading to the designated room.
But right in front of his room’s door, he ran into soone.
Soone who happened to be the type of person he hated the most in this entire world.
VelvetVice.
(TO BE CONTINUED...)
Reviews
All reviews (0)