Her eyes darted toward him for a fleeting mont before looking away again, her jaw tightening.
Arthur let out a slow breath, his own heart twisting at the sight of her struggling.
He reached out carefully, his hand hovering near hers but not touching. "Charlotte," he said, his voice softer now, barely above a whisper.
"I don't know what you're going through, and I can't pretend to understand how hard this is for you. But what I can promise you—what I will promise you—is that you're not going to face any of it alone."
Her grip on the armrest loosened slightly, though she still didn't et his gaze.
Arthur's tone grew firr, not in a commanding way, but in a way that carried his sincerity. "I'm with you. Every step of the way. Whatever you're feeling, whatever happens next—whether it's good, bad, or sowhere in between—I'll be here."
Charlotte's eyes flicked back to him, her expression softening just a fraction. It wasn't much, but Arthur felt a glimr of hope. Encouraged, he leaned in closer, his voice steady. "Nothing bad will happen to you, Charlotte. Not while I'm here. I'll make sure of it."
Her lips trembled slightly, and though no words ca, Arthur could see the faint glimr of tears welling in her eyes.
She blinked rapidly, turning her head away, but not before Arthur caught the tiny, almost imperceptible nod she gave.
Arthur's chest tightened again, this ti with a mix of sorrow and determination to protect her. He placed his hand gently over hers. "I promise," he said, his voice unwavering.
Arthur stayed where he was, his hand still resting lightly over hers. He didn't push her to say more or do more.
Instead, he let the silence settle between them, offering her the space she needed.
Minutes passed, and Charlotte's breathing began to even out.
Her tense shoulders relaxed, and she leaned back in the wheelchair, her grip on the armrests completely loosened now.
"Alright, let's get you into bed now. You've had a long day, and you need to rest," he said softly, his tone warm and soothing.
Charlotte nodded slightly as her gaze remained on the window.
He moved closer, his motions slow and gentle, as if handling sothing delicate.
"Here we go," he said quietly, slipping one arm under her knees and the other around her back. "Hold on."
Lifting her carefully, Arthur made sure every movent was slow and steady, ensuring her comfort. She didn't resist, leaning slightly into his chest, her small fra light in his arms.
Reaching the bed, he adjusted his grip slightly to lower her softly onto the mattress.
The bedding crinkled faintly as she settled in, her head resting against the pillow.
Arthur gently pulled the blanket over her, tucking it snugly around her sides, ensuring she was warm and secure.
"There," he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he smoothed the blanket. "All tucked in."
Charlotte's eyes t his, and though her face remained quiet, there was a faint flicker of gratitude in her gaze. Your journey continues with empire
Arthur smiled back, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "You're safe now. Just focus on resting, alright?"
She didn't respond, but her hand moved slightly as if she wanted to sign sothing but was too tired to follow through.
Instead, she gave him a faint nod, her eyelids fluttering as exhaustion began to overtake her.
Arthur stood, his movents careful not to disturb her. He adjusted the pillow beneath her head, making sure it was perfectly positioned. Then, he stepped back slightly, watching as her breathing began to slow, each rise and fall of her chest steady and peaceful.
"Goodnight, Charlotte," he said softly, his voice barely audible. "Sleep well."
He turned off the lights, leaving only the faint glow of the bedside lamp.
'I'll make sure you're cured no matter what,' he vowed silently, his resolve burning as he turned and left the hospital room.
Outside, the world was bathed in the soft, ethereal glow of the full moon.
The moon hung high in the inky black sky, its light cascading down like a silvery veil. The stars, faint and scattered, seed to whisper their secrets as Arthur stepped into the hospital garden.
The faint rustling of leaves in the cool night breeze carried with it a sense of calm, but also an undeniable feeling of reflection.
The garden was quiet, almost deserted. The paths were dimly lit by lampposts spaced sparsely every forty ters or so.
Arthur walked slowly, his boots crunching against the gravel path.
Above him, the moon seed larger than life. Its luminous surface glowed with a radiant intensity, its edges blurred slightly as if softened by the weight of his thoughts.
Arthur let out a long breath, his words spilling out as if carried on the breeze. "How did it co to this?" he murmured, his voice barely audible over the gentle rustle of the wind. "Every step forward I take feels like another fight against the odds. Even though everything has been going great in Armageddon, it's terrible here."
"The only thing that is tying to this world is Charlotte, otherwise. I wouldn't spend a single minute here, I would rather live in that world even though it's more dangerous."
"If only Armageddon was the real world, I would have probably been able to find a cure..."
The moon seed to shine brighter in that instant as if encouraging him. Arthur sat there for a while longer, letting the tranquil beauty of the night seep into his mind, easing his thoughts and strengthening his resolve.
Reaching into his pocket, Arthur pulled out his phone. The sleek device lit up, illuminating his face as he navigated through the apps. He opened Reddit.
His fingers tapped on the screen, and he was imdiately greeted by the hopage of the Armageddon subreddit. The forum's subscriber count caught his attention.
"Already over a hundred million subs?" Arthur muttered, his brow raising slightly. "And there's only, what, ten million beta players? The hype is real."
The sheer scale of the forum was both thrilling and daunting.
It wasn't just players posting here; it was spectators, theorists, analysts, and even those curious about the societal and economic implications of an entirely new world.
Discussions ranged from in-ga strategies to philosophical debates about the ethics of having a second reality.
Scrolling through the top posts, Arthur couldn't help but smirk at so of the titles:
"Found a way to farm common items faster than anyone else! Here's how…"
"Beta player here: AMA about the wolves' territory!"
"Is the new world fair? Or is it just another grindfest catering to whales?"
"I ran into an Elite-Boss monster and lived to tell the tale!"
Arthur chuckled at the comnts under the last post. Most of them were either disbelief or sarcastic remarks about how the poster probably avoided death by sheer luck. He skimd through a few more threads before searching for specific updates from other players.
"Hmm, let's see what's happening in other villages," he muttered, typing village news into the search bar.
A flood of threads popped up, and Arthur began skimming through them.
"Village #5's market is booming! Uncommon item prices are skyrocketing!"
"Anyone else noticed a lack of mobs near Village #12? Feels like soone's farming nonstop."
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