Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord - Chapter 22: Interlude, To Investigator Beatrice

A loner boy, who’s always loved escaping into his RPG world, suddenly finds himself living as one of his game characters. But instead of becoming his favored fighter, he’s in the body of his second avatar—a support mage! Though he’s used to playing both roles, being the mage in real life is a whole new challenge. Now he must rely on his knowledge and skills to navigate this unfamiliar reality and survive as the game's “support.”

In the fully immersive and realistic RPG online game [Illusory World], which has been in official public beta testing for its fourth year, Violet, one of the top players, experiences an unpredictable twist while participating in the conquest of a special dungeon. With her eyes closed and then opened, Violet finds herself no longer in the game world but in a completely new and unknown place, separated from the modern society behind it. Here, there is no doubt that it is the real world. Violet’s incredible adventure begins, but this world seems somewhat different from what she had expected. Enemy A: Why? You’re just a priestess, aren’t you!? Violet: Is there a problem between me being a priestess and me being able to beat you with a stick? Drop your loot and hand it over!

Jin-woo had never considered himself someone ordinary. Okay, that sounded like an arrogant thought to have, but he was definitely unordinary. He would always be reminded of this whenever he had to take his antipsychotic medication for his schizophrenia. It also didn’t help that he was starting High School with the whole school knowing this fact because of his little… slip up? Of course this comes with bullies targeting him, but that wasn’t new. Jin-woo was determined to do his best to avoid them and not draw any unnecessary attention to himself… But that was impossible as some God seemed to have cursed him to be in the same class as his bullies, and even that nosy popular girl who won’t stop talking to him in front of everyone. How many times did he have to say they weren’t friends, much less childhood friends for her to leave him alone?! However, what might be worse than being in the same class as your bullies and that annoying girl, was being in the same class as your bullies and that annoying girl, while being trapped in there because of a zombie virus outbreak… and somehow being the cause of it? Should he stay, or chance it with the hordes of zombies outside? What would you do?

“Who the hell are you!? What are you doing in my room?” Jennifer shouted when she saw the man sneaking inside her room out of nowhere, just a few minutes before the wedding.

Gun was pointed in her direction, straight into her heart with horror evident on her stunned face.

A smirk landed on the man's face when he answered back, “You have two options, Ms. Jennifer, either you die at this point or…escape with me!”

Jennifer Taylor, freshly graduated, was ready to be thrown into an unhappy marriage with the Mafia King of their state, Lucas Smith.

Everyone concluded that the man fell for her beauty and mind but nothing was true. No matter how much others tried to convince her but her heart never melted.

On the wedding day, she was all ready to execute her plan but suddenly, a mysterious man appeared inside her room, threatening to kill her.

Who is he? She is clueless but all she can do is to follow his lead and the adventure he is giving her, to safeguard herself from those who are waiting to take undue advantage out of her.

But later in her life, she discovers that whom she considered a threat all along, was her helping hand who tagged along for a very long period.

Moreover, with this stranger, she walks on the path of unveiling all the truths that were hidden deep in the grave.

*SneakPeak*

The man came near her, with a towel wrapped around his abdomen. But her eyes flew to his abs, those perfect figured abs…

A dangerous smirk passed by his lips when he asked, “Like what you see, Ms. Taylor?”

Realization drew over her when he caught her lingering gaze on his upper naked body. “What?! No! And don't you have any kind of shame? You're standing in front of an unmarried girl!”

“So what? I heard that girls get attracted to men who have good physique. You know it isn't difficult to accept that you like it..” he was still shamelessly provoking her.

“You!! I'm stuck with a shameless pervert for sure! Go and wear something before I hit you with my hands!” Jennifer was burning in the pit of anger but at the same time, her cheeks burned red.

At last, as per her wish, he wore the bathrobe and turned around to come to main point, “What do you wish to ask?”

“Tell me who changed my bridal dress?” Jennifer asked with a straight face, but Javier didn't look shocked. “Do you see anyone else in this house? If your pretty eyes can, let me know.”

“Except you, obviously no one else,” Jennifer answered in a hurry, but then her eyes turned wide when she realized what she just spoke in front of him.

Javier laughed at her innocent expressions, “Bingo! There you have your answer. Who would have changed your clothes except me?”