Forge of a Pact III

Marcus’s POV

…is handsome.

“That guy is handsome.” I stated.

For a few moments, I managed to steer away Alphonso’s focus from the shoujo mange he was reading. He threw me a strange look.

“What, are you gay?” His suspicion arise.

I cracked a grin at him and shoved my lock screen image—which is an image of an anime fireman who’s smiling like a maniac as his feet caught in fire—to his view. Alphonso choked a surprised Oomph!

“Does a male praising another male’s handsomeness counted as gay?” I then drifted my gaze to my lock screen and at the same time, remembered all the anime figurines of males I have stored in my work room.

“Doesn’t that mean I am double gay?”

“No…” Alphonso rubbed the tip of his nose that looks a bit red from my shoving. “If you liked that madman on your lock screen, you are not gay, you’re a psychopath.”

“Ah…” I fluttered my eyes.

“So does being an oddball counted as psycho too?”

My nerd friend heaved a sigh.

“Forget it. It’s a mistake going against you.”

“Wait no. Tell me if being odd counted as neing a psycho.” I urged him to tell me the truth. It’s his fault that I got this curious about determining the difference between those two words.

Like, is odd equal to psycho?

That question lingered inside my brain until I arrived back home. I unlocked the entrance door before stepping to the balcony to check my laundries. After convinced that they are dry, I collected them all and brought it inside. Maybe I’ll fold it later tonight.

Later that night, I was filled with determination. I remembered that tonight was supposed to be the event in the VR game I am playing where there will be a triple Boss EXP event, and as an assassin that likes to kill boss solo, there’s no way I am missing this chance to level up alone!

Just you wait, Monarch of Shadow-Senpai, I will follow your step to be an absolute solo leveler!

After cleaning the middle area of my room so when I play the VR, I won’t step on something and fell down onto the floor (Spoken by experience), I slipped into a piece of black long sleeved shirt and a pair of black track suit. The weather outside at night is as warm as it can get, but I don’t know why I suddenly feel the courtesy to wear something more relevant for public. Maybe because the event of me waking up inside the forest still lingers inside my mind.

I grumbled a bit and pulled the wide neck of my shirt to the side, exposing my beauty bone.

“It’s already early autumn yet why the weather is so hot?” I whined, while at the same time, unboxing the console for my VR headset and connecting them to my 36 inch TV. That is the only asset I have, a present my parents gave me after I won the international anime cosplay competition. It might not impress you but as an otaku like me, that win is like the whole world for me. And winning that cosplay competition also means that I get to live on my own, which is why I am here living inside this house.

While I was fumbling on the cables, suddenly my fingers brushed against an oddly cold and edgy surface. I creased my brows in wonder before my hand reached that whatever it is.

The next moment I gasped.

“T-This…” I widened my eyes in shock at the piece of golden puzzle in my hand. Isn’t this the puzzle that Rox gave me?

“How did you get there?” I asked while peeking under the TV cabinet where I found it. I guess I flung it like what I did to my pillow and blanket when I woke up this morning.

While fumbling that single piece, my mind went back to that lucid dream. This is strange, shouldn’t lucid dream is something to be forgotted upon waking up? So then why am I remembering all of those clearly? The maze, the blood crystal, vampire- I mean quest giver Rox, and that pale faced King restrained in flesh.

Shivers ran down my spine when I recalled the moment his teeth sank into my neck. The immense pain I felt that time is definitely not a joke.

But, I won’t be dreaming about them anymore after this, right?

This is the last time, right?

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but the next thing I know I was laughing all by myself, my body slumped down to the ground butt first because my legs just gave up all of a sudden.

A full minute later, I ended my laughter with a wavering breath, my gaze returned to the puzzle piece inside my hand.

I won’t dream about them again, right?

***

Yeah right.

Of course I shouldn’t jinx it. What was I thinking when I said I won’t dream again about them?

“Child?” Rox appeared to my right. His face is as stern as ever yet the crease on his brows seemed to lessen. This guy looks like he just had a good day.

“Mister, I implore you to call me Marcus, not child. What’s the use of my 22 years of age if you are gonna reduce it by twelve and call me a child? I am a full fledged adult.”

“Yes, you are.” Yet he still threw me that judging look.

I internally wailed, grouping together my misery and the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach due to me inhaling a three pack of instant ramen before bed. I told you that eating three packs of instant ramen is the key to having a lucid dream yet here I am repeating it.

But I can’t help it!

Anyone would feel hungry after grinding for levels for five hours straight non stop in VR. Ugh… I think my gaze is getting blurry for a whole different reason now.

“Hmph.”

Amidst me massaging my forehead, I heard Rox snicker.

“You don’t look too bad tonight. Is that dangerously exposing piece of clothing meant to display your neckline even further? It unexpectedly suits you.” The floating vam- quest giver smirked.

I widened my eyes in disbelief. “Uhm…”Slowly, I pulled the neck of my shirt before clasping it together to close the big opening of my clothes. “I… I don’t know that you are into that.”

God, now I know why women sometimes hide the crevices of their breast and their necklines in public. This is embarrassing and sexually harrassing in many ways than one.

He narrowed his eyes. “I am not into a shrimp like you.”

That hurts me a lot. “So you like a guy but not someone like me?”

He sucked a sharp sigh, once again looking like he’s reflecting.

“Nevermind. Follow me.” He floated to the side, revealing me a familiar view of floating blood crystals lined up and scattered in mazes. Though the difference was.

“Is this place… a warehouse?” I looked around,

“Pfft-!” I heard the guy snickered. “You really need to improve your dull sense, child.”

“Like I said, I am not a child-”

“Shuch.” Rox raised one hand. “Prepare yourself for the second attempt, for it will be harder and more murderous for you.”

Two gauge of red and purple color appeared in my view as soon as he ended his sentence. Suddenly I felt a burning sensation inside me. It rose until my upper throat, causing me to choke for air and writhe in pain. While I was struggling, Rox’s voice came into my ears in uneven volumes.

“That purple gauge is the level of poison in your body and the red gauge if the health bar. Find the antidotes scattered along with the crystals, if you want to save yourself from dying and getting killed by the monsters, that is.” His evil smirk was the last thing I saw before he disappeared, leaving me with the burning pain and the timer that already ticks.

Damn you, vampire count! I am usually a gentlemen when it comes to fighting etiquette, but if I get to fight you, I will throw that etiquette away and pull that long hair of yours!