Chapter 147: Welcome to the Abyss

Looking at Elias’s familiar smile, Liora Voss fell into a brief daze.

For a moment, it was almost as if nothing had happened at all.

But the frantic speed of her heartbeat, still violent inside her chest, told her that everything just now had been real.

Elias had shown her a side of himself she had never seen before.

So aggressive.

And so...

Fascinating.

Liora thought that perhaps this was Elias Kane’s true face.

Whether before Serena Blackwood, before Giselle Frost, or before Liora herself in the past, what they had seen had only ever been what Elias wanted them to see.

Only she, in this exact moment, had glimpsed one true corner of the iceberg beneath the surface.

Liora knew she had been wrong.

She had been disastrously wrong from the start.

Elias was both the person watching from the audience and the abyss without a bottom.

Yet from beginning to end, he had never wanted anyone to step onto the stage and perform beside him.

He was a star. Visible, unreachable, standing high above only to cast a dazzling light. He did not need anyone to come close. No one was allowed to come close. Alone, he was sacred, coldly brilliant, and untouchable.

And he was also like the abyss.

It had always existed there. Anyone could approach it, and anyone could fall.

He was equal. He was fair. He was merciless.

How had she ever believed that Elias was the one deceiving people, tempting them, luring them into the fall?

The abyss did not move.

It simply remained where it was.

Those who fell into it did so willingly.

Just as she had.

Liora slowly exhaled. For the first time, she felt an unprecedented lightness, the release that came from finally seeing through everything. She lowered her head slightly and said in a soft voice, "I’ll behave."

At that, Elias nodded in satisfaction.

As a reward, he blew Liora a kiss. Then he turned and left without the slightest reluctance.

Liora watched him walk away.

The corner of her mouth lifted.

She had not been abandoned.

She had earned his trust again.

It was only that the possibility of truly possessing Elias had been cut off completely.

But so what?

He was an abyss. He would only draw countless adventurers forward, one after another. Even if someone truly explored him and understood him, he would not belong to that person.

Besides, no one could conquer him.

Liora was certain of that.

Everyone’s ending would be the same as hers.

They would fall from the edge of the abyss, crash into the bottom, lose sight of the sky forever, and never climb out again.

And she would be there, greeting them.

Waiting for every fall.

Then, when the next person arrived, she would smile lightly and say:

"Welcome to the abyss."

[Liora Voss favorability increased. Current: 80%.]

Outside Westbridge University, System Theta was practically vibrating with excitement.

[Wow, wow, wow, wow, Host! Liora Voss is in love with you!]

Elias was perfectly calm.

Nothing surprising about that. She fell in love with me a long time ago. She just hadn’t realized it herself. All I did was make her notice.

System Theta’s cheers stopped abruptly.

Every time the host was this calm, it made the system look so embarrassing.

But soon, System Theta tossed that small concern aside.

[Host, Host, why did her favorability still rise after you humiliated Liora Voss like that?]

Elias smiled faintly.

Because I’m the man she can never have.

System Theta froze.

[That...]

Elias explained patiently.

From the beginning, Liora has been someone who likes watching the show. At first, the show she wanted to watch was Serena embarrassing herself, along with the possibility of me crashing and burning. During that process, she gradually became interested in me too. She realized it right away, but like many people, she was confident she would never fall. The result, of course, was...

System Theta finished the sentence.

[She fell.]

Elias nodded slightly.

And Liora falling doesn’t mean I’ve fully conquered her. You might not believe this, but if I fell in love with someone, even if that person were Liora herself, she would stop liking me.

System Theta became even more confused.

[Huh? Why?]

Elias’s brows curved with amusement.

Because what she likes is the version of me who loves no one. As long as I show her the attitude of "I’m too precious, none of you are worthy," it was only a matter of time before Liora fell for me.

System Theta seemed to understand a little.

[She fell because you keep leaving traces everywhere. So she wants you to stay exactly like this, even if the price is that she can never have you.]

Elias praised it.

So smart, baby.

System Theta went silent.

[...]

Its data was going to scramble.

There’s another point, Elias continued. She thinks she’s special. I don’t love anyone, but I’m especially good to her. Isn’t that just another form of love?

Also, don’t assume that just because Liora has fallen for me, her route is finished. In my view, I’m not even halfway to fully conquering her.

System Theta could no longer understand him.

[W-why?]

Because after favorability reaches eighty percent, every single percentage point becomes difficult. Besides, you need to understand these women’s true nature. They’re all scumbags. Who can guarantee a scumbag won’t change her mind? I can’t.

Only then did System Theta remember.

Right.

These people all seemed to be scumbags. Terrible ones.

Elias knew exactly what System Theta was thinking.

Were you fooled by the way they behave in front of me? Let me put it this way. If the person trying to conquer them weren’t me, but an ordinary person, or even some employee from the Trash Trope Intervention Division, Serena Blackwood, Liora Voss, and Giselle Frost would have already played that person to death.

System Theta recalled the original plot of this world and suddenly felt a little frightened.

That was right.

The original host had been hurt that badly in the original storyline. How could the system start thinking they were good people just because they behaved obediently in front of Elias?

[I understand.]

Elias laughed lightly.

It’s fine even if you don’t. Just watch me work. I’ll carry you to victory, baby.

System Theta said nothing.

[...]

It was almost being conquered by the host too.

After leaving Westbridge University, Elias went straight to Longhaven Hospital.

Giselle Frost had already been handled by blocking and distance. Serena Blackwood had not come looking for him on her own, so there was no need to pay attention to her. As for Liora Voss, he had just worked on her.

The one left now was naturally Yvonne Quinn.

At that moment, Mira Perry was worrying.

Usually, plenty of gifts were sent to Dr. Quinn already. With the holiday approaching, the number of gifts had increased almost exponentially.

Looking at the gift boxes that had nearly filled the entire room, Mira’s vision went dark.

She almost wanted to die.

Just then, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Um... Mira, are you busy?"

At that sweet address, Mira immediately turned toward the door.

Because she had been moving gifts, she had not closed it.

Standing there was a young man wearing glasses, his soft black hair falling neatly around his face. He was peeking inside cautiously.

The first thing Mira said was, "You dyed your hair?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized they sounded too intimate. Awkwardness hit her, and she had no idea how to fix it.

Then Elias smiled.

"Yeah. You’re really observant."