AT THE SAME TIME
AT THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW:
Elena's frustration was palpable as she watched Isabella's struggle. Her gaze flickered from the frail girl to the men around her, but her own helplessness was evident. She watched as Isabella refused to eat and it hurt her for some reason.
"This... This isn't right. She can't just fade away like this." Elena muttered to herself, the bitterness clear in her voice.
The system's mocking words still echoed in the background, a constant reminder of the cruel game that had been set in motion. But none of them, not even Elena, could fully grasp the enormity of the situation. Isabella sat there, trembling slightly, her face pale as she stared at the small portion of food in front of her. But despite their efforts, she couldn't bring herself to take a bite. She was too weak, too terrified, too… broken.
"Isabella." Xavier's voice was soft but firm. "Please, just eat a little. You need to regain your strength."
But she didn't respond. Her hands remained still, gripping the edge of the blanket around her. Her chest rose and fell with each shallow breath, the exhaustion clear in every movement. She was barely holding on.
"Isabella." Alastor spoke this time, more impatient than before, his voice hard with concern. "You need to eat. You're not going to survive if you keep refusing."
Still, there was no response. Her body was growing weaker by the minute, and her eyes remained glazed over, unfocused. Finally, the inevitable happened. Her body collapsed against the couch, her eyes fluttering shut.
"Isabella!" Adrian shouted, rushing forward, panic rising in his voice. "No—!"
They all sprang into action. Xavier was the first to kneel beside her, placing a hand on her forehead.
"She's burning up." He muttered, his tone strained. "She's too weak. We need to get her to the healer, now."
Without hesitation, Alastor lifted her gently into his arms, cradling her like she was something fragile and precious, and they rushed through the castle halls, their hearts racing with fear.
As they burst into the healer's quarters, the healer turned swiftly, her face grim when she saw Isabella's unconscious form.
"What happened?" She demanded, already moving to prepare her supplies.
"She won't eat," Xavier said, his voice tight with frustration. "We've tried everything. Please... help her."
The healer nodded, gesturing for them to place Isabella on the bed. She quickly checked her pulse and temperature.
"She's dangerously weak." The healer said, her voice low. "She needs sustenance, but she refuses it. If she keeps this up, she may not make it."
"She... she doesn't believe she's worth saving," Elena said quietly, looking down, guilt weighing heavily on her. "She's convinced she's nothing more than a side character in a game... she doesn't understand that we care about her."
The healer sighed, shaking her head.
"The system..." She trailed off, her face a mixture of confusion and sympathy. "I know. It's a twisted thing. But she needs to fight. She needs to eat, to survive. She cannot give up, not now."
As they watched the healer work, a sense of dread hung in the air. No one knew what was truly going on with Isabella. The system, the game, everything was beyond their understanding. And yet, one thing was clear: they needed to keep her alive. They needed to show her that she was not just a character in some cruel game, but someone worth saving.
Xavier's heart tightened. He had never felt so helpless. He had promised to protect her, but here she was, on the brink of fading away.
"We can't lose her." He murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Not now."
The healer finally stepped back, her face pale with concern.
"I've given her some medicine to help stabilize her." She said. "But she's going to need time... and more food. We can only do so much right now. You must help her believe she has a reason to keep going."
Alastor clenched his fists, his usual calm replaced by an edge of desperation.
"We will." He vowed, his voice unwavering. "We won't let her go through this alone."
But as they left the healer's room, the weight of their responsibility grew heavier. They weren't just fighting to save her body—they were fighting to save her spirit, her will to live in this strange world where she had no control over her fate.
Adrian paced outside the healer's quarters, his thoughts racing. He was at a loss for words. The healer had said Isabella needed rest, but it felt like nothing they were doing was working. She still wasn't eating, her eyes dull and distant, as though she was resigned to something terrible. It pained him to see her so defeated.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, something small, but perhaps it could help. He remembered one time, before everything had gotten so complicated, when he had asked Isabella about her favorite foods. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now, as he replayed that brief moment in his mind, he realized she had mentioned a few simple dishes she used to enjoy when she was younger.
"Maybe I can make something she likes." He muttered to himself, determination flickering in his eyes.
Turning on his heel, he hurried to the kitchen. It wasn't much, but he could at least try to make the meal as comforting as possible. As he worked, he focused on the few things she had mentioned soft, warm foods, simple and gentle on her stomach. After some time, Adrian was ready.
He carried the bowl back to the healer's room, hesitating slightly at the door before entering. Isabella was lying in the bed, eyes closed, her frail figure wrapped in blankets. She was still pale, but there was something quieter about her now, less frantic, like she was just waiting for the end.
"Isabella." Adrian called softly, sitting beside her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him, barely reacting.
"I made something for you." He said gently, trying to mask the worry in his voice. "You've barely eaten. Please, just try this."
She glanced at the bowl he held out, her expression unreadable. He could see the hesitation in her eyes, the reluctance to engage. Her lips parted, but she said nothing for a long moment.
Adrian's heart sank, but he kept his voice steady.
"Please, Isabella. Just a little. I made it with you in mind."He said.
There was a pause, and then, slowly, she sat up just a little. The movement seemed to drain her, but she took the bowl from his hands. Adrian watched as she lifted the spoon to her lips, taking a bite. She chewed slowly, as though every motion required effort. But she didn't argue. She didn't push him away.
"Thank you." She whispered quietly, barely audible. "It's… not bad."
Adrian almost smiled, relieved to see that at least she was eating. His worry hadn't completely dissipated, but it felt like a small victory.
"You're welcome." He murmured, his voice gentle. "Just… please eat a little more. For me."
Isabella didn't answer, but she continued to eat, albeit slowly. It wasn't much, but it was something. And for Adrian, that was enough for now.
AT THE SAME TIME
ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:
System suddenly decided to speak with me again. I blinked, unable to process what I was seeing. The percentages were still there, but this time, something had changed. They were... rising. I swallowed hard, my eyes locked onto the numbers.
" Your relationship percent has risen! Alastor – 42%, Adrian – 35%,. Xavier – 50%." System said.
They were higher than before. My chest tightened, and I couldn't look away, my heart pounding in my ears. I didn't understand. Was this because of me? Or because of the strange, unsettling connection that seemed to bind us together? Then... something unexpected.
"New relationship: Elera – 10%."System said.
I froze. Elera's name appearing right beside mine, was something I didn't even want to think about. How was that possible? Why did she have a percentage too? That couldn't be right.
But before I could even process the confusion bubbling up inside me, I heard the system's voice, sharp and filled with unmistakable anger.
"The progress is off-track. You are not following your designated path. These connections were never meant to be real."System said.
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. The tension in the air thickened, and I could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on me. The confusion, the panic, the frustration. It was all there, swirling around us like a storm that was just beginning to break.
I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't. But here we were. The system, clearly pissed off at how everything was unfolding, had decided to speak again.
"This world is not meant to have these disruptions. The players have lost their way."System said.
The frustration in its voice was so palpable it made the air crackle. I could feel the pressure growing around us, as if the very fabric of the world was starting to break apart.
I was caught in the middle of it all the system, the players, the game. None of it was supposed to be real. But the numbers? The percentages? They couldn't be fake. Could they?
I glanced up at the men around me. Xavier, Alastor, and Adrian, and then at Elera. All of them looked just as confused, but I could see something else in their eyes. Something I wasn't sure how to interpret. It was fear. And it was fear that mirrored my own.