Page 50 of Our Final Game

“Right … Sounds good,” Rohan mumbles, walking towards the town center without even looking back at me.

Fuck.

* * *

Since splitting off from Rohan, I haven’t found much information besides that the NPCs obviously had no idea their town’s leader was even gone in the first place. Since this isn’t a real place. It’s programmed to do what it does no matter who’s running it. The markets are going to open at the same time, the weapons-masters and the cattle wranglers are all going to be exactly where they should be when they should be. So where the fuck has this town’s leader gone?

A cat jumps off an awning right to my feet. I lean down to pet it, chuckling. “Hey there. I wonder if you could help win some points with Rohan?” Win points with Rohan? Fucking hell. Since when did I even care about that?

Does he even like cats?

I sigh, standing back to my full height. The cat jumps halfway into the air before scurrying away at a sound coming from the alley we’re both standing in front of. I tilt my head to see what the source of its fear is.

“Tyson.” My eyes widen at the voice.

“Dad?”

Chapter 23

Rohan

Iflop down on a bench in the courtyard of the town, kicking at the gravel. Nobody knows anything about this stupid town’s leader. He couldn’t have gone far, there’s no way. I tilt my head back to let my skin warm under the sun. Feels good, almost like the real thing. I wonder if Tyson’s found anything. Hopefully he has. Speaking of Tyson. Ugh, keeping a distance has been harder than I thought. Thank God he came up with the idea of splitting up cause I don’t know how much longer I could do any more of his hungry gazes.

He’s not been very secretive about wanting me since the first time.

It’s too much.

Even if Tyson and Zero are the same, which obviously they are. I’ve accepted that, but I don’t know if I could ever let myself accept that it was him I had a crush on. And we’ll probably just go back to hating each other as soon as all of this is over. It’s just because we’re stuck in Understory, it’s making me think this could work when I know it can’t.

Tyson already has everything I want.

I can’t let him have this.

When we’re out, I’ll delete this game and get over whatever stupid crush I had. There are other guys.

But if he looks at me like that again tonight, I won’t be able to do shit about it. I’m so fucking weak. For Tyson Moon. Oh, somebody take me out right now! I drag my hands over my face with a long groan.

“I should probably head back. It’s getting late, and Tyson’s probably got some info for sure,” I sigh.

The night lanterns turn on as I walk through the town square. The lady merchant I bought some potions from earlier smiles at me as I walk by again. I figured we should stock up on supplies. We’ve been getting by so far with the monsters we’ve encountered without using much, but it seems like every quest it gets more difficult. On top of that, from what I remember, that tower is not anywhere near even Tyson’s level. I don’t know how that’s supposed to work out. Maybe I should go get that special weapon crafted while we’re stuck looking for this idiot.

I step into the weaponsmaster’s shop, the bell ringing upon my entering. He’s quite a big guy. He looks exactly like he lugs weapons all day.

“What can I do for ya?” the weaponsmaster asks.

“Uh, I was hoping I could upgrade my lance with this,” I say, pulling out the special metal Tyson gave me and handing it to him. His eyes light up with excitement like he’s just seen his last meal on earth.

“Oh, this is good stuff, kid,” he gapes.

“Uh, yeah, a friend gave it to me.”

A friend.

I hated him about two days ago.

Wait, how many days have passed in the real world, I wonder? Or are we just asleep in our rooms? But then this would all be a dream, right? This is all so ridiculous I’ve stopped trying to make sense of it a long time ago. I’m sitting in a weapons shop with a person that’s literally made up of codes. A bunch of numbers. But he feels so real to me. He’s not a clue in the world that he’s not real either.

“Well, that friend must quite like you a lot,” he chuckles.