noveltune Chapter 45
Chapter 45
In the VIP seats inside a private box made of the special glass he had seen in the interrogation room, Ryu Seo-ha looked down blankly at the Venice IHL mascot products cradled in his arms – a female wolf and dolphin doll.
“Are you not satisfied? Maybe I should have bought the biggest one after all.”
Noticing his subtle expression, Choi Gang-hu muttered regretfully. Though the largest size of this year’s merchandise wouldn’t even fit inside this glass-enclosed space.
“No, it’s just... This is the first time I’ve received a doll as a gift.”
He was just bewildered by the unfamiliar object.
“It suits you well.”
Choi Gang-hu smiled contentedly as he lightly touched the dolls cradled in Ryu Seo-ha’s slender arms.
“...That’s a compliment, right?”
“Of course. I’m even regretting not buying a dolphin hairpin to put on you as well.”
Ryu Seo-ha frowned at the involuntary mental image, and a chuckle returned. Thinking anew that Choi Gang-hu was such a quick-to-laugh person, he stared at him, and Choi Gang-hu’s face suddenly came closer.
Familiar with this pattern, he quietly raised his palm to block his lips. Soft lips met the inside of his wrist with light kisses. Though he could easily dodge his hand and rush in, Choi Gang-hu didn’t attempt more than that. After about a minute of obediently accepting it, Ryu Seo-ha gently pushed his face away as if to say that was enough.
“Don’t you like listening to songs?”
Choi Gang-hu, reluctantly moving away but obediently, leaned his upper body against the armrest and asked a question.
On the opening ceremony stage now, tenor and soprano duo vocalists were in the midst of singing famous art songs and operas. Wearing traditional costumes like tunica and toga, or tarantella, with gladiator sandals.
“Hmm... For classical music specifically, I prefer instrumental pieces.”
It was a preference that perfectly reflected his parents’ tastes that he had grown up with in childhood. Wondering if that showed, he tilted his head, and cool-scented fingers pressed firmly against one of his cheeks.
“For example?”
There was pure curiosity in the voice asking while repeatedly pressing and releasing the tip of his index finger against his soft cheek as if touching jelly.
“Personally, I like Chopin for piano and Vitali for violin.”
“Vitali? That’s unique. Which piece do you like?”
If you answer one, another question endlessly comes back. Sometimes he would become such an innocent question mark killer.
“Chaconne.”
“So you prefer tragic melodies.”
“It goes well with the violin’s timbre, doesn’t it? Actually, I like the piano sound much more.”
“Hmm, then how about going on a Chopin-themed trip after the schedule is over? We could go on a piano concert tour to Germany or Austria.”
He had become quite accustomed to always taking one step further and showing a grand scale whenever a topic came up. Now he knows that entrusting himself to his spontaneous plans can be more enjoyable than imagined.
“Next time, after everything is settled.”
But it was impossible to do so right away. Right after the IHL closing ceremony, he had to go meet the S-rank healer arranged by Chairman Gangseong Group, and also enter an S-rank dungeon to obtain the elixir.
Because it’s still technically difficult to fully dive-link VR devices and artificial dungeon environments over long distances. Since general PC or personal VR device users can only experience 3D screens or augmented reality at most, there would inevitably be a difference in spending units as well.
“Did you say the Korean delegation’s matches start tomorrow?”
From tomorrow, Ryu Seo-ha will be watching the competition from the position of a participant, not a spectator. More precisely, in the state of accompanying entry as medical staff.
In other words, today’s viewing was a perfect opportunity to preview the overall atmosphere of the competition. Choi Gang-hu must have arranged this because he understood that necessity.
“Yes. These are expensive seats... It would be a waste to leave them empty. I wonder if we could resell the tickets?”
He was newly amazed at Choi Gang-hu’s ability to secure VIP box seats in just one day. Even regular seats in the main stadium were said to be difficult to reserve.
“I can’t concentrate on the competition if a stranger is lying next to me.”
“Ah.”
Well, no matter how much the capsule blocks external senses, it probably can’t 100% cover his eyes and ears. Wouldn’t he suddenly get up and show his habitual alertness even at the slightest approach by someone?
“Then let’s meet in Dungeon 1-3.”
After confirming the meeting place after login, Ryu Seo-ha and Choi Gang-hu closed the capsule doors, pushing their vision into darkness.
Loading seat purchase information.
Adult verification complete.
Machine sounds were heard immediately.
Scanning access body information.
Body scan complete.
Entering Main Stadium Artificial Dungeon: Waiting Room.
The scan was quickly completed as it only skimmed the external parts to form an avatar. A narrow, colorless room appeared before his eyes.
Ryu Seo-ha inadvertently raised his arm and looked it over, marveling at the visual information that faithfully reproduced texture and color.
When he clenched and unclenched his hands, the sensation was very realistic. Was it because his sensory stats were still low? He couldn’t feel much difference from reality.
When he jumped lightly in place, his motor skills seemed a bit duller. Were the stats set to non-awakened average?
‘Virtual reality...’
He felt excited to directly experience something he had only read about in game fantasy novels. It was a different feeling from entering an artificial dungeon.
After all, that was entering with his real body, and now he was moving a virtual body. He wanted to quickly try various experiences.
He opened the door with the number plate 1-3 among the sliding doors lined up on the wall and entered. Immediately, the smell of blood wafted strongly.
“Aack!”
He saw a spectator who seemed to have just connected like Ryu Seo-ha scream and fall backwards.
A sword flying from afar stabbed into the damp dirt floor. But the person whose upper body was pierced by the sword suffered no damage at all. As if they had become a ghost.