Paradoxical Love

Chapter 23: Gaze

Despite all the unpleasant circumstances, I am now in front of the music club room, the place where it all began. And next to it was my destination, the Gaming Club room that Helenia is pointing to us.

Thankfully, she was able to bring it back because she managed to bring members in, it was none other than us she specifically invited. And we are all here to do club activities just as she proposed today since we're new members in her clique.

"Woah, this room's too clean to be true. The high-spec computers are way beyond than I expected. Why is it better here than the computer laboratory?" Ariel mentioned, he turned on a computer in the first column to test its actual performance.

"How is it?" I wondered, probing the flashy and extravagant keyboard before him.

"This is... I'd never mistake it, these computers are the latest model. I've worked on a tech company before, I can tell these have state-of-the-art processors." He got too absorbed in how smooth sleek it can execute various application programs. It basically means each of these machines costed more than this entire building, no wonder not even the principal can touch Helenia's club room.

"Hmm... I could achieve faster digital painting if I have this kind of personal computer in our home. Also, the keyboard and mouse for gaming, what the heck how come this is allowed in the campus?" Ged's way too mesmerized seeing the high-quality computers are almost incomparable to a computer laboratory.

There are thirty computers in the gaming club room, three rows with ten each, this is way too absurd no one's even using them.

In the corner next to the left side, I thought there was a refrigerator but it turns out it was a huge air conditioning machine; I won't ask where I caught my colds once I got out. And for personal preferences, Helenia even set up simple shelves containing a few of her game consoles, and on the opposite side was a table and a coffee brewer, and tons of snacks were packed up alongside it I'm wondering if I got transferred in heaven.

"Behold my gaming home! All the gaming PC you see within your reach are all mine. Yes, that's right. I bought them all using my pocket money! I'm cool now, am I right, Reyler? " Helenia winked with a thumbs up.

"Wait, wait, did you say pocket money?!" Ariel got so bewildered he almost snapped out of reality, he's financially struggling yet he can't imagine a princess bought these extravagant things using the money she has in her wallet.

Now I'm starting to see the difference between a commoner and a royalty, it goes way beyond that I could expect, the fact we're with her should be illegal since we can basically kidnap her and threaten her family, although there's no way we can do such a feat.

"Yes, why? What's the problem there?" Helenia's same smug wearing her smirk on top of her cutesy remark.

"That's the Crimson Princess–I mean Princess Helenia!" Ariel almost tripped there, now he must have remembered the position where we commoners lay low.

"You're weird Ariel, but I'm sure you're a good gamer!" Helenia elbowed him for making fun of her.

"A princess sure knows her league." Even my sister was just gaping in astonishment. As for Sattela and Ged, they are still fine somehow. But this mood is way too awkward since Matilda is with us, and there's isn't a soul in here who knew what happened between us, except for her and me.

There is only one reason why she is here; we primarily need a club coordinator. It's a requirement that a Student Council member must be the one to fulfill the role, but of all the people who can be our club adviser, why Matilda showed up? Fate's seems to be playing tricks on me so this is just what happens. But right now, she's acting as normal as ever.

In a sense, we're probably the first group to have experienced this cozy club room, I was so bored in the past I tried to open this room and it won't budge an inch, now I'm inside of it and it's pretty astounding. Unfortunately for Helenia, she was the only one playing in such a spacious place.

The cleanliness and orderliness of the whole room can also explain how much she loves this gaming club even though she was all alone. Everything seems very composed. Even if I put my palm on the back of the system unit, not a single atom of dust will get attached to my skin.

After she rounded us up in the middle, Helenia stood in front of us with her head held high and spoke. "Guys and gals, since you all are my first club members..." She opened the bag she had been carrying earlier, rummaging for something inside of it until our eyes kind of widened from what we behold.

She laid at least six SPS game consoles on the table one by one and I found the most painstaking detail of them all; each SPS has its own name on the back of the case, drawn meticulously and artistically, it's obviously a custom-made art cover that should cost hundreds or probably thousands of dollars.

The written names are the first members of the Gaming Club, it was none other than us.

The covers have such a distinct and unique similarity to the others but these game consoles are very high-quality at a glance. Anyone who knows the value of this thing could snatch it from us once they see us holding this as we walk on the streets.

"I used all of my pocket money today so I could buy these. You all are my treasured first members. Please accept this as a token of our friendship!" Helenia lifted her skirt and bowed down to us, she's desperate to get her Gaming Club back in business.

"I won't get surprised anymore, but still, you're not just cool, this is beyond my imaginations!" Ariel might probably have a mental seizure. She was so rich she can buy the entire Saint Legacy University and named it after herself. 

"Really? If so please accept this! I've also installed my favorite online game. So I want you all to play with me." Helenia's fidgeting her fingers, how generous she was preparing this for us through her own efforts, we can't ask for more after this.

"This is way too expensive, we can't just accept this like that." Ariel's hesitant, he's right as we're humble enough to not let the princess spoil us when we simply just joined her club.

"Yeah, I have my own game console, so we're embarrassed to accept it." Ged was right, we can't take advantage of her kindness when we can completely be a traditional club like any other. But, it was very depressing to see Helenia sulking in a corner after we rejected her generosity.

"I just want to give my friends some simple gifts..." Helenia's curling her sideburns, glancing at us per intervals.

We all looked at each other with a guilty conscience because she went to the extent of buying custom-made cases just for us.

Even though we're against this, we shrugged nodding to each other which was a sign that we had already agreed on an idea; that is to kindly accept the gift she offered for us.

"No! I mean yes! We're so glad, we will cherish this gift of yours, right guys?" I sounded so happy wanting to have their approval.

"Yes, of course." Ged agreed with me.

"Absolutely, I'm ecstatic to have a game console really." Sattela's shaking as usual; she's bashful but I can tell she's becoming accustomed to speaking with them.

"For real?" And here, Ariel's getting emotional, no one had ever given her an expensive thing in his life, and Helenia's simple gesture of kindness was an important value for him.

"I'm glad everyone's fortunate and all," Matilda remarked, remembering her busy schedule, I'm amazed that she still has time to become a coordinator in this club that shouldn't even be allowed under reasonable circumstances.

That's when she cried in front of us, pulled us one by one, and came together in a joyful group hug.

"What are we waiting for? Let's play!" Helenia flipped her hair before grabbing her game console in her pocket, she already bought another after her previous one got broken when she jumped off of a tree branch at that time.

We all turned on our respective SPS, we each sat on the swivel chairs for the computers and formed a circle like a conference meeting, no one would think we're actually playing within an educational institution.

"This would be my first time having a game console, I can't express my gratitude enough. Dorathy and Tina will appreciate it as much as I am! Especially Pole. Thank you so much again." The way Ariel bow down was sincere, even a princess knew he's straightforward and honest.

"Don't sweat it! Formality isn't my taste, just make sure you do your best in-game." Helenia's quite confident in her skills. On another hand, how come she's allowed to have her club in another building when her classroom is in King Arthur's Hall, the neighbor building for us senior high students.

"Yes, Crimson Princess! I mean Helenia." Ariel and her get along pretty fast, I'm exhilarated they can form a friendship despite the differences.

"By the way, where's the charger for this?" Kiana pragmatically mentioned, now that she mentioned, once the battery of our game consoles goes out, we won't be able to play anymore.

"There's a box next to the cabinet, there's a lot of chargers there, pick whatever one you like." Helenia pointed to the cabinet next to the bookshelves, now I won't have to worry about that.

I went to see her things and it's true there were a lot of old and new chargers, as well as old keyboards and other peripherals, this is the storage where she dumps anything I can guess.

"So, let's play the game!" Helenia guided us on how to navigate the settings and how to open the installed game she downloaded ahead of time, she's a princess yet she's an expert in these kinds of things, apparently more adverse than us. Now I'm curious if it was Jacob or her who organized and assembled the high-end computers around us.

After a short while, the game has begun, I remembered the faint music of the instrumentals and a piano, accompanied by the loud drum beats and the playing of the guitar in harmonious rhythm.

I seem to remember this soundtrack theme from the ones I played before, it was so nostalgic I remembered my childhood memories. Upon me seeing the title of the game, I can't help but get excited and forget all of my worries and problems.

"Destiny Adventure Online! I've been playing it for a long time, it's one of my favorite games!" I'm thrilled to log in after such a long time, it's been years since I touched my SPS kept in my bedroom since I've become busy in my studies from time to time.

"For real?! What's your in-game name?! Quick, tell me!" Helenia was even more eager than me, pulling my arm and clinging beside me.

"R-Reyler, is the human race better than elves?" Sattela's currently in the character selection phase. In the game, the user can play various races such as human, elf, demon, vampire, and several more. It's just whatever the user fancies will be the best.

"Anything there as long as you're comfortable with it," I suggested since it's more suitable for a beginner like her.

"If you say so..." She's getting too absorbed taking our supposed club activities very seriously, she really is a careful and timid lady who gets influenced very easily.

In any case, the Crimson Princess was mesmerized by my character's avatar, maybe she must be jealous of me because I'm level seventy-six with a grand magician class, in other words, I'm basically stronger than most of the players.

"Is that really your name? Is that really your account?" Helenia couldn't believe what she saw, skeptical even though I just logged in a while ago. It can't be helped, my items in this game are rare and cooler than she could ever have.

"It's mine for real, were you tantalized for a moment? I've been an old player for a long time I happened to stop for my studies." I explained, it seems she never thought I'm stronger than her when this is her favorite online game.

At the instance upon seeing my in-game name again confirming it after blinking thrice, it was unusual that she abruptly lost interest, although she appeared pensive, I truly have no clue what's going on in her head.

As they make their respective character avatars, the priceless happiness was obvious and etched on their faces. This was my first time joining a club ever in my life, this must be the joy alongside it. 

In spite of the situation, I remained bothered concerning what Matilda had forced me to be part of, that she'd post the video about me acting like I'm abusing her. She had been eyeing me a lot lately and I'm irritated by the fact she's here.

The fact I hate her will never change as long as she lives. So far she hasn’t done anything strange so I’ll set her choice of actions aside. I doubt the hard-working Student Council President of this university became a club coordinator here only to play an online game with us, I believe this was also part of her plan.

Everything went peaceful as we helped each other with tutorials and leveling up to close the gap between us old players and new ones.

But, like the same scenario, Matilda was staring at me with her seductive iridescent blue eyes as she harbored a sneaky grin. I hope she won't blackmail me again and force herself onto me. For I'm sure her gazes have meaning, and it was my calling to find it out.