Gary and Isabella's Character Cards

"OK, your Lockpicking skill will increase by 10 points." With a wave of KP004's hand, the die vanished. "Now then, as the MVP of this Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG, you may ask me three questions. However, all three questions must be related to this Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG. There's also a bonus: you can learn what questions the other Players asked and their answers."

After saying that, KP004 snapped his fingers. A sofa appeared in front of both him and Liu Xing, along with a small table between them bearing two cups of tea and delicate pastries.

Liu Xing did not stand on ceremony. He sat down on the sofa and took a sip of tea before asking KP004, "KP, can I take some time to think about what I should ask?"

KP004 smiled and nodded, then shrugged and put on an unconcerned expression. "Of course. If you want, I can keep you company even if you spend an entire day thinking. But as a friendly reminder, you are still a Player in the Ghoul Area. Each Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG session consumes one hour of real time, while the settlement period currently underway is synchronized with real time again. You understand what I mean, right?"

Liu Xing nodded and began thinking—or rather, sorting through the questions this Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG had left him with.

First, why had Gary and Old Wayne been killed by the Ghoul? Liu Xing had already pieced together part of the story. After Gary left the second floor, he had gone straight to the Locked Room and entered the basement, perhaps to check whether the basement had been discovered by Liu Xing's group. Then, through a coincidence, Bai He Cheng had locked him inside the basement. Old Wayne heard the Electric Door Opener activate and realized that Liu Xing's group was preparing to leave Ains Castle, so he went looking for Gary. He found Gary trapped in the basement and somehow rescued him. Yet afterward, both of them had been killed by the Ghoul.

But Liu Xing did not understand. Gary was a magician, and according to Isabella, he had raised and controlled that Ghoul for decades without any accidents. Why had the Ghoul suddenly gone berserk this time and killed Gary and Old Wayne?

Then there was Liu Xing's second question. In the ending scene, why had Isabella suddenly turned around and said those words in his direction? Moreover, judging from Isabella and Chris's Favorability toward him, Isabella, with only 20 points of Favorability, could hardly be said to hold much affection for him. In fact... Liu Xing vaguely felt that Isabella had used him!

And now that Liu Xing thought back on Isabella, he suddenly realized that he did not seem to have much affection for her either. This was completely different from how he had felt about Isabella before.

To put it another way, Liu Xing's feelings for Isabella in the game had been like those of a couple deeply in love. He had desperately wanted to stay with Isabella forever, even if people called him a Lolita Complex enthusiast—cough. But now, Liu Xing only felt that Isabella was a nice little girl whom people would naturally want to be close to.

Why was that? Why had his feelings toward Isabella changed so drastically before and after?

A thought suddenly struck Liu Xing. He said to KP004, "KP, I want to see Gary and Isabella's Character Cards. Is that possible?"

KP004 stroked his chin and said, "It is, but that will count as two questions!"

Liu Xing nodded. As long as he could see Gary and Isabella's Character Cards, he would be able to learn the truth.

"OK, then here are Gary and Isabella's Character Cards." A tablet suddenly appeared in KP004's hand, its screen displaying Gary and Isabella's Character Cards.

Name: Gary

Occupation: Magician

Birthplace: Ains Town, England

Gender: Male

Age: 125

Strength: 60

Constitution: 60

Willpower: 80

Luck: 60

Dexterity: 60

Appearance: 80

Size: 50

Intelligence: 80

Inspiration: 99

Education: 99

Cthulhu Mythos Knowledge: 35

Sanity Value: 10 (Locked)

HP: 11

MP: 35/99

Skills: Psychology 85, Investigation 70, Listen 60, Persuasion 65, Handgun 50, Occult 99.

Special Skills: Blood Eternal Life 90, Summon/Return Cthulhu Projection 70, Sealing Technique 80.

Carried Items: Handgun (7 bullets), pocket watch, sunglasses.

Family: Isabella (younger sister)

Name: Isabella

Occupation: Magician (Unsealing)

Birthplace: Ains Town, England

Gender: Female

Age: 113

Strength: 30

Constitution: 40

Willpower: 80

Luck: 90

Dexterity: 50

Appearance: 100

Size: 30

Intelligence: 99

Inspiration: 99

Education: 99

Cthulhu Mythos Knowledge: 55

Sanity Value: 50

HP: 7

MP: 10/99

Skills: Listen 99, Investigation 60, Charm 99, Persuasion 80, Occult 99.

Special Skills: Blood Eternal Life 99, Control Ghoul 90.

Carried Items: Unsealing Necklace, Bewitching Incense.

Family: Chris (adoptive father), Mary (adoptive mother)

After reading Gary and Isabella's Character Cards, Liu Xing finally understood everything.

First of all, Gary and Isabella's family possessed a Magician Legacy. Three hundred years ago, their ancestor had obtained that scroll of parchment, which recorded the spell to Summon/Return Cthulhu Projection.

Then, one hundred years ago, Gary learned the spells recorded on that parchment. Together with Isabella, he used those missing English soldiers as sacrifices to summon Cthulhu's projection. They received the Cthulhu Projection's blessing, and both gained the Blood Eternal Life spell. That was why Gary and Isabella had survived until now without their appearances changing much. Each of them also gained a spell—Sealing Technique and Control Ghoul, respectively. Isabella additionally gained an appearance beyond that of humans. After all, the Human Attribute Limit was 99.

Later, for some unknown reason, Gary and Isabella might have come into conflict. Gary then sealed Isabella inside her room, while the item capable of undoing the seal was the necklace in the picture frame.

However, Gary's Sealing Technique might only have been able to confine Isabella to her room, rather than strip her of her abilities. Isabella had somehow controlled a Ghoul and made Gary believe that it was loyal to him, so Gary raised it. Gary was only a mediocre magician himself, his abilities only slightly better than those of an ordinary person. He needed the Ghoul's help to kill more conveniently and efficiently. After all, Blood Eternal Life clearly required Blood Magic, and it probably required quite a lot of human blood.

PS: The next chapter will be up before eight. Please bookmark and recommend. Lolitas? Nothing of the sort, okay.