Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 249: Stop trying to kiss me!

As Miss Alice’s tears fell, it seemed like her emotional outburst had finally come to an end.

Alice probably couldn’t handle her alcohol well. After downing two cans of beer, she was already feeling dizzy and had sprawled out on the couch.

Ryan, on the other hand, was completely sober—so sober that it made him feel a little bitter.

Even after Alice had fallen into a deep sleep, Ryan had already finished two cans of beer himself, but he didn’t feel the slightest bit tipsy.

Turns out, having a high alcohol tolerance can be a curse. If Ryan couldn’t hold his liquor, maybe he could’ve escaped from reality for a little while.

[Alice Favorability +5, Current: 70/100 (Attachment)]

Looking at Miss Alice’s status bar, Ryan took another big gulp of beer.

Maybe this is just how fate works. He had tried so hard to avoid increasing her Favorability, but in the end, the number still broke past seventy, reaching the “danger zone” the system had warned him about.

[Please try to keep Favorability below 70. The system cannot predict what will happen if it exceeds this threshold.]

Ryan now knew what Alice hated—seeing him with other girls. But if he tried to lower her Favorability by using that method, it would never work.

Chances are, instead of lowering her Favorability, it would just increase her Darkening level.

So, it seemed like having her Favorability above seventy was going to be the new normal. He had no idea when or how this would come back to affect the story.

He still didn’t know when it would happen or what form it would take.

Looking at Alice, peacefully asleep beside him, her chest rising and falling with each breath, Ryan rubbed his temples and took another long drink.

Originally, Alice was just a mission target. But things had gotten more and more complicated.

Alice’s current state was one of attachment—she was basically incapable of letting go of Ryan now. And if he left her to live on her own, he wouldn’t feel at ease either.

This feeling wasn’t love, not by a long shot, but it was strong—twisted, even—and it kept pulling him along.

At the very least, he’d have to stick around until they got through two more Dangerous Events before he could even begin to understand his own feelings.

In the end, Ryan would leave. The best outcome for Alice would be if that Wish Point could really erase all her memories of him.

Even as she slept, Alice had stayed in the same position, half-leaning on Ryan. Once he was sure she was completely asleep, Ryan gently moved her off him and laid her down properly on the couch.

Alice really had no sense of self-preservation. Getting drunk like this in front of him—did she not see him as a man at all?

Her face finally relaxed, but she still curled up into a ball on the couch, like a small animal trying to protect itself from danger. It showed that, deep down, Alice still didn’t feel safe.

Despite everything that had happened today, the misunderstanding between them hadn’t been fully resolved. Ryan hadn’t explained much, but Alice seemed to have made up her own mind about things.

This whole situation had passed, for now. But who knew whether it would cause more harm or good in the future?

After sitting there for a while, and once Alice was sound asleep, the system’s notification finally rang in Ryan’s mind. The side quest had been successfully completed.

[Side Quest Complete, Completion Rate: 120%. Rewards have been issued.]

[Skill Point +1 (Time to test your bloodline!), Bonus Event (A beauty like jade, drunk and by your side—can you really resist?)].

The Skill Point was nothing new,Ryan was already familiar with it. He still had one unused Skill Point left, so he figured he could use them both later.

But what really caught him off guard was the so-called bonus event. Ryan had thought it would be something that could change the current situation. But now, looking at the scene in front of him, was this the bonus event?

Alice was drunk, lying so trustingly beside him. Not doing anything almost felt like a waste.

Ryan found himself caught between his morals and his instincts. Just then, Alice shifted slightly, startling him.

Maybe it was the alcohol making her feel hot, but she reached up and started tugging at her collar. Ryan’s eye twitched as he watched her, swallowing hard.

Was Alice really about to take her clothes off?

Ryan’s mind screamed that this was bad. He quickly stepped forward, ready to stop her before she went any further.

As someone who had been raised with strong moral values by the orphanage director, Ryan was absolutely certain that taking advantage of someone in this state was completely unethical.

If he was going to see anything, it should be when Alice was fully conscious. That way, at least he could live with himself.

A few suggestive images flashed through his mind, and Ryan remembered what he had found in Alice’s room earlier. Was she wearing that same cute type of underwear today?

“What the hell are you thinking, you perv?”

Ryan slapped himself across the face, snapping himself back to reality. Feeling a bit more clear-headed, he cautiously leaned closer to Miss Alice, intending to fix her collar.

Alice, however, frowned in her sleep, tugging at her shirt in frustration when she couldn’t get the buttons undone. She let out a few soft, dissatisfied whimpers.

The sound was adorable, like a fawn’s cry, but to Ryan, it was almost too seductive.

He had thought Mia was already a handful, but drunk Alice was on a whole different level. She completely outclassed Mia without even trying.

Alice continued to fumble with her shirt for a bit before suddenly springing up from the couch. Her eyes, which had been tightly shut, flew open, and the first thing she saw was Ryan leaning toward her.

Ryan froze in place, his hands awkwardly outstretched, as if he were about to grab something.

He had only been trying to help Alice, really! He wasn’t planning to do anything weird. Why did it always look like he was up to no good?

Ryan felt like crying. He could already imagine the look Miss Alice would give him—the same look you’d give a creep.

But Alice just tilted her head, blinking at him in confusion. Her eyes, usually so cold, now looked soft and curious, like a playful little bird. She seemed completely different from her usual self—dazed and innocent.

“Ryan?”

Her voice was slurred, and it took her a long moment to even say his name, as if she had to think really hard about it.

“Uh, yeah, it’s me.”

Ryan coughed awkwardly, quickly pulling his hands behind his back, trying to act like nothing had happened.

“Miss Alice, are you okay?”

He asked cautiously, already thinking about calling one of the maids to come in. He was definitely not equipped to handle this situation.

But what Alice did next completely caught him off guard. After hearing Ryan’s question, she seriously thought about it for a few seconds, then shook her head vigorously.

She looked like a child who hadn’t gotten the candy they wanted, her expression full of frustration. She bit her lower lip, and her eyes started to mist over as she looked at Ryan.

“Ryan, I’m so hot.”

Of course she was hot. That’s why she’d been trying to tear her clothes off.

Ryan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and reached out to gently pat Alice’s head, hoping to calm her down. He figured he’d comfort her for a moment and then go get one of the maids.

As he stroked her hair, Alice’s eyes slowly closed, and she let out a soft, contented purr, like a cat enjoying being petted. Then, she leaned her face into Ryan’s hand, nuzzling against it.

Normally, Alice’s body temperature was on the cooler side, but now she was burning up. To her, Ryan must have felt like a refreshing block of ice.

“You just wait here for a second, okay? I’ll go get someone to help.”

Alice’s cute, clingy behavior was enough to melt anyone’s heart. Watching her act so sweetly, Ryan felt his resolve weakening.

Drunk Alice was actually kind of adorable, Ryan thought to himself as he stood up and started to head for the door.

But before he could even get to his feet, a sudden tingling sensation shot through his fingers, making his legs buckle. He nearly collapsed to the floor.

Wait, wait—what the heck? That’s my hand, Miss Alice! Don’t put it in your mouth!

No, no, don’t climb on top of me! And stop trying to kiss me!

—–

PS:Whew, Ryan’s really in the hot seat now, huh? When you’re trying to do the right thing, but the universe (or a drunk Miss Alice) keeps throwing temptation your way… it’s tough being the “good guy” sometimes, right?