Want to be human, but cube-like

If I send this message, the other person will probably think I'm a complete invasion of their privacy...

With this thought flashing through his mind, Xiangzi sighed helplessly and pressed the send button anyway.

She doesn't need the other party's confirmation; just observing their reaction is enough.

【You…! What exactly do you want!?】

Just as Xiangzi had expected, Aine, who felt completely insecure at that moment, was plunged into panic upon seeing those words.

She started to think back, wondering if she had any shameful things stored on her computer and phone, and what if the other party collected them and used them as blackmail...!

Images of herself being forced and humiliated by bad people flashed through her mind. Aine bit her lip, her eyes reddening.

Her future may be shrouded in darkness.

But a moment later, Aine's thoughts paused again.

She racked her brains for a long time but couldn't recall anything she had that she was hiding on her phone and computer that could be used as a means of blackmail.

"..."

Having shaken off the strange images, Ai-yin, feeling slightly better, puffed out her cheeks and stared at the screen with a hint of annoyance.

Even so, it's still despicable!

They actually violated my privacy! They even stole my personal information!

She had just thought she had met a fellow Minecraft enthusiast!

When she learned that the other person was a gaming novice, she was happy for a while, thinking that she could also experience the fun of teaching others how to play as a gaming veteran.

But to my surprise, the other party turned out to be a bad person!

No! We have to find a way to punish them!

After thinking it over, Ai Yin decided to leave the bedroom and go downstairs to explain the situation to her father.

She herself didn't know how to deal with these things, so it was best to ask an adult for help.

Just as Ai Yin was about to get up with her tablet, she saw that the other party had sent her another private message.

[Aine-kun! Calm down! It's me! Toyokawa Shoko!]

On the other side, Xiangzi, with mixed feelings, fell into deep silence as he looked at the other party's reply, which could be described as an admission of his identity.

After her suspicions were confirmed, she found it somewhat hard to accept.

In his mind, the mature version of Alex with flowing silver hair that he had imagined before, her godlike power with every move, and her tyrannical and cruel personality—all these character settings created by Alex's words—were completely shattered and collapsed without a trace at this moment.

Instead, there was a pink-haired girl who smiled and showed her fangs, and was usually a bit silly.

So Alex... she didn't see Chihaya Aine as a substitute for her mother, but rather, her instincts recognized her mother without her even realizing it.

The relationships were already complicated enough, but now they've become so complicated that even Xiangzi can't figure them out.

She sent a message identifying herself and asking Aine to calm down so they could have a proper talk.

After all, this is the only way to contact Aine right now.

Perhaps, they will be able to get a chance to reconcile.

Although this relationship is indeed quite twisted...

The thought that the two of them were dating not long ago, and even... even kissed, gave Xiangzi an indescribable feeling.

"Xiao Xiang...?!"

Upon seeing this reply, Ai Yin stopped what she was doing and paused in surprise.

She immediately realized that it must be because she had been avoiding their contact during this period that they had somehow managed to find this new account she had created and try to contact her!

Then, recalling my impression of these two as young ladies from wealthy families!

So that's how it is! They started using their power because I haven't been replying to their Line messages!?

They actually resorted to such despicable methods!

Aine, who was already in a bad mood, became even angrier after this series of twists and turns. She stopped reading Xiangzi's messages and blocked him, then deleted her account and left the webpage.

She stormed out of her bedroom and went downstairs to find her parents.

She needs to leave Tokyo immediately!

This place is really too dangerous!

…………

P.S. From an omniscient perspective, some might find Xiangzi's repeated confirmations a bit awkward and deliberate, but there's actually an information gap at play. Xiangzi only knows that Alex's mother's name is pronounced "anon," but it doesn't necessarily mean her actual name is Aiyin. Therefore, she needs to cross-reference other information to confirm.

Also, Aine is currently avoiding them. Xiangzi directly identifies himself, and just like at the end of this chapter, Aine will most likely block him.

For Xiangzi, confirming whether Alex's mother was actually Aine was more important than calling Aine over, since people don't just run away.

She just didn't expect that Aine would actually run away like that.

Volume 1: Chapter 193 How to Tell

The rich girls in Tokyo are truly terrifying!

Annoyed, Aine walked down the stairs in her slippers, still thinking to herself.

However, when she reached the living room, she adjusted her expression and did not show anything unusual.

"father!"

Dad had just finished showering and was coming out of the bathroom when Ai-yin called out to him.

"You've already booked your plane ticket to London for tomorrow, right?"

She paused slightly before asking.

That's right. Several days ago, after learning the truth from Alex, she left heartbroken. On the night she returned home, she angrily told her parents that she wanted to go to London ahead of schedule.

Dad and Mom naturally wouldn't object. Mom even happily brought up the idea she had mentioned before—that she would accompany her to London for half a month.

Although Dad looked hesitant, he eventually agreed.

In the days that followed, he seemed to be caught up in a flurry of overtime work.

It wasn't until tonight that I finally had some free time and could go home earlier.

The family of three finally decided on a departure date in mid-March, which is tomorrow.

"It's all booked. The flight is tomorrow at noon, so we have to leave in the morning."

I just finished taking a bath, and my complexion is...

The rosy-cheeked father smiled and nodded in reply.

"...Tomorrow?"

At this point, Aine hesitated.

In the end, she was still a little reluctant to part with it...

"Aiyin, do you need Mom to help you pack your luggage?"

The mother, who was busy in the kitchen, heard the conversation between the father and daughter, leaned over, and asked softly.

"No need, I'll take care of it myself."

She pursed her lips, shook her head, and refused, then hesitated for a moment.

"Actually, Mom and Dad, you didn't have to come with me..."

She still said it softly.

It wasn't that Aine disliked her parents going to London with her, but rather that she thought her parents were worried about her doing well in London, so they wanted to spend more time with her in this way to help her get through the initial nervousness of arriving in a strange environment.

"It's not just about spending time with you, Aine; Mommy and Daddy are really looking forward to our trip to London!"

Mom smiled and shook her head.

"The last time I traveled this far was right after I got married, during my honeymoon~"

She smiled and moved closer to her husband, subtly poking his lower back.

"Darling, don't you agree?"

"Ah...!? Hmm, yes, yes... I really miss it~!"

After working overtime for several days in a row, the father, who was really not in much spirits, was prompted by this and subconsciously shook his body. He quickly forced a smile and replied.

"...Okay~"

With a helpless sigh, Aine's lips curled into a relaxed smile.

"Thank you, Mom and Dad!"

She went up to her parents and gently hugged them.

My originally heavy heart felt somewhat comforted.

At least, I can still receive comfort and encouragement from my family here.

However, if I need to board the plane tomorrow at noon...

"I want to say goodbye to my classmates and friends early tomorrow morning, so Mom, can I leave early?"

With a slight smile, Ai Yin spoke softly, her face showing no sign of anything amiss.

At least, before leaving...

She has one last thing to finish.

I need to go and settle things with Alex, make things clear, break up with her, and say goodbye.

…………

[Please let me explain first, Aine!]

[Alex might really be your daughter!]

I'm not joking! The situation is a bit complicated, and you might not believe it, but at least please come and talk to me in person!

You've been playing Minecraft, haven't you?

[Alex might be the character you once controlled in this game!]

You might find this hard to believe, but please hear me out. She appeared in the real world for unknown reasons, so...

Meanwhile, Xiangzi, still in his room, was typing a long message on his phone, afraid that if he spoke any later, Aiyin would misunderstand even more.

She also conveyed many of the traits that Alex had exhibited, which might correspond to Aine's past gaming habits.

After typing for a long time, Xiangzi discovered that the last few paragraphs he sent had all failed to send.

She quickly scrolled up through the records and noticed that the first few sentences were still unread, while Ai Yin had already blocked her account.

Frustrated, Xiangzi logged out of his account and registered a new one. He wanted to message Aiyin privately again, but found that she had turned off the private messaging feature.

So it turns out we were too late again...?

She looked at her previous chat history with Ai Yin with a headache, then switched to the LINE interface, which remained completely silent.

Now, he had absolutely no way to contact Aine.

Ironically, the very moment I brought it up, I shut myself out...

Xiangzi could only console himself that he was lucky he typed quickly enough to send the most crucial sentences, and the other party simply hadn't read them.

Although her account has been blocked, if Ai Yin logs into the forum account again, the other party will still be able to see those messages.

What's bothering Xiangzi now is how to explain all this to Alex.

If you tell her directly: "You are actually a virtual character in a game, and your mother is a gamer who doesn't know you exist..." can Alex really understand and accept this fact?

Can she accept that her mother, whom she always thought loved her dearly, may not have even realized that she was a conscious, independent being?

Xiangzi finds it hard to imagine what it would be like if one day someone told her that she was just a virtual character, not a real person, and that the world she lived in was just a fictional world created by the creator's imagination.

What would she think?

All her past experiences were merely fabrications by others; her thoughts and her destiny would only follow a predetermined path.