Happily Ever After with My Reserve Food - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Out of boredom, I’m pretending to be a player.

I watch them skulk around the castle, peeking and poking their heads into every corner. I follow behind them, peeking and poking my head around too.

What are they looking at?

That’s just the robot vacuum I recently bought.

But they’ve been huddled around it, studying it for ages. They think this brand-new, high-tech gadget is so out of place in a vintage medieval castle that there must be some kind of secret to it.

…Such foolish little snacks.

I stare at the player’s defenseless, slender neck and swallow hard.

Slurp.

The player, completely oblivious, just grumbles irritably, “As expected of an S-rank Dungeon. These clues are way too hard to find!”

“I’ve got nothing!”

They finally give up on my robot vacuum and gather to exchange whatever clues they’ve found. Everyone offers a lead or two. Except for me.

“I told you, she’s just a useless deadweight!” Zhang Yi, who already disliked me, snorts coldly. “She can’t fight, and she can’t find clues. What is she even good for?”

“We’re up against an S-rank BOSS!”

I act a bit aggrieved. “I provided something too. I told you there were no clues on the robot vacuum.”

Zhang Yi sneers and points randomly. “I could say that too! I could say there are no clues in that chandelier up there!”

Oh. I blink. That chandelier… actually does have a clue. But will I tell them? Of course not. I’ll just throw myself into my boyfriend’s arms and whimper pitifully.

Gu Heng has just stepped into the hall carrying a tray when I wrap my arms around his lean waist. He stiffens for a moment, then seems to realize what’s happening. His sharp gaze snaps toward Zhang Yi.

The cold pressure makes Zhang Yi’s scalp tingle with fear. Flustered and angry, he slams his hand on the table and stands up.

“Come on, Brother Zhang, stop picking on the girl,” a player with smiling, fox-like eyes says, trying to play peacemaker. “Xiao Xi has her boyfriend to protect her whenever things get dangerous. She won’t hold us back.”

“Come on, let’s get back to the analysis. Let’s try to grab as many items as we can-I heard this Dungeon’s BOSS is God’s favorite son. There must be tons of rare items!”

At the mention of rare items, Zhang Yi finally settles down and gets somewhat serious.

I know why he’s targeting me. In this Horror Game, power is worshipped, and the weak are seen as burdens. Many players choose to abandon the weak links in their team or even use them as human shields.

Beautiful weaklings are different, though. They’re quite popular because they can find a powerful backer for protection. It’s seen as a validation of the strong player’s ability and charm.

Zhang Yi fancies himself one of the top 20 on the leaderboard; he thinks pretty female players should be groveling at his feet for protection. But I didn’t.

I ignored his advances and threw myself into the arms of the unknown Gu Heng. Because of that, Zhang Yi lost it. He called me stupid and shallow, and he’s been holding a grudge since two Dungeons ago.

Pfft. He’s not even as good-looking as a single strand of my hair, yet he expects me to call him “hubby”? Ugly little snack. He sure has a high opinion of himself.