'Just hope this plot didn't have any anomaly because of my presence.'
Alex said this in his mind as he parked the car in the parking lot of the hospital. After that, he got out of the electric car, which was given to him by Alia.
Have to say, it's not that bad to eat soft rice. Anytime you have a problem, your president's girlfriend will take care of it with just one call.
'She might get the news of me accepting the money by now.'
He suddenly thought of the high cold figure. Even if it was just a blurred memory, he had to admit he had never seen a beautiful woman like that.
But he, who knows the plot, wanted to stay away from this woman as far as he can, because he knows how perverted her personality is. She can do anything to be in control, not to mention how possessive her personality is. Even if she doesn't want it, others can't have it; she would rather destroy it than share it with others.
If not for the system's reminder that the protagonist will target him no matter what, he had long since left this city to be away from her. He didn't even plan on raiding her at that time.
'Grace should be desperate at this time. It's the right time to strike.'
Alex shook his head to throw out this thought and focused on the current objective.
According to the plot, Grace should right now start to doubt him, and now if he gives her a helping hand in need, she will not only be grateful to him but also her guilt of doubting him will double her affection for him.
After all, people care more about receiving charcoal in the snow than icing on the cake. So he had to give her money before the protagonist appeared.
"Hello, miss. Can you please tell me in which ward the patient named Gloria Smith is admitted?"
After entering the hospital, he realized he didn't know which ward Gloria, Grace's mother, was admitted to, so he had to go and enquire about it in the enquiry section.
"How handsome... Woah!! I-I am so sorry. I just blurted out nonsense. Sir, please ignore that. Th-That, Gloria Smith is in ward number 3-B on the third floor."
The receptionist seated there couldn't help but blurt out these words after she saw Alex. Even if he was wearing the mask, it couldn't hide his charm at all. That mask was as futile as hiding the sun with one's hand.
But then, after realizing what she said, she panicked. This day and age are different from the past. In the country, there were lots of new laws passed for the protection of men.
Her saying this could be misunderstood as harassment, which is a crime punishable by law.
"Thank you, miss, both for the compliments and for giving me directions."
Alex, on the other hand, didn't think like her. He, who had not gotten used to this world yet, was quite overwhelmed by her compliment. He couldn't even remember the last time someone complimented him.
So he wholeheartedly thanked her and went towards the elevator, not realizing how much his simple words affected the poor receptionist.
She stood there dumbfounded. She thought there would be ridicule, insult, or complaint waiting for her, but to her disbelief, he thanked her. She could feel genuine surprise and gratitude.
'How come there is such a pure boy in this world?'
The receptionist just stared blankly at the fading back of Alex until he completely went out of her sight. Even then, her eyes were unwilling to leave that place where he disappeared. That enchanting voice and words kept ringing in her mind.
[Ding! Host gains the affection of the opposite sex.
30 Raider values are received.]
When Alex entered the elevator, the system voice rang in his head.
He was not surprised to get this notification, as he already received it multiple times since he got out of the house.
It turns out that he can receive Raider value from every opposite sex as long as he gains their little affection, and with his looks, it's not hard to receive initial affection. So he accumulated close to hundreds of Raider points until now.
What surprised him was the value he received now. Before, it was just 1 or 2; at max, there were 5 Raider points, but now all of a sudden, he received 30 Raider points.
'I have to study this function further.'
This anomaly gained his attention. If he finds out what triggered him to receive that many Raider points, he can exploit it and after that buy some life-saving whole cards. That way, he can calm down the worry in his heart.
After all, the protagonist is the protagonist for a reason; with his luck, he might encounter some opportunity earlier than they were destined to counter his existence.
*Ding*
In his thinking, he already reached the 3rd floor, and the door of the elevator opened.
Alex came out of the elevator and turned left in the direction of 3-B hall.
....
"Can you please lend me 5000 UC? I will give you back as soon as I can—Hello? Hello? Damn it!!!"
Grace wasn't able to put her blind faith in Alex like before. The seed of doubt had already taken root in her heart, so she started to see if she could arrange 5000 UC from somewhere else.
But sadly, she had already taken money from everyone who would be willing to lend her. She even mortgaged her house and sold most of the things, leaving only essentials. That's how she was able to come up with 95,000 UC.
So right now, there was no way to get an additional 5000 UC. She couldn't even raise a single penny more. This was her limit. A mere 95,000 UC was all her life's worth.
"I-I am so-sorry, Mother. Your daughter is useless. *Sob* Can't even arrange this little money."
She looked at her unconscious mother through the ward's little glass window. She tried hard not to let those tears filling her eyes fall.
"No, how can I cry? There is still time. There is still hope. The day has not fallen yet. Alex might come. Mom still has a chance."
Seeing that she wasn't able to hold those pesky tears from breaking out, she decided to put all her trust in one last hope.
Hope that what Alex created in her heart is true, hope that he might be just coming here any moment now, hope that her mother is still alive and has a chance to survive.
So she couldn't cry. How can a woman cry when there is still hope? So she hardened her heart, wiped those little tear stains which she didn't know when slipped out. Now, all she could do was wait.
"Didn't you used to say that women only cry three times? When they are born, when her father dies, and last, when her mother dies? It's not good to lie, Grace."
Suddenly, a very enchanting voice broke her train of thought. When she looked up, she saw that handsome face that didn't let her sleep at night.
Now, he was looking even more handsome than before. For a moment, she was dazed, and then the almost diminished hope in her heart ignited.
'He came. I didn't love the wrong man.'
This was the only thought in her mind. She felt as happy as a wanderer finding an oasis in the ruthless desert.
....
'System, use the Eye of Truth on her and show me her details.'
As Alex entered ward 3-B and saw Grace seated on the bench, he asked the system to show her information.
[Ding! The target details are as follows...
Name: Grace Smith
Strength: 115
Agility: 106
Charm: 123
Luck: 1120 (Heroine)
Skills:
Martial Arts (LV 3), Business (LV 4), Violin (LV 1)
Talent:
Business Wizard (Yet to be opened): This talent increases business intelligence tremendously. All things related to business are very easy to learn for anyone who possesses this talent. This talent also grants the possessor a business intuition, which because of it can be called a business foresight.
(Note: Once her talent is awakened, she will be a very formidable opponent to anyone in the business field.
This talent will be unlocked on its own very soon or with an emotional shock; you will be able to unlock it right now.)
Superpower: None.
Favorability: 68
Summary: Grace Smith is a poor boy (girl) ML trope who, with her business knowledge, rises from poverty to richness.
(Note: Women like her are single-minded. Once they love or hate someone, they will not change their view, so beware of it.)]
Alex already guessed her stats from the plot in his mind, but he still was surprised. All of her stats were above average.
'Worthy of being a heroine.'
But what he thinks is funny is that even having ten times more luck than the average person, she is still miserable.
Is this logical? Yes, for protagonists and heroines, it is very logical. If they are not that miserable, how can they turn around and slap a villain? So it's necessary for them.
'System, choose her as a Raider target.'
After confirming everything, he commanded the system to lock her as a Raider target.
[Ding! Grace Smith selected as a Raider target.]
After doing all that, Alex approached Grace and said those words in a neutral voice.
He couldn't help it. In her mind, he was bad at showing his emotions and understanding others' feelings like a tsundere. So he had to bite the bullet and act like one.
Thankfully, he has god-level acting skills. If not, he really couldn't act as a brain-dead tsundere.
"Alex, you came. You really came. Let's go and pay the deposit so they can do surgery as soon as possible."
Grace, who was ignited with new hope, didn't mind him mocking her. At this moment, she was on cloud nine, thinking she didn't waste those three years. She loved the right man, and not the kind of person her friends described him to be.
She stood up and wiped the trail of mischievous tears, which were still silently falling from her delicate rosy cheeks. After that, she hurriedly dragged him to the payment window.
Soon, they came to the payment window. Grace quickly brought the payment form and filled it out.
"Alex, give me 5000 UC. I promise you, I will return this money as soon as possible."
Grace excitedly extended her hands to him, waiting to get the money from him to pay the deposit.
"That—"
[Ding! The World choice is detected...
Selection function is triggered...
Please choose one of the options...]
Alex wanted to explain about the check, but the system voice made him swallow back his words.
(A/N: Hello, sorry for the late update. I fell asleep while writing 😅.
UC: Universal Coin, the currency of this world. The most used one.
What do you think about Grace as a character? Please say it in the comments.
• Miserable
• Annoying
• Overused
• Written very badly, so can't tell
Like always, thank you for reading and have a good day 😁.)