MTLNOVEL Chapter 160: Jackpot!
Hugo stood at the door, staring at the pizza delivery guy who had somehow become the strangest regular character in his life.
The guy looked the same as last time—same greasy uniform, same wild eyes that made him look like he spent too much time thinking about life's mysteries.
"Ah, pizza…" the delivery guy said in a deep, overly dramatic voice, holding out the boxes like he was presenting sacred artefacts. "The food of kings. The sustenance of warriors. It begins and ends in a crust."
Not this guy again!
Hugo blinked, unsure whether to laugh or shut the door in his face. "Right… thanks for bringing it," he muttered, reaching for his wallet.
The guy didn't stop. He put a hand over his heart like he was about to recite a pledge. "Remember this: a pizza shared is not just a meal—it is a bond forged in mozzarella and crust."
Hugo froze, mid payment, his mouth slightly open. 'Does this guy practise these lines in front of a mirror?'
The pizza guy nodded at Hugo's stunned silence, clearly taking it as awe. "May your toppings always be plentiful, and your slices never uneven." He took the cash, saluted, and marched off like he'd just won a battle.
Hugo stood there for a moment, holding the warm boxes and staring after him. "Why do I always get the weird ones?" he muttered under his breath before heading back inside.
Hugo stood there for a moment, holding the warm boxes and staring after him. "Why do I always get the weird ones?" he muttered under his breath before heading back inside. Explore more at empire
He pushed open Loli's door and stepped back into her neat, cosy little room. She was still sitting on the floor, her head bent over a notebook as she wrote something, her face calm and focused.
Her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulder, and Hugo caught himself staring again. 'Even when she's doing homework, she looks like an angel. How is that fair?'
"Pizza's here!" he announced, plopping the boxes on the coffee table in front of her.
Loli glanced up, giving him a small smile before gesturing to the notebook. "Let's eat after we finish the second assignment," she said simply, her tone polite but firm.
Hugo's jaw dropped. "After? Are you serious? No way! I can't think straight on an empty stomach." He pointed dramatically at his belly. "It's like trying to drive a car with no gas. It's impossible."
Loli raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "You ate before you came here."
"That was hours ago!" Hugo said, throwing his arms in the air. "I'm basically running on fumes right now. Do you want me to collapse halfway through this assignment?"
She sighed, rolling her eyes in defeat. "Fine. Let's eat first. But only because I don't want you whining for the next hour."
Hugo grinned triumphantly and grabbed a soda from the side. "Good choice. Trust me, hungry Hugo is not someone you want to meet."
As they opened the pizza boxes and started eating, Hugo's thoughts drifted. He kept sneaking glances at her, trying to figure out how to take things to the next level without scaring her off.
He was determined to take things to the next level. Loli was simply too beautiful to resist!
'Alright, Hugo, time to escalate… but carefully,' he told himself.
He remembered her reaction earlier. Sure, she had seemed a little nervous, but if she were truly terrified of him, she wouldn't even let him sit this close.
If she had been terrified of him, he wouldn't ever think of making another move on her. That would simply be wrong and stupid.
He wasn't like that. But thankfully, she wasn't scared of him.
She wouldn't be sharing pizza with him or laughing at his bad jokes if she was. 'She's scared, yeah, but not enough to push me away completely. That's gotta mean something, right?'
After a moment of silence, Hugo decided to test the waters with a question. "So, what's your family like?" he asked casually, keeping his tone light.
Loli froze, the slice halfway to her mouth. She set it down slowly, her expression suddenly serious.
"I don't really… have a family," she said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "My parents passed away when I was little."
A sob story?
Hugo's grin vanished. The room felt heavier now, the light-hearted mood evaporating. So Loli was an orphan? And she was this rich?
"Oh," he said quietly, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry. That must've been tough."
Loli shrugged, her eyes distant. "It was a long time ago. I've learned to live with it."
Hugo felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't expected such a serious answer. 'Why did I even ask that?' he scolded himself.
He was simply trying to build comfort. Who would have thought. But wait... had he just struck the jackpot?
As he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel… closer to her. Like she'd just shared a part of herself she didn't let many people see.
This should be enough, right?
Without thinking, he leaned closer. "Hey, you've got some sauce right here," he said softly, pointing to the corner of her lips.
Loli blinked, confused, as Hugo reached out and gently wiped it away with his thumb. Her lips parted slightly, and she just… stared at him, completely still.
"All clean," he said with a small smile, his voice warm. And then, while still holding her gaze, he licked off the sauce on his fingers.
She didn't move. Didn't say a word. Her wide eyes were locked on his, and Hugo felt his heart racing like crazy.
The air between them felt heavy, almost electric. Slowly, carefully, he leaned in closer.
Her breath hitched. She wasn't pulling away.
'This is it,' Hugo thought, his lips just inches from hers. 'This is my moment.'
And then—
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Power stone Goal!
50 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
100 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
200 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.
Castle -20 Bonus Chapters!