chapter 58 ethan felling sorry

Stella's Short-Lived VR Experience

After logging out of Eldoria, Ethan stretched, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders from the long session. He tossed his VR helmet onto his desk and stepped into the living room, expecting to see Stella still buried in her work.

Instead, she was leaning back in her chair, arms crossed, with an expression that was a mix of frustration and resignation. The blue glow of her laptop screen illuminated her face, but her focus wasn't on the screen—it was on the VR helmet sitting on the table in front of her.

Ethan grabbed a drink from the fridge, cracking it open before speaking.

> "What's with that face? You look like you lost a bet."

Stella let out a tired sigh and shook her head.

> "I finally decided to try the damn thing."

Ethan paused mid-sip.

> "Wait, really? You actually logged in?"

> "Yeah. For all of twenty minutes."

He frowned. "And then?"

She gave him a dry look and held up her phone.

> "My boss called. Told me to join work immediately."

Ethan blinked, then let out a low whistle.

> "Oof. Talk about timing."

Stella scoffed, dropping her phone onto the table.

> "Yeah. I barely got past the tutorial before I had to log out." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Now I regret even trying."

Ethan smirked, sitting down across from her.

> "Told you. 'Someday' always turns into 'never.'"

Stella groaned, rubbing her forehead.

> "I know. And the worst part? I was actually starting to enjoy it."

That caught Ethan's attention.

> "Really? I thought you weren't into games."

> "I'm not. But Eldoria… it felt different. The immersion, the world—it was kind of… I don't know. Interesting."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. Interesting? From Stella? That was high praise.

> "Guess the real world doesn't want you escaping."

Stella huffed, picking up the VR helmet and turning it in her hands.

> "Apparently not. At this rate, I'll never have time to play."

Ethan watched her for a moment before shrugging.

> "Then make time."

She let out a short laugh.

> "Easier said than done. You know how my job is."

He did. Stella was always busy, always working. Even now, at nearly 1 AM, she was checking reports and analyzing data. That was just how she operated.

Still, Ethan could tell—for the first time, she actually wanted to play.

> "Well, the game's not going anywhere. Try again when you're free."

Stella nodded, but they both knew—finding that 'free time' was the real challenge.

As Ethan stood up to return to his room, he glanced back at her.

She was still holding the VR helmet.

Still thinking about it.

Maybe next time, she wouldn't have to log out so soon.

Ethan's Thoughts on White-Collar Workers in Eldoria

As Ethan walked back to his room, he couldn't shake the conversation he had with Stella. Her frustration wasn't unique—he had seen this countless times before.

Back in his previous life, Eldoria had attracted thousands of white-collar workers—professionals working in corporate offices, finance, law, and other demanding industries. They were excited about the game, eager to experience the cutting-edge virtual world that everyone was talking about.

But there was one big problem.

Their companies didn't let them play.

The workload was too much. Strict schedules, constant meetings, and sudden work calls like the one Stella had received—it all made gaming impossible. Most of them ended up wasting their expensive VR helmets, logging in only once or twice before giving up.

For the first few years of Eldoria, the game was dominated by students, freelancers, and full-time gamers. Office workers just couldn't keep up.

> "If nothing changes, Stella's going to fall into the same trap."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Right now, Eldoria wasn't famous among professionals like Stella. But he knew exactly when that would change.

The Turning Point – Evolution 1

In his past life, Eldoria had gone through a massive shift with the release of Evolution 1—a game-changing expansion that rewrote the economy, business, and workforce inside the game.

That's when:

Multi-national corporations entered the scene. They saw Eldoria as more than just a game—it was a new world with real economic power.

Governments started investing like mad dogs. They funded research, virtual businesses, and even military simulations inside the game.

Small and mid-tier companies joined in. They had no choice—if they didn't adapt, they'd get left behind.

Before long, playing Eldoria wasn't just a hobby—it was a career.

White-collar workers who once had no time to play were forced to enter the game. Corporations started hosting meetings in Eldoria, building virtual offices, and using in-game resources for real-world business. The people who had written off gaming suddenly had to log in—or risk losing their jobs.

> "But we're not at that stage yet."

Right now, Eldoria was still in its early days. Companies like Stella's had no reason to care about it yet. That meant people like her would struggle to find time to play—until it was too late.

He turned back, watching her absently spin the VR helmet in her hands.

She wanted to play. That much was obvious. But if she didn't start soon, she'd never catch up.

> "I'm not letting that happen."

Ethan's Decision – Helping Stella

He had already lived through one timeline where Eldoria crushed those who fell behind. If Stella got left out now, it wouldn't matter that she had bought the VR helmet—by the time she realized she needed to take the game seriously, she'd be too far behind to compete.

> "This time, I'm helping her get in before it's too late."

Ethan's mind raced. He needed to find a way to get Stella started before she lost interest or got overwhelmed by work again.

She needed an efficient leveling strategy. No wasted time—just pure progress whenever she played.

She needed guidance. If she tried to figure out the game alone, she'd burn out fast. He'd make sure she had the right build, quests, and gear from the start.

She needed motivation. Right now, she still saw Eldoria as just a game. She needed to understand that this was the future.

> "The faster she gets strong, the more she'll enjoy it. If I can help her now, she won't struggle later."

He had already decided—Stella was going to play. And he was going to make sure she had the best start possible.

As he entered his room and shut the door, his lips curled into a smirk.

> "Time to prepare. Stella has no idea what she's about to get into."