The Villainous Emperor Is My Pet?

"It's late." Harvey glances at his silver pocket watch. "Let's continue the story tomorrow."

I am relieved. My back hurts a little from sitting for hours. Honestly, the effect of coma isn't gone yet. I should probably visit my physician tomorrow. "See you tomorrow then."

"Since the condition of the country is rather bad, go home." Harvey leads me outside of his special 'sanitized' room. The guy has an OCD. He wants everything crystal clear. If a germaphobe visits someone in the hospital for two long years, it's hard to overlook his sincerity. He must have regretted choosing me as the next transmigrator. Harvey continues sternly, "Go home and rest. Wash hands. Actually, you should take a warm bath with the soaps that I sent you."

Yeah, he can also be creepy sometimes. The guy would send me soaps, sanitizers, and masks in bulks. Those are manufactured in his company for sure. He also has large investments in pharmacy and other medical business. Though he did cry about having losses in other areas, he hasn't denied making money in necessary items.

The government should put a heavy tax on a guy like him.

"Don't forget to keep your windows closed at night." And he always offers me strange advice like this. Well, it's winter. So, I should keep the window closed.

But I like the scent of winter. It's a lot better than the scent of blood.

"Don't go near dogs or cats," He tells me as he presses the elevator button.

When the door opens, I put on the damn mask and follow him inside the elevator with intricate paintings on the golden walls.

Harvey always likes to walk me back to the limousine. What a gentleman! I think that I will miss this treatment when the story is over.

"I don't go near animals." I heave a sigh. "That web novel shattered the image of cute and fluffy animals."

Oh, talking to animals is a nightmare. I would never wish that power upon anyone.

"That's a good attitude." Harvey chuckles. "If you feel any discomfort…"

"I will call you first." I know that he's feeling guilty, but he shouldn't drown in it. Anyway, his guilt isn't enough to give me half of his wealth, is it? "I won't call family or emergency contact. I will call you."

But Harvey isn't fluent in sarcasm. So, he nags me, "I am responsible for you. Don't worry about jobs. You can work for me after the story is finished. Your credentials are quite good. You can work from home until the pandemic is over."

"Then, why are we not doing this over skype or zoom?" I throw him a questioning look. "I don't need to come here."

"It won't be the same." He sighs. "If you hate coming here, I can come to your place."

"Nope!" I don't live alone anymore. My parents and my brother live with me. They already think that Harvey is in love with me. If he starts frequenting our house, their belief will be strengthened. I know that Harvey doesn't bear those feelings for me and it's the same for me. Though we have a unique connection, I just can't see him as a man.

That web novel gave me high standards. I will definitely die single because I feel like I can't embrace a rhino. Unicorns aren't real.

Harvey doesn't nag me anymore. The elevator door opens. I rush toward the exit. The limousine is waiting for me.

In the car, I lean back in my seat. Honestly, life is difficult during the pandemic. I can't scratch my nose that is under the mask. Though I have a sanitizer in my purse, I am too lazy to remove my gloves and sanitize my hand because I want to scratch my nose. Even doing that is frowned upon. But the nose doesn't care about pandemics. It will get itchy despite the time and place. It's like holding fart.

"Argh!" I stare out of the window. "I am thinking about random things again."

Dante would always give me a look when my mind used to wander off.

"But he's not real." I release a heavy sigh, only to wrinkle my nose under the mask. Bad breaths problem.

I should finally make use of the self-care merchandise that Harvey sent. Being easily distracted isn't bad, considering that I won't think about a certain man for long.

After thirty minutes, the car stops in front of my parents' house. Lifestyles have changed so much. I go through the usual cleansing ritual before I can go to my bedroom.

Take off the raincoat, mask, gloves, and shoes. Wash hands. Go to the bathroom and take a bath. Get out in a bathrobe and head to the damn bedroom. Change into clean clothes.

"Phew!" I go to the living room after finishing every step. I think that it's too much, but my paranoid mother thinks that it's never enough. I mean, it's winter. Does it make sense to take a bath twice a day? It doesn't and yes, she's paranoid. The only reason why I am allowed to leave the house before the announcement of the vaccine is that my mother is impressed by Harvey Cunningham's germaphobe personality.

In the living room, only my brother is present. Wearing checkered trousers and a t-shirt from the nineties, he is lying on the couch while changing the channels like a robot. His ginger hair is a mess. I don't think that he has been shampooing or combing his hair for a month. It may have been longer. But he works from home and he doesn't have to show his face like my parents who are professors at the university.

And my parents… I look at the study room's door. My parents nearly got a divorce when they had to decide who would use the study room. In the end, my mother uses the study room and my father uses the bedroom. Half of the bedroom has been converted into his study room.

Life is difficult. I want to go back to my apartment. But my mother won't allow me.

"How was your date?" My brother asks me with a dull voice.