Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever-Chapter 94 - Dangerous, but I love it

Seraphine ignored the look in Ravyn’s eyes completely and focused on her presentation. "It’s a game designed not to distract people from their responsibilities, but to train their discipline."

A ripple of curiosity moved through the crowd.

Many of the people who had come to the gathering earlier with nothing but pleasure on their minds now leaned forward with genuine interest, because none of them had expected Seraphine to make it this far in the event.

The moment she proved she belonged there, however, the room’s attitude toward her had changed completely.

Respect had replaced skepticism.

"It sharpens the intellect while calming the mind," Seraphine explained as she moved her hand through the holographic interface to give them a feel of how the game is played. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"It offers a quiet space for people whose lives run at exhausting speeds, a place where the brain can breathe for a moment before jumping back into work."

The projection changed at her command, displaying a soft landscape filled with peaceful colors.

Puzzles unfolded across the screen in elegant patterns that looked almost like paper folding into intricate shapes, while gentle ambient music drifted through the room.

"But unlike most digital entertainment designed to trap people in endless cycles of dopamine," she added, "MindNest refuses to allow that kind of abuse."

She tapped the interface again, activating the demonstration.

"After fifteen minutes of gameplay, the system pauses and gives the user a polite reminder that says something like, ’It’s time to stop. Go learn something new, finish your work, or do something productive.’"

A few people in the audience chuckled quietly.

Gray leaned back in his seat with one eyebrow raised in curiosity while watching the demonstration.

For a moment he wondered whether all Lunas carried hidden brilliance like this, or whether Seraphine was simply someone born with an entirely different kind of mind.

"If the user ignores the reminder," Seraphine continued with calm amusement, "the system waits another fifteen minutes before trying again."

The holographic display flashed with the next example message.

"This time the reminder becomes more direct," she added with a small grin.

"It says, ’Dumbass, stop playing now.’"

Soft laughter rolled through the room as the audience relaxed into the humor of the moment.

Seraphine felt warmth spreading through her chest when she heard it, because the tension that had filled the room earlier had finally begun to dissolve.

"And if they still refuse to stop after that," she continued while the demonstration advanced to the final stage, "the screen simply goes black."

The peaceful landscape vanished from the hologram.

"No negotiations. No secret override codes," she explained.

"MindNest does not exist to function like a digital drug."

Her voice carried quiet conviction when she finished the explanation. "It exists to function as a tool. A short break for people living under heavy pressure," she said. "A breath between long mental marathons."

Her gaze moved across the room slowly while the weight of her words settled over the audience.

"But it demands respect from the people who use it." Seraphine allowed a moment of silence to stretch across the space before she spoke again.

"This is not just a game," she said softly. "It is a philosophy."

Her final words carried through the room with calm certainty.

"Play."

"Rest."

"And then return to your life with discipline."

For a heartbeat, the room became completely silent. Then a single pair of hands came together in applause.

One clap.

And somehow, in that moment, everything changed.

The first clap came from Mark, and the sharp sound of his hands striking together echoed through the room with a clarity that instantly drew every eye toward him as he rose from his seat without hesitation, his expression bright with genuine admiration while he gave Seraphine a standing ovation that carried both approval and excitement.

"Brilliant," he said with a wide grin, the single word carrying enough weight to reveal how deeply impressed he truly was.

Gordon followed right after him, pushing his chair back as he stood as well, his applause slower but just as firm while an amused spark lit up his eyes.

"Dangerous, but I love it," he admitted with a low chuckle, clearly entertained by the boldness of Seraphine’s creation and the possibilities it carried.

Soon after that, Zack Manchester rose to his feet, his tall frame straightening as he joined the growing applause, and the moment he spoke his voice carried across the entire room with unmistakable seriousness.

"I want to invest in this new generation game," he announced.

The effect was immediate, and the murmurs spreading through the club carried a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and rising excitement as more people began to stand from their seats, one after another, the atmosphere growing heavier with interest by the second.

Then James’s clap suddenly cut through the noise, louder and far more commanding than the rest, instantly drawing everyone’s attention toward him.

"I’m investing twenty billion," he declared without the slightest trace of hesitation.

A ripple of stunned whispers ran across the crowd before Mark’s voice joined in again, his tone bright with enthusiasm.

"Thirty billion for me."

Seraphine stood there for a moment as the numbers echoed in her ears, and although she maintained her composed posture, a powerful rush of emotion surged through her chest as joy and relief blended together inside her heart.

She had always known that she could eventually raise that kind of money on her own through time, effort, and the steady growth of her projects, but the reality remained that such a process would require patience and years of expansion.

Having people willingly pour their resources into her vision right now meant that she could accelerate everything and pour her full attention into improving the MindNest software instead of worrying about financial obstacles.

She allowed herself a soft breath before speaking again, her voice steady and confident as she addressed everyone watching her.

"It’s still at the demo stage right now," she explained calmly, "but I can assure every single person here who is investing that none of you will be disappointed once the full version is ready for launch.

There will be different models designed for students, and we are also planning to create accessible versions for underprivileged children because the system can stimulate reflex development and cognitive response through interactive play."

Leon leaned forward slightly as curiosity brightened his expression, and his voice carried a light teasing tone when he spoke.

"You mean even someone like Tyler can play?" he asked.

Seraphine turned toward him, and a warm smile curved across her lips as she answered.

"I don’t think Tyler has any real problem at all," she replied gently. "As long as he continues following the prescription and therapy plan I gave him, he should be completely free from his condition within a few years. The children I was referring to are the kids staying at the rehabilitation center."

The moment those words left her mouth, Leon’s expression softened with unmistakable pride as he looked at her, clearly moved by the thoughtfulness behind her plan.

"For them, I’m investing twenty billion," he said firmly.

He still felt a sense of disbelief at how naturally Seraphine had included those less fortunate children in her vision, because many developers would focus solely on profit and prestige without sparing a single thought for people who had no money to offer in return.

Seraphine paused for a moment before slowly shaking her head, a small but determined smile forming on her face.

"Well, their version will actually be free," she said quietly. "It will be my personal gift to them in the hope that the system can help stimulate their reflexes and cognitive responses. Maybe we can redirect your investment toward expanding the MindNest versions designed for college and high school students."

Leon looked at her for a long second before nodding with quiet admiration.

"I trust you," he said proudly.

Just as the warmth of that moment settled across the room, another voice suddenly cut through the conversation, one Seraphine had not heard at any point during the evening.

"I’ll invest ten billion."

Seraphine instinctively turned her head toward the direction of the voice, and the moment her eyes landed on the man speaking, her brows drew together into a faint frown as recognition flickered through her mind.

He was the same man she had accidentally noticed earlier that night when she walked through the club, the one who had been receiving oral pleasure from an escort without the slightest concern for the people around him.

Seraphine had already decided on not working with someone like him but in what polite way could she say it?