The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

Chapter 42: Don't Ever Try To Become A Hero

I am eating breakfast, a typical breakfast. I don't know why, but my father made breakfast yesterday. I am not saying I don't like his cooking, but nothing beats my mother's cooking Well, except Elena's cooking.

My girlfriend is awesome.

"What the--"

My father was reading news on his tab, as usual, but...

"What is this?" he asked.

"What's wrong?"

"This photo, this is you, right?"

Photo? What is the talking---

"Let me see." my mother said.

"It's not me."

"This is from the game, right?"

"It's not me."

"The beach and swimsuits."

"It's not me."

"Who posted this---It has over 1 million likes!"

"The media is looking for them. It's the top trending pic of this month."

"He looks like Das."

"It's not me."

"I will call and confirm with Elena."

"Okay. Okay. It's me, so don't call her."

"You do these things in the game?"

"I...we don't. This is just--"

"It's okay Angela, if he is having fun, let him enjoy it."

"Das."

"Yes?"

"You don't use social media, right?"

"I don't."

"What about Elena?"

"She used to but not now."

"Then it's okay."

"Huh?"

"Don't do things which will catch public attention."

"I understand.",

I am on my way to school. Elena said she is waiting in the park. Lately, I have been going to school with her. I am worried something might happen to her, and if possible, then I want to be with her 24 hours, but that would be too much for me.

"You are late, Das."

"Sorry. Something crazy happened in the morning today."

"Something crazy?"

"Yeah."

"Let me guess."

"Okay."

"You overslept?"

"No."

"You forgot your homework?"

"No."

"You forgot to charge your phone?"

"Yeah, that's crazy, but you are wrong."

"What else then...you punched your father?"

"Hell no!"

"Argh...I can't think of anything."

"Wait, you were serious about all those guesses?"

"Of course, I was."

"...."

"You are acting like your parents found out about that photo--wait!" She noticed the sudden change in my expression and said, "Seriously?"

"Yeah, they did."

"What did they say?"

"Nothing much."

"I won't come to your house sometime."

"No need to worry."

"But--"

We were walking on the sidewalk. On the right side, there are streets, and on the left side, there are buildings. We were walking while chatting, but suddenly I felt a sudden urge to pull back Elena, and just a second later, a body fell from the building.

"Are you okay, Elena?!"

"Yeah!"

It is a man's body; it's wholly squashed.

"Don't look, Das."

"I am okay. You should..."

I don't feel anything. I am slightly sad that someone died in front of me, but I don't care about that.

"Let's go, Elena."

"But--"

"Let's go."

"Excuse me, you kids."

It's the police. How did they get here so quick?

"Can you tell us what exactly you saw?"

"Sorry. We are getting late for school."

"We just need to---"

"I said we are getting late for school."

"...."

"Let's go, Elena.",

I grabbed her hand and walked off.

"Why did you do that, Das?"

"What?"

"The officer, he just wanted to ask some questions."

"No need to bother with them."

"That body, there was a knife in his stomach."

"Huh?"

"He was probably stabbed and pushed by someone."

"That..."

"If we had got there sooner, maybe we would have helped him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The police came right away; that means that man called the police before he was stabbed."

Why are you using your mind in these types of matters?

"Elena, listen to me."

"What?"

"People die. It's no big deal."

"How can you say that?"

"We don't know him, so there is no reason to feel sorry for him."

"That's true but still--"

"Elena."

"What?"

"Don't ever try to be a hero, okay?"

"What are you saying?"

"If you witness someone being killed in front of you, don't ever try to help that person. Run as far as you can."

"You are telling me to--"

"Your life matters to me, not theirs."

"I understand."

This is the first time I have acted like this in front of Elena.

"We are late for school."

"Let's skip."

She is back to normal...Ah.

"Elena."

"Hmm?"

"I won't come to school tomorrow."

"Why?"

"I have some things to do."

"Like?"

"It's nothing important."

"I see. You will play the game, right?"

"Yeah. I will be busy till 6 PM."

"Is that stuff you have to do related to the royal family or something?"

"No."

I have my university exams tomorrow. I lied to her again. Dammit.

"What's wrong?"

"I just remembered the first period is of Miss Serah."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"Das."

"Hmm?"

"Will you enter the room first?"

"What why?"

"She will not scold us if she sees you."

"Why are you so afraid of her?"

"She has big breasts!"

"...."

I opened the classroom door. Everyone is looking at us, not because we are late but because Elena is still holding my hand. I tried to get free from her grip but...

"You are 13 minutes late."

"An accident happened on our way."

"Is that so? Well, take a seat."

We walked in. Elena is still holding my hand.

"Excuse me, Elena Huer."

"Elena, she is calling you."

"I don't want to listen to her. Please do something."

"Miss. Elena is quite affected by that accident so can you--"

"I understand."

She is going easy on me!

It's lunch break. I am eating lunch with Elena in the empty classroom. I eat here because I don't have any friends. As for Elena, she had some friends when we were in the first year, but she stopped hanging out with them. I asked her about it, but she just shut me up with a kiss.

"Why do you look so happy?"

"The school will be on the morning of next week."

"So?"

"We can play LWO early!"

"Elena."

"Hmm?"

"What is more important to you? Game or real life?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

"Nothing is amazing about the real world."

What's with the answer? I thought she would say game or real world. I asked because I want to tell her about me, but I don't know about both. If she had said the game, I would have told her about my stats and skills, and if she told the real world, I would have told her about me.

She will be shocked, and if I tell her about both at the same time...I might get dumped.

"Das."

"Hmm?"

"Let's kiss."

"What are you saying?"

"There is no one around."

"Today is Thursday. No kissing."

"Let's get rid of that rule!"

She just threw that rule away!

"We will kiss tomorrow."

"I want to kiss you now!"

"Wait for tomorrow."

"You are not coming to school tomorrow!"

"Then wait for Saturday."

"Hell no. I will die!"

"You will die!?"

"How about only I kiss you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I will kiss you. You just sit there, not touching me. That won't break the rule, right?

Don't use your mind on weird stuff!

"Do whatever you want."

"Okay."

She leaned forward. I can smell her shampoo.

"You are not allowed to move, okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah."

She kissed me. She is not touching me; only our lips are touching...this is new. I like it.

"How was it?"

"I don't know. Do it one more time."

"Roger that."

She kissed me again, but this time she used her tongue. Dammit. I want to push her down.

"How was it?"

"One more time."

She kissed me, or she was going to---

The classroom door opened. There was a boy on the door, looking at us. Elena fixed her position.

"So you were here." the boy said.

Who is he?

"Hey, you are the smartest boy in this school, right?"

"I...am."

"Great. I need your help."

My help? Who is he?

"Umm...who are you?"

"What?" He made a face I will never forget.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"You don't remember me?"

I don't!

"I can't remember you."

"I am your classmate."

Just a classmate?

"What do you need?"

He asked if I am smart or not; that means he must want help with his studies. I don't mind teaching him if--

"How do I get a girlfriend?"

What the--

"What does it have to do with being smart?"

"Smart people have girlfriends!"

"That's not true."

"Then why is this cute girl going out with a loner like you?"

"I will throw you out of the window!"

"So scary!"

"Stop it, Das!"

"Hello Elena, why are you going out with someone like---hey wait, why is he opening the window?"

"Get out of here, or I will throw you out!"

"Man, you are scary!"

"Umm, what is your name?" Elena asked.

"My name is Joey."

"O, kay, Joey. I am going out with him because I love him; it has nothing to do with being smart."

Elena. My girlfriend is the best.

"Then I can get a girlfriend too?"

No, you won't.

"Of course you can."

"Thank you. You are lovely."

"Hy, if you are done, get out of here."

"I will call you 'scary dude' from now on."

I'll throw him out!