The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

I took a long bath, no that was a long one, around 40 minutes. It usually takes 5 minutes.

They were talking about a cooking contest or something.

"I have a bad feeling about it."

"Das, what took you so long?" Elena said.

"Yeah, usually he takes quick showers, but today..." my mom said.

"Yeah, I kind of wanted to take a long bath."

"Oh, I understand." my mom said.

"Huh?"

"I mean, what happened just now?"

"What?"

What is she talking...about? She doesn't mean what happened in my room, right?

"I interrupted you, and maybe you were in a mood and did that in the bathroom?"

"What the hell are you saying?"

My mother has no shame.

"Is that true, Das?" Elena asked, her face is red as a beet.

"It's not; I didn't do anything."

I didn't, I was in the mood, but I didn't do it.

"Well, anyway, where is dad?"

"I am here," my dad said.

He was sitting on the sofa right beside me.

"I didn't notice."

"Come on, dear, breakfast is ready."

"Yeah, I will be done in a minute."

"Dad, at least rest on Sunday."

My dad is still working on a Sunday.

"I will be busy next week, so I need to do it now."

Elena walked up to me and whispered in my ear, "Come on, dear, breakfast is ready."

"Dear?!" I yelled in surprise.

"What's wrong, Das?" my mom asked.

"Nothing."

She caught me by surprise. Damn you, Elena.

I glanced at Elena, and of course, she is embarrassed as well.

Why do you do it then?

I and my dad are sitting at the dining table.

"What is this?" my dad asked.

"I don't know either."

There are many dishes, and there are 2 of each.

So my mom and Elena prepared the same dishes.

"One is mine, and the other is Elenas, but we won't say which one, eat it and tell us which one is better."

I am anxious, why? Because Elena can't cook.

Two weeks ago when I went to her house, she cooked something for me, and it was my first time eating something that she made and when I ate it, how do I describe how it tasted?

If I were to explain it in one word, then 'disgusting' is the right word.

But today, it looks good, I looked at Elena, and she gave me a thumbs-up sign.

Now I am anxious.

I will eat it. If it's something made by her, then I would eat it.

Yeah, it doesn't matter, even if it tastes disgusting.

"Dad, why don't you go first?"

Don't get the wrong idea; I am not using my dad. I just don't know which one was made by Elena. I need to be prepared, both physically and mentally.

My dad ate from one dish.

"It's good."

It's OK, huh? Then that means that mom makes one, so the other one is made by Elena.

My dad is going to eat the second one.

Good luck, dad.

"Mmm, it's good."

What? Is it good? What's going on? Did he lose his sense of taste? Wait, maybe he is considerate of Elena.

What a gentleman, my dad. I will eat it too.

I ate the first dish; it was good, really delicious.

I ate from the second dish; it was good.

"I am confused."

"Now then, dear, which one was better?" My mom asked my dad.

"The second one."

"And what about you, Das?"

"The first one for me."

"I see."

Hmm? What's going on?

"You made the second one, right?" my dad asked my mom.

"I knew that you would recognize it."

"Well, I have been eating your cooking for years."

Wait, what?! Mom made the second one, then that means Elena made the first one?

I looked at Elena; she was smiling at me.

She is so cute.

"So you like your girlfriend's cooking more than mine." my mother said.

"No, it's not like that, that one honestly tasted delicious so."

"So my cooking is not tasty?"

"I didn't say that; yours is good too, but ---"

"Hahaha," my mom and Elena both laughed.

"Teasing him is so much fun."

"The hell?"

What the hell? I was serious here, and they were making fun of me.

"Elena, you are now qualified to marry my son anytime. "

What are you saying, mom?!

"I understand."

And you too! 

Don't just agree with what she says.

After eating breakfast, my dad went back to the sofa and started working.

"Das, let's go to your room.", Elena said

"Sure."

"Be sure to lock the door this time.", my mom quipped.

"We are not going to do anything."

We went into my room.

"Why my room?"

She comes to my house almost every week but never insists on going to my room.

"There is something I want to do, and it can only be done in your room."

Only in my room. Does she maybe want to continue where we left off in the morning?

"What do you want to do?"

"What I want to do is..."

Is?

"I wanted to see Zek VR-4.0."

"I see."

"What's wrong?"

I hate to admit it, but I imagined something else.

"It looks outstanding."

"Does it?"

"Yeah"

"What's the difference between yours and mine?"

"Let's see, first is the drive gear, it's completely different, and the design is new, it looks cool."

"That's a vague difference."

The price is three times more expensive than her VR gear.

"But there are only three models in the world, and you have one of them."

"Yeah."

"Don't you feel special?"

"Not really."

Nothing surprises me. I don't feel special or lucky.

But there is one particular thing. Elena, I feel special when I think Elena is mine.

"I want to try it," Elena said.

"But if you try mine, then won't you log in as my character?"

"Nope."

"Huh?"

"If I try yours, then it will either ask me to create a new account or log in as my account."

"That means..."

"Yes, I can log in as Reina."

"So that's how it works."

In other words, if anyone tries to play on my VR gear, they need to create a new account if they are a new player, but if they already have an account, then they need to insert an ID and login as their character; it doesn't matter from where you play. That's a great safety measure.

"Why don't you try it then?"

"I will have to pass."

"Why?"

"I want to play with you."

"Would you stop saying these cheesy lines?"

"I am telling the truth."

"Well, it's the same for me. I won't enjoy this game if you are not with me."

The same goes for Ricky and Rikka.

"Hey, Elena."

"Hmm?"

"Want to go on a date?"

"Now?"

"Yeah?"

We go on dates every Sunday.

"It's only 9 AM. "

"So what?"

"Well,, sure, let's go."

"And..."

"Hmm?"

"I booked tickets for a movie."

"Which movie?"

"Your favorite."

"Wait seriously?"

"Yeah."

"How did you get tickets? I spent hours in line, but tickets were sold out, even online tickets too. I even asked my dad to do something, but tickets were sold out everywhere."

"Who do you think your boyfriend is? There is nothing in this world that I can't do."

"I love you." She hugged me.

I can't tell her how I got the tickets. I spent hours in line and, as she said, tickets were sold out a week ago. I couldn't even find tickets online, not only that I looked for tickets in the next city, but everywhere was booked.

I was ready to pay 10x more, but no one was ready to give me tickets, so I found someone online. That person was prepared to give me tickets at 3x price.

I already called that person to meet me before the movie so that I can get the tickets from him.

The movie is part of the film trilogy. It is an anime adaptation of the popular RPG game.

Elena loves this game, and she made me watch the first two movies of this game. And now the last movie, the conclusion is airing in theaters, and that's the reason the tickets are unavailable.

"Let's go, Das."

"No need to hurry, the show is at 1 PM."

"But we need to go shopping before that."

"Yeah, yeah."

We went downstairs. My dad is still working on his laptop, and my mom is...

"Going on a date?" My mom asked.

"Yeah."

"Don't do anything strange."

"We won't."

"Want me to drop you off?" My dad asked.

"Don't you have work to do?"

"I do but--"

"It's okay; we will manage it."? I

"Hey, why don't you take your motorcycle, I bought you on your last birthday?"

"No thanks."

"Why?" Elena and my dad asked in unison.

"Why? I don't have a license."

"It's okay."

"It's not okay at all. What if the cops caught us?"

"What are you talking about? Your mom here will take care of them."

"No need to; you're seriously telling your son to commit a crime?"

"You are no fun."

"Yeah, yeah."

My parents are crazy.

"Das..." Elena said

"Do you want to ride it too?"

She nodded.

"We can't."

"But-"

"No buts, we will take the bus."

"But you don't like public transportation."

"It's okay; it's just for once."

I am not okay with public transportation. I have never ridden a bus or a train before.

We took a bus; it's good that it's empty. Soon we reached the shopping mall.

"Yaay, shopping time."

"Slow down!"

"I will buy everything!"

"Give me a break."