The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

"Are you done eating Das?"

"Yeah."

It's almost 8 PM; Lily is waiting...I guess she is not. She has no sense of time.

"I am going to my room."

"Are you preparing for your university exams?"

"I don't need to study."

"Never thought I would hear this line from him."

"He is in puberty after all."

"He is almost 18 years old."

"Yeah, even though his real age is...."

"Talking about puberty, it reminded me of our first date."

"Derek, don't say more."

"I remember how you were fidgeting when we held hands on our first date. You were like, 'It's my first time, so it's embarrassing' I laughed so much that time."

"Derek!"

"I also remember when we---put that knife down."

"No breakfast for you tomorrow."

"Anything but that!"

"No means no."

"I will do anything!"

"Then, you will make tomorrow's breakfast."

"It's the same thing!"

"You don't understand Derek."

"What?"

"What I want to say is, I want to eat your cooking."

"Is that so? Can't be helped then."

"You are pretty easy. Same as ever."

"Same goes for you."

Meanwhile, Das in his room,

I did say that I would go on a date with Lily, does that count as cheating?

The date means going around or wandering around and having fun with someone.

"So if I just wander around with Lily, it counts as a date."

Does that count as cheating too? Rikka is already married, so if I go around with Rikka, will it count as cheating too?

"I feel guilty about it."

Wait, there is one thing I can do. I logged in. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...

[Hello, Adas.]

It takes 6 seconds for Lily to appear.

"Hello. Are you ready?"

[I am. Let's go.]

"Wait for a minute."

[Huh? Why?]

"I called Ele---"

"Hey Adas, I saw your message.", said Elena, who appeared beside me.

[What is she doing here?]

"Why so early?"

"I wanted to play early today, that's why I called you."

"Ricky and Rikka will come in an hour. Do you want to level up?"

"Not today. I want to go on a date with you."

"Huh?"

"In the game. I want you to show me around."

"That's what you meant."

[Hey. I just wanted the two of us.]

I grabbed Lily, who was yelling at me, and put her on my head.

"Sit here."

"Did you say something?"

"No."

Elena showed me everything. All the shops, café, and restaurants. There are even shops for new clothes where you can craft your outfit. Your design, however you want it.

We are currently at a café. Elena is eating. I am also eating, and Lily has been pulling my hair for quite a while now.

"Did you enjoy it?" Elena asked.

"I did."

[I did not.]

"Ricky and Rikka told me that you could go to world 2."

"Every level 40+ players can."

"How is world 2?"

"It's good."

"Anything else?"

"I just went there once for a raid. I didn't wander around."

"Anything different from here?"

"There are many quests and more guilds there."

"Is there a beach too?"

"I don't know, but there might be...ah, That world is based on myths."

"Myths?"

"The quests are tough and based on ancient myths."

"Like a story?"

"Something like that."

"I can't wait to go there!"

"But you need to level up first."

"Yeah."

I think I can go there using my 'No Restriction' ability, but I won't go.

"What's wrong?"

"It's about time Ricky and Rikka show up."

"Time passes by quickly in the game."

"I know right," I said.

"Hey Adas.", said Elena hesitantly.

"What?"

"Have you thought about the future?"

"Why so, suddenly?"

"Answer me. "

"Of course I have."

"What will you do after high school?"

"University."

"What if I am not there..?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, you are smart. You can go to any university you want, but I---"

"Don't worry about that."

"But--"

"Did I ever say that I won't be with you?"

"....."

"Whatever happens, I will be with you, so don't, worry about that, okay?"

"What about your family?"

"Huh?"

"Will they accept me? And you are also a prince, and I am--"

"No need to worry about that. My family has enough money that the next 30 generations will be okay without any job."

"But you must have a dream, right? Something that you want to do."

"I never had one before, but after I met you, I have some dreams."

"What are they?"

"You will know them because all of my dreams include you."

"....."

[.....]

"...."

I repeated something embarrassing, didn't I?

"Hey Adas, teach me how to say these sweet things." A familiar figure who was sitting on the table in front of us said.

"Stop it, Ricky," said Rikka.

"When did you two come here?"

"From 'Have you thought about the future?'."

You bastard!

"Stop it, Ricky."

Even though Rikka was asking Ricky to stop, she was also laughing at us.

Embarrassing moments are hard to forget.

"Can we sit here?" asked Ricky.

"Sure."

"Man, you are ritually good at flirting."

"I changed my mind. Get out of here."

"Come on, don't be like that!"

Elena changed her seat and sat beside me. It looks like she is embarrassed as well.

"Excuse me! I will have two more of these."

Never mind. She is the same as ever.

"Where did you learn to say these sweet lines?"

And this guy is also the same as ever.

"I didn't learn it."

"Could it be that you are a natural at this?"

"Huh?"

"Reina, did you hear that?"

"Hmm."

"Now, I understand how Reina fell for you."

"Stop it."

"Reina, am I right?"

"Hmm.", Elena said.

"He might already have some other girls too."

"I don't.", I denied.

"He might be already cheating on you."

"I am not!" I shouted.

Stop saying that. Elena will get angry if you talk about other girls--

"Hmm.", Elena said.

Huh? What?

"Reina? I said he might be cheating on you!", repeated Ricky, thinking that she might have misheard him.

"...."

"That's not the reaction I had in mind."

"Ele--Reina?"

"Weird. She is not saying anything."

"Connectivity problem?"

If there is a network problem, she will be automatically logged out, but her body is still here.

Elena was eating cake, but right now, she is just sitting there with a fork in her hand. I tried to take the plate from her...

"That is mine!"

She spoke!