Chereads / Close Combat Card Magician / Chapter 5 - Chapter 4: Have a nice... Awakening (4)

Chapter 5 - Chapter 4: Have a nice... Awakening (4)

"Huh...?" "What?" "Are you serious?" All three of them asked with a serious and confused expression. Not only them, but both Prince Archibald and Princess Marianna were also confused as well.

"Wait. Can you explain a bit about the reason you think we are from different versions of Earth?" Jason asked with a serious expression, as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well... Aside from the obvious difference of the presidents, there is also Kai himself." Valt answered seriously, as he adjusted his glasses.

"What do you mean? What about me?" Kai asked with a slightly nervous expression.

"Well, in my world, well... Y'know..." Valt was trying to beat around the bush with as much as he could have, but Kai quickly noticed and requested with a serious expression:

"Just be blunt about it and don't go beating around the bush already. I don't think there would be anything else that can phase me anymore."

"Fine, you asked for it. Well, in my world... You died..." Valt answered, after a couple of moments of silence between the two.

"So?" Kai asked seriously, without seeing any problems.

"So? That is all you have to say for that? Shouldn't it bother you more? Since you died and all that...?" Valt asked with a worried expression, as he looked at Kai's calm and serious expression.

"If that all happened in a different version of Earth, why should it bother me? Sure it was a different version of me, but it doesn't affect me, actually. I can guess it is probably pretty weird and jarring seeing a dead man alive, but from my experience that involves games with alternate realities, always expect to meet people you probably not expect to meet, such as dead people, different versions of your own friends, or even different versions of your own self. Just sweat to much about it." Kai explained with a slightly more relaxed expression and once he finished, his stomach suddenly rumbled a bit.

"When did I get hungry? I could have sworn I had eaten an hour ago." Kai muttered quietly, as he looked down on his stomach and touched his slightly muscular lower torso. As he did so, he looked around a bit and couldn't help but marvel at some of the decorations that near or on the walls, such fancy furniture or intricate paintings that depicted various people and landscapes. As he was doing so, he also felt like checking on his pendant and took it from under his shirt and looked at his own mother's photo for a few seconds, before I putting it under his shirt once again. The photo itself showed a woman with silverish white hair, pure white skin and crystal blue eyes, exactly the same as his left eye.

After putting the pendant away, he decided to look a bit around, as they were walking. Aside from the fancy decorations, he also saw that after their conversation, things were pretty quiet between them, with Mei still looking nervous, while Jason just kept to himself and had a more judgemental expression. As for Vale, he was looking quite bored and couldn't help but yawn and the Royal siblings were looking like they were having a conversation, but there was no noise coming from them, except from the sounds of their own steps.

He felt rather curious about them, but he decided not to pry into their business, lest he wanted to have a death wish. Before long though, the six of them finally arrived at a rather spacious room and in front of them, there was a pretty long table with all kinds of dishes in front of them.

"This is the dining hall, where either the Royal Family usually eats, or when business is usually conducted. Of course, this is for you to eat, since it took half a day at least, for your bodies to be summoned and woken up. Although, please do mind your manners. It is not only the people have eyes and ears on them." Archibald explained, as he stood in front of them, before sitting down on the table.

After hearing that explanation, Kai and the others decided to sit down, but Kai couldn't help but think that Archibald's last statement was more than just a simple threats about their manners. Although the others didn't seem to think much of it, Kai still decided to avoid saying anything for now, despite wanting to ask a lot of things right now. So instead, he decided to ask some of the others, in an attempt to break this endless silence, by asking some casual questions:

"So... How was your day guys?"

Of course, he was only met with cold silent stares, before the Archibald decided to answer with a slightly relaxed expression, after seeing that someone was willing to break this silence:

"It was good. Not much better than any other day, but good."

Thank god someone answered. I thought that I was going to die from this endless silence between us. Kai thought to himself, as he barely held himself back from yelling out his own thoughts. He looked quickly at the others, but they were eating, while looking pretty deep in thought.

"What about you guys? Don't you have anything else to say?" Kai asked, as he looked at the others.

"Same new, same old. Aside from working as a businessman, I don't do anything else. So my days are as mundane as looking at paint slowly drying off." Jason answered, without lifting his own head, as he was eating with a tired expression.

Wow, talking about a really boring life. Does he even have any friends to talk with?

Kai thought to himself with a concerned expression, as he looked at Jason, before looking at Valt for his answer as well. Valt noticed quickly Kai's stare and decided to answer with a reluctant expression:

"Mostly watching and playing. I don't think I need to explain much else now, do I?"

Kai raised his eyebrow as he heard that and couldn't help but eye Vale a bit suspiciously, as he put a smug expression. But after seeing his slightly nervous expression, he decided to let him off and check on Mei as well.

Mei herself was eating silently and she hadn't noticed him staring at her, so it took around a whole minute before Kai sighed and tried to grab her attention quickly.

"Mei? Are you ok?"

She didn't answer though. She seemed pretty deep in thoughts, but Kai figured that she may need some time to used to the change in the environment or something, although he felt that something may be slightly off. In the end, he decided to not bother Mei for now and ask something that had piqued his interest a little while ago.

"Say Vale, can you tell me something?"

"Huh? What is it?" Vale asked with a surprised expression, as he looked at Kai.

"You mentioned that I had... Y'know... Died, in your world, so..." Kai was talking awkwardly, as he scratched the back of his head. Of course, everyone else on the table, aside from Mei, also turned their head as well, as they heard Kai's response.

*sigh* "Are you serious right now?" Vale asked with an annoyed expression.

"What? I'm just curious to know what did me in. Although I'm probably expecting an accident of sorts, assuming the other me is the same as me." Kai explained with an awkward expression, as he looked away.

"I don't mind answering, but will you be fine with the answer? Knowing the way you died is... Y'know... Kind of weird and unsettling." Vale answered with a stiff expression, as he put his fork down.

"I think I'll be fine. I don't there would be anything that could shock me anymore." Kai explained, as he remembered momentarily about the memory frombefore.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, alright?" Vale answered with a reluctant expression, as he took a deep breath, before answering briefly:

"Vehicular manslaughter."