0 Votes = [[ I've been wondering where Jensen is. ]]
2 Votes = [[ Earlier, why didn't you kiss me? Or did you want me to kiss you? ]]
0 Votes = [[ I still feel a little light-headed, I'm sorry. ]]
0 Votes = [[ What happened to the person who stabbed me? ]]
__________________________
T- This can't be...
Why is the second option suddenly turning yellow like it's being highlighted?
No way! There is no way! I'm not going to say that, it's so embarrassing!
"Earlier..." but my lips betrayed me, "...why didn't you kiss me?" kill me now!
Kate froze. She stared at me like I just spoke in a different language and she couldn't understand without a translator.
It's not something I would say or ever would say to her.
"Or did you want me to kiss you?" I hate my life.
She shakes her head, chuckling to herself.
What is the worse thing that could happen? That she'd slap me, spit on me or curse me?
I can take that anytime. It's 100x better than hearing the news that she'd die again. That would be unbearable to happen the second time around.
"You really are something, Ivan."
The tone of her annoyed voice and the tone of her forgiving voice is similar that I can never really tell which is which.
She leaned close to me all of the sudden and gave me a peck on the cheek.
"Nothing more, nothing less." she says.
"U- Uhm, thank you." I held the cheek that she kissed.
I felt my face flustered and warm just because of that one kiss.
It felt nice to be appreciated like this. I didn't think that she would actually do it. I wonder how it would have felt if she kissed me in the...
"Now get your head in the game and prepare for a rematch."
"Ha?"
A rematch? Of what? With who? All the warmth I felt from the kiss just got drained at her words.
Way to kill the mood, Kate!
"Carlisle got you pretty good. If I didn't make it in time, you would have been dead."
Who is Carlisle? Hm, if I am understanding this whole universe correctly, this Carlisle must be like Alex and Kate.
That is probably his second name and the first name is the one I know from where I came from. Ha! I am getting the hang of being here.
But then again, back to the real concern.
"Do we really need a rematch?" I don't want to fight.
I've never fought before. Except that one time... with the mugger. I ended up stabbed and dead. What difference will it make today?
"Of course. You're defending your title." she says.
When I didn't reply, she tilted her head to the side. She is trying to figure me out while I am trying to figure out this world.
"Have you even checked your panel yet?"
Oh, she's aware of the pop-up boxes?
"Uhm yeah, I did. I can't see the rest of it though. Just my name, level and role." then I guess she is the best person to ask about it.
"Let me see."
She cupped my cheek and I tensed. Startled that she did that so casually. Her hand is soft and warm I could almost melt.
Kate's eyes stared into mine. Her gaze is so sharp I felt like she's piercing through me. But then she blinked. Then smiled.
"Ah," she pulls her hand.
"What is it?"
"I forgot we gave you a [Supreme Elixir]. It has [Restricting Effects] until your health and mana is fully restored."
This is very similar to how I would explain a game to her because she used to be the one who didn't understand.
But now the tables have turned on me.
"Don't worry, we can fix that." she says. I see her panel pop up and she taps and swipes so fast I didn't see what she did.
A small vial with purple liquid materialized on her hand and she hands it to me.
"Drink this."
I examined the vial, mentally trying to activate any sort of pop-up that is supposed to explain to me what this is.
*beep!*
< [Null Potion] is being handed to you. >
Oh never mind. Here is the dialogue box. And that little 'i' that I don't normally pay attention to. But now I do.
< It is a [Legendary] item used to nullify any form of buff, poison, restriction, and any temporary effect applied to the user. >
I see why she gave it to me. But how does she have such an item in the first place?
Legendary sounds like it's something people would pay so much money for.
< Would you like to sell [Null Potion]? >
[[ Yes ]] or [[ No ]]
Astrals no! No. Wow this whole mental control thing is so sensitive. I need to be careful of the things I think about.
I cancelled selling the potion. Can't have Kate scolding me now about it. Now how to return the panel that says I should drink it.
Kate gave me a pitiful look. "Do you need help?"
"I lost the panel to drink the..."
She simply opens the potion and places the potion in my hand.
"Oh."
I drink the potion. It tasted so sour and there is an aftertaste of bitterness left in my throat afterwards.
It's almost like drinking melted ice cream.
In a matter of seconds I felt my entire body rejuvenated, my vigor restored.
The stats that I couldn't see is now visible. The blurred gray color is gone and the numbers and the panel bloomed with color.
[ ELEMENTALS ]
> Slot 1 : [Fire Mastery: Level 49/50]
> Slot 2 : [Water Mastery: Level 31/50]
> Slot 3 : [Unlock Slot]
> Slot 4: [Unlock Slot]
[[ Ascend Elemental Skill ]]
[[ Unlock more Elementals ]]
What is this? Fire and Water? Both under my command? I also invested a lot into it.
This is amazing, as I breathe I could feel the warmth of the fire crawling in my veins. It doesn't hurt me but it's heat is letting me know it's there.
There are other Tabs that's also available now.
[ ARDENT SKILL SET ]
[ INVENTORY ]
[ STATS ]
[ CUSTOMIZE PROFILE ]
This is all so much for me to process. Maybe I should take it easy.
"How are you feeling now? Better?" Kate asked. Brows creased. Eyes like puppies.
"Yeah, yeah. I just... I didn't expect to feel so much power."
"You silly," she said and giggled, "You're the boss. Of course you have so much power."
Right. I completely forgot about that other part of this new life.
To sum it all up.
My name is Ivan Carson in this world. I am 24 years old. I own a mansion.
My classmate Alex Calixto is now my butler and he is known as Humphrey Calixto in this world.
And then there's my best friend, Kate Caison. She is alive and well in this world. She works for me and she is known as Freja Caison.
This world is run by a gaming system. Level ups, tiers and such are all factors of this new life.
But I guess what troubles me the most is that there are also "Choose Your Own" system within this world.
It only triggers to major events in my life I suppose. It's still dangerous and I need to be careful of the choices I make.