I was all over the place… I felt my head in the clouds.
I couldn't concentrate on the real problem at hand, only on the picture on my phone.
Eve... I'm sorry, I will not fail our children.
My son, Noah.
My daughter, Julie.
I will get home to you, whatever this is… I will.
Switching off my phone, I placed it back in my pocket and turned my attention to the System window in front of me.
Its blue screen shone intently as if mocking me somehow...
[User: Liam White]
[Current Quest: The Door]
The text continued to morph and reveal the rest of the main menu that I was supposed to have from the start... I wasn't even surprised that there was an error.
—————
Main Statistics
—————
[Strength - 5]
[Agility - 5]
[Endurance - 6]
[Wisdom - 9]
[Charisma - 8]
[Intelligence - 10]
[??? - ???]
—————
Skills
—————
-
-
-
The main menu finally loaded up in front of me, but I couldn't say I was happy.
No.
It was the exact opposite.
I felt my throat dry up as my eyes widened...
I thought this day couldn't get any more confusing.
But here I was.
With no idea what the hell was happening.
In a strange world that mirrors the one I was born in yet so much more different.
With my only means of guidance being faulty.
Classic…
I sighed in frustration.
This was all getting way too much for me.
Ahh... I need a cig... and I don't even smoke.
"Is there a problem, Mister White?"
"Hm?"
A harsh male voice jolted me out of my thoughts.
"Am I boring you with my presence?"
The teacher was looking at me with eyes that radiated authority, his forehead shimmering under the fluorescent light above him.
That forehead could blind someone.
"I apologize, sir. I'm still half asleep."
I tried to make a decent excuse to get him off my back, but his brows only furrowed further, and his nose scrunched up in a hostile manner.
"Well, you'd better wake up. School is not a place to sleep or wonder."
I just nodded...
I should have skipped.
But it was too late for regrets. My head was still in the clouds. More than anything, I needed time to digest everything, to think things through, and to plan my next course of action.
"Hmm… meet me after class."
"…"
You've got to be kidding me...
"Yes, sir…"
I don't even remember his name... Damn, I should try to avoid human contact until I figure something out, but I don't think that's possible at this point.
If that balding buffoon is out for me, it's the end of me.
I wanted to bury my head in my hands, but I resisted the urge and maintained a poker face, pretending to focus on the class.
In reality, I let the teacher's words go in one ear and out the other. I wasn't listening to him or the students eagerly raising their hands to answer.
I was still deep in thought, staring at the faulty system window in front of me.
[Strength - 5]
[Agility - 5]
[Endurance - 6]
[Wisdom - 9]
[Charisma - 8]
[Intelligence - 10]
[??? - ???]
What the hell does '???' mean?
And those mysterious statistics weren't the only things that shocked me—the whole interface was different from the one I designed… it seemed… better.
As much as it bruised my ego, I had to admit, it was better. But it had an uncanny resemblance to those RPG games I occasionally played.
Well, rarely played.
My daughter was more into video games. I understood the appeal but needed to get more interested to dive in myself.
Yet, my system window resembled them, and I wasn't the one who designed this.
My questions were piling up, and I still didn't have answers.
Quest menu.
The menu shifted without me needing to say anything. Another function that I did not put in the system… such a good feature…
It felt like a punch to the gut.
I thought this system was faulty, but in some ways, it was better than the original.
But how?
And why?
What is going on?
I groaned in frustration.
"Mister White!"
Shit.
My poker face crumbled as the teacher stepped closer to me.
But before he could berate me further, the girl next to me spoke up.
"Mister Zachary, Liam doesn't seem to be feeling well. I think he might be sick."
What did she mean by that?
I look perfect.
She continued, "I saw him shiver just a moment ago too. Can I take him to the infirmary?"
As she finished, Zachary, the teacher, only raised his brows higher, his expression was hard to read, but but his frustration in me was evident.
Why?
I did nothing wrong other than groan twice.
"Hmm, okay, but stop bothering my class."
He dismissed her, eager to get rid of the disruption.
What an unpleasant man. She meant well and was almost berated for it.
"Liam, can you get up?"
She asked, her yellow eyes staring at me intently, waiting for my answer.
"Yeah…" I tried to sound sick and weak. It was humiliating, but I had to act the part.
As I got up from my seat, she did as well and led me out of the room. I could feel the intense gaze of my brother boring into my back.
I need to come up with a good excuse to give him as well.
As we left the room, the girl in front of me abruptly stopped, and I almost collided with her.
"Liam?"
"Yes?"
"Are you alright?"
Something's wrong...
She seems doubtful of me. I have to play it off somehow.
"Yeah, I just couldn't sleep that much, so I'm feeling sleepy today," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
"I'll be right back in a moment, no need to go to the nurse's office. I just need to freshen up and wash my face."
I didn't wait for her response and quickly walked past her.
"Liam…"
She called out to me again.
"Hm?"
"The men's bathroom is that way..." she pointed behind her. "Or would you rather go to the third floor's bathroom?"
"..."
"Yeah... I don't like the one on the second floor."
Total bullshit—I don't even remember it.
"Okay..." she nodded, but I could hear the doubt in her voice. If she wasn't suspicious before, she probably is now.
She seemed sharp, definitely not someone I want to deal with right now.
Even I don't know what my secret is, I have to hide it.
As I walked away and headed toward the third floor, the blue screen flashed up again.
[Strength XP+]
[Endurance XP+]
...
I was truly at a loss for words at this point.
"Huf…"
I just sighed. The only surprise now would be if there were no more surprises after this.
As soon as I reached the third floor, I was met with a long hallway lined with classrooms on the right, all marked with numbers, but I was heading straight to the washroom.
I was honest with her... well, as much as I could be.
I really needed to wash up.
When I reached the bathroom, I ignored everything else and went straight to the sink, turning on the water without a second thought.
Scooping my hands under the running water, I instantly brought it to my face, letting the cold sensation envelop me.
"Huff…"
As I exhaled once more, I looked up from the sink, only to see my own face staring back at me in the mirror.
What now...?
My face wasn't the only thing there.
The blue screen had a new message.
[Memory Fragment Received]