'Fog' covered Emir's left and right, shielding him from the others completely and isolating him with Mr. Player.
This was the second ti this had happened, and he still wasn't used to it.
The pressure was imnse.
Having Mr. Player's entire attention fixated on him almost made him break into a sweat.
And unlike the last ti, there was no lody in the background.
It seed Mr. Player wanted him to feel the full weight of the mont.
Whether this was to help him get used to it or to use it against him in his ntal battle with Ms. Queen, Emir didn't know.
All he knew was that his life felt like a tiny fla on a candle-one of trillions-vulnerable to being snuffed out by the softest of winds.
He was humbled, reminded that while he might be considered of 'importance' on Earth, to giants like the man in front of him, he was no more significant than the very 'ants' he often squashed.
This, however, didn't deter him from speaking his mind.
It wasn't sothing new he had just learned; he had always known that his life was completely and utterly insignificant in the grand sche of things.
He was both a puppet on strings and a puppeteer, a pawn and a player-a constant irony and contradiction that he acknowledged without hesitation.
For despite it all, he had always spoken his mind freely, done what he decided was best, and ultimately, he saw no reason to stop now.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself and spoke:
"I'm a Seraphim Champion, a Class-Four First Sub-Rank. But you know that already, correct?"
So of the 'fog' in front of him coalesced into a smile under what could only be described as an ancient depiction of Angels-except its features were grotesquely exaggerated.
Countless eyes, too many to count, shimred within its shifting form like stars.
The smile itself contorted unnaturally, revealing thousands of rows of teeth that stretched almost infinitely.
"Indeed."
Emir shuddered at that sight and at Mr. Player's voice, which rumbled his mind due to just how deep it was, causing his next words to be a struggle:
"Will... you reveal... hooouff... that to the other mbers?"
The 'fog' shifted once more, its smile increasing in size while getting closer to his face.
The eyes within its form stared at him unblinkingly, their pupils widening and narrowing at random.
"Here, laws abound. One dictates that personal knowledge remains veiled by the 'fog' unless willingly divulged by the bearer. I am just; none of my decrees shall be transgressed. A binding pact holds no necessity."
Emir's heartbeat raced, and his trembling remained, but he did not stop:
"Did... did you invite because of my lineage?"
The 'fog' pressed closer, just a few inches away from touching his skin.
Its countless eyes froze once it stopped moving, and then its pupils began to blink in disorienting patterns that ford eerie sounds, threatening to hypnotize him.
"Mhm... yes, a fourth-generation irregular. A 'Black Eye.' In bygone tis, I would've hunted you down in monts. But fear not; as I am a 'Player,' your worries are needless. Besides, there is another reason, as you must have guessed, but that remains within my sacred silence."
Emir's breaths began to sound extrely rough, echoing in a mouth that threatened to swallow him whole.
But his mind seed to forget that 'fog,' concentrating on what was revealed.
Firstly, he found that he was correct-there were at least two unchangeable reasons for his receiving the invitation to Setrenc.
Secondly, as he already suspected, an order akin to a witch hunt was enacted by most, if not all, in the universe.
They had long since eradicated Najmat Al-Khulud, so it made sense that they still hunted down their descendants, the so-called irregulars and Black Eyes.
It seed they wouldn't rest until the bloodline was extinguished.
The third important revelation was that once Mr. Player beca a Paragon, his status was elevated to "Player."
This indicated that he had reached a level where he had a tangible effect on the universe.
Because of this, different rules were placed on him, shackling his power.
This was undoubtedly the reason why the universe existed until today.
Those of unfathomable strength were bound by an even stronger force.
'...D-Damn... this is-!'
"Do thoughts of betrayal stir within you?"
The 'fog' was upon him, not even an inch away.
It swallowed him whole.
He could not breathe, let alone answer Mr. Player's question.
Its smile had stretched impossibly wider, longer, sohow revealing even more jagged teeth,
and its open maw had one of its teeth pressing against his neck.
But his eyes remained still, even through his horror, the earlier pain preparing him for this
terrifying sight.
Seeing that, Mr. Player's 'fog' slowly moved back until it returned to normal, joining what
circled around him.
"Rest assured, I was rely confirming."
With those majestic-sounding words, the 'fog' on his right and left was lifted.
Emir slowed his ti and breathed heavily, calming his mind...
After being in that state for a mont turned a hundred, he lifted his Temporal Perception,
and ti returned to normal.
"Heyyy! Welco back~!"
Ms. Knight was the first to greet him, acting as if nothing had happened a minute earlier.
"Are you alright, dear?"
Ms. Queen had surprisingly done the sa, sounding genuinely worried.
'She knows how to act alright.'
But Emir didn't believe that, so he ignored her and replied to Ms. Knight with a smile:
"Thanks, but tell , why did you guys look at like that?"
His question referred to the ti after he requested a private talk.
Back then, everyone snapped their heads at him in shock, even Mr. Board, who seed to not
care about anyone but Mr. Player.
"Hm~? Ain't that obvious?"
The little Knight giggled and pointed at Mr. King, who looked to be holding himself back
from laughing.
Ms. Queen clicked her tongue and punched him in the shoulder, but instead of feeling pain, he just let out his laughter, rumbling her eardrums.
"BUWHAHAHAHAHA! Look at you being ignored by the new kid! Sad? Too bad! KAKAKAKA!"
Mr. Rook couldn't help but get a stab in as well:
"So much for a maneater..."
"Oh, shut up, you undead piece of shit! Why don't you slink back to your coffin where you
belong?"
Appearing to have had enough, Ms. Queen went off on both, scolding the duskmourner first and then the walking gold shop.
"And you! You're far too loud! I hope all that glittering gold of yours gets stolen while you
sleep!"
Their banter annoyed Mr. Board, as he saw it as disrespectful to Mr. Player, prompting him to
interfere:
"Keep quiet you inferior creatures..."
But his words were drowned by Mr. King's loud coback:
"Hah?! You're the inferior one, chasing an olive tree and calling it Yggdrasil!"
That triggered him.
"That's just one of its many nas! The olive tree is the tree of life!"
Mr. Bishop, usually quiet, comnted for once, agreeing with Mr. Board:
"That is true; while I don't see the reason for the endless search, there's no denying its
existence."
Clicking his tongue, Mr. King turned to the eternally mourning man.
"I know that; don't think of as an idiot! You gotta look at yourself before you do that; I
an, who else worships a dead man?"
The chaos in the room quietened at once as Mr. Bishop's killing intent pulsated throughout.
"Ah~. I knew this would happen."
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