OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 386: Private Talk

'Fog' covered Emir's left and right, shielding him from the others completely and isolating him with Mr. Player.

This was the second time this had happened, and he still wasn't used to it.

The pressure was immense.

Having Mr. Player's entire attention fixated on him almost made him break into a sweat.

And unlike the last time, there was no melody in the background.

It seemed Mr. Player wanted him to feel the full weight of the moment.

Whether this was to help him get used to it or to use it against him in his mental battle with Ms. Queen, Emir didn't know.

All he knew was that his life felt like a tiny flame 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 something new he had just learned; he had always known that his life was completely and utterly insignificant in the grand scheme 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?"

Some 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, shimmered 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 members?"

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 me 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 formed eerie sounds, threatening to hypnotize him.

"Mhm... yes, a fourth-generation irregular. A 'Black Eye.' In bygone times, I would've hunted you down in moments. 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 extremely rough, echoing in a mouth that threatened to swallow him whole.

But his mind seemed 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 seemed they wouldn't rest until the bloodline was extinguished.

The third important revelation was that once Mr. Player became 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, somehow 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 merely confirming."

With those majestic-sounding words, the 'fog' on his right and left was lifted.

Emir slowed his time and breathed heavily, calming his mind...

After being in that state for a moment turned a hundred, he lifted his Temporal Perception,

and time returned to normal.

"Heyyy! Welcome 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 same, 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 me, why did you guys look at me like that?"

His question referred to the time after he requested a private talk.

Back then, everyone snapped their heads at him in shock, even Mr. Board, who seemed 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 ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

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 comeback:

"Hah?! You're the inferior one, chasing an olive tree and calling it Yggdrasil!"

That triggered him.

"That's just one of its many names! The olive tree is the tree of life!"

Mr. Bishop, usually quiet, commented 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 me as an idiot! You gotta look at yourself before you do that; I

mean, 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."