OLD-WORLD EXTRA

Chapter 291: Not So Empty Empty Marble

Chapter 291: Not So Empty Empty Marble

?

***

'Wow...'

Arthur sat still for a while, even after Emir had long left the classroom.

'The rumors made me think that it'd be a bad class, but...'

Chatter resounded all around him, but he remained quiet, staring at the system in front of him.

'Damn.'

His eyes scrolled through the objectives, and two of them showed the very methods Emir spoke of as rewards.

'Though... I don't really need to listen. With those two, I'll be stronger than him in no time!'

He pumped his fist in excitement at his bright future. He, Arthur, the bearer of fortune, would look down on them all soon enough.

"Hey! You impure bastard!"

'Ah-'

But it wasn't time yet...

[The bullies are finally here~.]

[That they are... But don't worry, Arthur! I, your master, will teach you how to beat them!]

[Bah! We'd be better off blackmailing them and getting some credits.]

He would need to suffer a bit more until then.

***

'That rat bastard still has his systems.'

Emir realized that truth as he studied Arthur's unorthodox actions.

They all indicated that one thing.

So it wasn't that Emir absorbed corrupted systems; they just weren't in the pills in the first place.

He sneered while thinking of ways how he'd deal with the master wannabe and finance nerd implanted in the kid's brain.

'But I better tell her first...'

His thoughts didn't go any further as he opened the telepathic 'door' between him and Lyra. [How was my performance?]

[You did amazing! Though you've had a few lows here and there.]

[Hm, it isn't bad for my first time, then.]

[It really isn't.]

[Also...]

[Yes, something happen?]

[Deep read my memories.]

[...I see, now everything makes sense.]

[Yeah... Anyways how's work?]

[Check mine.]

[...Heh, it looks like mom's busy as ever.]

[Of course, everyone wants to talk to the Devil's Mother.]

[Ah, I almost forgot how important professors are... And wait devil's mother?]

[Yep, rumors spread from the students to their parents, and this nickname was the result.]

[Let me guess: Lily's nickname is Devil's Sister?]

[It is.]

Emir grinned, causing the students beside him to flinch.

[I like it.]

But he didn't even notice them as he continued forward towards the elevator.

[Alright, you should go focus back on Mom and the rest; I'll busy myself with the clubs over here, see what's up.]

[Shooing me off now, are you?]

[Heh, look at you being cheeky.]

[What? Rather me being meek all the time?]

[No, not at all.]

[That's what I thought~.]

[Yeah, yeah, talk to you later.]

[Love you, prince.]

[I love me too.]

[Humph!]

Emir reused the same dad joke while quietly chuckling to himself, only causing further terror

to those around him.

Ragnar's advice truly aged like milk.

Even with the sunglasses on, Emir's presence spread fear to those who placed their eyes on him, and the rumors certainly didn't help either.

But, again, Emir didn't care for that; he actually preferred it since the students always made way for him in the halls, giving him enough time to think...

Ting!

To think about the novel. About the missing details.

Arthur had apparently received the other two systems since young.

After being implanted in his neural network, they underwent hibernation, awaiting the signal they would receive from the third and last system.

The Fortune System.

But as Emir absorbed that system, the process was corrupted.

This corruption caused the automatic activation of the other systems, as they presumably found out that the main system was compromised.

So there was a high chance that Arthur knew of the night visit, or at least his systems did.

Sigh...

The match between the two just started, and it had already grown convoluted.

Ting!

The elevator that Emir entered a few seconds ago paused on the third floor.

As he was lost in his thoughts, he almost mistook it for the ground floor and stepped out, but

as his eyes landed on the outside...

"Hey, hey!"

He stopped.

"Heyyy brooo! How was your first class?"

Ragnar and Morgiana were there, and they joined him without wasting a moment, smiles

plastered on their faces.

"Technically second, but yeah, it's been good."

"More like a horror show. The kids are terrified of you!"

"Right? I told him that it'd happen!"

Emir wiped his face, which seemed to scream, "What the fuck do you want me to do about it?"

with the palm of his hand, and said:

"Whatever, are you guys going to check out the clubs?"

"No, but if you are, then I'm coming with."

"Same here!"

...

They stepped out onto the marbled ground and it wasn't empty like usual.

Club stands spotted the place.

Large tents that housed a few tables where advertisements for said clubs were placed.

The sight made Emir reminisce over his fake memories.

He was once a normal student... how funny was that?

Well, the man himself found it extremely funny, which caused a few laughs to leave him.

"You going insane again?"

"Shut up Rag."

"Is that usual?"

"No, MAG, it isn't." "...It's... whatever."

Morgiana gave up on correcting Emir and walked forward, her warm gaze scanning the place.

"Something up with her?"

Emir shrugged his shoulders at Ragnar's question.

"Don't ask me."

But he knew the answer, and Ragnar should've known too, so he reminded him:

[It's Embodiment, you buffoon... It's slowly taking over.]

[Ah, the thing you sent me yesterday?]

[Yes, don't tell me you didn't check it out yet?]

[...I didn't.]

[...]

That was the moment when Emir gave up on Ragnar and joined Morgiana on her tour.

[Hey! You didn't tell me that it was important!]

[...]

Ragnar's scream was met by silence.

A silence that was suddenly replaced by extremely loud music.

[The fuck?! Music? Gah! Why is it so goddamn loud?!]

His hands rushed to his ears in an attempt to block the noise, a scene similar to that of the

song of chaos.

[Emir! What the hell did you do?!]

But it was telepathic, sent directly from Emir's neural network, so no amount of physical

blocking would help.

[Help me!]

"Wait a sec Morg."

"What's up?"

Emir looked back, watching as Ragnar flip-flopped on the ground as if he were experiencing a

life-ending seizure.

[Nah~... Lower the volume yourself.]

He wasn't affected by the sight of his brother's suffering in the slightest.

[PLEASE!]

Ragnar was begging for his life, even though he could just cut off the neural connection

between them, killing the noise.

[You learned your lesson?]

However, Emir, who knew that from the start, didn't relent for a second, not taking pity on

Ragnar's loyalty.

[I did, I did!]

And that was all he needed to hear.

[Sure.]

The music ceased, and Ragnar could relax at last, his chest heaving as he looked towards the

clear sky.

[Fuck you...]

"Ragnar just needed to be taught a lesson."

Emir finally answered Morgiana as the whole ordeal was put to a close.

"A lesson? That looks like bullying to me."

"It could be a factor... Anyways let's move; we're attracting too much attention."

His words were true; all the students around them were quiet, their necks stretched like

giraffes as they attempted to listen in, enjoying the show.

"Alright, let's check that one over there! They've got free food~."

He nodded, leading the way-

"Not so fast professors!"

But suddenly, a girl blocked their path, her right hand pointing at the two of them.