OLD-WORLD EXTRA

Chapter 320: Egg Sandwiches

Chapter 320: Egg Sandwiches

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Tick! Tock!

"-Child? Are you alright?"

Emir, slightly dazed, slowly looked up at Mr. Player, struggling with his instincts, his head trembling.

Their faces were only two feet apart, with him looking up at the floating mass of 'fog,' his dark teary eyes on Mr. Player's colorless, almost invisible ones.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired... Can... can you tell me why you showed yourself to me?"

Mr. Player's 'fog' shifted up and down as he said:

"I wished to know of what reaction I might get."

'Reaction? Mine? Why say it so cryptically? Though, they're usually like that, I guess it ain't something new.'

"I see. Well, can I ask now?"

"Yes, of course."

"My innate corruption, how can I deal with it?"

Mr. Player paused for a moment, silently staring at Emir, and when he seemingly eyed him enough, he said:

"You can't. Not with abilities at least, you'll need to be a Class-Three."

Emir caught on to what he implied.

"So holy relics?"

"Yes, I shall inform the others to remain vigilant for such acquisitions. Anticipate a heavy pouch for them, even with a discounted offer based on the intelligence I've gleaned from you today."

"Sure..."

Mr. Pawn smiled while nodding and then turned to the door, which was already open. 'When did that happen?'

"While we talked."

Mr. Player answered his unspoken question, causing him to let out a chuckle and bow once more, bidding him goodbye:

"Well, I'll be taking my leave now, hopefully, I can live to see you in our next meeting."

Fshshshshhhhhh...

The portal neared the back of Mr. Player and swallowed him whole while Emir walked to the door, only glancing at the scene on his way out.

After many steps, he exited the room and arrived at the casino, a place that felt so distant, as if the last time he had been there was a few years ago.

As his feet stepped onto the casino's ground, he took the pouch of coins that waited on a nearby table, put on his sunglasses, pressed on one of the pawns, and issued a command:

'Return.'

Emir blinked.

His eyes fluttered open.

He reached home, or rather, he was back at the office like nothing ever happened.

Without thinking much of it, he turned on his augmented suit's HUD and threw the pouch at his desk while checking the time.

Only a second had passed since he left-only a single second. Yet that second he spent in God knows where felt like an eternity. An entire lifetime of experiences.

It changed him.

The Emir of now was not the same as the one of two seconds ago.

'It all feels so surreal...'

He shook his head and approached the kitchen, wanting to cook something up. Though his hunger was alleviated, he still felt the need to eat, not for sustenance but for the feeling behind it.

Opening the fridge, he looked over what he had in stock, and it wasn't much.

A few types of fruits, vegetables-

Eggs.

His eyes landed on them, and he decided what he was going to eat, disregarding everything else.

Pancakes would've been his go-to, but he didn't want to disturb his mother and randomly ask her for ingredients, he knew that she'd be suspicious, so he had to make do.

He took out the egg carton and placed it on the kitchen counter. Next, he opened the cupboard above, grabbing a loaf of bread. He unwrapped it and took eight slices, placing them on a plate he took with his left hand.

A bowl found itself on the counter, and he cracked six eggs on it. After throwing away the shells, he began whisking the eggs with a fork.

Eventually, the eggs became smooth; that was when Emir turned on the stove with a command from his neural network, heating up the pan.

While that happened, he took the cheese spread from the fridge and applied it evenly to the bread.

Just before he finished with that, he grabbed a bottle of olive oil and splashed some on the pan. It sizzled, awaiting the eggs.

Seeing that it was time, he poured the eggs, watching as they filled up the pan, forming a classic omelet. It didn't take long for it to cook, and during that time, he sprinkled in some

salt and pepper.

He flipped the pan a few times, and after making sure it was cooked, he served it on a cutting board. Slicing the omelet into four pieces.

Once done, he took each piece, placing them in between the four pairs of sliced bread.

He then took out two plates, serving two sandwiches on each, and covered them with tissue, leaving them on the dining table.

Emir didn't begin eating and left to clean up the coordinated mess. He didn't want to leave it to the machine as it would take long-well, long compared to his hands, at least.

They moved quickly, and when he was done, he uniformly put everything back exactly to

where they belonged.

With slow steps, he approached the dining table and sat on the chair, his eyes turning to stare

at the door to his office.

It appeared he was waiting for someone.

That someone didn't make him wait too long, however.

Spurting out of the ground's shadow, Lyra materialized in front of Emir, face showing

despair.

Her tear-filled eyes immediately looked at his, and they stared at each other, unblinking. Like him of a few seconds past, she walked with measured steps, approaching the dining

table.

As she settled into her seat, she brushed away her tears and offered a smile-a smile that hid sadness of a magnitude so immense that Emir couldn't fathom.

"...Can I?"

He didn't know what she asked permission for, but he didn't bother and simply nodded his

head.

Not showing a reaction, she walked over to his side of the table and sat on his lap. Seeing that Emir didn't reject her, she continued, wrapping around him even more, her legs reaching over both of his and her arms hugging his body.

She had her head shoved into his chest, her ears listening to his heartbeat.

Thump.... Thump.... Thump....

They were controlled, even more than usual, but that didn't register in her mind.

Lyra wanted-no, needed-only one thing.

She needed to confirm that he was alive.

The face of the man she loved had changed; he grew older, looked more mature, had longer

hair, and even grew a beard rivaling that of Ragnar's, but still... he was the same Emir that she

knew.

Like a cat, cuddling with its owner, she began to rub him all over, making sure that he was

unharmed.

Thankfully, he was uninjured, or so she realized.

Satisfied, she then took the plate nearest to them and presented it to him, while taking her

own plate, from further along the table, and started eating.

Emir did the same, and they quietly enjoyed their food. Their minds away from all that happened, away from all their responsibilities, just taking a few rare minutes to relax without thinking of the noose that never left their necks.