The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

Elena was eating cake, but right now she is just sitting there with a fork in her hand. I tried to take the plate from her...

"That is mine!"

She spoke!

"Say something if you can hear us."

"I was just thinking."

"Thinking?"

"The possibility of him cheating?"

Don't think something like that!

"And?"

"I don't think he will cheat on me."

Of course, I won't.

"But what if he did?"

Shut Up!

"If he did then--"

[Received notification]

Huh?

We all received the notification.

"They released the patch notes for the next update!" Elena and Rikka said in unison.

"What?! They are releasing two new worlds in the next update!"

"No Rikka, read properly."

"Huh? World 4 and world 0?"

"What is world 0?"

I know what it is.

"They haven't released anything about world 4, but they have for the world 0."

"World 0 will be released in the next update that is scheduled after two weeks."

"World 0 will have a special event which will be aired for a week after the update."

"The requirement to enter world 0 is level 40. All players above level 40 are eligible to enter world 0."

"World 0 will have four types of monsters."

"They are even leaking the monster types, why are they doing it?"

"Read more."

"World 0 will have three wolves, four snails, a skeleton knight and a hybrid boss of a dragon, wyvern and phoenix."

"Only this much?"

"All the monsters are adaptive. The player who will clear world 0 first will get new skills."

"They even announced their skills."

"Players will get skill 'Runner' by defeating the wolves. Skill 'Harden' by defeating the snails. A magic sword by defeating the Skeleton knight. Skill 'Levitate' by defeating the hybrid boss."

"3 skills and a magic item!"

"The player who cleared this world-first will also get the 'Achiever' title. Please note that only the player who cleared this floor 'First' will receive these skills and items."

....

"That means we have to clear in as soon as it is released."

"But it says that the monsters are adaptive."

"Yeah but it's worth trying!"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong, Adas? You look shocked."

"Nothing."

I am sorry, but I already have those skills!

"Adaptive means the stronger the player is, the stronger the monsters will be."

"A low-level player has an advantage in that."

"Some like Adas...but the player requirement is 40."

I am sorry!

"Wait, there is more."

"The player who clears World 0 will get a special gift from the game. Please look forward to that."

"Special gift."

Special gift? I didn't receive anything like that. Maybe because of that 'error', my level also didn't increase. That means it isn't saved, so we do have a reason to clear it and besides...

"That title is mine."

"Huh? You want that title Adas?"

Was I saying out loud?

"Yeah...that title sounds nice."

"Okay then, from tomorrow we will try hard and level up."

"Okay!"

"Wait, Reina. Tomorrow is the world boss raid."

"Oh, right. Adas, we will try hard starting Thursday to level up so that you can participate in the World 0 event!"

"Yeah!"

"I don't think it's possible to level up by 37 in two weeks."

"Shut up, Ricky. I levelled up to level 43 in a month, so it's possible."

"But you levelled up with your mentor."

"I will be Adas mentor."

Mentor? Elena played with someone to level up? It was a girl, right? It has to be a girl!

"What's wrong, Adas?"

"I am just excited for the update."

"Me too."

I glanced at Rikka, and she was looking at me.

"Let's go."

"Yeah."

As we were walking, Rikka whispered to me "You have cleared world 0, right?"

"Yeah?"

"And these skills of yours are..."

"Yeah."

"Did you get the title too?"

"I did, but I lost it."

"What is the 'special thing' they were talking about?"

"I don't know."

"Reina looks excited."

"Yeah."

"She must want those skills."

"Yeah."

"What do you think will happen when she knows the truth?"

"Please don't tell her."

"I won't tell her, but she will know soon."

"Yeah."

"You should tell her before it's too late."

"Yeah."

"What are you two whispering about?"

"He was saying that you overeat."

"Wha..."

"But it's a game so that I won't get fat."

"Well, then we are logging out. Let's do our best in tomorrow's world boss raid."

"Yeah."

"Adas, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's log out."

"Yeah. See you at school!" Elena logged out.

"Hey, Lily...huh?"

She is not here. Where did she go?

"Lily?"

She should be around me.

"Lily!"

Come on. Don't joke around. Tell me you are here...please tell me...

[I am here, but I am angry. I don't want to see you!] 

Lily sent me a notification.

Her message comes in like a notification so I can't reply to her, all I can do is read it.

"Are you angry?"

[I am.]

"I am sorry."

[I won't forgive you.]

"But we did go on a date, right?"

[I just wanted a date between you and me.]

"You enjoyed it, right?"

[I Did.]

"Let's go again sometime."

[Just the two of us?]

"Maybe."

[Okay.]

"Hey, Lily."

[Yes?]

"Do you.."

[What?]

"It's nothing."

[I am curious now.]

"I will not let anything happen to you."

[What do you mean?]

"I will save you if anything happens to you."

No matter what happens.

[I know.]

No matter what it costs.