Chapter 39: What the **** is going on?
The bright sunlight streamed through the colourful glass windows, brightening the intricately designed blue walls.
Jaden leaned onto the window with a deep frown on his face.
"How is this possible?"
He muttered as he thought of everything that had happened till now.
All of this began after his death... he was transmigrated into a strange world of magic and martial arts, and he then obtained a cheat—his system. After that, he fell under the hex of the city and began thinking of himself as the mayor’s son... But it all changed after his awakening.
The hex fell apart, and his true memories resurfaced, but it didn’t make things easier... instead, the actual mystery began from there.
There were five more ’real’ people in the city, and according to them, they had been in this city for a year. But, for Jaden, it had only been two days.
He later found out more about this strange world he had become a part of, and also came to a solid conclusion:
’I transmigrated into the mortal realm, met the others, fell into the ’dream’ gate, which unlocked my system, but... the hex stopped it from binding with me. I woke up from the hex, then the system bound itself with me, but the city had already eaten my memories of that one year I lived in the mortal realm... without the system.’
But... According to what Jamie had said, he had his system even within the mortal realm, and from his words, it seemed to be different from the current one.
’The system only helps my growth... it doesn’t assist me to do impossible wonders... So why did he say it like that?’
’Also, they all seem pretty close to me, even though they have only known me for a year—well, two years now.’
He placed his hands on his face and rubbed them. A moment later, he heaved a sigh, and a disgruntled expression crossed his face.
"What the fuck is going on? Why can’t things just be simple?"
He cursed loudly and punched the wall; a small crack appeared where his punch landed, and that made him curse again.
"Shit!"
"I need to get back my memories... I must get my memories back," he muttered with a determined look, which soon turned grave as he mumbled. "But... How?"
"How can I even get my memories back?"
’No, no, don’t lose hope, there must be a way... a method.’
His eyes suddenly turned sharp as he muttered.
"I have to leave this place and find a way to do it in the mortal realm."
He heaved a heavy sigh and took his time calming himself before leaving the room.
’Others should have left already.’
He descended the stairs and just as he had thought, Shelly stood near the entrance door of the cafe.
Continuing in his steps, he nodded at Shelly, at which she stepped forward and pushed open the door for him.
He stepped out of the cafe, and Shelly followed behind him.
Lifting his gaze, he looked at the sun above them with a bittersweet smile as he mumbled.
"Such a bright sun... but this city still has no warmth."
After saying that, he looked at Shelly and spoke.
"Let’s go."
A few moments later, they boarded a carriage for the mayor’s mansion. Jaden didn’t like using the carriage of the mayor, and that is why he always used the running carriages instead of a personal one. It also saved him from any attention that the mayor’s carriage would bring.
He collapsed into his seat as he thought of his next course of action.
’I will enter the southern forest tomorrow and try to reach level 10 without dying... Then I would have to search for the actual gate to the drainage system. The map only shows where it is, instead of its exact location.’
’Blasted hell... All because I saw that damn non-PG act."
Heaving a sigh, he closed his eyes.
The horses carrying their carriage galloped through the busy afternoon streets of Nightshade City and made their way towards the mayor’s house.
The carriage soon reached the mayor’s house, and Jaden and Shelly both stepped down from it.
Jaden entered the gates and went to the garden at the entrance instead of going inside the mansion. Shelly looked at his departing back with a raised eyebrow, but didn’t say anything and simply went inside the mansion.
Strolling through the garden full of small, vibrant flowers made him feel at peace. A few moments later, he spoke with a small smile.
"Even if all of this is just a game created by some nebulous being... for those living here, it has become a part of their life."
As he walked, his eyes soon fell on a woman who was watering the flowers. She had long, raven black hair, and her brown eyes had a hint of red.
"Mother," He softly called out.
Elara, who was busy catering to the flowers, raised her head and looked at Jaden with a warm, lovely smile as she replied cheerfully.
"Judy."
Seeing her smile, Jaden’s lips arched up further, but even then, he could not ignore that slight hint of dismay hidden beneath that facade of a lovely mother.
He stepped towards her and asked while pointing at a white rose-like flower with a crimson red stem in her hand.
"What’s the name of that flower?"
Elara looked at the flower, and her smile turned genuine as she replied.
"Lethyros."
Stepping closer, he continued his question.
"Hmm... Does it mean anything?"
Elara shook her head at his question.
"I don’t know. I never got the chance to find out."
She turned and looked at him with a wide, genuine smile and spoke cheerfully.
"But, I like to think of it as peace... It’s my solace from all of the troubles, after all."
"Peace..." he repeated in a low voice.
He looked at the lethyros with a soft smile as he muttered, "It is beautiful."