Chapter 90: Excuse Me?

Chapter 90: Excuse Me?

I looked around, trying to see if anybody was in view, explaining the voice that I heard. That wouldn't explain why it sounded as though it was coming from every direction at once, but it would at least feel less strange.

But there was nobody there.

'Excuse me? If you are truly from the future, then you should know what that voice was, correct?'

...Hm.

Did Bryson have hallucinations in the story before? No, I don't really remember anything like that. Unless he did but just never showed it. Speaking of, does that mean we share hallucinations despite having different minds?

That's an interesting question.

But I should probably be more focused on what's happening right now. I narrowed my eyes ever so slightly.

"So, you asked me if I wanted to go up? Does that mean you're going to help?"

I blinked a few times. Before long, the voice responded.

"Oh, that much I could do easily. But before that, why don't we have a little chat?"

The voice sounded rather old and weathered. I'm pretty sure it was some old man. Despite probably not having many years left in his life, he spoke incredibly slowly, as if there was nothing for him to rush for.

But it also didn't really have the normal intonation most people had. It threw me off because I didn't even have an inkling on whether or not he was hostile or not. Normally, no matter how hard people try to hide it, I'm at least able to get a weak idea.

Yet, this time, I had absolutely no idea.

It set out countless warning bells in my head.

"Talk you say? Well, I wouldn't want to intrude on your time. As for getting out of here, I can just do it on my own."

'Is... this someone hostile? Under what circumstances would you come here despite knowing that? Are you daff?'

I ignored Bryson. The voice chuckled before responding.

"If it's time, then you don't have to worry about that. I have plenty of that. You aren't intruding on anything. Actually, I would prefer it if you gave me some of your time."

The corner of my lip twitched. What the fuck does this guy want?

"...What do you want to talk about then?"

I did not grab onto my sword, but I put my hand in a position that would let me grab it easily should the situation arise. The voice didn't respond immediately, raising the tension I felt exponentially.

I already expected to be thrust into situations that I wouldn't expect since they weren't shown in the game. However, it seemed that things deviated far more than expected.

As I felt the adrenaline in my body reach its peak, I heard the voice once more.

"Oh, right. You can't see me if I'm in this state. My apologies."

A few moments later, an old man suddenly materialized right in front of me. My eyelid twitched when I saw him. All of the tension I had felt dropped in an instant.

The old man had long white hair, along with an overly long white beard that reached his waist. It could've given him a sage look if it wasn't for... his fashion sense. Now, don't get me wrong, fashion in this age was kinda weird. However, it was still acceptable.

But the old man in front of me was wearing what I could only describe as more than a shirt, but not quite a dress. It had various shades of green and purple, along with white underneath.

The dress didn't even reach his waist, which revealed pink pants that had about twenty rows of frills going around the legs.

I was unable to say anything for quite a while.

The old man seemed confused. He looked down at himself.

"Hm, am I still invisible? Ah, no, that's not it. Hello? Are you there?"

He began waving his hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention. After breaking out of my stupor and blinking a few times, I was able to snap out of it. I stared at the person in front of me for several seconds.

"Who... are you?"

The old man scratched the side of his head.

"Hm? Oh, you don't know? I could've sworn that I was quite renowned. Well, that doesn't matter. I believe my name is Dan." n/-o./v/)ε.)l)-B-)I((n

Believe? Is he unsure of his own damn name.?

"...Um, hello then Dan. My name is Bryson. What did you want to talk about?"

The old man gave several nods.

"Ah, yes. I was just wondering, how were you able to solve the puzzle I created so easily? I intended for it to be solved by using your memory, but it appears you have some other method."

...What? I clearly remember that this wasn't supposed to be something that happens. I mean, in the game even if you get it on your first try, nothing like this happens. But still, I guess I should answer.

"I guess you could say it was luck."

The old man raised his eyebrow.

"Is that so?"

He didn't seem to believe my answer. However, he didn't actually care all that much anyway.

"Well, the real reason I came was actually because of something else. While watching you, I couldn't help but notice that there were two separate minds residing within your soul. I can't be certain, but I believe I've never seen anything like that before."

...

What?

'He... he knows? That must mean he understands a way to reverse it! Quickly, ask him!'

Wait, there are people that can tell that sort of thing? Crap, maybe he really is able to separate me from Bryson's body. But... that definitely wouldn't help me. This was the best way to keep the main villain in check after all.

"...Why do you wish to know about my state?"

The old man tilted his head to the side and began seriously thinking about it.

Even though I wasn't really asking a question but rather telling him to buzz off in the first place.

He smiled before lifting a finger into the air.

"I don't know!"

...Is this guy a fucking idiot?

"Then why did you ask in the first place?"

The old man let out a laugh.

"Who knows? Couldn't you tell me?"

My eyelid twitched. Although I couldn't put my guard up against someone that looked that stupid, that still didn't mean I was going to trust him. Certain things are better kept secret after all.

I set my mind to tell him off right then and there, but-

"Raggh?"

A soft cracking sound resounded from the ground between the two of us. A nearby indiscernible crack formed in the ground before something burst out a moment later.

"Ragh!"

Tiny rocks flew into the air, as... a child zombie appeared out of the ground. What the fuck? Since when was this a horror game?

I was reaching for my sword, but it was at that moment the old man reached out with his hand. A blinding yellow energy shot out and wrapped around my wrist. Despite the fact it was only wrapped around my wrist, My entire body froze up.

As if that wasn't bad enough, all the mana in my body was suddenly ejected, like it never even existed. An intense wave of nausea assaulted me, but I couldn't even sway from side to side as my entire body was frozen.

Cold sweat formed on my back.

This... I wasn't going to die like this, right? That would be way too underwhelming. At least in my previous life, I kinda looked like a hero!

The old man's expression hardly changed at all. In fact, there was still a smile on his face while his tone stayed the same.

"Ah, sorry. Don't mind this child here. I'm fairly certain she is down here because she wished to accompany me."

Though I was paralyzed, I was still able to get a better look at the zombie child. Its skin seemed to be in the process of rotting, while parts of its bone could be seen from all over the limbs. It had some dilapidated rags covering its body. However, strangely enough, both eyes seemed fine. Other than being slightly bloodshot, they were normal.

After climbing out of the ground, the zombie child looked at me curiously. It placed a finger on its chin and tilted its head to the side.

"Ragh?"

It was at this point, the blinding yellow light suddenly disappeared. I collapsed to the ground due to the suddenness. My consciousness nearly blanked out right then and there, but I forced myself to remain awake.

The zombie circled around me several times, but clearly wasn't going to attack me any time soon.

After shakily standing up, I looked at the old man once more, with a different attitude this time.

"What is it that you wanted to hear again?"

There was no way in hell for me to beat him in a fight, not even escape. Whatever the fuck that was, it was completely overwhelming. My only choice was to hope that he didn't kill me, and that started with listening to his demands.

The old man laughed, but it didn't feel all that amicable to me.

"You don't remember? I just said it! How were you able to get two minds into one soul?"

I blinked a few times. It was probably best to just tell him the truth, though I wouldn't tell the whole truth.

"I am a person that has seen the future. Though I do not know everything that happened, I saw enough to know that the original owner of this body had caused quite a disaster to the kingdom that I care about. As such, I've inhabited his body."

The old man's eyes widened considerably.

"...Is that how you were able to solve my puzzle so easily as well?"

I gave a small nod.

"In reality, I've actually spent countless days attempting to solve it until I was eventually able to come across the answer."

His smile had grown much brighter.

"That is quite interesting. Quite interesting indeed."

I took a shaky breath.

"...Would you like to know some of the future events?"

The reason I told him about that in the first place was that I thought that was a decently high enough leverage. That way, he may let me go easier, so-

"Why would I want to know that?"

...

Excuse me?

Who didn't want to know the future at least a little bit?

The old man smiled when he saw my baffled expression.

"I'm not so sure what part of my statement is confusing to you, but perhaps I should explain what I believe my life was like to make things a bit clearer."