Welcome, Player

Chapter Sixty-Five: The Mad King

-chapter sixty-five-
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"Because you, dear player, decided to ruin my game."

I GAPED at him. I ruined his game? His game? Laro lang ito sa kaniya, while the person he's currently inhabiting has lost his whole life, he's fussing over me ruining his game!

The shock in my face slowly turned into anger. My surprised eyes replaced with animosity as it glared at his. He seemed taken aback by the intensity of it, but the damn king, of course, regained his regal posture.

"I ruined your game?!" sigaw ko. "You ruined his life! He is not supposed to be here, Arthur, he's not one of you! He's a human being who deserves freedom and not just a piece of data like you!"

Okay, I may have crossed the line.

Pero sino ba kasi ang makakapag-isip ng wasto sa ganitong sitwasyon?! Itinago ko ang kaba sa aking mukha nang mas sumama ang tingin niya. His aura that made me fear death heightened.

"I may just be a piece of data," he smirked without humor. "But I can destroy his life, you know? I can control his mind better than him, because he's just that... weak. Kaya mabilis na nablanko ang utak niya sa trauma, kaya mabilis akong nakapasok sa kaniya. Because he's weak."

"Then get out of him."

"I can't. He's the only one who can give me freedom."

I sighed heavily. "Why are you doing this, Arthur? Why did you enter his body? Why did you leave the castle? Why... are you alive?"

He smirked. "I am not just a system king. I was born out of Father's mind, out of his love and bond to me. I was his companion. I knew a lot of things about him until it became me. But it all changed when... his damn kid came and Father showered him love. While I was left alone in the castle, imprisoned. So tell me, dear Solace, what did you think I did next?"

Kumunot ang noo ko sa pinagsasabi niya. Was he pertaining to Hiraeth's father when he said Father? Since he was his creator. But how- is it possible that he gained conscience from the stories Hiraeth's father told?

"What do you mean? So you entered his body because of jealousy?"

Umiling siya at lumapit sa'kin. I stilled when we were so close and my heart thumped because of a completely different reason - fear. Inangat niya ang kamay para hawakan ang buhok ko. It stopped midway, as if something was not letting him touch me, but he gritted his teeth and his hand successfuly touched my hair, twirling the ends as he gave me a smirk.

"Ah... jealousy. How stupid of a reason," he seemed to think for a bit. "But... maybe it fits. However, there was also something else that I realized from being with him. It's the freedom and the greed of the Father I once looked up to."

Huminga ako ng malalim at hinawakan ang espada na nasa waist holster. The hilt felt cold in my palms but it gave me strength to stand against the king's might.

He seemed to have noticed it because his eyes flickered to the sword. A cruel smile made way to his lips and he let go of my hair, to touch the hilt of the sword but only grabbing my hands that encircled it.

"This is not yours, player."

"Well, it isn't also yours, you know. Since you're aware of what's happening. This sword is to be stolen from you eventually."

He gave a dark chuckle. "Let go, player. I'll show you the true owner of this sword."

Wala akong balak na bitawan ang espada. Kahit na nakakatakot ang sobrang lapit niya at ang mga banta. I don't know why but it was instinctively reached out by my hands. Like it was a sense of comfort for me. The very sword owned by my executor is a comfort to me. How ironic.