3 bar menu

Ruler Vol 6 Chapter 28

Author: Anit666

Editor: Weasalopes

【Sam’s POV】

“Please stop making those fake expressions.”

Bruh.

“Come again?” I raised my eyebrow.

“Stop faking it; it doesn’t work on me.”

…

Hmm, perhaps my facial muscles are not moving the way I want them to? Is it because this is a new body?

Or perhaps they are so underused that they’ve become rusty, in which case I can’t help but wonder; did Ex-Sam stop lying?

Did he perhaps give up the very basis of his identity? Is that how he got the ability to love?

⟦Your monologues are quite amusing, I must admit, but no.⟧ Maxwell interjected.

⟦No?⟧

⟦Sherry just knows you too well. In other words, she has seen your real expressions.⟧

⟦Ah, so that’s why she can identify my fake ones.⟧

⟦Exactly.⟧

Wow.

Jesus Christ, Ex-Sam, you had one job. How am I going to call myself a ‘Professional Liar’ now?

“I respectfully refuse.” I replied to Sherry.

“What?”

“I’m currently in a training arc. I’m practicing faking my expressions until one day, I can fool even you.”

“That’s not a training arc!”

“Who decided that? Anything can be a training arc as long as you’re creative enough.”

You can train in anything.

If people can train in the art of mass genocide (or as they say in fantasy novels, ‘Getting stronger to defeat the Demon King’s army’), I’m sure I can practice my lying skills.

“And why do you want to deceive me?” She raised her eyebrows.

“I’m a perfectionist.”

“Right.” She scoffed.

“No seriously. What if someone else like you appears? I can’t have two people in my life saying ‘Your fake expressions won’t work on me’ right to my face.”

That would be the stuff of nightmares.

“As if you’d let others get so close to you.”

“Ouch.”

It hurts more because I can’t refute her.

Wao.

“So, are you trying out a new method?” She asked while rolling her eyes.

“Hmm?”

New method? Bruh, I’m not even trying anything.

Though I probably should.

“It’s just… talking to you feels like you’ve met me for the first time.” She cupped her chin.

“Wut?”

Bruh, just how well does she know me?

Samuel Not-so Professional Liar Hayden at your service.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that you’ve lost your memories or something.” She giggled.

“…” My gaze turned to Phiria.

“…” Coincidentally, her gaze had also turned to me.

We reached some sort of understanding through our eyes (I have no idea what that understanding is though).

If my guess is correct, she’s probably thinking that it’s time to kick Sherry out of this room before she pulls out any more ‘If I didn’t know any better *insert a fact about me that she definitely should not know about*’ from her ass.

And Phiria’s right. I need to gather some more information and create a strategy to tackle Sherry.

Huh, it sure has been a long time since I faced a challenge. The last time was with my mom, if I remember correctly.

⟦Which mother?⟧ Simone asked.

⟦What do you mean which mother?⟧

Does she expect me to have 69 mothers or what? How would that even work?

Wait, given how vast the Universe is, perhaps there’s a species out there which requires one father but multiple mothers to manufacture a child.

Is there?

…

……

………

Maxwell, I know you’re still reading my thoughts. Just answer the damn question.

⟦There is.⟧

Hmm, but how would it work? I need to look into it later.

⟦What about a species which requires 69 mothers?⟧

⟦Uh-huh.⟧

⟦Nice. Anyway, Simone, as far as I know about biology, humans are not a species which require multiple mothers to conceive a child. So your question of ‘which’ mother is rather weird.⟧

Oh wait, what if there was an event in the past where I took birth? Perhaps in my quest to modify my body, I found a species which could radically strengthen my body by absorbing me and giving birth to me after some time?

⟦Oh, stop with your absurd imaginations!⟧ Simone groaned. ⟦I was talking about your birth mother and the mother who raised you.⟧

Wut?

⟦Well, I’m no medical professional, Simone, but I don’t think my biological mother, who died after giving birth to me, could have posed a challenge to my lying skills.⟧

Unless she was reincarnated in some way. And even if by some divine (or demonic, or something which doesn’t conform to our traditional moral values) intervention she was brought back to life, I don’t remember her being in my life.

So yea, I was definitely talking about the mother who raised me, or as I like to say, my real mother.

If we put biology aside, then the concept of mother itself becomes subjective; it’s on the child who he wants to see as his mother.

I have always seen Tanya Hayden as my one and only mom, and I always will.

⟦That… makes sense. So your mother saw through your lies, eh?⟧

⟦Of course. Mom is a very capable woman. After the stunt I pulled on her to show her that she was wrong about trying to take my biological female parent’s place, she learned how to see through my lies.⟧

In hindsight, it’s only thanks to her that my lying skills developed to this degree.

Every day was just so exciting.

Oh gosh, I miss her now.

Mommy, come please pick me up. This place is scary.

Oh wait, Phiria is a motherfucking Goddess; I’m sure she can open up a teleportation portal to Earth or some shit.

⟦We cannot allow that.⟧ Maxwell once again interjected by rudely invading my personal space.

Ever heard of privacy, chief?

⟦Why not? Wouldn’t it be better for me to return to Earth and do normal things? That way, there would be no risk of me accidentally ruining things, and I’d get to enjoy my time until Ex-Sam returned.⟧

Ez af.

⟦No can do.⟧

Wut?

⟦Why?⟧

I see no problem with that.

Other than the fact that I won’t be able to learn the reason behind Sam’s choices.

⟦There are two reasons.⟧ Maxwell started. ⟦The first is that we’re too far into the game to take a break now. In terms you can understand, we’re in the middle of a ranked competitive match. The game cannot be paused, while leaving in the middle would not only waste everything we have worked for so far, it’ll also ban us for some time.⟧

What’s with that realistic comparison? This is a fantasy world; we don’t need that kind of realism here. You’re supposed to pull things out of your ass with no regard to logic and just attribute it to ‘Nakamah Powahh’.

⟦And what would be the second reason?⟧

⟦Your mother strictly ordered you to not return until you have accomplished your goal.⟧

⟦Come again?⟧

⟦She said, and I quote, ‘You’ll either return victorious, or you won’t return at all’.⟧

Huh, I never knew mom was a Spartan.

⟦That’s… I can’t imagine her saying that.⟧

And that’s because she’s not a spartan.

⟦She was unable to stop you, so this was her way of encouraging you.⟧

…

Bruh.

So I can’t even return to mom, eh? Isn’t it better to just die then?

⟦What?⟧ Simone raised her eyebrows.

⟦I mean, think about it. I can’t return to mom, I don’t have any freedom in this body, you guys aren’t ready to include me in that Grand Plan which, need I remind you, was made by my future self. At this point, dying is just a better option.⟧

⟦What about your curiosity in Ex-Sam’s decision?⟧

⟦It’s still there, of course. But it would stop mattering once I’m dead, no? Besides, getting the answer to that question would still be useless because Ex-Sam is going to return. When that happens, I’ll either vanish or integrate into him, thus making the answer useless.⟧

No matter what I do, oblivion is the only thing in store for me. So what’s the point of struggling?

If I’m going to vanish either way, then I might as well vanish now and be done with this once and for all.

⟦Huh? That doesn’t even make any sense!⟧ Simone exclaimed. ⟦Weren’t you really curious about Ex-Sam’s choice to hide his love? Weren’t you excited to see what this world, this new body had in store for you? Weren’t you curious about the Grand Plan? What happened now? Why are your thoughts so jumpy?⟧

⟦Like I said, in the end, it’s all meaningless.⟧

Professional nihilist, at your service.

⟦Well, sorry to rain on your parade, but you cannot die.⟧

⟦Why, because of the Grand Plan aka GP?⟧

Also, isn’t ‘Rain on your parade’ an idiom from Earth? Why did he use that?

⟦Because I figured it would be better than using an unknown idiom, then having to explain its meaning to you.⟧ Maxwell sighed.

⟦Oh.⟧

That makes more sense than I was expecting it to.

⟦Also, while the, dare I say, GP is also a reason, you literally cannot die.⟧

⟦Literally?⟧

⟦Literally.⟧

Wow.