The Crippled Prodigy

A problematic experience befell for the crippled prodigy, namely Aurelius Gray.

Or should I say, yours truly.

You see, thousands of problems can occur at the same time.

I fancy problems to face when I'm playing my usual video games in this day and age of virtual reality. Against complications regarding health and divine tribulations, I can bear them without hassle. However, it's different if I happened to drench my keyboard in cola.

The most annoying hypothetical problem, perhaps, for someone who treats computers as their lifeline.

Yeah, referencing from this hedgehog protagonist that had debuted in 2004, I shouted "Rotten Luck!" Whoever might have heard it outside my run-of-the-mill apartment was out of my concern. Even if it's my landlady, I wouldn't even begin to care. Nope. I'm just trying to jest. My rent is high as is, I don't want it higher than what I already draw out from my ATM every month. But well, I doubt she'd ever hear. She lives in another block after all, and I live alone in some big apartment complex.

The life of a low income gamer like me, what luck have I got as a game streamer that made me deserve having this kind of misfortune?!

My keyboard...the least I could do was wipe the dripping contents of the all-hailed Coke out of my miserable warrior.

Bitch please, I've read this in a certain novel but for it to befall on mine's first hand tool of recreation?!

Damn you God of coincidences!

Well, that aside, I know I can't do anything about it so my life had been a boring one that day.

"It's so peaceful~!"

Humming while staring down the floor, there was this crushed can of diet cola in my hand.

Gripped tight as I was waiting for the express delivery of a new keyboard. My last keyboard was at least two years old now so I positively thought that it's time for him to rest. Though I'm still sad, after all.

It was from a trusted brand named N-Electronics.

I remember it having been sent as a gift to me and it turned out to be my lifelong partner, not anymore.

I thought I was going to get a keyboard that night but...quite the predicament occurred to me.

It was until a phone call so I rushed inside, closing the sliding door.

It was still in the afternoon but it was cold.

Even colder than a cold guy featured in an otome game that everyone fancies about even if it's not worth it.

The beeping of the landline can be heard and as I close my fingertip into a certain holographic button, I answered the call.

"Hello, is this Mr. Aurelius Gray?" A man's quirky voice rang to my ears. There's no doubt that it was the voice of a businessman.

"Um yeah, who is this?" I asked. I simply couldn't ask, "You're a salaryman, aren't you?"

"Good day sir, my name is David Navarro, I'm a managing staff of N-Electronics Santiago, and by short notice, I'm afraid that we can't deliver, N-1 Prime Keyboard, the product you've added to your online cart. We're sorry to say but we failed to update the page, the product was apparently out of stock."

"..Huh!? What does that even mean? My keyboard just stopped working and I've been waiting for a whole day just to hear this?"

Well, it has only been for three hours but...It just felt like it's a day that had passed.

"I can't exactly rely on an on-screen keyboard!"

"We beg your pardon sir but the stock for the keyboard you ordered has been sold out and new stocks are to arrive three days later. If you wish, we could go with just the normal delivery...or issue another keyboard product."

"You just said that just a moment ago!" I complained, seemingly that my voice went on full straight man without me even noticing firsthand. After a good delay, I cleared my throat "Just issue me another keyboard then. Whatever is fine."

"Thank you for your consideration sir, and we're sorry for the inconvenience. As an apology, we will give you a 50% discount with the N-1 Prime+ Keyboard. Is that fine with you, sir?"

Am I hearing things right? I felt my ears wringing of the "+" I almost spaced out. Due to my initial irritation, it didn't feel like I should be happy over the win-win situation. Anyway, he was asking something, right?

"Sir, are you still on the line?"

And there, I woke up. "Oh─! I'm sorry, I'll take the offer. And please speed up the delivery," I just said without emotion put into it.

It wouldn't synchronize to my emotions, but I'll be getting a better keyboard than what I originally owned and what I ordered.

I remembered I still had the can of coke crushed in my left hand. "Trash can, trash can," I chanted as I rolled my wheelchair to the center of the room─in. I thought again, and it's really just plain peaceful. Without anything to do at all. Well, a bias is in the line. There was so much to do in my room, like watching the nighttime TV shows and even with my keyboard broken, I still have my smartphone to fiddle with. It's not like my internet disappeared along with my keyboard.

But none of those could suffice with what I want to do.

I had a stream schedule for the day and my viewers are eagerly waiting for me to go online.

Now, aloof me is just wanting some good stress reliever!

Well, that kinda ended when I saw my virtual-reality headset lying in the stand.

"I guess I'll have a fill with an MMO," I said to myself, forcing myself to smile and forget about what happened to my old keyboard, "It doesn't hurt to be gaming off-stream once in a while."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Two hours into the virtual cyberspace, I manage to be part of a party of beginners. I was at the front line─given that I chose "Warrior" as my class─and had to beat three Beast monsters according to the quest we got.

I was about to swing my two-handed fancy sword bought with a premium card when I saw my screen black out without a particular reason I could think of. Could there be a power outage, my thought processed and took my VR headgear off.

"Yo!"

A pale-looking boy holding a fancy death scythe was in front of me. He was clad in a black robe, making me brush my eyes with my arm, it felt like I was still in virtual space. No. Maybe a dream? I looked around my room and pinched myself─which hurt─I doubt I was.

"You're a popular game streamer, right?"

I didn't know what was the deal with his question but I nodded, reflexively.

I looked in some other direction once again, this time, at the front door.

It was removed and was neatly set aside by the corner where I put my shoes in.

Scary, it's all terrifying!

He lent his hand─at that point smiling sincerely─somehow making me stand up, "Mr. Aurelius Gray. You've been chosen as the third user of the WEIRD WORLD SYSTEM."

Now, do you wanna know how terrified I was?

All I could reply was, "Huh? Excuse me, wh-what was that!?"