Chapter 3: Have a nice... Awakening (3)

Silence...

We were walking in silence, ever since King Regis gave the order. I looked at the others and they didn't seem like they were in a mood for a conversation. The young girl looked like she has seen better days, while the other two guys look more level-headed, although the guy with the glasses was scratching his arm pretty violently. As for the old man, he looked pretty calm and couldn't make heads or tails of his thoughts.

As he looked around, he also looked at the man and woman who were escorting them. The two of them had orangish hair, although it was leaning a bit towards the red color, the man had blue eyes, while the the woman had purple eyes and the two of them wore a regal uniform and dress as well.

"So... I don't think we have introduced ourselves. Since... Y'know... We are going to be together for a little while, so I thought that we should know each other and stuff..." Kai then tried to break the silence with his suggestion, although he was only met with silence, as he was being stared by the others.

Uhhh... C'mon guys. Don't leave me in silence while you are staring like that. You are just putting me in the spot.

Kai felt like his palms were becoming sweaty and was starting to contemplate about his previous choice.

"Mei. M-My name's Mei." The young girl answered, albeit nervously.

"That's a nice name. Name's Kaiser, but everyone just calls me Kai. I'm in the first year of high school and my hobbies are to read comics and manga, helping out my old man with his little projects and exercising in between." Kai introduced himself with a pretty enthusiastic and relieved expression.

"So, you're a bonafide otaku?" The man with the glasses asked, as he adjusted them with a somewhat serious look. Before asking once again:

"Tell me who performs the Dimensional Slash Nirvana, in chapter 211 of BC?" [A/N: BC being Black Clover]

"Yami Sukehiro. After that-" Just as Kai as about to say more, he was suddenly interrupted with another question:

"In TCE, in which episode, does the protagonist awaken his powers?" [A/N: TCE being The Caligula Effect]

"Episode 6, at the end of it. Right after making his answer to-" Kai answered once again, only for the same thing to be repeated:

"Last, but not least... Canzoni Preferite."

Of course, once he heard that, Kai then proceeded to quickly pose and sing the first couple of lyrics:

"Vocal percussion on a whole 'nother level coming from my mind. Vocal percussion on a whole 'nother level coming from my mind. Ahhh... We're golden wi-"

"That's enough. You know your stuff Kai." The man with the glasses exclaimed with a happy expression, as he extended his hand and added:

"Name's Valt. Valt Mercanos. Currently 22 years old, a college student and as you probably have guessed, an otaku as well."

"Valt, huh? I hope we get along then." Kai then extended his hand and shook it with Valt's.

"Well, since you kids have already introduced yourselves, let this uncle make his introduction as well. I'm Jason Havenhearts, 37 years old, working as a salesman for a medium company and currently single." The older man introduced himself, as he extended his hand as well, to shake it with the others.

"Since you've already done your introductions, I think it's only appropriate that we should introduce ourselves as well. My name is Archibald Narvonis, the Crown Prince of the Narvonis Empire and this is my sister, the First Princess, Marianna Narvonis." The young man explained, as he was looking at the four who introduced themselves, before pointing to the only other woman of their group of 6.

"My name is Marianna Narvonis. It is a pleasure to meet you, heroes from another land." Marianna exclaimed, as she bowed graciously.

Heroes of another world, huh...

Kai couldn't help but think to himself, as he stared at the Royal duo, before he his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Valt's question.

"Say, you mentioned that you help with your father's projects as a hobby, right? Think you can say anything about it?" Valt asked, as he adjusted his glasses a bit.

"Ehhh...It isn't anything special really. I just help my dad with patching, adjusting or balancing games, by usually providing a bit of my insights and opinions, as well as playtesting some of the builds that he is working on." Kai explained with an embarrassed, as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"For real? Wait, is this even legal?" Jason asked with a surprised expression.

"Well... I did ask him about it and he said that as long as I didn't tell anyone, it would be fine." Kai explained, as he crossed his arms and had a thoughtful expression.

"So it's probably illegal?" Jason asked, as he rubbed his head a bit.

"I can probably guess as such." Valt added, as he shrugged as well.

"Legality aside, what games have you helped with?" Jason asked, as he put the previous matter aside.

"Let's see... I remember a couple of them, such as Tales of the Redefined and Advanced Tactics, those being a turn-based RPG and a strategy game, I have also helped with some, whose name and system was prone to a lot of changes at the time, so unless there are any specific mechanics that are kept in the base game, even after many changes, I doubt I would be able to recognize the games I've probably helped playtesting with." Kai explained with a thoughtful expression, as he reminisced about it.

"Hmmm... Can I ask for your last name? Maybe it will ring me some bells, since I do pay quite a bit of attention to the developers of game and maybe I'll be able to recognize any games you've played before." Valt asked curiously, as he readjusted his glasses once again.

"I mean... I don't have much of a problem, but I don't want to cause any problems for my dad and get him into trouble." Kai answered hesitantly, as he backed a couple of steps away.

"I won't say anything. Promise Kai." Valt answered with an expectant smile.

"I'll probably forget after a while about all of this, but I'll promise as well to keep my mouth shut." Jason promised as well.

"S-same here as w-well. I want to k-know as well." Mei added as well.

"Alright, alright. My old man's name Mason Berthegore." Kai answered after hearing everyone's promises. After his answer, he was met with silence for a few seconds, before it was broken from Valt:

"Mason Berthegore... If that's his last name, then that would make you, Kai or rather, Kaiser Berthegore, am I correct?"

"Yeah, that is correct. Is there a problem?" Kai asked with a slightly worried expression.

"Before I say much else, I want to ask this all 3 of you. Who is the current president of the United States?" Valt asked curiously, as he had a serious expression.

"Huh? Why are you asking something so random?" Jason asked with a confused expression. Valt only stared seriously at them, without saying a word.

"It's Trump. He's the current U.S. president." Jason answered with a serious expression.

"No, t-that's wrong. I-It's Mr.Biden. He's the current president." Mei answered as well.

"Wait, isn't it Mr.Obama the current president? I don't pay any attention to politics, but I remember him being the one voted for being president, a couple years back and it hasn't been 4 years for the voting to start again." Kai added as well, with a more confused expression.

"Tsk. Figures that it would be the case, especially when I heard your name full name Kai." Vale exclaimed, as he scratched the back of his head seriously.

"Wait, what is this all about? What's the case for what?" Jason asked with a more serious expression, as he stared at Valt.

...

"I think we are all from a different version of the Earth guys." Valt answered after a little while of remaining in silence.