Chapter 5: Have a nice... Awakening (5)

"Uhhh... What?" Kai asked with a confused and baffled expression, as he looked at Vale and added:

"You mean that I died in a car crash?"

"Technically yes, you did die to a vehicle, not a car, but actually no, it wasn't a traffic accident." Vale answered, as he sighed a bit, before adding:

"What do you mean?"

"A traffic accident is the majority of vehicular injuries or deaths caused by, well... vehicles, such as cars, trucks, buses and the sorts. But a vehicular manslaughter is a type of murder, by using a vehicle as the murder weapon. Both of them are similar in nature, but one of them is done accidentally, while the other is done intentionally. So what I'm saying is that you got murdered." Vale explained with a serious expression, while readjusting his glasses again.

After that explanation, Kai was feeling rather nervous, but before he had a chance to ask for more, Jason suddenly spoke with a dark and serious expression:

"I didn't think you would be the kind of person know so much about it. Usually, people think that whoever get struck by vehicle coming at them at high speeds, they would think of a traffic accident, not a vehicular manslaughter."

"Huh?" That question surprised Vale, but before he had a chance to answer, Jason continued in a similar fashion:

"Not only that, but before I continue, do the two of you live in the same area?"

"I live, well lived in C*lifornia." Kai answered, before Vale answered as well:

"L*s Angeles, so no, we didn't stay in the same area."

"That's good then, because I want to ask of how did you come across of this information? Because information on murders, especially on vehicular manslaughters isn't easy to come by. So, how did you, a college student, who spends time on playing, reading and studying, know that?" Jason asked, as he stared at Vale, with a serious expression. Vale had a pretty serious expression as well, but he only adjusted his glasses, as he scoffed at Jason's remarks and questions.

In the end, he got up from the table and asked one of the siblings:

"Where are our resting quarters?"

This question caught both Archibald and Marianna slightly off guard, causing her to choke a bit, before Archibald answered as such:

"I'll let one of the palace workers to escort you there, same for the others as well, after finishing our supper."

After that response, Vale could only click his tongue, before sitting down, but he didn't open his mouth anymore and had a serious expression. As for Kai himself, was deep in his own thoughts:

What the hell just happened between the two of them? Okay Vale, maybe he saw the news about me, since this is a different version of myself and I probably died there and the news about my death were made public and all that. While Jason might have been involved into police or something like that... maybe? Dammit, just what is going on anymore? First the slave seal that appeared out of nowhere, then waking up into this palace, telling us that this another world, without giving us context of the reason and then Vale says we are from different Earths and now they fought for whatever reason. And then there is that one image of a truck, just centimeters from me, which somehow made me churn. Goddammit... *bam*

After reaching the end of his own monologue, he couldn't help but smack the table with a frustrated expression, surprising everyone around him.

"Sorry. I was just thinking and... I guess I let my anger get the better of me." Kai apologized with an awkward expression, as his face was flushed red with embarrassment. After that, no one uttered another word, for the rest of the meal.

After the meal, the six of them split into two teams of three, with Marianna, Mei and Jason making one team, while Archibald, Vale and Kai making the other and the two teams went into opposite corridors. After a bit of walking in silence, Archibald suddenly broke the silence:

"We have reached the resting quarters. The servants will escort you to your rooms to rest for the night. Like his Majesty had previously mentioned before, tomorrow you will be given an explanation for the reason we have summoned you, as well as what will be required from you."

After that, Archibald took a different turn, while the two of them followed an old man who was slowly taking them towards their rooms. As they were speaking, Kai decided to ask Vale something that has been in his mind, ever since the conversation between them and Jason:

"What was that all about?"

"Huh? What?" Vale asked with a confused expression.

"Your exchange between you and Jason. He seemed pretty bent on grilling you. So what was that all about?"

"Oh, that. Honestly, I am not sure myself. As far as I know, at least for your... you know, it was shown as an unlucky traffic accident, publically at least, but-"

"Wait, wait, wait. You said that it was vehicular manslaughter, not a traffic accident, right?" Kai asked, as he interrupted him.

"Yeah, but-" Vale answered once again, but before he could answer, Kai asked with a cold stare:

"So how did you know? You said that it was publically announced as-" As he was going to continue his question, he was suddenly silenced by Vale, as he answered with a serious expression:

"That's because, at the time that I was investigating on the sudden changes on the game company that your father worked, I found out of the reason he left and through that, I dived a bit deeper into the incident and found out about your death. From there, I checked on a couple of news outlets and through some of my acquaintances and it wasn't before long that I found your name again, but with information that wasn't released into the public."

"Okay... But I have a couple of questions, those being 'How?' and 'Why?'" Kai asked with a troubled expression.

"Well... It's just complicated, alright? That's all I can say." Vale answered, as he sped forward a bit. Just as Kai going to quickly follow him, he was suddenly interrupted by the servant's sentence:

"We have arrived at your quarters. Mister Vale, the room on your right is yours, while for Mister Kai, his room is on the left. On the first light of dawn, the servants will wake up once again, as per orders of the Magesty, the King himself. Now, if you'll excuse me."

After that, the servant left and quickly disappeared into the darkness, as another person passed by to lit the lanterns the walls, without paying much attention to the duo.

*click*

Goddammit, dude. Did you really just enter the door without even saying a good night? Or do you really not want to speak about that? Kai thought to himself, as he stared at the door of Vale's room with a scornful expression.

"Good night, jackass." Kai muttered with a disdainful expression, as he entered into his own room as well.