I Became A System

Selena finally understood what Ellena meant. Though it was crazy and pure madness, she just laughed it off awkwardly.

Still, in her mind, Ellena became more mysterious, interesting, strange, and talented. It was as if Ellena changed when she left Azmar.

Even though there were ideas popping in her head, she just shrugged it off for a while and attentively looked at Ellena talking with the staff of the guild.

After settling into organizing the duel, Ellena smiled and glanced at Aaron above.

'This is okay, right? I hope you don't mind my crazy idea.' Ellena said to Aaron.

"Why do you always ask that? You've already asked me about it almost 5 times."

Ellena giggled while she faced the arena that was just behind the door.

"Because it feels like I can decide things on my own now."

Aaron just shook his head and looked at Selena and Thalia, who were just at the side, silently watching Ellena, who was about to step into the arena.

***

The night after their quest, Ellena was thinking about whether she could bring Selena back to the Phlabian. As for the reason, she just wants Selena to be safe, not just because she knows some of her secrets, but also because Uno, Selena's brother, is a dangerous person and she doesn't want Uno to get Selena that might result in her joining that shady organization.

As much as she wanted to not think about it, she couldn't help since she wanted Selena to be safe.

But how will she do it? She asked Aaron for some ideas, but Aaron declined. To be mature in her decisions, Aaron gave some advice.

"You can't decide for other people unless you are a representative or you hold responsibility for them. So, what you can do if you want to persuade a person, try to make a path."

Though it was vague, Ellena understood it well. A gleam curled up in her lips as she wore her dark garments and the black mask that she used when she was a vigilante in Azmar.

"Where are you going? It's already night." Aaron asked her.

"I will go to the orphanage and try to talk with the headmaster," Ellena said.

"What do you mean? We're going to threaten her?" Aaron asked with a little bit of excitement behind his words.

"Might be. But I will just check things to see if I can trust her if Selena left the orphanage."

Aaron, after hearing it, just thought, 'It feels like Selena is the guardian. As if she's keeping the orphanage on her shoulder.'

But little did Aaron know, Selena was the only adventurer in the orphanage and making the money. Thus, it makes her the only supporting individual in the orphanage.

"I will be going. You want to follow me?" Ellena looked at Aaron.

"No, I'm good. I'll just watch over Thalia. She's sleeping tightly."

"Thank you."

And that's when Ellena left the inn. It was not necessary for Aaron to be left, actually, since the security of the hotel was top-class.

However, Aaron felt that it would be too boring to watch since the reason bores him.

And after leaving, Aaron just slept on Thalia's side.

***

While in his sleep, Aaron's consciousness was transported into a floating, transparent room. He is standing in space, with the twinkling stars and huge asteroids floating in some planet's orbit. There are also celestial objects around him, and some vortexes from a distance.

Aaron felt nostalgia, but after a few seconds, he wondered why he was standing in this room again. Did he die again?

"Don't worry, you're not dead… again." A voice resounded, and once again, Aaron saw the silhouette that greeted him when he died.

"So, what am I doing here?"

"Nothing in particular just wanted to share your capabilities."

Aaron was perplexed. Capabilities? What does he mean? Have Ellena's capabilities been compromised by having an invisible and only existent companion?

Aaron almost scoffed, but keeping in mind that he is in front of the world's god, he can't dare to offend nor think that it will even offend him. Just to be sure that everything will be okay for Ellena.

He even wondered what really happened. If this is a dream, why can he remember things from reality? It would be absurd if this was a lucid dream. There's no way it would exist in this type of world, much less for him.

But wait, this isn't a dream. With his memory kept and accessible, it means that his consciousness is somewhere in the universe.

"Why are you thinking too much? Chill out. This is a dream."

'Huh?' Aaron was stiffened. As if did not want to believe it and wanted to debate it. But this is a god in front of him, someone who can alter things in this world. Hence, there's no one more knowledgeable than him.

"So, what do you mean by capabilities I have?" he asked, finally exposing his thoughts.

"Well, I was getting tired of watching you do stupid things. Clearly, I gave you a body to move, not to be a slave of your host."

"I am not her slave." Aaron immediately retorted, with a slightly strong tone behind it.

"Then what do you call yourself? The Aaron I hired for this isn't someone who is dedicated to one person." The silhouette said, hitting Aaron's soul with an invisible force.

"Imagine being incapable of doing things for 15 years and watching a girl suffer during that time. What will you do?"

"Are you asking me? A god of all things? Obviously, us gods watch things over and over again, and get tired of it, but why are we still guiding them unbiased?"

Aaron was hit again. For those thoughts, he realized that even the slightest meaning behind it was absurd to mention it to a god.

Forget about the god's identity, but just the guardian of this world. In simple words, he had lived for over an eternity, which would make 15 years as a laughingstock, and he dared to complain about it?

That contract he accepted wasn't actually official. It was merely his soul that pact onto something and converted it to what the silhouette's will.

"Forgive me. Can I ask what you really meant?" Aaron asked.

"You are one of the powerful souls existing in our world. And even though the other gods don't want it, we want you to become one of us."

"Huh?! What do you mean, one of you?! I was asking about my capabilities, not for another absurd recruitment!"

"Can you just calm down? Let me finish. Do you know why you became a system in the first place?" the silhouette asked Aaron, who was still overwrought by the conversation.

"Isn't it because you wanted me to become one?" Aaron said, however, his voice started to become doubtful.

"Nope! You are wrong. The reason you became a system is that you were always one but just didn't know how to activate it.. Aaron, you are a system, and no one created you to become a system."