The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

A couple was standing outside the ICU of the hospital, as if they were waiting for someone to come out.

The man placed his hand on the woman's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Angela. The operation is being done by one of the best doctors in this world"

"I know, but… he was sulking before going into the ICU"

"That's because we are forcing him to go to the high school"

Angela sighed and said, "I didn't know he would dislike the idea of going to school to this extent"

Derek smiled as he said, "It must be boring for him. And after what happened in his middle school, he must be feeling antsy"

Angela turned around and said, "Maybe we shouldn't send him to the school after all"

"What's with the sudden change of mind"

"What if he gets bullied again?"

"Angela, he is not a kind anymore. And do you think he would seriously let himself get bullied again?"

Angela took a breath and placed her hand on her chest as she said, "Sometimes, I feel scared of him. Sometimes, he acts like a different person. The look in his eyes are… always different"

"He has always been like that. You are just thinking too much"

The door opened, and a nurse came out of the room as she said, "The doctor is calling you"

Both Angela and Derek entered the room.

As soon as Angela entered the room, she rushed to the bed where Das was sleeping with his eyes covered by bandages.

"Das!"

"Mom,"

"Yes, I am here. Your dad is here too"

"Can you take these bandages off, please? It's really annoying"

"Doctor," Derek called out the doctor and said, "How long does he have to keep the bandages on?"

"You can take them off now. But make sure his eyes are closed, and he doesn't look directly to the sunlight"

Das sat up on the bed.

Angela slowly started to take off the bandages from Das' eyes.

"Keep your eyes closed", said Angela.

"They are closed"

After a while, the bandage was removed from his eyes.

"Does it hurt?", asked Angela.

"Not anymore"

Derek placed his hand on Das' head and said, "Alright now, slowly open your eyes"

Das slowly opened his eyes, which were a brown color, and said, "Heh dad"

"Can you see properly?", asked Angela.

"Clear as water"

Angela caressed Das' cheek and then moved her hand to Das' ear.

"They look a lot like normal now"

"Yeah"

"Miss Angela, make sure no one pulls his ear with force", said the doctor.

"Okay"

"The nerves which are used in the lens are deeply connected with his brain nerves, as well as his ear nerves"

"The ears' nerves are being pulled and connected to the lens's nerves?"

"Exactly"

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"It's not unless his ear gets pulled with a force"

"What if someone pulls his ear with force?", asked Derek.

"The nerves will snap"

"I guessed that. But what happens after that?"

"The lens will break, and his eyes will start bleeding"

"Will that be dangerous?"

"Not necessary if treated within three hours. If the clotted blood gets further in, that could be a problem"

But you said the lens can be removed", inquired Angela.

"Yes, they can be removed. You just have to grab them and pull them off in a split second. That way, there won't be any damage to his eyes or his ears. And his ears will go back to normal", answered the doctor.

"Are there any side effects of this operation?", asked Das.

The doctor smiled a little and said, "This type of operation was the first ever operation operated in the world"

"I didn't ask that. I asked if there are any side effects of this?"

"On paper, no"

Das got out of bed and blinked several times before walking out of the room.

Angela and Derek followed him.

When they got out of the room, Das was nowhere to be seen.

The room Das was in before was the last room in the hallway on the third floor.

"Where did he go?!", exclaimed Angela.

Derek nudged Angela and pointed his finger at the glass window.

Angela got close to the window and looked down.

Das just opened the door of their car and sat on the backseat.

"See?!", Angela quickly turned around and said, "This is what I was talking about? How could he possibly reach there in twenty seconds?"

"He must have taken an elevator"

"Even elevator takes 20 seconds to go down by one floor"

"Then maybe he took stairs"

"How did he reach from the ground floor to the car in this little time?"

Derek grabbed Angela's hand as he dragged her to the elevator and said, "He must have run"

"You are taking it too easy! I am just worried about him"

"Don't forget that you were the same when you were his age", commented Derek.

"You..", Angela hissed and said, "I will deal with you at night"

"Looks like I will need to stay at a hotel for tonight"

Angela gasped as she said, "If you do that, then you are not getting breakfast tomorrow"

"Fine, fine', Derek pulled Angela close and kissed her forehead as he said, "Stop with the threats"

"Where are you going now?", asked Angela.

"Back to the office. I have come here by putting a meeting on hold"

"I am sorry I called you during an important meeting"

"No big deal. You were scared to go alone, so I thought I should accompany you"

Angela's face flushed a little as she said, "That's not true. I wasn't scared or anything!"

"Yeah, yeah"

"I am telling the truth. I could have summoned my bodyguards if I wanted to, you know?"

Derek raised his eyebrows and said, "Fine then. I will go to my office directly. You take Das home"

Angela gulped down and said, "Come on, why so angry? Let's go home together. I will cook your favorite dish tonight"

"My favorite dish is you"

Derek covered his eyes and said, "I should stop flirting with you"

"Why? I like it"

"We are over fifty years old. That's no age to flirt"

"Who said that? And don't call me old. I am still very, very, very young"

"Maybe I should increase my working out time"

"Then I will increase it too"

"How about we do it together?"

The elevator door opened, and they stepped out of it, only to see Das standing there.

"Das, what are you doing here?!", exclaimed Angela.

"You were taking hours to come down. I thought you were busy with something"

"No, we were just coming. Let's go"

They all left the hospital and sat in the car.

"Do you want to drop by somewhere to eat", asked Angela.

"Just go straight home. I have already wasted much time"

Angela glanced at Derek who was sitting beside her on the passenger's seat and said, "Let's go"

After reading home, Das dashed to his room.

Angela let out a big sigh and said, "Are we doing the right thing? He doesn't want to go, and we are forcing him to do something he doesn't want to"

"Let's wait and see"

"But--"

"If he doesn't like it even after attending for a week, we will let him drop out"

"Yes, let's do that"

"Alright," Derek checked the time and said, "I should go now"

Angela kissed Derek on the lips and said, "Come back soon"

"Roger that"

Sigh~!

Angela let out a sigh as she thought, 'What should I do now? Should I drop by the NGO?'

"Das", called Angela.

However, there was no reply.

"Das!", shouted Angela.

"What is it, mom?", Das answered from his room.

"I am going to the NGO, "

"Okay"

"Do you want to come"

"No"

"Why not? You used to come with me when you were little"

"I am not little anymore"

Sigh~

'What am I going to do about him?'

Angela left the house and took out her car from the garage.

She got in the car and said, "I hope he can get a girlfriend in the school"

She drove off as she kept thinking about Das' relationship with others.

'Ever since Daulla died, he has become more distant with me'

'I haven't seen him smile since. And after being bullied in school, he just lost hope in everything'

"Papa was also talking about making him the king, as he is the only male heir in the main bloodline. But…", She glanced at the side mirrors as she said, "I don't think he is cut out to be a king"

'I hope he becomes a great king like our ancestors'

"If he doesn't make a girlfriend in high school, I will set him up with Lier. Lier is the best suitor for him.... And I don't think he will be against it"

She sighed and said, "But in the end, it's up to him to decide. I don't want to force him more than I am doing right now"

'Our relationship isn't that great anyway.'

The passerby-signal went off, and the passerby started crossing the street.

Angela stopped the car and saw some girls going back home from their schools.

'The school time is inconsistent too. He will surely hate it'.

She saw the girls bumping their fists with each other and entering the food shop.

"Will he be able to make friends again?"

'The main purpose of sending him to school is to make him socially active, make some friends, and be happy. I hope everything works out well'.

"I don't want him to hate me more than he already does"

"Come on, Elena. You are so boring" Angela saw a group of girls dragging a girl saying "Come with me, I will take you to a place where you will have so much fun"

"Elena?" Angela pondered and shook her head as she said, "Rebbecca's daughter should be around nineteen. She must be attending some university"

Angela turned on the car and made her way to the NGO.