The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

"Come on, walk faster," Dass commented.

"You walk slower."

"If you don't walk fast, then I will leave you behind."

Elena caught up with Das and glanced at him.

"What?" Das asked.

"This is what you said when we were going home for the first time."

"Come on. Why are you reminding me of that."

"I can't forget it. I can't forget how rude and cruel you were."

"I already apologized, didn't I?"

"Do something else too."

"Like?"

"Uh… maybe carry me?" 

"What?!"

"I am tired, and my legs are hurting. Carry me." Elena leaned on Das.

Das pondered for a while and said with a serious expression on his face, "Fine."

"Wha--" 

Das moved his hands to Elena's waist and picked her up. He used his other hand to carry her.

Elena had too many things she wanted to say, but currently, she was dying from embarrassment.

She tried to break free by moving herself. "Hey, don't move too much. It's already hard enough to walk, you know?"

"Are you calling me heavy?"

"Not really, but if I fall, you will fall too. And who knows, you might break your leg again?"

"You are carrying me, so your leg should break, right?"

"I am not weak as you. I make sure to get my daily dose of nutrients and vitamins."

"Even your lifestyle is boring," Elena commented.

Das' face twitched as he said, "I will throw you!"

"This is enough. Put me down."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Das put Elena down.

She calmed herself down and then glared at Das. "What was that?!"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you carry me like that?"

"What's wrong with you? Is your brain not working right?"

"I was just joking about carrying me, and you seriously carried me."

Das' face frowned. "I won't believe a single thing you say from now on." He started walking.

"Hey!" Elena tried to catch up to him but tripped. Her legs were numb because Das had carried her.

Das stopped walking but didn't look back. "Hey, come on. At least help me get up."

Das turned around, walked to Elena, then helped her get up. "You fall anywhere, huh?"

"I don'!"

He grabbed Elena's hand. "Let's go. You are only allowed to buy one thing. After that, we will go home."

Elena let Das drag her. They wandered on two more floors, but Elena didn't find something she had to buy.

"Let's go home then, alright?" 

Elena muttered something. 

"What?"

"I am hungry."

Das stared at Elena for a good 10 seconds. "Wow."

"What's with that face again? We walked so much. WHat's wrong if I am hungry?"

"Nothing is wrong. It's just… I am just surprised."

"About what?"

"You know…" Das averted his face. "Aren't girls super conscious about all this stuff? Yet you don't care about your diet or your appearances at all."

"Idiot," Elena mumbled.

"I heard that."

"Don't you know it's rude to say all that to a girl?"

"I didn't say I dislike it. I honestly don't care about all that. You are you, and you will be you, no matter what happens, right?"

"Who knows?" She slightly smirked. "Maybe something changes after the exams?"

Das' heard thumped in fear. 'Is she indirectly saying she won't need me after the exams?'

"By the way, Das. What will you do if I pass all the subjects?"

'Is she asking what am I going to do after the exams?' Das gulped down and opened his mouth to say, "I would want to be with you just like we are now."

Das used up all his courage of the day. He slowly glanced at Elena to see her reaction.

She was lost in her thoughts. She was making a face Das had never seen before.

'Elena.exe. Stopped working?!'

"I was asking what would you do for me if I pass all the subjects?"

"Oh!" Das' face slightly flushed. "You mean what I will give you? Like you want some reward?"

Elena nodded with her flushed face.

'Aah! I should have confirmed the question first! I ended up saying something embarrassing in front of her!'

'Was it creepy? I think it was. I wonder what she thinks of that statement.'

Das cleared his throat. "I will do one thing as you say."

"Really?!" Elena's face beamed with excitement.

"Ye.ah."

"Are you really sure?"

"Ye...ah." 

With a resolute expression on her face, Elena once again asked, "Do you promise?"

"Ye...ah?"

'Could it be that I did something I shouldn't have done?' Das started regretting the promise he just made 3 seconds ago.

"Alright! I will try my best!"

"Good luck." Das was worried, not because of the promise but the exams.

'The exams were 70% tougher than they normally should be. I can see many students failing this year.'

'Even if Elena were supposed to score full 100 marks, she would only score 30. And I don't think Elena would ever score full 100 marks.'

'Elena passing this exam would be a miracle.'

Das was anxious. If Elena failed this time, she would get expelled, and he didn't want Elena to get expelled.

'Should I bribe the teachers to give her high marks? Or at least passing marks?' Das would do anything to make Elena happy, doesn't matter how low he would have to fall.

"Let's go to the canteen and eat; then we will go home," Elena suggested.

"But…" Das showed Elena the bags. "They are already cold."

"We will order something else."

"What about this then?"

"We will eat that when we get home."

"..." Das followed Elena to the canteen. 'I am going to have a tough morning tomorrow.'

They found the canteen after wandering around for 5 minutes. Elena ordered cakes, and Das ordered a coffee.

"You should look after your health. You eat too little." Elena remarked.

"I don't want some glutton to tell me that."

Elena stuffed the cake slice in Das' mouth. "Eat."

Das stared at Elena and started chewing. Elena didn't take off her hand until Das swallowed everything.