System Discord
Chapter 26: SysDi 26: Evan’s Preparation 3

Chapter 26: SysDi 26: Evan’s Preparation 3

With Iva gone and quiet, Evan’s meditation was done after another half an hour. His eyes opened up while he slowly moved his limbs back into wakefulness. He stretched his legs mostly as he took a deep breath.

It still felt a bit weird, as if he had just woken up from a dream earlier. He must have looked awkward if anyone can see him in that state.

Like an automated machine maybe?

Evan shivered at the thought. He’s not a machine just because he wore a watch and absorbed it right?

He sighs and leave those thoughts alone. Those aren’t things he would care about after a small rest provided by meditation.

There would usually be some thoughts scattering in his mind the moment he sat down and began. Today, there seems to be none.

Is it because he is finally getting what meditation really is? Like how his dad describe it as?

That would be a good news.

Evan glanced at the window so he can check if there was still some daylight. There was a lot of things that he had done today, most of the things in his self-made guide was done for the day. So now, he was thinking of guessing the current time.

Surprisingly, there’s still some daylight. The feeling in his legs was still a bit numb, but he feels that he can stand up without any need for support. Evan stood up and went closer to the window to get a closer look.

Sure enough, the sun is shining down outside.

He was sure that he went to the market to deal with the delivery before or during midday. He did all his routine and the jam making process took a while.

There’s also the two hours time that passed while he was in the Simulation Zone’s version of the Slimes corridor or dungeon now.

Did he really took less time than he expected even if he suddenly found himself home?

He remembered that he did plan on having himself take meditation after sword training. At this point, maybe he should be reading now.

Evan sighs. He really isn’t in the mood to read at the moment.

Besides, he now has three usage for the Simulation Zone and he had only used two. He knew that the exploration, sword wielding training and the usage were all used in one but he is very tempted to explore in the stone hill cave even more.

There’s still a lot of time before his parents get back...

He opens his door and checked the time. Like he had hoped, it was just a little under three hours after midday.

He has less than two hours to two and a half hours of exploration. Evan could make that count.

"Iva, I’m skipping reading today." He announced loudly. "I’m going to the stone hill cave. Come join me."

’You don’t have to ask me, I’ll be here~’ Iva’s reply was almost instantaneous. ’Are we going now?’

Evan nods his head as he hums. "Yeah! No time like the other. I’m thinking of exploring the two branching paths I passed by while I was running away from that... Uh- Shadow things"

’Shadowling?’ Iva offered the correction. ’Well, if you need a timer and if you want me to get out as a slime just do it.’

"Will do."

Evan made his way out the house and went to the familiar path of his everyday now.

He loves a lot of physical activities like running, jumping and the like. If he was the same child like before, he would’ve started doing more of those instead of doing some reading.

He’s even following a guide to makes sure he levels up! But he really needed more mana so he had to keep up.

Evan is doing that now though. He is going through and skipping the reading temporarily.

He got through the stone hill cave after reading the poem, the entrance opening with a low rumble on the ground.

Down the stairs he went.

Through the first corridor he got.

Going passed the area where he wasn’t able to before, he could see the branching paths from the distance.

He didn’t realize that he had covered a lot of ground when he was running yesterday... Well, early this morning.

As he looked at them, there is another smooth stone in between the different paths. There’s something written on it, not that Evan could read it though.

’Huh. I don’t recognize that language.’ Iva interrupts. ’Do you mind moving closer so I can see if what I assume is right?’

Evan shrugs. "Sure. But can’t I just summon you out of you really want to? Will save is both the trouble."

’Slime vision is weird. I would prefer to stay for now.’ Iva replies.

Evan sighs and moved closer. He looks at the smooth stone, putting a hand out as he wiped the surface a little bit.

It’s not dirty or anything, but he wanted to feel if it is as smooth as the stone outside that contained the poem.

’I see patterns but it will take me a while to understand. You need to read more books about other languages, Evan.’ Iva reminds him. ’Do you know any other languages other than Himea?’

Evan furrowed his eyebrows at the ridiculous question. "Are you actually asking me if I know anything else other than the only language I speak, which is Himea?" He sighs. "No, I do not."

Iva huffs. ’That’s fine. You have your main goal after all. I can’t give you what this means. Are we still going?’

Evan looks at the left and the right paths.

He uses a lot of his left hand, so he is leaning more towards it. But he had worn the watch on his right before it disappeared, well technically, absorbed by his body. So, he wanted to also try right.

"Do you think I can go back to try the other path when I’m done with the first pick?" Evan asked, trying to see if Iva would reply.

Silence. There’s no Iva response in his mind.