THE ILLUSION

Suspicious

Iron's question made Merin squint.

The more she tried to guess, the more doubt slowly ran through her mind.

"You mean?" The rapidly moving door leaf caught her attention.

The father shouted for the bedroom door to be opened. Following the commotion that occurred outside the room. Eldric moved to block the door, telling Mr. Aziz to back off.

“Sorry, your child custody status is currently in active mode. I asked you to step back."

Mr. Aziz was furious. With fiery eyes, he felt like breaking the nose of the rancid boy in front of him. But remembering that Eldric was not an ordinary person, Mr. Aziz gave up his intention.

Until finally, it was the big lady Rosalina who acted. “Argh! Why are you silent? Let the mother get rid of this annoying child!” She screamed, hitting Eldric with her furry sandal.

Eldric did not waver, only a little shocked by Mrs. Rosa's persistence. But to be honest, the hairs made his nose itch.

    

Eldric felt his back trembled.

"Professor! Professor! Listen to me for a second!” Merin screamed desperately. She felt her vocal cords nearly cut off.

    

“Tomorrow my first trial will begin. I will run any mission today. So, let me save my trial,” Merin pleaded. Eldric was completely unmoved.

    

“I told you what you were doing would be in vain,” said Iron casually.

    

Merin didn't give up. She swallowed her saliva even though it was sore.

    

"Why can’t? What's important is just your project?" She shouted againn."Why don't you answer me? Last night you helped me, can't you help me one more time?" Her tone trembled even more, while Eldric lowered his gaze.

    

"I never helped you," Eldric snapped, "about last night, I only saved my project."

    

“Fuc*k!” Merin murmured.

    

Eldric lifted his head and pressed a small button on the earphone. "Loey, knock him out."

Iron and Scarlett looked at each other and nodded. Following Eldric's orders, the drone pulled them back inside. Leaving Merin in despair.

    

A cracking sound spread across the roof of the room. Merin staggered back. She tilted her head up, observing the movement of the roof that seemed to be about to collapse. The voice slowly grew louder, the room shook violently. With the blue getting brighter, pulling her deeper and deeper into madness. Merin crouched down, frustrated by the situation where you couldn't guess what was going on. The girl pressed her ear deeply.

    

“Stop it!” She mumbled. “Stop—AAAA!”

    

The roof of the room then opened wide, dropping metal brackets right on top of Merin. Got him locked in there. Merin widened her eyes, glancing at each of the iron ribs. Unbelievable that it was real, Merin grabbed both of her ribs and shook the object. Stupid choice. It was she who was shaking violently at the moment. Only momentary, but crippling.

    

Merin's body seemed to have been electrocuted. Then, the girl weakened and lay unconscious.

    

"At least it can remind you what your current position is," muttered Eldric. He gave Merin's father and mother a piercing stare in turn.

    

"Leave the girl alone if you don't want to suffer the consequences." After issuing a final warning, Eldric shook off his coat and quickly fled the scene.

***

“Good job, Professor Eldric!” welcome Prof. Takeda as soon as Eldric returned to base. His eyebrows were raised he didn't expect his senior to come today.

    

"Don't you have a teaching schedule today, Prof?" asked Eldric, taking off his coat.

    

"I dismissed the class early." He explained. "I'm really curious how the girl will respond when she gets the trial announcement. That curiosity paid off now and you… handled it well.”

    

Eldric whimpered as Prof.'s wrinkled hands. Takeda patted his shoulder. He was used to all kinds of compliments. But this time, he felt like he couldn't fully enjoy the compliment.

    

“To be honest, I was worried about the way you treated prisoners. Remembering an Eldric Lee Peterson grew up compassionate, polite, and obedient. In fact, you are someone who can't bear it," said Prof. Takeda. Olivia came to serve two cups of coffee to both of them.

    

“Today, you proved your determination to punish them. Moreover, our prisoner is a woman. I'm sure the world will soon respect the quality of this project."

    

Eldric smiled faintly. He sipped his coffee, wondering when Prof. Takeda will stop giving compliments. However, Prof. Takeda instead leaned towards Eldric. He spoke in a deeper tone. Eldric put his glass back down tensely.

    

“Go on, Eldric. Don't let him meet you and make you waver."

***

    

Merin moaned. Her forehead furrowed. She felt her throat so thirsty. However, her pale lips were too mute to ask for a glass of water. The girl pushed herself up and leaned against the side of the bed. Merin pressed her stomach, hunger made her stomach ache. How long have I been like a corpse? She asked herself.

    

Rows of text glowed in the pupils of her blue eyes.

YOUR REWARDS HAVE BEEN SORTED

WELCOME BACK TO FANTASIA!

-

HAPPY RUNNING BACK TO THE MISSION!

    

    

It is undeniable, that annoyance can reduce the rumbling in her stomach.

    

"Because of that man, I violated my principles.” Merin lamented regretfully. "Now, I must bear the consequences."

    

Merin's eyes glanced at the clock which pointed to eight. In the next hour, something big will happen. Presentation. Mission. Chaos. Merin could not guess how many chances of success she had. Merin gulped, in her mind had imagined the bitterest possibility. When the mission came while she was in the middle of the presentation.

    

If that were the case, she would have to choose. Let the red ink drown her dreams or give—again—her life to the damn project.

    

Whatever it was, no one said the apocalypse would happen today.

    

Merin gripped the edge of the bed and pushed herself up. Laughter filled the room. Every beat of the girl's laughter could make you kneel and beg her to stop. She stopped and wiped away a tear with her fingertip. The sound of her breath reflected satisfaction.

    

"Besides, no one said I couldn't do both." She muttered hoarsely.

***

    

"She's in! She's in!" Jasper said gaping slightly, unable to believe the scene on the screen. They just reactivated camera mode on drones, so what was caught was Merin's steps in her red sneakers.

    

A dress with a butterfly pattern fluttered in the center of the hall. Putting aside the young people in casual clothes. Only Merin Noella has an eccentric style. That's right, according to her character. As she wanted, bring a standout presentation concept.

    

As if attending a royal ball, half of the girl's face was covered by a round hat with a black feather on the edge. Olivia scratched her temples, trying to digest what was going through Merin's brain. Even a layman would know she was in the wrong costume.

    

"Did the electric current make her brain shift?" Jasper chirped, still in disbelief.

    

"Isn't she always be like that?" said Loey casually.

    

Eldric looked down. His lips twitched in a smile. In his mind, the girl could never be shaken. He didn't flinch. Keep your resolve.

    

"She intends to make the council only focus on her," said Eldric.

    

“So, won't the mission schedule be changed? Even though you managed to make her beg?” Olivia asked.

    

Eldric raised his head. He leaned towards the screen and stared intently at Merin's smooth back. "No more negotiations, run as it should."

    

An announcement from the sound system made all the students focus on the podium. From the corner of the stage bordered by black curtains, four well-dressed councilors moved in toward their seats.

    

It's been half an hour, some students have successfully finished their presentations. Merin was still waiting for her turn, no—the members at the base repeatedly sighed a sign that their patience was being tested.

    

Merin tossed aside her dress and turned around. She stepped out in a hurry, and the drone followed her. Eldric's expression stiffened, her forehead furrowed.

    

"Is she constipated?" Olivia asked.

    

"Perhaps," replied Eldric.

    

“Mission will launch in 5 minutes. We're not going to send Iron and Scarlett down the toilet, are we?” Loey asked for reassurance, without a tone of concern.

    

"Okay, Loey. Delay mission launch, but don't turn off the camera."

    

"Loey, you're just like a babysitter." Jasper teased, as he pushed the wheel of his sledding chair towards Olivia's desk.

    

“How long does it take for a girl to get over constipation, hm… hm?” He teased again. Jasper’s eyebrows even raised and lowered on purpose.

    

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Why you ask me that?"

    

"Oh yeah, I forgot that Olivia is a fake girl." The girl stopped her typing, blew thin bangs, then glanced at Jasper sharply. The whiny Jasper instantly turned his expression to stone.

    

It was obvious that his guts had shrunk. "Sorry... don't tell your father, I'll be beaten by his gang."

    

Eldric just shook his head as he turned around, picking up the phone from the hospital. A call he had been waiting for days. About Isabella's death, the mystery of the lost cell phone, and all of Merin's alibis.

    

To be honest, for him, right now it was still too biased. Even though Merin admits her actions, the fantasia license can only be obtained if physical evidence is in their hands.

    

Eldric put the phone to his ear, and immediately answered enthusiastically.

    

"Yes? Is there any new information regarding Isabella's death?”

    

"The autopsy results are out. We found her fingers broken. When cremated, there were traces of an adult male's shoe along with a wound on the back of the hand."

    

Eldric gasped. He dropped his hand, but the grip on his phone tightened. He chuckles. Merin is right. Other people could be the real culprits. The person who was said to be Isabella's lover. The man who was the reason behind the poor girl's cell phone disappearance. However, something kept bugging him. Why did he take Isabella’s cell phone? Does Isabella have something on her phone?

    

One thing's for sure, that guy's after a fantasia project. Either to seize or destroy fantasia.

    

Olivia turned to Eldric who was still dumbfounded.

    

"Eldric?" She called. "It's been 10 minutes, Merin hasn't come out."