Chapter 174: Discussions
Being stuck in this world certainly had been a weight on Elmo's mind. Not only was there no indoor plumbing, but he missed his computer. While having the system and using magic was fun, he wished he could return home. Although, he wouldn't mind it if he could continue to do this from time to time.
Not that he expected to be able to return if he ever did get back to his home. While he'd like it, he doubted things would, or could, ever be that convenient.
"What would be required to not get stuck here?" Elwin asked.
The king shook his head as he held up his hands helplessly, almost in a gesture to indicate he had no answer for the question. "The announcer always indicated about who had completed so many challenges, but he never said how many were needed to win. The most number of challenges that I'd ever even heard of someone completing was nine. Yet, even that didn't seem to be enough."
"So, no ideas of how many more it would take?" Kim asked. "Like if we'd need to complete all the set challenges in addition to that or something?"
"I'm sorry, but one, even if you complete all the set challenges, or are credited for assisting in doing so, then you're not necessarily going to win. My wife, my brother, and I were all able to do that, so we know for a fact that it's something more."
There wasn't any more immediate questions and Elmo couldn't' think of anything to ask either. Even though he wished he could just make the king explain everything in a way that he'd be able to understand and dispel all the confusion he had about how the competition worked. Yet, he knew that wasn't likely to be possible. Even if he could find the words to use to express all the doubt that filled his mind about it all, he seriously doubted that the king would be able to satisfy his doubts and worries about it all.
"I don't mean to be rude," Owen said, pulling Elmo out of his thoughts, "but would you mind if we discussed this without you here?"
"Of course," the king answered, nodding. Then he turned and left.