Chapter 30 - Back in School
"Tell me what you know of essence. I guess we should start there." The alien said begrudgingly.
He was met with the same blank stares as before.
"You've got to be kidding me. You're telling me you don't even know what essence is?" Exasperation was clearly getting the better of the thing.
"Is it the experience that levels us up?" Mark said. For a shot in the dark, it wasn't that bad of a guess. I had no idea what the alien was getting at and had no better idea to throw out there.
"Sigh, yes it is what levels you up. I mean do you know what it is?" The alien almost seemed defeated by this point.
"I think it would be better if you explained it like we knew nothing. There was no essence or mana or magic before this 'Great' System kidnapped us." I said with implied air quotes about this so-called 'Great System'. Sensing the Q and A going nowhere fast, I thought to expedite the process.
The alien had a sharp intake of breath and quickly muttered something under his breath.
"Do not so casually blaspheme in the presence of The Great System. Many cultures would kill you where you stand just for thinking that." Cypteris said gravely.
I didn't know how true that statement was, but for the sake of not upsetting the alien, I apologized. It wouldn't be good to have the teacher mad at me, I did enough of that in school and it never ended well.
It took a moment for Cypteris to gather himself before he refocused on the task at hand.
"I'm gathering that you originated from a world devoid of essence and mana, yes? No magic of any kind?" Cypteris said.
When everyone nodded to his question he seemed relieved, "Ignorance I can fix, stupidity not so much."