Temporal Pearls
Chapter 67 - 67: Tension!

That was a scary experience, his hand trembled subtly, then he forced a smile, "I was stressed trying to achieve something!"

"A forced smile… but what did you achieve!" Shabbara blurted out.

"I beat a big bad boss!" He answered with evident relief after remembering he was no longer Thrall of Living Roots.

"There is a difference between bravery and stupidity. Don't view yourself as a big boy and tanked all hardships, you have a family for that!" Manuella sternly said.

"My decision may have devolved you to your state but it wasn't the cause. 5 days before the final exam your art loses its colour. I advise you to start seeing a Therapist. Take care!" She added.

Anna was by the side while their mother brought something to eat for the guest. If not because Seth was jumpy he would not have stayed calm before Manuella's scrutiny, she had been looking at him unceremoniously with intense eyes like an Owl.

"So, you are shabbara?" Seth asked the female twin, he was beginning to feel a chill crawl under his skin, so to distract himself, he continued talking.

The kids relaxed as they conversed with him and when Sarah brought some snacks again, they took on each and held it in their hands. Everyone ignored that it was just a courtesy but they might not eat it.

"I personally scored the exam and you have passed it!" Manuella announced.

"It was me who discovered it and you marked it!" Shabbar, the boy twin, chimed in.

"Yep, it was you who found it!" Manuella at him as she agreed.

The conversation didn't end there as the kids narrated what happened and why they were enamoured by the sketch but they deny that they cry.

Seth was pleasantly surprised by the praise the kids threw at his sketch and his capability as a painter.

After two hours of talking, Manuella and her twins left after saying that she will come and take Seth with her to the new place which they took as a classroom tomorrow.

Seth and his family were delighted he would continue to learn under her. To them, a potential backer to Seth he knew without her, he might create Jet Planes without knowing the component.

After the whole family heard what happened they sighed in relief as their connection with her was re-established.

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Tension in the Enoch family was increasing. Anna still doesn't know how to get her Shield back and for that reason support from the government was waning. There was a possibility, if she didn't get it back in the next three to five months they might end up losing their status as Class C.

And this means many things, Enoch's business will lose its value, Seth will be kicked out of University, Sam Project will be cancelled and also all other shares the family have bought from different companies will either be refunded or they will be kept and distorted.

The whole family will be in shambles and they will fall from grace. What will come after that is worse, as people with power will eye their property and force them into forced contracts until they lose everything and what will come after that is ridiculed.

That day, a family meeting was held where the elders sat with all the children. They talked and discussed sensitive issues about the family situation and how everyone can support them.

Seth and the rest of the kids were shocked by the situation and their gradual decline. Currently, not only were they kicked out of the company that they have 40% shares in but the company came with a fake document claiming a certain business building owned by the Enoch family was owned by them.

Adam and the rest of the elders were in a dilemma whether to take things to the courts but they had no backers and they were bound to lose and also incur animosity from the companies' supporters.

It was then that Seth realized he made a big blunder, the old lady that asked him to paint that party was actually an old Judge. When she retired she opened an art gallery as she was a pond of art.

Another reason they clung to her was that she has four children, all art lovers and… also successful lawyers. The plan was if Seth was able to appease her, they might have a chance against the company that wanted to leech them off.

The elders didn't exactly say that but Seth understood the underlying plan. And… he felt ashamed of himself. He assumed that it was all for glory but it was never for that. It was about survival.

The meeting ended with the hope of everyone doing their best to help the family.

And then another meeting began between the gamers as they shared their experiences and also insights. Seth hinted that it might be possible for one to be enslaved by a monster just like him but he watered it down so as not to make his parents worry.

He knew in the grand scheme of things, that might be very much possible for a monster to take over the human body.

After the meeting, he compared himself with them and he learned that they are in heaven. Some of them were still chasing carnivorous rabbits and hunting twin-tail wolves while he was in dead land filled with poisonous plants and nightmarish monsters.

"Ha!" Seth laughed as he sat in his room, for some reason he realized the game truly was screwing with him.

If it was the amalgamation of the last games that meant it has his amazing records. Fitting him against weaklings and he might end up bulldozing everything to success in a short amount of time even with his low Constitution, but entrapping him in dead land was just the right way to slow him down.

He had no idea that his assumption wasn't further from the truth. How could the system leave monsters like him amidst sheep and rabbits—they need special care for them to grow to their full potential.

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Seth stood before his cabin with hesitation but seeing Raaz was glaring daggers at him, he quickly entered.

He has no idea why the gentleman was upset about everyone.

The moment everyone dived in, Raaz sighed and said, "Damn it! Now I have to become a thief!" However, he stiffened seeing that Joseph was by the corner and he heard him loud and clear.

But Raaz snickered and stood before he walked out without saying goodbye to everyone.

'Fuck. How am I gonna tell her that… that thing was destroyed!' He wondered, 'but that wasn't the only problem, the brat is about to fill Anna TEC, where would I get another chamber!"

The earlier thought was to steal it, but from who? He sighed and stopped ruminating about it. He gave Seth a deadline to impress him and he will stay true to the deadline after that… it will depend on his mood.

***

[You have died]

[You revived in the Cottage]

Seth sat and he observed his body. Nothing changed and then he called his status. His equipment was all fine too. However, His level has fallen down by one.