OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 96: Family Meeting

Four individuals were seated around a dining table, each with their own unique features. Among them was a strikingly handsome man with jet-black hair and eyes as black as death itself.

Beside him sat a middle-aged woman who still retained her youthful appearance, with flowing brown locks and captivating hazel eyes.

Next to her was a young girl who bore a striking resemblance to the first woman, possessing the same captivating features.

The last member of the group was a woman with snow-white hair and striking crimson eyes.

Four pairs of eyes were locked in a tense standoff, each individual waiting for the others to make a move.

The air was thick with anticipation, and the silence was deafening.

Finally, one of the two broke the stillness, clearing their throat to speak.

The other two held their breath, waiting for the response.

With a deep sigh, a woman's voice trembled as she spoke with confusion etched in her tone.

"Let me get this straight: you're saying that the entire thing about you being reincarnated was a lie and that your memories were manipulated into believing that a novel you supposedly read in a past life was actually a reality in which we all die."

"And not only that, but you were actually just a 'pawn' in a long line of experiments orchestrated by the Order to gain access to advanced robotic factories, which would then lead to their victory in the war against the UEF and ultimately the absorption of Earth into their galactic federation?"

Emir couldn't help but chuckle as the absurdity of the situation dawned on him.

"As crazy as it sounds, you're right. Everything you said is true, except for the fact that you forgot to mention Aether," he added.

Instead of replying, they just sat silently staring at him as if they wanted him to say that all of what he said was a joke.

They simply couldn't fathom the pain he would have gone through if all of this were to be true.

And then, without a word, both Laura and Lily suddenly stood up from their chairs and embraced Emir tightly.

Their arms wrapped around him as if they were holding on to a lifeline, and he felt their warm tears soak through his shirt.

He realized that at that moment, they were not just hugging him but also the truth they had just learned.

A truth that shattered their understanding of who they were and in what they had believed.

He understood the depth of their pain and knew that they must be feeling incredibly guilty for blaming him for things that were out of his control.

Emir wrapped his arms around them and held them close, letting them know that he was there for them.

For a brief moment, they were just three individuals huddled together, trying to make sense of a world that had suddenly become much darker and uncertain.

"No worries guys, isn't this a good thing? I already went through the rounds, I'm fine, so don't worry about me, oh, and uhh... I also don't blame you both for anything, your reactions were understandable, trust me, I promised that I wouldn't lie to you both ever again, right?"

But what Emir just said made everything worse.

A wave of panic washed over him as Laura and Lily began to sob uncontrollably, their tears soaking his shoulders.

He tried to think of something to say or do to comfort them, but his mind went blank.

Desperation led him to utter the only words that came to mind:

"Why are you guys crying?! I'm telling you I'm fine."

But it was no use, their emotions were too overwhelming, and he found himself caught up in the moment as tears began to stream down his face, a single drop at a time.

Lyra observed with a smile as the trio released their pent-up emotions.

Some moments passed, and Lyra felt a sense of relief as she watched the family of three let go of each other, their stress finally released.

It was clear that Emir had been holding back his emotions for some time, and she was glad to see him finally able to express them.

She gave him a reassuring smile, silently conveying her support for him, which he returned.

A few more moments passed before his attention returned to Laura and Lily, who were still sniffling and trying to compose themselves as they sat back in their seats.

Emir offered them tissues to wipe away their tears.

Lily looked at him and spoke, "I-I actually 1-" Sniff- freēnovelkiss.com

"I learned about Aether in class yesterday, I was excited to tell you about it, but when I came here, you hadn't gotten back home yet."

"I see... So they give that information to the normal courses too, huh?" Emir asked.

A sniffling Lily nodded as she said, "Yep, we had to sign an NDA, of course, but I thought that didn't matter as you might've already known about it since you were involved with the Order, but it looks like I guessed wrong."

Emir confirmed her words, "True that, I only recently learned about it because of Lyra's

plan."

He gestured at Lyra as he continued, "Let me officially introduce a new member to the family, welcome Lyra everyone, she is a victim of the Order same as me, so please hold no hard feelings towards her, after all, without her, I would still be under the Order's control."

"Lyra is actually just one of the AIS that was created by the Order to assist in their experiments. She played a role in manipulating my memories, but it wasn't her fault. She didn't have a choice in the matter."

Both Laura and Lily gazed at Lyra with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty, unsure of how to approach the enigmatic girl who seemed to know everything about their family.

They exchanged glances with each other, silently communicating their thoughts, before finally turning back to Lyra.