To Live Again, For the First Time!

Back to Emilin, who is now sitting in the lotus position as she stuffed her third cookie into her cookie hole.

It was a wonder how she could eat faster than Xander, who now picked up his speed to eat more of those delicious cookies, with her small mouth.

She had brought her computer over and was typing rapidly with her laptop on her legs.

Xander and Levi didn't know what she was doing, but they didn't interrupt her, just silently watching from the sidelines, staring at the rapid movements of her long fingers that one would say were fit for playing the piano.

"Here, answer this questionary." Emilin handed her laptop over after she finished.

Xander didn't question anything at first, but after he scanned the questions a bit, he couldn't help himself.

"What is this for?"

"Master told you to fill it in." Emilin simply replied with a lazy voice as she went into 'meditation' on the couch in the same position.

Xander nodded despite not quite buying it, after all, he had just watched Emilin type this questionary up.

'But I guess it's possible that Master M gave her the questions beforehand so that they wouldn't leak.'

Or so he thought before he started answering some of these.

[Please write down your full name]

'Xander Chavaris'

[How much do you like to work hard from 1 to 10.]

'Is 0 an option? Who likes to work hard?' Xander questioned as he clicked 6.

[How much would you like to work hard for M from 1 to 10]

'Is this a trick question? Well...' *Clicks 10*

[How organized are you from 1 to 10]

'Um... I don't know. Ask Levi. He's organized for the both of us,' he thought as he clicked a solid 9.

[How organized can you be if it's for M?]

'From 1 to 10, I guess over 9000 right?'

[How much do you like your job as a doctor from 1 to 10.]

'Easy 10, except when it's like... you know. Hard. Why is this one a multiple-choice?'

[How much would you like your job as a doctor if you worked under M from 1 to 10.]

'Don't I already work under M?' Xander thought.

*Clicks 10*

[How full is your current schedule?]

'Well, I guess I have a few more seminars to attend to, as well as a couple of patients lined up, but nothing too urgent.' *Clicks 8*, pretty full

[How free can you make yourself for M?]

'100% Free. So free you might mistake me for a lonely, single, teen who is third-wheeling with his friends who just became a couple and still wanted to 'include him', that is, too free!'

Not from personal experience...

This was followed by around 20 more similar questions, as for how you could possibly have more of these, well who knows, it just happened like that.

Xander's expectations were brought up to the skies with every other question. He was still slightly skeptical all the way until the last question, but he answered it 'honestly' nonetheless, just as he had with the rest of the questions.

[What would you do to become M's disciple?]

'Everything, anything.' Xander promptly typed into the questionary without any hesitation. This could already be counted as a childhood dream, no, more like a lifelong dream.

He had no doubts about Master M's character. 

Even if Xander wrote everything and anything, he didn't believe that Master M would do anything unbecoming of his name, he had at least that much trust in this powerful figure. What he didn't know was that his morals were rather flexible when it came to this person whom he had worked for since young.

Not to mention, in some ways, his values and morals had been molded by M himself, after all, most of his actions took Master M's will into account.

[Sign here]

The digital signing had already been legal back when there was a worldwide pandemic and people were unable to sign contracts in person anymore, as for whether it was legal before that, well no one was really paying attention.

Xander thought that this was just for the validity of the questionary which would later be handed to Master M, but clearly, he didn't think it through very much.

He then passed the laptop back to Emilin after having already clicked the 'submit' button at the end.

Emilin opened her eyes to take the laptop and scan through the answers and Xander looked at her with expectant puppy eyes the whole time, which Emilin promptly ignored.

Levi who watched by the sidelines and had taken a simple glance at the questions held his breath. 

Unbeknownst to him, his palms were already sweaty from the nerves and this event wasn't even directly related to him, only affecting him indirectly, not that it would be any less impactful.

'What is this?'

'Is this a turning point for my dear MC Xander's plot?'

The fanatic within Levi Stanley couldn't hold himself back as he let his imagination run wild.

Levi had already lived years believing this day would come one day or another, the day that M, the 'main character's backer', would finally show 'himself' in Xander's life to make big waves and bring Xander to bigger heights from which Xander could slap more people's faces and become even more OP.

'Is this it?'

Was this the moment he had been waiting for?

"Very well, will it be okay with you if I ask you a few more questions in person?" Emilin was in business mode currently.

She had just calmed her mind and ascertained herself that this was for work purposes, but when she had that mindset, it also wouldn't exactly help with her circumstances in making friends and talking freely.

A slightly depressing thought that Emilin discarded right then and there.

"Sure thing!" Xander eagerly exclaimed, even if he was already with sweaty palms.

Emilin nodded without looking up as if she were reading questions off of her laptop.

"What do you have planned for the next week?"

Xander didn't know why, but he found the young lady in front of him's voice slightly different from usual, not that he had heard much of it, to begin with.

It was more, captivating, hard to turn around from, hard to describe.

It was hypnotizing, but not quite at the same time.

If he could process his thoughts properly, he would realize just what he was feeling right now, but sadly that was not the case.

"Nothing I can't push back!"

Xander didn't realize what he was saying until it already came out of his mouth. It was like he had lost the ability to think twice before talking.

Emilin nodded at the answer.

"What do you think it means to be someone's disciple?"

She was rhythmically tapping her cheek as she spoke as if she were contemplating something while she questioned Xander.

Xander's eyes darted around a bit as he thought.

"A disciple is one that learns from their teacher, learning their everything, and if the teacher has no one more fit, they are to inherit and pass down the knowledge that their teacher has acquired in their lifetime."

"And when the time comes, the disciple will be the one to bring glory to their teacher when they are no longer able or willing to do so for themselves."

"Of course we shouldn't forget the legacy that they will inherit to help them with everything they wish to learn. The knowledge that comes with that responsibility will have to be amazingly luring."

Xander felt like he was experiencing what it was like to have no filter, it was painful to listen to himself. 

He wanted to smack himself on the lips to keep them shut, but he wasn't going to do that during an interview.

Especially not one of this scale.

At least he didn't straight up say Master, after all, if that were not the goal of all this, it would be quite embarrassing. He limited himself to use the word teacher as a substitute, in the end, it was similar enough.

As the saying went, 'All masters are teachers, but not all teachers are masters'.

It was appropriate to use such terminology. He too was getting sweaty palms as he thought of these matters.

Xander had already forgotten or at least put in the back of his mind, that Emilin was but a lady younger than himself.

The only identity of hers that was relevant to him right now was that of Master M's only disciple, who most likely carried his will.

Emilin wasn't concerned. 

She knew that Xander could only speak his mind at the moment, and she didn't mind the thoughts he was having, even if he himself found it embarrassing.

In fact, she was glad he was having such thoughts, especially that second point. She really couldn't be bothered with this anymore.

All this work involving the medical association. It would be good if she didn't change things in this world too much, at some point, it would only bring her more troubles than benefits. 

Xander could serve as a good meat shield that also did all the work for her, in fact, he was already doing that. 

It was about time that she rewarded him for his hard work.

"That's good, that's good. You are right. I'm sure you recall my master asking you a pressing question, a few weeks back."

Xander thought back and nodded.

It was the point about PTSD.

"Yes, he was asking that question for me. If you consider that, I'm sure you will be able to come to the conclusion that I am unfit to inherit all of my master's knowledge as I will not be able to pass it down any longer."

'I won't be able to do it, I just really won't have the brainpower left. It's really best I get this done and over with. I have other things in life I want to do. It's best I leave this for the people who really love medicine'

"Are you going to die?"

***

Mini- Theater

Emilin: This is a little too unfair isn't it?

Emilin: Why is my goodwill always forsaken like this, huh?

Emilin: I was being so kind, I was finally going to take you under my wing, yet this is what you do to me? Curse me to death?

Emilin: How did PTSD become death eh? What's wrong with your brain ah? Should I reconsider taking someone like you?

Levi: (๏д๏) Eh, I've been waiting for this moment my whole life, Aiyo Young Master Xander, where did your brain cells run off to?

Xander: SMH. How is it my fault you made it sound so morbid young lady?

Emilin: So it's my fault you misunderstood? Sorry for not being good enough at conveying my intentions! Humph! (╥╯∧ ╰╥)

Xander: No, no. My fault, all my fault.

Xander: Big Boss's little disciple, please just spare me and voice your imperial edict already! This cliff that I am hanging from is killing me. (╥﹏╥)