Chapter 750 Unexpected Meeting.
Chapter 750 Unexpected Meeting.
State College Lecture Hall D
Dust City
Earth V
November 30th
AD 3103
"You have till Monday morning to complete that project. You?are dismissed."
As soon as the Lecturer exited the hall, the students began chatting excitedly?amongst themselves.
In one corner of the class that had drawn the gazes of most of the guys, a quartet of young ladies packed up their bags while making small talk with each other.
"Gaby!!!"
That scream pulled everyone's attention towards the door, but by?then?the screamer had already run up to the quartet of girls and hugged the one in the centre.
"Let's go get lunch! I'm starving!"
"We?would,?if you'd lower your voice."
The person who?had been abruptly hugged?replied with a sigh as she peeled the other girl off her body with one hand.
"And there's Gaby with that absurd arm strength again…"
One of her friends remarked with a light chuckle, watching her hold an adult woman up with one hand like she was as light as a feather.
They chatted?lightly?as they got to their feet and left the Hall, and almost as if they agreed on it beforehand, 'Gaby' ended up in the middle of their group of five.
All five of them had beauties that made heads turn, but even the other four admitted that 'Gaby' was in a league of her own.
Her face?was a blend of?elegance and charm, with lustrous blue-black glossy hair and deep eyes bearing a matching hue. Her figure was voluptuous, accentuating her graceful allure.
It was no surprise that she— Gabrielle Nathalie Larson,?was the one who had?been unanimously granted?the title of 'Campus Belle'.
"Oh, guys. Did you know? Another freshman asked Gaby out yesterday!"
"Again? How many does that make it this month? 7? 8?"
Hearing the topic of conversation that had sprung up amongst her friends while she was looking through her phone, Gabrielle scowled and glared at the person who brought up the?topic.
"This is your fault, you know? You're the one who started that strange rumour that I liked 'younger guys'."
"But you did date that younger?childhood friend?of yours in high school…"
"Just because I dated one doesn't mean I like them all!"
She was almost shouting when she spoke, and it was clear to her friends that she had?been stressed?by the unnecessary attention that rumour had garnered.
Seeing how her expression turned dark afterwards, the one who was responsible for the situation fell silent while internally wishing she could go back in time and beat up her past self?who?drunk too much at a party.
However, the reason for Gabrielle's frown was totally unrelated to the rumour she had started as a drunken mistake.
'They clearly remember that there was someone I was with. They've even met?him?on numerous occasions throughout middle school.
But why can't they remember who he is?! It's strange!
It's like the whole world has forgotten his existence! Even his mum was confused when I asked her about him—about her son!'
The girl heaved a sigh?and?seeing this, her friends' gazes turned towards the culprit, silently pressuring her to apologize.
"Gaby…"
"?"
Gabrielle was snapped out of her thoughts and looked down to see the other girl bowing her head in apology.
"I'm sorry for starting that weird rumour. I'd do anything to make it up—I'd also help clear the rumour up?so?please don't be angry."
"…"
It only took Gabrielle a second to realise her friends had mistaken the reason for her anger. She didn't bother correcting them?though.
"Anything, huh? Then you're buying me lunch for the semester."
"Oka-HUH?!"
By the time the other girl realised?exactly?what she had almost agreed to, Gabrielle had already?gone off?and crossed the road, so she had to chase after the blue-eyed girl.
"Gaby, that'd bankrupt me!"
"You're always broke anyway?so?it wouldn't make much of a difference."
Another one chipped in?and?a loud 'OOF!' rang out from a trio of passing boys. Gabrielle chuckled at their reactions while looking to the side for?any?nearby family restaurants.
She then spotted a familiar-looking car outside a nearby building, stopping?for a moment?to check it out a second time.
"What's up?"
"No…it's just that car.?Reminds?me of the one that a close family friend has. I haven't seen it in four?years?so I'm?not sure?if it's even the same one."
Hearing Gabrielle's reply, one of her friends posed a question.
"You haven't seen them since you?got back?from outside the Country?"
'Outside the Country? More like Outside the Planet as a whole.'
Gabrielle kept that little thought to herself as she nodded in?affirmation,?before spotting the shrugging and walking towards the door.
"You wanna check if it's them?"
"Nahh. Even if it's a 'Small World', it's not?that?small."
She wasn't expecting to see?that person's?father here?so?she just entered and immediately spotted a poster showing her favourite smoothies were on sale.
"Sweet!"
As she rushed in towards where the smoothies were, her friends trailed after, filled with nostalgia at the familiar sight they hadn't seen since Gabrielle left for her "mother's home country" four years ago.
Just before Gabrielle reached the smoothie stand, her ears caught a?very?familiar voice coming from a nearby table.
"His entertainment, maybe? That guy is very unpredictable. It's hard to guess the reason behind his actions most times."
She stopped and turned in the direction of the voice, raising her brow in surprise as she saw the person she was?just?thinking she wouldn't meet.
"Uncle Vincent?"
"Hmm? Oh, hey there."
The man casually replied to her?and?she separated from her friends and headed towards his table.?On the way, she inadvertently glanced at the boy sitting opposite Vincent?and?her eyes widened in shock.
"Evan?!"
It was the familiar black-haired and grey-eyed boy she was?just?questioning why everyone couldn't remember.
However, not even a second after she half-screamed that name, her head cooledandher wholebeing rejectedthe notion. She quickly realised that this person only bore similarities tohimbutit wasn'thim.
"…you look like himbutyou're NOT Evan."
The boy on the table calmly gazed up at herfor a momentbefore replying to her statement.
"Well, I AM 'Evan'. But I'm guessing I'm not the 'Evan' you know."
He gave that strange reply before turning towards Vincent and asking.
"Also, Mr Vincent. Didn't you say thatall Records of 'His' existence had been hiddensoeveryone on this planet should have forgotten him?"
His question drew Gabrielle's attentionandshe ignored the boy, slamming her hands on the table as she leaned forward and barraged Vincent with questions.
"Uncle Vincent, you remember Evan?!
Why did everyone forget?! Where is he!? What's all this about Hidden Records?! I spoke to Aunt Kristi-"
"Hold on there, young lady. Your friends are worried."
"Ah...!"
It was then she remembered she had entered with four others. She turned towards them and rushed up to where they were to explain things andplacatethem before returning to where Vincent was and joining them at the table.
At that moment, the boy repeated his question to Vincentwhowas focused on his snack andrepeated his earlier question.
"Again, I ask. Mr Vincent, didn't you say that the goddess Artemisia hid the Records of 'His' existence on this planet and made everyoneon itforget him?"
"Indeed. Everyone 'ON' the planet forgothim."
Vincent turned towards Gabrielle, looking her right in the eyes as he continued.
"But what if someone who knewhim,wasn't on the planetat the timeshe did that?"
Thismade Gabrielle unable to contain her curiosity anymoreandshe began firing her questions at them whiletaking care to keepher voice as calm as possible.
"What's all this talk about Evan's recordsbeing hidden?"
"And who the hell are you? Why do you look similar to Evan?"
The boy casually put down his serviettes, not bothered by her scrutinizing gaze as he replied.
"Because I am 'Evan'. But like I statedearlier;I'm probably NOT the 'Evan'you know. Besides, don't exaggerate it, oursimilarities are only around 40-50% at best."
After his reply, Vincent put down his snack and drew their attention towards him with a lightclap,beforeproceeding to introducethem to each other.
Vincent turned to Gabrielle while gesturing towards the boy named 'Evan' as hebegan speaking.
"He is NOT 'Evankhell'. His name isEvansenBennett, formerly 'Evansen Del Eris' from the planet Aidos."
After saying that, he turned towards Evansen while gesturing at Gabrielle as he continued.
"She's the daughter of an old acquaintance of mine. Her name isGabrielle Larson.
My son's— Evankhell's—Ex-girlfriend."
Hearing Vincent's introduction, Evansen was mildly surprised. He turned towards Gabrielle once more before nodding to himself as he muttered.
"Seems like Evankhell has wonderful taste…"
Vincent chuckled lightly upon hearing hiswords,before making a suggestion.
"To prevent mix-ups, let'sjustaddress both 'Evans'by their full names. We shouldn't get confused about who we're talking about here."
The man ordered another round of drinks for the three of them,after which helooked at Gabrielle and spoke.
"Just soyou know, Evansen doesn't know Evankhell personally. They've never met."
"Yep. I've never met the guy even oncebutapparently, he's inmy placenow. I'd love to meetthough."
Evansen shruggedlightlyas he spoke, and since his gaze was on the menu while he did this, he missed the dark expression that crossed Vincent's facein that instant.
"Haha! For your sake, Evansen, it'd be bestif you twonever meet."
Gabrielle narrowed her eyes as she sensed hidden meanings behind Vincent's wordsbutthe mansimplyremained silent and didn't elaborate further no matter how much she questioned him.
When she asked Evansen why he wasn't curious, the boy sighed and revealed it wasn't the first time he had shown a desire to meet Evankhellandit wasn't the first time Vincent had dissuaded him from ever doing so if he had the chance.
Seeing them talk, Vincent's eyes flashed with a faint blue light as he peered into Evansen and shook his head with a sigh.
'To think it was him…'
"Uncle Vincent. Can you explain what you meant earlier? Why is no one remembering Evankhell? Even Aunt Kristine forgot about him."
Gabrielle's interest in why Vincent didn't want the two Evans meeting fizzled outin an instantandhermaininquiry resurfaced.
An importantissue had prompted her to leave the planet for four yearsandin the three months that had passed since her return, this had been herbiggestissue.
However, she had no clues on how togo about solvingthis mysterysoshe had no choice but to let the matter be.
But reuniting with Vincent and seeing that the man clearly had answers to her questions, she couldn't hold herself back anymore.
One look in her eyes was all Vincent needed to know that Gabriellewasn'tgonnago home without the answers she wanted.
"Where should I start?"
"Obviouslyfrom the beginning."
Gabrielle's quick reply made Vincent smilewrylyas he started speaking.
"Okay. So 'In the beginning was the Word-"
"Not that far into the beginning!"
The girl felt like smacking Vincent in the back of the head, but she reminded herself that he'd probably dodge her hand andjustbarely held back from actually doing it.
"I'm just joking…"
Vincent chuckled before taking a sip of his drink to wet his mouth. Then he started talking—for real.
"Let's go down Memory lane to August three years ago…"
And so, Vincent narrated everything to Gabrielle.
From the part where Evankhell had been summoned to Aidos by Artemisia and how he had replaced Evansen in that World.
He explained that something had happened to Evansen thereandthe boy had met his end, with Artemisia intervening at the last moment before the Law of Death considered his body to be 'Dead'.
She had put Evankhell's soul into his body and had him assume Evansen's identity in Aidos—the son of Duke Roger Del Eris, the GWE's Prime Minister.
When Vincent told Gabrielle that people forgetting about Evankhell was due to the manipulation of the Planet's Records by goddess Artemisia, it went without saying thatthe girl was pissed.
Couldn'tblame her, though, considering the goddess had made the world forget about her friend of 15 years.
The logical side of her brain understood that was the best decision to prevent causing a fuss, but the emotional side didn't quite like it.
She was greatly displeased by the fact that Artemisia had summoned Evankhell over to another world where the 'Supernatural' was 'Normal'—the same 'Supernatural' she had hoped he'd never discover.