8:55 P.M.
Devon and Adele were on the couch, watching a TV show that usually aired around this time—they always watched it together.
"I have a feeling Mark will die next episode. There are like a hundred red flags that he is about to die.
"Just now, he hugged his daughter, who is about to get wedded, and said, ’I will never leave you,’ like that is such an obvious red flag."
Devon said.
"Don’t say that!"
Adele gasped.
However, everything was going so well in the TV show. It was all happy and sunshiny. It never meant good.
Especially in this TV show!
"Mark just returned back to his daughter’s life after being missing for fifteen years. There is no way they will kill him off!"
Adele said, but it just sounded like she was trying to convince herself, but even she wasn’t sure at this point.
In that moment, the end credits rolled on the television as the episode ended with Mark hugging his daughter.
"Next Tuesday we will see."
Devon said.
Adele then looked towards the clock on the wall. It was a few minutes before the draft results come out.
"I think I’ll head to sleep. If Kylie or James get accepted into the draft, then more work will drop on my lap until Woodrow finds replacements for them."
Devon stretched his arms above his head and was about to leave, but then Adele grabbed his arm.
"Wait a moment, please."
Adele pleaded.
"Hmm?"
Devon looked at his mother and then saw her pull out her phone, and she, for some reason, went to the America’s Esports Federation website.
"What are you doing?"
He asked.
"A second!"
Adele said, and at that moment, she saw the clock hit nine P.M., and she immediately refreshed the page.
[Draft participants have been selected!]
It said proudly on the website.
"The draft participants have been selected. Aren’t you interested whether your friends made it in?"
Adele asked curiously.
"...I guess."
Devon shrugged his shoulders.
She then smiled and opened the list of selected participants—in total, 233 were chosen from the entirety of New America.
"233 is not many!"
Adele exclaimed.
She thought it would be way more.
"I guess they were really strict about who they chose."
Devon said.
In that moment, Adele started scrolling down the list, and there were both boys and girls chosen—all smiles.
She was getting closer to the end of the list, and her heart started to beat harder and harder the further she scrolled down.
’There is no way... They didn’t choose my boy?’
She thought, but as soon as she scrolled to the bottom, she saw somebody familiar at the third-to-last spot.
A handsome young man with tousled black hair—Devon Levi name was under the picture—it was her beloved son.
"Ah... ah..."
Her hand started trembling, and tears started trickling down her cheeks, and then she showed the phone to Devon.
At first, he looked at the phone with indifference, but then he saw a familiar face looking back at him.
It was him...
His smile froze.
"I filled out the application for you. They chose you. As I knew they would. My beautiful boy..."
Adele said with a smile and hugged him tightly, like she didn’t want to let go, almost like she was hugging him for the last time.
"...What did you do?"
Devon grabbed her from the shoulders, pushed her gently off him, and looked directly into her teary eyes.
"Mother, why did you do this... I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to! Call them immediately and cancel my participation!"
Devon shouted with his eyes shaking.
"Son."
Adele touched his cheek, gently rubbing it with her thumb, and she said, "It’s alright, my son, I want you to go."
"No, you don’t understand. You need me. You can’t survive all by yourself. I can’t leave you alone like this."
Devon clutched onto her hand.
"I know why you don’t want to go. You think that once you return from that place, I am already gone."
Adele said with a soft voice.
Devon gritted his teeth.
This was the reason why he never played Innerworld—he treasured every moment that he spent with his mother.
Because she wasn’t going to be around forever.
"I already talked with my sister. She lets me live at her place while you are there. I will be fine. You don’t have to worry about me."
Adele said with a beautiful smile.
"..."
Devon lowered his head, breathing heavily, and he pulled his hands back, clenching his fists in frustration.
"Why did they choose me?"
He asked.
"...I told them about Einherjar and about your days in the Lords of the Mythic Legends. I knew that if I did, they would choose you."
"You told them about Einherjar?"
Devon said, dumbfounded.
"I am sorry, son. I know you don’t want anybody to know about it. But I want you to be happy, and you cannot fool me, son.
"Whenever news about Innerworld comes on the television, your eyes are always glued to the screen, and your face lights up.
"I know what your heart wants."
Adele tapped the spot over his heart, and Devon looked down at her finger, and he looked back up at her.
"I better see you at the World Tournament, repping the colors of New America, so I can tell everybody proudly—that is my son!"
Adele giggled.
"...Alright."
Devon looked at her with a sad smile, and he then stood up from the couch and cracked his back.
"I better go packing."
"I’ll help you!"
Adele said cheerfully, getting up from the couch as well, and took her son’s hand and pulled her towards his bedroom.
"I don’t know whether they will give you any clothes there, so we better pack some for you before we leave.
"And you need your phone charger, headphones, and definitely your toothbrush. And... and... and..."
Adele excitedly took his suitcase from under the bed and placed it on top of the bed to start packing.
’You’re so selfish, Mother.’
Devon thought with a wry smile and then saw that she was about to open his drawer, and he quickly stopped her.
"That’s where my underwear is at. Please don’t touch those. I will handle them."
Devon said with a chuckle.
"Fine~ I will quickly wash your clothes so that they are ready for your trip tomorrow. Someone from the federation should come to pick you up!"