Seven minutes had passed, and the kettle finally boiled.
Angelo stood up, walked over, and turned it off. Then he stretched, opened the cupboard, and took out two porcelain cups.
He put a pinch of herbs into each and poured in the hot water.
After setting the cups on the table, he sat down and waited for his mother, who was still in the shower.
While she was there, he decided to get some fresh air. He opened the balcony door and stepped outside. A cool evening breeze touched his face, and in front of him stretched a familiar view — the glowing city lights reflected in the windows of nearby houses.
"We've lived in this small two-room apartment for almost twelve years…"
"So many memories — laughter, tears, quarrels, and those long evening talks in the kitchen…"
These thoughts passed through his mind, bringing back short flashes of memory — childhood laughter, tears, small arguments, quiet evening conversations.
A silent tear slid down his cheek — sincere, light, almost weightless.
For a few minutes, Angelo stood motionless, lost in his memories.
"Sweetheart, I'm done! Come drink tea and have some cake — it's cold outside!" His mother's warm voice came from inside.
He flinched slightly, as if waking from a dream.
"Alright, I'm coming!" he replied, stepping back into the apartment and heading for the kitchen.
There he saw Maria holding another bag identical to the one she had given him earlier.
When she turned and looked at him, she noticed that sadness and happiness were mixed on his face.
"Angelo, is something wrong?" she asked gently.
He sat down, lowered his gaze, and said calmly,
"Don't worry, Mom. I was just thinking about our move tomorrow… remembering everything we went through here — all the joys and the hardships."
Maria came closer and hugged him softly.
"I know exactly how you feel," she said quietly. "It's hard for me too. So many memories are tied to this place."
She kissed him on the forehead. That gesture, as always, brought Angelo back to himself — reminding him that there was still someone beside him whose love never changed.
He felt warmth, calm, and quiet strength.
Maria sat across from him, took out a small box with a slice of fruit cake, and smiled.
Angelo looked at her and then said in his usual calm tone,
"This place has done its part in our lives. It's like a bridge between pain and happiness. And I believe that what lies ahead will only bring us joy. This move is our step toward something new — toward a better future."
Maria smiled tenderly.
"I'm happy to have such a kind and intelligent son," she said softly.
Her words brought warmth to Angelo's face.
"No, Mom," he said, "I'm the one who's lucky — to have such a kind, caring, and understanding mother. Without you, I can't imagine my life. You're the only one who makes me feel human. Without you, this world means nothing to me."
Maria smiled again, but a faint shadow of worry appeared in her eyes.
She was glad to hear his words, yet afraid of how deeply he was attached to her.
"Angelo," she said gently, "you know I'm not eternal. I won't be able to stay by your side forever."
He lowered his eyes and replied quietly but firmly,
"I know… but I won't accept that. I'll do everything I can to make sure we stay together as long as possible."
For a moment, silence filled the kitchen. They quietly ate their cake, drinking tea.
Maria was the first to speak.
"Did you see the brochure that was inside your cake bag?"
"No, I didn't… I'll check," he said.
He reached into the bag and felt the bottom.
"Except for the cake box, there's nothing else… oh, wait — here it is. What's this?"
When Angelo took out the brochure, his eyebrows lifted in surprise.
On the cover was a video game — the one he had once been completely obsessed with, the game that had almost broken his mind and identity.
Because of it, there had been many arguments and conflicts between them.
But Maria, through great effort, had managed to pull him out of that dark world.
"Life Without End?.." he read aloud, frowning slightly.
A faint smile curved his lips. "You were the one who asked me to forget this game. Why remind me of it now?"
His voice carried both confusion and quiet tension.
"Read the first article," Maria said calmly.
He looked at the text and began to read:
"Life Without End" — the most popular online game of 2030 in the genre of dark fantasy, magic, and war.
At the moment, it has more than one billion registered users.
Players can create their own characters, develop them, fight monsters, build cities, and conquer the world by destroying the gods and the Demon Emperor — GreyMoll — who spreads chaos.
In the history of the game, only one player has managed to equal the gods in strength.
His nickname is Angelo Fool, but the world knows him by another name — The Bloody Emperor.
He alone challenged all gods and demons. Thanks to his cunning, ruthlessness, strength, and unyielding will, he defeated them and ruled the entire world, establishing his own order and absolute power.
The developers tried many times to contact him for an interview, but the player refused and disappeared from the network for five years.
Whoever can find this player and convince him to return or give an interview will receive a reward of $100,000, and $1,000,000 will go to the player himself.
Contact number: 7777 7777 7777.
After reading the article, Angelo sat silently, not believing his eyes.
His fingers trembled slightly, and his gaze became thoughtful, as if something had clicked inside him — and the past he had tried to forget reminded him of itself again.
I spent five years of my life on that game.
Day and night. I tried, I grew, I improved there — and at the same time, I broke.
The main reason was the hypocrisy of the players, the arrogance of the so-called NPC gods, and the rules of the game itself.
A twelve-year-old child faced the cruelty of the world far earlier than he should have.
That game was a small reflection of life itself — full of deceit, ambition, and the harsh truth that even in play, people wear masks.
Over time, I almost lost my soul, turning into a ruthless demon emperor — both in the game and in real life.
I hurt the only person who was always beside me. My mother tried, with all her strength and love, to stop my madness — and, fortunately, she succeeded.
When I finally realized what I had done, I swore never to return there again.
A few days later, while walking with my mom through a quiet city park,
I saw two old men playing chess on a wooden table under a tree.
No rush. No noise. No chaos.
Just thought, logic, and silence.
It demanded patience instead of impulse, composure instead of rage, wisdom instead of deceit.
It wasn't about destroying others, but about understanding the board, mastering yourself, and seeing the truth behind every move.
It was the complete opposite of the world I came from — the digital hell that had consumed me.
Chess was an ocean, and "Life After the End" was just a puddle.
From that day on, I devoted myself to chess.
At first, it was just a quiet hobby — a way to restore my mind.
But soon, I began entering tournaments… and winning.
Game after game, victory after victory — my life started to rise again.
I earned recognition, respect, and even wealth. Not long ago, I won a major tournament in Zurich — half a million dollars in prize money.
Since then, I've realized: chess didn't just save me.
It gave me a second life.
The irony is that in all these years, among a billion players,
no one has ever managed to achieve what I once did in Life After the End.
The developers are still looking for me, offering huge amounts of money — just to make me part of that world again, the one I barely escaped from.
Now we have almost no savings left, and this is a good chance to fill my pockets.
We spent everything on a new house — a luxurious mansion in the center of Zurich, which was supposed to become a symbol of our new life.
Mahaha... Maybe I should accept this gift of fate.