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“I was wondering when we’d get to this bit,” said the investigator.

I leaned back in my chair. Astraloth’s sun beamed in warmly through the window. Our meeting room at the Great Temple was well lit and comfortable, if a bit stuffy. I had been munching on a bowl of noodles while narrating the last bit of the story, but I set the bowl back onto the table. The investigator had her own lunch, a wrap of some kind, which she hadn’t touched at all. We had taken a break just before I launched into the discussion my companions and I had with my future self, and it seemed the conversation was too intriguing for her to eat through.

“I’ll bet that this part of my story is one of the most contested, and curious parts to those who have heard the rumours.”

The investigator’s sharp grin flashed across her face. “It’s the part of the story that is the least plausible- Yet we all know it’s true. Everyone on Astraloth experienced the time leap into the future, but you’re the only one who travelled to the past. That must have been a wild experience.”

I raised an eyebrow, flexing my fingers as I leaned forward, stretching my back. “Of course it was. And if you didn’t interrupt, I was just about to explain the experience, in detail.”

She rolled her eyes. “I had barely interrupted since beginning today. Cut me some slack, please.” After a pause, she smiled slyly. “…Your Highness.”

“Alright, fair enough. But if you have anything else you want to say, you may as well say it now, to avoid further interruptions.” I tried to keep my face calm, but I was straining my eyes, scanning her expression for the slightest signs of deception. Maybe now would be another chance to figure out what she was plotting.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

She leaned back, and I held my breath. “There is something I have been wondering about,” she said at last.

This could be a clue.

“Yes?” I said, innocently.

She pointed to me, and paused, finding the words. “Something about your storytelling… it makes no sense.”

I felt the hairs on my back begin to rise with tension. “Oh?” I said, forcing myself to sound calm. What is she getting at?

“I’ve noticed when you describe distances, you constantly switch between meters and feet. You do know those are two different systems of measurement, right?”

Oh, I thought, and all of the tension left my body. I had to restrain myself from laughing. I had worked myself up for nothing.

“When I was on Earth, I learned both metric and imperial systems, but never distinguished them very much. It seemed like the people of Earth flipped constantly on what they preferred, so...”

“Metric is definitely the superior measurement system. It makes more sense with a base ten numerical system.”

I stared at her. “I could use the Lexer system, since I know it better, but I feel that would just confuse you.”

She sighed. “If that’s a skyther measurement system, then I’ll pass. Just… stick with flip flopping.”

I smiled, and bowed in feigned gratitude. “Alright, if I’m to finish the story today, we shouldn’t waste much time.”