I woke up feeling refreshed, matter of fact I don't even want to open my eyes.

"So nice..."

I murmur as I bury my face into the softest pillows I've ever felt.

"Are they really nice, mortal?"

Is that Ben talking? If my memory doesn't fail me she's the reason why I passed out, but I'm feeling way too comfortable now and I don't feel like fighting. Mmmmmm what to do? I don't even feel like making a retort.

"Mmmhhhh"

What's up with these pillows? Is this heaven? I'll never let them go.

"You are drooling, mortal."

Mmmmm Ben sounds rather close, is she trying to wake me up?

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Leave me alone Ben, I want to sleeeeep."

"But you're drooling on my chest, mortal."

What nonsense, I'm drooling on my pillows not her chest, what is she... saying?

Fuck!.

I jump out of bed as I scan the room.

A small room with white walls and a simple nightstand, in front of me a twin bed with Ben.

"Ben, care to explain why I was in the bed with you?"

"I was monitoring your health, but you grabbed me while you were sleeping and used me as a pillow, quite the daring move if I say so, but I approve."

I put a hand on my head, already feeling the migraine.

"Ben, why did I pass out?"

I try to remember, but all I get is a splitting headache.

"My master had to exert his powers through me to create the game cafe, but since our souls are bound his power also went through yours."

"Ben, do you realize that it's because of shit like this that I'm so antagonistic towards you?"

"Yes, but I've learned that it is better to say sorry than to ask for permission, you would have said no if I had asked you. Besides, you already took your payment for what happened, right?"

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

This little shit! She is definitely going to do the same in the future!

"What payment Ben! You use my body and then you pretend that we are even?"

She points at her breasts, ah fuck, I was really drooling? They felt so good...maybe I should pass out more frequently?

"Ahem, Well I guess we can consider ourselves even."

"Pervert."

She looks at me with apathy. Ouch, that hurts.

"Whatever, Ben mind telling me where we are now?"

"In the cafe, this is the second floor and this will be your future room."

She explains while going to the door, I follow her.

"The red door you see on your left is my room, the door on the right is the bathroom and the door at the end of the corridor will be the guest's room."

She succinctly explains while she walks to the stairs, the design is fairly simple but quite homely.

"This will be my home in the future then..."

"Yes, our home, currently since there are no connections between dimensions the power that my master can exercise is limited, but in the future, as connections increase, I will be able to receive more of his power, when that happens we will be able to expand the space of our home if we wish so."

"Neat."

She sighs with exasperation.

"Why do I bother... anyway, the first floor will have the cafe and the kitchen."

Woaaaah the place changed completely. Is this the same dumpster?

"This is amazing Ben."

"Don't gape mortal, this is only the beginning."

She says that but I remember this place being something of a crack house, the kind of place you'll see and turn around immediately. But now? Now the whole place is tidy and clean with white walls and a bow window at the front with french doors with blinds, at the back, separated by a big wooden door is a kitchen island that looks like it came straight out of a kitchen catalogue. Near the wooden door at the back there is an office desk with a small monitor on. Fuuuuck, this place looks amazing.

"But what are those pods Ben?"

Affixed to the floor were 6 oval shaped pods, those things were fairly big too, around 8 feet?

"You can gape at this, mortal."

She smiled smugly.

"But seriously, what are those things? If you ask me, it's a bit of an odd choice of decor."

Oh wow, it's the first time I've seen her eyebrow twitch.

"Those, you stupid and ignorant mortal, are the gaming pods of this cafe!"

Why does she have to insult me at every chance she gets?!

I yell at her.

"Why do you have to be so mean!"

She seems to have been taken aback by that, huh, maybe I should play the victim card more often?

"This...this."

"I'm sorry Martin, that was unnecessarily mean of me."

Oh wow, she apologized and everything, I'm definitely playing victim more often.

"Apology accepted. But how do those things relate to the cafe? What is a gaming pod?"

She smiles at my question and puts on her glasses, wait a minute, where did these glasses come from? Hold up, when did she change her clothes? Why is she wearing a white shirt with a black skirt?

"Glad you asked dear student."

She said with one hand on her glasses and another on her hips, oh boy, did the genre change while I wasn't paying attention?

"You see, these pods come with two modes! The first mode will be the easiest one and won't serve our purposes, but it is also the one that will cull the unnecessary customers from the real ones that we will need."

She bent down to touch a button on the capsule. Oh Lord, no, magic ball, thank you for this! I'll build a shrine in my room for you!

The pod opened to reveal a very cushy interior.

"Our customers only need to lie down in the pod. After that, the capsule will close and they will remain in a suspended state while their minds will be transported to the lobby of our virtual reality."

"Wait, Ben, what if something happens to them while they're in the pod? Or if someone tries to harm them?"

She puffs out her big chest with pride.

"Needless worries mortal! The capsules are nigh indestructible and after a customer enters them, their bodies will be in a suspended state, so nothing will happen to them!"

Oh wow, her chest is really big, those buttons are fighting for their lives there.

"Ahem, so about the first mode Ben?"

"Ah yes, pardon me, the first mode will be a mix of a game and real-life experience, they will experience true virtual reality, they will feel pain, pleasure and even hunger. Of course, pain levels can be adjusted for beginners, but other than that, it will be like a second life."

My eyes leave her chest as I process what she just said, I don't have a good feeling about that...

"A second life? Ben, I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid, but that seems pretty concerning, no, it is actually something quite dangerous Ben."

She tilts her head and asks me.

"How so, mortal?"

"Ben, what we have here is something revolutionary, people will kill for this technology, people will start wars over something like this. How are we going to defend ourselves when people come knocking at the door?"

"Ah I see, a valid concern mortal, As I told you before, we are at the nexus between realities. Although it may seem like this building is outside along with the other buildings in this neighborhood, in truth? It is not. We are currently in the rift between multiverses, not quite close to my home but very close to that piece of paper that separates my home from yours."

What?

"So if what you fear ever comes to pass? Worry not, due to how close we are to my home my powers in the shop will be strengthened, so if someone causes trouble, I can just open a rift and send them to the abyss."

What?

"Not only that! If things ever get out of hand, we can always close the door to this universe and open the door to another."

What?

"What? I'm sorry Ben, I think I need a moment to process this."

Too much bullshitery for my normal self to process at once.