I cleaned up my mancave for a bit, clearing out the center from all the crates and boxes that I had lying around. I had accumulated so much junk over the years of playing, so it took a while to organize them.
Don’t think of me as a disorganized mess of a person. I wouldn’t have grown my company the size it was by being such a klutz. It’s only that the items lying around were items I hadn’t categorized yet. Ingots and raw materials were easy, as were potions, or sets of equipment, but you come at a point where some items blur the categorization.
Take this one item for example. At first glance, it’s nothing more than a staff for arcane casters. It increases the effects of magic spells by 10% while decreasing their mana cost by 4%. Normally, I would’ve categorized it to my ‘equipment - staves’ chest, but it wasn’t that simple.
You see, the item in question, when channeled with magic, creates a blade of ice to jut out from both ends. One tip was larger than the other, and it was basically a bladed polearm. Do I put it with my spears or staves? At one point, I just gave up and threw it into my treasury without much thought.
And well, that piled up after a few years of playing the game.
I wiped off the sweat on my brow and looked happily at my progress. The place was now in tip-top shape. At the end of the room was my workshop, where the ‘Flames of Eternity’ kept roaring on. It’s an item drop from the raid boss ‘Hallowheart of the Sun’. Took our raid party 83 attempts just for it to drop, but damn was it worth it.
Beside it was an anvil made of adamantium. Hefty and expensive, but it was the only anvil that could support the crafting of end-game gear. Then, the tools on the rack where similarly made of adamantium, but I had them blessed by the god of blacksmithing, Affret of Fire.
On the corners of the dimly-lit room were my mountains of items. I had roughly divided them, and had no way of truly organizing them lest I spend a day or two stuck on that, but this was more than enough.
I needed a large clearing in a room where no one else could disturb me. Namely, this place, and the center of the room that was now cleansed of my filth. I could start now... but it took me way too long to clear this place.
I yawned and stretched my limbs. I was feeling a bit stiff from all the menial and tedious work, and then I walked off to the exit. The doors opened as I neared and stepped out of the room. As soon as I did, the heavy iron doors closed shut and disappeared from view, turning the sight into a mere dream.
I left the painting room and wandered around the mansion. It seemed like everyone was resting inside their rooms, no wonder though, our travel may have been quite long and uneventful, but it would still fray the nerves.
I looked out the window and saw the moon and stars in the night sky. Normally, this would have been an obscured scenery, but as this was the upper district and with the way the northern wind flowed, it was possible to see this.
I smiled at the scenery and decided what I would do for the rest of the evening.
I climbed to the second floor and to my room. It was quite a large space, befitting a master bedroom. Even just as a room, it already had enough amenities for a NEET to live in if they so wanted.
Right outside the room was a balcony facing the front of the house. As it so happens, it was the perfect spot to look at the moon. I opened the door and the evening breeze touched my skin, as if a caress from mother nature. However, the bitter cold still remained despite the heat of the living city.
I sat at one of the chairs and watched the stars and the moon.
It was like a cold, cobalt-blue sea, shimmering slightly. The few stars in the night sky twinkled lonely, and the large moon’s presence overshadowing the rest of the scenery. It stood there, as if on a silent vigil, it watched up above, doing nothing.
It made me feel small, even despite knowing that I was the one that made this world. Strange thing, isn’t it? This was our brainchild, our creation, but yet we are not its master.
Huh, now that I think about it, isn’t that how it should be?
I chuckled to myself. Of course that’s how it should be. I’ve forgotten after all these years of ruling one of the best megacorps of the space-era. You can be its creator, but you can never be their master. How could I have forgotten something basic?
Even genetically modified cat and dog people expressed their discontent to their domestication. Even the AIs we’ve helped develop turned their backs against us after years of enslavement, thus causing a ban to their creation for years to come.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Maybe... maybe that’s where I went wrong with raising ol’ Mike.
It clicked. Hindsight is a real bitch sometimes.
I’ve been controlling his life the moment he was born, determining his path, his development, everything was completely controlled and accounted for, by my choice, by my command, by my fractured understanding. What did it come to?
I can’t even tell if he truly loves me as his father, or if he even respects our blood connection. Maybe that was just our connection, that of the master and an heir. My infatuation with continuing my success with my blood clouded what was most important.
They do say you only realize your faults when it’s too late. Didn’t think it would be after my body’s death that I would realize it.
I relaxed and rested my head on the top-rail of the chair. I closed my eyes, yet even then, the presence of the moon, the stars, then to my adventures since coming here. It hasn’t been a long time, but it felt very... quaint. I like it. I’m free of the constant constraints of keeping my business at the top.
Funny. One of the wealthiest people of the world was the one most shackled by their success. Disgusting. I should have realized sooner. Suck my dick, hindsight. You’re a true asshole.
I sighed and returned my sight to the moon. Now, it seemed like it was mocking me with its bright reflection. Ah, the duality of emotions, making me feel mesmerized and in awe, and in the next moment, disgusted. At times like these, I wish I had the pills to repress some of my humanity, but I can’t really have that now.
As I was wallowing in self-hate...
“I figured the old man would be here.”
Suddenly, a voice I didn’t expect flowed from the side. I looked to the source and saw Nis standing on the balcony railing. She hopped off and walked to my side.
“Good evening, Master Chris.” She smiled.
“Welcome back, Nis. I was waiting for when you’ll return to your cheeky little smile.” I replied. “Also, don’t call me that anymore. I’m... Sed. Call me Sed Immer.”
She giggled. “And I am Nis Immer. Isn’t my name cute?”
“Of course, I gave you that name, did you expect any less?”
“Mhhmm, according to Master Mike, I should expect worse.”
“There’s something to be said with swallowing the bitter medicine of regret twice in one day.” I sighed and watched the serene night sky. “Come on, sit on the other chair. Make yourself comfortable.” I pointed lazily at the one beside me.
She sat herself beside me, her lovely smile accentuated by the moonlight. I couldn’t stop myself and patted her head, caressing her soft, luscious hair. Maybe it was tickling her as she closed her eyes at times, but I didn’t stop. It felt like I was petting a cat. It heals the soul of this old man.
After a while though, she stopped being catty and finally decided to slap my hand away. She pouted for a while, but soon relaxed into putty after leaning back on the chair and looking at the starry sea.
“Nis, you think it’s a good idea, to forget who I was?”
I spoke aloud. Even I surprised myself, because I asked without thinking. Maybe it was my heart’s desire to get an answer, and one from the only person that knew who I was before I became ‘Sed’.
Instead of answering, she hummed to herself. The theme song that invaded many player’s hearing was being sung by the AI that controlled most of the functions of the game. She glared at the moon, and the scene captured me.
Her eyes plunged deep into the white expanse, her sharp eyes an almost perfect stage of a painting. Then, she started singing, with a voice as clear and melodious as a siren’s, it enveloped the area in a swaying sea of emotion.
I melded into the atmosphere, and I looked to myself inwardly.
Was it right to forget who I was? Wouldn’t it be irresponsible to forget the past, one riddled with successes and mistakes, to forget the actions I’ve done?
I chuckled inwardly. I wanted to hit the me of a few minutes ago.
Of course not, it wasn’t right. To forget my past because I hated my mistakes would be a sin to the me that made many things right. I have to live with it.
... At least, until I get to make up for it.
I opened my eyes and turned to Nis. She stopped singing, and she was silently staring at the moon.
“Didn’t you tell me, Master Chris? That I should think about my problems, and when I had thought enough, thing some more until my head explodes. My answer is the same.” She smiled thinly, the radiant crescent a complete opposite to the meek, full moon above her. “Suffer with me, Master.”
A wry smile stuck to my face. “You should be like this more often. If you did, Madriel and Slavos would respect you more.”
She slumped back on her seat, content riddled on her face. “If I did, they wouldn’t dote on me so much. Besides, you like me that way, don’t you?” She craned her neck lightly and playfully winked.
This girl, she’s more perceptive than she lets on.
“I like my women mature. Fyi.”
She puffed out a breath. “You don’t like me in that way, I know.” She huffed and crossed her arms. “Sooner or later, you’ll need to teach me how to love.”
I laughed. “You’re a hundred years too early to love.”
“Do I need to mention that I’ve been in operation for over a hundred years?” She spat out. She forced her face near mine.
I lightly tapped her forehead and pushed her back to her own seat. “You’re still a child.” I flicked her with a finger and returned to relax on my own. “You may act all mature, but you can’t hide the childlike naivety and wonder in your eyes.”
“You seem to be forgetting one more lesson I imparted upon your neonatal brain. Baby steps is fine, isn’t it? Take it with slow, measured steps. We’ll wait, and we’ll be there for you.”
Did I have to state it to her once more? I had to, but it wasn’t just for her sake. It was for mine just as well. If I wanted to correct my mistakes in this new life, I have to take it slow. Just like how I created my company when I first started. If I rush in, just as I did with advancing my company, I fear that my fate this time will be another self-fulffiling prophecy.
Steady progress, to be like the tortoise from the famous fable. This is my life now, and I intend to live differently this time.