I stepped back into Susan's, taking in the smells once again, and decided to sit at a small table. Food and drink are not something I had expected to have an actual need for. Not in a game. But then again, this wasn't the everyday type of game. The true immersion, sensations, and in-depth visualizations were as if I were truly there. I looked at the table I was sitting at. I could see the creases and dents of the natural wood, I ran my fingers across them and could fell them as well. Hearing others speak around me, did not seem to be like a scripted game. I could tell just then, I would not be hearing the same people say the same thing over and over again.

'Eve'? I asked, mentally only. I wanted to see if I had to have my conversations with her out loud.

"Yes, Mr. Axiom."

It would appear I do not, this is fantastic! Being able to have a conversation with Eve and keeping it private was going to come in handy. I just can't believe how well this game was all thought out during its creation. It was almost as if every detail was exactly as I would program it if I had the skills in the real world. Or even if I knew such a thing was possible.

'Can you read my mind? Do you know everything I am thinking?'

"No, Mr. Axiom." Only if you intentionally wish to communicate with me this way am I able to "hear you" as it were. I must inform you though, your subconscious and the way you think will affect the world around you. After all, how can this "game" help you if it was unable to do so?"

About the time she finished her question, a woman who looked to be the mother of everyone and yet no one at the same time approached. Her auburn hair was styled in a way that spoke of practicality yet carried a hint of elegance.

"Good morning!" she exclaimed, her voice sounding as if she were to be speaking to not just a customer but someone from her extended family. "I'm Susan, the owner of this little establishment. What can I get for you this beautiful morning".

She truly was the embodiment of warmth and resilience. Her personality is a beacon of comfort and strength at the same time. I had no doubt she could handle not just herself, but any patron who was getting out of hand and yet make them feel as if she was their scolding yet loving mother at the same time.

'Eve, can I afford to have anything here? Do I have money here?

"Yes Mr. Axiom, you will find you have enough to get you by for a short time. Your room has been paid for for the next 29 days and you have a bit of gold, silver, and copper remaining in your pouch"

Now without worrying if I could pay for the food, I replied "Good morning to you Susan! I'm Axiom. I would like whatever it is you may have prepared for breakfast and a cup of coffee, black, please."

"One plate of slow-roasted beef brisket, eggs, and coffee coming right up." She replied.

While I was waiting on my order, I thought it would be best to learn how to actually operate in this world. 'Eve, I know I FEEL hungry, the hunger is making me feel weaker. Is there a way to track what is going on? In other words, is there a User Interface (UI) I can access? Most games I have ever played have had one and if it was a tabletop game, we had sheets of paper with which everything was recorded and at our fingertips.'

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"Yes Mr. Axiom, there is. How you wish to access it will be up to you. If you would like you can have a Heads Up Display (HUD) at all times. You can access your "character sheet" as well. You may choose how to do so."

'Please show me the HUD.' Immediately, a Heads-Up Display (HUD) — a transparent overlay providing vital information — materialized before my eyes. It displayed my health (my character's well-being), mana (a resource used for magical abilities), stamina (energy for physical activities), and experience points (progress toward the next level of character development). Other elements included a mini-map (a small-scale representation of my immediate surroundings), a spell list, and a list of combat moves. I found Hunger, Thirst, Bladder, and Bowel indicators. There was even a chat dialog of everything, not just MY conversations with Eve and Susan but also anything I had overheard, even if I was not paying attention.

I took a few moments to study the UI and move things around with my mind. I dismissed everything except for the Health, Mana, Stamina, and XP bars. The realistic sensations would take care of the hunger and so forth. I currently had no need for a mini-map and to be honest, have always preferred a minimalistic UI.

'Eve' I would like to access my character sheet by using either hand and placing my thumb and pinky together and thinking "Sheet". If there is a full-size map, I would like to access that by placing my thumb and ring finger together while thinking "Map".

"As you wish, Mr. Axiom".

I placed my thumb and pinky together, but nothing happened until I thought 'Sheet'. I was very happy to see that feature worked, as it would not due to having my vision blocked on accident while in a situation.

I quickly repeated the process for the map. A large map of the world appeared. It showed the name of the world "Aetheria" and a marker of where I was. I was nearly right in the middle of the map in a town called Emerhurst. Mentally I zoomed in to Emerhurst to get an idea of what the area was like. It seemed it was a rather quaint little town. Four roads lead to a roundabout. While I was able to see the main outline of the town and its outskirts, it had an odd "fog of war" which prevented me from knowing what was actually around. That is except for the building tagged "Susan's Tavern and Inn".

Closing the map, I reopened my Character Sheet to take it in. At the top left showed a picture of myself. Though I looked similar to my Real World Self, my features were extenuated to look more like I thought I should. What I thought I would see in the mirror in the Real World but never was it there.

Though most of it was blank, looking at my character sheet, I noticed several well-organized tabs, each labeled for easy navigation. The 'Primary Info' tab contained essential details about my character's identity, background, and key attributes. Next, the 'Physical' tab presented metrics like strength, agility, endurance, and other vital stats, further divided into sub-pages detailing specific physical skills and proficiencies. The 'Magical' tab unfolded a detailed overview of mystical abilities, with sub-pages categorizing different magical disciplines, spell lists, and mana metrics, illustrating the depth of magical expertise available to my character. Additionally, an 'Inventory' tab caught my eye, meticulously segmented into sub-tabs for weapons, armor, potions, and miscellaneous items, providing a comprehensive view of my character's belongings and gear in the world of Aetheria."

'Eve, why are most of the fields blank on my character sheet'?

"This is because your story has not yet begun' she replied. Some of it you will feel in and some will happen as your journey continues. You will notice the things you have chosen are filled in. Druid, as a class, is a primary decision. It unlocked both the physical and magical tabs. Though you currently only have basic skills and magic, I assure you, the more you journey and practice, the more full the sheet will become."

With a newfound understanding of my place within this world, I braced for the odyssey ahead, the blend of familiar comforts and unknown possibilities fueling my resolve to navigate Aetheria's challenges and wonders.

"Thank you, very much Susan. It looks and smells wonderful!" The aroma of the coffee filled my nostrils and made my mouth begin to water.

Blushing just a bit as if that was the first time she had received a compliment, she said "Enjoy Mr. Axiom, and let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

As Susan walked away, I saw something quite intriguing. A "Notice/Quest" board. I'm going to have to have a look at that. First, coffee!