"So, this is going to be my new home, huh…"

Shed looked ahead with a hint of disappointment.

A small bed, a nightstand with a thin paper-like TV resting on top, and a small, dubious-looking machine in the corner were the only furnishings in the livable area of his small, new abode.

To his left, a door led to a bathroom where everything was crammed into a single square meter.

"Um… what if I need to take a shower?" he wondered, looking skeptically at the bathroom, which had no showerhead or ceiling outlets.

Shed shook his head, deciding to think about it later.

He approached the TV, which displayed instructions asking him to bring his Kehlt bracelet close to it. When Shed moved his bracelet near the screen, it glowed blue, then switched to an interface similar to the one he saw when he thought "Tio-Tio."

"Interesting…"

Shed noticed that among the applications listed on the screen, which was both touch-responsive and voice-controlled, there was one called "Living in a Magnolia Apartment." Without hesitation, he selected it and discovered that it was mostly an informational app, meant to introduce rookie gladiators to the features and comforts, many hidden, of their new home. Shed read the information about his apartment's features carefully. In fact, there weren't many, but surprisingly more than he'd expected given how small and bare the place was.

After reading, he made two quick open-and-close motions with his bracelet-wearing hand, turning off the screen.

He then approached the strange machine in the corner of the room. It was almost entirely dark gray, except for a black touch screen, and looked like a cross between an oven and a refrigerator. Apparently, this device, just over a meter tall, was called Cooks Everything and, like the TV, was a product of Kehlt Industries.

Cooks Everything could create any type of delicacy Shed requested, with just a few taps on its touch screen or using voice commands like with the TV.

Though skeptical, Shed examined the machine, keeping a stoic expression, and pressed a few buttons on the touch screen. After a few seconds, a faint white light began to glow around the edges of the device. Shortly after, the machine's top opened accordion-style, and a shelf rose from within, thanks to a mechanical arm. On it was a slice of cheesecake on a small silver plate, with a matching silver fork beside it.

"Incredible…"

He hesitated a bit before trying it. It looked like a real cake, and even had an appealing smell and appearance, and besides, why would they poison him? That wouldn't make sense; if they'd wanted him dead, they'd had countless other ways and moments to do it.

Shed took a forkful of cake and ate it hungrily. The cheesecake was good but ended far too quickly.

After putting the empty plate and fork back on the raised shelf, and after Cooks Everything returned to its original state, Shed looked at the machine again. Apparently, he could have three free meals a day.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"It would be a waste not to use them all, right?"

With that, he ordered two more dishes, a seafood paella and a grilled steak, both spectacular.

With a now full stomach, Shed turned off the room's light and lay down on the bed.

The distractions were over, and negative thoughts and emotions he'd tried so hard to avoid and push away began to resurface in his mind.

What would become of his life from that point onward? Shed couldn't know.

What would he turn into in there? He couldn't know.

Would he ever recover his old memories? Not even that could he know. It was true, though, that Ri, among the things she had told him that day, had hinted at hope regarding that matter. After all, she had said he couldn't yet know about his past… and that "yet" gave him hope.

He took a deep breath, finding it ironic that someone like him, with a power supposedly allowing him to see the future, had so many questions about it.

He inhaled deeply again to calm himself. His eyelids grew heavy; he was tired, his mind began to slow, his thoughts became vague, and not even fears and uncertainties could keep him awake.

§-§-§

In a room with canary-yellow walls and minimalist, orderly furnishings, four people were talking around a round hazelnut-colored table.

"So, even today none of us managed to find one…"

A man in his twenties with a mature look, bronze skin, and light green eyes broke the silence. His cold but charismatic voice hinted at a trace of disappointment. As he spoke, he was typing messages using his Kehlt bracelet.

"You say that as if it were easy to find even one. You know better than anyone how dangerous it is just to talk about our group and its goals with someone…"

Responded a girl with soft, delicate features and long, straight black hair, her voice sharp and slightly irritated.

"You know how it is…"

Another person, this one broad-shouldered and bluish-skinned, replied, slouching over the table. His raspy voice carried an undertone of sadness.

The fourth speaker, floating just above her chair, had a sepia-colored face that showed no emotion. Her voice sounded unnatural, and in fact, it wasn't produced by vocal cords but rather by sound magic.

Hearing those words, the bluish man looked down with all four of his sky-blue eyes, appearing even more disheartened.

The bronze-skinned man sighed.

"Xhia, you could at least try to be a bit nicer to your companions…"

He said, shaking his head in resignation as he watched her hair swirl about, as it usually did when she was amused.

"Anyway, I know it's hard to find new members for our cause, but we can't give up; we need more people in preparation for that day."

His voice held both confidence and resolve.

"Starting today, we'll check among the lower ranks as well… maybe we can find a good talent to train before they get too comfortable with the luxuries of this cage."

He concluded.

"Lower ranks?!"

Squealed the black-haired girl.

"It's not just my idea; one of our sponsors also wants us to seek recruits among the lower ranks, and… Alice, I was thinking you could handle the humans in the Magnolia rank."

"What!?" she yelled.

"Vaus… why me, of all people… and wouldn't it be odd for a champion to go watch the rookie games?" she added, trying to change his mind.

"You know it's not that uncommon for a gladiator from a higher rank to go watch a rookies' fight every now and then."

He replied with a steady voice, then looked her firmly in the eyes. The girl's expression changed several times, before she lowered her gaze with a loud sigh.

The man smiled, then ended the meeting.

The four stayed behind, playing cards for a few more hours.