n

n

nEli lifted the headgear off, sighed as he lay back against the gently massaging cushions on the bio-cradle.

nHe'd only managed two quests before Buri dragged him into a drinking game the whole tavern bet on. He didn't refuse. RP was one thing, actual interaction was another – the forums in his last life said both helped with quests.

nHe lost, and Buri gleefully made him pay for a mound of grilled skewers.

nApparently the tavern currently had a special on premium shotbark rabbit meat.

nThe dizzy drunkenness of yet another drinking night was gone the moment he logged out.

nInteraction and integration.

nIt was an on-going theme in Redlands, immersing a player deeper and deeper into the world. No wonder the elites of the game adjusted the fastest after the Quake.

nEli had to wonder what Orven Norge was thinking, to build Redlands as he did. Other VR games were popular without the immersion that Redlands required from their players.

nHe sat up, felt the sudden chill in the air.

nHe glanced at the wall. In his sight the fuzzy glowing numbers read 9:28 p.m.

nDid he forget to adjust the bedroom temperature? He wore shirt and trousers only in the bio-cradle and it was November.

nHe tapped the wall twice, bringing up the apartment statistics.

n290.25 Kelvin.

nGah. No wonder he was freezing.

nHe upped the temperature to 300 Kelvin, the recommended temp for long periods in the bio-cradle. It made for a horrific electricity bill, especially with the power the bio-cradle used.

nTsk. VR really was a playground for the rich.

nHe put on his glasses, walked out of the room in shirt, trousers, and fuzzy socks.

n

"Hm?

"

nThe crystal glass panel monitor was alight.

nOh. He'd nearly forgotten.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?

"

n

"I tried. Can't sleep.

" Bel was wrapped up in a blanket, tablet and stylus in her hands, with eyes focused on the panel monitor.

"Your groceries came.

"

nEli nodded, yawning.

nHe'd gotten the notification when he was still scouting the Forest. He opened the box, set on the kitchen island.

"Can you eat vegetarian?

"

nSome of the cereal in the transparent box had been eaten, but not much.

nShe looked vaguely uncomfortable, but answered.

"Sure.

"

nHe microwaved two foodpaks.

nChugged down a glass of warm water, prepared two mugs of hot water.

nSince he'd sold off all his canned drinks, he hadn't bothered buying more. He'd become used to juice, tea, and alcohol in Zushkenar.

nHe'd sworn off the alcohol (mostly). He'd tried buying juice and tea. He trashed them; the 'all-natural' products in his price range had a tinge of artificiality he'd never detected before.

nSo these days, he drank water.

nBel sat down across from him as he set down the ready foodpaks.

n

"Tonight's dinner is…mixed vegetable stir-fry with rice noodles and black bean lemon sauce.

" Eli lifted his brow at the cover sleeve, continued,

" 'Guaranteed Vegan!' according to this. 'All the vitamins and minerals for a healthier you!'

"

nBel took the cover sleeve, wrinkled her nose.

"Where do you get these things?

"

n

"We can't all make things from raw.

" He'd learned to make stew in Zushkenar, which was basically put things in a pot with water and let the hot coals do the work. He was a fair hand at the grill. Otherwise, meh.

nThe foodpaks were still the one-star Michelin-rated versions. He'd tried cheaper ones but again, like the juice, his tastebuds rejected them.

nIllogical, he griped silently, it's not as if his tongue came back with him from Zushkenar!

nBut the whole travel to other worlds and back was also illogical, so Eli just accepted that his budget had to be adjusted for a larger food bill.

nThe food at least was delicious.

nHis fork paused in mid-air, as he processed the familiar image on the panel monitor.

"Is that my monastery?

"

nBel perked up.

"It's yours? I couldn't find it anywhere on the net, so I guess you made it? Is it for a movie? The logistics of planning traffic in a limited environment is actually pretty cool, like a puzzle.

"

nEli watched the tourists, represented by 3D upside down exclamation points, move smoothly through the barebones model monastery.

nCertainly more smoothly than any plan he'd come up with.

nOn foot, in carriages, in rickshaws, each stop and rest choreographed like a conductor setting the flow of a river to music. Probably not so exact in real life, but still.

nHe turned to her.

"What was your major again?

"

n

"Uh…

" She blinked at the unexpected intensity of his question.

"Architecture. Sustainable landscape and structure technology, specifically.

"

n

"Huh.

" Eli looked at the solved problem on the modeler program again, then beamed a grin at her.

"You can stay as long as you want!

"

nImagine it. For only three to five meals a day plus accommodation, his unexpectedly time-consuming job would become minimal effort!

n

"Um, what?

"

n

"This is what I do for work.

"

n

"Oh!

" She looked a bit guilty.

"Is it confidential?

"

n

"You didn't post it online, did you?

"

n

"No! The construction's just so pretty, I wanted to see it in real life. I ran it through a search. It should be amazing. Actual stone and wood, instead of concrete and durablocks.

" She sighed happily at the thought. Then sighed again, resigned.

"It would be impossible to build these days.

"

nWith conservation efforts directed at all the forests, and even stone quarries, that was true.

n

"The building's in Redlands, actually, Amvard continent. Part of RSI's new virtual tourism program. It's still in beta, so don't spread it around.

"

n

"Yes. Sorry for going through your stuff.

"

n

"No, it's fine.

"

n

"So this is a fantasy building? For that game Marai is playing. What is it you do, exactly?

"

n

"Virtual tour coordinator.

"

nShe laughed.

n

"Hey, at least I'm not getting excited over traffic patterns!

" Because seriously, who did that?

n

"Okay, no need to get rude.

" She still had a grin on her face though.

"What's the monastery for then?

"

n

"A meditation retreat.

"

n

"Oh!

" She eyed the modeler program specifically.

"So that's what the long rest times in various parts of the buildings were?

"

n

"Mm.

" Eli crunched on the vegetables.

n

"Those cliffs, you can even use them for falling meditation.

"

nEli paused.

nFall meditation was something that extreme sports enthusiasts first came up with. It was basically jumping from a long height and using the fall to empty the mind.

nHuh. This investment of one meal was paying dividends already.

nHe tapped a message to Jori.

n

"I need someone to help me with modeling tour patterns. This traffic and similar things.

" He told Bel.

"If you need a place to stay after tonight, I can offer free food and rent for your help.

"

n

"I'll…think about it.

"

nEli could see she was considering it, so didn't pressure her more.

nHe went to bed happily.

nA future with less head-ache inducing work approached!

nHe passed by the open door of his mother's bedroom. Even now, he imagined he could smell that flowery scent, even though he'd cleared out his mother's things.

nWould that change, if he allowed someone to use the room?

n

"I can sleep on the couch, you know.

"

nHe didn't know what his face looked like, for her to say that. But he smiled.

"She would become a ghost and yell at us both if you did that.

"

nShe always said the living came before the dead. He'd forgotten, for a while.

nBel laughed, more like a long exhale.

"Sounds like her.

"

nLess giddy than before, he entered his room, dropped on the bed. He tossed his glasses on the headboard shelf, flung an arm over his eyes.

nHe slept.

n