Day 1
"What is this?" Leon muttered as he stared at the glowing blue window. He looked up, wondering if everyone else could see it.
Connor glanced at him, noticing his confusion.
"It looks like some kind of status window. It displays skills, stats, and more."
"Status window?"
"Yeah, just like in a game. But I haven't got a clue what 'Embodiment' or 'Role' is supposed to mean."
A quiet laugh escaped Vox's mouth.
"Heheheheh... No, I can't laugh just yet. Must hold it in."
Connor and Leon gave him strange looks.
"Yeah, I think it's best we leave that guy alone. Let's check out the surroundings."
Leon nodded in agreement.
In the middle of the grassy field stood a three-story building. At first glance, it looked fairly normal, with the ground floor featuring large see-through windows revealing a gym inside.
As the group of six entered the building, a blast of cold air hit them. The electricity was still running; the AC hummed softly, and cheesy music played faintly in the background. The gym seemed pristine, as if it had just been built. All the equipment looked brand new.
Ayame walked into the gym, eyeing the equipment.
"This is amazing! Even the high-end gyms aren't this clean or spacious."
Connor looked around, noticing something strange.
"The space inside… it doesn't match the size of the building. Doesn't make a bit o' sense, does it?"
Lamia passed by with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh sure, giant magic gym with pocket dimensions—totally normal. I'm done trying to make sense of any of this."
The group began exploring, testing out the equipment.
---
As Nia wandered further inside, she discovered a staircase leading to the upper floor. Curious, she went up and found a room. The moment she opened the door, a wave of hot steam greeted her. She quickly went back downstairs and shouted:
"Guys! There's a bath up there! A proper bath!"
Everyone froze, then turned toward her like they'd just heard the gates of heaven open.
"A bath, you say?" Eyes gleamed with hope.
Vox stood up immediately.
"Lead the way."
Lamia was already halfway up the stairs.
"Outta the way—I call first dibs!"
They hurried upstairs to see it for themselves. The spacious bath was everything anyone could wish for—the sound of hot water pouring into the huge tub, the relaxing steam, and the pleasant smell of high-quality conditioner and hair products. Everyone was practically drooling at the sight.
As Leon, Connor, and Vox tried to enter the bath, Lamia stopped them.
"Now, now. Don't you know the saying? Ladies go first."
Connor raised an eyebrow.
"Wow. Equality, am I right?"
Lamia gave his shirt a cheeky tug and whispered,
"Can't we just go first?"
Connor sighed, pressing a hand to his face as he looked away.
"Fine, fine. You win. Go ahead."
"Folded, as always," Vox remarked with a smirk.
Leon whispered,
"Are those two, like... you know?"
Vox glanced at them as if remembering something.
"No, they're not in that kind of relationship. You know, before coming here, Lamia was terminally ill. It makes me happy that we got here befo—"
He cut himself off, looking away.
"Nah, never mind that. Let's go see what's upstairs."
He turned his back and walked ahead.
Leon watched Vox's back as they went up the stairs, thinking to himself,
What's with the sudden mood shift? He was giving off such a carefree vibe before. I guess it was a sensitive topic.
---
At the top of the stairs, two doors stood side by side. Vox scratched his head.
"This is interesting. Leon, you take the left door, and I'll take the right. Let's open them at the same time."
Leon nodded, gripping the handle of his door.
"Alright. I'll count to three. One... two... three!"
They opened their doors simultaneously.
Leon was greeted by a cold breeze from a pristine bedroom. In the center sat a bowl of snacks, but something felt off. though the rooms were side by side, the interior was far larger than it should have been—just like the gym downstairs."
Leon stepped out and called to Vox.
"Do you see that?"
The room Vox was in wasn't any different from Leon's.
"Yeah, yeah, I saw it."
"Every time I look at it, it just... disturbs me."
Footsteps echoed behind them.
"From what I can tell, it looks like a small dimension—some kind of pocket dimension."
Leon turned to face him, raising an eyebrow.
"A pocket dimension?"
"You know how there are many dimensions—like 1D, 2D, 3D, 4D, and so on? If you want to store something in a higher dimension... but to do something like that—who in the world could've done this?"
Vox tilted his head.
"And how the hell do you know that?"
"Too much experience with manga and games. Besides, it's just a theory."
Vox stared at him with a look of pity.
"I didn't know you had Chuunibyou."
He put a hand on Leon's shoulder, a tear in his eye.
"Don't worry. We'll still love you, no matter how delusional you are."
"Do you want to get beaten up? And I don't wanna hear that from you, Vox."
---
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, hot steam hung in the air as the sound of a faucet shutting off echoed through the tiled room. The three girls sank into the tub together.
Nia leaned back with a sigh.
"Haaaaah... I'm alive again."
Ayame stretched her arms lazily
" あー気持ちいいね(Ah. This feels good)
Lamia looked at the water lost in her reflection she her mind drifted.
was all of this is real? or it just another hallucination brought on by the medication?. just 3 hours ago she was laying on a hospital bed stripped to an oxygen tup her body wasting away. And now—this? qA warm bath. Friendly voices. Laughter.
It felt like a dream.
No... a gift.
" What is up Lamia ? you seem lost in thought" Nia said, snapping her out of it.
Lamia smiled waving it off
" It's nothing much I was just thinking about what Reilly said "
Nia's eyes widen slightly it's as if she had brought a topic that she wanted to avoid
" Ah... yeah the test or whatever do you really believe that"
" Yes I do ". Ayame said bringing her legs closer to her chest
" Have you forgotten what that thing called Skout did we shouldn't act like this all just a joke people actually died"
The water suddenly felt colder. their stomach twisted into a knots the air felt heavy as her word uncovered the uneas Nai and Lamia have been trying to ignore.
This wasn't a gift. Lamia realized. It was a curse, gift-wrapped and handed to her with a smile. the room felt silent yet so loud every sond felt like a Cannon fire the of dripping and shift of water when they move
"How long is this going to take"
Connor's voice pierced through the silence from outside the bathroom.
" Come on are you planning on staying there forever or something"
Oddly enough, his voice brought a strange sense of relief.
Nai smirked like she found the perfect scapegoat
"We'll come out when you earn bath privileges, peasant!"
Connor threw up his hands, eyes wide with mock betrayal.
"Peasant!? I gave up first dibs on that bath like a gentleman!"
Ayame crossed her arms a smile cracking through
"Should've fought harder. This is war, not kindergarten."
He clutched his chest and staggered a step back, putting on his best impression of a tragic hero.
"Unbelievable. I get scammed with a guilt trip and now I'm being mocked for it?"
Lamia leaned on the tub
"You chose the path of honor. We chose hot water and scented soap."
He sighed and slumped against the wall, resting his head back as if life had defeated him.
"This is why chivalry is dead. It drowned in bathwater while the girls hogged the tub."