CHAPTER 5 — And Still, Morning Comes
CHAPTER 5 — And Still, Morning Comes
(told in Oliver’s voice)
Mornings in the colony… they’re not quite like Earth’s.
It’s quiet—like time itself has stopped, holding its breath.
By the time I wrapped up the night’s management work inside the virtual network and came home, the light of the artificial sun was already cutting through the curtains.
In the living room, Julius and Nero were on the couch, watching replays of yesterday’s battle. By now, it’s practically their morning routine.
“Dad! The strategy Julius made yesterday? It was flawless!”
Nero beamed at me, so proud he could burst. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Is that so? Fine—after breakfast we’ll run a full review with simulations.”
“Woof!” barked Hachiko on cue.
What, you too? I rubbed his head, and his tail thrashed with pure excitement. Always so easy to read.
We’ve been home-sharing in the servants’ quarters of Maharaja’s Arc Nova villa. Though “servants’ quarters” is a joke—ours is the biggest, specially built unit. Convenient for him, apparently, to keep my family and Emil’s under one roof.
From the kitchen came the sweet smell of fresh French toast. Emil, blond and blue-eyed, wore a tiny apron that fit him way too well. It almost made me laugh every time I saw it.
“Morning, Oliver. Lyrica got obsessed with the veggie juice this morning. Blender almost exploded.”
“Lyrica? Now that’s rare.”
“Not rare at all,” her voice chimed in behind me. “If it’s for the kids’ health, I’ll risk a little explosion.”
…Couldn’t argue with that.
Rafaela hadn’t come out yet—finally a day off from her role as “the Emblem.” I hoped she’d take it slow.
Meanwhile, Mireille and Noah stumbled out, rubbing their eyes.
“Daaad… hungry…”
“Five more minutes…”
I chuckled, scooped them up, and carried them to the dining table. That’s when—
The intercom buzzed.
On the monitor was a delivery drone, and sitting primly beside it—Ray’s cat robot, Heart. It was staring deadpan at me from inside a little box.
“Message from Ray,” Emil said. “He’s in Arc Nova now. Says: ‘I want Baskin Robbins. You’re buying.’
Heart, you’re supposed to guard your master—don’t wander off!”
…Father and son. Both hopelessly free spirits.
⸻
After breakfast, Fei-Taro was bouncing all over the sofa.
He leapt over Mireille’s head, skidded by Noah’s feet, then crouched with a spark in his eyes like, ‘Well? You gonna fight me or what?’
Hachiko gave a long sigh.
(Here we go again…)
“Been spending again, Master?” Fei-Taro yawned, like it was nothing.
“Oh yeah. Spent big, slept big. Even saw Mother Hera in my dream. …You want to meet her too, Hachi? Just dive back into the game.”
Hachiko sprang up, nose twitching. Guess he did want to.
There’s a rumor going around—that in Maharaja’s new full-immersion game, you can actually meet ghosts. And not just a rumor—there’s been… anomalies.
“I’m in too!” Fei-Taro barked, puffing himself up. “Us robo-pets? Stronger than Julius and Nero combined, kekeke!”
Another day begins, just like that.
But deep in the game-world, something was stirring.
Even so—
I believed it. Morning would always come.
