Raen still couldn't fully grasp it —600,000 Lux.Just three days ago, he had been calculating if he could survive another week on instant noodles and overdue rent.
Now he was sitting across from Saelyn Vire — head of a quadrant-leading high-risk fund — and she was looking at him like he was some kind of investment-grade anomaly.
She finished entering some final commands on her tablet, then looked up."You'll get your consultant identity uploaded to our proxy network. That'll protect your real info while giving you clearance to operate under KairoTech's umbrella. You'll be paid in clean channels, get private Lux lines, and I'll direct job offers when they appear."
Raen nodded vaguely, mind racing.
But that itch — that raw curiosity — wouldn't let him just accept his win.
So he leaned forward and said, with careful nonchalance:
"I'm not just a coder, you know.I've been building mechanical systems too."
Saelyn paused mid-sentence. He saw it — that subtle flick in her eyes. Not surprise exactly, but recalibration.
"I didn't see anything mechanical in your submission," she said, watching him closely.
Raen shrugged."Not something I've shown. I tinker. Robotics, small system prototyping. Embedded architecture. Just… stuff I haven't published yet."
A bold bluff.He hadn't unlocked Mechanical Systems Mastery.But he would. Eventually. Probably.
She didn't ask to see a portfolio. She just stood up.
"Come with me," she said simply.
Top Floor – Executive Console Room
The next room was quiet, minimalist, and guarded. She opened a secure console panel hidden behind the wall, accessed via biometric key. Raen watched as she typed in fast strings of command-level protocols.
After a long pause, she turned to him.
"I like builders," she said. "Coders are useful. But creators — people who can blend systems with the physical world — those are rare."
She tapped the screen.
TRANSFER COMPLETEAsset: ZV-0912 – Zoned Private PlotSize: 1.2 AcresIncludes: Steel-frame Workshop, Upper Equipment Storage, Living Space (2-bed), Reinforced Lab ZoneOwnership: Raen Vox
Raen sat up."Wait. What is this?"
"A gift," she said. "A foundation. You're not sleeping in that broken apartment anymore."
Raen blinked. "You're serious?"
Saelyn returned to her seat, perfectly composed."It's not a deal. It's not a test. I don't need a return. You impressed me. This is how I build relationships."
He hesitated."I just said I work with mechanical stuff… that doesn't mean—"
"I know," she interrupted.
"But I trust you will. You have 600,000 Lux and now a base of operations. Whether you become a legend or waste it all — that's up to you."
Raen stared at the display on the wall.
A real lab. A real home.A place of his own.
And suddenly, unlocking Mechanical Systems Mastery wasn't just some future plan —It felt like destiny.