—————
User
↳ Reverie Lorenzo Schneider
Attributes
↳ Linguist (Uncommon), Nurse (Common)
Sayings
↳ □
Skill of Singularity
↳ □
Skills
↳ Strength Level 7
↳ Agility Level 2
↳ Endurance Level 3
↳ Word Level 8
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I hadn't been called Reverie in ages. I had almost forgotten that that was my real name. Not Reve, but Reverie.
There was one person who loved calling me that. I wonder how he's doing… Actually, knowing him, he'll be doing better than me.
Anyway, I hadn't had an inkling of what this was. A profile of what seemed to be my strengths.
A saying. Did that mean common mottos? I didn't seem to have any notable attributes or sayings. Does that mean I can earn them in some way?
But I was mostly confused by one thing: Word. It was my highest leveled aspect. Could it be related to sayings?
"Skill of singularity…" I quietly said out loud. I wasn't sure what it meant.
"What the heck is this?" Johnny broke the silence. "I didn't even kill anyone! Why is this system including me?"
I thought for a moment. If Johnny had an interface already despite not killing a human, does that mean he's killed in the past? No that's not possible, he seemed too genuine for that. Then…
"Johnny, have you stepped on something?"
"Huh? What a strange question."
"Check your shoes."
He listened to me, albeit a bit annoyed. He raised his leg and looked at the sole of his shoe.
There was a dead spider.
"Fuck! I've got two to bury now!"
What an eccentric fellow, I thought. I feel a little bad for him.
At least I cleared my assumption. It didn't matter if one killed a man or an insect.
The doors of the operating room fluttered open. There entered Doctor Jang and the men of The Federation. One man had dark brown shoulder-length hair and dark eyes, and the woman had short and wavy platinum blonde hair and squinted eyes.
"Schneider, come with them. They'll tell you what's going on along the way."
I nodded in affirmation.
As we were near the exit, I asked Jang if Johnny should come.
"Why should he? That bloke can't kill a soul."
"But he has. He has an interface thing."
The blonde and the man stared at me creepily. The air was beginning to tense as if I had said something wrong. Their eyes were widened and their sclera showed.
The dark haired man stepped forward towards Johnny, towering over him, and said chillingly:
"Who did you kill?"
-
The ride to Frankurt was mostly silent. We had to force Johnny to leave the child in Doctor Jang's arms.
Harry, the tall man, seemed to be more joyous after we explained that Johnny didn't kill a human but instead a spider. There was something familiar with the way Harry strutted and spoke. And the movement of his mouth as he spoke was all too knowing. I had a feeling he knew me— or did I know him?
But I had not met a man with such dull eyes and long hair. So who could say?
Déjà vu? Maybe.
Harry sat beside me in the automobile. In front of me was Junhan Jang the blondie and Johnny the punk.
It was an hour through the journey when Harry finally struck up a conversation.
"What year is it here?"
He had said it in such arrogant fashion. But I was too interested in what he was saying. It was legit, the news of the tower in Frankurt.
"Seventeen-seventy-six."
Harry hummed in response.
He pointed to Junhan then himself, "Me and June lived in a country called Germania. When I left, it was the year two-thousand and twenty-six."
Harry, with confidence, spoke more about The Federation. He spoke as if his dignity lay in the existence of the company he worked with. I guess it did, in some strange, otherworldly way.
"The world ended there already," said Harry. He continued, "We had something similar to rounds there; called scenarios. Back in my land, we had gods or dead philosophers and such that watched us as we conquer the one hundred floors of what is now The Fed's tower; called constellations— not exactly sure what's the equivalent of that here. They watched us as we killed our own men, as we married, and fucked!"
Johnny sniggered. I gave him the stink eye.
"That's not it," Harry moved on. "We weren't the only ones. I met a man named Mongrel. His world was the same— ended. Instead of scenarios or rounds, though, his world had nightmares or dream realms or whatever. I'm not too sure."
Harry grabbed a rusty can of what I hoped to be root beer.
"I don't remember his face anymore."
There was a silence that enveloped the inside of the automobile. The outside was loud. Buildings were disintegrating, and the roads were crashing. I gazed outside to see a ruined world. People were killing each other.
Junhan broke the silence.
"They must have realized." Her words were directed at Harry.
Harry nodded, "Yeah."
I sat, staring at Junhan then Harry, expecting them to elaborate.
Junhan coughed, "The more you kill, the more points you earn. Points are deposited directly to either your bank or your selected pocket. Haven't you received the mail?"
"My apartment is quite far."
Harry choked on his drink, "Do your country's salute."
"What?"
"Just do it."
I pressed my palm, index, and middle finger on my chest. A holographic screen of my profile appeared in front of me. Then another:
[Where would you like to receive mail?]
[※ Note: You can only choose once]
[➤ Bank]
[➤ Pants Pocket]
[Others: Type here]
"See it?" Harry nudged my shoulder.
I exhaled, "Yeah, yeah."
My index finger touched the screen. It was like touching a pool of water. I pressed [pants pocket].
I doubted it a little.
[You have received your compensation]
[4000 points have been deposited]
[You have received an artifact]
I groped the pockets of my scrub until I felt a solid item.
"It really is here…" I mumbled. Then I remembered something, "I haven't introduced myself. I'm—"
"Reverie," said Harry. "What a strange name."
Doctor Jang must have told him.
"I prefer to be called Reve."
The automobile halted. Harry, confused, left to speak with the driver. I was left with Johnny and Junhan but I paid them no mind. I was much more interested in this device.
I looked at the item I received. It was one of those portable computers. It had a small screen, around the size of my hand and a keypad.
Junhan eyed the item, "Is that a..?"
The door flapped open.
"Move it, boys!"
Harry interrupted us.
"We're moving on foot!"
I put my portable computer in my pocket and followed suit.