In Intis, the concept of the "universe" had existed for hundreds of years—naturally, it was Emperor Roselle who proposed it.
"Simulated Universe." Klein muttered the words.
They weren't written in any language he recognized, yet he could understand them perfectly.
He looked down. He was wearing a long trench coat and black trousers.
A pendulum was wrapped around his right wrist, several charms tucked into his coat pocket, and a revolver holstered under his arm.
He drew the revolver, checked the chamber—fully loaded.Then he patted his left pants pocket. Bullets and a few coins.
That was exactly how he'd prepared himself before going to bed.
"So this is what Sairuis meant by a lucid dream?"
Klein took a step forward. The glowing text dissolved as he walked through it.
The gray room around him was dim, except for a soft glow surrounding his own body, as if he were emitting the light himself.
A few more steps in, and new words appeared ahead.
"This Simulated Universe was developed by Lady Herta, the 83rd seat of the Genius Society."
Klein approached; the text vanished again.
Just before it disappeared, his sharp eyes caught a faint line below—
"Ported by the Masked Fool, Sairuis."
Light flared outward from Klein's body, illuminating the entire chamber.
It looked like a high-tech facility—far beyond the level of technology of his "hometown" world.
Before him stood what resembled a space gate.
Klein tossed a coin, attempting a divination.
The coin slipped between his fingers, clattered to the ground.The divination failed.
Silently, Klein picked it up and stepped through the portal. After all, it was only a dream—what harm could there be?
The scenery shifted rapidly. He now stood in a metallic shop, shelves lined with candies that seemed to be made of metal.
A man with red-and-black rust-like patterns painted across his face enthusiastically began to introduce the products.
"Alloyed Crystal Candy—29% metal purity! Not only does it recreate the taste of alloy, but even the rusty tang of real iron when you chew it!"
The man grabbed a handful from the jar and shoved them toward Klein.
"Try one! Authentic metallic flavor!"
Klein looked down at the candy in his palm. He was… not confident his digestive system could handle that.
"And here's Magnetic Fluid Ice Cream! Guaranteed to make the engines in your stomach spin!"
The shopkeeper's body below the neck rotated a full circle as a cybernetic limb extended from his back, holding out the ice cream.
"Twenty-two percent metal purity—perfect for friends with lower augmentation levels!"
"Sorry," Klein said politely, "I think my augmentation level might be a bit too low. And I, uh, don't have any engines inside me."
The man was unfazed.
"We also have premium goods above 70% purity! They say once your metal content surpasses 100%, you transcend the weakness of flesh and become inorganic life!"
His four cybernetic eyes spun wildly in their sockets as he spoke faster and faster.
Klein took a step back, gripping his revolver tightly.
He wasn't sure whether to drop or keep the Alloy Candy in his left hand.
Then, abruptly, the man's tone cooled.
"Of course, you wouldn't understand."
He looked Klein up and down with pity—like one might look at a beggar on the street.
That look hurt Klein's pride.
What kind of look is that supposed to be?
Glancing around at the futuristic shop, he quietly set the candy back on the counter.
"Sorry, I'm… not very interested."
Yes. He was poor.
The Cat of Klein was aggrieved—but the Cat of Klein said nothing.
Noticing a door behind him, Klein slowly backed toward it, tried the handle—it opened.
The scene shifted once again.
Now he was in another room.
At its center stood a half-sized humanoid doll, straw-like hair of coarse hemp rope, and a timer embedded in its chest.
A nearby placard explained:
"This doll was molded by the Aeon of Elation in their own image, wishing to watch themselves be beaten up."
Klein approached and tapped the doll lightly.
Words appeared across its chest:
"Just got humiliated, and you're not even mad? Think about your wallet—your empty, desolate wallet should at least inspire some fight in you!"
It wasn't much of an insult, but somehow it got under Klein's skin—as if it carried some supernatural compulsion.
He took a deep breath.
"Wonderful. Just wonderful," he muttered through gritted teeth, now fully in "grumpy cat" mode.
He stepped back, aimed his revolver.
Bang!
The doll exploded into fragments.Something drifted into Klein's palm—and the moment he touched it, he understood.
A Cosmic Fragment. The currency of this world.
Then he heard a faint melody echoing in his ears, a song of unknown origin:
"Erudition's just a pile of scrap,Preservation's such a bore,The Hunt has no sense of humor,Destruction's just insane!All Aeons are single-minded,And poor Aha's got no face,Oh Aha's got no face~"
…Oh no.Klein had a bad feeling he'd just overheard something he shouldn't have.
The world twisted again.
This time, he found himself in a vast wilderness.
A weeping woman appeared in the distance, riding a massive elephant. Tears still streamed down her face as she slowly approached.
When she stopped before Klein, she dismounted, bowing slightly. She offered to show him a marvelous magic trick—free of charge.
Before Klein could respond, she produced four empty cups.
In an instant, the Cosmic Fragment he'd been holding appeared in her hand, and she placed it beneath one of the cups.
Then, with dizzying speed, she shuffled them around.
Moments later, she clasped her hands before her chest and politely asked Klein to choose.
Why were all these people so… self-directed?
Klein sighed. Still, since he'd already paid, he pointed at one cup based on his spiritual intuition.
The woman lifted it—revealing a card inside. She handed it to Klein, then turned and left without a word.
A Light Cone.
The instant he took it, knowledge of its nature flooded his mind.
As he gazed at the card, a deep sorrow welled up inside him—grief from nowhere, but utterly real.
The illustration was blurry, but he could vaguely make out an old man collapsed on the ground beside a fallen paper bag.
Turning it over, Klein read the inscription:
Light Cone Name:"Straws in the Wheat Field"
Description:
"The dazzling lights of high society cleverly drown out the cries of the ants below.The smog swings its scythe like a merciless reaper."
"Countless figures collapse—workers just home from their shift, seamstresses saving for their daughter's tuition, the lucky few who'd finally saved enough to buy a ham for a new beginning."
"They are the straws in the wheat field. When the wind blows, they fall."
"Now, the wind is rising."
(End of Chapter)