[Divine System: An authorized entity has gained access to the Omnistream.
----Loading
Hacking complete.]
[Divine system: Restart the memory of [?]
Your avatar is Einsamer Stern.
Brief Synopsis: After causing genuine deaths, the virtual reality game TWOD (The World Of Dawn) was temporarily shut down. You made it through the Demon Lord battle, but you were unable to recall anything clearly because your soul memory was obliterated. But in this worldline, your avatar does, and you will progressively learn everything until you unite your 2% broken soul with him to begin a new loop.]
[Divine system: As an observer, you are unable to control your avatar's actions.]
*
[1ST POV INITIALIZED]
"You must take one card from my right hand, and you may take the other two from either hand," the white‑haired man said. "That makes three cards in total."
He handled the forty‑four cards with effortless skill, splitting them into two piles as if it were nothing. Since the seventy‑eight‑card deck had fallen out of favor, and the cards didn't seem very thick, I was sure this was the forty‑four‑card version.
Without thinking, I took two cards from his left hand and one from his right. He smiled as he returned the remaining cards to his pocket while I stacked my three selections neatly on my right palm.
Now that I held the three cards, I wondered what his reading would reveal. He reached into my hand, drew one card, and turned it over to show me the symbol. Before exposing it, he added, "Normally I'd have you choose four cards, but since you're in a hurry, I'll read only three."
Was this man trying to con me?
"Just read it for me—three cards are fine; I am in a hurry," I said, forcing an indifferent tone.
He nodded and revealed the first card: a tower struck by lightning. "Hmm," he murmured. "This card means you'll face a challenge or crisis that will have a significant impact on your life and those around you. It may be painful, but it also brings an opportunity for growth."
I wanted to tell him I was already in the middle of a crisis, but I knew hardships were universal. The reading felt vague—broad enough to apply to anyone—so I kept my thoughts to myself and watched.
He drew another card from my hand, leaving only one. After a quick glance he revealed it: a purple star centered between a red moon and a blue sun. Paired with the Tower, this card—often a sign of good fortune—hinted at the collision of illusion, fantasy, and reality. He described it as "getting lost in a maze of dreams and waking life."
Were these readings a deliberate attempt to target me? However, given the recent events that had disturbed my perception of reality, such the fall of the tower in Eternia City and my conflict with the orc demon lord in TWOD, it made sense intellectually.
His reading appeared to be right thus far, but it was still too general to be unique to me. "Now, onto the next card," he exclaimed excitedly.
I was stunned when he took the final card from my hand and showed it to me. "What is this card? It was a blank card, a white emptiness with no image on it. Why is there no image on it? Perplexed, I asked.
"This third card represents you. Anyways, I'm in a hurry now. See you later," the man said, grinning and turning away from me.
I should use those terms!
For a moment, I stood in shock, attempting to comprehend what he had said. Was he implying that, like that third card, I was worthless? Even though I was the one who had first attempted to flee, I felt a nervous impulse to approach him as I watched him go. "Wait, explain it to me!" Unconsciously, I yelled after him as he got farther away, startling myself.
However, he vanished into the throng, leaving me perplexed. Given that the majority of his reading had been right, however broad, I might be able to interpret this as an indication that he truly knew how to play mind games.
However, he was almost impossible to locate because it was rush hour for both workers and students, and the throng had already assembled in front of the Skyport. I looked around, but all I saw were people blocking my view as they headed in the same way as me.
I realized he was simply playing with me, so I took a big breath and kept walking in the direction of the Skyport. The five-meter-tall white aluminum gate opened wide to let everyone enter. I entered the bus station without hesitation while others moved forward.
I saw a number of vending carts arranged next to one another within the station, offering a variety of products like tacos, fresh sandwiches, and coffee beans. Some were family-run startups, while others were managed by established companies. There were also well-known and branded fast-food places further down the corridor, but I didn't often eat there because I was concentrating on gaining muscle.
I went straight to one of the carts in the middle of the lineup. It had a projector on the floor next to it that showed a holographic sign that said, "Fresh coffee beans, no artificial powder." I knew the owner of this cart, who was well-known among the Singa Sanctuary continent's populace. She wouldn't normally sell here because it would betray who she really is. But today was different because I knew her grandmother had been in the hospital for a while.
A few folks were already in line and placing coffee orders. Because the barista was wearing a mask, some of them looked at her face with curiosity. I stood patiently in line for a short while until they finished.
It was then my time. I walked over to the girl with blue hair who had gorgeous blue eyebrows and eyelashes, enhancing her appearance. Now she covered her hair with a hood. She had a tinge of red in her blue eyes, like a sunset reflected on the sea. Although a mask covered her face, I could tell that her hair hung down to her neck. She had on a white sleeveless shirt and a dark blue leather jacket.
Rarely did she display any emotion; instead, her attitude was serious and industrious. She had a model-like body, but she wasn't very attractive. Rather, she had a stylish yet endearing appearance.
It seems that she was both a childhood friend of mine and her grandmother's co-owner of this coffee cart. However, I hadn't seen her since her grandmother's heart attack a few days prior, and Stella was now working in her place. Even though I had known her for a long time, we weren't very close.
Stella honestly told a male customer that her grandmother was in the hospital when he inquired about her whereabouts over the previous few days. Before choosing a seat close by, the customer voiced concern and wished her a speedy recovery. The seats were soon occupied by patrons.
"Aren't you afraid of being exposed here?" I whispered quietly, leaning in a little as it was my turn to give the command.
Stella, the blue-haired girl, ignored me for a moment and carried on with her task. She closed a black square-shaped machine after inserting a paper cup inside. Then, as she added coffee beans to the machine, holographic screens emerged from the black box in front of her. The machine emitted a soft electric sound as it brewed the coffee when she tapped anything on the display.
"My grandma wants her coffee beans to continue selling, especially to you," she remarked as she finished and turned to look at me. Don't worry, I can alter my voice, but I must continue her task. People won't recognize me till you disclose me."
"With your wealth, you could just hire someone to work for you," I said.
"This might be the last day of this shop, so I might as well come here to personally make the coffee," Stella remarked, shaking her head.
Hearing this news stunned me. This was, after all, my favorite coffee shop in Sector 2 Dome. "How about starting a coffee farm? I went on, a little louder than before, "You have enough resources to do that as a popular singer."
Stella's eyes grew wide, as though she wanted to slap me right then. I hastily added, "Stella, the singer, also loves to drink coffee," as the neighboring patrons turned to stare at me. I adore coffee and am one of her fans.
"Yes, I am also one of her admirers," Stella responded, instantly lowering her voice. I'll offer you a discount because I'm a fan of hers."
Despite being hidden underneath the mask, she could still speak clearly with a low-pitched tone that didn't match her real voice, yet it came out so naturally. The customers turned their gaze away, no longer suspecting that the blue-haired girl before them was none other than Stella, one of the most talented singers in Sector 2 Dome.
Once their attention was no longer on us, Stella spoke in her natural stern voice, "I have another goal in mind. I'll talk to our band members when we have time."
That's right, she was one of my band members, working under a different name and identity. She had joined my band and later pursued a solo career under her real name, but she still worked with the band, always wearing a mask and slightly changing her voice to avoid being exposed.
Taking this chance, I asked about the discount, "I'm sorry to hear about your grandma, but are you serious about the discount?"
She raised her eyebrows and replied in a bland voice, "No discount. You need to suffer to understand the value of money."
Of course, being born as an orphan, I didn't have the privilege like Setsuna or Shan, whose sisters always provided them with coins to do what they loved. So I understood the value of money, but I didn't come here to argue with her, so I let it slide.
I replied with a stiff smile, "Give me a fresh coffee. It's been a rough morning."
She responded in an unemotional tone, "Alright, that'll be 50 coins."
Hearing her natural voice, I couldn't help but think that even her voice as an idol was just another persona of hers. The real Stella was scary, calculating, and calm, almost like a psychopath!
"50 coins?! Why has the price of the coffee beans suddenly increased?" I frowned, questioning her.
She sighed and explained, "It's hard nowadays to get real coffee beans. Most of what's on the market are clones. That's why it's getting expensive."
She added with a disappointed tone "Also, my grandma stopped harvesting from her farm for a while, so there's a limited supply and high demand."
She intentionally spoke louder for the nearby coffee cart owners to hear.
As she said that, the other nearby coffee cart owners looked at her with slightly intimidating expressions before turning back to their own businesses. Most of them used clone coffee beans, while Stella's beans were authentic.
I nodded my head with a slightly disappointed expression as I realized I had just spent 50 coins on a coffee. Taking out my tablet, shaped like a vertical rod, I placed the holographic projecting lens to scan a QR code on the tablet in front of me. Swiping my tablet upon it, I immediately received a notification confirming that I had paid 50 coins.
[Bio-chip activated]
[You have just spent 50 coins.
Remaining coins: 23025 coins]
Although the coffee from her shop didn't make me feel invigorated like a rush of blood, I still found it worth the price. Mornings were always spent ordering coffee at her shop.
"Go find a seat somewhere since all the seats here are taken. Once I'm done making the coffee, I will notify you," the blue-haired girl said.
As I turned around to search for a seat, her powerful yet calm voice made me alert.
"Oh, I forget to mention. Have you seen the news about the incident in TWOD? And were you logged in during the incident?" she asked with an unwavering tone, her eyes fixed on me as if she expected a question in return.
Damn, why does everyone keep asking me about the incident?
Her question caught me off guard, but I maintained an unchanged expression. Remembering Shan's advice, I knew I shouldn't share too many details about what I did this morning regarding the incident in TWOD.
With a calm voice, I replied, "Oh, yes, I saw the news during my walk to the station. It's such an unpredictable accident.... People are really getting hurt. I wonder what will happen to TWOD."
The blue-haired girl frowned and looked at me, replying, "I expected you to be more honest than that, especially since you are the leader of our band."
She waved her hand dismissively, as if I was bothering her work, and returned her attention to the coffee-making machine, pouring the coffee beans into the opening gap above it.
Her words made it sound like she knew I was present during that event. It was better to play dumb since I wasn't sure what she was truly up to.
Before leaving, I asked her, "Stella, just make the coffee for me. And have you practiced for this evening's gig?"
She winked at me, a teasing smile beneath her mask. Even though she didn't answer, her gesture alone showed her confidence in her abilities for tonight's performance. Stella was an incredibly confident person, almost at a level scarier than Setsuna, who was hot-headed and direct. Stella, on the other hand, was calm and collected, able to change her personality at will.
Not to mention, she was also a great hover motorcycle racer, in addition to her singing talents. She seemed to be capable of doing everything on her own.
After reminding her to focus on making the coffee, I proceeded to walk past a domestic cleaning robot the size of a husky, vacuuming the dirt off the white aluminum floor.
A male robotic voice could be heard from these domestic robots, repeating the statement, [Please get out of the way for your safety,] multiple times as they scanned people approaching them.
I found a nearby bench and sat down, patiently waiting for my order to be ready. I pulled out my tablet once again, opening a holographic display in front of me. I went to the internet search bar to search for the users' names.
The image of Lasiv and her friends still stuck in my mind. After all, they had defeated the Demon Lord with abilities that seemed to defy the power hierarchy of TWOD. It seemed like they knew something that the general public didn't know.
I suddenly realized that I had gotten caught up in a much bigger mess than I had initially realized.