Chapter 4 – At home

  They made their way to Jason’s new apartment, strolling through the Foreign Office. Strangely, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

  Jason, curious as ever, couldn’t resist asking:

  “Hey, why is there absolutely no one around here?”

  Samuel grinned and shrugged lazily.

  “Saturday, my friend. Most only work Monday through Thursday here. Fridays are optional at best—and Saturdays? Dead quiet.”

  Jason had to smirk.

  “I could’ve used that in my old life,” he thought enviously.

  (…)

  They passed through the last heavy door—the only sound a faint hiss—and then they were outside.

  Jason blinked against the blinding light.

  Before him unfolded a world so vast it stole his breath.

  Towers of shimmering metal pierced the clouds, streets winding like glowing veins through an endless urban landscape.

  In the distance, massive ships drifted silently through the sky like ghosts.

  Jason froze in place.

  Something inside him tightened—a mix of awe and fear.

  He felt how small he was in this infinite, cold world.

  A chill ran down his spine.

  Samuel shot him a brief glance but said nothing. He knew this moment. He knew words would only intrude.

  Silence settled over them, broken only by the distant hum of the city.

  It was a strange feeling—a new beginning, but in a world that felt like it could swallow you whole.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jason slowly moved again.

  Samuel led him to a car parked by the curb—and Jason froze once more.

  It looked… familiar. Almost eerily so.

  A classic shape, gleaming black, wheels, doors—everything seemed salvaged from his old world.

  A thin, almost childlike smile crept onto Jason’s face.

  “I find it… pretty cool,” he murmured, his voice still full of wonder.

  His heartbeat calmed slightly.

  Maybe, just maybe, there was still room in this vast, alien future for someone like him.

  (…)

  A drive through the metropolis felt like being an ant—but strangely, not a bad one. Everything seemed to inspire you, leaving you feeling less hopeless.

  (…)

  They approached a structure rising like a monolith from another world over the landscape.

  It gave the impression that not just thousands, but entire nations could live within a single one of these colossal buildings.

  Pentagon-shaped skyscrapers, countless in number, stretched to the horizon like an endless army of steel and glass.

  Yet Samuel steered the car directly toward the first block—the heart.

  As Jason stepped out, he was momentarily speechless.

  Before him stretched an entirely alien nature.

  Massive, glowing plants coiled up the outer walls, their leaves shimmering softly in blue and violet, as if breathing life into the concrete.

  Transparent tubes filled with flowing lights snaked around the buildings like living arteries.

  A faint buzz hung in the air—silent drones moving between floors, delivering packages or perhaps messages.

  Jason lifted his gaze and saw the residential tower in its full glory.

  A hundred floors, each seemingly its own little ecosystem.

  Balkonies hung like artificial gardens cascading inward toward the courtyard.

  He swallowed.

  There were countless such blocks.

  One city—no, an entire world—seemed to grow into the sky.

  The thought of being a tiny particle in this gigantic metropolis left him awestruck and electrified.

  Samuel, accustomed to such reactions, remained friendly and professional.

  With a slight gesture, he said, “Then let me show you your new home.”

  They passed through the main gate, opening before them like the maw of a giant mechanical beast.

  A sudden gust swirled the scent of alien blossoms and something that smelled like electrically charged air around them.

  To the left was an elevator—the passage of time visible on it, yet after all these years, its condition remained normal.

  Its appearance was nothing special, just an ordinary elevator.

  Inside, a concert poster hung in the center, and current news played through the speakers.

  When they reached the 50th floor, Samuel stepped out and walked a few steps to the right.

  “Here we are—your new home,” he said, stopping before the first door on the right.

  With a quick motion, he swiped a small card over the reader, and a soft click echoed.

  The door slid open smoothly.

  “Before I officially let you move in, let’s do a quick walkthrough. We want to ensure everything meets regulations—and of course, that nothing endangers your health,” Samuel explained with a professional tone and a hinted smile.

  Jason stepped across the threshold.

  Directly behind the door stretched the living room—bright, modern, with smooth, metallic surfaces and softly glowing light strips along the ceiling.

  To his left was the kitchen, its half-transparent front revealing sleek, futuristic appliances.

  To the right were two more doors: the first opened to a small but clean bathroom, the second to a cozy bedroom with a low, hovering bed.

  Straight ahead, crossing the living room, another door led directly to the balcony.

  Jason stepped out briefly.

  A single chair and a small table of matte, brushed metal stood there.

  From up here, the courtyard looked like a prison—drones and countless others flying by, yet you could watch others live their lives.

  “Everything looks good,” Samuel said after a brief inspection.

  “No defects. The handover is official.”

  He pulled a slim device from his pocket and held it out to Jason.

  “Here, your phone. You’ll need it for almost everything—especially payments.”

  Jason took the device, and Samuel quickly showed him the key functions.

  “Just open the payment app, tap 'Pay,' and hold the phone to the reader in the store. Simple and fast.”

  Jason smirked.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Even in such an advanced world, some things remained reassuringly familiar.

  “Even a complete idiot could handle this,” he thought, relieved.

  “So, that’s it for now,” Samuel said casually, clapping his hands as if he’d just accomplished something important. “We’ll continue on Monday. I’ll be here promptly at nine—no worries, you can count on me.”

  He grinned slightly and gestured loosely at the apartment.

  “As I said: everything here is initially billed to the Foreign Office. And if anything comes up—just call during my working hours. Eight to five. Saturdays too. Yeah, I know, no weekend—but hey, that way I can afford more good food.”

  “Oh, and before I forget: 400 Dyn will be deposited weekly into your account. Dyn stands for Dynamic Yield of Nexus. A little greeting from the massive space station above, acting like a guardian angel over us.”

  Samuel winked conspiratorially.

  “So, go explore the city. There are plenty of places here where you can stuff your stomach—believe me, I speak from experience.”

  With a final wave and a broad grin, he disappeared through the door.

  Now alone, everything around him felt unreal—everything depended on him. No one to cook for him, no one who knew him, no one to support him in his new future.

  He collapsed onto the living room sofa, staring at the ceiling.

  “What do I do now… Well, trying out the culinary stuff sounds like a plan.”

  “I’ll put the box in the bedroom first—I can unpack later. After all, my life fits into a portable box.”

  He walked into the bedroom, glancing around the room.

  “I like that there’s already existing furniture here. Otherwise, my apartment would’ve been utterly impractical.”

  “And eating and a good drink will definitely reignite my will to live. Same as in my previous life—but back then, there was a lot more depression. Whatever.”

  He zipped up his bomber jacket, grabbed the door chip, and placed it in his jacket pocket.

  “Time to welcome the future into my daily life.”

  (…)

  As Jason stepped out of the main gate, he beheld the gigantic cityscape sprawling before him—an awe-inspiring sight that brought a small smile to his face.

  What would he experience in this strange, cold future? Who would he meet? What secrets would he uncover—or would he eventually become part of those dark secrets himself?

  It was clear: Jason had thrown himself not only into a new world but into a web of intrigues, conspiracies, and myths buried deep within the halls of noble families and the shadows of the galaxy.

  What if one day he didn’t just unravel these secrets but became part of the legends and mysteries himself?

  At the very least—the path before him is long, and the truth waits somewhere between the stars. Stay tuned to discover the myths of the Galactic Kingdom of Rosnekk.

  (…)

  Jason found himself back on the parking lot of the residential block—scanning his surroundings, the sheer size giving him a rough idea of how many lived here.

  “A really big parking lot, okay. He wasn’t exaggerating.

  I can already see a handful of shops across the zebra crossing ahead.”

  Which one should I choose? I have the option.”

  Jason took his time until he finally made a decision.

  “Okay, this shop looks interesting.”

  He headed toward the following store: Green’s Shop .

  Jason entered the shop, looking around at what they sold.

  It was astonishingly diverse.

  “They even have energy drinks, but I tremble when I touch them. It’s logical, after all—the last time something like this killed me.

  I need another addiction to get by here….”

  Jason glanced toward the register, currently unattended—but that wasn’t the point.

  He checked if they had cigarettes—there were even many types of cigarettes: vapes, e-cigarettes, etc.

  Jason was only interested in regular, stinky cigarettes—these should suffice with their nicotine content, no extras.

  “Okay, they have some.

  That’s good, but now comes the important question… What do I eat?

  I’m not a particularly good cook—that’s putting it nicely…”

  Jason looked for products you only need to boil.

  He found tortellini-like pasta filled with something resembling chicken.

  “For 2 Dyn per package?

  How much is in there… 1kg?!

  1kg for 2 Dyn—then I’ll take three packages…

  What kind of prices are these? I’m still used to the unnecessarily high prices of my old home.”

  He stared at the prices in shock—nothing was expensive.

  In such a modern future, he had expected many things.

  He thought 400 Dyn a week might be tight.

  But that wasn’t the case. He rejoiced at the prices—still, he needed to be careful to buy only what was necessary.

  Who knows who he might meet.

  Finished with food, he only needed something good to drink—he had postponed this briefly due to memories of his death from such energy drinks.

  “Well, let’s see… if they have the same sugar bombs here.” He examined a drink, turned it around, and checked its nutritional values.

  He was shocked again—but this time by the product’s openness. He looked at other drinks.

  He searched for something with a moderate amount of ingredients—not too much sugar, but not too bland.

  “This one sounds interesting: Dragonsoul-CherryStrawberry —a funny name at least.” Jason had a laughing fit at the name.

  “They really tried to sound cool… Haha…” Jason took a slow, deep breath, but this was just too amusing.

  “Okay, they sell other flavors too. But I think this one will suffice… They even have 20-packs. Let me check the price first… 10 Dyn? That’ll come with me.”

  Jason looked around a bit afterward, wanting to get a sense of what everyday products were sold here.

  There were more everyday items than anything else.

  He added about 10 Dyn worth of daily necessities—he had nothing at home.

  Then he went to the register. He laid everything on the large belt.

  The cashier emerged from the side door and asked directly:

  “Would you like a large bag with that?”

  “Sure.” Jason answered.

  Jason stared at the wall—the cigarette selection is vast.

  “Should I recommend one?” the cashier asked.

  “Yes, this selection is damn huge.”

  he said, surprised.

  She giggled softly, then pointed to a large box.

  MORBIUSBREATH —another weird name, Jason suppressed a laugh.

  “This comes in a pack of 50 pieces for the unbeatable price of only 4 Dyn!

  So, what do you think?” the saleswoman presented.

  “If you’re already showing it to me, then yes.”

  Jason answered.

  The saleswoman scanned each item one by one, placing them all in the bag.

  “30.5 Dyn, please!” the saleswoman said in the end.

  Jason opened the banking app and paid without issues.

  Beep —it chimed after the successful payment.

  “Thank you for your purchase. I have a question or two—may I?” the saleswoman asked.

  The store was empty—it was 9:15 AM at this point.

  Jason was confused but then checked the time. He was here for the first time, so it made sense for new faces to ask questions.

  “Uh… yeah, go ahead.” Jason replied with an unconscious indifferent look.

  The saleswoman’s eyes sparkled slightly.

  “My name is Mei Green, my father owns this place.

  And I’ve never seen your face here before—I’d love to know if you just moved nearby or how exactly you found your way here?”

  She said as if she had fallen in love.

  “This question could’ve been less lovesick, but don’t tell me she’s into me?!

  No, she probably has a boyfriend already.”

  Jason thought before speaking.

  “I moved in nearby. Oh, right—my name is Jason Dorn. Nice to meet you, Mei!”

  Jason tried not to sound too strange, but countless “normaler” versions played in his head.

  “I like it too!

  What do you do for work, if that’s not too personal?” Mei seized her chance directly.

  “Shit, what does she mean by not too personal? This question is too personal. I’m damn unemployed, and it’s my first day on this planet...”

  Jason’s thoughts were tense, but he swallowed his fear and answered.

  “Whether you believe it or not, I just got my citizenship today.” Jason said with a serious expression.

  Mei blinked briefly, as if she hadn’t expected such an answer. Then she smirked—not mockingly, but genuinely.

  “Wow… first day and already in my store. You know how to make an impression.”

  Jason shrugged, a crooked grin on his lips.

  “Well, fate… or coincidence that feels like fate.”

  Mei giggled. “Could be either. But hey—I find it brave how open you are. Many wouldn’t dare say something like that.”

  “I thought honesty might come across better than beating around the bush,” Jason said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

  “It does,” she confirmed with a nod. “You know what? I like you.

  And since you’re new—and because I’m the boss’s daughter—you officially get my secret tip for the best street food nearby.

  For three Dyn, you’ll get the best bao buns in all of Rosina. Just avoid before twelve—they’ll have school lines stretching to the space station.”

  Jason laughed. “Sounds like a real adventure. I’ll note it down: bao buns, but only after high school rush.”

  “Exactly!” She held out her fist. “So… deal? Friends—with food tip advantage?”

  Jason didn’t hesitate, then lightly bumped fists.

  “Deal. And thanks, Mei. Seriously.”

  She grinned. “Gladly. And remember: If you ever have questions or just need a break—I’m usually here. And if not… well, then I’m probably eating bao.”

  ,,The conversation took such a different turn—I expected more 'formality.'

  But okay, let it continue like this.”

  He enjoys the moment, which is truly unique.

  He’s made his first new acquaintance as someone usually shy—this day counts for him.

  Because he doesn’t feel so alone in this vast galaxy.

  This girl, Mei. She looks like an arrogant goth girl on the surface, but appearances are rarely reality.

  With her black hair in a bob cut that looked familiar to him—just one of the many things he noticed about her.

  But Jason doesn’t get his hopes up.

  Mei took the scanner from the counter, set it aside, and pulled a small, dark notecard from the drawer. On it, she wrote a number in neat handwriting—old-fashioned, almost charming.

  “Here,” she said, handing Jason the card. “That’s my Com-ID. Text me if you need bao, advice, or someone to vent to.”

  Jason looked at the card, then at Mei, as if she’d suddenly become more surreal than before.

  “Is this normal here? That cashiers give newcomers their number right away?”

  Mei shrugged with a mischievous smile. “Depends. Normal is relative here. And you look like someone who deserves a few exceptions.”

  Jason tucked the card away, somehow embarrassed but also a bit proud.

  “I… thanks. Honestly. You really saved my morning.”

  “Wait until you try the bao,” she said with a wink. Then she casually flicked him a pack of gum.

  “House brand. Against the aftertaste of Morbiusbreath.”

  He caught it with a half-pleased reaction, grinned, and nodded to her.

  “You’re okay, Mei.”

  “You too, Jason. And now go—before I start printing a friendship certificate for you.”

  With a final laugh, Jason turned toward the door and stepped out into the faintly glowing morning of the mega-city—this time, the stranger didn’t feel quite so foreign.