Real Dream: Infinity

William stared at her, his sharp brown eyes acting as a shield, concealing emotions Aurora couldn't decipher.

"Who knows?" he replied simply, shrugging. "I'm not an Emergent."

A brief but dense silence hung between them before William added, with unexpected firmness:

"And I never will be."

Aurora looked at him with curiosity, her light blue eyes seeming to analyze every word, searching for a deeper meaning in his declaration. Deciding to change the subject, though her mind lingered on William's response, she asked:

"In Etheron, the Dominion is well-known, though not as popular as it is here. There's always been something that caught my attention: how is it that no one dies in those competitions?" She tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence.

William let out a sigh, leaning back against his chair.

"At the start, Helios Tech assigns each participant a standard suit. It's not optional; everyone wears one. These suits are infused with In, and their functionality is intrinsically tied to the energy the user provides."

Aurora nodded, intrigued, as William continued.

"Participants start with basic suits, but as they earn points, they can modify them. The appearance doesn't matter, but… I can't exactly tell you why that is. I just know it's the way things are."

Aurora raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt.

"These suits have an autonomous regeneration system," William added. "If the suit takes damage, it begins to repair itself. However, if the suit's integrity level drops too low, the participant is disqualified."

Aurora frowned.

"And what if the damage is to their body, not the suit?"

William tilted his head slightly, as if the answer was obvious.

"That disqualifies them too. If their injuries reach a critical point, the suit's sensors activate a safety protocol, and they're taken out of the Dominion."

"And what if the suit is destroyed completely?" Aurora leaned forward, clearly intrigued.

William shook his head, raising a hand as though the idea were ridiculous.

"Impossible. Those suits are designed to regenerate constantly. Even if it seems like they've 'shut down,' they still retain a minimal reserve of In to keep them functional. A Luminar couldn't destroy them completely. Maybe someone more powerful could try, but…"

He paused, leaving the thought unfinished, which only made Aurora's curiosity grow.

Aurora nodded slowly, processing the information, but something about it unsettled her.

This guy knows too much, and he's not telling me everything. His knowledge about the Dominion and Emergents far exceeds my expectations.

Deciding not to press further, aware that pushing too hard might cause him to shut down, she stood from her chair with a light smile.

"So, what else is interesting around here? What do you do when you're bored?"

William let out a small laugh, his tone filled with indifference.

"Important things, like wondering if the stars really have a purpose or if they're just there to mock us."

Aurora looked at him incredulously.

"That's it?"

"Well, I also like to philosophize about whether the Dominion is a reflection of human decadence or just glorified entertainment."

Aurora sighed, exasperated by his lack of sincerity.

"I'll have to find out for myself."

Without waiting for a response, she darted off toward the hallways of the house.

***

Aurora moved quickly through the house, opening doors at random. In one room, she found a small study with an orderly desk and a few shelves filled with technical books. Further along, she discovered a minimalist living room with a cold, pristine atmosphere. Nothing truly captured her interest.

Finally, she opened a door at the end of the hallway. Her eyes widened immediately.

"A piano!" she exclaimed, almost breathless.

In the center of a spacious room stood a grand piano, perfectly maintained and immaculate. The black, glossy wood reflected the sunlight streaming through a large window behind the instrument. Beyond the glass, a garden blossomed with a surprising variety of flowers, the vibrant red roses adding life and color to the space.

Aurora stepped forward slowly, taking in every detail. Other instruments were carefully arranged in the corners: a violin, a flute, even a harp. The walls were adorned with paintings of natural landscapes, accompanied by bookshelves brimming with volumes.

The room exuded warmth and comfort, a stark contrast to the rest of the house. Aurora noticed a chair by the window, next to a small table with a vase filled with fresh roses.

"This place… is different," she murmured to herself, as though speaking to the echoes of the past that seemed to linger there.

At that moment, William appeared in the doorway, slightly out of breath, his expression a mix of confusion and alarm. He had tried to keep up with Aurora's pace but hadn't been fast enough. Now, he stood there, framed by the door, a shadow seeming to weigh on his shoulders.

"What is this place?" Aurora asked when she saw him, her voice soft but curious as she turned slightly toward him.

William hesitated, his gaze avoiding hers as he looked down at the floor. His hands trembled slightly, and he tried to hide it by crossing them behind his back.

"I-it's… my mom's favorite room," he finally answered, his voice cracking just enough to be noticeable.

Aurora watched him closely, noting every detail: the trembling hands, the way he avoided her gaze, the tension in his posture. She didn't say anything immediately, but her expression softened. Without a word, she turned to the piano, brushing a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear with a graceful gesture before sitting in front of the instrument.

William raised his head, surprised.

"What are you doing?" he asked, a little more sharply than he intended.

Aurora didn't answer at first. Her fingers glided over the ivory keys, testing the cold surface beneath her touch. Finally, she spoke, her tone low and contemplative.

"I just thought… this place deserves more than silence."

Aurora let out a quiet sigh, closing her eyes for a moment as if recalling distant memories. Then, she opened them and allowed her fingers to move across the piano keys cautiously, as though afraid of disturbing a sacred space. The first notes she played were soft and hesitant, but soon she transitioned into a melancholic melody that filled the room. The notes resonated deeply, as if they were connecting with the past, evoking forgotten memories and emotions. The piece was imbued with sadness yet carried a strange beauty, as though it sought to capture the fragility of life itself.

William, still standing in the doorway, looked up in surprise. His gaze settled on Aurora—not the energetic girl who had barged into his house but someone entirely different: serene, introspective, even vulnerable. The music seemed to pierce through him, stirring feelings he had long tried to bury. His eyes drifted instinctively to the window, where the vibrant red roses contrasted sharply with the melancholy of the melody, a reminder of the fleeting beauty his mother had always cherished.

Aurora, however, made a mistake in the piece, the abrupt sound breaking the atmosphere. She bit her lip, clearly frustrated with herself. Her expression darkened for a moment, but she quickly forced a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with a graceful movement.

"Ah, I messed up," she said with a nervous laugh. "I'm still not very good."

William noticed the shadow in her eyes but said nothing. Aurora continued before he could respond.

"My father was a pianist, you know? Aside from working for Helios Tech, of course. He was excellent. Ever since I was a child, I've loved the piano because of him, although… I don't have much talent." She let out a laugh tinged with sadness as she stood and walked to the window, gazing at the flowers with a distant expression.

William crossed his arms, studying her carefully.

"Do you practice at home?"

Without turning around, Aurora waved her hand dismissively as though the question were absurd.

"No, no. A piano is way too expensive, and with everything I have to study, I don't have time. You know how Helion is…" She made a face, then added with a hint of sarcasm, "Well, for the walking manual, it's probably not that complicated."

William didn't respond to her joke, keeping his expression serious.

"You can come practice here if you want… I mean, well, if you have time." Realizing what he had just said, William stumbled over his words, slightly embarrassed.

Aurora turned to him, surprised. Her blue eyes lit up, and a radiant smile spread across her face as she quickly stepped closer.

"Really? Really?" she asked enthusiastically, invading William's personal space. He stepped back slightly, feeling a bit awkward.

"W-well, but you'd have to help me clean up and take care of the garden. You know, just saying because it's too much work for one person and…"

Aurora cut him off, nodding eagerly.

"Deal! I'll help."

Her gaze drifted back to the piano, filled with a nostalgia William couldn't ignore.

After a moment of silence, William, suddenly aware of the time, thought about lunch.

"Do you want to stay for lunch?" he asked, attempting a casual tone, though his words carried a genuine invitation.

Aurora raised an eyebrow and then smiled mischievously.

"Sure! But I'll be the one cooking. I'll prove to you that your machine has nothing on me in the kitchen."

William gave her a skeptical look but couldn't hide a faint smile.

"Really? Fine, but don't complain if I have to ask the machine to save whatever disaster you cook up."

Aurora burst into laughter as she headed to the kitchen.

"Just wait, walking manual. Today, you'll discover what a real feast means."

William followed her, a mix of amusement and curiosity, wondering what kind of disaster—or surprise—was in store.

***

Back in the kitchen, Aurora opened the refrigerator and froze in place, her bright blue eyes shining with surprise and delight.

"Oh my gosh! What is this?" she exclaimed, staring at the massive refrigerator that took up almost an entire wall. It was packed to the brim with fresh ingredients: vegetables, exotic fruits, neatly packaged meats, spices, herbs, and jars of sauces that looked like they'd been sourced from every corner of the world.

William, leaning against the doorframe, observed her reaction with a slight tilt of his head.

"It's… a refrigerator," he said in a neutral tone, as if it were obvious.

Aurora turned to him with an incredulous expression.

"Don't tell me that! Who needs this much food? Do you have an army hidden somewhere in this house?"

William shrugged.

"Not exactly. My mother always said a well-stocked refrigerator is the heart of a functional home. I just follow her system."

Though, I don't cook or use most of it, and it ends up going to storage anyway…

Aurora stared at him, as if trying to decide whether he was joking or serious, but finally shook her head and began inspecting the ingredients.

"All right, walking manual, today I'm going to make something special."

Aurora started pulling out a variety of ingredients: onions, tomatoes, garlic, spices, lamb, and a bag of rice. Her enthusiasm was palpable as she moved around the kitchen confidently, as though it were her own.

"What are you making?" William asked, stepping closer and watching her curiously.

"Etheron-style biryani. Have you ever tried it?"

William was silent for a moment, his lips twitching slightly, but he finally replied with his typical enigmatic air.

"Well, yes. In Etheron, it's almost a tradition to prepare biryani for family gatherings."

Aurora looked at him in surprise as she chopped the onions.

How does he know that?... Oh, I see.

"So, you lived in Etheron? And what are you doing here, in the Luminary district? Don't tell me…" She leaned toward him, narrowing her eyes with a mischievous smile. "Are you a robot created by Helios Tech to spy on everyone else?"

William blinked, momentarily taken aback, then let out a soft laugh.

"Not exactly."

"Then you're a noble on the run? Or maybe an experiment gone rogue?"

William didn't answer immediately. Instead, he picked up a clove of garlic from the counter and began peeling it, almost as if avoiding the question. Finally, he spoke in a lower, more nostalgic tone.

"I lived in Etheron until a couple of years ago. My father still works for Helios Tech. For certain reasons, my mother and I moved here."

Aurora noticed the change in his voice and decided not to press further.

"That must've been a big change," she commented, her tone softer as she added the spices to a hot pan, releasing an aroma that filled the kitchen.

"It was," William replied, watching as Aurora stirred the ingredients with a wooden spoon. "But things here are… different."

Aurora continued cooking, adding the rice and mixing it with the spices and lamb, while sharing a bit of her own story.

"I live in the Clarus district in Noctus, just below the Helion Red Diamond Institute. I decided to move there because it's close, and besides, it reminds me a little of Etheron. Though, well, without the artificial stars of the floating city."

William nodded as he reached for a couple of cups.

"Clarus has its charm, though the lack of light can be… unsettling at times."

Aurora smirked, almost mockingly.

"Not everyone needs to live under perpetual sunlight, Luminary boy. Besides, the sun does reach my house through the platforms."

Though that's why it cost me more.

"Now, set the table. Cutlery, glasses, everything."

William's lips twitched slightly. "Walking manual, Luminary boy… isn't this too much for someone I just met today? At this rate, I'll have ten nicknames the next time we see each other…" Feeling briefly embarrassed by that last thought, he obeyed without complaint, setting everything with precision while Aurora added the final touches to the dish. Finally, she turned around with two plates in hand, each piled high with steaming biryani, garnished with fresh cilantro on top.

"I hope you're ready for a feast," she announced proudly.