The next morning, the hall was silent.Sunlight poured through the tall glass windows, glinting off the metallic surfaces of Reina's newly assembled lab tables. Boxes still sat in corners, unopened, though most of the heavy work was done. The others had already gone home. Only Reina remained, seated cross-legged on the floor with Shiro curled beside her and ANIER's holographic interface hovering above her open laptop.
Reina's expression was serious.
"Alright," she murmured, resting her chin on her palm. "Project: Anti-Gravity Room."
The words sounded grand, even to herself. Something about them made her heart beat faster. She had dreamt of replicating the feeling of space since she was small — the silence, the weightlessness, the peace. And now that she had her own hall, she finally had a place to try.
"ANIER," she called, eyes narrowing slightly. "Search for every reference about gravity nullification experiments, artificial vacuum chambers, and electromagnetic levitation systems."
Her halo flickered.« Searching. Please wait. »
Reina leaned back on her chair, stretching her arms lazily while watching Shiro yawn and curl tighter beside her.
After a few minutes, the holographic text blinked:« No available blueprints for total anti-gravity chambers within civilian access. Most research classified. However… theoretical reconstruction possible based on vacuum simulation and air-pressure manipulation data. Estimated budget: 32,000,000 yen minimum. »
Reina's eyebrow twitched. "…Thirty-two million. Again."
Shiro meowed, as if agreeing that the number was ridiculous.
Still, she wasn't the kind to give up. "Alright," she said softly, rolling her chair to her desk. "We'll just start small. A prototype."
Hours passed.
The once pristine work table was now covered in scattered notes, miniature metal parts, coils, and small pieces of translucent tubing. The hum of electricity filled the air as Reina soldered together another set of components. ANIER projected a small model of the concept above the table — a cube, sealed with layered glass, capable of draining its internal air until the object within it floated slightly, mimicking weightlessness.
"Pressure ratio's too high," ANIER warned."I know." Reina adjusted the dials with steady fingers, her tone calm despite the faint frustration on her face. "Let's reduce it by point zero five."
The first attempt? Failure.The second? Also failure.By the fourth, the device hissed before shorting out completely.
A soft sigh escaped her lips. She reached for a screwdriver and began again.
Shiro jumped up on the table, watching curiously as sparks flickered near Reina's hands."Don't touch," Reina muttered without looking up. "Unless you want to be part of the experiment."
The cat blinked slowly — as if she understood — then simply sat and stared as Reina continued to work.
By evening, Reina finally set down her tools. The faint sound of mechanical hum filled the air again — this time, steady and controlled. The cube-shaped device on her desk vibrated softly, its internal lights glowing faint blue.
"ANIER, initiate test."
« Vacuum sequence, start. »
The machine whirred. A small metal sphere inside began to tremble, then slowly — unbelievably — it lifted.
Not much. Only a few centimeters. But it floated.
Reina froze. Then she exhaled a slow, disbelieving laugh, her eyes brightening in quiet triumph."…It worked," she whispered.
Shiro tilted her head, meowing once before pawing the air toward the floating sphere.
Reina chuckled softly and reached over to pet her. "No, Shiro. Not yet. We're not ready for full gravity nullification. But…" She leaned closer, eyes reflecting the faint blue light of her prototype. "It's a start."
Her halo drifted slightly above her, glowing like a faint moon.
For the first time in weeks, Reina smiled — not because of comfort or company, but because she could already see it.A future where her dream — to recreate the feeling of the silent, endless space — was no longer out of reach.
"Next," she said softly, already scribbling plans again, "we'll make it bigger."