-Hiss.
Nico stood under the high-pressure spray of the shower overhead, scrubbing away the blood covering his face.
Even the bathroom was a testament to the estate's blend of cultures, with a heavy claw-foot tub in the corner and intricate brass fixtures that looked as if they belonged in a Victorian manor, yet it was fully functional, with a modern showerhead and proper plumbing.
But just like the hall downstairs, there were no hidden shimmers here.
Just grey tiles and grey water.
He still had Eyes of Relevance active.
And the strain that came with it was there as well, but the Ice Reinforcement circulating through his head turned the crippling cognitive load into a manageable background noise
[System, are you sure I should keep this running?] Nico asked as he turned the water off and shook his wet hair.
-Ding!
{ Affirmative. The brain possesses neuroplasticity. By forcing it to process this extra-sensory spectrum constantly, you will accelerate the adaptation process. Given your Infinite Mana, you can brute-force the evolution of your neural pathways. }
[So, basically, training weights for my brain…]
Nico scoffed before stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel.
[Fine. I'll keep it on.]
Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stepped up to the large porcelain basin, and still feeling a lingering stickiness in his eyes, he decided he needed one last rinse to be sure the tear ducts were clear.
And before his hand even moved, the brass tap flared golden.
[It's relevant because I want water…] he realized.
Turning the tap on and splashing his face one last time, Nico decided, [I'm done.]
As soon as the thought formed, the golden shimmer on the tap died, fading back into the dull gray like the rest of the room.
Closing the tap, Nico stood there blinking his bloodshot eyes before –
[I want to wash my face again.]
-Flash.
And the tap instantly lit up in gold.
[Actually, never mind. I'm clean.]
-Fade.
And the gold vanished.
[Wash face.]
-Flash.
[Don't wash face.]
-Fade.
A slow, boyish grin spread across Nico's face as he stared at his wet reflection in the gray mirror.
[That is just cool!] Nico mused while leaning in to inspect his own eyes, which looked like dark, abyssal pools in this spectrum. [With this, I'm basically one of the best detectives around…]
Needing a new change of clothes, he instinctively opened up the System's Shop with a flick of his mind, listing hundreds of casual wear options from hoodies to silk robes.
But just as his thought hovered over a simple black hoodie, he paused.
[Wait…] Nico thought, his eyes narrowing. [If I walk out of here wearing a polyester hoodie that shouldn't exist in this world, explaining it might be more trouble than it's worth.]
[I should check the room they assigned to me… maybe they left a few clothes for me there…] He sighed before dismissing the interface.
And with that thought, he walked out of the bathroom, stepping into a small, grayscale hallway.
There were three doors in total, two on his left and one on his right.
In this monochrome world of charcoal and ash, the two doors on the left were dull and lifeless.
But the lone door on the right was shimmering with a soft, inviting gold pulse.
[Is that my room?] Nico mused before turning the handle.
-Creak.
And the door swung open, revealing a spacious room.
To his left sat a low, neatly made bed that looked gray in his vision. At the far end, right in front of a large window that framed the garden outside, was a simple wooden desk and chair.
And to his right, built into the wall, were a set of traditional Japanese-style cupboards, one of which was shimmering with a gold haze.
Nico walked over and slid it open, revealing rows of neatly hanging robes and tunics, and every single one of them was shimmering in gold.
[Damn, this is like a video game…] Nico chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms as he looked at the glowing loot.
Deciding to test the limits of the 'Relevance' engine again, he shifted his intent to - [I want something comfortable…]
He waited for the glow to shift. But nothing happened. The entire rack continued to glow with the same uniform intensity.
[Okay, guess the intent must be clearer…]
Focusing his mind, he sharpened the parameters of his desire.
[Comfortable homeware… something loose to sleep in.]
-Flash.
And the gold shimmer on the hanging racks died out instantly.
And a split second later, a wide drawer near the bottom flared to life with a concentrated gold light.
Nico reached into the glowing drawer and pulled out a set of traditional Samue.
Pausing the skill, he flooded the colour back into his vision, and the dull charcoal fabric in his hands transformed into a vibrant, calming azure.
[Perfect.]
But before sliding them on, he realized a critical issue. He was naked underneath the towel.
[Yeah, I'm not going commando…]
With a flick of his mind, he opened his Inventory and retrieved a fresh pair of black boxers before quickly stepping into them.
Sliding into the Samue bottoms next, he found them incredibly comfortable. They sat loosely around the thighs but tapered down to stop just above his ankles, giving his legs plenty of room to breathe.
The top, however, was a different beast.
Nico slid his arms through the sleeves, which hung loosely just below his elbows, but then frowned as he looked at the strings dangling from the lapels.
[Okay… logic puzzle time.]
He held up the two sets of ties, one inside, one outside.
[Left over right? Or right over left?]
He hesitated.
[I remember an anime where right over left was for dead people… so let's avoid that.]
Fumbling slightly with the fabric, he tucked the right panel inside, tying the inner string, before pulling the left panel over it and securing the outer knot near his hip.
[Easy.] He grinned as he gave it a tug.
Nico stepped back in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric.
And the look was effortless.
The light blue cotton contrasted perfectly with his dark hair.
The slightly short sleeves and pants gave off a relaxed, "I'm too strong to care about formal wear" vibe.
It was the kind of outfit a retired master or a very lazy mage with Infinite MP Regen would wear while casually winning wars.
[Damn…] Nico mused, running a hand through his damp hair. [I look ravishing. If I wasn't me, I'd date me.]
He was just about to strike a pose when a voice drifted up from the hallway downstairs, shattering his narcissistic moment.
"Master!" Nom-Nom's voice echoed up the stairs, sounding slightly confused. "Someone's here to see you…"
Nico adjusted the collar of his new blue Samue as he descended the grand staircase.
He was back in the monochrome world.
The vibrant blue of his clothes was now a dull charcoal, and the rich wooden banister was just a dark gray line guiding him down.
At the bottom of the stairs, Nom-Nom was waiting, covered in that familiar, translucent gold haze that shimmered around her frame like a second skin.
But she wasn't alone.
Standing near the hall's entrance was a stranger.
And she was glowing too.
Just like Nom-Nom, the woman was wrapped in the same translucent gold aura.
[Let's see who you are in color...] Nico mused, casually sliding his hand into his pocket. before cutting the flow of mana.
And the next second, grey washed away, and reality flooded back in.
The woman standing there was middle-aged, with black hair tied back in a practical bun and warm brown eyes that held a gentle, patient expression. She wore a simple, pristine apron over modest clothes.
She looked… unassuming.
Perceiving his presence, the woman looked up with a practiced gentleness that felt disarming before performing a deep, respectful bow.
"Good afternoon, Young Master," she said in a warm and steady voice. "I apologize for the intrusion."
Nico walked down the final steps, his posture relaxed, and a vibe radiating a lazy sort of confidence.
"Good afternoon," Nico replied, tilting his head slightly. "And you are?"
"I am Elena," she introduced herself, straightening up but keeping her gaze lowered respectfully. "The General has assigned me to the estate."
[So she's the bug…] Nico thought, barely suppressing a smirk.
"I see," Nico nodded, "And your duties?"
Gesturing slightly to the pristine hall around them, she said, "I will be responsible for the housekeeping, the maintenance, and of course, the preparation of your meals."
"Well, Elena," Nico said, offering her a charming, easygoing smile. "Welcome aboard. Try not to break anything. The house is old, and so am I… at heart."
Elena smiled back with a genuine crinkle appearing around her eyes. "I will do my best, Young Master."
She paused for a beat with her hands clasping politely in front of her apron.
"Speaking of meals, I was about to start preparations for dinner. Do you have any preferences? Or perhaps any dietary restrictions I should be aware of?"
Nico opened his mouth to answer, but then he glanced at Nom-Nom.
The dragon girl was staring at Elena with wide, sparkling violet eyes, practically vibrating with anticipation.
"I'm easy. As long as it's edible, I'll eat it," Nico chuckled before thumbing toward the glutton beside him. "But if you wanna know what's good, ask her. She's the real boss when it comes to food."
"I see," Elena bowed again, turning her warm smile toward Nom-Nom. "Then, perhaps M'Lady could guide me?"
Nom-Nom replied with a beaming smile.
Leaving the two of them to discuss the menu, Nico stepped past them and into the front yard.
And as soon as Nico stepped onto the yard, the cool breeze brushed against his face while he took in the sight before him.
To his right lay a meticulous Zen garden where white sand had been raked into perfect ripples, holding a stillness that felt almost unnatural compared to the chaos of his morning.
He admired the symmetry for a second before turning his gaze toward the left, where the scenery softened into a lush, vibrant explosion of color.
A crystal-clear pond sat framed by cherry blossoms, reflecting the wooden bridge that arched over it.
And sitting in the gazebo in the center of that pond was Peko.
Even from this distance, she was striking.
Dressed in pristine white robes that contrasted sharply against the dark timber of the gazebo, she sat with her chin resting on a fist, and her long, raven-black hair cascading down her shoulders like a curtain of silk.
She possessed a cold, captivating beauty, but right now, that coldness was cracked by worry.
Her piercing violet eyes were fixed on the water below as she sat there, lost in thought, drumming a finger against the table and wearing a deep, troubled frown.
[Now I can talk to her properly… Here's hoping she's not too angry.]
Nico let out a long sigh before walking toward the bridge, knowing he shouldn't go in empty-handed.
[System, buy me a Phoenix plushie… and two large strawberry milkshakes.]