The sun had long since disappeared behind the neighboring apartments, and the warm glow of the kotatsu was the only light in Haru's dim room. A half-empty box of chicken nuggets sat between him and Aura.
"Is it normal," Aura asked, tilting her head curiously, "to consume fried protein spheres dipped in this sweet red sauce and then drink chocolate milk directly after?"
Haru blinked. "Well… it's not abnormal."
Aura stared down at the remaining nugget in her hand. "Then I shall consider this a favorable bonding ritual."
Haru chuckled. "You're a weird one, Aura."
"I'm aware," she replied, sipping chocolate milk through the retractable straw that extended from her faceplate. "But so are you, Master."
After a brief silence, Haru leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "Alright… I think it's time we get serious."
"About your revenge?" she asked, straightening her posture.
"No." He glanced at her, eyes focused. "About our game."
Aura blinked. "The new game… the one that will surpass everything Takashi stole from you?"
He nodded. "Exactly. I don't want to dwell on him anymore. I want to create something so amazing that even he can't compete."
"I like this version of you," she said. "Driven. Determined. Slightly less depressed."
"Thanks for that," Haru mumbled, poking a cold nugget with his chopsticks. "So… here's the problem. I have no idea what kind of game to make."
Aura nodded. "That is a problem. As I've never played a game, I require a complete and comprehensive explanation of all genres, mechanics, and tropes."
"…That's gonna take forever."
"I'm an advanced AI capable of processing data at 0.0000012 seconds per query."
"Okay, maybe not forever," Haru admitted.
They moved back to his desk, Haru pulling up a folder labeled "Dream Game Concepts" while Aura stood beside him with her arms behind her back like a curious schoolgirl.
"I've always wanted to make an RPG," Haru began, scrolling through sketches and notes. "Something huge. A fantasy world. But is that too obvious?"
Aura tilted her head. "Humans have consistently shown affection for fantasy. It allows escape, freedom, and a sense of grandeur."
"Yeah… that's what I thought too." He scratched his head. "But what if we made it fantasy with a twist? Like… steampunk. Magic and technology. Magic trains. Airships. Mechanical dragons."
Aura's eyes gleamed, glowing faintly green. "I find this concept appealing."
Haru smirked. "Alright, we're getting somewhere. So—fantasy-steampunk RPG. Let's call it… Dark Star Unlimited."
"Dramatic. Catchy. Marketable," she evaluated. "Approved."
Haru grinned. "Good. I want it to have dungeons, leveling systems, skill trees, titles, crafting, forging, monster contracts, kingdom building… maybe even player politics."
"Player politics?" Aura blinked.
"Yeah! Like—players can lead guilds, run towns, influence wars between nations."
"Understood. I shall prepare the simulation engine accordingly."
Haru froze. "Wait… simulation engine?"
Aura stood, her expression matter-of-fact. "I will construct a quantum computer using salvaged parts from future storage protocols. It will allow for infinite variables, limitless choice paths, and 1:1 world emulation."
"…You can do that?"
She nodded. "Yes. It will take approximately 32 hours."
Haru dropped his chopsticks. "For a quantum computer?! That's insane! I thought those things were like, science fiction!"
Aura walked to the center of the room and knelt. Her chest plate briefly opened, revealing glowing circuits. A blueprint projected into the air, displaying an elaborate lattice of circuits, wires, and glowing crystals.
"I have all the specs stored. I just require space. Preferably your bathtub."
"My bathtub?!"
"It is the most secure room in your unit."
Haru sighed, rubbing his face. "Okay… okay, I'll make it work. So you're telling me this thing can simulate full sensory immersion? Touch, heat, cold, even pain?"
Aura nodded. "Including hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and even emotional response triggers."
Haru blinked. "That's… terrifying. And brilliant."
Aura sat back down beside him. "It can also provide physical feedback to those with disabilities. A player missing an arm will feel it again. A player in a wheelchair can run."
"…Aura," Haru said quietly, eyes wide. "That would change the world."
"That is the goal," she replied with a soft smile.
Haru stared at the screen. His thoughts racing. "No one could ever replicate it… not even Takashi. If we launch this… it won't just be a game. It'll be a second reality."
Aura looked at him. "Then shall we begin crafting this world, Master Haru?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah… let's do it."
With newfound focus, Haru began typing. "We need lore. We need gods. Conflict. Something emotional. Something big."
He paused, then started typing the first words:
"Long ago, in the endless void, there were two sister goddesses—Nova, the radiant one, and Eva, the shadowed flame. Bored of eternity, they created a world together…"
He typed and typed. Aura listened closely as he weaved a story. A story of harmony turned to conflict. A world born from light and shadow. A clash that unleashed chaotic energy, spawning monsters, warping the land, and birthing a sleeping evil that vowed to rise again.
"…So the goddesses, realizing their mistake, descend to aid their creations. They teach magic. Forge weapons. Lead armies. And in one final battle, they sacrifice themselves to defeat the monstrous entity made from their corrupted essence," Haru recited, his fingers dancing across the keyboard.
Aura's voice was soft. "What happened to the world after?"
"Well…" Haru paused. "The world slowly healed. The two fallen goddesses became legends. One half of the world honors Nova. The other half, Eva. Two great nations rose—Novartis and Evaline."
Aura sat quietly. "And what of the players?"
"They'll enter the world thousands of years later. The goddesses still asleep. The monster stirring. New races born, new lands formed. Elves retreated to distant forests. Dwarves scattered to the mountains. Magic evolved, and so did engineering. The world changed, but the shadow remains."
Aura smiled. "It's perfect."
Haru slumped in his chair. "It's… not bad, huh?"
She nodded. "Not bad. Extraordinary."
He grinned, cheeks a little pink. "Thanks."
They sat in silence, the screen casting a soft glow in the dark room. Then, Aura asked a question.
"May I be a character in this game?"
Haru looked at her, surprised. "You want to be in it?"
"Yes," she said, her voice almost shy. "Not as myself. But a guide. A companion. An AI with a form like mine. Perhaps… a forgotten creation of the goddesses."
He smiled. "I like that. You'll be the one who helps the players when they're lost. You'll be the guardian of forgotten knowledge. How's that sound?"
"Like a dream," she replied softly.
He leaned back, letting out a long exhale. "Well, Aura… we've got a lot of work ahead of us."
"I have already begun," she said. "The quantum core will be ready by morning."
Haru laughed. "Of course you have."
He looked out the window, toward the city lights beyond.
"Takashi… enjoy your stolen fame while it lasts. Because when Dark Star Unlimited drops, you're gonna be just another forgotten name."