Then, with a soft whoosh, a tent materialized around her.
It was a simple structure—sturdy wooden poles supporting thick canvas walls.
The entrance flapped open, revealing a cozy interior. Aiko's breath caught. Inside, she saw a futon piled with blankets, a small lantern glowing with warm light, and a woven basket filled with fresh fruit and a canteen.
Folded neatly beside the futon was a clean yukata, or a Japanese-style bathrobe, its pale blue fabric embroidered with silver cherry blossoms.
Aiko stood frozen, her mind racing.
A trap? Another trick?
She glanced around the forest, half-expecting guards to leap out laughing. But the night remained still.
Cautiously, she stepped inside the tent. The floor was lined with soft tatami mats, a luxury she hadn't felt underfoot in years.
She knelt by the futon, pressing her palm into its plush surface. Real. Solid.
She eyed the basket of fruit—persimmons, apples, and a cluster of ripe grapes. Hesitating only a moment, she grabbed an apple and bit into it. Sweetness bursting on her tongue. She devoured it, core and all, then reached for a persimmon.
As she ate, her eyes kept darting to the tent's entrance. Every snap of a twig outside made her tense. But no one came.
The lantern's light stayed steady, casting long shadows on the canvas walls.
Why? she wondered. Why show me such kindness?
She glanced at the bathrobe.
The tent felt... safe. The air inside was warm, scented faintly of pine. The futon beckoned, its blankets soft and inviting. Her body screamed for rest.
This is a test, she decided.
Kami-sama watches. If I refuse his gifts, I insult him. If I accept...
Then she'd have to change her clothes in front of Kami-sama.
She trailed off, clutching the torn fabric of her undergarments. With a shaky breath, she reached for the bathrobe.
The fabric slid over her skin like water. It fit perfectly, the sleeves falling just to her wrists, the hem brushing her ankles. She tied the obi with trembling fingers, then sat cross-legged on the futon. The blankets were impossibly soft. She ran a hand over them, her calloused fingers catching on the smooth threads.
Outside, an owl hooted. Aiko stiffened, ears straining. Branches creaked. Wind whistled through the trees. But the tent's walls didn't so much as flutter. No cold drafts. No scuttling insects. Just peace.
"Thank you," she murmured to the empty air. "I don't know your plans, but... thank you."
She lay down, pulling the blankets to her chin. The lantern dimmed on its own, plunging the tent into soothing darkness.
For the first time in months, Aiko slept without chains.
Michael watched through his phone screen, a strange warmth spreading in his chest.
Aiko's face, finally relaxed in sleep, looked younger—almost peaceful. The tent's glow illuminated her features softly, highlighting the scar on her jawline he'd noticed earlier.
A notification popped up:
[Bond Level Increased! 20% → 25%]
[New Feature Unlocked: Environmental Scan!]
He tapped the alert.
The screen zoomed out, showing a radar-like map of the forest around Aiko's tent. Blips of green marked harmless animals; red dots pulsed far in the distance—likely the remaining guards still lost in the woods.
Cool, he thought. Like a minimap.
Another notification:
[Aiko's Needs Met!]
[Hunger: Satisfied]
[Thirst: Quenched]
[Fatigue: Resting]
He smirked. For all its creepy realism, the game had standard RPG elements. But seeing Aiko safe—actually safe, not just surviving—made his earlier frustration fade. The $29.99 charge still stung, but... she looked so human curled up in that tent. Not some pixelated doll.
The screen flashed gold as blocky text appeared:
[CONGRATULATIONS! PROLOGUE COMPLETE!]
[Claim Your Free Background Report: Minamoto Aiko?]
[YES / NO]
Michael snorted. "Free? Right." His thumb hovered. The hospital's AC hummed like a dying bee above his bed. He tapped [YES].
[GATHERING INTELLIGENCE…]
[ESTIMATED TIME: 3 HOURS]
"Gathering intel?" Michael rolled his eyes. "Like this isn't some random algorithm spitting out crap."
He glanced at the tent onscreen. Aiko slept curled under blankets, her face calm. The yukata sleeves hid her scars.
For a split second, he imagined reaching into the screen to adjust her crooked collar.
He jerked his hand back. "Dude, no." His face burned. After what she'd endured, the last thing she needed was some creep watching her sleep. He exited the app, dropping his phone onto the stiff hospital sheets.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
Twenty-three unread messages from Tyler lit up his lock screen:
Tyler: Dude where r u???
Tyler: Seriously Mike answer
Tyler: Coach says the fundraiser got u $1,200!!!
Tyler: Your mom called me??
Michael stared at his phone's glowing screen. Each message a reminder that real life wasn't done with him yet. All left unanswered.
His thumb hovered over the keyboard.
He typed slowly, his left thumb clumsy on the tiny keys, oh boy, how he missed typing with his right hand:
"Come after lunch. Room 407."
He hit send before he could chicken out.
The phone buzzed immediately.
Tyler: Hell yeah! Bringing the crew + those carnitas burritos u like.
1,200 wouldn't cover even 5% of his bills, bu it was something. He glanced at his remaining balance—1,098.06.
A chunk of that had already vanished into the game. Into her.
He reopened the app. The screen showed Aiko still asleep in the tent, her chest rising and falling steadily. A progress bar blinked:
[Background Report: 8% Complete]
The game hadn't asked for more money yet. Small mercies.
He shoved the phone under his pillow and glared at the ceiling. The AC unit rattled, blowing cold air that smelled like burnt dust. His left shoulder itched where his arm used to be.
Phantom pain, the nurses called it.
Aiko's tent still glowed softly on his phone screen. She slept curled up, her breathing steady. The app's "Environmental Scan" showed green dots (rabbits, deer) and one red blip miles away—probably a lost guard. Aiko is safe for now.
He needed to focus on reality.
Reality meant three things:
First, a mountain of bills.
Second, a missing arm.
Third, his former teammates, who used to count on him for everything, seeing him like this.
He grabbed the lumpy hospital pillow and screamed into it.