"If you have noticed the obvious, this world has layers upon layers embedded upon its core." Malkuth then placed a plate of skewered freshly-grilled shrimps with a generous amount of seasoned oily green paste of pestled green peppers placed on top of it. "And one of those layers is a universal system that records and notify all of its dwellers, together with its 'Players'."
"Oh yeah, what is with those Players?" With a happy grin, Jack took one of the skewered shrimps and gnawed it all onto his mouth. A face of ecstasy could be seen. "Ehem, it reminded me of the concept of an ancient form of entertainment, namely a Video Game where you could connect with others from afar."
Malkuth was currently cleaning some of the equipment as she continued. "Do you happen to know the meaning of NPC?"
"Neutered Political Compromises?"
"Non-Playable Character." Malkuth could be seen working on something beyond the countertop once again, possibly processing more food as smoke arose from the counter table. "To put it simply, an inaccessible individual or coded figure of artificial living being to those who played the game from the outside.
"The information I gathered has proved it." Malkuth then threw the same emotionlessly cold gaze to Jack. "The world we're in is being used as a direct foundation for a widely-connected virtual-reality game. Or should I say in its right term, a VRMMORPG."
"So what does that abbreviation stand for this time?" Jack casually bit on the salty and hot yet full of umami shrimp, while still maintaining his gaze to her.
"Virtual Reality, Massive-Multiplayer, Online Role-Playing Game. An active entertainment media where you can play as an artificial character that was given to you, or created by yourself within the same world with other individuals. This world we're in has been fully connected to such a platform, and I'm sure that there is a reason or background behind it.
"And because you're one of those Non-Playable Characters to those who roleplay their avatar within this world, you're automatically regarded as a passive property of this world."
"How do you know this?" Jack flushed the strong aftertaste with another aftertaste of his cocktail, an explosion of flavor occurred in his mouth but he was strong enough to not let it show to the cold-looking bartender while in conversation. "Where is Sephiroth? How come he didn't reply nor speak since the moment I stepped into this place?"
"Sephiroth translates to 'Ten Emanations', Sephirah refers to a single one of those Emanations."
"Wait, so you're Sephiroth this whole time!?" With a surprised expression, Jack scanned the fit and tall figure of a female bartender. "You're a female this whole time!?"
"I have already guessed that you would say that." Malkuth threw the exact same smug smirk like before. "Apparently, you're right but not precise."
"I'm shocked," said Jack with a nonchalant face. "Turns out, a very solid companion of mine is actually a hottie who is a good wife material."
Malkuth ignored that remark. Instead, she continued her speech. "I might be part of the Sephiroth, in which the form that was communicating with you on the outside of this private space is still conscious of what I'm thinking and what I perceive.
"In another word, you can say that I'm actually the extension of the Sephiroth." Malkuth placed a plate with a deluxe cheeseburger that looked like it was out of the grill from an expensive restaurant's kitchen to the countertop. "An extra computation power, perhaps. Although it's not wrong for you to think of me as the avatar of Sephiroth in some way, do know that there are still nine Sephirah and their floors that you haven't built using the Reality Fragments."
"I think I managed to grasp most of it, somehow." After he was done with the shrimps, he immediately gnawed on the cheeseburger with delight. "Mmmmhh~! Tell me about this 'First Phase of Project Sephiroth' you've mentioned then~"
All of the content of his cocktail was used to clench his throat. Immediately the moment after, Malkuth prepared a tall glass of orange juice to accompany the unfinished burger that Jack currently consumed.
Looking at how Malkuth was cooking more things in her compact kitchen behind the bar, it seemed like there was still more coming to Jack's plate.
"While the original intention of the Project Sephiroth was left washed away beneath the sand of time, the main computing-unit had constructed a new protocol and its entire mission to help out and provide you the power and privilege needed to survive and thrive within this world.
"Well, mostly for this floor alone as of now. Heh."
'Yup,' Jack nodded in satisfaction. 'She is Sephiroth alright.'
"You might have noticed that you can seemingly conjure the entrance to this floor using your intent." Malkuth moved and weaved the components of her kitchen like an instrument, all while conversing with Jack at the same time. "Just like you, I'm capable of manifesting the entrance to the Bar of Longingness anywhere I wanted."
"Oooh! So we can finally travel freely in this world, right~! You seem to have branched out your roots deep into the universal system right after that event back in the chamber too."
"As much as convenient that idea is, I have made a protocol where we can't shift and move the door's location that is entered by the individual who has already been recorded by the universal system of this world to make this place as hidden as possible, concealed like a fine diamond in a vault.
"Instead, I have been granted the power to branch out our roots outside of this universe and make a temporary connection with them."
Malkuth had already prepared two more plates of unique dishes and lightly slammed it onto the countertop. Her emotionless gaze was fixed at Jack.
"As the first Sephirah of Asiyah, I have the capability to recruit any kind of individual on an interdimensional scale for our convenience. An employee! A worker! An explorer! A 'Patcher' that I could dispatch to different places, integrating them within this world to gather information.
"I'm the 'Recruiter', or in a better wording. I'm the 'Puppeteer', the omniscient servant that will acquire various Agents for you to utilize. Of course, the quality of these Agents will depend on your capability as the 'Boss'."