[ Astral Royal Castle - Royal Garden ]
Chronos sat with his elbows on the table and his chin in his hands, mulling over the words that had just been spoken.
His eyes were fixed on a point in the distance, as if he were looking through the table and the floor and into some distant realm of contemplation.
The savant's mind raced with a rapid-fire stream of thoughts and observations.
He recollected the entire encounter between his parents and the higher powers from the day before.
He could see every detail with perfect clarity, his photographic memory pulling up each image with pinpoint accuracy.
With each new image, his analytical mind whirred into action, dissecting and examining every detail with laser-like precision.
He could see patterns and connections that eluded even the most seasoned observers, his mind sifting through a vast wealth of information and drawing conclusions that were often astounding in their accuracy.
Chronos's focus was absolute, his mind consumed by the task at hand.
His body seemed to disappear, his mind transcending the physical world as he delved deeper and deeper into the images that lay before him.
With each new discovery, Chronos's excitement grew, his mind racing with new possibilities and insights.
He knew that the information he was gathering were the first steps to unlocking the secrets of this new world, and he was determined to uncover every last detail.
Suddenly, Chronos was jolted out of his deep contemplation by the sound of Athena's angry outburst.
"Why you little… Are you belittling your big sister?!"
Athena exclaimed, rising from her seat.
Grandmama swayed her magic finger and she was fixated mid-stride, silenced.
" Tell me baby boy… what do you mean by 'Is that it'?"
Grandmama asked with a proud smile on a face before letting out a light cough.
'So my baby boy doesn't just take after his mischievous, chaos mongering father!'
She thought while recollecting the day of her grandson's awakening and how he willfully cursed at even the gods.
Chronos took a moment to filter through and organized his previous considerations.
His brow furrowed in concentration, and his lips moved silently as he formulated his response.
Despite the intensity of his focus, there was a sense of calm and serenity that surrounded the young prince, a sense of peace that radiated from his stillness.
Chronos seemed like he was in a realm of thought that no one else could enter.
Sophia observed Chronos intently, she herself was known as a child prodigy but there was an aura of elegance and beauty to the way Chronos was wielding his mind.
He seemed to be at peace with himself, comfortable in his own mind.
While he was slowly drowning in the cruel, abusive and harsh world of his Pre-Birth Simulation experience, his mind was his only sanctuary and his greatest weapon.
It was the only helping hand in his world of abuse, gang signs and prying thieves.
After a moment of silence, Chronos slowly raised his head, a faint smile played on his lips as he replied,
"Well, it's just a thought that crossed my mind. In a world of supernatural beings, it's strange that there are so few levels."
"I mean… as cool as affecting the fabrics of nature sounds… It seems… limited?"
He took a breath and continued,
"Back on Earth, more accurately, during my PBS, theistic gods were often associated with creation myths. Whether it's the world we live in or the life we possess, where did it all come from??"
" Sister Athena, can you create a world of your own? Or even create complex living beings from nothing?"
Chronos asked, turning towards Athena.
Sister Athena blinked her eyes, unable to move much less answer.
Chronos then looked at Sophia curiously, waiting for her response.
Sophia thought about it for a while before answering,
" I've never thought of it like that before, but come to think of it, I am more like a being with superpowers than a God."
Grandmama nodded in approval and asked,
"What else?"
Chronos continued,
" Well, Sister Athena mentioned that the Principle Stage was the 'ceiling' imposed upon by the laws of Tertius…"
" Firstly, if dimensional energy and our cultivation are natural constructs, the idea of a ceiling seems extremely unnatural."
" Secondly, if laws can be imposed, there must be a sentience that decided on the laws in the first place, this means that there is a higher level of power no?"
Sophia stared at her little brother, stunned by the weight of his words.
Her eyes widened as the realization hit her like a sudden bolt of lightning.
She stood frozen in place, her body tense and rigid as she struggled to process the enormity of what she had just learned.
For a moment, the young lady seemed lost in her thoughts, her eyes darting back and forth as if searching for some escape from the truth that had just been revealed.
Her hands fluttered nervously at her sides, as if she were grappling with some invisible force.
Grandmama peered at Chronos. She felt a sense of pride and joy welling up inside her.
After a moment of silence, she asked,
"Let's say the Principle stage isn't the end, what do you think comes next?"
"ME…? Hellooo... I'm only three days old?"
Chronos replied, jumping up onto his chair dramatically while pointing to his nose.
The serious savant deep in thought now nowhere to be seen.
"Humor me…"
Grandmama chuckled.
She felt a growing sense of awe and wonder.
The depth of her grandson's observation abilities and intelligence with which he spoke was nothing short of remarkable.
It was as if she was witnessing a prodigy in action, a genius at work.
Chronos sunk back down to his seat, thinking shamelessly,
'Sigh... As hard as I try, there's no hiding my genius...'
"Hmm… well if the Principle Stage encompasses fully understanding specific types of foundational energy of our world and the ability to manipulate the building blocks of nature… then isn't the next step to build something?"
Chronos muttered.