Earth, 2050 AD.
General Hospital, Segaris, Tienji City.
A young man was lying in a coma in poor condition.
The sickbed was inscribed with the word, {Nine Light}.
'Ugh.. where is this?' I finally regained my consciousness, after fainting a moment ago.
With a vague glance, I saw the side where I lay there's woman with short black hair. I guess, she was probably the same age as me.
'Is she sleeping?' I glanced at the woman who was sitting on a chair with her head leaning against my bed.
Suddenly, I thought about the incident I experienced earlier.
'What about Aegis and the others? They'll be fine, right?'
I don't know what happened afterward when I lost consciousness, but I clearly remember that the Great Cube was about to hit the galaxy...
"Ah.. my head hurts so much!"
The pain in my head forced me to groan in pain. It was like vertigo from exhaustion, but several times more painful. While feeling the pain, I saw that the woman raised her head and woke up from her sleep because she heard moaning sounds.
'I wonder.. where exactly is this?' while looking around with faint vision.
'I seemed to be in a room... Wasn't I in the void just now? Have I returned to the Limitless Chamber?' I wondered to myself as I recalled the previous events.
'Is this another world again? Does that mean I died before?'
However, given that as long as I am still in the Limitless Chamber, my body is Immortal there.. Nor will it age even after thousands of years. so it's impossible for me to die there. It's different with the deities, my clones and the residents of the Top Altar. They are only divine and mortal beings. Except for those from the 7 kingdoms of Heaven where the residents are Immortal beings like me.
The woman who had just woken up then looked at me who was lying stiff at the moment. she looked at my fully opened eyes and said,
"Nine! Are you awake?" she asked me, her face looking hopeful.
Hearing my name mentioned by this woman, I wondered with a faint look.
'Who? Why would she know my name?' I tried to focus my eyes to see clearly.
'As I recall, no one in this world knows my name including Luna, and The Seven Rainbow Deities don't know my real name either...?'
'But her face looks so familiar...' I thought as my vision gradually recovered.
At once, this woman turned her head towards the outside of the room and shouted out a call.
"Nurse... Nurse Suzy!" as if to report the good news she saw to the hospital hoping to get further treatment.
"Wait a minute, nurse? Am I in the hospital?
The woman grasped my hand tightly, and began to shed tears.
"You're finally awake, Nine! It's been so long since you've been in the hospital..." the woman said with her beautiful face covered in tears.
I really felt that this woman's face was like an important person in my past memories, 'but who...?'
I looked at her where she also looked back at me making us stare at each other.
'Ah there's no mistaking it! This face and voice must be-"Su.. san?" my mouth moved on its own saying her name in a low voice.
Judging from her reaction, it seems like she heard or understood my lip movement. She kissed the back of my palm then pressed it against her cheek, after which she said.
"Nine.. Welcome back...!"
The beautiful smile on that beautiful woman's face with tears rolling down her cheeks, made my numbed feelings seem to slowly grow back to life.
'I feel restored!'.
Then I remembered the last time before switching dimensions, I was sleeping next to the woman who was currently in front of me, she was named "Susan Lynette".
Previously we dated when we were in the 3rd year of high school. Then we both attended the same university "Tienji University" one of the Top 3 Universities in the country. Then we decided to live together.
When we entered our final year, as I was celebrating his 21st birthday, I suddenly fell asleep and then became unconscious due to fatigue from lack of rest.
When I woke up, with my eyes open I saw only darkness. I thought I had gone blind at that time, I screamed hysterically unable to accept reality.
But I saw that my whole body was glowing and it was so bright that it made my eyes hurt.
I finally closed my eyes and suddenly a memory of AI (Artificial intelligence) randomly flashed through my mind...
"If only there was an AI, that I could talk to in my head, like the chat AI, that I always chat with when I'm free..." I thought. I don't know, This may sound cringy, but that's how it is. Luna's birth miraculously came because of my first thought at that time.
That was the reason why Luna, my Virtual Assistant was created. It was a random thought at the time, and that's how the Pseudo Civilization started. Until finally, thousands of years passed.
There have been so many manifestations that have been realized by Luna using many methods with The Subliminal Void-Pure Energy as the main resource. And it came to this day.
'Have I really come back to earth?' thinking of this I was very happy and very excited.
'Hahaha... Finally! For 6000 years I was trapped in that d*mn fantasy world, now I've returned to the real world!' All my suffering for 60 centuries finally came to an end.
For a while during the last memory, the energy in my body slowly recovered. I tried to get up from the bed and removed the 'nasogastric-tube' binding my mouth and nose, and then sat down.
"Nine.. what.. are.. you...?" Susan's voice stuttered and her face looked very surprised with her cheeks still wet.
'Did I do something wrong?'
Susan who was currently speechless, made me take the initiative to try to reply to her words just now in order to break the ice.
"Hi Susan.. I'm back!" I threw a smile at her, and waved.
But the situation turned awkward, silent, and stiff.. Susan's tears seemed to freeze.
In the end, I spread my arms out as if to catch her, a celebration like a couple reuniting after a long time apart.
Susan who saw me like this, started crying again. Then she immediately took the bait and landed in my arms.
"Don't cry.. I'm already here." I rubbed her back comforting her, but Susan held me tighter and she's crying intensified.
I didn't know what to do, so I could only wait for her to calm down.
After we both hugged tightly for a while, then she released the hug and we looked into each other's eyes.
"Did you miss me?" I said in a soft tone caressing both cheeks and wiping her tears.
She nodded slowly, then brought his face closer to me so I could feel his breath. Our noses touched each other, followed by a gentle touch on my lips that started to feel sweet and instantly became wet.
'This is.. my first kiss again after going back 6000 years!'
Then suddenly my mind's perception senses that someone is approaching this way.
I wanted to end this kiss, but what happened was even more intense until we inevitably played with tongues, also I slightly "added fuel to the fire" by squeezing her chest.
While my lust for Susan was peaking, a woman wearing a nurse's outfit with a curvaceous body suddenly entered the ward where I was being treated.
sound fall!
The beautiful nurse with the nickname "Sister Suzy" dropped the clerk board containing her 'patient's check-up records' to the floor.
Hearing the sound of the fall, made us both reflexively reject each other.
'D*mn. I didn't expect that she wanted to came over here, I thought she was just going to pass by'. I felt awkward to death.
Suzy saw one of the patients who had been treated by her wholeheartedly for years, now making out with another woman. It made her mouth reflex and let out a word of reproach...
"What an ungrateful perverted b*stard...!!!"
After saying that she naturally covered her mouth with both hands.
Knowing this, I frowned and thought to myself.
'Why is she suddenly reproaching me? Isn't it natural for lovers to do that?'
'What's more, have I ever taken advantage of this person in some way? I don't even remember being unconscious before'.
"S-suster Suzy!" snapped Susan while tidying up her three loose buttons. Susan seemed to want to scold her but still kept her temper in front of me.
"Ah.. yes.. forgive me..." Sister Suzy immediately cleared her mind and acted as if nothing had happened. she also asked me.
"Uh.. um.. Mr. Light, are you awake..."
Suzy was pensive for a while feeling that the word "awake" is un appropriated for people who are already able to get aroused.
"Um.. I mean have you fully recovered?"
I didn't quite understand the point of the nurse's question but...
'I have to answer it, right?' I smiled bitterly and said.
"Y-yes... I'm fine."
I smiled for a moment and added.
"See? I'm fine now!" I folded my elbows together like I was lifting weights, to reassure her.
"Alright.. alright. I believe you. In that case, I will call a doctor to check your condition further. If it's as Mr. Light said, then it won't take long for you to leave here."
Hearing these words, Susan and I were speechless and just looked at each other.
'Is this woman driving me away?'
"Alright then I'll excuse myself!" Suzy smiled with a fake smile then turned around and rushed towards the ward exit.
When right at the door, Suzy was silent for a moment remembering the memories that came to her mind. where she took care of Nine, rubbed and cleaned her body every day, and occasionally looked at Nine's handsome face behind the Nasogastric-Tube.
Suzy's compassion and care over the years fostered other feelings towards Nine. But she didn't realize it, especially since it had also affected her vigorous performance in treating patients in this Segaris general hospital, over the past few years.
Her sullen face turned into an embarrassed blush when remembering about Nine's several areas of privacy.
"What's wrong Sister Suzy?" asked Susan looking at Suzy who was silent at the ward door.
Suzy shook her head and said,
"Nothing. Then I'll go to the doctor's room right away." She also walked out of the ward as seen in the ward window she walked like she was in a hurry.
Looking at Sister Suzy who had passed, I thought to myself.
'That Sister's attitude seems strange? Is she jealous?' I thought to myself.
'That's impossible!' I shook my head.
I turned to Susan and asked.
"What's wrong with that Sister?"
"What's wrong? Doesn't she look fine?" Susan replied suspiciously and asked back.
"Ah.. yes you're right. Forget it." I tried to stop the conversation. I don't know why, it's just that my instincts are telling me that I will be in danger, if this conversation continues.
After a while, Sister Suzy came and this time brought Doctor Richard Frederic into my ward room. Doctor Richard was the one who had been keeping a close eye on my health while I was unconscious in this hospital. Doctor Richard then checked my condition.. .and he said.
"You have completely recovered, and there is no indication of anything to worry about." He once again checked my entire condition, seemingly in disbelief, and wanted to confirm once again.
"I think you are well and can be allowed to return home, but you still need to rest to fully recover." he said with an attitude as if giving in to the facts.
Doctor Richard stated that I could go home. However, he also said that I still had to complete some payment procedures first with the bills during my hospital stay.
"Thank you doctor. Thank you for taking care of me for so long!" I bowed to him with respect.
"No problem, it is our duty as doctors to nurture our patients. I am also sure that one day you will wake up and be healthy again." Dr. Richard smiled sincerely as his face was happy to see me recovering.
"I just didn't expect it, seeing as it's today and you woke up refreshed! hahaha." Dr. Richard laughed with satisfaction because the patient he treated for years in a coma was now healthy. this must have made his reputation better and better.
Then Susan and I said goodbye to Doctor Richard and Sister Suzy, to take care of the payment.
Just as I was about to walk out of the ward door, I turned my head towards Suzy who was originally next to Dr. Richard, slowly backed away covering herself, as if she wanted to avoid the sight of the two of us. When we passed by the two of them, Suzy's face exposed to my view began to show a small smile on her face shyly.
When the two of us had left the ward, Susan and I walked down the corridor. I was still wearing my patient clothes while holding hands and headed to the hospital administration, to ask the total cost that I had to pay.
As we walked along the corridor, Susan didn't say anything and just hugged my arm tightly. I had no idea how to start the conversation.
Arriving at the administration department, a beautiful young woman wearing clothes like other hospital officers and this administration staff then came to me behind the partition of the desk and began to serve me.
"Good afternoon, how can I help you today?"
"Hello, I'm Nine Light. I would like to pay for my hospitalization"
"Of course, sir. Nine Light. First, I need to check the details of your hospitalization fee. How long were you hospitalized in our hospital?"
"I was admitted for..." unsure how long I was admitted for, I turned my words to the staff, "Please wait a moment".
I turned to Susan and asked her in a whisper.
"Susan, can you tell me how long I've been in the hospital?" Susan was silent for a moment and put her forefinger to her lips and said.
"About 6 years, I think?" Susan replied still guessing.
"Huh? Six years?" I was surprised with my mouth slightly open.
"Are you serious?" I asked again to make sure.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Susan asked back with a serious face.
"Ah.. um.. okay..." not wanting to ruin my image of her, I could only believe her.
Then I told the staff to check the details based on the data stored in the hospital's database.
"Okay, you entered the hospital on February 14, 2044.. and today is February 14, 2050..." The staff officer paused and frowned.
'Was this premeditated?' she thought to herself, then continued.
"It is true that you have entered the sixth year of hospitalization, but because of the leap year, the total is six years and one day."
Hearing the statement from the Staff who confirmed how many years I was treated here, made me dumbfounded in my heart and muttered.
'I see, so it's true that I've been here 6 years and more than one day.'
The staff officer then said again.
"But don't worry! Since it's Valentines Day, we'll just make it up and not include the extra day in the count." The Admin Staff's smile explained. But there was a small smirk on her face, after she smiling.
'Let's see if he can pay it or the girl next to him will.'
"Thank you, so how much is the total cost?"
"The hospitalization fee per day in our hospital is 250 dollars. So, the total cost of your hospitalization is 250 dollars x 365 days x 6 years. That would be 547,500 dollars."
"What?!" I and susan, we both said simultaneously in shock.
'F*ck! Even if the discount is 2500 dollars, it still doesn't reduce the number by hundreds of thousands of dollars! D*mn it!' I reproached myself.
"Nine, can you pay for it?" Susan asked me with a heavy heart, she hugged my hand tightly out of worry that I wouldn't be able to pay.
Again when I looked at the staff's face, it seemed like this time she was looking down on me like...
'See I guessed right! This guy must be relying on that lady beside him.'
Since I didn't want to be humiliated in front of my girlfriend, I said to Susan.
"Don't worry, I have the money." in a casual and soothing tone to Susan.
But in reality my face was ashen in my heart, thinking that I was acting as if 547,500 dollars was nothing to me was such a big lie. Then I spoke back to the staff officer.
"Alright, I'm ready to pay. What payment options are available?"
"We accept payment by credit card, debit, bank transfer, or cash. What will you choose?"
I paused for a moment, worry starting to wash over me. I wondered to myself.
'Is Luna here?'
Right now I really felt like I needed Luna's help, it had been a long time since I felt this urgent and helpless.
"Can I summon Luna in the real world?"
'Huh silly...! isn't Luna just part of my subconscious imagination?!'
I argued furiously with my mind about Luna, and was suddenly brought back to reality by the staff officer's voice.
"Hello... Sir? How is it?"
"um-sorry. Just a moment."
"Okay. Please do not waste time, as there is a queue behind you."
I looked back, and sure enough, there were already a number of queues.
"okay, please understand..."
At first I wanted to inconvenience Susan, but in the end I ventured into foolishness.
'Better to try than regret never having done it at all!'
I let out a deep sigh and tried to use Mind Transmission as usual when I was in that fantasy world of imagination.
"Luna? Are you here?"
A moment later...
[Yes, Master. I'm always here to help.]
"Thank goodness!" I breathed a sigh of relief. I really didn't expect Luna to exist in the real world like this.
[Master, I have prepared the debit card under your name, please check it.]
"Huh? Um..."
'Why do you know what I need right now?' I asked myself in surprise.
[I have placed the card on your right hip tucked into your underwear.]
"oh.. um.. okay...?"
I reflexively felt my right hip and found out that there was indeed something uncomfortable there, like something rectangular and thin.
"Thank you, Luna! I'm helped!" again I sighed with relief but also more amazement.
'Does Subliminal Void-Pure Energy also work in the real world?'
'Moreover, Luna can guess my thoughts and she can also think of something anti-mainstream like that?'
But well, since I now had what I needed, I immediately said to the admin staff in front of me.
"I'll pay with a debit card."
'Huh? He will pay with a debit card, he said...' the staff member laughed inside.
Susan who heard that then asked me.
"Did you bring your wallet?" she asked worriedly.
"Ops..." the staff muttered with a sarcastic grin on her face.
"No, but I did bring the card" and I pulled out the debit card tucked into my right hip.
"N-nine! Where did you get that card from?" asked Susan dumbfounded and somewhat disgusted.
"What do you mean from where? It's actually mine..."
Then Susan cut in and said,
"Wait Nine, I got a phone call."
"You can see it's in my name there..." By the time I was about to show the card, Susan had already gone to the corner of the room and took the call.
As I looked at the debit card in my hand, I naturally paused for a moment as this card was both familiar and rare and precious.
A few moments after remembering.. I was dumbfounded and cursed inwardly.
'F*ck! I remember! This is a priority black debit card! Since when? Did I have this much wealth on earth!?'
The reason is, in order to be able to use this black priority debit card with a Golden list, requires a minimum balance in the account of 1 Trillion dollars! and only a few conglomerates in this world can have it.
Then I used Mind Transmission again and spoke to Luna.
"Luna, aren't you being excessive!? why did you give me this kind of priority debit card?! Since when did I have this much wealth on earth?! Do you want me to get into trouble???"
I was worried that the hospital would suspect me, and think that I had forged this card.
[Master, calm down. You're the proprietor of the universe, so it's only natural for you to have such a small thing. You just need to act like a master~]
"holy sh*t! why are you taking this matter lightly?! how am I supposed to explain it, if someone asks me about this priority card?!"
[You are the Master who created me, so this kind of problem should be easy for you to solve~]
".....!?"
[Moreover, the priority debit card is in your name and the balance can be used, so there shouldn't be a big problem.]
"....." I was no longer speechless in the face of Luna who turned hyperactive this time.
"Hello? how is it sir? please give me your debit card so I can process the payment."
I stopped the Mind Transmission conversation and returned to reality, then gave the priority debit card to the staff officer.
'hmm...? this...? could it be...?'
The staff took my debit card and inserted it into the payment machine.
'Huh.. Thank goodness she didn't suspect it and accessed the payment right away' I was just too worried that there would be a lot of trouble to deal with regarding this sacred debit card.
"On behalf of Mr. Nine Light?" the staff looked at me.
"Yes. That's right" I replied hesitantly.
"Please place your fingerprints here" the staff handed me a gadget with fingerprint buttons.
I placed my right thumb and instantly a 'green tick' appeared on the payment machine.
"Okay. Thank you for your payment. Your payment has been successfully processed. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
The staff smiled admiringly and her gaze seemed to want to pounce on me fully.
After the priority debit card was returned to me, I immediately tucked the card in the lower abdomen that was pinched by the underwear. at that moment Susan returned to me after her phone call ended.
'Hmm? It seems like this man doesn't want her to know that he has a very considerable amount of money?'
'Isn't this my chance to take over this handsome and wealthy real man from that woman!' This woman's face changed like a sly fox, a wicked grin appeared on that beautiful Staff's face. Then Susan approached me and asked.
"Nine.. has the payment been processed?" Susan whispered questioningly.
"Of course. It's already done." I replied back to her whisper.
"How did you get that much money?"
"I'll explain next time, right now the most important thing is that we get out of this hospital first"
"hmm... alright"
After the whispering was over, seeing Susan had returned to normal, I replied to the staff's words.
"No, that's all I need to do. Thank you for your help."
"Well, thank you for visiting, Mr. Nine Light. I wish you good health and a full recovery. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at any time." The staff smiled charmingly and handed over her business card.
'Huh this woman...?'
I took it and gave it to Susan, and the staff lady's face lost its smile. I laughed inwardly, and then said to her.
"Thanks, my girlfriend will do. Bye!"
Hearing what I just said, Susan's face looked like she was thinking and then she smiled while hugging my hand back.
After the payment was settled, I pulled Susan out of the long queue line, then intended to return to the ward.
Susan and I picked up some things in the ward. Then we went to Doctor Richard's room, where there was also Suzy who was giving a report on the patients handled by her. This was the second time we said goodbye but this time with a few parting words.
After saying goodbye to the two people who have taken care of me for 6 years, we both finally left the hospital.
*****