Adam woke up in the evening… stretching his arms.
The black cat rested lazily on a high shelf in his small room, purring softly. He hadn't planned on keeping it, but somehow… he couldn't help it. The cat was his now.
Berto, he named it.
The hotel was cheap, but decent—air conditioning and all. Not bad for someone. He stepped outside, letting the cool evening air brush against his skin.
The town glowed. Lanterns lined the marble streets like stars fallen from the sky. Shrines dotted the roadsides, casting soft beams of colored light across white stone homes. Everything echoed in slow in the city,
Then—
A gruff shout cut through the air.
A man approached, rough and worn. A strange hat sat crooked on his head, made of what looked like braided grass and sticks. A gift, maybe, from that old farmer man. On his back were fishing rods and utility bags, and one side of his face was scarred, with a clouded, missing eye. Part of his body—rusted. Metal limbs worn and groaning. A strange smell followed him, like rain on copper.
"Hoho! You're up early today, Adam," the man grinned wide. His energy was odd—cheerful, yet worn. His oversized fishing boots flopped comically with every step.
Adam sighed and smiled faintly, the kind of smile a protagonist might give in an isekai. What's with these people… so many layers.
"Yeah… just getting some fresh air. I'm on a break," he replied, at least until this guy showed up.
"Oh? Then follow me," the man said. "There's a place I want to show you. You haven't explored the island much, have you? It'd be a shame if you left without seeing it all."
Adam hesitated… then nodded.
"Okay."
He felt a strange nostalgia. Like accepting a quest from an old man in some RPG…
Just like when he was sixteen.
He followed. The man's hands were slightly torn, rust along the joints, but still functional as he carried his fishing gear.
What's with these people…?
He shook his head and kept walking.
They continued along a stone path. The trees began to grow taller, denser. Then Adam saw it—a river, flowing both up and down in strange harmony, supported by clear glass structures, connecting to different islands. The side of the walls beside it were made of stone, not too tall, letting one see the pastures beside it—sheep and goats grazing peacefully, the crows watching on the scarecrow.
The path led across several connected islands until, finally—
"Here we are," the man said.
A lake.
Not just any lake. A colorful one.
Islands sat in its center, reflected clearly on the shimmering water. Trees curled protectively around the edges. The man sat on a large rock and began preparing his rod, attaching a baited hook. He cast it into the lake with ease.
He handed Adam a second rod.
Adam mimicked his movements and cast the line into the shining waters.
Golden fireflies floated gently in the air.
"The doctor did good work here," the man said. "I hope… you'll take a memory of it with you."
Adam blinked. "What?"
"Look closer."
He did. Beneath the lake's surface—gems. Pearls. Jewels of all colors, scattered like candy under the water.
"So that's why it's so bright…"
He spotted movement—fishes, some mechanical.
"Some of the fish here are droids," the man explained. "They clean the water, produce biofilms, oxygen… nutrients. Sigh there's so vulnerable die so easily."
Then—Adam caught a fish.
"I did it!" he smiled, amazed by something so small. It sparkled in the light.
"You actually did…" the old man chuckled. "Most of the fish here are smart enough to avoid the traps. Guess this guy was just stupid."
Adam gently released it.
"I guess it was different."
"Different… huh."
The man's voice softened. "Did you think that was bad?"
Silence. The sound of crickets echoed in the background.
"You know… I'm kind of jealous of you," the man muttered.
Adam glanced at him, puzzled.
"There was someone I loved, a long time ago. I don't even know why. Maybe my programming was based on her goodness, the things she done or did…"
He sighed, reattaching a bait and casting again.
"But I wonder—was that real love? Was my love real, or just… lines of code, and I hated it"
He smiled sadly. "I remember her face, her voice, the things she did. But I'll never know if what I felt was mine, or just something designed."
Adam didn't know what to say. Why was this man—this robot—sharing this with him? And anyways adam thought about it… a human was also just like a robot with neurons and synapses.
"…Why are you telling me this?"
"To be remembered, kid."
He laughed, but his eyes shimmered. "I'm afraid of being forgotten. Of the experiences, or emotions I had… or if I ever had one."
He looked down. "I'm selfish."
Adam was quiet.
"Now go on," the man said. "You probably don't want to spend more time with some broken old robot."
"…Well, what if I do want to stay a bit longer?"
A pause. A slow, understanding smile.
I'm selfish too, Adam thought. We all are, I guess. We're all afraid of something. I thought I was the only one.
Wait why are robots even afraid…
The bot—Simon—wasn't well known. The robots barely know him. He's one of the longest-living android in the city, yet rarely came into town. He just mined, or fished, quietly at the edge of the town. On the Islands or his Hut.
"You know what, kid?" Simon said at last, reaching into his coat.
He handed Adam a folded map.
"This is the final mine location on the islands. I own it. And now…Take what you want from it."
Adam's eyes widened. Smiling cannot hide it..
"Really…? So the quest was real, after all… like the old RPGs…"
He clutched the map. "Thank you!"
Simon nodded, brushing from his long and sharp beard. "Now go on. I'll rest in my hut a while."
Adam ran, filled with excitement, back toward the glowing town. Behind him, the old man stayed at the lake. His body dimmed softly, like a lantern slowly fading.
He looked at the firefly, there were golden
"…Where did you come from?
I wish I was different…