*rocking sounds* *Bird sounds*
I was floating in front of my little cottage, sitting in a gently swaying wooden rocking chair.
I watched the sun rise over the lake, and a light mist began to form over the water, gently spreading in all directions.
By the lake, small songbirds that I had created chirped, adding to the relaxing atmosphere. I had slept for the first time in a long while, thankfully just one night, and my head felt clearer.
"Incredible!" I said, as there was something mysterious about it.
I was glad I had finally completed my Control Room, and I believed it was the right decision to design it.
I let my gaze wander over my small space, which I would likely see for a long time, every day, for who knows how long, alone.
As I thought about it, a slight shadow of loneliness crept over my mood.
I had grown accustomed to not having much contact with people.
I had spent 20 years lying around, as I've mentioned before.
Nevertheless, I had seen my grandchildren from time to time and had a caregiver.
Even though we didn't talk much, the presence of others was a comforting feeling, knowing that you were not alone.
Now, I was here, in another world whose name I didn't even know, a species that couldn't freely roam this world or make contact with other living beings.
I was isolated from everything, just floating and creating...
"Hmm, I have the power to create almost anything, but I still feel weak."
"What am I even here for?" I asked myself.
"What should I do?"
„What is my goal?"
„Should I try to return to my old world? But... what awaits me there?"
„All my friends are already gone, my close family, and my grandchildren and great-grandchildren don't need me. „
„What's the value of this lonely existence?"
I kept sinking into these thoughts and daydreamed about a complete end.
This loneliness came out of nowhere, and now, it was consuming me.
"AAAAHHH!" I screamed. "What am I doing here? Why am I thinking about giving up?"
"I made a plan, didn't I? To create a companion for myself, right?"
"Yes, I did!" I agreed with myself.
I immediately opened my status and went to the icon where I could create a species.
Arriving there, I started right away, planning and thinking. Without realizing it, my complete focus was on this task.
The loneliness had come as quickly as it had arrived, hadn't it? Two days later, I was finished.
This creation would cost 1500 EC, but it will BE worth it!
____
Age: 0 years, 7 months, 2 weeks, 2 days, 6 hours
EC: 1,500/1,500
______
I looked at my creation and felt like Pygmalion.
This figure had arisen purely out of egoism and fear of loneliness.
"I'm really curious!" I checked all the characteristics again and found myself very satisfied. For the substantial sum, she had quite a few features.
She had a human body, planned to be 180cm tall, and unintentionally, she turned out to be a woman.
"Hmm, should I change that?" I wondered.
"No, I'll leave it like this. I have to pay homage to Pygmalion!" I chuckled lightly. I could have created her as diverse or male, but I thought of my wife tending the garden. So it has to be like that.
„Aaand I think a woman body looks more aesthetic on this kind of being…"
So, the human figure was a woman, approximately 23 years old, 180cm tall, with long legs, a slim build, blonde hair with hints of pink, and large, fiery blue eyes.
Her face had a unique mix of sharp and soft features.
What I did insist on was that she be nature-oriented so that she could tend to the garden if needed.
Therefore, she had several attributes.
One functionality, although not conventionally attractive, was her long ears, which were intended to help her better hear the plants, understanding how they were doing and how well they were growing.
I didn't fully comprehend it, but I trusted the description.
She had a soulstone in her heart, not visible.
Her skin was lightly tanned because spending long time in the garden can often led to sunburn.
"She reminds me a bit of a Latin American woman."
She had mana veins, a more expensive variant, allowing more mana circulation. It sounded simple at first, but it was incredibly costly and complicated to put together.
Additionally, her muscles were slightly stronger and faster, enabling her to move heavy objects like trees. But she still looks slender.
She also possessed knowledge of gardening and some plants.
I added basic knowledge and a few other small features.
The final touch that depleted the rest of my EC was the special ability of slow aging, as I didn't want her to die before me.
[Creation Cost: 1500 EC]
I was relatively sure and proceeded with the creation.
"A name for the species is needed."
"Hmm, I have just the right one!" To honor Pygmalion until the end, I named her Galatea.
[Species „Galatea" got saved]
It was accepted, and my Core briefly lit up in the Control Room.
Then, a naked woman materialized in my bedroom.
"Scandalous!" I laughed.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any EC left to create something for her.
I admired my creation.
"She's really beautiful!" I had to smile. "Too bad about the ears!"
I watched as she spun around to assess the situation. I floated next to her, wondering what it felt like to be created. With no knowledge of oneself, if any self even existed.
[First conscious life in the Control Room detected]
[Avatar now available]
Those were the two messages that appeared before my eyes. I immediately focused on these messages and hoped that Galatea would find and read the little notebook I had prepared for her.
I opened my status.
—————
[Status]
Name: -
Age: 0 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 21 hours
Species: World Dungeon Core
Level: 2/6
Experience Points: 412/150,000
EC: 0/1,500
—> 2 EC regenerates per hour
Characteristics:
Space (unique)
Time (unique)
Consciousness
Floors: 3
Control Room
First Floor (Tempora) ---> 1.2 EC per hour
Second Floor (name)
[More]
—————
Since I could understand "Avatar" to some extent, I immediately opened [More] and then the subsection [Mode].
———
[Mode]
• Core [o]
• Ghost [x]
• Avatar [o]
—————
"Yipiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeee!" I cried out and activated the Avatar Mode.
My view didn't change, but my sense of the environment did.
It was as if I had been struck by lightning, experiencing smells, sensations, and even the taste of the air.
I now stood before Galatea, feeling a joy I hadn't felt in a long time. Without thinking, I rushed toward her, embracing her.
"Yippie! After almost 21 years, I can walk again!" I rejoiced, twirling around the room with Galatea in my arms.
My creation didn't seem to appreciate that as she had her own feelings.
How does one even feel after being the first of a species, reading something about oneself in a notebook, appearing naked in a room, and then having a naked man appear out of nowhere, shouting in joy, hugging you, and dancing with you in his arms, in excitement?
I would say confused!
After some time, I calmed down a bit, but I was still as excited as a child.
"Can one still be so excited in my age, like a child? I wouldn't have thought!" I talked to myself. "Haha, technically, I'm just under seven months old!"
It seemed like all the worries about loneliness had disappeared from my shoulders.
I gently let the lady down, who looked visibly embarrassed and confused.
I extended my hand and introduced myself.
"Hello, I'm Isaac Stone, your creator."
She tried to cover her private areas, which didn't bother me at all, as I had already seen enough bodies.
I lived my 132 years not with eyes closed!
Besides, I hadn't created her for that purpose. I noticed that I was also naked, which wasn't a problem, as many caretakers had seen me naked.
"What's your name?" I asked her when she didn't respond.