"Here's our room. How do you like it?"

"This place has more to see than HQ. Our cute Mecha youngsters. It’s quite charming and adorable…"

"Quite cute, aren’t they?"

7 PM, New York, Central Park HQ.

It wasn’t exactly a restricted area, but it was a space made just for the three Mecha Eugens. Three manifesters from another world stepped inside. However, it wasn’t cramped— the total space for the three of them was bigger than a basketball court.

The room looked like a barracks that had been remodeled here and there. The difference was that partition walls had been set up around the room, ensuring some privacy.

But the room size wasn’t what mattered. The interior design, the various furniture, the papers attached to the walls, the colorful bedspreads, and the light and cheerful pink wallpaper all created a welcoming atmosphere for Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia.

Lorenatina’s eyes landed on something.

On the table in front of her, there were manicure and pedicure cuticle creams.

"...Who suggested painting the nails and toenails first?"

"Uh, Mav suggested it first."

"I accidentally went into the female lounge once, and I saw it. It was so interesting, I asked about it, and they told me. Since then, everyone agreed to take turns doing it."

"I offered to Logan and Lorenatina too, but unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned..."

Logan, who had something to say but was holding back, finally saw Jin’s gloomy expression and kept his mouth shut.

Meanwhile, there were some distinctive features in the room. The beds were adjusted individually to fit personal preferences and heights, which didn’t cause any trouble in terms of appearance, but what stood out were the thick pistons and supports under the beds, along with the incredibly stiff mattresses.

A question came up naturally.

"...Do the Mecha youngsters even need to sleep?"

"Come to think of it, do they need beds?"

"I initially thought the same, but the reason humans need sleep applies to some extent to these units as well."

"Hmm."

The benefits of sleep.

The moment that thought crossed their minds, the manifesters in the room all seemed to understand.

For the Mecha youngsters, sleep wasn’t strictly necessary. Humans need it to relieve fatigue and clear brain waste, but the Mecha youngsters didn’t have to undergo those processes. However, it couldn’t be said that sleep was completely unnecessary.

Just like how a desktop computer’s performance degrades after running 24/7 for weeks or months, sleep for the Mecha youngsters was a self-diagnostic period for hardware and software, a rest period for their components.

For example, the facial liquid metal control chips that helped create expressions, and the actuator and power supply lines for their joints and weapons, bore the brunt of the most load. Even if they repaired any damage using nanomachines, they still required a cooldown period.

By the time the explanation had finished, Olivia, who had plopped down on the couch in the middle of the living room, added her thoughts.

"I get the general idea. But with your processing power, wouldn’t that be over in a second?"

"Usually, there was an instruction to follow the common wake-up time set for all units at Central Park HQ. Therefore, the logic circuits... in human terms, the consciousness is in a sleep mode, and a self-diagnostic takes about eight hours."

"Still... it feels a bit ambiguous to call it sleep."

"Basically, it’s like deep sleep, right? They say people don’t even dream when they’re in deep sleep. So functionally, it’s not that different."

A logically sound answer indeed.

At that moment, Logan and the others realized once again that the Mecha Biams weren’t just simple humanoids—they were fully-fledged electronic life forms. And that was exactly how things had turned out.

Lorenatina, with an expression that suggested she didn’t know how to respond, turned her head from side to side and realized that her left arm had landed on... something resembling a very small bookshelf.

She glanced at the books stuck tightly in a row and, after confirming the titles, Lorenatina’s expression grew... strangely distorted.

She blushed and rushed toward Rain, who was about to charge at her face. With her free hand, Lorenatina quickly opened the book.

"He smiled dramatically, revealing his white teeth... I can’t stand it. Out of all the romance novels, why this one? No, wait... where did this book even come from? New York Public Library?"

"Ugh, stop reading it! I left the bookmark there!"

"...I guess this was Second’s taste."

A simultaneous sigh came from Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia.

Whether it was the book, the couch, or anything else, something was about to break. Rain, who had barely managed to get the book back, quickly hid it in the room and huffed. Meanwhile, Jin added proudly:

"I love books by this author."

At the same time, Jin pulled out the book without any attempt to hide it and showed the cover.

It was a novel about a Harvard University professor in religious symbolism—a subject that didn’t actually exist—being involved in a murder mystery, with various conspiracy theories spread throughout the series.

What should I even say to this? Olivia, with a look on her face that made it seem like her temples might burst, quietly added:

"Do you believe that the events in this book actually happened, First?"

"Of course. Whenever I read novels, I cross-reference them with actual historical records. I’m well aware there are a lot of errors. But I like the story development and the tension in it."

"Well, that’s a relief. You know, there are surprisingly many people who believe in those conspiracy theories… though, by now, those theories are probably buried with them."

"As an advanced electronic life form like me, I could never believe in such theories. Only people with poor judgment would believe them."

At that moment, Logan couldn’t help himself and burst out laughing. Perhaps Jin was aware, but the author of the book firmly believed in the very conspiracy theory it presented.

Logan and the others were left in a state of mental collapse, unsure how to take the fact that the Mecha Biams’ literary taste had gone down such a strange path. Meanwhile, Mav, with a sigh, waved her hand and activated the hologram projector.

A large screen appeared before them.

On the screen, Eugene and his team were seen wandering around a theme park under the night sky.

"What’s this? Who turned it on?"

"Third did."

"Eh, what? I want to go there and hang out with Archetype too..."

"Let’s leave it to them for now."

Having inherited their memories, it became clear to me.

They were the same person, yet while some were enjoying an unspoiled world, others were not so fortunate. Perhaps that’s why the manifesters from New York needed such moments. At least the three who volunteered to switch felt that way.

And even if the youngest had gone on a VIP tour, they wouldn’t have been able to truly enjoy it. The manifesters from New York, who rested and enjoyed Disney works during their downtime, were very different from the three present here, whose experiences were more inconsistent.

As I watched the Mecha youngsters, now being properly restrained, enjoy their time together sitting on the floor, I felt a slight sense of envy.

---BEEP!

"Eh?"

Suddenly, Jin’s watch rang.

The moment I saw that, her expression subtly changed, and after a moment of hesitation, she spoke.

"Logan, Lorenatina, Olivia."

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes."

Her quick, almost affirmative reply had everyone’s eyes on her. She hesitated a bit before saying.

"Henry... no, the President of the United States has called for you."

At that moment, everyone's expression froze in disbelief.

"It seems they’re having quite the dynamic experience over there."

"Are they doing something over there?"

"We’ll find out when they come back."

"Ugh, seriously, why do you have to build up our curiosity like this?"

Meanwhile, somewhere in Disney World.

I was dealing with something resembling karmic adjustment.

"So, you’re leaving to meet your disciples in a few hours?"

"Right. I’m heading nonstop to St. Petersburg."

"Disciples, huh? I feel like I’ve heard that before... when was it? During the US Western Restoration?"

"If you’re talking about Seattle, that sounds about right. I must have heard of it earlier too."

8 PM, somewhere in Disney World.

We were seated at a VIP-only, manifestation-only dinner, on a second-floor balcony terrace where only the manifesters were allowed. We were waiting for the upcoming fireworks while watching the people walking around.

A soundproof barrier had been installed so that nobody could overhear our conversation, and the restaurant would continue preparing food for us until our bellies were full.

As I continued speaking, my disciples’ attention was fixed on the two people I had taught the most.

It made sense, considering I was leaving for Russia in a few hours.

"You first learned the youngest was alive right after the Western Restoration, right?"

"Yeah, and I didn’t find out about the youngest taking on apprentices until later, probably Sacramento?"

"I found out around the same time. Officially, it was when the youngest mentioned Seattle."

"Quite well taught. Seattle, though, I didn’t know much about since I was traveling around Canada at the time. But you worked together during the refinery operation, right? Seeing you survived, I guess you did your part."

"They were handpicked, but it was still a close call. But those kids... about half a year ago, when they hadn't even touched a gun, they were deployed in an alpha-level operation, and despite it all, they managed to pull their weight. They deserve praise."

Just like that.

Mina and Yerin, with only infinite guns, ammo, and grenades, could probably wipe out a full platoon if they fell into hell. And Seattle was about eight months ago—240 days past, and they were much stronger now.

And that wasn’t the end. After Seattle, there was the time spent in the Unidentified Zone with Jin and Rain, and those two had also participated in Operation Ouroboros.

Thinking about it, I sure had taken them along a lot.

"Well, for an operator who can do their job, being called around is part of the routine."

When I had first arrived at Central Park HQ in New York, Logan, Lorenatina, and Olivia, who had enthusiastically trained me, must have felt something similar.

They probably had some idea of what might happen if the Dark Winter situation prolonged and worsened. Maybe that’s why they took such care to train me as an operator.

As I reminisced about the past, talking about my disciples' journey to Hawaii (I had once shared my YouSpace channel with them during a housewarming party), I simulated the journey to St. Petersburg in my head.

In about two hours, I’d return to the hotel, then in an hour, I’d rush to Orlando International Airport to catch the private jet.

I’d heard Harmony and Dice, along with the national representatives from Korea, and other participants from other countries, were staying at the Lakhta Center, a skyscraper where they would compete. At least the logistics were easier now.

Hmm...

"I need to secure mobility, so first, I should head to Icarus Residence in St. Petersburg."

Securing mobility might sound odd, but it essentially meant I’d be getting a vehicle.

"Icarus seems to have become something like a vehicle storage warehouse," I thought. Maybe this was how multinational corporations worked in movies...

"Looks like you’ve got a lot on your mind, Eugene."

"...Yeah, just a bit."

Embarrassed or awkward, I scratched the back of my head and added to Lorenatina’s comment. I’d brought my friends here but had been so preoccupied with scheduling that I quickly tried to refocus.

"Do you like living a busy life?"

"Well, kind of... I guess."

"A busy life means you’re building up the meaning of your life, piece by piece. Not always, but usually, what you build up forms a solid connection with the future that hasn’t arrived yet."

Suddenly, Lorenatina spoke in a somewhat scholarly tone.

Logan and Olivia didn’t seem to mind, and it seemed like something had clicked between us while I was lost in thought, and our intentions were being communicated through Lorenatina.

"That’s what you’ve earned from the six years you lost... Maybe that’s what it is, maybe not."

"..."

"Anyway, you’ve now built enough to return pieces of the past. The time the youngest spent in the world has brought us here."

Did it?

Suddenly hearing this, I didn’t quite feel it, but... one thing was for sure. There had been a lot of things that happened over the last two years.

Given that everything contributed to creating this moment... what kind of foundation is this moment laying for? Surely, not all of this was for the future, but it all had its meaning.

As I waited silently for more, Lorenatina stood up.

I felt a soft sensation as her hair was gently stroked.

"Well done, and I’ll be counting on you in the future, youngest."

"...Of course. I’m here because of all of you."

"Thinking back, the youngest coin I invested in is still rising. There’s value in teaching you with all my might."

"Hey, I thought things were going well, but then at the end, it all went to hell… Hey, get that guy!"

"Yes, yes."

Suddenly, the sky exploded in color, fireworks bursting in every direction.

However, under that sky, no deep, memorable moments were being created. My mild sense of emotion was snatched away by Lorenatina's final words as Olivia quickly grabbed her and dragged her away, and Shark was dragged along as well.

I just smiled.

"This is why these are my friends."

And so, the last day at Disney World passed by.