Chapter 6: Marmot
An involuntary smirk tugged at my lips. ’Yeah... having a billionaire dad is definitely awesome.’
For the next forty-five minutes, I did my best to keep up with the food, though Mom made it nearly impossible by piling more onto my plate every time she spotted even the smallest patch of porcelain.
She asked about my favorite hobbies, the music I liked, and the kind of clothes I enjoyed wearing, carefully avoiding the darker parts of my past. She didn’t want to know the orphan or the overworked waiter.
She just wanted to know me.
Julian didn’t speak much, but every time I looked up, I found him quietly watching me, a fierce pride shining in his eyes. It wasn’t the same open affection Mom wore on her sleeve, but the weight of his gaze made me feel strangely safe, like an unbreakable shield stood between me and the rest of the world.
By the time the meal finally ended, I felt heavier than a sack of bricks. My stomach was packed with food fit for royalty, and my mind was still trying to process how much love and care I’d received in a single evening.
"Come," Mom said, rising from her chair and smoothing out her dress with a smile. "Let’s get you up to your room. You look like you’re about to fall asleep face-first in the dessert platter."
We climbed the grand staircase, leaving Julian behind to finish his drink. Before we disappeared into the corridor, he gave me a firm nod that somehow said more than words could.
Mom led me through the east wing of the villa, down a long, heavily carpeted hallway before stopping in front of a massive set of dark oak double doors.
"This entire wing is yours," she said proudly, pushing the doors open.
I stepped inside and stopped dead in my tracks. Calling it a bedroom was an insult. It was more like a luxury penthouse pretending to be one.
In the center of the room sat a ridiculous king-sized bed with a towering velvet headboard, while floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the far wall, framing a breathtaking view of the glittering capital skyline.
"We kept the decor neutral for now since we didn’t know your tastes," Mom said, watching my face anxiously. For a woman who could probably buy a small country, she looked surprisingly vulnerable, worried that her son might not like the home she’d prepared for him. "We can remodel everything tomorrow. The furniture, the colors, the layout... whatever you want, just say the word."
"It’s... it’s perfect, Mom. Really," I said, turning to face her. "I’ve never seen anything like it."
Relief washed over her face. She stepped forward, wrapping me in one last tight hug before kissing my cheek. "Sleep well, my sweet boy. I’ll see you in the morning."
She stepped out into the hallway, leaving Valerie standing quietly at the threshold. Valerie took one look at the exhausted expression on my face and gave me a rare, gentle smile that softened her usually sharp features into something unexpectedly beautiful.
"Get some rest, Young Master," she said, one hand resting lightly on the hilt of the ornamental dagger at her waist. "I’ll be right outside your door. You don’t have to worry about a thing."
"Thanks, Val," I said with a tired smile.
She offered a respectful bow before pulling the heavy doors shut behind her. Her cape brushed softly against the doorway, and then I was alone in luxurious silence.
I walked over to the bed and practically collapsed face-first onto it. The mattress swallowed me whole. It was softer than anything I’d ever slept on.
The cool silk sheets felt incredible against my skin as I rolled onto my back, staring up at the high, recessed ceiling and listening to the distant hum of the capital below.
’Billionaire parents who adore me. A private jet. A gorgeous, deadly bodyguard standing outside my door. A literal palace.’
I let out a breathless laugh as the absurdity of the last twelve hours finally caught up with me. Slowly, I raised a hand into the dim light filtering through the windows, my pulse quickening with anticipation.
’Alright, Paige,’ I muttered to myself. ’Let’s experiment.’
[Finally! I was starting to think your new mom was going to sing you a lullaby. Do you have any idea how boring it is waiting around while you cry over wagyu beef?]
"Hey, that beef was life-changing," I said, still getting used to talking to the floating blue interface. "Anyway, you said I can do whatever, right? Let’s start with my eyes. Fix my vision."
[One high-definition upgrade coming right up.]
A sudden warmth spread through my eyes. I blinked, and the entire room zoomed out all of a sudden. I looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows and gaped.
The night sky looked impossibly close. I could clearly make out the rugged craters on the distant moon as if I were looking through those big observatory telescope.
"Whoa, whoa, Paige, turn it down!" I hissed, squeezing my eyes shut. "I just wanted to read without squinting, not look for alien life on the moon. It’s giving me a headache."
The system screen flashed rapidly as something like a stifled giggle echoed through my head.
I wanted to glare at her but also didn’t want to open my telescopic eyes.
[Oh, come on, you asked me to fix it! I just gave you the deluxe edition. Fine, you party pooper. Scaling it back to a boring human range.]
I opened my eyes again. The cosmic telescope effect was gone, replaced by a perfectly crisp view of the bedroom. I could even read the tiny print on the distant drapes.
"Much better," I muttered, a small smirk forming as I looked back at the glowing screen. "Now, for teasing me... I think it’s time for a little developer-mandated revenge. Paige, turn yourself into a marmot."
[Wait, what? Absolutely not! I am a highly advanced, reality-warping consciousness, not a—]
Before she could finish, the blue screen vanished in a burst of digital particles. Something hit the silk comforter near my feet with a heavy thud.
I leaned forward. Sitting on the bed was a plump, incredibly fluffy marmot with buck teeth and a deeply offended expression.
[I hate you so much right now,] Paige grumbled in my head, her tiny marmot nose twitching furiously.
"Oh my god," I laughed, reaching over to poke her incredibly soft side. She tried to swat my hand away with a tiny paw, which only made me laugh harder. "You’re adorable. Honestly, you should just stay like this. It suits your personality."
[Touch me again and I’ll find a way to make your hair fall out in your sleep, Seth. Cancel the command! Cancel it right now!]
I spent the next couple of minutes laughing at her tiny, furious squeaks before finally taking pity on her. "Alright, fine. Order canceled."
With a soft pop, the marmot disappeared, and the familiar translucent screen hovered back into place, looking appropriately dignified once more.
[Never. Again,] she huffed. The screen flickered, shifting slightly as if changing the subject. [So, since we’re testing the boundaries of your new godhood... do you want me to make Valerie fall in love with you? I noticed you staring at her on the jet. One command and she’s yours.]
I paused, the laughter instantly dying as I stared at the prompt. "No. Absolutely not."
[Really? Why? You have absolute control. Nobody would ever know.]
"Because that’s messed up," I said, leaning back against the plush pillows. "Valerie is out there protecting me right now. Using the system to mind-control the people close to me is wrong. If I want someone to like me, I’ll earn it normally. Otherwise, what’s the point of any of this?"
The screen remained silent for a moment. Paige didn’t seem surprised by my answer, but the faint hum of the system somehow felt a little warmer.
[Fair enough. You’re less of a tyrant than I expected,] she admitted, her tone returning to its usual casual cadence. [So, if we’re skipping the dark lord route for tonight... what else do you want?]
I pulled the heavy, cool silk sheets up to my chest and let out a long, exhausted sigh as a peaceful smile settled over my face.
"A really good sleep," I said softly. "No alarms. No Miller shouting. Just... rest."
[Command accepted. Goodnight, host.]
The blue light faded, leaving the room in serene darkness. I closed my eyes, sinking into the softest mattress in the world, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. I slept for twelve hours straight, the best, most restful sleep I’d ever had.