CHAPTER 101: SHOPPING FURNITURE (II)

Viola led them to a corner zone with soft lilac lighting. Lilia fell for a Softwisp Hover‑Bed—transparent frame, mag‑lev mattress drifting inside like a lazy cloud. Tag: 84,000. Next, a circular Synth‑Silk Vanity Pod with adjustable holo‑mirror: 21,500. She added a pair of Glow‑Pulse Wall Sconces shaped like orchids: 3,000. Total: 108,500.

Lilia looked at Xavier—half‑guilty, half‑excited.

Xavier nodded. "If you like it, put it on the slate."

Lyra veered off toward timber scents. She chose a low Blackwood Platform Bed—heavy, dark grains, iron bracing: 32,000. Mounted above it, she wanted a wall rack for her training weapons—a Clamp‑Lock Armory Panel: 7,800. She added a rugged Stoneforge Nightstand carved from basalt: 5,600. Total: 45,400.

She glanced at Xavier, her tail flicking nervously.

Xavier gave a small grin in response.

’I guess she likes natural stuff since she has seen everything in space and wanted to try something different.’

Viola guided them off the TomorrowLab floor and into a side gallery hidden behind a velvet gate. The lighting dropped to a soft wine‑red, low bass thrumming through the floor like a slow heartbeat. A single showpiece dominated the room: a dark‑crimson platform bed that looked half spaceship, half sin.

The plaque hovering over the footboard read:

[Velvet Nebula Pleasure Pod

— self‑leveling mag‑lev core

— adaptive viscosity gel (shifts from cloud‑soft to rock‑hard on voice command)

— kinetic thrust array (cue "Rough Mode" or "Rolling Waves")

— pulse‑heat zones + cryo‑cool veining

— micro‑scent diffusers, self‑clean nano‑field

— privacy dampener (blocks sound, light, scanners)

Price: 165 000]

Viola leaned in, her perfume sliding under Xavier’s guard like silk. Voice barely above a whisper: "Slow rhythms, jack‑hammer, or hands‑free—this pod memorizes every pattern you teach it. Couples... trios... more if you dare. It’ll keep tempo long after the rest of you give out. Perfect for long nights when you don’t plan on sleeping."

"Yeah, I just love this color."

Lilia’s cheeks pinked. Lyra’s ears twitched. Both pretended to inspect a nightstand while keeping one eye on Viola’s hand brushing Xavier’s sleeve.

Right beside it rose a sleek canopy frame, lacquer‑black with hidden joints and quick‑release bands. Xavier nodded once. 28 000. Overhead, a mirrored ceiling panel waited, its specs highlighting 8K clarity and discreet capture modes. 12 000.

Viola kept adding finishing touches with that silk‑and‑smoke voice: mood‑shifting sheets that changed color when skin temperature spiked, a scent capsule that cycled from vanilla musk to crisp rain, lighting that dimmed in sync with breathing. Another 11 000 vanished with a flick of Xavier’s wrist.

Lilia steered them to a curved hover‑sofa—charcoal leather, built‑in massage coils—and a sprawling holo‑sky ceiling for the shared lounge.

AR‑Mesh Dining Suite. (Automatic) 78,500. Bio‑Cloud Auto‑Bar (self‑mixing cocktails, auto restocked) 22,000. Misc decor (moodglass lamps, smart rugs): 20,000.

Xavier tossed in a fully loaded VR capsule chair, plus a 3D gaming rig with haptic response floors and scent modules. And an anti‑grav micro‑arena for whenever he felt like breaking a sweat without leaving home.

hen, they bought some basic and everyday stuff.

Auto-cleaning kitchen with retractable panels: 20,000

Dual-shower bath system with foam jets and temp memory: 14,000

Smart toilets with dry-clean functions and soundproof mode: 4000

Utility bots (laundry/floor/air filter trio pack): 8000

Storage pods, food replicator, med-kit unit, wall-safe, etc.: 15,000

And then, finally, Eamon.

Xavier didn’t say anything about it. Just walked over to the simpler side and picked out a calm, earthy-toned bed with pressure-adjustable mattress (3000), compact work desk (3000), old-school reading lamp (1200), and an ambient wall display with nature sceneries (4000). He knew Eamon wouldn’t want extravagance, just something that felt like peace.

Viola added a care package on the side—complimentary towels, snacks, lighting sets, and a "customer gift" she slipped into Xavier’s bag with a wink.

Final bill: 699,700

"Still three hundred to spare," Viola purred. "You’ve got discipline. That’s... rare."

She slid a finger along Xavier’s wrist as she handed over the confirmation tablet.

Xavier signed off with a single swipe.

[Transaction of 699,700 completed!]

[Today’s transaction completed.]

[3499 Rebate added to the wallet.]

"All scheduled for rush install," Viola murmured. She stepped in close, green‑and‑gold eyes locking on his. "If you need a... demo session, my shift ends at twelve."

Lilia shot her a look sharp enough to cut glass. Lyra’s ears twitched, tail flicking once. Xavier kept his smile small. "I’ll keep that in mind."

Viola’s eyes flickered gold. "I hope you do." She turned away, hips tracing slow S‑curves as she disappeared into the neon aisle.

As they walked out, the shopping drones were already levitating crates toward the express lift.

Lilia exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. "She was all over you."

Lyra crossed her arms, eyes narrowed at the elevator that just closed. "Sales tactic. Lyra’s seen this before."

Xavier chuckled. "She was just being polite."

"Yeah. Real polite. I bet she’d let you fuck her in the storeroom if you asked politely," Lilia muttered, pulling her hood up.

"You shouldn’t say things like that."

"Like what?" Lilia shot back.

"You are a girl, so you should mind your manners and pay attention to how you act," Xavier lectured her. "It’s fine once in a while, but you don’t have to bring yourself out like that for no reason. You are not gaining anything by acting like that."

"Lyra agrees." Lyra nodded beside Xavier, seemingly trying to anger Lilia even more. "Lyra is a good girl, right Xavier?" she looked at Xavier with a smile on her face, obviously expecting a reply.

"Good girls don’t try to show that they are good girls."

"Anyway," Xavier sighed, clearing his throat, "we should go home. The delivery team might reach before us."

Just then, Lyra called out, "Xavier."

He turned around.

"I’m hungry," she said with the most innocent face possible.

Xavier muttered, "Of course you are."

Lilia stepped beside her. "I’m hungry too. We haven’t had dinner."

Xavier sighed. "Yeah... me neither."

The three of them stared at each other for a second.

"So?" Xavier said. "We eating out, or heading to Seraphina’s place on the 10th floor?"

Lyra didn’t even think. "Her cooking’s the best."