Chapter 33: A Cold Feeling

Despite the strange encounter that they just had, Charlotte thoroughly enjoyed her meal.

Although she was already full, she apparently still have room for ramen.

After finishing her meal, the restaurant seemed to have recovered to its lively self.

"I am really full. We should stay here for a bit before moving," said Lucian.

"I wouldn't have been able to move anyways even if you drag me," she laughed.

"By the way, why was there a mix of cultures on that street? Like, not in the sense that cultures can't fuse, but aren't there different streets celebrating and honoring different cultures?" Charlotte questioned.

"Well, to be frank, setting up these streets is risky. Once they find one, it would lead them to others. So, to compensate, the streets tend to mix different cultures together. For example, at the beginning of this street was a certain culture and it transitions to another culture until the end."

"Okay, that explains quite a bit. But it still shows the differences in terms of festivities no?"

"It really does! It's sort of the charm of each culture, their uniqueness. Something completely different from another part of the world."

"These streets are literally mini societies that are showcasing how they function. It's crazy to think how people came up with different norms and rules of how to function in their societies. Things from food, festivities, and what is branded as 'normal' behavior. It's still a shame they were once something people could proudly showcase. Now, it's just disheartening to see people had to keep it a secret."

"But what can we do as the people? We can only follow the 'authorities'."

"Ah, about that. Who specifically are the 'authorities'?"

"The people who run this nation."

"But who is running our nation?"

"It's a group of people, a committee if you will. It includes a bunch of officials with President Louise in charge, or at least that is what we are told."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, robots aid them in their duties and help generate rules that will prevent commotion and opinions."

"They are trying to control what people think using the set of rules right?"

"Well, it's common knowledge... it's just no one speaks about it."

"There is a rule for that?"

"No. People just don't want to bring up the situation. Maybe because it's uncomfortable or they could tell a new rule might be implemented if people spoke out."

"Wow, we live in such a world huh? They implement rules based on public opinion right?"

"The majority always wins. Rules are said to be based on the public. Whenever there is an 'outbreak', a new rule is added to ensure it won't be repeated again."

"Sounds a like a robot."

"How so?"

"Whenever faced with a problem, it will solve it in the most efficient way. 'Efficient ways' are without restrictions from the opinions of the public, this includes thoughts and feelings. Just like that, it diffuses the situation which sounds perfect on paper. Take the coloring of hair for example. It judged that the problem was 'out-of-the-norm hair color' and so it implemented the rule, or the 'committee' did. Those who were so passionate about showing off their personality through hair color quickly shut up and no 'outbreak' would happen."

"People would shut up because it was the new rule right? We can't rebel from the rule."

"That is exactly the problem. The robot, or the 'committee', implemented so many rules that it knows people would shut up about it, and so it labels this as the most effective way. Now, why do people not speak up? It's simple really. We can just follow the trend. Once something is spoken about, it would get a rule that counters the commotion. If we spoke out about our rights of having a voice, it would label 'having a voice' as a problem and so take it away."

"But creating a scenario in which we do rebel, we would get punished for it."

"Yes, the punishment I imagine is quite... of high stakes."

"Death is something everyone is afraid of. Of course, everyone would shut up."

"The fear of death creates the power the 'authorities' have over the people. But what if the 'authorities' are not of those of the same species as humans?"

"Are you accusing them of being run by robots?"

Charlotte merely hummed and took a sip.

"You can make your own opinions as you see the world with your two eyes. I haven't seen the entirety of it yet so what gives me the right to judge?"

"Huh..."

They both remained in silence as if to fully take in what has been said.

"I think we should leave, it's getting late," Charlotte suggested.

"If you are worried about the gap in your location, the devices placed here automatically fill it in."

"I won't even ask how that works," she smiled.

They left the restaurant and were transported back.

"It's trippy seeing the differences between the two," Charlotte commented while putting her headset back on.

"It feels so much warmer there no? Here it is just cold despite the heating system that is implemented here."

"There is a heating system?"

"The blue lights produce heat but no one notices it does."

"That's... interesting."

"I'll head out now! I got your contact info so we can stay in touch. It was nice knowing you!"

"Yeah, I'm sure we would encounter soon though."

"What makes you so sure?"

'Because the story probably revolves around you. The author would never place me into a character that wasn't involved in the main storyline, or at least I think so.'

"I just do!" Charlotte said while she waved.

Lucian smiled and waved, then he walked in the opposite direction.

'I should get on one of the floating buses again right?'

Charlotte googled the directions using the headset and quietly went home, blending into the crowds of people that were still actively walking around on this loud night. The lights were still bright blue but were blended with other colored lights, yet everything the lights touched would invoke a frosted feeling.

'I get why people where coats everywhere.'

Her head, face, neck, and hands were all cold. Yet, when she rubbed her hands together, she didn't sense the cold feeling but she could clearly feel it. Even the breeze under the gaze of the blue light felt cold yet once she stuck her fingers to sense it, the 'cold' wasn't there.

The combination of music that played from different places suddenly was tuned out as she thought about this dilemma. She could still feel the beat of the music through the vibrations of the white streetwalk, which she just realized glowed in the dark.

'It was bright, too bright,' she thoughted as multiple light sources hit her eyes the closer she walked towards the large square she was previously at. It illuminated the streets and the buildings surrounding her, but it never really warmed her.

'How peculiar... What a well-constructed world.'