Moving forward

Chapter eight: moving forward

Caelum stood at the door, arms crossed, staring blankly at Iris.

"So? What do you want?"

The girl in the black-and-white dress clasped her hands together and smiled. "I'm sorry to bother you so soon again, mister, but I wanted to let you know something interesting."

'I don't want to know? Please leave me alone!' caelum almost spoke the words he tried not to.

Iris kept her bright smile. " the community has decided to host a big event next week! And guess what?"

Caelum's eyes narrowed fully. 'There it is.'

Iris continued, her enthusiasm unwavering. "We're inviting as many kind-hearted people as we can to help out! You seemed so generous last time, so I thought—"

"I'm going out of town today," Caelum deadpanned.

Iris blinked twice in succession. "...Huh?"

"Yeah. I probably Can't make it. Sorry." He shut the door in her face.

For a moment, there was pure silence.

"Hello? Mister?" Iris called through the door. "If you have an important trip outside the town, may I know when you'll be back?"

Caelum sighed and yelled back, "After a week!"

There was another pause before Iris let out a disappointed, "Oh... alright then."

Caelum waited, listening for her retreating footsteps. Once he was sure she was gone, he exhaled in relief.

"That was close. I swear, these community people are relentless."

Shaking his head he dragged himself to the bathroom. He grabbed his toothbrush, slathered on some toothpaste, and started brushing while staring at himself in the mirror.

'How did I even get roped into this? I don't even talk to my neighbors. I didn't sign up to be a community sweetheart.'

Foam gathered in his mouth as he scowled at his reflection.

'If I'd known donating a single dollar would put me on some charity hit list, I would've just pretended I didn't have cash. Uh not like i have a lot of.' But soon, his thoughts shifted to the more important things.

His grip on the toothbrush tightened slightly. 'That quill...'

A familiar excitement bubbled up in his chest. His legs, his arms—his whole body felt antsy just thinking about it.

'If i can enter a painting... isn't it like a miniature world I myself created? That means...' caelum spitted his foam and grabbed the nearby cup of water.

'puke' after throwing the water and washing his face up, caelum again looked at his reflection on the mirror.

"Yes. the possibilities are endless."

His facial expression became aggressive as his mind raced. "Could I expand it further? Could I create an entire city or even future?"

He ran his hands through his hair and took a good final look at himself. "I look better than ever."

After the wash upHe needed to eat something before diving into more near death experiments.

"Alright let's see." Caelum grabbed his medicine pills packet and took one, after taking his medicine with cold water, his stomach started buzzing with anticipation.

he walked to the kitchen and yanked open his freezer, ready to grab something—His eyes scanned the contents.

Frozen meals, bags of vegetables, some chicken, and a suspiciously old tub of ice cream, some pizza slices. His freeze wasn't the most interesting one but it was quite Filled either way.

Caelum went over all the items he can cook with the items he had only to pause.

And then it hit him.

"Wait... Why would I even need these anymore."

A slow grin crept onto his face.

He reached inside, grabbed every single frozen item, and started carrying them to the trash can outside his apartment.

A pack of frozen dumplings-Gone, Leftover pizza slices wrapped in foil-Gone.

Mysterious meat he forgot about-Definitely gone.

As he tossed each item, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of liberation.

"Lets get rid of them, all of them" he muttered, watching the pile grow.

Finally, after clearing out everything, he dusted his hands off and shut the trash lid.

Walking back inside, he stretched and took a deep breath, before announcing it with a bright tone,

"From now on, let's just directly make food from all around the world." His face was filled with excitement.

"After all I have the best chef, the quill!"

With that decision, he strode toward his desk, eager to test just how far his food creations could go.

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Caelum stepped into his room, eyes locked onto his desk where the quill rested. As He reached out, fingers curling around the sleek, almost weightless tool.

The slow grin spread Even wider across his face. "If this works, i will have a feast."

Tucking the quill under his arm, he grabbed his notebook and went down to the kitchen, there he strode back to the dining table, plopping down onto the chair.

As he took his seat, His fingers drummed against the cover of the notebook before flipping it open to a fresh page.

Taking a deep breath, he let his mind settle.

"Alright… first Let's start with something simple."

He put the quill to paper.

The lines started to form as smoothly as always, the strokes controlled and precise. All the lines came together to form a majestic look egg sandwich.

It looked like Soft, lightly toasted bread, with perfectly golden on the edges.

One could even see the Inside, a warm, fluffy egg omelet, folded neatly, with a layer of melted cheese dripping slightly at the sides. A pinch of seasoning, a slight crispness to the edges of the egg, and just enough butter to make the bread glisten.

As he lifted the quill, the notebook shimmered for a brief moment. Then a perfectly crafted egg sandwich materialized with the plate before him.

Caelum's smile future widened slightly. He reached out, fingers grazing the warm, toasted surface.

"Looks normal enough…"

He lifted it, examining the slight crisp of the bread. Then, without hesitation, he took a bite.

The moment the flavors hit his tongue, his eyes fluttered shut.

"Hmmmm~"

The bread was soft, but with just the right amount of crunch on the edges. The egg was creamy, rich with a buttery taste, yet perfectly balanced with the slight tang of cheese. The seasoning wasn't overpowering—just enough salt and pepper to enhance everything without being too much.

It was picture perfect.

"...Holy shit, this is good."

Caelum stared at the sandwich in his hand, utterly baffled.

He took another bite, slower this time, savoring every second.

'This is just too damn good to be an egg sandwich.'

Of course it wasn't just good—it was exactly the kind of egg sandwich he had envisioned. Not too greasy, not too dry, just perfect.

Swallowing, he leaned back, gripping the sandwich loosely.

"So that's how it works, huh?"

If he defined something as "perfect," then the quill would create it exactly as he imagined.

And More importantly—He tapped his forehead. No dizziness, no fatigue. The willpower drain was barely noticeable.

The slow, wicked grin on his face spread across to the widest it could get.

"The ones i make don't even compare to this." As caelum devoured the sandwich while comparing it to his own cooking, His gaze drifted toward the notebook.

With renewed excitement, he picked up the quill again.

Next—something to drink.

His hand moved with more confidence this time. A steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee, dark but smooth, rich with the aroma of roasted beans. The moment the last stroke was drawn, the cup appeared beside the sandwich.

And The scent alone made him sigh. He lifted the cup, bringing it to his lips.

The taste was Bold. Strong. The kind of deep, velvety coffee that didn't need sugar or milk to be enjoyable.

It was the best damn cup of coffee he had ever had.

He let out a devilish laugh under his breath. "Alright then no need to hold back anymore, let's go crazy."

His hand flew across the pages.

A full breakfast platter—crispy bacon, golden hash browns, a side of perfectly seasoned sausages, a buttered croissant so soft it practically melted at the touch.

Each dish appeared in front of him, fresh and steaming. One by one, he tasted them, each bite confirming his suspicions.

Every single thing was flawless.

The bacon was Crispy, but not overcooked. The hash browns were golden and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. The sausages were Bursting with juicy flavor, seasoned to perfection.

Even the croissant—"goddamn it, what is this!" the croissant was flaky, buttery, and warm, like it had just come out of the oven of a five-star bakery.

Caelum sat back in his chair, staring at the feast he had devoured.

His stomach was full. His body felt warm and satisfied. And best of all was that he hadn't spent a single cent.

A deep, satisfied laugh bubbled up in his chest. Breathing slowly, he stretched his arms over his head.

"I won't have to worry about food ever again!"

After god knows how much time, Caelum had a feast that satisfied his craving. Not just his hunger.

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Caelum leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stomach with a satisfied sigh. The meal had been divine, beyond anything he had ever eaten before.

But as his gaze flickered toward the pile of empty plates on the table, his contentment faded.

"...Right. There are these too."

Dragging himself up, he collected the dishes and carried them to the sink. As the cold water ran over his hands, he scrubbed each plate clean, muttering under his breath.

"Ugh. I shouldn't draw plates or extra stuff from now on."

They were just an unnecessary hassle. He had imagined them into existence along with the food, but he hadn't considered the cleanup. He'd have to be more selective in what he created.

After finally finishing the dishes, he wiped his hands on a towel, then he started rubbing his belly. "I should take a walk outside."

Caelum grabbed his quill and notebook and went back to his room. Then turned toward his wardrobe.

'yes. maybe a walk would help clear my mind and calories'

Pulling open the cupboard, he grabbed a warm hoodie and a pair of comfortable jeans. After dressing up, he pulled on his sneakers and checked his pockets—'wallet, keys, phone all there.'

With a click, he locked his apartment door behind him and stepped out into the open air.

The streets were calm, bathed in the gentle glow of the late morning sun. A crisp breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the distant chatter of people and the occasional honk of a passing car.

Caelum tucked his hands into his pockets, walking at a leisurely pace.

His mind however, was in the same mess as it has been after he got the quill. It was far from relaxed.

'Now that I know I can just make food whenever I want… I have no reason to ever step into a grocery store again.'

It was a golden thought. He could already imagine the baffled expressions of store owners wondering why one of their regulars had suddenly vanished.

But then another thought crept in.

' aren't i actually the dumbest person alive?If I can create food, then why stop there?'

He glanced down at the hoodie he was wearing. The fabric was slightly worn, the color faded from too many washes.

'I could definitely make clothes too.'

The realization hit him like a slow-burning revelation. If the quill could manifest objects exactly as he defined them, then in theory, he could create any necessity.

'Food. Clothes. Household items shouldn't be any big deal from now...'

His mind raced through all the possibilities he never thought before.

He could easily draw furniture, tools, even everyday appliances. There would be no need to go out shopping ever again.

Then, almost unconsciously, his thoughts drifted toward something more crucial.

"My meds."

The idea sent a chill down his spine.

'Could I… replicate my medicine too?'

His brows furrowed as he slowed his pace.

On one hand, it seemed logical. If he could copy a dollar bill down to the most intricate detail and have it turn real, then medicine should, in theory, work the same way.

But on the other hand…

"What if I get something wrong?" Caelum blurted it out loud.

He clenched his fists. 'Medicine wasn't something i could afford to experiment with. If even a single detail was off, it could have dangerous consequences on my body easily.'

With a frustrated sigh, he shook his head.

"It's Too risky."

As much as he wanted to test it, he wasn't reckless enough to gamble with his own life.

Still, the thought was formed and lingered. Would there come a time when he would be forced to take that risk?

A gust of wind passed through the street, tousling his hair as he continued walking.

His thoughts eventually drifted elsewhere.

The distant laughter of children caught his attention, and he glanced toward a small park nearby. A group of kids were riding tiny bicycles, their carefree laughter filling the air as they chased each other around in circles.

For some reason, watching them brought a small, unexpected smile to his face. Which was something his past self wouldn't have done.

'They're so full of life.'

'So young, with endless days ahead of them. Their biggest worries probably revolved around finishing homework or sneaking in extra playtime before dinner.'

He had once been like that. Before all the worst things took over his life. Before the weight of reality crushed any dreams of a long future.

His smile faded slightly, and his steps slowed.

Caelum stopped entirely and looked towards the children, a sudden thought, one he hadn't dared to think in the past slowly surfaced in his mind.

"Would there be a way?"

His throat felt tight as he swallowed, his eyes fixed on the children playing in the distance.

"A way to somehow save my life through this quill?"

The wind blew past him again, but this time, it felt colder.