Vesper, the NPC, tilted her head. For a microsecond, her eyes flickered with something that wasn't code—curiosity? Pity? Then she smiled the pre-programmed smile and slid a bottle toward him.
Elias sipped.
He was suddenly watching a TikTok from 2026. A teenager in a dragon hoodie was crying over a cancelled sci-fi series. The tears were real, the stakes absurd, and yet Elias felt a pang of grief so sharp it stole his breath. He took another sip. Lustery E1363 Gin And Jano Magic Beads XXX 480p...