Supporting Characters in the Game are Obsessed – Chapter 41

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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I took off my expensive suit and put it in the clothes management device, the ‘BM Styler.’

For reference, BM stood for Black Monolith.

My next action was a shower.

I cleaned my whole body with an expensive filter showerhead.

Finally, I took my everyday clothes out of the Styler and changed.

At last, I could breathe comfortably.

That tie choking my neck was so stuffy.

I dove straight into bed.

Of course, I had already taken off my shoes.

Even though I live in a cyberpunk world, the Korean in my soul couldn’t tolerate walking around the house with shoes on.

“…Ugh, I’m tired.”

A sigh escaped me unconsciously.

Honestly, it wasn’t a physically demanding schedule.

There was no combat on the way back.

The schedule wasn’t so long that it went over a day.

Just briefly.

I just went and talked with some people.

I don’t know why I’m so tired.

It felt twice as exhausting compared to my usual outings.

I felt like I could fall asleep right here if I closed my eyes.

…….

But before that.

I need to send a message.

Excluding the chairman, only two people knew in advance that I went to the party.

Catherine and Julia.

Julia will probably be fine, but…

If I don’t tell Catherine the results of the party, the aftermath might be a bit scary.

I didn’t write much.

I sent a message saying something like, ‘I think I know who Smile John is.’

I can give her a detailed explanation later.

Now, I can finally sleep….

Oh, before that, should I check the Net Space posts I’ve missed?

I launched Net Space, intending to browse humor posts and gossip.

Or rather, I tried to launch it.

Ding-dong.

If only someone hadn’t rang my doorbell.

……I wonder why.

Even without opening the door, I felt like I knew who was outside.

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It went without saying, but…

It was Catherine outside the door.

Was it because she came in a hurry?

Or had she been at home? She was wearing light clothing.

A tank top and dolphin shorts.

Honestly, it was hard to find a place to rest my eyes.

We couldn’t talk for long in the hallway like that.

I brought Catherine inside and had her sit down.

Explaining what happened at the party briefly came next.

“So.”

“Yeah.”

“You think the identity of that Smile John guy is Ko-ozaka’s vice chairman?”

“As I said before, it’s not certain, but it’s the most likely possibility.”

Catherine nodded after hearing my explanation.

She was sipping the molecular cocoa I had prepared for her.

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I continued my explanation.

“Even so, it’s just a possibility, what percentage was it…?”

[It’s saved in the database as 79%, I explain.]

“Um, about 79%.”

Eve spoke in a voice only I could hear.

Since I haven’t revealed Eve’s identity yet, I relayed her words to Catherine as they were.

Catherine took another sip of the hot cocoa.

“Isn’t 79% incredibly high?”

“….It is, but it’s not 100%.”

It’s just a possibility.

I shrugged.

I expressed my nonchalance with my whole body.

“And honestly, even if it’s true, what are you going to do? We can’t do anything even if we catch a megacorp’s vice chairman.”

Catherine silently nodded at my words.

But she still seemed lost in thought.

Catherine’s golden eyes looked at me.

“Then Shiun, what are you going to do?”

“Hmm.”

…Well.

Nothing much will change from now, will it?

“I need to find evidence that I can be 100% sure of.”

I could track Smile John’s traces.

Or I could search for other information.

“It’ll take a while, but it’s the safest and surest way.”

At least it seemed much better than the option of doing something to the vice chairman.

He might not actually be Smile John.

Catherine put down her finished cocoa.

She had a determined look on her face.

And based on my experience as a Catherine expert, having observed this friend for nearly 10 years…

In times like these, she often had a zero-to-sixty sudden acceleration with no brakes.

“Instead of that.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s ask him directly.”

“….Huh?”

Is my hearing bad?

I think I heard something strange.

It seems like it’s time to replace my artificial eardrum cyberware. What are you talking about, Catherine…?

I collected myself and asked.

“You know that’s nonsense, right?”

“Why?”

My precious…

“….The case I encountered this time was extremely special, and he’s usually someone you can’t even meet.”

I explained calmly.

“In other words, it’s hard to even create an opportunity to meet him, and even if we do meet, he’s not going to answer honestly─”

Wait.

I felt an ominous aura.

There’s no way Catherine doesn’t know what I know.

Looking at Catherine’s confident expression, a warning bell rang, telling me my ominous premonition was right.

Before I could say anything more.

Catherine nodded and answered me.

“Let’s kidnap him.”

My precious, what in the world are you talking about…?

But it seemed like I was the only one opposed to that idea right now.

Because Eve followed up by saying:

[I agree with human ‘Catherine’s’ opinion.]

What should I do with these precious ones?

I grabbed my aching head again.

……Honestly, it wasn’t an impossible plan.

Honestly, I’m almost unnecessary.

Eve’s help, Catherine’s abilities.

It was more than enough.

However…

Aside from whether it was possible or not, the aftermath of the kidnapping was the problem.

“Let’s calm down for a moment.”

“Honestly, isn’t this the easiest way?”

[I once again affirm human ‘Catherine’s’ opinion.]

…That’s not the problem.

I swallowed dryly.

How should I explain this?

So that they understand me and give up that crazy plan.

“…Kidnapping inside Neon City is absolutely impossible. More than anything, it’s what happens after the kidnapping that’s the problem.”

“We can do it outside the city.”

…….

She had a point.

If it’s someone like a megacorp’s vice chairman…

They’re bound to travel around cities all over the world, showing off their influence.

He’s in Neon City now, but there will definitely be a time when he goes to another city and then comes back to Neon City.

“….Then we’ll have to find out the confidential schedule of Ko-ozaka’s vice chairman, but how will we do that?”

“We’ll have to get No Answer’s help or something.”

This was also true.

It would be difficult for just the two (three, including Eve) of us.

“This is close to illegal, so they’ll definitely refuse to help.”

“We have to at least ask, and if the boss allows it, it doesn’t matter.”

…….

She won’t allow it.

Strict adherence to the rules.

That’s No Answer’s law.

“Then how will we get out of the city, and how will we kidnap the private jet the vice chairman rides, and how will we plan─”

“Oh, it’s okay, let’s just start making a plan now. We have to ask Drek and Andrea anyway.”

“….”

I felt the situation getting bigger and bigger.

I just showered, but a drop of cold sweat ran down my back.

At this point…

I have no choice but to pray that the others will refuse.

It’s easier said than done.

Kidnapping a megacorp’s vice chairman.

Right, they will.

It’s just my worry.

If we’re not careful, it’s something that could turn Neon City, or even the whole world, against us.

Personally, I hate the fact itself that the people around me are taking risks and facing danger because of me.

I wanted to oppose Catherine’s plan, but…

Even if I said something now, I didn’t think Catherine or Eve would change their minds.

“….Right, I should contact the others.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Catherine smiled with a satisfied expression.

Right…

Surely the others will object too.

It wasn’t even certain that Smile John’s identity was confirmed.

And it’s not like there are no other options.

Hmm.

But what is this?

This uneasy feeling.

…….

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And the next day.

“Drek and Andrea said they’ll help.”

“…That’s possible.”

“They were angry that we talked about it without them, so apologize later.”

“….I should.”

I expected those two to help me.

We’ve been through a lot as colleagues for a long time. We’ve owed each other a few lives.

But others won’t.

I thought those two would be the last.

“Oh, and Julia said she’d help too. I met her in the hallway, and she said she’d look into some information through her underworld connections.”

“….Hmm.”

Is that so?

She said she was my fan last time.

The fact that we met by chance in the hallway felt strange, but I dismissed it as my imagination.

……It’s okay.

It was still okay.

Even if Julia helped, the situation wouldn’t change much.

There was a clear reason why this plan could never work.

Natasha, No Answer’s boss.

There was no reason for her to break her own rules and help us, or rather, me.

Really.

Truly.

It would never happen.

“And the boss said she’ll gather information about the vice chairman, and she’ll let us know when all the schedules are out. She said we’ll make a plan then.”

“….Why?”

My genuine feelings came out without me realizing it.

“Why, you ask?”

“No, it’s strange, isn’t it?”

Do I think this is strange alone?

It wasn’t even confirmed that Ko-ozaka’s vice chairman is Smile John.

The fact that people are readily participating in a plan to kidnap a megacorp’s vice chairman just based on a possibility.

…….

They’re all just paying lip service, right?

They don’t mean it seriously.

I tried to calm my mind.

It can’t really be possible, can it?

This absurd plan to kidnap a megacorp’s vice chairman.

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“Okay, here’s my plan.”

Drek, Andrea, Catherine.

And in the midst of where I was sitting.

With several graphics displayed on the hologram in front of us, Natasha began to explain the plan.

Seriously.

I couldn’t understand at all if this crazy plan was actually progressing step by step.

I held my throbbing forehead.

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