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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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The girl, born from the start as the protagonist of the world and with a golden destiny, had at some point become an adult and had naturally become a legend of the city.
But the girl, Catherine, still did not know the difference between the past and the present.
Her body had just grown, that was all.
To be called an idol of the mercenary industry.
Catherine, finding it absurd, let out a small laugh and lifted her head to look at the sky.
The low sky of Neon City, covered in thick clouds and utterly dreary, existed as it always did.
When she was young, she had thought that the city would be different from the outside.
But the city was the same as the outside world.
The stars were not visible because of the clouds.
No, in fact, come to think of it, on the contrary, it seemed the stars were more visible outside the city.
In the garbage dump, for a few days a year, there had been moments when the moon, the stars, and numerous artificial satellites had twinkled.
The clouds, blocked by the shield, would swirl in that spot forever unless the city’s ventilation system was working properly.
Considering such things, the outside of the city was better in some ways.
…What on earth is so good about the city?
Catherine still did not know.
Recalling the girl who had longed for the city in her memory, Catherine blankly stared at the sky.
“…Sigh.”
A light sigh escaped Catherine’s lips.
Was it because she had seen the things she used to play with when she was young?
For some reason, the memories of the past came flooding back today.
It was then that the rooftop door opened.
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Huh?
“Where’s Catherine?”
It was about dinner time.
Where did she disappear to.
Of course, normally, I would have devoured the meal Eve had prepared, saying, ‘Thank you for the meal!’, but how could a person live on high-end cuisine every day.
Sometimes, you just crave the cheap and stimulating retort (delivery) food of the city.
Therefore, wanting to decide on the menu, I looked for the whereabouts of the disappeared Catherine and asked Eve.
Doraemon, Eve, who always told me the right answer, answered my question in a demure posture.
“The current location of the human ‘Catherine’ is the ‘rooftop’ of the ‘Gold Smile Condominium’.”
“…Uh.”
Hmm.
The rooftop was supposed to be off-limits.
This building would be too. In fact, considering the high suicide rate of Neon City, that would be right.
Then, recalling the majesty of the Chairman who had bought this entire building, I soon nodded my head.
Then it should be fine to go up.
I was about to just call Catherine by message, but a curiosity about the rooftop arose, so I decided to go up and find the golden child myself.
It was also about time for the other housemates to come.
It seemed better to go out right now than to look for her later.
I grabbed the mask that was hanging on the wall and put it on my mouth.
Eve’s transparent eyes looked at me.
What, are you trying to follow me?
But Eve’s answer was not that.
“The current temperature in the ‘North Houston’ area is lower than last year.”
Perhaps because it was autumn.
It seemed the weather had gotten a little colder.
Eve, who had taken my coat from the styler, said to me, bowing her head slightly.
“I recommend you maintain your body temperature.”
It was Eve who had followed me everywhere I went every day.
I asked Eve with curiosity.
“You’re not going to go with me?”
At my question, Eve stared at me intently once again. In the past, I might have felt very burdened by that gaze.
But who was I?
A man who was living with no less than 7 women.
I had already come too far to feel burdened by Eve’s gaze.
…….
Maybe not yet.
I subtly avoided her gaze and waited for Eve’s answer.
A moment later, Eve said to me,
“I would like to do so as well, but for now, it will produce a more efficient result if ‘Shiun’ goes alone.”
Just to see one person.
I don’t know what kind of efficient result she’s looking for.
“If that’s the case.”
In any case, Eve’s words must be right.
I took the coat Eve handed me.
I slung it over my shoulder and headed for the front door.
If only I didn’t have the ‘slow recovery’ physical characteristic, I would have gotten and installed a temperature control cyberware, but it was just a shame.
“I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Acknowledged.”
Leaving a short wave to Eve, I opened the front door and passed through the hallway.
Even though this entire floor had become ‘one house,’ the appearance of the hallway had not changed much.
I moved my body into the elevator.
Now that I see it, that’s right.
In the past, a red X-shaped hologram would have appeared over the button that went to the rooftop, but now, there was no trace of it.
After a short admiration, I pressed the button that went to the rooftop.
The elevator went up, defying gravity with a slight vibration.
I looked at the number displayed above the elevator door. I waited, leaning my back against the wall until I arrived at the rooftop.
Ding-dong.
What, already arriv—.
“Huh?”
Outside the open elevator door, a faceless monster in a white doctor’s gown tilted its head, looking at me.
I looked at the person’s mask, which had no eyes, nose, or mouth, and asked.
“……Dr. Terra?”
The one I had talked to on the phone regarding Maya.
The chief researcher from Monolith.
“What brings you here, doctor?”
“Hahaha, who else would assist the Chairman if I didn’t.”
Wouldn’t the Chief Secretary do it?
I thought to myself and watched Dr. Terra.
The elevator had only stopped for a moment.
But Dr. Terra’s talkative nature revealed itself.
“And there’s also the matter of Ms. Maya, and for now, I’m the one managing the Chairman’s ‘artificial body’.”
Come to think of it, I had heard the news that an artificial body management facility had been built on another floor of the building.
I nodded and agreed with Dr. Terra’s words. Then it’s possible.
“And I’m also in charge of supervising the construction of the wine bar, spa facilities, and movie theater facilities, so I’m busy, busy.”
“…Just a moment.”
What kind of construction supervision are you doing?
“Ah, come to think of it, I think there was an order to minimize the construction noise and to make sure the ‘special management target’ doesn’t notice….”
Dr. Terra smoothly raised a finger to the metal mask she was wearing.
“Please keep it a secret that I told you from the Chairman~, I think she’s planning on telling you as a surprise gift. Hahaha….”
“……”
“Oh my, then I’m busy too, so I’ll be on my way. I thought I was going down, but it was the opposite.”
Was she saying it on purpose?
Or was it really a mistake?
Dr. Terra led the pace and pressed the close button of the elevator for me.
While I was so flustered I couldn’t say a word, Dr. Terra waved her hand and greeted me from beyond the elevator door.
“Let’s go for coffee next time~.”
The door closed and Dr. Terra’s figure disappeared.
But anyway, I began to wonder what on earth the Chairman was planning to do with this building.
There was no noise between floors.
I also wondered if this was physically possible.
“……”
Hmm.
For now, I decided to not think about it.
Since she wasn’t planning anything bad, it would be fine to just pretend I didn’t know.
I slowly stepped out of the elevator that had arrived at the rooftop.
At the same time, a strong gust of wind from the outside blew off the hood I was wearing.
This was my first time on the rooftop of this building.
The color of the smart mask’s filter turned red. I felt the seriousness of the fine dust with my whole body.
And, in the middle of that rooftop.
The ‘Catherine’ I was looking for was squatting.
And was looking up at the sky.
If it was Catherine, whose senses were more sensitive than others, she must have known the fact that I had come up on the elevator.
Without giving a glance this way, she was only looking at the sky.
I subtly approached her side.
And I looked up at the sky just like Catherine.
“What do you see?”
“…Just looking.”
The sky was full of dark and thick clouds.
The light from the hologram billboards was stronger than the moonlight.
It was the same scenery as always.
I noticed Catherine’s state.
It seemed that way earlier.
Her mood had become a little emotional because of the story of the past. In other words, it could be expressed as ‘golden child mode.’
…Well, it was understandable.
The few years I had experienced recently.
And the density of the few years experienced as a child were different.
Childhood memories can become a dream or a turning point that defines one’s entire life, and on the contrary, it is common for memories to become a trauma.
I couldn’t take the grown-up golden child to a child counseling center in cyberpunk.
I could go to a psychological counseling center, but considering the socialization score that would drop to the floor, that wasn’t a good choice either.
In the end, the one who had to solve that problem was (for now) my role as a childhood friend.
I squatted down next to Catherine.
The sound of my bones cracking from my leg joints made me feel my trash-like physical characteristics again.
I had definitely gotten an implant surgery on my joints, but I didn’t know why it was in this state.
A short silence followed.
What Catherine, who was looking at the sky full of clouds, was thinking, I did not know.
Unless I was a psychic, I couldn’t know.
Even an outstanding mage was not omnipotent.
Was she missing the past?
Or was she recalling a mistake she had missed?
Usually, at a time like this, it would probably be fine just to be by her side.
But I too, after hearing the story of the past, was feeling a little emotional.
“Want me to buy you a Pete Mac Burger?”
“……Want to die?”
Since it doesn’t sound like a joke, I wish you’d hold back on the threats a little.
I felt the frozen atmosphere loosen a little.
I didn’t miss the opportunity and said to Catherine with a laughing voice.
“Just wait for about 3 minutes…, no, 1 minute.”
“Why?”
Not telling you.
I thought to myself, gathering mana.
I just looked at the sky next to Catherine.
Like when I had set off a flash for the vagrant in the past.
If I gathered mana without thinking about the danger, it wouldn’t even take a minute.
But now that I knew a certain amount about magic, I couldn’t do that anymore.
I gathered mana, thinking about safety as much as possible.
To confess now, if I had made a mistake when I had first used magic, the sewer might have been blown away.
…I really have to take this to the grave.
I thought briefly to myself.
Before long, a minute had passed.
“Watch carefully.”
“…What is it?”
I answered without a word and spread my index finger.
I pointed to the sky with my fingertip.
Catherine, a muggle, wouldn’t be able to feel it.
At this very moment, the mana I had compressed had entered between the clouds.
The compressed mana moved according to my image.
A small shockwave, a small amount of wind.
And a very strong light.
A large ‘hole’ was pierced in the sky.
Between the gray clouds, a beautiful black and blue galaxy was created.
“……Wow.”
At that magical sight, Catherine blankly looked up at the sky.
…The police won’t be dispatched, right?
I, who had cast the magic, was worrying about that inwardly.
I admired the face of Catherine, who was looking up at the sky with a curious expression.
The image of the golden child I had seen when she was young flashed over her expression.
Because of the raging gust of wind, the hole in the sky disappeared quickly.
“You should show me things like this more often.”
“Uh-uh, you have to say, please do, Mage-nim.”
“……”
Thankfully, the dark expression that had been on Catherine’s face did not return.
And until Eve came to find us on the rooftop, we were like that, looking at each other.
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“…What did you say?”
“I said be my one-day manager.”
A class change from mage to manager.
I thought as I listened to Andrea’s request.
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