The sun was shining brightly in the sky.
Even if that sun was hidden behind clouds.
It wasn’t even evening yet.
What kind of concert are we going to?
I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
“Why are we going to a concert in the afternoon—?”
Wait a minute.
I suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
A chill ran down my spine from a foreboding feeling creeping up from my toes.
“So, there really is a concert in the afternoon, right? Right?”
“……”
Why isn’t she answering?
Oh, dear God.
Is it really true that I have to be dragged around by her until evening?
“…Then just wait a second.”
“Why? If you’re just stalling for time, I’m dragging you out anyway.”
“No, I think we’re going to be out for a while, so I need to get ready too.”
This is very important to me.
Okay, lightly then.
First, a gun and an emergency calorie bar, and also—
“Are you going to war or something?”
“No, just basic outing preparation.”
“Stop messing around and just come out. Oh, I’ll allow a mask.”
…I wouldn’t go outside without a mask in the first place.
Anyway, I ended up being dragged outside without any preparation.
What if I run into a terrorist empty-handed like last time?
…..
Thinking about it, maybe that’s not such a bad idea.
I’m with Catherine, after all.
What’s there to be afraid of?
I could strap down ten armed orc terrorists in just a few seconds.
What terrorists? I wouldn’t even get hurt if I ran into Kojaka’s ninja unit.
I followed closely behind Catherine.
Anyway, since it’s already come to this, there’s no way to escape from Catherine.
I felt like a condemned prisoner being dragged to the gallows as I gloomily trailed behind her.
And then,
“Where are we now?”
“Shut up and just come in.”
After trailing behind her for a few hours,
When the sun was setting, we had both finished getting new hairstyles.
Me and Catherine were decked out in fancy suits.
Wow.
I admired briefly.
“If you have this much credit, just give it to me.”
My inner thoughts slipped out without me realizing.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, Lady.”
“Lady my foot.”
Strangely, Catherine’s expression seemed to glow with satisfaction.
I continued to follow her amidst that bizarre atmosphere.
We came out for a concert, but it felt like we just spent the evening with a stylist instead.
“By the way, I have to ask, why suddenly go to a concert?”
I felt the mood lighten a bit.
Seizing that opportunity, I asked her what I’d been curious about.
“…Andrea asked you to come see her performance.”
“Oh.”
Well, there wouldn’t be a reason to go to a concert otherwise.
I nodded and added,
“Drake also told me the other day. He said to come and say hi.”
“I heard that too a few times. But when I said someone was holed up at home, he had nothing to say.”
“…Hmm.”
It was a fact that struck home because it was true.
But still.
How could home be more fun?
Catherine shook her head, continuing the conversation.
“Anyway, let’s plan to see Drake later, but for today, let’s go to Andrea’s concert.”
“Where is her concert taking place?”
“Where do you think?”
Ah.
No need to ask, the answer was obvious.
3. Things That Cannot Be Understood (4)
Royal Vegas.
It’s almost the only place in the Upper-Class Area of the Platinum Zone where citizens of all classes can come and go freely.
Some say it’s the heart of Neon City.
The differences from other areas were clear.
Typically, the canopy covering the city is transparent, and it’s normal for it to reflect the sky’s features.
But here, the canopy always depicted a nighttime sky.
Black and blue hues gracefully enveloped the sky.
It always exuded a dark and subtle atmosphere.
In short, it was a perfect place where the concept of time could easily vanish.
Perhaps that’s why there were many casinos and luxury hotels.
Consequently, there were throngs of people coming here for gambling or tourism.
And last but not least.
It’s also famous for having the largest performance dome in Neon City.
A sigh slipped out without me noticing.
“……Huh.”
Why am I here?
“KYAAAHH!!”
“Take me, Oppa!!”
“I love you, Onee-chan!!”
I just wanted to go home.
Inside the Royal Vegas, in the concert dome.
Numerous singers, dance teams, and oddities went up and down the stage, showcasing their performances.
《This stage features a very hot figure from the Lower-Class! Introducing the new talent with five vocal cords and an a cappella solo!》
Oh, this is something impressive.
A man appeared on the upper side of the stage.
He began to sing, and interestingly, there was only one mouth singing, but five different voices were coming out.
I couldn’t physically grasp how that was possible. Really amazing. Maybe he had a stereo implanted somehow.
Truly, there’s all kinds of people out there.
I double-checked the pamphlet I got when I walked in.
I had checked earlier, but Andrea’s turn was the very last.
Still, considering she’s the most famous singer in Neon City, it seemed reasonable she went last.
…But what does that matter?
I already wanted to go home.
The fact that Andrea was going last meant I had no choice but to wait until the final performance.
The inside of the dome was packed with all sorts of people.
The heat was indescribably intense.
Thank goodness I was in the VIP section.
It wasn’t as crowded as I expected.
However, being in the VIP section, I felt eyes glaring from various places.
That part was a little bit burdensome.
Was that why Catherine had styled me before I entered the concert?
I subtly turned my gaze to Catherine, who was sitting next to me.
“…….”
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
I refocused my gaze straight ahead.
…No.
Why is she staring at me instead of watching the performance?
The moment I turned my head, I met Catherine’s intense gaze.
I was incredibly startled, but thankfully, I managed to maintain my composure and turn my head again.
Other people’s stares weren’t unbearable.
This was the real burden.
Catherine’s gaze felt several times more burdensome than anyone else’s.
[Since the start of the performance, the human “Catherine” has been continuously watching the human “Lee Siwoon,” I inform you.]
…Thanks for the heads-up.
When is the final show going to start?
I prayed for time to pass faster, if only for an hour.
《Thank you for waiting! The walking dream of Neon City! The shining solo artist! The living legend! The idol of all youth!》
Oh, is she finally coming out?
《Andrea Rose!!》
A woman walked out from the innermost part of the stage.
At first glance, she looked like she was drenched in blood.
Her long, bright red hair reached behind her knees.
The pointed ears sticking out from the sides of her long hair indicated that she was an “Elf.”
As before, her short stature remained the same.
I remembered how the dwarf Drake had teased her for being shorter than him.
For reference, Drake’s height has reached 2 meters thanks to implant surgery.
…He probably just wanted to tease her.
Nothing seemed to have changed, Andrea.
As I waited for her appearance, I propped my chin with my hand and focused on the stage.
Andrea Rose.
A character who also appears in the game as a protagonist’s companion.
Her side gig was as a singer, but now it seemed appropriate to say her main job was being a singer and her side gig was being a mercenary.
She had become immensely famous.
If I had to choose the most famous and recognized face among our companions, undeniably, it was Andrea—no one else.
Neither Catherine nor Drake, and I’m not anyone who could stand out with another side gig either.
Among us, we (I’m a bit less famous) were only known within the mercenary industry.
Andrea’s pure and beautiful voice resonated throughout the dome.
No microphone was necessary.
Thanks to the high-performance voice amplification cyberware that Drake had maintained, her voice sounded just like it used to.
Her singing skills were beyond words.
Although it had been a while since I had listened, her talent was still top-notch.
Honestly, it was pleasant to hear.
No matter how much I love being cooped up at home, I began to think that sometimes coming out to enjoy a concert isn’t so bad.
While I was enjoying the song, by chance, my eyes met Andrea’s as she stood on stage singing.
Was it a coincidence?
But considering I was in the VIP section, it might not have been a coincidence.
After all, this was the same girl who had handed VIP tickets to see her own performance while telling Catherine to bring me along.
Suddenly, Andrea flashed a sly smile.
She had been smiling originally, but this time it felt a bit different.
A sudden tinge of uneasiness crept down my spine.
– KRAK!
What was that sound?
Suddenly, I heard something breaking.
I turned my head towards the sound.
Coincidentally, it was in the direction where Catherine was sitting.
Just a moment ago, Catherine had been staring at me, but now her gaze was intensely fixed on the stage.
Her clenched teeth were an added bonus.
The armrest of the chair Catherine had been holding had already shattered, seemingly unable to serve its purpose.
…Lady, what is it with you?
Why do you look so scary again?
More than ever before, I wished this time would end quickly.
—
“Hey, I’m just joking! Can’t I even make a joke?”
Andrea laughed as she said that.
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