The sky was gloomier than usual.
It looked like it might rain, but the locals knew that this kind of color wouldn’t bring any rain.
The smoke from the chimneys at Cloud Park was blanketing the sky.
The smart mask’s notification sounded.
《Pollution above acceptable levels detected, please change to a normal filter.》
This was because Cloud Park was right next to the area where Drake’s workshop and residence were located, South Pilly.
I could already feel the stuffy air.
But even so, I couldn’t stop myself from taking a deep breath.
Inhale, exhale.
“…What are you doing?”
Inhale!
Drake suddenly paused in front of the door and asked me.
“Just trying to relax.”
“What the hell?”
Well, even if you say that, it was a process that ‘E’ couldn’t understand.
I casually looked around.
Drake’s house looked entirely different from my home, the condominium.
A wide yard with grass spread out, and a stylish single-family home was neatly placed behind a fence.
It was a possible scene because Cloud Park, a suburban and avoided area by citizens, was right next door.
Drake subtly moved in behind me, like he was blocking my escape route as if I would run away.
Even though I wouldn’t run away here, I decided to let it slide since I had too many sins weighed on my conscience.
“Just give up and go inside.”
“…When did I say I wouldn’t go in?”
I was just slightly tense.
I lightly grumbled and pressed the intercom button with my index finger.
…But.
The homeowner was right behind me.
Why did I have to press the intercom?
That fact puzzled me a bit.
《Who is it?》
A cheerful woman’s voice came through the intercom.
I cleared my throat a few times.
Gathering my voice, I greeted my friend’s girlfriend, whom I hadn’t seen in a while.
“Hello, it’s Siwoon. I came with Drake, could you open the door—”
Before I could finish my sentence.
– Clunk!
The door opened before I could finish speaking.
A woman with brown hair appeared.
“…It’s real.”
Maybe it’s because she’s a dwarf.
She continued speaking from below my sight.
“I thought the front door surveillance camera had been hacked and was showing a manipulated screen.”
“………”
“Oh, my bad.”
Drake’s girlfriend, Lorenda, finally snapped out of her daze and smiled widely at me.
“Oh my, look who it is!”
I let out a nervous chuckle in reply.
“…Haha, long time no see—”
“Our family’s benefactor! The benefactor of him! The benefactor of my life! The benefactor of the soon-to-be-born new child! The benefactor who didn’t have to take the simple request of having a meal! It’s been so long since I’ve seen your face— I saw you on a broadcast program by chance, and you made him and me happy! You’re the benefactor who made me want to record that broadcast to share with others?!”
“……….”
I couldn’t respond even though she paused in the middle of her speech.
I just blankly listened to Lorenda’s words with my mouth agape.
Wait a minute, but.
There was something strange about what I heard.
“Soon-to-be-born child?”
“Oh, you didn’t hear? Well, you haven’t contacted us in a while, so I guess you wouldn’t know. You would have found out once you received the wedding invitation or RSVP (Répondez s’il vous plaît).”
RSVP usually refers to inquiring about attendance at a wedding.
“……”
I turned my head back to look behind me.
Drake was looking down at me with a slightly awkward smile.
“It’s true.”
Hmm.
…….
I decided to start by congratulating them.
—
We entered the house following Lorenda’s lead.
The atmosphere was entirely different from Drake’s workshop, which was filled with cyberware hanging like laundry.
Everywhere felt homely and peaceful, as if Lorenda’s touch was apparent.
In a way, it looked like a home where a dwarf couple lived, decorated with jewels placed in every corner.
The warmth from the meal preparation filled the living room.
Various dishes occupied the table along with steaming pots.
It was a meal of meat, bread, and mushrooms.
Considering that ordinary citizens would fill their stomachs with nutrient tubes, this seemed to be a meal for the top 10% in the cyberpunk world.
They probably wouldn’t prepare this level of meal daily; I thought they might have gotten advanced notice that I was coming.
I effortlessly took a seat at the dining table.
Soon after, Lorenda placed a drink that seemed to be some kind of tea in front of me.
“Oh, thank you.”
“It’s nothing compared to the favor you did.”
I didn’t know what Drake had told her, but every word felt heavy.
I tried to regain my composure and raised the cup in front of me.
“…Cough.”
And I almost spewed it out.
…This isn’t tea.
It’s beer.
And strong as heck.
Rich barley and sharp alcohol scents assaulted my nostrils.
“Oh, I bought this beer at a high price, and it tastes pretty good, right?”
…….
Who gives beer to a guest that just arrived….
But this was a cyberpunk world.
It was a place that couldn’t be explained by any logic.
I forced a laugh and replied.
“Ah, it’s good.”
I carefully set the beer down.
You could tell she was a dwarf.
Both Drake and Lorenda loved beer a lot.
Of course, if I ever expressed this thought out loud.
I could end up in a city court for discriminatory remarks.
So I swallowed it down in my heart.
Drake sat across from me at the dining table.
He had already changed into comfortable clothes after taking off his outerwear.
“I’ll just have one.”
“Pour it yourself.”
“………”
Drake quietly sealed his mouth and poured from the keg, which was the beer storage.
By the way.
They are having a baby?
…….
It felt incredibly unrealistic.
At least it was reassuring that they were getting along well.
Because I hadn’t seen this side of them in the game, I always harbored a hope about it.
My worries eased a bit.
Once all the cooking was finished, Lorenda pulled her chair up beside Drake.
“It’s been ages since we’ve seen each other.”
She said, looking at me after taking off her apron.
Sweat drops were glistening on her neat, brown hair.
“…Has it been about a year since I last saw you?”
“More than that.”
“………”
I sealed my lips tight.
“Oh, right.”
Lorenda gestured in the air to manipulate the visual interface.
Soon, a hologram screen popped up in the middle of the table.
On the screen were Rex Nova, Andrea, and….
【…Just a regular person.】
It was me.
Hmm.
“…Uh.”
“I told you earlier, I was shocked when I saw you on that broadcast program, so I recorded it without realizing!”
Please delete it.
I cleared my throat.
“Cough.”
I wanted to go home, feeling like any outcast caught up among social butterflies.
Seeing my reaction, Lorenda dismissed the screen.
I tried to change the subject.
I lifted the dish in front of me to take some food.
Honestly, I had no appetite, but I had to eat to survive on this battlefield.
“Oh.”
It’s delicious.
“Isn’t it good?”
Lorenda pointed out, observing my reaction.
“Yes, it’s delicious.”
Of course, I secretly felt that Eve’s cooking was tastier. Hacking Monolith chef’s recipes had to ensure they were even worse than this.
[Checking Preferences.]
“?”
“Why suddenly?”
“…No, I think I heard an auditory hallucination.”
I thought I heard Eve’s voice.
Just a feeling, I guess.
And the conversation continued.
“When are you planning to have the baby?”
“I’m thinking of next month, but… I need to monitor the situation a bit longer.”
“You should have told me this happy news a bit earlier.”
“If someone had received the message on time, I would’ve already mentioned it long ago.”
“………”
Occasionally, unfortunate events occurred when someone’s fact would abruptly silence the conversation.
But fortunately, the meal ended without any issues.
It would have been nice if there were soda.
Since it wasn’t something I could just say as a guest, I quietly toasted with the beer in front of me.
Lorenda, who cleared the dishes, approached me again.
“Thank you.”
Hack!
I cough in surprise at the sudden gratitude.
Huh?
“Just for everything.”
Lorenda gulped down her beer.
Her cup seemed different, as she drained all 500cc in one gulp.
I wondered if it was okay for a pregnant woman to drink.
But it was possible due to the ethanol combustion cyberware.
“I said it jokingly about being a benefactor, but my gratitude is genuine.”
The blasted benefactor.
“…I really haven’t done anything.”
– Bang!
The beer glass thudded angrily against the table.
“No.”
Lorenda looked at me with intense eyes.
“What Siwoon did is more than deserving of praise.”
This vibe was unfamiliar to me.
“If Siwoon hadn’t helped me and him back then, there wouldn’t be a gathering like this.”
“……”
Maybe because of the alcohol buzz, I kept nodding in silence.
In reality, when playing the game.
The ‘NPC’ named Lorenda never appeared.
She was already dead.
“It’s not just me; I think the people around you feel the same way.”
Soon enough, Drake was looking at me with the same gaze as hers.
“I don’t know why, but…”
Lorenda’s hand intertwined with Drake’s on the table.
“I hope Siwoon can have some confidence.”
One hand was placed on Lorenda’s own belly.
“…Our child will think the same.”
—
I felt my heart lighten a little.
In reality, many people had been helped by my actions.
Even though I acted out of my selfishness to survive.
But is it okay if the outcome is good?
Can I think that way?
Indeed, this world is not a game.
I made up my mind to get this across clearly.
Having lived for ten years, I had felt that truth keenly enough.
This here is my world, my place.
I thought again.
…Hmm.
Then I suppose I should take the surrounding relationships a bit more seriously.
Catherine, Eve, Andrea.
And the others too.
Thinking that way, I opened the front door.
“…Oh, welcome.”
“Welcome!”
“Welcome back!”
Women dressed in maid outfits greeted me.
…….
What is this?
Calmly, I closed the front door.
Three maids rushed in after me when I suddenly turned around and ran away.
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