The Lower-Class Citizen Zone had the same scenery as always.
The hologram lights sneaked out from the Upper-Class and Middle-Class areas, illuminating the gaps between the old buildings, and the faces of the walking people were all dull and lifeless.
Of course, there might be some differences among the Lower-Class areas. But all of these details fell under common parts.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been around here.”
I thought about the Lower-Class places I had visited often lately. Like East Beverly with the No Answer. Little Shinjuku, home to the Vanta Market. Or places like Cloud Park.
However, since I had intentionally avoided this area for some time, longing and bitter feelings surged like waves.
For sure.
It seems true that people live off memories.
It was the same when I met the chairman at Monolith Tower earlier.
Seeing the landscape of this place after a long time brought up memories buried in my heart one by one.
[When was the last time you visited this place?]
“Has it been a few years already?”
I counted on my fingers at Eve’s question.
It was only natural that Eve, who had recently joined me, didn’t know this.
First, I pointed to the neon ads decorating the walls of the buildings and explained.
“In this area, if you set up holographic ads, scavengers will take them away in no time. So most of the ads are in neon sign form. Actually, there are probably more LED or LCD panels, but for convenience, they just call them neon signs.”
The types of ads were quite different from those seen in the Middle-Class.
Since the sales points differed, they advertised affordable cyberware or food products.
Next, I pointed to a side alley.
“I lived in that alleyway for quite some time. It was considered a good location, but the rent was outrageous. There were plenty of vagabonds trying to break in, but after Catherine drove them off a few times, they quickly disappeared.”
Just to clarify.
I had never actually stayed in the same room back then.
Let’s set aside the expensive rent.
It was because the Confucian scholar or Confucian dragon within me shouted.
…
But how did it come to this?
Where did the saying about men and women not sitting together go…?
I lament my situation for a moment.
Then I pointed to a restaurant I saw on the street.
“Wow, that restaurant is still here. I owe them a lot.”
It was a Michelin 0-star place, known for its cheap prices and stimulating flavors.
Time hadn’t swept that place away either.
Not that I ever wanted to eat there again.
I didn’t even know if the meat was synthetic or cultured.
The owner, who never explained what animal it came from, still lingers in my memory.
As I reminisce while walking, I soon found myself at my target, the Fusion-Japanese Restaurant.
The stickers of wooden paintings stuck on the entrance and walls were weathered and peeling.
Though a few parts had fallen off more than I remembered, it didn’t look significantly different from the last time I saw it.
[Is this the place run by the human ‘Maya’ and her biological father?]
“Yeah.”
It was also the reason I had returned here after such a long time.
The noise inside was minimal.
Being still early for meals, the place appeared quite empty.
From a distance, I observed the Fusion-Japanese Restaurant.
About five minutes seemed to pass.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Eve asked me in a puzzled tone.
[…Aren’t you going in?]
“Mmm.”
I had been doing deep breathing and tried the ‘he-he-hoo’ like Lamaze to relax.
But the mental prep wasn’t as easy as I thought.
“Should we just turn back?”
[?]
Isn’t witnessing it open after coming all this way enough?
[Stop talking nonsense and get in already─.]
While Eve, who couldn’t empathize with me, was saying this, a few vagabonds loitering in the alley approached me swaggering.
“Dressed all nice, huh? Tourist?”
They casually tossed an arm around me.
“Looks like you’ve got a lot to spare, how about sharing a bit with the folks here?”
Whatever was so funny to them, they chuckled among themselves, heh heh heh.
“Looks warm, that coat is mine.”
“First time in the Lower-Class, huh? You’ll get used to it.”
Communists of the cyberpunk world (vagabonds) are here.
For real, it’s the same as ever, despite the monorail station being nearby and open robbery happening in the streets.
Meanwhile, a good idea flashed in my mind.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and take off what you’re wearing─.”
“Just need to borrow some clothes.”
“……?”
With the sudden gust from my mana, the vagabonds were sent flying several meters into the air.
I had no intention of wearing bloody clothes, so I helped their landing.
However, it seemed no one was able to maintain their senses after that experience.
I snatched the coat and hat of the guy who matched my stature most closely and put them on.
Even though the bad smell and unpleasant sensation of second-hand clothing wrapped around me, in life, sacrifices for a greater cause must exist.
At least it wasn’t unbearable since I had just visited the sewage.
Just leaving one guy in his original clothes would be cruel, so I used wind to toss the other vagabonds clothes off like laundry in a washing machine.
Finally, I tossed the grimy naked men into a corner of the alley.
They were probably too embedded in their communist ideals to complain about my actions.
Let everyone be empty-handed…
After flinging the unnecessary clothes away, I calmly checked my outfit.
I reflected my appearance in a holographic screen.
With this disguise, it seemed no one would recognize me.
Since I had looted like in a game, having an inventory would really have been nice.
Unfortunately, even in the cyberpunk world, spatial dimensions are almost impossible, so I neatly folded my original coat and hid it away in the alley.
“Is this enough that I won’t be recognized?”
I confirmed with Eve one last time.
[Is it really necessary to go this far? I shake my head and question.]
Not the answer I wanted, but I took it to mean she thought I wouldn’t be recognized.
Alright, let’s go.
Like other vagabonds, I swaggered into the Japanese restaurant.
In stark contrast to the cold air of the Lower-Class, warm heat wafted from within the restaurant.
At the same time, a familiar voice rang out.
“…Welcome──, yo.”
She, Maya, greeted me at the entrance.
While it mildly bothered me that her words cut off unnaturally in the middle, I didn’t show it.
“……”
Opening my mouth might reveal my identity, so I kept my head down and remained silent.
I could use the mask’s modulation feature, but honestly, that would only make me more suspicious.
Maya stared at me intently.
…Did she see through me?
My worries were completely unfounded as Maya slightly bowed her head and guided me to the counter.
“…Your meal is this way.”
Good, looks like I wasn’t exposed.
I followed Maya and sat at one of the counter seats.
Honestly, I preferred a corner spot, but refusing her invitation in this situation felt more difficult.
“The owner will take your order.”
After bringing a teacup, Maya left with her business smile, disappearing somewhere.
It was only then that I could take a deep breath.
“Phew.”
Having regained some composure, I looked around with nostalgia.
Although it was mainly a fusion-Japanese restaurant, it still bore enough resemblance to an ordinary Japanese restaurant as it had the name ‘Japanese Restaurant’ hanging on its sign.
Most of the interior appeared unchanged from the past. Each decoration triggered my memories.
Of course, it wasn’t exactly the same as before.
Surveillance cameras were conspicuously installed in every corner.
“……”
Maya’s father’s face came to mind.
I felt this was a result of the heightened security since his daughter was kidnapped.
…Right.
I didn’t come here just to eat.
I came to check how they were doing.
“…Um.”
At that moment, the owner walked out from behind the counter, holding an electronic menu.
A few more wrinkles had formed on his face, but luckily he still appeared lively, just like when I last saw him.
Without a word, the owner handed me the electronic menu.
I hunched my head a bit more to hide my face with the hat. I extended my hand to take the menu he offered.
With the tension of drawing attention on me, I quickly flipped through the menu pages and pointed to the recommended dish.
“……”
“……Um.”
Is there an unspoken communication in silences?
I didn’t know, but the owner, with a short snort, began preparing the food inside.
He was still as stoic as ever.
Through the neural computer chip translation module, he was one of the rare humans who could translate various foreign languages in a cyberpunk world.
“Oh, is that really Maya?”
A loud voice boomed inside the restaurant.
Just from the voice, I could smell strong alcohol.
A customer who had already taken his first drink early in the day barked.
“Haha! I thought the owner had brought in a virgin!”
He didn’t seem to have the basic preparations of an ethanol combustion implant; the man’s face was as red as one in the drunken state.
He loudly proclaimed to the surrounding drinking buddies who were questioning her identity.
“Eh? Who’s Maya? Didn’t I mention it before? She’s the daughter of this owner who went missing years ago.”
“…Excuse me, sir, you’re quite drunk. Please be quiet as it could disturb other guests.”
Hearing Maya’s response, I was assured she had escaped the chrome psycho symptoms.
Wow, she really just let that slide.
I thought she would smack him with the serving tray.
In fact, even before Maya was kidnapped, she would probably have responded with violence to someone like that.
However, even after Maya’s gentle intervention, the man continued his drunken rant.
“Still, it’s great to have her back safe! No wait, did she come back fine after getting a corporate implant surgery or something? Wouldn’t it be strange to return unscathed after being abducted by scavengers─?”
Ugh, I can’t listen to this.
My ears dirtied, I unconsciously gathered mana and shot it at the man.
The mana that discharged from my hand struck the back of the man’s head directly.
– Boom!
“A.”
He spun with the dish in front of him.
I had gathered too much mana.
Thanks to that, chaos ensued.
“What, what’s going on!! He just collapsed!”
“Call for an ambulance!!”
“No, what nonsense is he talking about? Do you not know how many credits calling an ambulance costs here?”
The drinking companions began to deliberate, sharing their thoughts.
“Get it together!”
“You’re wrong, he’s really hammered.”
“I knew he’d pull some nonsense like this.”
In the end, their consensus was formed.
“Just leave him outside; he’ll wake up soon.”
“Yeah, doesn’t seem like he’s got any broken bones.”
With practiced motions, they hoisted the fallen man and tossed him outside the restaurant.
This cyberpunk world, devoid of blood and tears…
If you let your guard down, you could end up being discarded by your drinking buddies.
You’re not supposed to throw garbage on the street.
I briefly reflected on that sight.
“…Thank you.”
“Excuse me?”
I couldn’t hold onto the silence concept after the unexpected gratitude from the owner.
I turned to look at the owner, but he seemed to focus quietly on the dishes as if the fact I had spoken was a lie.
…Did I mishear?
If it’s not that, could it be…
“Maya! I was trying to remain ignorant, how do I handle this now?”
“…Hmph.”
The owner grunted at Maya’s teasing.
And I…
…
Since I got caught anyway, I removed the hat I had been wearing.
After all, it had been itching my head for a while.
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