The next day.
I received a message from the Chairman.
Sender: ‘Monolith, Taylor Blackstar’
– Apparently, there’s a party at the end of this month.
– I’ll send you the time and place separately.
– I’ll have a car ready for you on the day.
– Seems like it’ll go smoothly.
– ヽ( ⌒▽⌒)ﾉ≡ヽ(⌒▽⌒ )ﾉ
……
I’m not sure about the meaning of the emoticons either.
He could’ve sent it through an employee.
But he went out of his way to send this personally.
It felt a little burdensome.
I closed the message window.
Alright, I found a way to get to the party.
Now, all that’s left is to find a clue about Smile John’s identity.
InfoSeller7.
I recall that 7 had said something.
Around the end of this month, a party for high-ranking officials is being held at a hotel in the Upper-Class Area.
Honestly, I did wonder if the real Smile John would attend that party.
In a place like Neon City, overflowing with lies and fakes.
It’s common for people to ramble nonsense just to earn some credits.
But looking at the Chairman’s message, it does seem true that there’s a high-ranking party in the Upper-Class Area at the end of the month.
I’ve also gathered some info about 7.
Though it’s just hearsay.
They say he hasn’t spread false information yet.
“Underdog,” was it?
He’s more famous than I thought.
Though he’s currently in a sad state of having lost all his electronic devices.
Let’s make an excuse and say I acted emotionally without realizing it.
No, but really.
I couldn’t help it.
He reminded me too much of a baseball player from LA back in modern Korea.
He spoke way too much.
It’d be fine if what he said was useful or something.
But over 90% was pointless TMI.
At least it was enough for me to end it there.
If it was someone else─.
[I’m on the move.]
“Ow, you startled me!”
I almost cursed without thinking.
I looked at the small unmanned multirotor, aka ‘drone’ that settled in front of me.
Eight legs.
With a somewhat blunt design.
The legs wriggling fluidly looked gross.
The robot from 7’s story.
I think its name was Lone Spider.
I don’t know the model number.
Right, it was something I unintentionally picked up while going to ambush 7.
There could be some misunderstanding, but this is definitely not ‘theft’.
Taking items from someone with plenty of money who does bad things is not burglary; it’s one of the legitimate means.
We could also call it ‘looting’ or ‘farming’.
I rationalized it that way.
I wondered just how boastful the item was to make me waste my precious time explaining it.
Right now, Eve is controlling it.
Her movements with the body (not really) seem surprisingly lively.
Those wriggling legs are quite impressive.
Looking at that, I thought maybe I should buy her an ‘artificial body’.
But sadly.
Such things aren’t purchasable just because you have money.
Besides, I don’t even have enough credits to begin with.
……Well, I’ll think about it later.
While thinking that, I looked down at the drone dancing around as Eve.
A video I saw long ago came to mind.
It was a video of a spider dancing, lifting its legs, and it synced pretty well.
Yeah…, as long as you’re satisfied.
But something felt off.
It’s dancing, but it seems like it wants to say something.
I awaited Eve’s words.
[First, I sincerely recommend checking this out.]
“What is it?”
A screen appeared through my vision interface.
It was a video of the hallway in my house, the Golden Smile Condominium.
Did you hack into the surveillance cameras again, Eve?
And then I was hit with a shock that felt like my heart stopped.
“……”
In the video of the hallway in my sight.
Catherine and Julia were facing each other.
“What the hell—.”
This time, I couldn’t hold back my curse.
10. I Can’t Believe This Either (1)
First, let’s calm down.
This was something everyone could have expected.
Thinking back, it was evident.
Catherine moved into the house next to mine.
And although I had been trying to ignore it, Julia also moved to the same floor as me.
Conversely, it’s surprising that they had never crossed paths until now.
I slowly took a deep breath to settle down.
Let’s sort out the situation first.
First of all, it was clear that the two of them didn’t know each other’s faces.
No matter how much Catherine is the game’s protagonist.
There’s no way she’d know all the bounty data from NCPD.
And no matter how much of a fugitive Julia is, she wasn’t the type to rampage like other Chrome Psychos without reason.
I called out to Eve.
“……Eve.”
[I’m on standby.]
“Can we hear their voices too?”
“Negative, the voice module isn’t installed in the hallway surveillance cameras, I explain.”
That’s what it means.
There was also the option to press the intercom button on my front door to listen to the outside.
But my movement sounds might reach Catherine.
The ridiculous physical abilities of a game protagonist could turn the impossible into possible.
I was even speaking very quietly.
Was there a better way?
While I was thinking this.
[Using the drone, I can check it myself, I propose.]
“Oh, really?”
[Affirmative.]
Eve’s drone, specifically the one called ‘Lone Spider’, began folding its legs slowly.
Next, parts that looked like propellers emerged from its body here and there.
[Model name: Lone Spider, model K2N-7757. An ‘invisibility mode’ has been installed for excellent infiltration performance, I assure you.]
Alright, I trust you.
The Lone Spider slowly rose into the air.
During the process, there wasn’t any sound at all.
And although it rose through the rotation of the propellers, not a slight breeze was felt.
[Invisibility system activated.]
It was then that the body of the Lone Spider became transparent.
If you look very closely.
You might be able to discern its form.
But it would be hard to notice its existence unless it was in a very bright place.
I already had no idea where it went.
[I’m off.]
Without a sound, the Lone Spider moves.
There’s no way the window is open.
How’s it planning to get out?
“How are you planning to get out into the hallway?”
[There are methods, I infiltrate.]
I thought there should be good ways I didn’t know about.
And indeed, a major disaster of the front door opening didn’t occur.
If the drone stealthily infiltrated and then opened the front door, I wouldn’t have been able to stop shivering.
Maybe it used the ventilation system or exhaust duct to get out, I cautiously presumed.
I slowly waited for Eve’s words.
At the same time, I prepared my mind to rush out if there was a sign of fighting outside.
After a short while.
Through Eve’s connection, I heard the conversation between Catherine and Julia.
[So, you live here?]
[……Yes.]
[I didn’t see you moving in.]
[… I’ve only moved in a few days ago.]
The tone sounded like someone who was about to get shaken down.
Thankfully, the situation didn’t seem as serious as I thought.
[So is that your place?]
[……Yes, um, the person who lived there moved somewhere else.]
[……A crazy guy has disappeared.]
Catherine muttered softly.
I agree with her on this point.
The place Julia moved into originally housed someone very sensitive to sound.
I even had to visit in the early morning for a quiet bowl of soy noodles once.
If my patience hadn’t held up then, I could have ended up as one of the criminals.
He was a different kind of weirdo from Bill.
Anyway, I calmly focused on the screen.
As long as the atmosphere stays like this, it’ll be fine.
And just as I was thinking that.
[So why were you right in front of this house?]
Catherine’s tone sharpened up.
About ten years.
That’s how long I’ve seen Catherine.
In other words, as a ‘Catherine expert’, I’d say.
If Julia even misspoke here, it’d be strange if a fight didn’t break out immediately.
Whether she knew this or not.
Julia responded in a carefree voice.
[Um…, I know someone who lives here.]
[?]
Catherine looked puzzled by Julia’s response.
[Is it in this house?]
[……Yes.]
[Not a bounty hunter or anything, right?]
It was as if she were looking at a sharp house cat.
Didn’t she erase my bounty herself?
Catherine seemed overly concerned.
…Should I go out soon?
The atmosphere feels off.
[If it’s about Siwoon, then─, wait a moment.]
Catherine pauses her sentence.
[……I can hear the sound of a drone.]
The moment I heard Catherine say that, I dashed to the front door.
“Hey? What a coincidence! What are you doing here together?”
I naturally spoke to them.
At the same time, I made sure to look as if I didn’t know anything.
“What’s this? Suddenly popping out?”
“…Ah, Siwoon.”
Their gazes turned toward me.
I let out a short sigh.
That was close.
What about the Lone Spider?
I continued speaking to them.
“……What are you doing in the hallway? If you’re talking, let’s do it inside.”
I gestured to Catherine and Julia.
…First, let’s sort out the current situation.
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