ch18

“……? Why isn’t Anastasia unnie coming in?”

“Well…. That’s….”

Mary stares at me anxiously as I stop in front of the ticket gate.

Given Sylvia’s usual fortitude, I thought she’d honestly say goodbye to Mary or explain the situation… but even she’s looking over here with a hint of regret, and at this rate, she might really miss her train.

“Oof…!!”

A thick arm scoops up the small, anxious-looking girl.

In the end, Schneider, unable to bear watching any longer, volunteered to play the villain.

“…This daddy made a mistake with the tickets, so Anastasia unnie will be coming separately on the next train. So… we’ll go ahead and find a new house with Mary’s room and unnie’s room all ready.”

“…!! Okay, okay! But I like being in the same room as unnie more!”

……He didn’t just volunteer to be the villain, he just blew himself up, didn’t he?

No, Mr. Schneider…? Aren’t you afraid of the resentment you’ll get from your daughter later if you make such an irresponsible promise…?

• If the young lady really comes, I’ll be safe too. –

“……Pardon?”

He grinned with an expression I’d never seen in the game. I wondered why he bothered calling with the person right in front of him, only to say something so absurd.

I waved back at Mary, who was swinging her arms, urging me to follow as quickly as possible.

Probably the most harmonious family in Neo Haven, the most stubborn family, disappears inside the station. He was worried about being too sentimental… or something… but it seems he’s the one trying to take advantage of it the most.

…I really don’t know? Well, you never know what might happen, so I’ll find out how much a ticket to Neo Haven costs… but I didn’t promise anything?

“Ughhh…!!”

I stretch and yawn as I walk out of the station.

Now that the idiot who’s sleeping soundly in his can is gone, I’m truly alone. It’s scary, but also very exciting.

I had a tremendous amount of luck, but I managed to prevent Schneider’s tragedy by killing a few dimwitted thugs. …Then, if I do my best to prepare thoroughly in the remaining time, it’s not an impossible dream to safely gather the materials and return.

“Wow…! Pretty lady! Your face and skin. Where did you get the procedure done??”

Besides, I’m finally feeling like I’m properly connected to a huge network in this world.

After passing through the gate, it was quite fun to watch the endless stream of corporate product ads and malicious Cyberware ads flying into the corner of my vision. I should block them now.

“I also love how you’re pretending not to hear and acting all aloof…? Are you interested in a one-night stand? I’m willing to pay 10… no, 200,000 Credits for a lady like you.”

…Come to think of it, I can’t exactly operate comfortably here on Harvest Planet either. I need to be especially careful not to contact Helena, no matter what.

In the original story, there was a line of dialogue saying that she had been in Neo Haven for half a year… so at the very least, an incident will occur within a year that will cause Helena Valentine to change her base of operations.

If I get involved and the main character’s path changes too much, my careful machinations could become useless. And… she’s quite harsh to people who don’t meet her standards, so she definitely wouldn’t look kindly on me, who suddenly appeared with the same last name.

“200,000 is too little? ……I’m getting more and more interested. How much do you want? Huh? 500,000? A million?? I’ll pay anything!! Even the little kids in the slums know the mercenary called ‘Daredevil Horatio’ in this city, you know?”

“……?”

Slowly, slowly. As I was organizing my to-do list and things to watch out for, something that looked like a ripe cabbage suddenly appeared in front of me. …Looking closely, it wasn’t a cabbage, but a madman with a green mohawk, green tattoos, and even green piercings.

“So, do you agree to a million Credits? Just using your body gently and fairly, without drugs or sex toys. Ah, I can’t send the lady I already hired back, so we’ll have to do it with three people!”

“…Hmph!!”

“……What the fuck?”

As befits a world where promiscuity isn’t exactly a sin or abnormal, someone on the street is hitting on me… or so I thought. And I’m the target?

Judging by the way the woman in the red evening dress next to the cabbage man is glaring at me, her fee must be much less than the amount offered to me.

……That doesn’t make me feel better at all.

The sun has just risen, but my mental strength, which has already run out because of that, is tempting me to go find a train ticket right now.

I can’t do this…. I need to find a place where I can be alone, even if it means the accommodation time is a bit messed up and the expenses increase. I was going to walk around and see how different it is from Neo Haven and where the important facilities are, but I’ll have to replace that with web surfing instead of walking around.

“Wow…!! It’s even hotter when such a docile and pretty mouth says something vulgar…? Is that kind of play possible?”

“…It’s not ‘play,’ it’s usually called a strong rejection when you swear because you really hate it. If you’re so horny, just take the person next to you and go have fun. Don’t grab a random person and brag about your bank balance.”

…Clang.

As I slowly backed away, I openly showed him that I was adjusting the rifle on my back and the holster on my thigh… but if he was the kind of person who would give up at that, he wouldn’t have approached me armed in the first place. Moreover, a pathetic show of force to someone who proudly introduced himself as a mercenary? That was a clear mistake.

Our vegetable friend’s breathing became rough.

“……Oh my god. You’re turning down a million Credits…? Shit. You’re a treasure… a treasure! They say you can’t buy a truly precious relationship with money…! …Miss, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions! Huh? This Horatio will bow his head and apologize. So please give me your contact information….”

“……!!”

Suddenly! He grabs my shoulder.

The impact was light compared to the violent movement, and the lust that had been gleaming in the man’s eyes had disappeared, but contact is contact. This is now perfect self-defense.

I tried to discharge electricity through the shoulder he grabbed, but this Combat Suit seems to have top-notch insulation.

I had no choice but to stretch out my arm. Because of the height difference, my fingertips barely grazed his chin… but that was enough.

“…Huh? Uh… Waaaaaah—!?!?”

“Kyaaaak?!”

“……Do whatever you want with that.”

Horatio fell on his butt in the middle of the street, and the woman screamed and distanced herself. In the meantime, I quickly searched for the nearest accommodation and hid in the crowd.

What did I do? I just… filtered out only the ads that were promoting adult sites or businesses from the ads that had been popping up and launched about a thousand of them on the guy’s Cyberware. He must have been surprised by the sudden obscured vision, but there’s no real damage and the process is ridiculous, so he probably won’t run to the police.

……Please don’t ask why the ad links I closed earlier were still there.

I’ll argue that it was pure curiosity. I could only see them in the game, I never actually accessed them…!

“What’s wrong with that guy? Isn’t that Daredevil? Why is he acting like that?”

“Hey, don’t approach him carelessly! What if it’s a virus attack!”

“…….”

I try to ignore the people gathering behind me to watch the withered cabbage.

It’s hard to say this, but I should apologize if I get the chance for treating Horatio as a simple madman just by looking at his appearance.

In the future world, appearance is individuality. According to the trend that it’s the easiest and most reliable way to express oneself, most pedestrians are covered in terrible fashion sense and plastic surgery results, so it’s wrong to condemn someone just for matching their colors in green.

…Unless you condemn him for letting his lower body control his brain.

~♬ ~~♪… ♬! ♩~!

I turned my eyes away from the foolish people who didn’t even know that the end of tuning is purity. I felt a little better when I focused on the synthwave music that was echoing through the streets, the source of which was unknown. My heart fluttered at the melody I had never heard in Neo Haven.

I’m almost there. According to the navigation, it’s the closest accommodation to Harvest Planet Station, with good reviews and thorough security. If I can just stay comfortably for a day….

“…Ah. I’m screwed.”

As soon as I turned the corner, I saw the fancy accommodation…. I sighed at the hotel’s exterior.

If the location is good, the customer satisfaction and security are good, it’s obviously an expensive luxury hotel, you idiot… Aigo….

‘Hora Dorada’.

I walked towards the main gate, decorated with golden pillars and arches as fancy as the name. Even if I don’t check in here, our Daredevil mercenary might come chasing after me in a rage… so I had the shallow thought that I should at least hear the price and leave.

Zhiiiing…!

“?!”

The light from the eyes of the hotel guards standing next to the door scanned my body without warning. How long has it been since I came to the city and I’m already meeting kids who have expensive scanners implanted in their eyes….

Identity verification…? Employees affiliated with a business wouldn’t care about that. It was more convincing to see that they were subtly checking if I had the ability to pay to stay here.

I don’t know what the evaluation requirements are, but I seemed to have passed, as the two guards politely greeted me and opened the door.

“…Welcome to Hora Dorada. Miss. We hope you have the best time during your stay.”

“…If you’re going to inspect other people’s equipment without permission every time, I don’t think I’ll ever stay here?”

“We apologize. We will pay special attention to the young lady in the future.”

“…….”

Ah, really… Anastasia, you genius girl! Why couldn’t you just keep quiet and make them remember you?!

Why didn’t you just use your researcher status when you entered the country…!

“Haaa…….”

As I entered the hotel with an indescribable sense of self-loathing, the street music that had been lingering in my ears was completely cut off, and the noise of my worker shoes constantly hitting the floor was buried in the soft carpet.

I’m glad that there are no other guests in the lobby, but when I see the fancy crystal chandeliers and the flower pots that change color when the flowers are in full bloom, I can roughly estimate the accommodation fee. If I’m going to stay here for a long time, I should contact Schneider and tell him that I’ll be following soon. Shit!

I moved my heavy steps towards the reception desk located in the front of the lobby.

I can already hear the guards laughing at me for being a spoiled brat who talked big and then immediately ran away.

…If the price is reasonable, I’ll just stay for one day. When else will I have this experience?

“Welcome…. Thank you for visiting Hora Dorada, the historic landmark of Harvest Planet. If you tell us what kind of service you want, we will do our best to help you….”

A neat, androgynous staff member in a suit, whose gender was unknown, located beyond the ivory reception desk, spoke in a soft voice.

The drawn-out ending of her words had a charm that sucked in people’s attention, but my purpose was clear.

“A standard room. How much is it for one night?”

“Standard rooms are offered at the affordable price of 149,900 Credits per 24 hours from check-in….”

“Oooo…kay. Yes. Thank you.”

Wake up after a week, and a citizenship is gone. The cost of living is truly insane.

I decided to use specific search terms like “capsule motel” this time, and was about to turn around and walk out when… words I couldn’t ignore flew at me from behind.

“…I’m telling you, as a customer. If you’re a lady… you absolutely shouldn’t stay in a cheaper place than this.”