ch37

From the very first introduction, an undeniable sense of familiarity lingered.

The first hurdle to discovering who Anne Grisha was was unintentionally cleared. However, now that I was face to face with her… I became even more curious about whether she was indeed a person who had always existed and what her specific relationship with Helena, who boasted a rather limited social circle, was.

…Let me correct that. To speak of someone as if they were a mere figment in front of a perfectly fine person was, to anyone’s eyes, too much.

Her large glasses pointed towards the floor, and the ends of her shy pigtails dangled in the air, swaying gently until she lifted her head, at which point that form was quickly hidden.

“…It’s nice to meet you. I’m Anne Grisha….”

“……Hello, Anastasia… Valentine.”

“Hehe… hic.”

“….”

“…….”

If there were a more awkward first meeting than this, I would have liked to ask what it was.

The guest who had safely brought the homeowner back stood awkwardly by the door, and our only common denominator, Helena, was in a state far from normal.

Was it my turn to offer her something like tea…? I wondered. But the reason Anne, who seemed merely troubled at first glance, was hesitating and not leaving was puzzling.

“……Let’s quietly go to bed. You drunkard.”

“……Sister.”

While I coaxed and comforted Helena, who was straddling the line between cooperation and non-cooperation, I never took my eyes off Anne.

…Isn’t it the fate of an office worker to leave as soon as possible after bringing a drunken colleague home, in order to preserve the remaining leisure and sleep time?

As I was gently unwrapping the superhuman’s fingers that were wrapped around my arm to lay her down comfortably, a voice came from behind, wanting to break the awkward atmosphere.

“Can I call you Anastasia…? When Helena said she was going to live with her sister, I wondered what she meant. …I didn’t expect you to actually exist…?”

“…….”

Her tone was still soft and calm, but the slight slur in her speech revealed an uncontained curiosity due to her mild intoxication.

…Ah, I could understand a little. I wasn’t the only one intrigued by the sudden appearance of an outsider in Helena’s strongly independent social circle.

If she wanted to talk, I would be more than welcome.

A hundred words… I planned to share them calmly from now on, so it would be right to invite her with actions.

Clink….

Quietly approaching, I opened the refrigerator door and couldn’t help but sigh at the homeowner’s bizarre taste in beverages. I wondered if her friend knew about this.

“……Which do you prefer, Anne? Cola-flavored cider or cider-flavored cola?”

“…I’ll have the cola-flavored cider, please.”

“Drink as much as you want…!”

Ignoring the drunken guest who reacted to the word “sister” even in her stupor, I handed a cold can of soda to Anne as she entered. Then we sat side by side on the sofa.

The pile of my clothes? She used them as cushions to sit down. …It was annoying that I had to go this far to match her eye level.

After popping the can open with a hiss, Anne took a sip, and the carbonation and coldness seemed to bring her back to her senses, prompting her to speak up.

“Today, Lena said… that she has a sister who can’t undergo physical enhancement procedures, and I was really surprised…! It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone like me, whose amplification efficiency is at rock bottom. There are so many physical types in the combat police….”

“Ah….”

Even though I didn’t have a proper response, Anne glanced at my body and nodded as if she understood her own words.

I wanted to argue that the fundamental reasons were entirely different, but seeing her delighted at meeting someone like her made me hesitant to ruin the moment.

“…Moreover, to think we’re both cyber engineers? I feel like we’d understand each other’s struggles well… I really wanted to meet you…!”

“Uh… yes. It’s an honor…?”

“I’m serious…?! Can you believe how many people judge others based on the price and grade of the parts embedded in their bodies? If I hadn’t been suited for this job, I would have quit long ago!”

With a buoyant spirit that made me suspect she mistook the soda for alcohol, Anne tilted her head back and gulped down the can.

At some point, I found myself at a loss for words due to the one-sided intimacy that had been built while I was asleep. Was this how Helena felt when she looked at me?

…Or perhaps Anne was also quite drunk, but it just wasn’t showing.

After a while, as she vented her frustrations about her office colleagues and the issues with implant technology, her gaze shifted to the now-sleeping Helena.

Her previously relaxed facial muscles stiffened, and perhaps… the main point she wanted to make burst forth.

“…Isn’t it unfair how God works?”

“Pardon? What do you mean…?”

“On the surface, both I and… Anastasia, and she all look similar. One of us is a talent capable of becoming a police chief with just basic enhancement procedures, while the other is….”

“…….”

Having said that much, Anne suddenly closed her mouth.

Given the nature of Metropolis, it would be correct to consider engineers as higher-level personnel than simple combat forces, but… in a reality where fists are often closer than the law, I found it hard to imagine what she had experienced.

All I could do was observe the emotions that flickered in Anne’s expression and eyes.

Among the fleeting beams of light that passed through her pupils, I could discern feelings of jealousy and affection. And a longing that contained emotions beyond mere affection.

“……I enjoyed the drink.”

I blankly watched as Anne Grisha, having set down her empty can, left with a lightness about her.

I wanted to joke about her audacity to aim for the heroine’s side, but it was difficult to judge her, as she left a strong impression despite our brief encounter.

And… that bold conversation from late at night was nearly a week ago, and I was still torturing myself over the unresolved mystery.

“Ugh…!!”

My trembling arms barely pushed against the floor.

The shaking vision, reminiscent of an earthquake, heightened my anxiety, and my body, which was crying out from excessive pain and fatigue, felt like it would stop functioning at any moment. No, in reality, my senses were gradually fading.

But it was too early to give up. The summit was right in front of me, and I couldn’t afford to lose.

If I couldn’t endure this much, the name Valentine would weep.

Just watch, I’ll manage to pull through, even if it means risking my grandfather’s honor…!!

“Asha! Were you doing that exercise again?”

“Ugh?!”

Startled by the sudden voice, the strength drained from my arms, and my face buried into the pile of clothes I had set up for injury prevention.

……Fifteen push-ups, I had seen the possibility, but once again, I failed today. The reason? Helena had come home without making a sound.

Don’t ask how many I failed at… if you value your life…!

“Hmm… huff…!”

I couldn’t muster the courage to look directly at her, who was clearly holding back laughter at my state.

At least judging by Helena’s light demeanor, it seemed like there hadn’t been any major issues today, which was a relief.

“Hmm, what do you want for dinner?”

“……Something high in protein.”

I lifted my sore body and collapsed onto the sofa, which had now become my own.

Helena Valentine, who had been late without any contact since the first day of living together, only commuting strictly between home and work. Anastasia Valentine, who had holed up in her new home without stepping out even once. Truly… a healthy family dynamic.

“…….”

I glanced at Helena, who was preoccupied with choosing the menu.

When I asked Helena what kind of person Anne was, she smiled and answered that she was her closest and only friend in the city.

…And seeing that smile, I pondered and agonized until my head felt like it would burst.

The past that Helena supposedly shared on Haven Wiki, while Anne’s existence was never mentioned in the original work. I was afraid that my actions might ruin things, so I hesitated to move and kept observing… but it was time to make a decision.

If Anne Grisha was a character who would exit soon, well before the prologue of the original story began… could I forgive myself for being so passive after everything unfolded?

The expressionless and cool Helena of Neo Haven was impressive, but… her current gentle smile was even more precious.

At this point, I couldn’t expect the protagonist, who I didn’t even know where or what they were doing, to intervene, so I shouldn’t turn a blind eye to these two.

…Yes, I had rested long enough. I couldn’t keep hiding in the back and merely watching the stage.

If a catastrophe was to come at any time in any form, I would at least resist it boldly.

To catch a tiger, one must enter the tiger’s den.

Fortunately, I had come up with a three-in-one solution that included securing a stable source of income, observing the threats approaching Helena and Anne, and addressing Dreyfus’s proposal.

“Um… Helena?”

“……?”

Noticing the missing honorifics, she looked at me with a pouty expression, but upon seeing my serious face, she adjusted her posture.

“…I also applied to the combat police, is that okay…?”

…I hoped it wasn’t a job that required a minimum length of service. I needed to leave for Neo Haven within at least six months, or at most a year.