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• Mass Energy Terror at the City Gate? Harvest Planet, Symbol of Abundance, Under Threat! –

• Paradise Corporation, who promised to prevent recurrence, explains it as a simple equipment malfunction. –

• Some even give ominous testimonies that they were ordered to search for intruders just before the accident. Could it be the work of the secret society, Five Eyes, which advocates social enlightenment? –

“…Ah.”

“Hmm? Are you awake? Miss Valentine?”

The consciousness that had been wandering near the River Styx returned at the noisy broadcast.

Her whole body ached, her head still throbbed, and her condition was the worst because she had been overworking late into the night, fiddling with the city’s computer network and database.

But even if she felt like she was about to die, she couldn’t ignore her benefactor’s words, so she threw off the blanket she had pulled over her head and got up from the sofa in the waiting room.

“…Thank you, Doctor. I slept comfortably thanks to you… Yes. But I remember you using that title for Helena…?”

The doctor, still staring at the TV, replied as if it were obvious.

“Now there’s only one Valentine sister left, isn’t there? So there’s no reason to deliberately call you by your name to distinguish you. I don’t like to have deeper relationships with my guests than necessary.”

“……”

Even though he says that. I remember the favor he did when he carried Helena, who was dying, on his back and readily agreed to treat her.

Moreover, thanks to the fact that he handled it without leaving any medical records, it became easier for the remaining people to coordinate their stories.

‘Helena Valentine eventually died without escaping the gate’s basement.’ A convenient lie.

She’s probably busy right now with the help of the 3rd Gate members, getting scolded by her grandfather in her long-awaited hometown while forging a new identity. But officially, she’s dead.

The data from the security cameras, which should have contained detailed information about all the incidents, were out of order before and after I touched them.

In the end, the events had to be reconstructed based on the testimonies of the soldiers who were deployed… but no one testified to encountering an intruder. There were records of them going in, but no results of them coming out, so only the person in charge would be in trouble.

…The word ‘person in charge’ reminds me that Helena was not treated as the main culprit in the post-mortem investigation at all.

The damage was too great to be committed by a single police officer, and the suspicious orders confirmed through the command’s records.

When I last saw it, the conclusion was narrowing down to the field manager, who had enormous authority, being suspected of being a spy or going rogue.

Well. That doesn’t mean that Helena’s violation of orders and unauthorized intrusion disappeared, of course, so I barely managed to pack my personal belongings and was kicked out of the house that Paradise had seized.

• Miss Valentine, there was a request to provide breakfast, although I am not inclined to do so. Do you have any preferred product categories? –

“…I’ll eat whatever you give me.”

“Hey?! Jenny! Her manners are getting worse every day…!”

I bowed my head to the grumpy Android Jenny.

She wanted to exclude me at all costs, saying that I had caused extreme stress to the master she served, both before and now.

I had no excuse since I had caused her trouble with the work I had brought and had been forced to take on confidential matters that could cause problems… but it felt a little unfair that she was saying that I had bothered the doctor ‘before’ as well.

…Maybe I’m being treated like a troublesome guest who just got a checkup and left.

• I have learned that serving guests is the domain of the wife. –

“…Wait, what? Has the personality setting been changed again without permission…?”

Slinking away. With a cup of ramen in one hand, I retreated to the corner and continued to observe the master and servant, which was becoming more and more interesting.

The doctor, tilting his head and fiddling with the Android’s face, didn’t seem to grasp what was going on, but that wasn’t strange.

A sprout of ego blooming on the meticulously paved road of artificial intelligence was never a common occurrence.

“Hmm… Is it restored now? Jenny?”

• …Would you please touch and correct me one more time? –

“……”

I turned away from the scene, which was much more suited to cuddling than bickering.

I didn’t stay on Harvest Planet just to see this.

I was thinking of leaving for Neo Haven while I was at it, but if even I left now, there was a risk of getting caught.

I felt a sense of crisis that I might create a long and bitter relationship.

I know that it’s right for me to contact them first since it wasn’t a typical job.

But Paradise must be busy enough with the aftermath, and I wondered if it would be presumptuous for a hacker who might have lost interest to come forward and babble on… So.

I decided to stay in the city so as not to give the impression that I was running away, but not to come forward recklessly.

Even though it’s completely results-oriented. This choice was right.

Beep!

“!!”

Suddenly, a video call request filled my vision.

Even though the caller was hidden as unknown, I felt like I knew who it was, so I braced myself and accepted the connection.

• Are you… Hacker Anastasia? I see you’ve already submitted your resignation? –

We didn’t meet often, and we weren’t close, but I could tell for sure from the first sentence and attitude.

Ah, this guy is really angry.

I know that I have a very basic Implant, so there’s no video data being provided to the other side. But every time his eyes rolled as if he was looking around the other side, I got goosebumps.

“…I was so mentally shocked that I needed some rest.”

• Aha… Rest, you say? In that case, it’s our Paradise’s specialty, so we can provide you with the best service, but? –

“…I’m sorry. I don’t think I can afford a luxurious life since I have to hold my sister’s funeral.”

When I emphasized that I had been caught up in a careless accident and that there were no more family members left for him to threaten, Aaron Dreyfus, who had been leaning forward as if he was about to devour the other person, relaxed slightly and leaned back in his chair.

• …Didn’t I clearly warn you? Not to interfere with Paradise’s business. –

“I didn’t interfere! As I wrote in my statement, I was unilaterally kidnapped by the command during my work and moved to the basement. …Even my only family member died in the process of trying to rescue me.”

• ……. –

I try to recall as much as possible and express the anger and despair I felt at the time.

Furthermore, when I said that I was appalled by Paradise’s insensitivity, the emotion completely disappeared from his face.

There would be many questionable points. Of course, there would be many.

It’s too coincidental to be a coincidence, and it doesn’t make sense because no one benefits from it if it’s intentional.

But the remaining records and the testimonies of the surviving survivors.

Even if you carefully consider the order and cause and effect of the problems that occurred. There was no other way to explain everything so clearly.

• There was a connection record of your terminal in the command’s black box, but? –

“It wasn’t me who did it, but the person in charge there. …I remember writing this in my statement, too?”

…I should add a spoonful of displeasure.

He seems to be trying to find contradictions by repeatedly asking about the testimonies and statements, but from the perspective of someone who was really caught up in something unexpected, no matter how many hundreds of times I repeated it, there was no way a loophole would be revealed.

• …Then, you said that you temporarily fought to protect yourself when you woke up. Didn’t you witness the circumstances of the basement being devastated at all? –

Oh, shit. Except for this!

“The anesthetic took effect late… When I woke up again, I had already been transferred to the barracks.”

The testimony of the worker who witnessed me shooting the Killing ray caught me off guard.

In fact, thanks to that friend’s eyewitness account, it became easier to treat Helena as an unfortunate victim, but the extent of the damage, which is difficult to pass off as self-defense, is linked to me… I’m doomed. Not just doomed, but thoroughly doomed.

Helena had all her real estate taken away for disobeying orders and killing a Levy unit, so what kind of treatment would an arsonist who set fire to the store receive? …I was so curious that I wanted to hang up the phone right away and leave to investigate.

• ……. –

“….”

It’s quiet.

The couple in the outfield, who had heard the unusual atmosphere and conversation, had also held their breath, but it was even scarier that Dreyfus had no reaction at all.

It felt like the level of punishment was increasing in real time under the pretext of lese majesty with every second that passed.

…Should I just turn myself in?

What’s the point of fighting a human being who can bury a few citizens and make it disappear with just suspicion anyway? It didn’t seem like a bad idea to seize the opportunity to have my value highly valued and tie up a suitable relationship.

Just as I was about to open my mouth.

Very… coincidentally. He seems to have reached a similar conclusion as me.

• Well, fine. –

“……?”

I’m glad he can’t see my bewildered expression. Otherwise, the negotiations would have fallen apart.

• Can’t get citizenship… Can’t provide legal labor… Doesn’t consume Paradise’s products. It was a project that we ambitiously prepared so that even those people could contribute to society by being Harvested… I sincerely apologize for the unexpected victim. –

His heavy head bows.

It was shocking that he was apologizing, with a polite attitude as if he was trying to appease me.

Moreover, the content he was coolly revealing assumed that I already knew everything.

“……Harvest?”

I didn’t know how to react, so I continued the conversation as if it was the first time I had heard the word.

To be exact, I tried to continue until I heard the next sentence.

• Yes, Harvest. If the added value is higher when they’re dead than when they’re alive, we can’t help it since we’re pursuing profits, can we? –

Suddenly, I had a thought.

If I just nodded and moved on here, wouldn’t the same facility be built under the gate again in less than a week? A huge cogwheel that would never stop turning with simple sabotage unless someone pointed out the fundamental flaws flickered before my eyes.

“…I guarantee that kind of business will fail within two years. The regeneration technology developed by Enama will be much easier than your tinkering human experiments or organ trafficking.”

Ah, I did it.

Advice using future knowledge, affirmation disguised as advice.

I had admitted that I vaguely knew about the project through some route, but I had no regrets.

If I had the kind of personality that could just put up with seeing something shitty and move on, I wouldn’t be here in the first place, and I wouldn’t be in conflict with him.

But, at the condescending, arrogant advice. Dreyfus rather burst into a hearty laugh.

• Haha! Really… You’re helping us in many ways to make the decision to abandon a useless business? I’m glad you have so much concern for Paradise! –

“…In many ways?”

Was there a double meaning in what I just said?

I thought it was an adjective that wasn’t suitable to use in this situation, but he had his own reasons.

• Didn’t you already demonstrate that decent talent emerges on its own, without the need for companies to overinvest in discovering them? So… I look forward to seeing you at headquarters soon. –

I was momentarily speechless.

What’s with this guy so casually handing out invitations?!

“…Paradise headquarters? Why would I need to go there…”

• Our principle is to personally settle the consolation money (Blood Money) to be paid to the bereaved family in the event of an employee’s death due to an industrial accident! –

…That’s a lie.

Helena had already been suspended before her death, so there was no way any consolation money would be paid separately.

This is a gentle invitation.

I could feel their determination to put a leash on me, even if it was loose, no matter how much resentment I might harbor towards them due to my family’s death.