The Reason for Making Money!
“Oh, wow.”
“Amazing.”
“Wooow!”
The kids trickled into the office one by one, a balanced mix of boys and girls from all sorts of backgrounds. Every fidgety move and burst of energy screamed of tough upbringings, but the clothes they wore and the cybernetic implants gleaming on their bodies were top-of-the-line—nothing less.
Cybernetics. Yeah, that was the key. Every single one of them had implants. Some in the usual spots like eyes, arms, or legs. One kid, who used to scoot around in a wheelchair because of a spinal issue, was walking just fine now.
I knew these kids. From the 6th floor, Cyber City. The five orphans Mosco Bi Chacos had been raising at her church.
Meracle opened two years ago. Seeing them again after all that time, they'd grown a bit, but their faces were still unmistakable. What used to look like kindergarteners now seemed more like elementary schoolers.
“This is where you work, Uncle?”
“Whoa, Uncle's a total big shot!”
“Hey, kids! That's rude! Be careful!”
The girl who reined them in before they could scatter and explore was the tallest, with black hair. Sora, if memory served. She used to have a missing left leg, hobbling on a prosthetic or crutches. Now, a sleek black glossy cybernetic leg gleamed there—not some mass-produced Hellalite model, but a luxury upper-tier one. The kind no church orphan could dream of affording.
“Long time no see, Uncle. Thanks so much for making time for us.”
Sora bowed politely, and the others chimed in with a chorus of “Thank you!” as they bowed too.
Seeing that melted away my worries, replaced by a warm smile.
“You've been studying hard, huh? Your 3rd-floor Korean's coming along great.”
“We can even read all the books you gave us before you left.”
Two years ago, they could barely string words together. Now they spoke fluently.
“So, what's up? Why'd you come?”
Mosco hadn't come herself—the kids had. Descending to the 3rd floor was odd enough, but seeking me out meant something was wrong.
“Well, actually—”
“Mom won't come, Uncle!”
“I miss Mom!”
“She promised, but she hasn't shown up!”
“Kids! I'm talking right now! Don't put Uncle on the spot!”
Mom? That'd be Mosco Bi Chacos. And unfortunately, she was a wanted fugitive in Cyber City right now. Her crime of betraying humanity wasn't something she could just shake off.
“……”
These kids standing in front of me... they were probably the reason she'd done it.
Outfitting kids with cybernetics costs a fortune—more than you'd think. And as they grow, you have to swap sizes constantly, keep them clean, all that extra care.
She probably prepaid everything, even future insurance and maintenance.
Sora calmed the kids and looked back at me, hands clasped in that earnest habit she'd picked up at the church.
“Uncle, can you help us find our mom? The cops here say Cyber City's not their jurisdiction, and we don't have money to go back up there ourselves.”
“……”
“Sorry. You're the only one we could think of. Mom gave us these business cards for if we ever needed help, and yours was here.”
Business cards. I'd figured she'd tossed them, but she'd kept them all this time.
“Where are you staying now?”
“At the church. The 6th-floor chapel got taken in by the main parish here on the 3rd.”
Like I'd mentioned before, after the inter-floor war ended, religion boomed like never before. In the chaos, churches and cathedrals surged upward like the Wild West gold rush, planting crosses everywhere and preaching the gospel. That's how Christmas caught on in the 6th floor.
I checked the time. Two hours till quitting.
“Renea.”
“Huh?”
My employees had been watching quietly from the side. I beckoned Renea over and handed her a card.
“Buy these kids some food with this. Hang out with them. I'll pick them up in two hours.”
“The cheapskate boss?!”
“Not stuff you want. Pizza, chicken—kid stuff.”
“Got it! But what about the clogged toilet?”
“I'll call a plumber. Don't worry.”
Gotta put up an 'Out of Order' sign.
“Follow this lady!”
“Yayyy!”
“Chicken! Chicken time!”
“How old are you, anyway?”
“You're so short!”
“You? Did you just call this lady 'you'?!”
Renea marched off, brandishing a stick she'd picked up somewhere, herding the kids like a general. I watched from the lobby for a moment, sighed, and turned to the staff who'd followed.
“I'm clocking out early. Kim Yang, handle cleanup and close up when it's time. Raichen, put up an 'Out of Order' sign on the bathroom and call a plumber to unclog it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Raichen moved at once, but Kim Yang eyed me worriedly.
“Wh-where you going?”
“The church that took in the kids.”
I slipped on my suit jacket, retied my necktie. Baek Yeonhwa stepped up and fixed it for me.
“You know how to tie a tie?”
“It's basic for a good wife and wise mother.”
She smiled, pleased to put her book learning to use.
“Wh-what're you gonna do there?”
“Check on something that's bugging me. Don't worry—it's nothing big.”
I told them to head out when ready and stepped outside.
The church the kids mentioned was a quick bus ride away, but time was short—I grabbed a taxi, which I rarely took. Had to pick up the kids in two hours.
Our Lady of Grace Cathedral. The massive rectangular building sat at a busy downtown intersection, but on a weekday afternoon, it was deserted. Well-maintained, though—weekends must draw crowds.
Stepping inside, I ran into a short-haired priest emerging from the chapel. Round face, kind eyes.
“What brings you here, brother?”
He smiled without suspicion—must get random visitors often.
“You've been looking after some kids from Cyber City the past few days, right?”
“Yes, that's right. From a chapel up there.”
“……I'm a friend of their mom's.”
His half-moon eyes widened faintly.
“So the kids went to you. Sorry—we should've taken better care of them. Didn't mean to trouble you.”
“No, it's not that.”
He mistook it for an imposition. But the real imposition was probably—
“Is that place really a chapel?”
Chapel (). In Catholicism, a small worship site under a parish, no resident priest, but regular Masses.
“I've visited the Cyber City cathedral a few times. Didn't seem like it got any support.”
“You've……been there?”
“Yes.”
The priest groaned softly, crossing himself. He answered pitifully, hands clasped.
“Yes. Truth is, we cut support to that chapel ages ago. I only found out when the kids arrived and I checked the records.”
“……”
“Come inside, brother? This isn't a conversation for standing.”
The rectory office was serene, calming the mind. We sipped tea as he continued.
“After the inter-floor war, many missionaries headed upward.”
He pointed to a Bible verse and read aloud.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
“Following that commandment?”
“Exactly. It's our duty.”
He crossed himself again, but his face soured.
“But reckless expansion backfired. Costs to climb the tower skyrocketed, supplies got scarce.”
“……”
“Most chapels vanished. Cyber City was one. I never imagined it was still running.”
So, no parish support—and Mosco had kept it going for the kids anyway? Didn't fit the Neon Valkyrie image I knew.
“Do you know Mosco Bi Chacos? The nun who ran the chapel.”
“Sigh, the kids told me about her.”
Rubbing his eyes wearily, like it was a real headache, he replied.
“There's no Sister Mosco Bi Chacos in our order. She's not one of ours.”
“……”
“Frankly, we have no idea where she came from. Records show Sister Himena from Mexico originally handled it……but she died decades ago.”
“……”
“From our side, some random woman shows up, uses the church's name to raise kids. No clue what her goal was, her reasons, or where she is now—sigh, nothing.”
He cradled his face, deep in thought. He'd taken the kids in on a whim, but now he was stumped.
“Got it.”
I'd heard all he knew. I transferred money to his donation account via phone and stood.
“Their mom will come back. This covers care until then—no shortages.”
“Pardon?”
Adjusting his pince-nez, he checked his account and jumped.
“This much? A-are you sure?”
As I headed for the door, I answered lightly.
“That's why we make money—so we don't feel ashamed when times like this come around.”