The Field Team Leader's Invitation
Chapter 268. [Risk Level 5: Arachne] [Risk Level <5>: Arachne]_(18)
Counseling with Arachne… or rather, after quickly wrapping up the formal session that was required, I shared the lunch I had prepared myself. Afterward, I spent the rest of the time learning new recipes from her while chatting about all sorts of ordinary things. As I walked toward the conference room, I found myself wondering whether I should write in my report that we had simply enjoyed a pleasant day together. She had seemed a little off toward the end, but I figured it was just because she was reluctant to part ways. I could always visit her again tomorrow and do my best to ease her loneliness.
"Hmm…"
That aside, today’s meeting would have all the team leaders present. The Field Team Leader would definitely show up too—grumbling the whole time yet working harder than anyone else. I was thinking I should just keep my mouth shut and make myself as inconspicuous as a speck of dust in the air when a sudden, unpleasant feeling made me slow my steps. It was the kind of vague, uneasy sensation that made me inexplicably anxious.
"…?"
I’ve always believed that ignoring these kinds of ominous hunches is a bad idea when trying to survive. Sometimes they feel like baseless worries that pop up for no reason, but they might also be my accumulated life experiences sending me a subconscious warning. Since I tend to trust my instincts to a certain degree, I was about to turn around and head to the restroom first when it turned out I was already too late.
…Tap, tap-tap.
I only noticed the sharp sound of high heels overlapping my own footsteps after I had already stopped walking. The next moment, I found myself face-to-face with the Field Team Leader as she rounded the corner—almost comically positioned with the conference room door right between us.
It took one second for both of us to come to a complete stop, two seconds for our eyes to meet, and three seconds for an uncomfortable silence to settle over the hallway.
"Ah… Field Team Leader."
"…?"
"N-no, it’s nothing. Please, go ahead first."
Today she wasn’t wearing her usual bike suit but a clean, professional suit instead. Even so, that selfishly perfect figure of hers showed no signs of losing its impact just because it was covered by formal attire. And, of course, the dark sunglasses were still firmly in place. She had once mentioned wearing them because a nine-tailed fox’s eyes tended to charm everyone—men, women, young, and old—whether she wanted to or not. Even hidden behind the lenses, the sharp, prickling gaze I felt was unmistakably directed straight at me. If my heart were any weaker, I probably would have collapsed on the spot.
"…Haa."
Soon enough, the pressure and stinging stare on my shoulders vanished, leaving only the sound of the Field Team Leader’s soft sigh echoing down the corridor. Even her sigh sounded strangely pleasant, as if it had been carefully crafted.
"…Why are you creeping around like that?"
Even if the Field Team Leader said something like that…
Why was I so scared? Well…
"Because it looked like you were angry, Field Team Leader?"
Every time we met, she would just stare at me in silence with that intense pressure and that commanding voice…
"Me? Angry? Hah, why would I be?"
"…That’s, um…"
Why? How was I supposed to know? If she would just let me hear what was going on in her head, maybe I could figure it out, but… wait. Why couldn’t I hear anything? Field Team Leader…? She wasn’t even there?
"…!"
My gaze landed on the conference room door standing between us. Could she be listening in from right behind it…? Well, if it was the Field Team Leader, that was entirely possible.
"Phew, that’s enough."
"Ah… Wait, if I did something to upset you—!"
"I said that’s enough."
"??"
I distinctly remembered her being quite friendly not too long ago. Back during that incident, I had managed to save her twice by sheer coincidence and even received a proper thank-you afterward. But ever since the whole mess with the witch’s aphrodisiac… No, there’s no way the Field Team Leader would hold something like that against me.
"Don’t tell me you’re jeal—"
Whoosh—!
Flutter—!
"Guh."
…Gulp.
Before I knew it, the Field Team Leader—who had been standing at a reasonable distance—had closed the gap so completely that our shadows overlapped. I froze, unable to even breathe. The way her long black hair whipped around and the hem of her suit jacket fluttered in the sudden breeze felt genuinely threatening.
"Go on. Finish what you were about to say. I’ll let you see exactly what color your insides are with your own two eyes."
"…"
I immediately shut my mouth. That threat didn’t sound like a joke at all. It was true that I had gained quite a few abilities compared to before, but I was still just a fragile human. Even if she punched a hole through my stomach and my organs spilled out, I probably wouldn’t die thanks to Undine. That didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt, though.
"…"
Beyond the sunglasses, her fox-like golden eyes sparkled as she stared straight at me. It almost looked like she was debating what to do with me, which was terrifying in its own way. Surprisingly, up close like this, she didn’t actually seem that angry or hostile. Why? Even though the threat she had just made was pretty brutal.
Maybe she was just… a little annoyed. Like a child sulking because things weren’t going her way…?
"…Still, you’re right."
"…?"
"You’re my savior, and I haven’t even properly repaid that debt yet. Doing this would be a bit much."
"Debt? No, you really don’t have to think of it like that—"
I wanted to tell her there was no need to feel indebted, but her sudden proposal came first. And it was an extremely sudden proposal.
"Do you have time after the meeting today?"
"Huh? I think I misheard…"
"You heard me just fine."
Well, I did have time, but… the Field Team Leader? Why? What exactly was she planning? Was she going to drag me somewhere quiet and beat me up? …Yeah, I’d recover quickly thanks to Undine, so there wouldn’t be any evidence left behind.
"I… do have time. But why…?"
"…"
Thud—!
Apparently displeased by my anxious and suspicious response, her fist slammed into my abdomen. It wasn’t as painful as it could have been, coming from the Field Team Leader. There was still a solid impact, and I had to desperately hold back the urge to double over and cough, but under normal circumstances I should have been sent flying all the way down the hallway and knocked unconscious.
"Just how do you see me?"
"…"
I wanted to ask if she had considered reflecting on the fact that she had punched me first, but I figured that would only earn me another hit, so I kept my mouth shut. That resolve didn’t last long, though.
"…Let’s go have a drink. Just the two of us."
"Ha?"
I couldn’t stop the incredulous reaction from slipping out. That was on me. So, naturally, I got hit again.
"…Hmph."
While she walked into the conference room first, I was pushed back three steps from where I had been standing. I sank weakly to the floor, clutching my stomach. I never expected the Field Team Leader to suggest going out for drinks—especially not with the explicit condition that it would be just the two of us. My mind was filled with nothing but anxiety. What kind of terrifying thing was she planning…? Actually, I couldn’t even imagine it clearly, but her first impression had been so overwhelmingly intense that some deep-seated prejudice must have taken root inside me.
…I want to run away. Just skip the meeting and head straight back to my room where Nero is…
"Hah…"
Come to think of it, I had promised Nero I’d come home early today and make her some churu. …This was bad. I had already told the Field Team Leader I was free. My hands and feet suddenly started trembling like they were malfunctioning. Nero was already sulking because I had spent the weekend being loud with Yerin. I didn’t have enough time to devote my full attention to cheering her up tonight, let alone tell her I was going to be late because I was drinking with the Field Team Leader—the one person she hated most. She would definitely notice the smell even if I tried to hide it. And then there was the Field Team Leader herself, who was already terrifying enough.
If I went back on my word now, she would definitely interrogate me about whether I was refusing because I disliked her. And if I honestly said I had to go make churu for Nero, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of reaction I would get. Just thinking about it sent a chill down my spine.
…How am I supposed to survive this? I even started wondering if Undine could create a clone of me, but no good answer came to mind.