Borderline Joke (3)
Another day... I opened my eyes safely. I'd put in maximum effort within the limits of what I could remember, but I figured a major black corp like Enama Corporation, one of Neo Haven's main villains, would track me down somehow... Even a mega corp apparently couldn't do shit when an Abyss Diver went all out and wiped the entire independent lab's data.
Thanks to that, the daily routine of sleeping with a pistol in hand, trembling in anxiety, came to a swift end.
...The one unexpected issue was that this body, now relaxed, had zero intention of waking up on time...? I definitely set the alarm for 7 AM, but every time I actually got up, it was creepily changed to 9. Too high a cyberware compatibility is a real problem. The pinnacle of the unconscious...!! Snoozing through the alarm...!!
"Huaah...!"
I tried heading to the bathroom as quietly as possible, but in this cramped residential-commercial complex, dodging the eyes of my already-awake roommate was impossible.
"Heh heh... Miss, you're really weak in the mornings, aren't you?"
"......I wasn't like this before. Somehow... it ended up this way. Yeah..."
"Don't say such deflating things—that's for old folks like me! In your growing years, the best thing is a hearty meal and solid sleep. No need to be embarrassed..."
"Yeees~ Yeees~."
With a half-hearted reply, I slid the bathroom door shut with a drrrk!
Before it closed, I caught a glimpse of my portion of synthetic meat and synthesized drink neatly set at the empty spot on the table.
Where had that iron-willed old geezer gone, the one who stressed 'no interference in each other's lives!' during our agreement? Now here was a doting grandpa worrying about someone else's growth...
...I'm an adult, and so is Anastasia—how the hell am I supposed to grow more...!
Tsssk...! I peeled off the top-tier suit that automatically shed contaminants, then squeezed out a long strip of cleaning gel. On my arms. Legs. Over my underwear. ...And carefully on those sensitive inner spots. Then a blast of compressed air from the air cleaner washed it all away in one go.
Drinks came in tens of thousands of varieties, but clean water for washing? A luxury item. What a fucking insane world.
"Ugh...!"
My brain knew I was clean, but my body felt anything but refreshed. If anything, it was gross. They say people hate losing what they're used to most—and that wasn't wrong. The only way to quell this rage and disconnect was thick stacks of credits.
My work ethic was surging...!
Drrrkk!!
"Oh? Feeling more awake now?"
"...Yeah. Let's eat quick and get to business...!"
Seeing my protagonist-from-a-shonen-manga-level determined attitude, the old man burst out laughing.
"......Pffft-haha!! That pride of yours...! How'd you end up so much like our granddaughter, I wonder...!"
Hmph! Laugh while you can! Today, I'd pour every ounce of my customer service skills into landing a pile of expensive service requests!
....
.....
......
Today's Change: +5,000 C
"......"
"Ahem...! W-Well... that's enough for today..."
Pitying me as I sat there blankly staring at the hologram on my retina, he hurriedly locked the shop door and closed up.
What good is being the top hacker and architect offering cyberware services? Wrong place, wrong time—my income was despairingly low. All day, only one settler stopped by. And considering it was the same guy who'd come for a checkup on opening day, I suspected the mechanic grandpa had secretly called him out of pity for my fly-buzzing emptiness...
Makes sense. In the metropolis, you'd have lines for cyberware services. But in a dusty external settlement like this? Zeeeero popularity.
...Well, people who cared about that shit wouldn't live outside the walls to begin with.
Most customers at the Orthodox Machinery Shop today wanted busted machine repairs. Mechanic clients. Opening week had some curiosity seekers or real cyberware needs, but now? Just the occasional outsider...
We're doomed...?
Rent's one thing, but food's getting tight...
...I'm dying of injustice here.
"Hard work my ass...!!"
I thought escaping the lab meant I'd hit the city soon and prep for the future. But nearly ten days of treading water already.
"......Grr!"
My body's acting up again. Getting teary over a bit of anger or sadness? Not my style. I'd grit my teeth and find a solution. Once I had credits, I'd install an implant to regulate bodily functions.
"You alright there, really...?"
"......Yeah."
"Good to hear. Well, it's early, but let me grab some dinner at least..."
Beep! Before the flustered old man could say more about some random girl sniffling, I quickly transferred today's earnings plus the approximate value of all the free meals I'd gotten from him.
"......"
"Hmm......"
The silence hung heavy. No idea how the old man interpreted my bitchy move. But whatever his circumstances...
Gender swapped, a bit weaker, a lot shorter? No way was I taking cheap pity. In a world where surviving yourself was hard, volunteering as someone's protector was digging your own grave.
I didn't know exactly what I was in this dubious game Neo Haven Prime. But I'd save the characters I loved, rooted for—no plans to become a walking death flag and get myself killed.
...Especially not hurt a good-hearted person like him.
"...Sorry. Wasn't trying to repay kindness with enmity. Just... not used to it..."
Idiot. If you're apologizing, do it right—why tack on excuses...?
This body's fault too. Blame the meat suit. I'm not that petty...!
"Heh heh... Apologizing out of fluster? Not much like her at all."
"...?"
Whoosh...
Rough, callused hands gently stroked my head.
"...Listen up, you doddering old fool's got one piece of advice for a bright young miss with a future ahead. No matter who you really are, others will judge you as they please. If it's a weakness for enemies but a strength for you, use it without hesitation. And..."
Thwack!!
"?!??!?"
Sudden attack. Well, 'attack' was overdramatic—it was just a knuckle rap, but it whitened my vision and dropped me to the floor unbidden...!
His hands are fucking freezing!
"When an adult treats you, say 'thank you~~' and take it quick—that's manners, kiddo...!! Got it?"
"Y-Yes... Yep!! Got it...!"
I rolled away, finally escaping the rough head-ruffles from the guy who'd just whacked me, lest I fly off.
Liking my dumbfounded face, the old man laughed heartily like before and breezed out, saying he'd grab packaged dinner.
"......Ha."
Interpersonal dominance... could be snatched like that in a blink. Knowledge gained.
And this grandpa... I thought he was just some quirky mechanic we'd bumped into. Maybe not.
Thinking it over, in this unpredictable neighborhood, even regular old folks were rare—not to mention a hale one like him being a powerless civilian without some hidden ace. So that vague-ish advice... I'd etch it in my heart for now.
"......Hyup!"
First, dust myself off and stand. Treating me fully like his mystery granddaughter still irked me, but I wasn't so shameless as to not prep basic dinner while my roommate was out buying food.
Clatter...! Plates, forks, knives from the cupboard, set on the table. Swept the sand that rolled in every time the shop door opened—pointless, but whatever. Tidied the scattered parts and tools neatly.
Then... waited calmly.
He'd crossed the unspoken line first, so over dinner, casually ask his name... offer help if possible... Even if it was just a short tie until citizenship, build a more constructive win-win than now.
How long did I wait for him to return from the settlement's scarce grocery store?
The anomaly hit suddenly.
The brightly glowing ceiling lights, countless control panels, every electronic device's glow—vanished in an instant. The shop plunged into darkness.
"...Huh?"
> Normal power grid disconnected confirmed
> Emergency generator activating
...Looks like some nighttime customer was waiting for the owner to step out.