Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Hoping to Get Close (2)
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Whish, whish.
An iron plate came flying in. It had been crumpled into a blunt shape, aimed at Serika's side, but she twisted her hand at an angle and swatted it away. Like batting it off with a shield, the chunk of metal Carmen had hurled shot upward, and Serika seized the opening to charge forward.
Saburo whistled and widened his eyes at Serika's ferocious momentum, like a bull lowering its head to charge.
And the moment the two were about to collide...
Bam!
"Urk!"
Serika slammed her head straight into a suddenly risen iron wall and collapsed to the floor. To be precise, it was an iron plate that had dropped from above. Carmen had retrieved the airborne hunk of steel and unfurled it like a curtain to block Serika's rush.
"Wanna go again?"
"...I'm done for today."
Serika waved it off while lying on the floor. Her speech was clear and her breathing steady, so she didn't seem hurt. On the other hand, the iron plate she'd raised to stop Serika bore the exact imprint of her face and hands, giving it a bizarre modern art vibe.
"That's super strength for you. Dangerous if she grabs hold once."
"She won't get the chance. Not against a girl like that."
Carmen replied to Saburo in an even firmer tone, as if drawing a clear line between herself and Serika. Saburo's lips curved up at Carmen's attitude.
He was pleased with this side of her. In high spirits, Saburo gathered his things and headed out first.
"Alright, I've got business to attend to, so I'm off. You two head back on your own."
After rolling around on the bare floor for a bit, I lifted my head. My nose stung, so I touched it—thankfully, no nosebleed. Looking up, no one was around. I'd thought Saburo was just saying he'd clock out, but he'd actually left, and Carmen seemed to have gone home already.
Looked like my attempt to talk to her had failed again today. As I dragged my listless body up and glanced toward the exit, I locked eyes with Carmen, who was walking over with her duffel bag floating in the air from the room on the opposite side.
"Oh."
"Ack."
Carmen widened her eyes upon seeing me, then turned her head and quickened her pace. Her steel prosthetic legs clanked rapidly against the floor, their cold resolve sending a chill through the air like a winter gust.
No Saburo either.
Perfect chance to talk now that we were alone. Carmen's shot at redemption was right there—I couldn't just let her slip away because starting a conversation felt awkward. I jumped to my feet and hurried after her, calling out.
"Hey, hey! W-wait a sec! Just hold up!"
"No."
"Let's talk for a minute! Just a minute!"
Carmen ignored me and picked up speed.
It felt like I was some guy striking out with an icy woman. Grabbing her would probably get me pounded flat by those iron plates, so that was out. I kept a precarious distance, trailing behind and calling her name nonstop.
"Just a sec, okay? Come on? We keep fighting without even properly introducing ourselves."
"My name's Serika! Iwamoto Serika! You know Iwamoto Industry up ahead? That's my family's place—the only daughter!"
"Hobbies are reading and listening to music! I love chatting at cafes with friends too!"
But no response. She didn't even flinch or glance back—just marched straight ahead like a soldier.
By the time I reached the exit, Carmen had crossed halfway down the glass corridor and was standing at the door. I stayed at the corridor entrance and asked her.
"Why do you hate me?"
Carmen halted at that. She turned, glaring at me, her face twisting like I'd done something awful to her, and ground out.
"...I just hate you."
"...At least tell me why! So I can fix it."
Carmen tilted her head even more defiantly at my words.
"I don't want to be friends with you."
With that firm declaration, she shoved through the door.
Clang!
The door slammed shut with a loud echo, leaving me alone in the corridor.
Ah.
Yeah, no chance of us getting close.
Maybe I should track down a hypnotist?
"Serika. What are you doing?"
"Huh? Oh? W-what? I'm solving problems right now. See?"
I want to get close to Carmen, but how? For some reason I can't fathom, she hates me. If things stay like this, we'll just run parallel forever.
While I'm riding high on wise investments and near-prophetic foresight cheats, Carmen will botch some backwater mission, snap, and turn into a psycho killer in some forgotten corner.
Of course, that wouldn't affect my life at all. She'd get smashed by an electricity user per the original plot, and I'd help the original characters take down the Prophets even easier.
But wouldn't it be great if even one more person survived?
The Epsilon Tower incident was beyond my power to stop or control.
But Carmen's redemption? That's not some massive event. The fallout from her breakdown would be huge, but I know the cause—so I can prevent it. If I can open the door to her closed-off heart and become her friend, I can show her that murder is wrong.
"Serika. Got something on your mind? No spacing out in the study group."
"Eek? Huh? No, I'm solving problems. I even wrote another equation already."
Busted zoning out again. I blinked and looked at Hwayoung, who blushed and cleared her throat before adding,
"...Study group."
Yumi didn't miss the slip-up and laughed.
"Ah! You always nag me about calling it the Sterner group!"
Hwayoung protested innocently at Yumi's words.
"I picked it up from you, Yumi. I never said Sterner group that... well, anyway..."
"Ahahaha!"
Yumi burst out laughing, and Hwayoung went quiet this time. I couldn't help but chuckle too. Hwayoung cleared her throat to reset the mood and asked me again.
"...So what were you thinking about?"
"...Well, there's this friend I've been trying to get close to lately, but it's not working out."
Hwayoung's expression turned odd at that, and she eyed me.
"...Another boyfriend? Serika, it's exam season—restrain yourself."
"Right! Serika! Changing guys that often... uh, what was it? Anyway, it's bad!"
What image do they have of me? Some girl who cycles through boyfriends nonstop?
"...Changing? It wasn't a boyfriend to begin with—it's a girl. A girl from the neighborhood who weirdly seems to hate me. I want to get closer to her."
Hwayoung looked somewhat relieved at "friend."
"Maybe she just doesn't know the real you, Serika. You come off as haughty and fierce at first glance."
Yumi chimed in.
"Yeah! My mom saw you at orientation and said you looked super sharp-featured for a kid. I was kinda scared too, honestly. That girl's probably just intimidated by your looks!"
"...What does 'sharp-featured' even mean?"
What impression did Yumi's mom have of me? I shrugged and mulled over what Yumi and Hwayoung said. Show her the real me, honestly.
Could brutal honesty really make us friends?
Being honest is one thing, but gauging how much is tricky.
No matter how honest I get.
[Truth is, I can see the future! You're gonna screw up a Prophet mission, twist into a machine murderer, right? So I wanna redeem you! Let's be friends!]
Can't say that, obviously.
Saburo eyed Dennis sidelong with a cigarette in his mouth. The two sat at the far end of the company break room, matching their personalities. Saburo gazed out the window and spoke.
"Dennis."
"Yes?"
Dennis nodded, reading a newspaper levitated by telekinesis. Saburo watched the bustling city cars and said,
"Time to send Serika on some simple missions."
Dennis flinched at that, then looked back at Saburo.
"...Isn't it too soon?"
"We're not a daycare. My judgment as instructor? She needs real combat experience. Carmen's coming along too. Relax—no tough assignments. Something the kids can handle."
Dennis frowned. She knew Saburo was poking her on purpose.
Saburo had always been that twisted.