The Incomprehensible (4)
The Incomprehensible (4)
It was still the middle of the day, with the sun blazing high overhead—even if it was hidden behind clouds.
It wasn't even evening yet.
What concert was she talking about?
I absolutely couldn't understand it.
"What concert are you going to in the middle of the day...?"
...Wait a minute.
I suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
A chilling sense of foreboding crept up from the tips of my toes, making my skin crawl.
"It's a daytime concert, right? Right?"
"......"
Why wasn't she answering me?
Oh, God.
Was I really going to be dragged around by her from now until evening?
"...Then just wait a bit."
"Why? If you're stalling for time, I'll just drag you by force."
"No. Looks like we'll be out for a while, so I need to get ready to go out too."
It was a very important matter to me.
Yeah, light and simple.
First, a gun, an emergency calorie bar, and also—.
"Are you heading off to a war or something right now?"
"No, it's just basic going-out prep."
"Stop the pointless nonsense and just follow me. Ah, I'll tolerate the mask."
...I wouldn't even go outside without the mask in the first place.
Anyway, in the end, I was dragged outside against my will, without being able to prepare at all.
What was I supposed to do if I ran into terrorists empty-handed like last time?
.......
After thinking it over, that seemed like it'd be fine.
I was with Catherine, after all.
What did I have to fear?
She could neutralize (kill) ten Orc terrorists armed with guns in just a few seconds.
Forget terrorists, even if we ran into Koozaka's ninja squad, it looked like I wouldn't get a scratch.
I followed behind Catherine.
Now that things had come to this, I had no way to escape from Catherine anyway.
I just followed her gloomily, feeling like a condemned man being dragged to the execution grounds.
And then,
"Where are we now?"
"Quiet down and just come in."
Like that, a few hours passed as I followed her around.
By the time the sun was setting, Catherine and I had just gotten new hairstyles and were even dressed in matching high-end suits.
Wow.
I admired it for a moment.
"If you had this many credits, you could've just given them to me."
Before I knew it, my inner thoughts slipped out of my mouth.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, ma'am."
"Cut the 'ma'am' bullshit."
Strangely, Catherine's expression was incredibly bright, as if she was very satisfied.
Sensing that weird vibe, I continued to follow her.
I had come out because she said we were going to a concert, but so far it felt like all I'd seen were stylists until evening came.
I felt the mood loosen slightly. Seizing the chance, I asked, "So, why did you suddenly want to go to a concert?"
"...Andrea told me to bring you along once to see her show."
"Ah."
Come to think of it, there really was no other reason to go to a concert.
I nodded and added, "Drex told me that last time, too. That I should come show my face with you."
"I heard it a few times too. But when I told her that some guy's holed up at home and won't come out, she couldn't say a word."
" ...Hmm."
It was true, so the fact hit bone-deep.
...W-Well, still.
What could I do? Home was just more fun.
Catherine shook her head and continued the conversation.
"Anyway, we'll go see Drex next time. For today, let's just go to Andrea's concert."
"Where's her concert at?"
"Where do you think?"
Ah.
I didn't even need to ask; there was only one answer.
3. Incomprehensible Things (4)
Royale Vegas.
It was almost the only area in the Upper Layer's Platinum District where citizens of all classes could freely come and go.
Some people say it's a place that is nothing less than the heart of Neon City.
What set it apart from other areas was also clear.
Normally, the shielding barrier covering the city's ceiling was transparent, projecting the sky directly.
But here, the barrier always simulated the night sky. A graceful veil of black and blue light elegantly covered the sky, always exuding a dark, subtle atmosphere.
In short, it was perfect for losing track of time.
Maybe that was why there were so many casinos and luxury hotels.
Countless people sought this place out for gambling or tourism.
And lastly.
It was also famous for having the largest concert dome in Neon City.
A sigh escaped my mouth.
"...Hoo."
Why was I here?
"Kyaaaaaa!!"
"Take me, oppa!!"
"Unnie, I love you!!"
I just wanted to go home.
Inside the Royale Vegas concert dome, a parade of singers, dance teams, and eccentrics took the stage one after another, showing off their performances.
《This next stage features a very hot figure from the Lower Layer! 5 vocal cords! Introducing the newcomer of one-man a cappella!》
Oh, now this was impressive.
A single man appeared on the upper part of the stage.
Soon he began to sing, and astonishingly, though he sang with just one mouth, five different voices emerged.
I couldn't physically understand how that was possible. That was truly amazing. Maybe he'd embedded a separate stereo system into his body.
There really were all kinds of people out there.
I checked the pamphlet I'd received when we entered earlier.
I had already checked; Andrea, whom we were waiting for, was scheduled very last.
Still, as the most famous singer in Neon City, it was an order fitting her status.
...But so what?
I already wanted to go home.
The fact that Andrea was last meant I had no choice but to wait until the very end.
The inside of the dome was packed full of all kinds of people.
The heat felt indescribably intense.
Fortunately, where I was sitting was the VIP section.
It wasn't as crowded around me as I'd thought.
But because I was in the VIP section, I could feel gazes glaring at me openly from all over.
That part was slightly burdensome.
I wondered if this was why Catherine had styled me before we entered the concert venue.
I turned my head surreptitiously and glanced at Catherine, who was sitting beside me.
"......"
"What."
"It's nothing."
And then I fixed my gaze straight ahead again.
......No.
Why was she looking only at me instead of the performance she was supposed to watch?
As soon as I turned my head, I met Catherine's intense stare. I was incredibly surprised, but thankfully I was able to turn my head calmly without showing it.
Other people's stares weren't even a burden.
This was the real burden.
Catherine's gaze felt several times more burdensome than other people's.
[Since the start of the concert, the human 'Catherine' has been continuously watching the human 'Lee Si-woon,' I inform you.]
...Thanks a lot for informing me.
When the hell was the last performance starting?
I prayed with all my heart that time would fly by quickly, even just an hour.
《You've waited a long time! Neon City's walking dream! The shining solo singer! A living legend! The idol of all younger generations!》
Oh, she was finally coming out.
《Andrea Rose!!》
A woman walked out from the back of the stage.
At a glance, she looked like she was drenched in blood.
Long, deeply dyed crimson hair fell down to the back of her knees.
The pointedly protruding 'ears' on the side of her long hair spoke for her identity as an 'Elf.'
Just as in the past, her small stature was the same.
I recalled how Drex, a Dwarf, had teased her relentlessly for being shorter than him.
For reference, Drex's height reached about 2 meters due to implant surgery.
...I suspect he just wanted to tease her.
Andrea was unchanged, exactly the same as always.
At the arrival of the person I'd been waiting for, I rested my chin on my hand and focused on the stage.
Andrea Rose.
A companion of the protagonist who also appeared in the game.
She'd been a singer as a side job, but now it seemed more accurate to say her main job was a singer and her side job was a mercenary.
She had just gotten enormously famous.
If you had to pick the most famous and recognizable person among our group, it was Andrea, without a doubt.
Catherine, Drex, and I weren't doing side jobs that put our faces out there.
We (I was a bit less famous) were a class of people known only within the mercenary industry.
Andrea's clear and beautiful voice resonated throughout the dome.
She didn't need a microphone.
Was it thanks to the high-performance voice amplification cyberware Drex had tuned up for her? Her voice came through just as it originally sounded.
Her singing skill was beyond description.
It was the first time in a while I'd heard her perform, but her skill was still top-notch. Honestly, it was a pleasure to listen to.
So much so that even though I loved holing up at home, I thought coming out to enjoy a concert like this once in a while wasn't so bad.
While I was appreciating the song, Andrea, who was singing on stage, met my eyes at just the right moment.
Was it a coincidence?
But considering that I was in the VIP section, it might not be a coincidence.
After all, she was the one who had given Catherine the VIP tickets and told her to come watch with me.
Suddenly, Andrea grinned.
She was smiling originally, but the way she laughed now felt a bit different.
A sudden anxiety made my spine go cold.
With perfect timing, as the musical accompaniment played on, she momentarily stopped singing.
Then she blew a kiss in my direction.
"Muah."
Her fan service made the VIP guests around me react intensely, too.
If she had only aimed it at the VIP section, the whole dome would have turned cold. But right after, Andrea also blew a kiss toward the general audience.
...It must've been my imagination.
It was probably just normal fan service.
What I'd thought was our eyes meeting was also clearly just my imagination.
- Udeudeuk.
What was that sound?
Suddenly, the sound of something breaking rang out.
I turned my head in the direction the sound came from. Coincidentally, it was where Catherine was sitting.
Catherine, who had just been staring only at me moments ago, was now watching the stage with an even more intense gaze. Her tightly clenched molars were a bonus.
The armrest of the chair Catherine had been grabbing was already smashed and apparently no longer serving its function.
...Ma'am, precious one. Why are you being so terrifying?
More than ever, I wished that this time would end quickly.
* * *
"Ah, it was a joke, I said, a joke! Can't I even crack a joke?"
Andrea said with a laugh.