The Mages' Outing (5)
The Mages' Outing (5)
Sure, it was awkward when the old man didn't believe I was a Mage.
But that didn't mean I wanted him to fuss over me this much.
"Why, why won't you learn?!"
"No, sir. Please let go of my hand. And I already showed you my account earlier. I'm telling you, I simply have no reason to learn."
"With that talent, with that ability! Why?!"
On the way home.
The old man's obsession latched onto my ankle as I tried to leave.
Yes.
Literally, the old man hung onto my ankle.
"...People are staring, you know. Sir, you're really putting me in a difficult position."
"Will you learn magic, then?"
"That's a no."
"...Why won't you learn?!"
The conversation went right back to the beginning, like a da capo repeat sign.
The old man's desperation and obsession were so tremendous that people weren't sparing a single glance for Eve or Julia — they were only staring at me.
Maybe it's been a thing since ancient times for people's eyes to gather on women with striking looks, but it seemed the spectacle of an old man clinging to a young person's ankle and begging was just too fascinating for onlookers to ignore.
And in the middle of all this.
The 'Grand Mage' and the 'Confucian Scholar-Official' inside my heart were waging a fierce battle.
'Go!! How can one seek learning from a Mage who uses a grenade launcher of all things!'
'...Go!! How can a young person ignore an elder asking for help like that!!'
This was seriously driving me insane.
Of course, it wasn't as if I truly had no way out of this situation.
There were plenty of ways to shake Merlin off.
I could have used the power of the cyberware implant embedded in my muscles to force him off with sheer strength.
I could have used magic to blow the old man into the sky, or at the very least I could have asked Eve or Julia to handle it for me.
But that didn't mean I could just toss aside an old man who was begging like that as if he were a worn-out shoe.
No matter how much I've lived in this cyberpunk world for over ten years, I still haven't become that much of a piece of shit.
In the end.
The answer I could give was already predetermined.
"...Fine, I get it. I'll learn, I said I'll learn."
"Oh...! Well thought!"
"I can't do it right now because I don't have the time — I'll just give you my personal number for now. Contact me separately later."
I decided to leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's me.
That was the resolve I made.
29. The Mages' Outing (5)
Indifferent when we first met.
Obsessed after I showed him magic.
All smiles when we parted ways.
Merlin, the old man who had been like a storm, vanished just as he had appeared.
Except that Merlin kept turning around every three steps to wave at me, so I had no choice but to wave back at him until he disappeared between the buildings.
At last, Merlin's figure truly disappeared.
It was only then that I let out a sigh and took a breather.
"...Is that geezer normally like that?"
"...I've never seen him like that before either."
Julia answered my question.
Was it because she felt embarrassed by the disgraceful display her master had shown toward me? Julia was constantly radiating an apologetic air.
When Merlin clung to my ankle and crawled along the ground, it was a good thing I signaled that I was fine.
If I hadn't, Julia was so mortified that she might have instinctively drawn a folding blade from inside that rabbit doll of hers.
The atmosphere was grim for Eve as well.
'Shall I dispose of him?'
'...'
Just what did she mean by 'dispose of'...
It was obvious even without saying what Eve's 'disposal' of Merlin would have been like.
I had a hunch that if I hadn't stopped her, Merlin might have become mer/lin.
Well, anyway.
The 'Fun Scaling Time with Drex' — one of the biggest trials of my life — was now over.
And the organization that commissioned the attack on Julia had been successfully wiped out.
Given that, I'd say it was the most rewarding outing I'd had recently.
"Well, then."
Now all that was left was to go back home.
I lightly glanced around the area.
We were still in the middle layer district of 'South Pillar.'
It wasn't exactly the sort of place where an organization that targeted Julia would be, but South Pillar itself is right next to Cloud Park, so it's essentially classified as the lower layer — making it possible.
For reference, the Golden Smile Condominium where we lived was located in North Houston.
You could say it was on the exact opposite side of Neon City.
In other words, it was really damn far.
...Should I go back to Drex's workshop and ask him for a ride home, the same way we came?
No.
Drex had also said he had no more customers booked today and would be going straight home.
The house where Drex lived was in this area, but I didn't feel like disturbing a newlywed couple's peaceful time together.
Should I call a cab? Or, since I was a bit tired thanks to Merlin, maybe kill some time at a café?
I mulled it over briefly.
It was then that Julia, staring blankly somewhere, came into my line of sight.
Julia's eyes always looked dead.
But right now, they were a little brighter.
I followed her gaze and turned to see what Julia was staring at so intently.
"Ah."
At the end of her gaze was an 'arcade.'
My steps naturally moved toward it as if drawn by a magnet — which was only to be expected.
* * *
An arcade in a cyberpunk world wasn't all that different from the arcades I remembered from my past life.
The only real difference was the absence of a punching machine.
That much was obvious — every time someone like Catherine came and used a punching machine, the repair costs would be astronomical.
An arcade.
The last time I'd set foot in one was when I was a mercenary and dropped by a few times out of curiosity.
Lately, I'd been even less interested because a massive arcade facility had been built on the 3rd floor of my own Golden Smile Condominium under the Chairman-nim's blessing.
Still, it seemed like the perfect way to kill time right now.
Julia was looking around with her mouth slightly agape, dazed.
The rabbit doll she was clutching tightly to her chest might have added to the impression, but no matter how you looked at it, she had the appearance of a child.
If you could ignore the fact that she was actually twenty-eight, an older 'nuna,' and a wanted criminal registered in the NCPD database, it was actually rather heartwarming to see.
Inside the arcade, there weren't many people around.
Among them, a few who looked like thugs had been trying to approach Eve and Julia like bugs drawn to a flower.
"...Oh, will you look at that."
"Hey there, ladies—, eek! My eyes!!"
They were suddenly carted outside due to a sudden cyberware implant malfunction. That's why you've gotta keep up with your implant scaling, tsk tsk.
Then I stopped in front of one machine.
"Oh, they have this one too."
On top of the machine, an old piece of paper was stuck that read IRON FIST - Ⅲ.
The next thing I knew, Eve was sitting down in the seat across from me.
【Get Ready For─】
A new game began with a familiar catchphrase.
Eve?
I stared at Eve blankly.
I figured Julia would play a game, but I didn't expect Eve to sit down at the machine first.
And the one who sat opposite Eve was, naturally, Julia.
"...Match."
"If 'Si-un' hadn't been present back then, the result would have been different."
They seemed to be talking about when they had competed in the fighting game tournament.
Because during that match, if I hadn't called out Eve's name and stopped her, Catherine or Eve would have been the one holding the championship trophy.
...So it had been weighing on her mind more than I'd realized.
I pulled a chair over between them to spectate their match.
It looked like Eve was going to win anyway, but if I interfered again this time, who knew how things might turn out.
So what should I do.
I casually mulled it over as I watched their match.
And then.
I had overlooked the fact that they were way stronger than I could have imagined.
"..."
If I had known the two of them would break the arcade machine's joystick, I'd have stopped them.
* * *
Well, we had a good time, anyway.
Playing a retro game for the first time in a while was definitely a different kind of fun.
Eve was also clutching the cat plushie I'd won for her on a whim. I was glad I wasn't the only one who had fun.
Julia looked satisfied too.
"...Would you possibly take a photo with just me?"
"Huh?"
Seemed she wasn't entirely satisfied yet.
Even in the cyberpunk world, there were plenty of people who wanted to leave their mark, and Julia was pointing with her fingertip at a 'photo sticker booth.'
"..."
Alright.
Well, it was just a photo.
It felt as if the 'I-type' soul inside me was screaming in agony, but I didn't want to refuse this request and ruin the warm atmosphere we had right now.
Really felt like I'd become a social butterfly.
I made sure not to show any awkwardness.
Together with Eve and Julia, I pushed aside the curtain of the photo sticker booth and went inside.
It'd be fine to just keep a blank expression, right?
I stared blankly at the camera lens.
Julia quietly sidled up next to me.
"...Thank you for today."
"What's there to thank me for?"
I only told her to come with me to get 'cyberware implant scaling' because I didn't want to die alone.
Before I knew it, we'd ended up wiping out an organization, and before I knew it, we'd ended up having fun at an arcade — that was all.
"...Still, inviting me along, and saying it was okay even after my teacher was so rude to you, and also lots of other things..."
"Ah, come on, don't worry about that stuff."
I waved my hand dismissively.
I kind of wanted to pat her on the head, too.
【Photo will be taken in 3 seconds.】
A voice flowed out from the machine.
I took my mask off for a moment.
Still, when taking a photo, taking off the mask is basic manners, right? I managed my expression so I wouldn't make a weird face.
【3, 2, 1. Taking the picture.】
The set countdown ticked away.
When the camera flash went off.
- Ppak.
At that moment.
The sound of lips pressing against my cheek rang out.
This was likely the scene that ended up in the photo.
Me with a surprised face, Eve looking at me like that.
And Julia, who had sprung up to kiss me on the cheek.
* * *
The next day.
A few of my housemates were gathered in front of Julia's monitor.
" "
It was because a small sticker photo had taken its place on top of Julia's monitor.
This was a little creepy.
I quietly inched backward, step by step.