Me? (1)
After spending that night of heat and passion with Eve, my chest was filled with conflicting emotions—excitement and worry.
Of course, it was great while it lasted.
I couldn't have possibly disliked it.
I won't go into how good it was, since I managed to go 'more than twice' despite a physical trait that makes me feel like dying just from a 100-meter dash.
I'll just say that the destructive power of Eve's bunny girl outfit was that incredible.
.......
Ahem.
Anyway.
Setting that aside, I had already crossed the line, and on top of that my secret of 'physical enhancement magic' had been exposed.
It was obvious how my future would unfold without even looking.
At least if I had succeeded in researching magic related to 'muscle strength' or 'stamina,' the story would be different.
- 'Seven people? Ha, bring 'em all on!'
.......
Hmm, maybe not that.
Anyway, even with Eve's bunny girl outfit—which had extreme destructive power—I could only manage more than twice—no, just twice.
Could I hold out against all of them?
The answer was probably 'no.'
However, it was difficult to immediately research and use magic related to muscle strength or stamina.
Simply increasing 'defense' through magic was a completely different issue from muscle contraction and expansion, and from the increased oxygen supply of the lungs and heart.
Maybe if I took a little more time to research it. But that looked impossible in the near future.
"...Haaah."
I had just barely taken one step forward. Too many worries to take another step from here.
Still, I couldn't just worry forever.
In the end, this was also a task I had to face head-on and solve myself.
Hadn't I already decided yesterday not to avoid our relationship anymore?
After letting out a deep breath, I stopped in front of the front door on the 13th floor.
.......
They won't go berserk and rush at me like last time, right?
Just in case, I checked the status of the enhancement magic on my body one more time.
Alright, let's open it.
With all preparations complete, I swung the front door wide open where everyone was waiting.
"You're here?"
Catherine looked at me and smiled.
It was a casual greeting, same as always.
...What's this?
I scratched the back of my head and returned the greeting.
"Yeah."
"Looks like you don't have much energy since it's morning. ...Was the 14th floor more comfortable for you yesterday?"
Sounded like she was asking because I sometimes sleep on the 13th floor and sometimes on the 14th.
"Weeeeell."
"...Something's suspicious—. Hmm."
Catherine narrowed her eyes and stared straight at me.
I threw a question back at her.
"...Why?"
"......It's nothing. Let's just take a seat. Eve 'just happened' to finish preparing the meal."
I followed behind Catherine and thought.
It was slightly strange if you really looked, but it wasn't much different from the usual daily routine.
The situation was similar when I arrived at the dining table.
As always, everyone was gathered in small groups, getting ready to enjoy their meal.
When I arrived, their gazes turned toward me and morning greetings flew my way, but even those were the same as always.
Yeah.
As if they didn't yet know about my 'physical enhancement magic' secret—
"Ah."
I recalled a possibility I hadn't considered and turned my head toward Eve.
Eve was preparing the meal by herself in the kitchen. Nobody seemed to have noticed, but a very faint smile was drawn on her lips.
...Eve, you terrifying girl.
She was keeping it a secret.
Even if it was the calm before the storm, calm was calm.
I inwardly thanked Eve and took my seat as if nothing was wrong.
34. Me? (1)
Within the peaceful atmosphere, the Chairman leisurely picked up a fork and spoke.
"Your body's alright? I heard you got caught up in an accident yesterday."
At the sudden and untimely topic, I nearly spat out everything that was in my mouth.
I had just been eating while thinking, 'Wow, this is delicious.'
I didn't expect a mental attack like that to come flying in so suddenly without even turning on a blinker.
"......!"
If what was in my mouth had been a drink instead of food, I would've sprayed it out and literally turned the dining atmosphere into a disaster zone.
But since what I was eating was Eggs Benedict—a type of morning meal the Monolith Chairman preferred—truly and absolutely fortunately, no such catastrophe occurred.
I took a cool sip of the water beside me. Setting aside the fact that I'd swallowed the clogged food, I couldn't so easily swallow the Chairman's question.
"...Well, about that."
Get a grip.
Nobody knows about the physical enhancement magic secret.
It was clearly a question asked purely out of concern.
My brain spun rapidly in that short moment.
Moreover, the accident had happened to me inside this very building.
Since it was clear that the building's affiliation had changed to Monolith after the Chairman took it over, it would be strange if she *didn't* know.
I was just surprised because of the timing.
Okay, I calmed down.
Without showing any emotion, I maintained my composure and answered the Chairman's words.
"Drex was with me at the café at the time, separately. I looked into it myself, and it does seem like it was just an accident. I was just really, really unlucky."
"......Hmm."
Why is she so scary.
The Chairman let out a nasal sound and looked at me.
I didn't lie, but it was true that I had subtly hidden the truth.
No way, she couldn't have caught onto the whole situation just from that little bit I told her. No matter how much she's the Chairman of Monolith, that would be weird.
"I used magic, so I didn't get hurt anywhere. Still, thanks for worrying about me."
Since I didn't want to reveal my 'physical enhancement magic' secret in this place with all seven of them present, I answered only that much.
I'd be seeing them one by one on the 14th floor anyway.
Telling them then wouldn't be too late.
I inwardly convinced myself and waited for the Chairman to speak.
"I did check the surveillance cameras... still, seeing you looking fine in person—unlike on the screen—I'm relieved."
"...Haha."
Hearing that she checked the surveillance camera footage meant she saw me getting hit by a car and bouncing right off.
.......
She really didn't notice, right?
The Chairman put down her fork and continued speaking.
"......An accident, was it really an accident?"
"Pardon?"
The Chairman seemed to be focusing on the 'accident' much more than I thought.
I had just assumed she found something strange in the surveillance footage and was probing me.
"At the time your accident occurred, similar accidents happened frequently at other Monolith branches and branches of other corporations."
The Chairman wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin in a refined motion.
"Since most of them are accidents that occurred at corporations, the city and NCPD side seem to be trying to classify the case as corporate terrorism...."
"No, wait, so it wasn't a real accident?"
Of course, in Neon City, a 'terrorist' presence was more common than a neighborhood puppy, but it felt a bit different for me since I was the one involved in the accident.
At my question, the Chairman tilted her head lightly to the side. It was a very cutesy gesture for the Chairman, whose age one couldn't dare to say out loud.
But, how old is the Chairman?
.......
I decided not to open Pandora's box and just let the curiosity remain as curiosity.
Anyway, the Chairman continued her story.
"That's what's strange."
The Chairman glanced at Natasha.
Natasha, the Boss of No Answer—who had a knack not only for mercenary brokerage but also for information—agreed with the Chairman.
"That's right. We looked into it on our side as well, but there aren't any hacking traces left in the data at all. We also checked the identity data of the person who caused the accident separately, and they didn't have a background to commit terrorism either."
Here, the civilian (part-timer, wanted criminal) who couldn't butt into the conversation was looking at me with a worried expression at the fact that I had an accident.
I lightly gestured that I was fine.
As a side note, Andrea and Catherine looked more nonchalant than expected.
That was understandable, since we hadn't lived as mercenaries together for just a day or two. They knew I wouldn't get hurt from a simple accident.
"Ah, this broke."
"Mine too."
I decided to just pretend I didn't see the utensils they were holding bend and break.
Natasha's pupils took on a round mechanical light. It looked like she was reading the information she had looked up through her vision interface.
"We're continuing the investigation for now...."
I listened to Natasha and spoke.
"So you have circumstantial evidence but no physical proof."
The Chairman and Natasha nodded at the same time.
I turned my head toward Eve. If there had been traces in the data, Eve couldn't have missed it.
"When I checked at the time, I couldn't find any traces at all. It is definitely not a hacking reaction."
So it meant it absolutely wasn't hacking.
If that was possible, it was also fascinating: vehicle malfunctions happened simultaneously only near corporate buildings.
Probability-wise, it wasn't 0%.
Of course, it was strange.
The Chairman continued in a languid tone.
"From the perspective of someone running a corporation, honestly, these kinds of events with so many variables are the biggest headache.... If we knew the cause or reason it'd be one thing, but even our strategy department and security department say they don't know."
My condolences to the employees who disappointed the Chairman.
.......
But, why is it?
Something felt uneasy about the Chairman's words.
Usually, when the Chairman spoke so weakly like this—
"You've been resting at home a lot lately, anyway."
The Chairman looked at me and grinned.
A hint of laughter emerged from her weary tone.
"Could I ask you for a short bodyguard role?"
"......Uh."
Me? That? Why?
She was too great a person to answer that way.
Of course, it would've been fine to refuse.
There wouldn't be just one or two people working for Monolith receiving credits, so having me join in wouldn't change anything.
Just as I was about to calmly answer, "Haha, I've got muscle pain right now. Sorry," the Chairman—who had gotten up from her seat at some point—gently grabbed my shoulder. She quietly lowered her voice and whispered in my ear.
"......*Sniff,* you smell the same as Eve."
I immediately shouted my answer.
"Of course I must help you!"
She wasn't the Chairman of Monolith for nothing.
How did she notice....
A cold sweat trickled down on its own.
The Chairman nodded as if satisfied with my quick answer. She looked down at me with alluring eyes.
"Hehe, then I'll be counting on you for the time being."
"......Pardon?"
For the time being?