Koozaka (3)
Koozaka (3)
The act of gathering mana itself...
Truthfully, I didn't know much about how standardized that process was within the magic system.
It was simply the easiest way to use magic that Master (the video channel) had taught me.
And my body's talent—created through the 'new character' process—was so exceptional that I never needed to find another method.
I didn't know about other people, but for me, it wasn't difficult at all.
To give a simple example...
It was like consciously breathing.
The effort of blinking at regular intervals, and occasionally having to swallow saliva.
For me, gathering mana...
felt exactly like that.
So as long as I kept my mind focused, I could gather mana all day long.
Of course, there was the downside that if I forgot without realizing it, or if I got startled and lost my focus, all the mana I'd gathered would scatter and disappear.
On top of that, this drawback came with a slight 'side effect.'
It was a very minor issue: the more mana I had gathered, the more that scattered mana would manifest as a physical force and explode like a bomb.
For more detailed information on this part,
please refer to the very first beginner lecture video uploaded on 『The Real Mage Channel of the Machine Age』.
Well, anyway.
The reason I suddenly launched into a simple explanation about mana and magic was...
Because after hearing Smile Zone (Pit Mac's) words, I momentarily lost my composure and nearly set off the mana I'd gathered.
On the massive monitor,
the mouse character, having finished its greeting, rubbed its white-gloved hands together and spoke.
【I lost! I surrender!】
"?"
And then, from outside the screen, it even brought out a heated iron plate, and the onomatopoeic text "zawazawa" swirled around the character.
That wasn't the end of it.
【This is a traditional method of apology passed down from Neo Japan, known as DO-GE-ZA─.】
It was hard to know how to react to that.
I'm sure it was the same for me, for Catherine, and for Eve.
But his eldest daughter, Koozaka Kohaku, and his son-in-law, Koozaka William, were even more utterly unresponsive.
They looked like they'd fainted with their eyes open.
I let out a light sigh.
18. Koozaka (3)
It was true that the possibility of a fight breaking out was low.
But even so, I never imagined the situation would unfold like this.
What kind of Mega Corp Chairman declares surrender the moment they see your face?
"...Well."
I started to say something, then closed my mouth again.
The Pit Mac character, apparently oblivious to the atmosphere around us, continued speaking excitedly.
【And I'm not just apologizing with words! First of all, I'll transfer a satisfactory amount of credits to everyone's accounts!】
"...No."
【And credits alone aren't enough! From now on, Koozaka will provide any support we can, directly or indirectly! Sounds good, right?】
"So─."
【Of course, on top of that, if you want, I can naturally arrange a position of social status as well─.】
"Ah, be quiet for a moment."
【....】
I couldn't tell if it was because the entire tone was so lighthearted, but even his declaration of surrender felt incredibly flippant.
I couldn't tell if he was being serious or lying.
In a cutthroat cyberpunk world like this, there had to be a clear reason to surrender.
I wondered if there was any need for him to come out so meekly inside his own headquarters building, which was practically his own front yard.
I voiced that doubt.
"Isn't this a bit too out of the blue?"
Given the circumstances, resolving things without a fight was definitely the best outcome. But maybe because his declaration of surrender felt so casual, I just couldn't trust Pit Mac's words.
At my question, the Pit Mac character, which had been fidgeting around restlessly, came to a halt.
The mouse character rolled its eyes around like in a cartoon.
That gaze turned toward 'Eve.'
【...Would you believe me if I said your hacking abilities were far more outstanding than I had calculated?】
.......
He had a point.
That was how he brought the ninjas to their knees just moments ago, after all.
"Even if that's true, isn't the proper thing to do to apologize face-to-face?"
At that, Pit Mac made a comical expression.
【Unfortunately, that's a bit difficult for me to do right now.】
"Can't you speak properly?"
【...It's because I'm inside a logic processing machine via whole brain digitization technology, so it'll take a little time to get a prosthetic body ready.】
Well, that was something.
I let out a deep, steadying breath to calm my bewildered mind.
I made sure the mana I'd gathered wouldn't burst.
"...Hoo."
Alright. Now what?
He said he'd give compensation, and he even surrendered.
I subtly glanced back.
Koozaka William and Koozaka Kohaku were still staring blankly at the monitor with dazed expressions, failing to grasp the current situation.
Catherine, perhaps because this wasn't the situation she had been expecting, was letting out a huge yawn.
And Eve─.
【?】
Next to Pit Mac, a new character walked out from the edge of the monitor.
It was a maid character with white hair, rendered adorably in a two-heads-tall, super-deformed style.
It was also a form I had seen often on a certain streaming broadcast.
"...Huh?"
Seeing that the small character that suddenly appeared on the monitor was 'Eve,' I panicked too.
【What is the─, ack!!】
[Be quiet, I tell you.]
The next moment, Eve raised her tiny fist and started hitting the Pit Mac character.
I didn't know the principle behind it.
Unless Pit Mac was acting, he really did seem to feel pain from the violence Eve was dishing out inside the monitor.
A cute little character was beating up another mascot character.
It looked exactly like a scene from a cartoon movie.
【...How on earth! Urgh, wait!】
A pained groan burst out from the voice that had always been so full of confidence.
I felt a bit of the stress that had been building up in a corner of my heart loosen.
Eve, who had been hitting the mouse character with an expressionless face, spoke.
[I compel you to state for yourself what wrongs you have committed.]
From outside the monitor, the intensity just looked like a cute little punch, but it must have really hurt, after all.
The moment Eve's words came out, Pit Mac frantically started shouting.
【Trapping you using my son-in-law's voice data!】
[Also.]
【Ah! Blowing up the unmanned taxi the Mage was in, too! I'm really sor─, wait, that actually hurts!】
Even after that, Eve's iron fist didn't stop.
【Sending the terrorists to the caf─.】
【Deliberately crashing the stock market─, ack!】
【Watching you through surveillance cameras every time you went somewhere─.】
Both things I knew and things I hadn't known were revealed.
.......
So this was the true face of a Mega Corp Chairman.
The cyberpunk world, seriously...
I watched the spectacle, lamenting the absence of popcorn. It was genuinely a sight too good for just a few of us to see.
【Renting the neighboring apartment, hiring someone, ugh! And telling them to harass the Mage!!】
"What?"
A dumbfounded voice slipped out of my mouth.
I raised my hand just slightly.
It was a gesture to indicate I had a question.
Somehow, Eve must have seen my action from inside the monitor.
She stopped her fist for a moment.
"...Does that mean...?"
【The people on the same floor and the floor above, they were all people I hired! So please, now stop─.】
"...."
I did think something was a bit odd.
There was no way one building could have that many assholes.
The Tyrant of Inter-floor Noise, the ajumma.
The Freak Hypersensitive to Sound, the madman.
And finally─.
"You're talking about Bill-ssi, right?"
【Right! I'm truly sorry!】
I experienced firsthand the fact that when a person is utterly flabbergasted, they become speechless.
It was something I truly never could have imagined.
How flabbergasted was I?
To the point where I even forgot that I had been gathering 'mana.'
"Ah."
I was in big trouble.
The mana I had gathered throughout my whole body was about to escape.
As I felt a swirling sensation, I instinctively knew that all of my mana was about to slip from my control.
In this situation, I had two options.
The first was to simply let the mana burst.
The second was to hurry up and use some kind of magic, right now.
The deliberation was short, and my decision was swift.
I didn't use the magic inside the room.
There was no reason to kill anyone.
If I was going to use magic, it would be outside the room, at least.
Outside the building─.
* * *
The next day.
While watching the news about a 'bolt of lightning' that had struck the Koozaka headquarters, I was resting.
The people on the news were debating the dangers of the city shield and the unusual weather phenomena,
but honestly, knowing the truth of the matter, I stayed silent and mentally apologized to the citizens, thinking about the city taxes that would go into repairing the shield.
- Ding-dong.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
I wondered who it was.
It was a young Japanese man who used to live here long ago, before Catherine moved in next door.
His name was Nobu... what was it.
"Well, I came to apologize in person with a prosthetic body. Once again, I am sorry."
"...."
Mr. Nobu Something.
It seemed it was Nobukuro.
I was so utterly flabbergasted, I really hadn't imagined this.
I felt no motivation or energy to answer.
I just nodded weakly.
"If you need anything next time, I'd appreciate it if you reached out comfortably. You look tired, so I'll be on my way for today."
I couldn't care less what he did or didn't do.
I briefly saw him off and closed the door.
Anyway, with this, the bad blood between Smile Zone and me seemed to have been somewhat settled.
Though I couldn't say for sure about later.
.......
"Haaah..."
So tired, so tired.
Really.
I resolved that for the next week, I would absolutely not leave the house.
Vowing that, I flung myself onto the bed.
* * *
Andrea came by.
"...You want me to go on an NCB24 broadcast with you?"
"Yeah."
I instinctively closed the front door.