Watching Colossus with the Spirits
It was right after discovering Dr. Levi Sau's letter and the chocolate.
-Bzzzzt!!
The phone vibrated without warning. The caller was Mira Levrier.
"……."
For some reason, my eyes automatically alternated between the Colossus-shaped chocolate in my hand and the smartphone screen.
-Clink.
I slipped the chocolate back into the mechanical secret drawer of the box containing the Colossus replica and picked up the phone—then froze for a moment.
"…Huh?"
What was that? Why did I just hide the chocolate?
"Hello."
Anyway, I answered the call first.
<Hey! Jian oppa! It's me! Mira!>
"Yeah. It's been a while since you called. How've you been—"
<You free after work tomorrow?>
Why was she suddenly asking that?
"…Tomorrow?"
Honestly, I was a bit flustered. Back in my days at the West Podoks Branch, we'd occasionally grab drinks on weekends under the pretense of special hire alumni meetups—just the two of us, since the others were too busy or lazy. But right now, I wasn't in Podoks City near HQ where Mira worked. This was Kikiwai Island, an overseas territory hours away by flight from the Great Huuriten mainland. Her voice sounded oddly excited, but not drunk.
Why was she suddenly checking my schedule?
"I'm off tomorrow. Got the whole weekend off through Monday."
Hearing my answer, Mira started babbling something about perfect timing.
"But why are you asking about my schedule?"
<Hehe. Guess?>
"Uh… are you in Kikiwai right now by any chance?"
<Ah, no? I'm in Linden right now?>
"Then why ask? You're not coming to visit."
<Why you gotta ask? Well, um… just wondering how you've been doing after so long—>
-Pfft.
I couldn't help but chuckle. Wind noise came through the phone. She must be riding in a taxi with the window open. The wind wasn't too strong, so I could hear the driver playing the radio inside. Familiar BGM. It was Kikiwai's local station.
This girl was definitely here on vacation in Kikiwai. She'd probably gone wild on the home shopping network and bought a package deal. Maybe even snagged a Colossus one too? Knowing Mira, yeah, she would've. Even I would've jumped at the chance, but for someone whose hobby is travel, it must've been irresistible. They switched to a lottery because demand exploded, and she somehow won. She's probably here to mooch a meal or get a tour guide from me while she's at it.
Sure, why not. It was a rare holiday; hanging out with an old trainee buddy wouldn't be bad. Lately, I'd only been handling mentally draining high-stakes stuff, so I really needed the break. Plus, Isaac was around too, so maybe the three of us could do dinner tomorrow night. I always felt bad making Isaac foot the bill at our meetups, so I'd treat this time. Loan interest incentives were minor, but my eval shot up from the Nanoi deal—enough to cover dinner for three no problem.
"Let's do dinner tomorrow night. I need to catch up on sleep, so mornings are out, but afternoons work."
<Really?!>
"So, you liking Kikiwai?"
<Ah…!>
Teasing her got a groan from the other end.
<…How'd you know?>
"Secret. Staying at Larryert, right? Rest up, see you tomorrow."
<Uwaaaah, I wanted to surprise you… now my pride's hurt…>
"Over something that silly?"
I teased Mira just enough and hung up. Got a gift, meeting up with a buddy. My first proper vacation in Kikiwai was shaping up nicely over these three days. Sure, Tuesday's return to work might bring chaos, but for now, enjoying the moment was right.
"…Feels like I've been stuck with weird assignments since Podoks days. Just my imagination?"
Catching adulterers, getting dragged into elf Pokémon-battle wannabes, beating radio kidnappers and saving the solar system. None of it resembled normal banking.
"Next up, helping newlyweds elope under the guise of a mortgage loan?"
No. That wouldn't happen.
"……."
Taking a real break must've loosened a screw or two. What an idiot thought. Idle imagination is poison. No work thoughts on a day off. Absolutely not.
"Ah, I'm hungry."
Maybe stroll out for some seafood rice bowl for dinner.
On Friday evening, Okerus Dis Pater visited Pluto's house and spent a while catching up with her sister on everything piled up—family, the bank, her eye. Even what she expected from Kim Jian, the Earthling from uncharted Dimension 3-1.
"Sis talks too much shop; it's unhealthy. It's your day off—play around instead of bank talk at home."
"Really?"
Okerus, who'd thought she'd mixed in family and other topics, looked flustered like a startled rabbit.
Okerus was always like this. Away from the bank, she turned into someone with loose screws, frustrating Pluto at times. Work had become her hobby, plain and simple. A textbook workaholic. Even family time turned into bank talk. Whoever married her someday would endure endless office politics chatter at home.
"You gotta rest properly for efficiency."
"…I try normally."
"Then why not here?"
"Even if you say relax, places like this…."
"……."
Pluto felt bittersweet watching her sister blatantly diss her home. No malice, of course—just reflexively comparing to their Dimension 12 family home or Pluto's current place.
"…We've chatted over three hours already."
Pluto blatantly changed the subject. It was past 8:30. Normally, she'd have finished cooking and eating, but Okerus's visit meant they'd talked nonstop without food. Low blood sugar soured her mood, irritation creeping in.
"Sis, buy me dinner. I want something tasty."
Pluto played the spoiled little sister card.
"Hm… Reservations this late might be tough…."
"Anywhere's fine."
"Head to the hotel? Room service should be decent."
"Not staying here?"
Okerus waved her off seriously, hurting Pluto again.
"Get ready and follow."
"Where?"
"Larryert the Kikiwai."
"You bought a package too?"
"As if."
Okerus blinked her large eyes like at a weird question.
"Discounts feel like a rip-off. They sold packages at 10% off already. Bought a few later for company trips, rode one here. Paid full for Larryert too."
"Uh… okay."
Pluto replied with a drained face at her sister's extravagant spending, far beyond expectations. Still, the thought of chatting and sleeping like old times eased the bitterness as she headed out.
"Welcome."
While Pluto prepped for her sleepover, Okerus changed back into a suit and stepped from Larryert's pickup limo; the manager personally greeted her at the entrance. Kikiwai wasn't planned, so not the presidential suite but the floor below—no big deal to Okerus. Or Pluto.
Truth be told, Pluto had been annoyed earlier when Okerus kept prying about Kim Jian over her own Kikiwai life. But now, sharing a room like sisters again? Trivial stuff faded.
But as they approached the door—
"Hehe. Sleeping with sis after how many years?"
"What're you talking about?"
Unexpected words from Okerus.
"Room service after, then separate beds."
"Why?"
"My room's here. Yours there."
Her own sister pointed to a room down the opposite hall.
"……."
"Good for circulation, so I sleep naked lately. Even sisters—seeing skin's awkward."
"Ah… you booked the whole floor?"
"Yeah."
"……."
Moments later, Pluto ordered everything on the room service menu. Knowing it wouldn't dent her sister's wallet.
"Annoying…."
Emotionless Kim Jian irked her, Okerus a tiny bit too. She felt like playing a mean prank.
"Keep this up, and I'll tease that deputy you treasure so much…."
-Pop!
Pluto quietly made a clone and sent it downstairs. She knew roughly where the single bankers' dorm was. Two days of surveillance by clone would find an opening. Excited at pranking Kim Jian, sleep evaded her, but she forced a smile and closed her eyes. Started from tiny jealousy, but imagining his flustered face thrilled her.
Sunday evening, a day before meeting Mira, I headed downtown for Kikiwai's famous seafood rice bowl. Yesterday was delivery all day lounging at home, but nothing beats eating at the restaurant. Totally different from Korean sashimi bowls back home, but my taste buds adapted to Dimension 6-2 long ago—no issues enjoying it.
Even just three days including the weekend was precious rest. Eating good food, catching up on books, movies—three days was way too short for all I'd missed. Two more days off filled me with surging happiness.
But one nagging thing….
"Feels kinda chilly."
Since leaving home for a stroll and dinner, I'd felt someone's gaze. At first, paranoia or illusion, but checking the phone camera confirmed it—someone tailing me.
Omnai council sending retaliation? Walking an alley, clocked from behind, dragged into a tinted van to who-knows-where—visions flashed. Like the radio kidnappers vs. Bishuti supervisor. I kept glancing back, worried.
Men guard themselves, sure, but I'm no Bishuti—just a regular banker. Armed thugs? I'd fold. Sweat beaded from anxious thoughts. Alley-heavy neighborhood—better hit the main street fast. Can't bring spirits out in public. Should've bought self-defense gear.
-Swish.
Glanced back—someone ducked behind an illegally parked car.
Definitely someone there.
Play it cool and bolt? Call Slick Ellama? Deep breath, turned the corner slow. When the wall blocked their view—sprint!
-Thud thud!
I dashed through twisting alleys to Kikiwai's downtown core. Blended into crowds in dim bustling streets, but the gaze lingered. Tail was small build, hatted, baggy clothes—gender unclear. Felt like multiple tails from earlier. Taxi to shake 'em. Heading curbside—unexpected encounter.
"Pluto… miss?"
At the crosswalk: teller Pluto and a short-haired woman I'd never seen. Right after, my tails vanished.
"Just imagination…."
What? No way it was nothing.
"Deputy, what're you doing here?"
Pluto grinned casually banmal-ing me; seeing her face yanked me from tension.
"Eh, just. Weekend, thought I'd eat out…."
She had company, but her usual banmal pulled mine out too. Awkward.
"Solo? No girlfriend, deputy?"
"That's rude to ask a coworker, Pluto."
Almost lost composure, but her companion scolded her. Three-piece suit, slacks, leather gloves—definite woman. Stunner who'd widen anyone's eyes.
"Sorry for my sister's rudeness."
"No worries. We mess around like this all the time."
The apparent big sis apologized politely, but Pluto just grinned amused.
"Deputy eating alone's sad. Join us three with sis. Cool?"
"Uh… you sure?"
Glanced at sis—small smile, nod. Normally I'd never, but situation demanded it.
"Rare street meetup—my treat today. You're Pluto's sis, right? Any allergies?"
Yeah, safest to dodge tails with them. No way they'd strike in public.
Mira finished check-in at Larryert Hotel and headed straight downtown. Destination: Great Huuriten's top two luxury chocolate brands' flagship stores facing each other across a block square in the city center. Limited edition sets prepped for peak holiday Saint Pallantini Day still available—she'd queue at one.
But.
Leaping excitedly from the taxi toward the shop, Mira spotted it.
A face she'd seen a few times at HQ work—right there.
"Why's that person here…."
Standing at the crosswalk: President Okerus Dis Pater. Chatting with her? None other than Kim Jian.
"What… how…."
Flustered, the Dimensional Credit Vault logo credit card slipped silently from Mira's hand.