episode_0021

Jieun, looking extremely exhausted, left the office. James, who had been silently observing her retreating figure, quickly took his seat and picked up the phone. Although it was referred to as a phone, its appearance was quite different from those on Earth. If Jieun had seen it, she might have thought, “It looks truly villainous and despicable.” It also had a somewhat old-fashioned style. Overall, it was black with wires here and there. At the top, there was a protrusion that looked like a demon’s horn. It gave off an impression of a device that combined a 90s cellphone screen and buttons with an electric shocker often depicted in the media.

James calmly pressed several buttons in sequence and placed it on the desk. Shortly after, a video appeared. Light radiated in a circular pattern from the screen of the device, creating a three-dimensional holographic image. However, the blurry appearance of the figure in the hologram rendered the three-dimensional aspect meaningless. Rather, it was used due to the operation method of the device. It functioned like a wireless transmitter, directly connecting without the need for relays. That was the true value of the device.

“Chairman, did you see it?” James inquired. His tone seemed to imply that the other party had been listening to their entire previous conversation.

“Of course,” the ‘Chairman’ responded. Their voice was altered, making it impossible to determine whether they were male or female.

“A new possibility,” James said with a suppressed smile, as if he were containing a laugh that could burst out at any moment. “The emotion of ‘despair’ has been less efficient than ‘hope’ until now. It was a potential easily generated anywhere.”

Nuar Corporation focused on the latter. And it was for this reason that they were able to persuade governments of various countries in this world. When economic indicators were unfavorable, when people felt inequality, when they could barely make ends meet, when wars were lost, when serious environmental pollution news surfaced—there were many ways to drive people into despair.

Ironically, these methods were too common, and while each one was not highly efficient, energy did not diminish even when the world situation worsened. They paid attention to increasing efficiency. Those who were economically affluent enough to avoid all these situations could enjoy the wealth produced by that energy of despair, even if they themselves did not contribute to generating that energy. Air can be sold, but wind cannot; water can be sold, but waves cannot. They profited from the surplus energy remaining in the world, producing and selling the resulting products.

Nuar Corporation planned to export the surplus energy beyond space. Their decision was based on a simple logic: in a market economy, extracting overflowing genes is more economically beneficial than selling well-cut gems.

So—

“This task is beyond prediction. It’s evidence that certain individuals can extract the circuit’s efficiency to its limit. To the extent of burning out the circuit. Perhaps we might be able to extract an efficiency similar to ‘hope.’”

[However, the results are different from previous research, aren’t they?]

Creating despair is easy.

But it’s not as simple as just creating it with brute force. There was a reason Nuar Corporation deliberately tangled with the government.

Those in despair must not give up.

Giving up is the destination of despair. Just like you can’t extract energy from humans who have lost the will to live, like squeezing out all the oil from a gene, you can’t extract energy from those who have lost the will to live.

“It seems that uncovering the nature of that efficiency will be our research topic.”

[Don’t torment them to the point of breaking.]

“Of course.”

[…Whether it’s despair or hope, it’s ultimately a matter of direction. In that regard, the federal folks’ research might be right after all.]

“Let’s interrogate the researchers and find out. We won’t be able to do anything too harsh.”

“Leave it to me.”

After hearing James’s response, the ‘Chairman’ cut off the communication.

James turned his body to look down below.

It was late, still a weekday, but there were quite a few people walking along the streets. There are many places nearby where people work, so some might be stopping for a drink on their way home, and there might be tourists on vacation mixing in as well.

If all these people could achieve the same efficiency improvement as her, how much profit could be gained?

Leaning against the window with his hand, James gazed down for a long time.

*

That day, I went to the late-night clinic for an examination before going to the orphanage.

The teacher at the orphanage seemed to want to say something to me when she saw me, but she seemed to hold back after looking at my expression.

I apologized and headed straight to the shower room.

I didn’t feel like washing up, but I had been running around hard until just a while ago. I couldn’t just not shower at all. So, I quickly showered and came out, vigorously cleaning my face, hands, and feet.

I didn’t eat properly for dinner, but I brushed my teeth, then walked unsteadily to my room.

The blanket was already laid out. As I expected, Ji-hye was already lying under the blanket.

I silently got into my own bed and lay down.

“….”

I closed my eyes for a moment and stayed still. It seemed difficult to fall asleep easily.

Perhaps due to being overly excited from fighting, my body was incredibly tired, but sleep didn’t come easily.

“…Are you okay?”

Quietly closing my eyes, Ji-hye asked.

She probably wouldn’t know what I was up to. Maybe she even thinks I have a boyfriend or something.

Did it seem like we fought today?

“…Honestly, it’s a bit tough.”

Unintentionally, I replied with a sigh mixed in.

Ji-hye, who had been facing away, turned towards me. As always, I lay looking at the ceiling.

“I don’t really know what you’re up to.”

Ji-hye said.

“There’s no need to try too hard, is there?”

“Is that so?”

“Well… yeah.”

It’s clear she thinks it’s about a relationship.

I wanted to say something more, but hesitated. Ji-hye lay looking at the ceiling just like me.

The ceiling we’ve always looked at over the years.

Since I was picked up from a baby box in this world, I’ve always been with Ji-hye. We both have the surname “Seong,” and there’s a reason our names are similar.

Though she’s a child from outside the story, that’s why I couldn’t just think of this world as merely a novel.

“Did I meddle for no reason?”

Perhaps feeling a bit uncomfortable with the ensuing silence, Ji-hye cautiously spoke.

“No, I think you could say that.”

Because I don’t know.

And I don’t feel like telling her.

How would Ji-hye say it?

If it were Hae-yoon, she might try to persuade me to stop right away, but somehow, it feels like Ji-hye might understand a little.

Even though she knows she’s been entangled because of me, will she still take my side?

*

Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly woke up to morning.

I must have fallen asleep at some point.

The trivial conversation that had put me to sleep didn’t excite me as usual, perhaps because it wasn’t much different.

“Hey, wake up.”

Unable to open my eyes properly in the sunlight, Ji-hye poked my side with her elbow.

“Get up. You’re not going to eat breakfast?”

“Not eating…”

“And then you’ll whine all day again?”

Are you a high school student or something, talking like a mom?

Unable to withstand Ji-hye’s attack, I got up from bed.

Breakfast was an unappetizing bean sprout soup.

…I wonder when this month’s bonus will come in.

That way, whether it’s breakfast or anything else, the meal would be a bit more enjoyable.

I dipped rice into the broth and swallowed, thinking such thoughts.

*

The one who had been tormenting me didn’t show up today either.

But my mind was at ease. I knew that neither that person nor their mother would bother me anymore.

Actually, maybe because I pushed myself a bit yesterday, my body felt sore all over. While I could treat the wounds, I couldn’t help the muscle strain.

“Ji-eun.”

“Ah!?”

Hae-yoon, who had come over quietly, linked arms with me, and I involuntarily shouted.

Hae-yoon, who had put her hand on my body, was startled and withdrew her hand.

Ah.

First of all, this wasn’t the kind of person who would sneak up on me like this after we went out last time. I wonder if she thinks we’ve gotten a little closer.

But it seems that Ha-yoon is hesitating, probably because I was so surprised.

“Oh, no, no,” I quickly said, shaking my head. “I didn’t sleep well yesterday. I think I have a bit of muscle pain.”

“It’s not my fault, is it?”

“Of course not.”

As I said that, Ha-yoon seemed relieved and moved closer to me. Although we didn’t link arms, she rested her arm lightly against mine and sat close.

“Wanna take a bite?” When she offered the bread she was holding towards me, Ha-yoon nodded slightly and said, “Yeah.” After saying that, she took a small bite of my bread.

“It doesn’t taste good, does it?” It was one of the worst pastries from the snack shop. It was some kind of sandwich with a little peanut sauce in the middle, and the outside was just a tough, cheap bread.

But even after I said that, Ha-yoon still nodded.

“…Is something bothering you?” I asked subtly.

Ha-yoon’s expression darkened a bit. Yesterday, I didn’t see Ha-yoon. The magical girl who faced me until the end was Iris and Rose.

Were there multiple issues? Or was her delayed arrival simply due to personal matters?

“No, nothing,” Ha-yoon said, smiling at the corner of her mouth.

It meant she wouldn’t talk about it.

“….”

I probably can’t ask anymore.

The fact that the magical girl failed yesterday. It didn’t appear in today’s news at all. Even Nuar Corporation’s subsidiary site, which always inflated even the smallest success, had nothing to say.

Was it quiet because they succeeded?

It was somewhat eerie.

Ha-yoon leaned her head slightly against my shoulder.

“…Does this hurt too?”

“No.” Honestly, it stung a little, but I acted as if it was nothing.

…Because I also had something to hide from Ha-yoon.

For a while, Ha-yoon rested her head on my shoulder with her eyes closed.

In the end, she left the bread uneaten. It wasn’t like me to leave behind bread I bought with my own money just because I didn’t have an appetite.

A week later.

I was summoned back to headquarters.

If I thought of them as such important figures, sometimes I wished they would come or meet me themselves, but ultimately, I realized that this was the best way. No matter how they contacted me, it always ended with my identity being revealed.

Taking a deep breath, all I could hope for this time was that it wasn’t another operation.

…And that it wouldn’t be anything like last time, coming out into some auditorium and receiving applause.

Fortunately, today I was called directly to James’s office.

“I called you here to discuss the equipment you returned last time.”

James got straight to the point. There was a sense of anticipation in his voice. How much was he expecting from this equipment?

“Surely you’re not asking for equipment expenses—”

“Of course not. What kind of company do you think we are?”

James looked serious.

Hmm.

Calling people at any time, sending them out on risky jobs without proper briefing, and most operatives being treated as casual labor without regular employment, while I might have generous conditions, most operatives see this company as one that rolls through without regular employment. Of course, I couldn’t say such things directly in front of a superior, so I just kept quiet.

“More importantly, take a look at this.”

James pointed to the sofa.

Even though it was clear he was a superior, I waited for James to sit first before slowly sitting across from him. There were quite a few uncomfortable moments, especially since he had banged the back of the seat where James sat last time.

This time, James pushed something like a carry case towards me. It was just larger than the last one.

“This is a specially made item.”

I didn’t insist and instead looked at the case with a hesitant gaze.

“I knew you would succeed from the moment I scouted you.”

Although my pockets hadn’t swelled with success, they were supposed to, so I held back from objecting.

“Your performance over the past three years has been quite outstanding, but your recent actions cannot be expressed as anything less than remarkable. I commend Ji Eun’s courage.”

Then he lowered his head towards me, so I quickly did the same.

It’s a bit uncomfortable. I don’t know what’s inside, but from the outside, he looks like a foreigner well into his forties.

“So, we want to support that courage with an exceptional piece of equipment.”

“So, you’re saying it’s specially made?”

“That’s right.”

“In just a week?”

“….”

James glanced away.

Already there, huh?

But even if he says that, it wouldn’t be an outright lie. Even if it’s a prototype, there’s a good chance that the ‘circuit for more powerful energy charging’ was already in development. It might have been a project that was abandoned due to lack of suitable users or something like that.

Well, considering how in tokusatsu shows, villains often bring out several upgraded pieces of equipment in just a week, it’s not all that strange to think that way.

“Open it up.”

James said, mixing in an explanation.

I reached for the case without a word. As soon as my hand touched it, there was a click from the case. I admired the company’s frugality, as it sounded similar to the warning sound from inside a helmet.

What was taken out—was a black suit.

The snug-fitting suit remained the same.

However—

“We made the top and bottom into one piece to increase energy efficiency. Since there are no gaps, a lot of residual energy remains. Usually, that would be detrimental.”

Even if there is a maximum capacity, does that mean it can’t be fully utilized?

The suit I was looking at was a jumpsuit.

It was a jumpsuit that fit my body a little better, but it looked somewhat loose. It’s a suit that’s hard to judge which is more old-fashioned compared to what I wore last time.

And above that, there was another suit like a flight jacket. It seemed similar to the leather jacket I wore last time, so there didn’t seem to be a big problem.

Thanks to the fact that the color was unified in black, it didn’t look too strange.

“The circuits have been upgraded. The charging capacity is twice that of last time. At least this time, it won’t explode and burst first.”

“……”

Wait, I wondered if I could really use this properly.

To be honest, I wasn’t very confident.

It was barely a 100% match, and I hadn’t even thought about the possibility of overflow.

Can I make proper use of the exosuit?

“And this helmet.”

James said.

“Would you like to try it on?”

I obediently put on the helmet. I probably wouldn’t be able to go out until I heard the explanation anyway.

0 percent.

Since the circuit wasn’t installed, that figure was natural.

However.

“The helmet operates on its own even without the circuit installed.”

James said with a smile on his face.

The result of James’ facial analysis appeared on my helmet visor.

Species: Estimated Earthling. Age: Estimated mid-40s. Gender: Estimated male.

All there is is ‘estimated.’

If I see a real earthling, will it just show up as an earthling? But even if it does, I’m not sure if it will be useful.

My mission isn’t usually to find ordinary people.

“Advanced technology has been incorporated to accurately determine the opponent’s state. When we analyzed the video from the previous helmet, it was useful for attacking enemy weapons and finding weaknesses in their strategy.”

That just happened by chance. It was because Iris attacked with a weapon to block the attack. It probably won’t work next time.

“The most important point is that even without energy in the circuit, it can be used independently as long as the user has sufficient compatibility to operate solely on their own energy.”

“Oh.”

I see.

Certainly, the previous helmet couldn’t be used separately.

It might be useful… depending on how it’s used.

The problem is whether I usually have occasion to walk around with just this instead of the suit. I’m not going to advertise myself as a combatant to others.

Right away, Iris recognized me just by the scratches on my helmet.

…No, on the contrary, it might be useful for hastily covering my face. Although this is a story about having a helmet.

“How is it? You can also wear double the battery.”

“That’s good.”

I nodded.

James seemed satisfied with my response and nodded, saying,

“Soon, there will be an opportunity to test the equipment. I hope you’ll perform excellently with that gear then. If your performance improves more than it is now, naturally, the conditions under which we assist you will also improve.”

“….”

“…Apart from the suit, other rewards are prepared. We intend to double the frequency of donations. What do you think?”

“That’s good.”

After hearing that story, I repeated the same thing once more.

Yeah, no matter how much I think about it, upgrading company equipment isn’t really a ‘reward,’ is it?