083
As soon as I entered the room, I checked the interior.
There was no surveillance equipment like cameras. If it wasn’t there for me to find, then I guess it wasn’t there.
But of course, I am not perfect. I maintained the maid’s speech and attitude in case of possible wiretapping.
‘There are two beds, but… … .’
There wasn’t even a partition wall to divide the space. It was a completely open structure, one room.
“I will rest on the sofa.”
I said so.
Sitting on the sofa, I could see the entrance with my back to the bed and bathroom. It was a position that ensured both Giselle’s privacy and security.
“You can be comfortable.”
“One day is fine, really.”
I emphasized. I was fine without sleeping for a day or two. I think Iley won’t sleep today either.
“……okay.”
Giselle trailed off as if she was uneasy. She hesitated and went into the bathroom. There was a sound of washing.
The sound of water dripping thumped in my ears. My stupid brain kept imagining Giselle’s naked body being hit by the water.
‘Focus on the mission, Luca.’
I opened my eyes half-heartedly and took a deep breath.
‘If Barbara moves… … it’s time to go back and run the prototype on site tomorrow.’
The worst thing is that Barbara doesn’t act.
Then my current actions are like the foolish actions of a clown. It’s horrible to even imagine. I ended up like this and I have nothing to gain?
Please, come to us, Barbara.
I prayed fervently.
Swish.
Every time I heard a sound, my senses kept turning to Giselle. This was for escort. I didn’t want anything to happen.
Click.
The water stopped flowing and the door opened. I didn’t have to look back to see the sight. Giselle came out with a slightly dry body. The water droplets dripping from her body hit the floor.
Swish.
There was also the sound of changing into comfortable clothes.
Of course I didn’t wash it. I have to keep my makeup, which is almost like makeup, until tomorrow.
“You can look this way now.”
Giselle said.
I looked back. She was wearing a fluttering nightgown. The nightgown was made of high-quality fabric and was soft and shiny.
Wheeing.
Giselle, sitting comfortably on the bed, manipulated the terminal to display a hologram. It was a detailed description of the Autonovas prototype.
“I didn’t know you liked cars, too. Do you plan on pursuing that in the future?”
I said, looking into her eyes.
“No way, my interest is cybernetic prosthetics. That way, it can be of help to the family.”
“I don’t know much about it, but Autonovas doesn’t seem to be a company that has much to do with the body side of things.”
“It’s a specialized vehicle company. But if you want to delve into one thing, it’s good to know about related fields as well. You know what I mean, Casey.”
When I heard it, it was true. I was a soldier. But I didn’t learn how to simply fight.
To fight well, you need all sorts of trivial knowledge and skills. You need to have shallow and broad knowledge in many aspects.
“Keisa, do you know my older brother and adopted son of the family, Lucas?”
Giselle suddenly brought up my story. I nodded, moving only my chin.
“Of course.”
“I thought you were proud and self-centered… … I was a little surprised this time. I got to see you in a new light. I think I understand why my father cherishes you.”
“I’m not sure what you mean, because I don’t know him personally.”
“He acted while bending his strong pride for the sake of his family.”
“Maybe it’s because they’re soldiers? I heard that soldiers of the Empire absolutely obey any order.”
I said it calmly.
“In my opinion, Luca is not a person who just follows orders. He moves of his own will.”
“I don’t think that’s a good thing for a soldier.”
It’s no illusion that my accent has become a bit more subdued.
We looked at each other for a moment in silence. I was the one who broke the silence. I stood up and walked over to the table with drinks and snacks.
“Would you like something warm to drink before going to bed?”
“No, it’s okay… … .”
Giselle turned off the hologram on her terminal. The bright lights in the room also began to fade one by one.
Only the faint light of the moonlight barely illuminated the outlines of objects.
“… … Keisa. Instead, come here and give me a hug before you go, like a nanny. I left behind the doll I always held and slept with.”
Giselle’s voice was particularly sweet. It was so sweet that it tickled my ears.
Giselle must be anxious because of Barbara.
I hesitated and then answered with footsteps. I stood next to her bed, bent down with only my upper body bent and my arms stretched out.
Giselle also lifted her body slightly and wrapped her arms around my neck.
It smells good.
Their chins and the backs of their necks touched lightly. The hug was short. Her hands that had been holding my back and shoulders loosened and fell away.
Giselle’s expression was visible only as an outline in the darkness.
“I think I’ll have good dreams tonight, thank you.”
“You are most welcome.”
I sat down on the sofa with slow steps. Soon I could hear Giselle’s quiet breathing.
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… … I probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep even if it weren’t for the mission.
* * *
The long-awaited morning has dawned.
The lights inside gradually brightened to the same color temperature as the sunrise.
“Uh, uhm, ah, yeah. This is… … .”
Giselle groaned as she got up, her mind clouded. She looked at me and quickly averted her gaze. She seemed to be flustered when she saw me as soon as she got up. She must not be used to this situation.
I didn’t bother to talk to her either. I had to give her some time to collect her thoughts. The loose ends are over. From now on, I have to get back to my mission.
After finishing preparations, Giselle and I went out for the visit.
“Ladies, did you sleep well last night?”
Illei, who had been waiting for us, greeted us with a hand on his chest. I wanted to punch that smiling face. It was obvious what he was thinking.
-Good morning. The temperature this morning is… … .
The Autobots approached us and began to guide us.
The tour went smoothly as planned. After a quick meal, we followed Autonova’s instructions to the testing area outside the research center.
Knock, knock.
The prototype vehicle Arachne was visible at the testing site. Technicians and researchers were attached to the vehicle, performing maintenance and tuning.
“It’s a very difficult terrain from a tactical standpoint. It’s also difficult to access by vehicle.”
Illei spoke as he looked at the vast testing ground. The testing ground was a rugged rocky terrain with no end in sight. Large and small rocks were irregularly embedded in the ground.
– The person who gets through the rocky area as Arachne the fastest will receive a small gift from us. We hope you enjoy it as a light pastime!
The Autobot said, projecting a holographic map in front of his eyes. The map showed several routes through the rocky terrain.
“It’s time to show my skills.”
“What about skills? Just don’t fall down and mess up.”
Excited talk was going on among the people. They came to enjoy the tour with a light heart.
Kiiing, kiiing.
An Autonova employee boarded the prototype Arachne. The Arachne accelerated on its four wheels and entered the rocky terrain in one breath.
Wheeeeeeeeing!
The four legs acted as buffers and allowed me to pass over rough terrain smoothly. Occasionally, I would pass over large rocks by raising my legs, and I would pass through low gaps by lowering my legs.
“Wow, this is much better than I thought.”
“Hoo… … .”
The off-road frequency performance was quite excellent. The speed did not decrease much.
The distance was quite far. Those whose eyesight was not good enough used visual enhancement devices like goggles or telescopes to observe Arachne’s gallop.
Arachne approached the rock, thinking everyone would just bypass it.
Kiiing!
Arachne’s output was increasing. It was loud enough to be heard from afar, and her auxiliary legs were quickly popping out.
Boom!
Arachne jumped up and clung to the rock. Despite the steep slope, her auxiliary legs managed to maintain traction. From a distance, she looked like a large spider.
The room became quiet for a moment. Then exclamations of admiration erupted.
“This is quite surprising.”
Ilay exclaimed in admiration, uncrossing her arms. I was equally surprised.
Arachne’s mobility was excellent. If it was improved, it seemed like it could be used for military purposes, even taking into account the disadvantages of its transformable form.
Arachne clung to the rock and climbed up using her eight legs before jumping down to the other side.
Beep!
Arachne stopped when she arrived. The record was about 4 minutes and 32 seconds.
After completing her test run, Arachne circled the outskirts of the rocky area and returned.
When Arachne returned, some people applauded. It was a vehicle that was better than expected. Some nobles had already approached the staff and placed pre-orders.
“Giselle, would you like to do a test drive?”
Illai stood next to Giselle and said.
“Of course. That’s why I came.”
Giselle also nodded willingly.
The Arachne was a two-seater vehicle. It would have been difficult to increase the number of passengers to ensure high maneuverability while also ensuring stability inside the vehicle.
“Then… I’ll ride with you. It’s the security station.”
Illai glanced at me and said.
“Please take care of the young lady, Lady Illei.”
Even if it weren’t for Barbara’s attack, it would have been easier for Ilay to act if something happened. It would have been weird to see me running around with my skirt flapping.
And that’s how much I trust Ilay. If it were Ilay, she would put Giselle’s life first, even if it meant dying herself.
Kiing, kiing.
The tour guides boarded the Arachne. An Autonova staff member stopped by to give a brief explanation.
Arachne was operating four at a time. As a result, there was a sense of competition.
I stared at the second Arachne with Giselle and Ilay on board.
‘It’s unlikely that Barbara will approach here. There are too many eyes watching.’
Even if Barbara is anti-social, she is still a human being on the Empire’s side. She will try to do things secretly.
I turned my gaze to Arachne number 3. I saw Enrico Lagan, who had hurriedly applied for Giselle number 2.
‘Is he stupid or pure-hearted… or both?’
I stared at the man next to Enrico. He was armed with a gun, as if he were a bodyguard. It was kind of funny when I thought about it. How could someone so heavily armed be less dangerous than an unarmed Ilay?
Kiing.
I accessed the upper network with supervisor privileges. I confirmed the identity of the bodyguard who was attached to Enrico.
‘Nether along.’
He was not an unidentified person. Rather, he was so clean that there was nothing to find fault with. Even his full-body registration number was honestly recorded on the empire’s computer network.
Detailed information was highlighted on the retinal display as I moved my gaze.
‘I lived in the lower district with my mother, but my biological father was a vassal of a noble family in the upper district… …so I received ample support. Although I was an illegitimate child, I lived a life that was not inferior to that of others in the lower district. I also received a pretty good education.’
Nether Along completed the screening test and entered a vocational school that suited his aptitude.
Shudder.
Here I paused for a moment.
Nether Along went through basic clerk training at a vocational school. He was not at all suited to be a soldier or a mercenary.
Well, it’s not strange that I entered the security industry late. Thanks to my father’s support, I even had a decent full-body prosthesis.
But it’s strange. That part kept bothering me.
I don’t know what position Enrico holds in the Lagann family, but would a noble family have a half-assed bodyguard like Nether Allong?
As I was thinking about this, Arachne’s engine noise grew louder. It was just before departure.
“Wow, wow, that’s cool! That, that’s, uh, Arachne?”
A familiar voice pierced my ears through the noise and din.
My pupils quickly followed the voice. A girl appeared among the crowd. Her bright red-blond hair stood out.
‘Barbara!’
My right prosthetic eye quickly confirmed Barbara’s identity. Everything, down to the smallest biometric data, matched. No matter what anyone said, it was Barbara.
She appeared with such confidence on the subject of wanted terrorists, even though she was only thirty meters away from me.
I moved quickly, pushing through the crowd.
