Chapter 249
I felt as if I were possessed by a ghost.
I was so bewildered that for a moment I even thought, 'Am I experiencing a hallucination? Was there some weird drug in that sip of champagne I drank earlier?'
If the message sent by the unidentified Helper, J, hadn’t remained clearly on my Cyberwatch, I might have seriously considered that possibility.
But of course, it wasn’t. This was cold reality.
Underground
Could the Helper sent by the Iron-faced Family Head Eugene Schneider have provided false information? That didn’t seem likely.
'He must have sent me knowing that a terror attack would happen here in the first place…'
I expected it wouldn’t be a simple escort mission, but wasn’t the scale of this a bit too large?
It wasn’t as if he thought of me as some counter-terrorism expert just because I suppressed the Luddite Gang’s terror attack at Dragons.
Even if they were both terror attacks, one happening in a small bar and one happening in a noble family castle packed with security personnel would be on completely different levels.
'Actually, it’s no surprise that I was dispatched here.'
It wasn’t like Eugene Schneider cherished me, and it was perhaps more likely that he wanted to kill me for laying hands on the Family’s treasured sword.
Since he seemed to have made a deal with the Isiho Chairman, he might have thought of me as some secret weapon of Isiho and sent me to this dangerous site to test my power.
When I thought about 'whose' bodyguard I came here as, it was truly baffling. More than anything else, that was the surprising part.
I came all the way here in the capacity of a bodyguard protecting Alexandra Schneider, the Hell of the Schneider Family.
Being in danger of getting swept up in a terror attack applied equally to Alexandra Schneider as well as me.
Eugene Schneider had sent his cherished youngest daughter - who had recently suffered immense psychological trauma from the Luddite Gang’s terror attack, no less - all the way here despite knowing everything!
I felt as if my blood were drying up.
The reputation of Iron-faced Family Head wasn’t attached to him for nothing.
I knew that before being a father, he was a cold-blooded executive who weighed the profits and losses of everything, but I hadn’t realized the extent of it.
From the iron-blooded Isiho Chairman to the Iron-faced Family Head Eugene Schneider, I should have known beforehand that there was no normal person among those with 'Iron' in their titles!
What on earth was he thinking? Had Alexandra fallen out of her father’s favor? Even so…
Was there something he had to gain even if it meant sacrificing her? Or else… was there a reason he firmly believed Alexandra would be safe?
It couldn’t be that he trusted me, so was Team Leader Hank’s skill really that outstanding?
My head became so complicated it felt like it would burst. It was even more so when I thought of Alexandra Schneider, who would be enjoying the banquet with her goddess-like beauty without the slightest idea of what was about to happen.
What did I say again?
'Um… this might not be enough… but still, for today at least, you can think of me as your exclusive samurai.'
Not enough, my foot, for today, being an exclusive samurai would be more than enough and then some.
Ugh, why did I say such a thing!
Should I inform Young Lady Alexandra of the danger even now? Should I tell her that we need to leave the Mirror Castle right away for her safety, regardless of the banquet or the invitation?
It was an absurd thing to say, but still, wouldn’t she believe it since it was my words? Wasn’t that what needed to be done as a bodyguard?
The Cyberwatch rang at the perfect time, as if reading my confused mind.
[P.S.: Do not inform others no matter what happens.]
This is driving me crazy, really.
* * *
Could the unidentified Helper actually be watching me agonize over this?
Quite a bit of time passed as I looked around warily, wondering if there was a hidden miniature surveillance camera.
I realized my mistake.
I was already firmly on the Team Leader’s bad side, and now I was in a situation where I hadn’t been seen for nearly ten minutes after saying I was going to the restroom for a moment!
'Oh, fuck!'
I ran hastily, trying to return to my original spot as quickly as possible, but bumped into someone.
There was a man whose massive, pillar-sized arms were entirely covered in metal.
Thud. We collided, but I was the only one pushed back and knocked down. It felt like I had bumped into a wall or a vehicle rather than a person.
It was embarrassing and bitter in many ways, but it was my fault for not looking ahead while running in the first place. I tried to stand up and apologize, but the man didn’t even glance in my direction and just walked away with heavy steps, disappearing somewhere as if nothing had happened.
…Should I say it’s a relief that I didn’t have to blush over bumping into him?
It wasn’t pleasant, as it felt like my very existence as a person had been completely ignored. He didn’t seem like a Noble, so he was probably a bodyguard…
I shook my head, stood up, and ran again. That wasn’t what was important right now. Returning quickly was what mattered!
The banquet hall was so wide and crowded with people that just running made me out of breath.
As soon as I arrived, Ms. Kali shouted.
“You’re finally here! What on earth were you doing in the restroom? Hurry up! The Team Leader-nim will soon - .”
Thank goodness. It seemed Team Leader Hank hadn’t returned yet!
I let out a sigh of relief and slowed my pace to a walk, but speak of the devil, Team Leader Hank revealed himself with ghost-like timing from beyond a crystal pillar up ahead.
Ms. Kali stopped talking and snapped her mouth shut, and I stood next to Ms. Kali as naturally as possible, as if I hadn’t wandered far.
However, I couldn’t avoid Team Leader Hank’s ghost-like observation skills.
Just by seeing me breathe, he frowned and began his interrogation.
“Where did you go during work hours to only be coming back now, Newcomer?”
“I just went to the restroom for a bit.”
“The restroom? Are you kidding me right now? You left your post just to drain some water - .”
“…It was a bowel movement. I apologize. My stomach suddenly started hurting…”
Pfft! Beside me, Ms. Kali burst into laughter before covering her mouth.
Damn it. It was shameful to have to falsely report taking a shit that I didn’t actually take, but for now, it was more important not to be suspected any further by the Team Leader.
Did my intention get through? Team Leader Hank didn’t look at me with suspicious eyes. The problem was that he looked at me with an incredibly pathetic gaze instead.
He glared at me as if he had a lot to say, then sighed and spoke.
“…Good lord, I never dreamed I’d see a Poop-maker (derogatory) who hasn’t even received the Waste Secretion Control Modification while doing Escort Duty. Is it finally time for me to retire? What kind of guy is this?”
…Waste Secretion Control Modification.
As an Unmodified Natural who hadn’t received a single Body Modification, I couldn’t even imagine it.
It was certainly a fitting Body Modification for bodyguards who had to protect their Escort Target’s safety without rest, but it seemed that having it was a Basic Specification to work for the Schneider Family.
As expected of a hardcore profession in a dystopian cyberpunk world.
“…”
Ah, whatever.
As I stood still with a shameless and naive expression, as if to say, 'I’m a Nepotism Hire, so I wouldn’t know about that, would I? Waste Secretion Control Modification? Do I really have to get that?', Team Leader Hank opened his mouth again.
“Forget it. That’s not what’s important right now. Follow me! A situation has broken out.”
A situation broke out? Could it be? The terror attack?
There was still a long way to go before an hour passed, though?
A sense of crisis soared. I wanted to ask for more details, but Team Leader Hank had already said his piece and was walking far ahead.
Ms. Kali was already following closely behind him. I couldn’t fall behind, so I hastily moved at a quick pace as well.
What on earth was going on?
* * *
“You’ll see when you look. It’s a very serious situation.”
Team Leader Hank said so.
It was a statement that was hard for me to agree with.
This wasn’t just a 'very serious' situation.
If a terror attack had actually happened, I probably wouldn’t have been surprised, thinking that what was meant to come had finally come.
This was a disaster. It was truly no different from genius.
What had happened?
Team Leader Hank, Ms. Kali, and I stood at the edge of the nobles' banquet stage with our stance lowered.
And up ahead, social skills for the noble scions, specifically the blooming young women among them, were taking place.
The most eye-catching person, no matter what anyone said, was of course Alexandra Amadeus Schneider. Her appearance was truly at its peak, fully revealing the freshness of youth and the nobility of her bloodline.
Even though all the other Noble Scions boasted handsome appearances due to selected genes and thorough management, compared to Alexandra’s charm and her innately shining aura, they were like fireflies in front of the sun.
As expected, whether male or female, no matter how noble they were, there was no one comparable to Alexandra Schneider.
If I had to pick one person who could at least follow at her heels, there was one.
A noble Young Lady with reddish-brown hair, sharp eyes set in white jade-like skin, a high nose bridge, and plump lips, looked triumphant as if she were looking down on everyone in the world.
At a glance, she gave an ill-tempered impression that seemed likely to cause a lot of trouble for the people around her, but apart from that, she was objectively very beautiful. It just paled in comparison because it couldn’t reach Alexandra’s level.
“…Who is that?”
Ms. Kali answered my trembling voice.
“The Young Lady of the Sedouforne Family - I think her name was Matilda…”
Naturally, I wasn’t asking because I was interested in the Young Lady of the Sedouforne Family.
Not just us, but everyone was whispering and staring at Matilda of the Sedouforne Family and Alexandra of the Schneider Family.
Military
It was simple.
It was because our Young Lady, Alexandra Amadeus Schneider, had grabbed Matilda of the opposing Sedouforne Family and was slapping her cheek resoundingly.
SLAP!!!
Literally, it was a disaster.