kscans

Chapter 205 - A Battle That's No Contest

Hayato, Ney, Esha, Relic, and Sonia, the five of them, were waiting for Diite in the conference room.

Diite was currently on her way to pick up Dean. She had contacted Dean through the Bandit, Jolth, and had headed to the surface.

Normally, she could have teleported him, but Diite's functions were currently restricted, so she couldn't do that. So she was physically flying to bring him here.

While waiting, Hayato was thinking about various things.

According to Relic and Sonia, right after their memories returned, they were instructed to capture Hayato. It wasn't an order from Scorpion, but from Prison.

At first, neither Relic nor Sonia had any intention of following such an order, but Relic had received separate instructions. If he failed, someone important to him would be hurt. They didn't say the name of the important person, but Relic assumed it was Annelise.

Relic didn't know that a hundred years had passed since that time. It pained him to betray Hayato and the others, but he had been caught as a criminal and was following Prison's orders, all for Annelise's sake. So he decided to live for that purpose until the end.

Sonia noticed Relic's thoughts and they got into an argument.

Then Relic, as if fleeing, used a Ring of Teleportation to return to the base and restrain Hayato.

Hayato sorted through these stories, but he still felt uneasy about not knowing how much information Scorpion had.

However, he also felt that it would probably be fine. After all, they had Ney on their side.

In a card game, she wasn't just a joker, she was at a level where she could intervene in the game rules themselves. No matter how strong a trump card the opponent had, she could unilaterally create a rule that would nullify it.

Ney probably disliked such situations, which was why she hadn't told the Kokuryu members that she was a Foundation blood relative. Her lie about being a hardcore career woman was probably for that reason as well.

And Ney was not usually in a position to be lied to. If someone did that, they would be sentenced to extreme punishment. When her sword was stolen, and when they tried to steal the base using that as bait, she had trusted her opponent too much. That was only natural for the real Ney.

Now that he thought about it, Hayato realized that Ney's clumsiness in virtual reality might be influenced by that.

And Hayato's guilt towards Ney swelled. Probably, Ney didn't want to bring the power of the Foundation into this world. And Hayato was forcing her to use it.

"Hayato? What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"No, it's not that. It's a bit late to be saying this after we've come this far, but I was just thinking that I've done something bad to Ney."

"Something bad? What's that?"

"I feel bad for having to rely on your power, Ney..."

"What, is that it? It's nothing for you to worry about, Hayato. Besides, it's not your fault, is it? If anything, you were just dragged into this. And even if I didn't know you, Hayato, if a Foundation were to intervene in this virtual reality, I think I would have lent my personal strength."

"...Is that so?"

"I just told Diite, but I like this world. It's not about the technology being amazing or anything like that. I guess you could say that even though our appearances are the same, we can play a completely different version of ourselves, and I like that. Here, I can be myself."

Ney sighed once, then her face became serious.

"Virtual reality and reality are inextricably linked. You're busy with reality too, Hayato, so you only log in in the morning and at night. I think that can't be helped. But no matter how inseparable it is from reality, what Scorpion is doing is just too tasteless. To use the power of reality to stir up this world for their own benefit is outrageous."

"I, I see."

"By the way, there's a bit of a personal grudge mixed in. Today was an important day where we were going to tackle two of those buildings at once... I really can't forgive them!"

(I don't know if she's serious or joking, but knowing Ney, she might be saying that to be considerate of me...)

As Hayato was thinking this, Diite entered from the entrance of the room.

"You say such nice things. It makes creating events worthwhile. Now then, I've brought Dean-kun. Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"I never thought I'd fly through the sky in my own body, but what with being shot earlier, it was quite an experience... Oh, it seems the number of people has increased. Is this by your arrangement, Hayato-san?"

"Yes, well. I've called the person who can negotiate about the technology."

"Wonderful. You've brought the person who can provide the technology. Perhaps you've already negotiated? That would be easier for me."

It wasn't a negotiation, he was going to refuse, but from Dean's perspective, he probably thought Hayato had given in. At this point, he already looked ridiculous, but no one laughed. They knew they wouldn't have the luxury for that soon. If anything, they only felt pity for Dean.

"Please, have a seat first. Um, I've brought the investor and administrator of Aphrodite. Please negotiate with them directly."

Hayato said this as he served coffee. He served Ney and Diite in the same way.

At the round table, which was about two meters in diameter, they sat in a clockwise arrangement of Ney, Hayato, Dean, and Diite. Ney was at the head of the table, and Esha, Relic, and Sonia stood against the wall behind her.

Dean crossed his legs, his hands clasped on his lap.

"You say negotiation, but I've already conveyed our request. Are you the investor of Aphrodite? All you have to do is nod your head and provide the technology, and we're done."

Ney said nothing in particular, and brought the coffee Hayato had made to her lips. Her movements were slower and more graceful than usual.

"Before that, I want to confirm something. Can I assume that the words that came from your mouth are the consensus of the Foundation?"

For a moment, Dean's eyes narrowed, but he quickly smiled.

"Yes, you can assume that."

"I see. Then Diite, please make sure to record the audio from here on out."

"Leave it to me. I will record every single word without fail."

"Now then, Dean-san, was it? You said to hand over the technology here, but I don't quite understand the other request. You apparently requested the person of a woman named Sonia, but what does that mean?"

When Hayato was requested by Dean, he was also told to hand over Sonia. However, Hayato didn't understand what this meant. He had told Ney, Diite, and the others, but no one knew the reason.

"Ah, about that. As investors and administrators, you probably know this, but the NPCs here are humans from a hundred years ago. They seem to have lost some of their memories, though."

Dean's face had a slightly triumphant look. Even though he said "you probably know," he probably thought Ney would be surprised. But Ney wasn't particularly surprised and was gracefully drinking her coffee.

"And?"

Not just Ney, but Hayato and the NPCs weren't surprised either. In fact, they acted as if it were a matter of course.

Dean narrowed his eyes again. It was a look that seemed to be probing Ney and Hayato.

He was probably trying to determine if it was a bluff or if they really knew. But he couldn't tell which it was, so he stopped his triumphant look and returned to a normal expression. And as if to calm himself, he drank his coffee.

"It seems you were aware. But it seems you don't know this. The woman named Sonia is nearly seventy years old, but she has the appearance of someone in her thirties. It's probably not immortality, but it's a dream-like story, so there are some who would like to research it."

At Dean's words, the air around them grew heavy. To research a person's body, they could imagine what that meant. She would probably be confined in a medical facility. There was a possibility of something much worse happening.

Even in the heavy atmosphere, Dean didn't lose his confident attitude.

"Oh, and one more thing, please hand over that maid as well. Even if it's virtual reality, shooting me is like defying the Foundation. I'm not a blood relative, but I am at least an envoy of the Foundation. I'll have to have her receive a suitable punishment. Well, she'll probably be sent to Dead End."

At those words, Hayato shot to his feet. So forcefully that his chair fell over behind him.

Hayato glared at Dean, but Dean had a cool expression.

"Hayato-san, your chair has fallen over. Or are you going to give me a refill of coffee?"

It was a clear provocation. Hayato clenched his right fist.

"Hayato, please give me a refill of coffee."

Ney asked Hayato for coffee in a calm, yet gentle voice. She showed Hayato her empty cup with a soft smile.

Hayato took a deep breath, then served Ney coffee. Then he righted the fallen chair and sat down.

Ney enjoyed the aroma of the coffee, then brought the cup to her lips.

Her slow movements must have irritated Dean a little. His confident attitude from before was gone.

"So, what's your answer?"

"The provision of technology, and the persons of Sonia and the maid. Am I correct in assuming that this is the request of the Scorpion Foundation?"

Dean's brow furrowed so much that anyone could see it. It was because Ney had uttered the words "Scorpion Foundation." That was something that normally couldn't happen.

The working class, let alone people of a much higher class, could only say the word "Foundation." Furthermore, to say the name of the Foundation as well was a common sense of this world that one would not do unless in extreme cases, as it was unknown what kind of problems it could cause.

"Just because it's virtual reality, I don't think it's a good idea to say the name of the Foundation at the same time. And your administrator is recording everything that's happened so far, right? It will be a serious matter if it goes to trial."

"A trial, huh. It certainly is a hassle. There's work there every day. I help out sometimes, but it's a lot of trouble."

"Sometimes... you help out...?"

"I understand the request. Then I will answer. The answer is no. Um, what was it... Oh yes, we have no technology to give to you. Come back the day before yesterday, was it? The answer is the same as before."

"Ney-sama, I said it a little more politely. But the day before yesterday doesn't seem to be enough. Let's make it, 'Please come back a hundred years ago.'"

Ney and Esha smiled as they said this.

In contrast, Dean's face was one of anger. But he must have thought that getting emotional would be a bad idea, so he quickly smiled. However, his cheeks were twitching, and it was clear that he was forcing himself to smile.

"It seems you don't understand the situation. You're a bad person, Hayato-san. Didn't you explain what would happen if you did that?"

"That my friends and I would be sent to Dead End? I told her. And this is the answer."

"This is troublesome. I thought I had taken various things into consideration, but it seems my sincerity was not conveyed at all."

Hayato wanted to say, "What did you take into consideration?" but he said nothing. Because the match was already over. A moment ago, he had reflexively felt anger when Esha was mentioned, but there was no need to get angry.

Scorpion had information about this virtual reality. They could make Relic and the others remember, manipulate them based on information from a hundred years ago, and they might even know more than Hayato.

But the moment they didn't have information on the members present, it became a battle that was no contest.

One was Diite, who managed the virtual reality, and the other was Ney, a blood relative of a Foundation in the real world. The moment he didn't realize these two, Dean, and by extension, Scorpion, had already lost.

Dean, who didn't realize this, still had a confident look on his face.

"It can't be helped. At the next Council meeting, an order to suspend Aphrodite's business will be issued. And Scorpion will seize the spaceship. Please prepare for that."

"You even know about the spaceship. You're quite well-informed. But the order to suspend business won't come from the Council."

"I can't laugh at that joke, but may I ask why?"

"Because at the Council meeting, I will say that Aphrodite is a company that I am investing in."

At those words, Dean froze. It was as if time had stopped for Dean alone.

During that time, Ney drank her coffee for the umpteenth time today. It was unknown how her graceful way of drinking appeared to Dean. But when time started moving again for Dean, his body began to tremble.

Only blood relatives of the Foundations could attend the Council meeting. And she said she would attend and speak. It wasn't something you could say as a lie or a joke. If it was a lie or a joke, it would be the same as going out into outer space without a suit.

Dean must have understood that.

"E, excuse me, but, m, may I, a, ask for your name...?"

Dean's teeth were chattering, and he was barely able to breathe as he finally managed to squeeze out those words.

"Ah, I didn't introduce myself. I am Ney of the Libra Foundation. I look forward to working with you. Well, I don't know if we'll meet again."

Everyone in the room thought that she had deliberately not introduced herself, but no one said it out loud.

And the problem was Dean.

Dean was in the same state as Hayato when he was told the order from the Foundation. He was having difficulty breathing in the real world.

Just by being ordered with the name of the Foundation, Hayato had had difficulty breathing. Dean was probably of a class that would receive orders from the Foundation, but he was acting directly on the front lines. That meant he wasn't of a very high class.

That Dean had been disrespectful to a blood relative of a Foundation. It wasn't a story where he could get away with not knowing. Remembering that situation, Dean was already in a state where he couldn't think of anything.

"Now then, Dean. At the beginning, you said that your words were the consensus of the Scorpion Foundation, right? Then your words up until now are the same as if Scorpion had said them to Libra. I will have this brought up as an agenda item at the next Council meeting."

"W, wait! N, no, please wait! Ney-sama!"

"Are you asking the Foundation to ‘wait for me’? You're quite bold."

"N, no, t, that's not it. I wouldn't ask for such a thing...!"

Ney's eyes narrowed. And she looked at Dean as if to pierce him.

"Dean, everything in this conversation is being recorded. This is evidence. If you had negotiated more normally, I might have shown some consideration, but I don't appreciate you using the backing of the Foundation to threaten people."

"N, that's not it! This was an order from the Foundation...! And I didn't think that the investor was from the Foundation...!"

"You can tell that excuse to Scorpion. Tell them you were rude to Libra on orders but didn't know. If they value you, they'll help you. If not... at best, you'll be sent to Dead End."

Ney said this with a smile.

Dean was already unable to say anything, and his body was trembling abnormally.

Hayato was starting to feel sorry for him. Dean had his faults, but it was an order from Scorpion in the first place. He thought that if it wasn't for the order, this wouldn't have happened.

And if they were to retaliate, it would be against Scorpion, not the individual named Dean.

In the first place, he didn't think that Dean was doing everything by himself. To make Relic and the others remember and order them to restrain Hayato would require external interference. He didn't think that Dean, who had apparently been logged in since then, could do that.

"H, hey, Ney. Isn't that a bit too harsh?"

"...I don't dislike that about you, Hayato. But you know, people who make these kinds of mistakes are everywhere. Of course, I'm similar. Just by being a Foundation blood relative, I'm important, so I make mistakes too. That's why I have to discipline myself. At least, that's what my father taught me. And he also taught me that if I stray from the path, I have to be punished."

"I think that's admirable, but... but if this continues, won't it feel like Dean is taking all the blame and it's over?"

"You mean there's a possibility that Scorpion will say that Dean did it on his own? That certainly would be meaningless."

"Ney-sama, Hayato-sama, may I have a moment? If Scorpion is the organization that managed Prison, then we might be able to do something."

Relic, who had been silent until now, said this with a smile.