After Mr. Richard left the room following an unusual warning, a tense silence filled the space, as if someone had fainted among the three remaining people.
I tensed up in anxiety, wondering what this person was trying to say while pretending to know things.
Mr. Lagus, on the other hand, suddenly appeared as if he was struggling to catch up to the situation.
Aaron… was ridiculously excited on his own. Ugh.
It was clear that he enjoyed being the center of attention by nature or felt a primal thrill in creating an atmosphere and leading events. There’s no way he could stir up people’s feelings with such a bright smile if he wasn’t.
…Well, why is he smiling at me again? Whatever it is, please don’t, it’s really terrifying. …Please.
“Um, Director? Is that person… someone you know?”
Mr. Lagus, who had glanced over this way, turned to sit down while struggling with his choice of words.
Perhaps he was vague on the surface but had his mind racing.
Should he resolve the deadlock through his branch manager authority, or should he continue tossing meaningless questions around? It was clear he was feeling frustrated.
What exactly was the nature of my relationship with Aaron, and why did the woman he had been engaging with until now keep her mouth shut?
With an unidentifiable condiment added to the situation, it seemed he reached a reasonable conclusion: better to delay interaction until my identity was clear rather than stir up trouble.
Sensing the machinations of that malicious executive and trying to minimize the damage done, I couldn’t help but empathize with him for no reason.
Ah, don’t worry. There’s no way a stranger like me could be a high-ranking official like Aaron.
I don’t have a clue what’s in his head. I just thought it was nice to have a fellow jester~ and looked over.
“I know, right! She’s one of the invaluable external consultants for Paradise, highly regarded! Not to mention an expert in cyber engineering and infiltration operations that are hard to come by lately… I should have put more effort into inviting her; it’s kind of embarrassing.”
“…Is that so?”
“Wow… the scriptwriting is absolutely top-notch, top-notch.”
Whether he knew that at least 66% of the people in the room were busy internally chewing him out or not, he casually redirected the branch manager’s gaze by placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Ahahaha…”
Feeling exposed under scrutinizing eyes, I forced a smile. I awkwardly waved the hand that had been resting on my lap.
Seriously… how long has it been since I barely retired, and here I am being tricked into a fake job by a few wicked words; I really think labor contracts in this area are hopeless.
I had heard that the secret to lying was mixing 99% truth with 1% pretense, but Aaron’s ratio seemed almost the opposite. Where is the fact behind those flamboyant words? Heaps of bluster and deception, that’s for sure.
Moreover, an external consultant… give me a break.
Having observed Megacorp’s internal affairs while hanging near Show, I came to realize that my limits were barely at the level of a mercenary.
If all the work was done electronically, I might be able to manage, but keeping up with the fast-paced tempo of frontline desk jobs with my mind and body spinning would… ugh, I might not be able to endure it physically?
‘Ugh… you don’t think I’m just quietly accommodating everything, right? You wouldn’t really think of slipping me in, would you?’
Anyway, I think it was a not-so-bad choice to seal the conflict with the temporary measure of being “one big family.”
I still don’t know why these people popped up together, but honestly, as long as I see a show and buy a house, I’m good.
…So could you both just stop talking and sign that damned contract!?
“…I don’t see anyone matching Miss Anastasia in the personnel records I just refreshed… No, Director Aaron. It can’t be, but that employee couldn’t possibly have done something stupid…”
“Come on, how many people aren’t listed in the official roster? Of course, among them, Miss Anastasia is a very special case, and she shouldn’t have been exposed to a branch manager of your caliber—or something like that—but somehow, here we are? Ahahaha!”
“……”
It’s not that the air conditioning was running particularly hard, yet I felt the temperature in the room drop significantly, and unbeknownst to me, I gently rubbed my forearm.
Words seemed to sharpen, and the distance between the two sitting next to me vertically opened like an illusion, which was dizzying… but it should be fine, right?
Like I’m some kind of foreign object. If I say I know Aaron Drayfuscus, who suddenly added to Neo Heaven Prime, as well as I do the existing characters, that would clearly be a lie.
From experiencing multiple frictions and tussles, I could say he was undoubtedly a highly rational and strategic thinker. Sure… his fierce facet that wields both grandiose threats and sweet persuasion without hesitation was pretty strong!
So he wouldn’t go as far as to overthrow a perfectly fine branch manager under the pretense of providing an easy-to-handle capable hacker for his private use… nor could he engage in an act that would make Lagus’ entry on the Haven wiki disappear.
After all, we’re both executives under Paradise.
…Right? Say it’s true without hesitation. Don’t stare at each other like you’re ready to go to war!
While I trembled internally, praying or not, their nerve-wracking standoff cloaked as a meeting with relevant personnel was nearing its conclusion.
“And about that… if you believe there’s any suspicion of causality and intend to blame it elsewhere for your mismanagement, it would be very troublesome?? I am not so free that I can give specific directions to an idiot low-tier employee for every little thing.”
“Guh…!!”
Red liquid dripped from my bitten lip.
‘If I took part in the arrangements from the start, I wouldn’t have dared to hold you in such a shabby place~’ But while I heard the latter part well, I had no retort to offer.
Reacting to other chilling words that felt like they’d poke my nose if I inadvertently stepped in was even harder.
…No, why are you cursing someone else’s home while staying silent? Curse me instead! I haven’t even unpacked my moving boxes yet; this is really too much. Hey!!
“Damn…!”
It was difficult to haphazardly throw out a lifeline during an argument I didn’t even know the details of, but as the target of a sudden critique, I thought it reasonable to glare at Aaron.
Is my timid rebellion or my inner murmurs finally bearing fruit?
Miraculously, it seemed an argument that felt like it could only end if someone broke—though it would probably be Mr. Lagus, in the overwhelming position of being the underdog—would wrap up.
For some reason, Aaron, who actively accepted my signal, ended the hellish bullying, and the victim accepted the treatment, bringing it to a close.
Aaron, who subtly tilted his head, whispered something into Lagus’ ear that I couldn’t hear no matter how much I strained my ears and ended up relying on Zero to relay it.
“Don’t let it show that you’re aware of too much, Lagus. Consider this a piece of advice from an old friend? …If you catch my drift, just wait outside. I’ll relay the details later.”
“……I’m sorry. Branch Manager Lagus, I will wait in the hallway.”
Aaron, who had quickly returned to a beaming face, gave me a nod and then showed an overflowing display of manners, stepping aside.
After the somewhat tense crisis was safely resolved, I felt relief for a moment.
Now, it’s just me, Zero, and Aaron left in the room; can this really be considered a better situation…? A bleak sentiment began to rise.
Should I be the one to ask if he came for some business purpose?
Even if I want to sarcastically say “Sorry for the shabby place~” it would be useless since he likely genuinely feels that way.
Moreover, imagining how much of a nuisance the task he brought might be, uh….
He wouldn’t have come chasing after me just because I recklessly grabbed some droid parts back then, would he…? Ugh, this dirty capitalist, just by existing, he makes people feel depressed!
“…So, if you have something to say, go ahead. I’m listening.”
“Hehe…”
After much thought, what finally came out was a pretty straightforward and blunt question.
While there is a background difference, the fact that Aaron and I are in a business relationship puts us on an equal footing, hence I didn’t have to bow down unnecessarily. I also shouldn’t ruin that established relationship.
Don’t be scared, me.
The tougher I am, the less I’ll get taken advantage of. Even though I’m entering this situation at a slight disadvantage because of the permit he fronted, as long as I stay confident…
“Concerns about eavesdropping… shouldn’t be worrisome. You must have already arranged everything on your end.”
“Yeah.”
I hadn’t paid much mind because I’m not a celebrity and I’m not in the middle of enemy territory; it felt more like paranoia beyond safety.
Hey, Zero? Did you check?
Oh, you did a thorough indoor inspection after surveying the Paradise troops? …You’re the best. Yes.
“…Of course! Why waste worry on unneeded things?”
“Haha! I apologize for doubting you. I didn’t expect you to hold a private meeting in a place like this, but like old times… I’m a little nervous.”
I barely managed to regain my crumbling steel wall attitude. I even strengthened my shaky spine to correct my posture.
But what did he mean by secret meeting? Did you come to me, or did I call for you?
That wording seems quite strange.
“So, can I secretly catch a glimpse of the painting that Miss Ahsa is creating, and the name of the secret cabal you’re planning? Ah! Even just knowing the position I’ll hold there would be an honor.”
“…? No, what…?”
Despite my best efforts to control the twitching corners of my mouth and eyes, Aaron didn’t vanish and instead bore a bright expression, as if he could guess at least that much.
He simply deepened his smile and clasped his hands together.
That… damn. I’m certain I made a huge mistake when I tried to escape this monster’s grasp while casually considering preparing for the future.
Otherwise, why would I meet the original characters and try to establish a friendly relationship just to dodge unnecessary friction…?
I don’t know how much you’ve investigated my actions in the background, but could you genuinely twist my sincere efforts to establish foundations in finance and military power against the remaining prologue and protagonist like this…?
……………What the heck?
