Chapter 34

“Ugh…!”

…There are times like this. There are people who harbor resentment in return for kindness bestowed upon them.

I know that it’s appropriate to thank Helena, who, without hesitation, took the hand of someone as clueless as a newborn—someone who doesn’t even know what shops there are or what items exist and led me along.

Especially after she opened her wallet without a hint of discomfort, perhaps considering my feelings about unnecessary expenses.

But there are laws of procedure in this world.

If you’re going to psychologically torture someone, you should first create a terrifying atmosphere… or if you’re inviting someone on a date, you might suggest a movie or a meal first… it’s just common sense!

So now, I feel like I at least have the right to be angry…

“Ah… I think I’ve bought everything I can think of. Shall we stop and head for dinner…?”

“…I’ll pay for dinner.”

“…How bold. You’re just a younger sibling.”

…How could I possibly get angry at her? Just seeing her face brings back a sense of reassurance, like Polaris, my guiding star, solidifying the shaky ground beneath my feet.

While I glanced briefly at my luggage, which was flying to Helena’s house a day early via a synchronized drone delivery service, I soon moved my feet again.

The brutal remark from the clerk that tank tops and hot pants are not underwear still lingered in my ears.

Did they really send me a pitying look just because I briefly forgot the shameful terms “sports bra” and “sports panties”? In the end, I had to muster the courage to find the items myself.

So… I just wish that someone would please shoot down my luggage. Even if the towels and various consumables inside it were regrettable, at the very least, the frilly underwear that Helena chose… was something I didn’t want to face again.

Clunk… Clunk….

“Wow….”

“? Ahsa, stop daydreaming.”

Following her, who seemed to have some idea where to go for dinner, we reached the pillar in the center of this gigantic shopping center.

A pair of escalators wound in a double helix around the pillar, with an unfathomable number of people coming and going for their own purposes.

Even if it’s one of the largest buildings in the city, it’s just a simple shopping center. The landscape that should only be a part of daily life was designed to be extraordinarily efficient, like a conveyor belt factory… it was quite remarkable.

…Safety issues? As I stepped onto the escalator after Helena, I didn’t see any signs of bloodstains.

Whether they had taken precautions or were just good at cleaning… I wouldn’t know until I witnessed the scene myself.

“But where are we going for dinner? Is it…?”

I barely swallowed back the words that were about to spill past my lips.

Asking a European silver-haired beauty if she knew of any Korean restaurants seemed a bit excessive, even to me.

“Hmm? Of course, it’s the food court. I don’t even know what you like yet, so we need to get to know each other gradually.”

“……Food court?”

Considering the overflowing crowds in the center, it was strange for such a place to be absent.

There might be slight variations for each person, but meals are an area where spending can easily become generous, so it’s not a bad choice.

However, seeing her eyes light up when she said, “We’ll get to know each other gradually,” it seemed she was more interested in the conversation than the dinner I had planned to treat her to.

That might be a good thing… I had quite a few questions for her too.

Clunk….

The arrival at our destination layer indicated that I didn’t even need to see what the food court looked like; it was unmistakable from the mouthwatering aroma wafting through the air.

The initial impression of the food court that practically took up an entire floor was, well… similar to a school cafeteria.

Or rather, should I say a cafeteria where the cooking process is thoroughly hidden?

It had a large glass exterior that seemed to invite you to enjoy your meal while taking in the vibrant city, yet all the food stores were concealed from view except for the pick-up counters.

The endless sounds of steam and machinery from inside made it clear who the chefs were. As for the ingredients… um… maybe it’s better to just not know?

Beep…!

Before Helena could once again take the liberty to pay for everything, I synced my barcode with the order panel in front.

Regardless of quality or presentation, hundreds of pages and thousands of menu types popped up, making it easy to get decision paralysis. Fortunately, a rather familiar menu caught my eye, so I could order without hesitation.

[ Synthetic Meat Steak Set with Faux Garnish ]

“What does Helena want to eat…?”

Even before I finished my question, a hand reached over my shoulder and pressed the desired menu item.

…The order for the synthetic meat steak set increased to two.

““…….””

By merely tilting my head slightly, our eyes met, and without anyone needing to say who started it, we both chuckled simultaneously.

Even though we weren’t family by blood, it seemed we did share some memories, even if separately.

Pushhhh—!

As our order—or rather, payment—was nearly simultaneous, we grabbed the food that burst forth from the counter and made our way to a seat as far from others as possible.

However, the conversation I assumed would start upon sitting down wasn’t as urgent as I expected.

“……”

Carefully chewing on a piece of meat, I swallowed.

Would she break the silence first…? I wondered if it would be okay to ask her what I was curious about… I strained my senses to grasp the atmosphere.

I wasn’t fidgeting out of impatience. The presence of Helena Valentine was far too significant for me to feel anxious or nervous. I merely worried that I might make a misstep because the source of her kindness was unclear.

“…You really are like a cat.”

“Cough cough…!! …What do you mean?”

Her jeweled eyes, which had been bowing demurely towards the table, turned to look at me.

“When you work hard and act all tough, yet after a few gentle touches, you’re so quick to follow along, it’s just too cute.”

“?!”

Didn’t she realize the profound butterfly effect her words would create…? It felt like my neck had stiffened with every syllable.

“You’re a strange kid… Ahsa. You didn’t even know who I was, yet you followed me without reservation, and despite not knowing anything, you’re so certain in the strange parts.”

“That’s….”

Relationships are bilateral… I suppose we both examined each other closely since there were no barriers like screens between us.

“It was just a bit dangerous to leave someone as kind and cute as you alone in the city, so I was curious… but now it’s awkward for me to lose interest.”

“W-what… why…!”

I must correct myself. The feelings of anxiety and unease surged through me only moments ago.

Her tongue, licking the sauce off her lips, and those mischievous shining red eyes made it hard to look away. …No, I wouldn’t look away. No prey would look away after seeing the form of its predator.

“…I wonder where the girl named Anastasia Valentine came from, and why she keeps gazing at me with that lingering, honey-dripping, embarrassing gaze… I want to know.”

“?!?!?!?!?!!!”

Clang…!

As my breath tangled up, I placed a hand over my mouth to stifle the strange sounds trying to escape and shot up from my seat.

The fork and knife that I dropped tumbled to the floor, but the cleaning robot, detecting the mess, simply swept over the area, leaving the situation unchanged.

We weren’t true sisters, and Helena Valentine had already laid her cards on the table.

The problem was that while my own curiosity was merely “why are you playing cop?”, hers delved deep into areas that would be significantly difficult to answer.

“No… no! That’s not it…!!”

“……”

I stumbled over my words, struggling to explain my denial.

It’s a misunderstanding. I saw it wrong. That’s not it; anyway, it’s not. I was mistaken.

As Helena patiently listened to my desperate defense, she gracefully finished her meal and lifted her gaze.

“…If you can say that much… shall we try testing it? How about going back to the hotel as you wish…?”

“……Huh?”

Her arms crossed gently, but there was a will in them that made it impossible to refuse.

It felt distinctly different from when she held my hand or hugged me. This was the posture of someone escorting an equal, not of a caregiver.

Emerging from the long escalator, I hopped onto the motorcycle, which had been remotely and autonomously parked in front of the center. From the shopping center to the upper hotel and then to my room.

This time, there was no room to feel fear with the excessive speed. The runaway train was incomparable to a motorcycle and during that time, we didn’t make eye contact even once, nor did she respond to my earnest words.

“Ugh?!”

Beep!

The card key was recognized, and the door to room 701 slowly opened.

With all my nerves focused on Helena, I let out a yelp at the slightest electronic sound.

Naturally, she who had been casually glued to my side also transmitted her tense feelings to me….

“…Pff! Hahaha! Ahsa, you really… flinching just because your sister made a little joke!”

“……Wait, what?!”

I burst into laughter that I had been holding back.

I felt like my jaw had dropped. My mouth wouldn’t close. Surely, from her perspective, my expression must look ridiculous.

Laughing heartily, Helena stepped into the room first. She remarked that the view from the upper-level building was different, or asked if there was a real shower that works instead of just an air cleaner… and light banter continued.

…And what about me, who was in a state of daze?!

“Ahsa…?”

“!!”

Bang!!

Ignoring her gentle voice, I closed the bathroom door and locked myself inside.

A fierce sense of self-loathing pierced my face. I couldn’t understand how I’d fallen for such a prank.

She, who showed no signs of joking, might also bear some blame, but my brain was at fault for indulging in fantasies of that nature.

As I glared at myself in the mirror, a blushing girl stared back at me… foolish girl.

…Right, regardless of the content, this body is that of a woman. Helena is an enchanting woman as well.

So, how could such a nonproductive thing… be possible…? Huh…?

“……Wait a minute.”

…Was it really impossible for Helena and me to connect when the protagonist character in Neo Haven is female? Haven’t I cleared all the possible scenarios as “Anastasia” myself?

And Helena Valentine would make jokes of such trivial matters? Unless, somehow, there were deeper truths hidden beneath her words…!

Why did I realize this obvious fact only now? Could it be… because I am no longer the protagonist anymore…?

“Ugh…!”

Recalling her words made my brain sizzle. Moreover, the room felt too quiet.

She was definitely waiting for a response outside this door. Only because I didn’t know how to react did I simply mumble.

Rising from where I had collapsed onto the sleek bathroom tiles, I gathered my resolve.

…If she has gone this far to show consideration, that’s enough. At least I should be able to face her earnestness with sincerity, that’s what a man should do.

With my determination made, I opened the door and stepped out. …Toward her.