Chapter 276

Enema’s rabid dog, the usurper of the Amagi family’s royal power.

The men crossed their arms and tilted their heads, thinking, “Hmm, is that all…?” But strangely, the female user fan base was thick, and the title matched not at all with the wacky young lord who would throw himself into the fray without a second thought.

In the game, I knew all too well how reckless he was before he became a person, and how bizarre the results would be when a specific prompt was chosen during conversation. After all, I was a player who could rewind time and the world multiple times to observe the characters’ reactions.

However, the Edamatsu Amagi I met in person seemed much more fragile… a human who was clumsy at hiding loneliness.

While I couldn’t take care of him until the end, approaching him carelessly, like picking up a puppy abandoned on the roadside on a rainy day, was something from a distant past, but I still recognized it as my mistake. Hmm.

Still, even though I only intellectually knew from a distance and watched, what I personally experienced was mischievous yet polite, with a boyish charm not fitting his age and appearance. He was simply a fool who would be delighted just being called Show.

…After experiencing his behavior of charging in as soon as an opportunity arose, perhaps I needed to revise my overly generous internal evaluation?

No, if he can’t control himself when he’s actually called a dog, then that’s just a beast, not a human.

Thinking about it again, it frustrates me? If I could do whatever I wanted, rather than thinking about escaping, I should have shot a couple of rounds from a gun at his feet.

“Ha…”

So, with a feeling akin to releasing dogs and beasts indoors… particularly wolves, I asked Zero to step aside and I allowed him to come in.

“…If you’re uncomfortable, talking this way is fine. I feel I’m at a loss by not being able to see your face, which isn’t an attractive choice for me, but sometimes this may be more helpful.”

“Eh…? Wh-what?”

What is this? The closed door did not open.

Instead, I heard soft footsteps approaching… and then a thud.

Huh… is he now sitting on the dusty floor of the corridor with his back against the door? Really?

No matter how casual he acted in front of me and didn’t put on airs, the sheer reason that there were many people passing by, he was just sitting on the dirty and filthy bare floor? To put it bluntly, it’s not strange at all if a tracker were to be called in to act as a human chair, yet here he was trying to please me…

-…It feels like the remaining security is waiting somewhere far away in the studio. It really seems like Edamatsu is the only one in front of me.-

“Is that so…?”

I glanced at Zero, who had a much sharper sensor, with a trailing tone, but the response that returned was not beyond my expectations. Staring hard at the door wouldn’t change anything.

Having just experienced Zero sticking closely to me with his scanner flashing, it didn’t seem like he was suddenly planning to charge in like before.

If he truly wanted to have an honest and serious conversation, taking this stance conspicuously would indeed deserve some acknowledgment.

“Asha, are you there? You aren’t digging through the walls to sneak out, are you?”

“……Unfortunately, I did find the ventilation duct, but it’s so narrow that I couldn’t get through.”

As I kept my mouth shut, it seemed that Show, feeling awkward with the silence, unusually threw out a silly joke.

I also returned a similar response, then cautiously pushed aside the pile of clothes and slipped out from the hiding spot.

After hesitating for a moment and pondering… I soon hardened my resolve.

I walked over and, just like before, leaned my head against the door and comfortably stretched my legs out while sitting.

It wasn’t like he could see inside here. I considered this enough of a gesture to match as equals, humans conversing, but I began to feel that this might have been a bit hasty.

Why? I had sensed it when there was a build-up of movement, but indeed this fitting room’s sound insulation seemed remarkably poor; various sounds were much closer than before… they were so loudly audible that it was burdensome.

As the chatter of the staff in the distance temporarily subsided, I realized there was only a thin wall separating us, enough to even hear Show’s breathing as he inhaled and exhaled on the other side.

This seemingly casual proximity could begin to acquire significance, allowing for endless interpretations.

Naturally, if I could hear them, the same would go for him… or perhaps he would hear even more acutely, given that he had received several implants and body enhancement procedures. I reached the conclusion that my awkwardly restless movements, the rustling of fabric, and even the slight sounds of me biting my lips could all be heard.

“…Damn!”

“Keuh.”

Thump!!

Desiring to shake off the air weighing down on my skin and the eerie atmosphere, I banged my head against the wall to release my frustration. Surprisingly, from the other side, Show seemed to find something amusing as he let out a series of airy breaths.

Is my distress supposed to be funny to you? Huh? Is it funny??

Thankfully, I didn’t need to hit my head harder as a sign of protest.

In reality, we were both just staring blankly up at the ceiling, having ended up next to each other, and it was Show who first began to speak his heart openly.

“Anastasia. Do you perhaps dislike or hate me?”

“…Well, not particularly? I don’t hate you for constantly looking smug every time we make eye contact and acting all touchy. …But don’t misunderstand; just because I don’t hate it doesn’t mean I’m okay with it either!”

“Ha.”

I was about to mindlessly answer the question aiming for a binary divide, but feeling like I was being steered in a certain direction, I quickly added a follow-up, and as expected, I caught someone’s chance to latch onto that, letting out a sound of disappointment.

Oh, are you planning to provoke my words to slip out like that? Your intentions aren’t pure at all.

It’s not like there’s an advantage to the side that continues to nitpick, like kids quarreling in elementary school, and I don’t think pointing out one issue would fundamentally change anything.

…Or could it be that you’re secretly recording this to present it later as mutual consent on paper? No, no. That’s too far-fetched.

Even if Mega Cop were to change the details of citizen IDs and familial relationships in the Metropolis DB without the individuals knowing, um… I should just exercise caution, updating regularly starting today.

“So honestly, do you not find my preferences appealing? Are you into bisexuality or homosexuality but unfortunately I don’t fall into that range?”

“Puh!”

In the light exploratory exchange, the conversation quickly delved into a completely deep realm, making me inadvertently bolt upright, nearly tumbling over as I looked back, but it wasn’t like anything was visible in that situation.

Why are all the people I meet so incredibly interested in the preferences of others?

I understand that in the Western world or among super sociable insiders, sexual experiences are treated lightly, and if you hit it off, you might just give it a shot like a sport…!

Is “free love,” including romance, truly a central theme that runs through the Cyberpunk genre, even if the game becomes a reality?

“Whether considering material conditions or the various social situations and experiences. Since I’ve never been rejected by the opposite sex, I genuinely don’t know how I should approach you. I can’t possibly believe that Asha has better alternatives in the realms of romance or future planning.”

If only I could spit out something to counter his self-importance.

Show’s tone was endlessly serious, clearly expressing his feelings of ‘If not this, I genuinely don’t know what’s going on.’

Gender identity… this is a tricky and uncomfortable question that Zero occasionally asks, and I honestly want to answer it sincerely. It’s hard to find the right words to return.

I am not the same person I was yesterday.

Even if not necessarily in terms of skill development or increased bank balances, I feel like I’m slowly changing every day in various aspects, and my mind is deeply acclimating to my body.

There’s no need to get tangled up in complicated philosophical arguments.

Even though all memories and causes aren’t seamless, it follows that the experiences I’ve accumulated since being born until now naturally constitute who I am.

Ultimately, if there had been no such processes (inputs), there would have been no “me” (outputs) either.

Putting that aside. When comparing to the time I almost crossed the line with Helena at the hotel, my updated personal opinion as Anastasia Valentine… is that while I have plenty of sexual curiosity, being in a relationship still feels a bit…?

As a man, it’s natural and familiar to “satisfy physical desires,” but the thought of getting involved with someone and even dating them?

…It’s really hard. Just thinking about it is difficult, and it’s even more unwieldy during a time when I can’t spare a thought for other things.

Huh? You can both date a bit and put effort into achieving your goals, right? Why do you keep making excuses and running away?

Being absorbed in that Neo Haven game is actually an extremely one-way type of interaction and takes up a vast amount of time.

Plus, college life has been pretty busy… I had to work part-time… take breaks regularly at intervals… and I was so occupied after returning from the military…

….

…….

…………

Damn! Yes!! You guys know how hard and arduous it is to objectively assess my ‘preferences’ when I haven’t even dated a girl, let alone a guy! Huh!?

Especially lately, whenever I happen to see adult ads, I feel my blood rushing to my face upon seeing nude bodies, and I get dizzy; why are there those types of people who keep popping up asking me questions I don’t even know the answers to!?

And is it wrong for me to frown at something I’ve never experienced before?!

I have an wholly Eastern mindset, so I can’t recklessly throw myself into something and say, “I guess I don’t fit this~.”

“Don’t tell me, Mr. Drayfuscus. Are you already dating that guy…?”

“Just imagining it makes my stomach churn and feel like throwing up. Could you please be more careful with your choice of words before I correct my earlier ‘I think I might come to dislike you…’ answer…?”

“…I apologize.”

Show, seemingly struck by some bad possibilities, abruptly brought up a human reptile from Paradise resembling a yellow python, trying to add it to my option list.

That’s not it, you idiot. Watch your words. That guy is a hedonistic personality who plays in the fields of scheming and politics. Once he takes an interest in someone, he’ll cling to them until he reaches a conclusion in some way.

But thanks to that, I did learn a few things.

I find myself leaning more towards rejection than interest in this “field of forced diverse interactions” concerning romance, and it seems Show is unfamiliar with the stagnant situation where even if he pushes, the other person doesn’t give in.

Therefore, if I can communicate that I have no intention of dating anyone, he is likely to withdraw peacefully today… perhaps.

So now, the only question left is how well I can package and convey this…

While I was diligently selecting relatively mild words and sentences, a nearby employee’s scream-like shout came sharply into my ears. No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, my brain processed it.

“Ahhh—!! Oh my, what’s happening! It seems the terrorists have managed to push into the newsroom! Announcer Erin is currently on live broadcast…!!”

What the hell, what did you say? No way, she was working live even in this chaos? Isn’t that far too heavy a burden for a professional to bear?