Chapter 427: Night Talk (Patreon)

"Yes... it's taking a little getting used to."

"Want me to adjust the difficulty of the virtual space for you?"

"No. But if you could cancel the punishment, I'd be grateful."

Kazami Kazuki's eyes curved into crescent moons, and she turned down Takina's request with a sweet smile. "That can't be canceled. Only a punishment like this will leave an impression on you, right?"

"...This wasn't the Store Manager's idea, was it?"

"Of course not. It was your big sister's own decision. Any other questions?"

"No. Thank you, Sister Kazuki, for giving me this kind of training opportunity."

"Mm~ I do like how you know right from wrong. If you're feeling lost about returning to DA Headquarters, why not go talk to my little brother? He may be about the same age as Chisato, but he's very good at guiding people."

Chisato had suggested I ask the Store Manager before, too...

Takina hesitated for a moment, then answered, "I understand. I'll talk it over with the Store Manager tonight."

"I'll put in a word for you."

"Ah... thank you for the trouble."

Kazuki hadn't been gone long when Takina received a text from her: "Tonight at eight, the rooftop terrace."

Why would they hold a consultation on the rooftop?

She didn't understand, but she didn't press the matter. She replied with a "Thank you" and put her phone away.

…

The night sky was like a sheet of cardboard draped over the earth, and the light shining through its poked holes formed the stars.

Jhin leaned both arms on the rooftop railing. Beside him sat two cups of hot cocoa, wisps of steam curling up from them. He'd been a little surprised when he learned Takina suddenly wanted a life consultation with him, but he was a man who'd grown up in a pile of troubled girls. Playing guest spiritual mentor for a night was no big deal.

The rooftop door opened with a creak. Takina pressed down her hair, tousled by the night wind, and stepped over the threshold to Jhin's side.

"The cup on the right is your hot cocoa."

"Thank you, Store Manager." She thanked him politely, cradled the warm ceramic cup in both hands, and took a sip. The perfectly balanced milk and sugar drove off the lingering fatigue in her body at once. "It's delicious," she said.

"Glad you like it. When I looked at your hobby survey, you'd written that you had no interests, and the only food you liked was karinto. That honestly made me a little nervous."

"Nervous?" Takina repeated, puzzled. "Why would the Store Manager be nervous?"

Jhin turned his gaze to her and smiled. "Let me put it this way. Say one day you suddenly had to look after a kid who's not interested in most things, has no hobbies, and likes only one food. Wouldn't you be at a loss?"

"That would certainly be difficult... Store Manager, are you saying I'm like a child who's hard to take care of?" It finally clicked, and she stressed the point to him. "I'm sixteen this year."

"Of course I know that. I said it a couple of days ago, too: I can't stop worrying about clumsy girls."

"Am I clumsy?"

"Setting the killing side of things aside, you really are pretty clumsy."

Takina's lovely brows knitted together. "Store Manager, please speak with evidence and facts. I don't think I'm any clumsier than a normal person in other areas. My IQ has also tested higher than average."

"The fact that you can say that means you've already drifted a bit away from common sense." Jhin smiled and patted her head twice. "From what I know of your personality so far, you must think cooking and sitting down to meals aren't efficient enough. Nutrition drinks were probably your first choice, right?"

"Yes. That's the most efficient way."

"That's why I say you're clumsy. You don't know how to take care of yourself at all. If DA didn't have a cafeteria, I'd wonder whether you'd end up malnourished."

Takina answered instantly. "That absolutely wouldn't happen. I've studied in detail the nutrients humans need each day, and the drinks I chose already cover all of them. But... how did you know DA Headquarters has a cafeteria, Store Manager?"

"Heh." Jhin let out a scornful snort. "DA's firewall is paper-thin. Nymph hacked in and took a couple of laps around ages ago, and she sent me the floor plans and photos while she was at it."

"...Your company's technology is just that impressive, Store Manager."

"Never mind that." Jhin picked up his cocoa and took a sip. "Takina, I want you to understand one thing. You're not a machine, and you're not a tool. You're a person, a cute girl. You get tired, you get hurt, you get worn out. The whole point of good food is to heal the wounds of the mind and heart and leave people feeling satisfied."

"As I see it, the way you've lived until now was smothering the feelings of a normal person. I don't want to see you turn into the kind of killing machine DA wants you to be."

Takina hadn't known Jhin cared about her so much. But she couldn't make sense of that concern, because no one had ever cared for her this way before. "This is how I've always lived, so it's not a problem."

Her hair, tousled by the evening wind, matched the mess inside her. She stared blankly at Jhin, her small hands clenching and unclenching, not knowing how to answer his kindness. Her throat had gone dry, though she'd only just had cocoa. It felt as if some emotion was trying to crawl its way up and out, only to fall back down, defeated, because her lips were pressed tightly together.

She had never liked feelings she couldn't explain or put into words.

Jhin saw her discomfort and smoothly changed the subject. "Maybe it's still too early to tell you all this. You came to me for a life consultation, right? I almost forgot."

"Mm..." Takina silently thanked him for his consideration. She tucked her messy strands behind her ear and spoke slowly. "Chisato said I'm destined never to get a truthful answer from Commander Kusunoki. So... I don't know whether I should go back to DA."

"Because the goal you've been striving for in life isn't as perfect as you imagined?"

She nodded with difficulty, admitting the fact that DA no longer stood for absolute justice in her heart. "Yes."

"If you don't need to chase your old goal, then just pick a new one. In my view, other people's opinions don't matter. What matters is whether you yourself can accept what you've done and been through so far. If even you can't accept yourself, that's what real failure is."

"Like I'm always telling Chisato: do what you want to do. True freedom isn't doing whatever you feel like. It's not having to do what you don't want to do."

"Store Manager... are you telling me to go back to DA and demand answers?"

"Of course. If you want to get to the bottom of it, go ask. And if you don't like what you hear, come back. You can leave DA altogether and stay at my café as the signboard girl, no problem."

"Chisato would be unhappy to hear that."

"Nobody said there can only be one signboard girl. Chisato on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and we'll let Kurumi take the weekend."

Takina downed the rest of her cocoa in one go and bowed earnestly to thank Jhin. "Thank you, Store Manager! I know what to do now!"

"Good. I'll be there tomorrow too, so just ask boldly."

"Yes!"