𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎: 𝐀 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥
Recently, Chihaya found herself snacking more. As she munched on some sweet potato fries, she pondered her habit.
Standing for long hours on a pressure-sensitive mattress, keeping an eye on the monitor’s changes, and staying prepared for unexpected situations, she ended up moving her arms quite a bit, resulting in a moderate amount of exercise.
ㅤ
At the moment, she was out at sea in the New World late at night, controlling an All-Rounder. Both the mech and the ship were rented, and losing them would blow 20-30 thousand dollars.
Perhaps the stress was the reason why she’d been snacking more.
Sipping green tea and analyzing herself, she watched for distress signals on the system screen.
ㅤ
“This area?”
ㅤ
Currently, Chihaya was searching for an underwater scooter 『Dolphin』 that she had let go of during a battle with a reticulifier.
It was a 17 thousand dollar product, a prototype, and the client wanted to check its condition after use.
Even without that, she wanted to minimize the burden on the client as much as possible. If possible, she’d like an invitation to the clan.
However, she refused to engage in combat.
ㅤ
While holding onto such selfish desires, Chihaya had been heading north from the Light Mirror Sea.
The scenery had changed quite a bit; now it resembled a mangrove forest.
ㅤ
“Ah, found it!”
ㅤ
Spotting a white light on the sub-camera, Chihaya stopped the ship.
She had the All-Rounder hold an oar, and she carefully moved the ship along the seabed.
The radio condition was bad, with occasional disruptions on the monitor. The distress signal was well received.
She scooped up the underwater scooter 『Dolphin』 with the oar and lifted it onto the ship.
ㅤ
“I’m glad. 17 thousand dollars is expensive. Phew.”
ㅤ
Enjoying a moment of liberation after finishing a job, she turned the ship’s bow south to head home.
She started rowing slowly to a place with a good radio condition. Working late into the night and clutching her stomach, she realized that this was another reason for the increase in snacks.
She had gotten used to the time for meals shifting due to the unexpected length of task execution, and since she ate the snacks she had prepared, the timing got even more skewed.
ㅤ
It wasn’t good, but she didn’t stop her work, thinking that she didn’t even know what kind of fish were in this sea. She wanted to get back on land as soon as possible.
If she drifted and got stranded, she would incur a loss of tens of thousands.
Once the ship was ashore, Chihaya breathed a sigh of relief and displayed the map on the sub-monitor.
ㅤ
“Hmm, where’s good, I wonder?”
ㅤ
She thought about delivering it to the Light Mirror Sea, but the place hadn’t been garaged yet, and there probably weren’t any stationed machines.
So, Chihaya decided to head to the nearest garage, Morinomiya Garage.
Morinomiya Garage had Shizuhara River next to it, and she could row upstream. It would save time.
Once decided, she had the All-Rounder lift the boat and ran it to Shizuhara River.
ㅤ
Arriving at Shizuhara River, she floated the boat and got the All-Rounder onboard.
She started the boat’s engine and headed upstream on Shizuhara River.
Soon, she could see the enormous garage, Morinomiya Garage, containing a massive warehouse and an Actanoid and armament maintenance factory.
The bright lights of civilization beckoned, even in the dead of night.
Entering Morinomiya Garage, she returned the borrowed boat and stored the Dolphin in her personal rental warehouse.
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“Okay, now to contact. . . . . .”
ㅤ
She sent an email to Unison Human-Machine Technology, reporting the successful retrieval of the Dolphin and providing the number and password for the personal rental warehouse.
Now, Unison Human-Machine Technology would pick it up. Chihaya’s job was officially over.
She put the All-Rounder in the garage and disconnected.
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“Now I just have to wait for the payment. . . . . .It’s late; maybe tomorrow.”
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Planning to eat a light snack and go to bed, Chihaya left the Actor’s room in the basement.
She turned on the computer in the living room to watch a video and grabbed some prepared vegetable sticks from the kitchen.
Casually glancing at the computer screen, Chihaya froze at the sight of the large Unison Human-Machine Technology headline displayed in the online news list.
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『Light Mirror Sea, Garage Transformation Project Begins. Unison Human-Machine Technology, Citro Science Group, and Ω Style Electrical Engineering Form an Alliance』
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Snapping a carrot stick, Chihaya read an article.
It was written perfectly. It stated that a new clan was being launched to carry out the garage transformation work, hiring many Actors who had participated in the investigation and experimental work of the Light Mirror Sea.
It was not a combat-oriented clan but a newly established one. Chihaya’s knees gave way.
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“W, Why join a clan somewhere and peacefully handle requests. . . . . .Why?”
ㅤ
It was wrong not to have attended the dinner party under the pretext of looking for the underwater scooter 『Dolphin』.
Due to social anxiety and shyness, she had been intimidated by the unfamiliar Actors who would attend the dinner and had run away.
It was a grievous error in judgment.
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Chihaya lamented. She shed tears for her bad timing. Gently, she closed the lid of the Tupperware containing the vegetable sticks.
ㅤ
“I’ll have a drink, a non-alcoholic one!”
ㅤ
Usabuki Chihaya, eighteen, was determined.
It was because of the increase in snacks. The weight gain was because of the muscles.
Snacks are needed for drinking. She’ll take in proteins.
To gain even more muscle.
To punch the unreasonable with the gained strength.
ㅤ
“I’m going to drink, so there!”
ㅤ
Chihaya, determined, put on her favorite hat of the introverted, put on a mask, shrank her shoulders, and stealthily headed out to the city at night.
Even though it was non-alcoholic, the underage Chihaya felt guilty about indulging.
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