CH 392

We spent several days simply relaxing inside our room. There were no particularly notable incidents during these past few days. Perhaps it’s due to us holing up in the hotel. The escort personnel dispatched by Igasek was kept to a minimum, and I had the rest of them try to find out more information about the rats that were still snooping around.

“Remnants of the Artificial Lifeform Liberation Union huh……?”

“Yes. In any case, they’re just small fries.”

Two days before the scheduled completion of the renovation of the Lotus, Igasek’s Ohta came to our hotel room and delivered his report regarding their investigation. According to Ohta, a day after they began actively sniffing out rats, they quickly found an individual who was acting quite suspiciously.

Afterward, they used various tricks – the details of which he did not disclose – to successfully investigate this individual and his exact background. They had completed their investigation last night and even tracked down the hideout of the suspicious individual and his conspirators, so Ohta came to report their findings today.

By the way, Kiram, the full-body prosthesis guy, accompanied Ohta today. As usual, it looked like he was about to burst out of his ill-fitting business suit.

“How do you wish for us to handle them?”

“Those guys huh? They’re the group who caused that bioterrorism incident inside this colony back then, right?”

Artificial Lifeform Liberation Union was the name of the group behind that incident where bizarre white monsters rampaged inside this colony.

“That’s right. Their group has been officially designated as a terrorist organization.”

“If that’s the case, then wouldn’t it be better to report them to the relevant authorities and have them deal with the matter instead? I’m a mercenary. I ain’t gonna go through the trouble of going after those guys without a request and sufficient rewards.”

“Really, Boss?”

“Is that how it is?”

“Yep.”

The mechanic sisters both tilted their heads hesitantly, but I can confidently back up my words. Well, it’ll be a different story if they laid their hands on my friends or loved ones, but it’s not really the case this time around. And besides, instead of pirates, they seemed to have a certain sense of honorable purpose to their actions…… or maybe not? They were a terrorist organization after all. Maybe they and the pirates were ultimately cut from the same cloth after all.

“I will make the proper arrangements to that effect.”

“Please do.”

Ohta and Kiram bid goodbye and left. Man. Is everything resolved with this?

“Why were we being monitored by those people anyway? Did they hold a grudge about me rampaging around in my power armor back then?”

“Mm, I wonder. If that’s the case, then they should be holding more of a grudge against me for making the extermination nanomachines. Oh, maybe they found out that I’m a designer baby?”

“Is that possible?”

“Well, we certainly can’t dismiss the possibility. There were quite a few people in the company who knew about my situation.”

So, in other words, the people from the Artificial Lifeform Liberation Union were biding their time and waiting for the right moment to invite Dr. Shouko into their group?

Or rather, what did they exactly mean by liberation anyway? Dr. Shouko seemed quite free and unrestrained to me, so what exactly were they planning to free her from in the first place?

“Well, isn’t this fine? The rest will be handled by the colony security forces and the military.”

“That’s true. In any case, we’ll be stuck in this room until the renovation of the Black Lotus gets finished.”

I nodded in agreement to Elma’s words, but at this moment, Kugi and Mimi shot me some pleading looks. What’s up, guys?

“Um…… Is it alright for us to go outside now?”

“Even if information regarding those guys gets passed by Igasek to the authorities, they probably won’t act on it immediately. At least, it’s better for us to be cautious until news comes in regarding that group’s arrest.”

“Is that so……? That is a pity.”

Kugi displayed a disappointed look with her fox ears flattened down on top of her head. It pained me to see her so down, but still…… We really don’t know how those fellows are gonna act, and we also weren’t sure just how much they were capable of. In a way, they were more troublesome than being targeted by Granny Serestia.

And for the record, I wasn’t simply making excuses just so I can avoid bringing Kugi to that cultured meat factory. Honest.

“The renovation of the Lotus will be finished in two days, so we’ll be saying goodbye to this indoor life soon. Just endure it for a bit more, okay?”

“I understand, My Lord.”

Kugi nodded as her ears straightened up. Somehow, I could feel her gaze imploring me to take her to that meat factory after the two days were up. Don’t stare at me with those innocent and hopeful eyes. Simply imagining how gloomy and disgusted those eyes were gonna turn out once she witnesses the horrors waiting for her inside that accursed factory hurts my heart.

The renovation of the Black Lotus was finally completed without a hitch.

The terrorist group? They got arrested without any trouble as well. I wasn’t sure if they managed to nail the entire group with this arrest, but it was reported on the colony’s local news channels yesterday.

And so, we all went down to the hotel lobby to check out.

“You sure made us wait. Hurry up, will you?”

“Why……?”

We found Granny Serestia waiting for us in the lobby. Naturally, Nicholas and Lattice were with her as well.

“I’ve only ever heard about your past exploits, kid. I haven’t personally witnessed your abilities yet.”

“……So?”

“There’s only one way for mercenaries like us to prove ourselves, right? It’s a job.”

After saying so, the old granny displayed a taunting grin. Ugh, it’s familiar. That grin’s awfully familiar. You guys really are siblings, dammit.

I cursed inwardly as I gazed up helplessly at the lobby’s ceiling.