CH 292

After Akira’s conflict with the Lion Steel company had come to an end, he was no longer recognized as a monster by Kugamayama city. His bounty was also taken down. He finally returned back to the situation where he could wait in peace until his new equipment from Sakashita Heavy Industry arrived. That was when he received a message from Kibayashi, to meet him in a particular restaurant on the first floor of the Kugama building.

When Akira arrived, he could see Kibayashi wearing casual clothes sitting at a table. He was waving at him with a wide grin. It seemed like Kibayashi had already ordered food before he had arrived.

“Man, that was another hell of a fight. I was so disappointed when I noticed that you were not going to tear down the city’s wall and bring havoc to those within the inner wall. Still, you did use annihilator warheads, and that swarm of giants that came out of nowhere was also interesting. What can I say? You really never cease to amuse me.”

Akira looked apathetically at him.

“Yeah yeah, I’m glad to hear that you’re happy.”

Naturally, Kibayashi completely brushed past Akira’s remark and continued.

“Of course! I always knew you would pull it off. But still, to think that you can do that much damage even before you got your new equipment from Sakashita Heavy Industry. Just what kind of crazy things do you have in mind after they arrive?”

“Nothing. I have no plans on getting caught up in any incident.”

In contrast to Akira, who had a curt expression, Kibayashi was smiling like a Cheshire Cat. It was as if he was saying that it would be impossible for you and that he knew the exact reason why that was the case.

Akira sighed it was a rather deep one. He knew he was partially at fault for the previous incident.

“…Putting that aside, you have my thanks for getting me ammo and equipment through Katsuragi. Things would have gotten way out of hand had you not done that. So, I’m really thankful for it.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s not like you’re a stranger to me. As long as you do something to amuse me with the things I send you, it’s all good.”

Akira did not want to get into a situation that would amuse Kibayashi. His emotions were in full view on his face, which had turned sour. Unfortunately, that only served to amuse Kibayashi even more. Akira sighed once more and decided to put that aside for now. He changed the subject.

“But still, how did you get those annihilator warheads? It’s not something that you can get your hands on easily, right? I was still recognized as a monster by the city back then. Normally, no one would think it was acceptable to give me that kind of ammo, no?”

“Ohh, about that. I was also surprised.”

“You were…? But weren’t you the one who provided me with those annihilator warheads?”

“Well, that statement is partially true. To be more precise, it wasn’t exactly me. I’m sure you know about those annihilator warheads very well, since you shot a few yourself, those warheads packed a lot of firepower. If it’s only me, I would never be able to get those for you no matter how hard I try.”

“…Then, how did you get them for me?”

Akira looked at him in confusion while Kibayashi’s smile widened.

“Since it’s not something that I can get you, myself, it just means that someone else pulled some strings behind the scenes. Considering your situation back then, I bet that person wanted you to shoot those warheads at the city’s inner wall. I don’t know who they are and why they did that, but one thing is for certain, they knew that those warheads would end up in your possession. Well, I bet that’s their main goal.”

“So basically… Someone got those warheads for me hoping that I would use them to attack the city’s inner wall?”

Akira could not hide his surprise while Kibayashi continued to elaborate on his hypothesis of what might have happened.

“Well, this is nothing but just my guess. My original plan was to make you wait until equipment from Sakashita Heavy Industry arrived. At least wait and hide long enough to get your equipment before you actually start fighting. The reason why I provided you with equipment and ammo is so that you don’t get desperate and do something reckless. I even told the city that it was for the sake of holding you back as an excuse. When you get your new equipment, I plan on announcing the precise time you’ll attack the city so that the city can prepare itself. I was even anticipating someone from the Nationalist offering to help you. That would no doubt result in a bigger fight. But before that came to fruition, someone managed to foist those annihilator warheads through the delivery I had set up and…”

If this unknown person’s plan came to fruition, that battle would have been so big that it completely obliterated both sides. Nothing outside the inner wall will be left after such a fight. However, seeing how Kibayashi was excitedly talking about destruction and mayhem, Akira could not help but get weirded out. Akira knew he was the reason why Kibayashi could come up with such crazy ideas. After all, he was the one who started it, so he could not blame Kibayashi for it. Thus, Akira spoke up to change the subject.

“By the way, you’re actually a part of City Management, right? Is it really okay for you to do something like that?”

“Hm? If you’re talking about the method I used, nope. It was absolutely not okay. No matter what the reason, I gave access to annihilator warhead to someone who was officially recognized by the city as a monster. It won’t be strange if City Management decided to put a bounty on my head.”

Akira was exasperated after hearing this. He then tilted his head and asked Kibayashi a question.

“So, it’s not okay, huh… Then why would you do that? Did you get fired or something?”

“Nope, as a matter of fact, I got promoted.”

“…What? How? Why?”

“Regardless of what I did, the incident did come to a rather decent conclusion. Though I did provide you with annihilator warheads, you didn’t fire it towards the city. Also, it had allowed you to defeat those giants, which has helped reduce the damage to the city.”

“And it’s fine just because of that?”

“Yup, exactly. Organization-wise, the process and method I have used would never be in their guidelines. Rather, everyone would be warned of how dangerous my actions were. So, my actions can’t exactly be seen in a good light just because the results were great. However, it must be stressed that if I were to go by the book, and the results were deemed a failure, would my actions not be pointless? Doubly true when failure causes a huge loss.”

It was a very pragmatic way of thinking, in the end, Kibayashi was able to deal well with someone as dangerous as Akira and the damage to the city was kept at a minimum. Or at the very least, that was the evaluation of City Management toward Kibayashi. Officers who kept their hands off this matter up until now could say anything they wanted, but in the end, the results spoke for themselves. None of their sharp comments could change the final evaluation. Neither could they fault Kibayashi for the damages.

Meanwhile, City Management did not want to lose someone competent in dealing with dangerous individuals such as Akira. Thus, considering that something similar might happen again in the future, the evaluation of Kibayashi’s actions tilted in his favour. The fact that he was able to suppress and resolve the situation weighed more heavily than the fact that he supplied Akira with items that might cause considerable damage to the city. Not to mention his eagerness to push for such provisions were seen as decisiveness.

In the case of Hikaru, her ability also got praised by City Management. They considered her to be competent in dealing with Akira as well. Thus, City Management had also decided that in the case something similar happened again in the future, they would first go to Hikaru to handle it.

Food that Kibayashi had ordered beforehand started to be placed on the table. Before they started eating, Akira asked another question.

“Well, the food is here, so let’s get to the main subject right away. I’m sure you did not call me here just for some silly banter, right?”

“Sure. The house that you’re living in right now, it is still the same house that I introduced you to in the past, right?”

“Yes, why?”

“Sorry, but can you move to somewhere else?”

“…Sorry?”

Akira thought that Kibayashi had called him here to talk about some business connected to Kugamayama city. Therefore, this request completely caught him off-guard. Seeing how Akira’s facial expression twisted into something he anticipated, Kibayashi laughed merrily and continued.

“Today’s meeting is for my personal business, you see. Had I called you as a staff of City Management, I would have told you to come to one of the restaurants on the upper floors. It’s just too expensive for me to go there on my own dime. Ahh, but if you want to go there now, I don’t mind.”

“No, it is just that what you said came out of the blue. Why are you suddenly asking me to move out of my house?”

“The housing agency came crying at me, you know? Asking me to get you to move out to somewhere else.”

“Ahhh… I see.”

Even Akira, who was usually dense, was able to understand why that was. After all, he got into a fight with Lion Steel, which had completely flattened a portion of the slums. As expected, no housing agent would want the area under their management to be the next battleground for such a battle. It was not that hard for Akira to understand why they would be in tears.

“They’re willing to pay the expenses for your move. Well, I do have a good relationship with them, that’s why I brought it up. Though it’s not like I’m forcing you to move out. It would nonetheless be of great help if you were to move out to somewhere which would not cause any trouble.”

“It’s not like I’m refusing, but what will be the outcome if I refuse?”

“Well, it’s not like we can do anything about that, right? There are not that many people who have the courage to live next to you. So, I bet they would start cutting their contracts. The housing agency won’t dare try to evict you by force. So, I’m sure that the most that would happen is the housing agency crying to sleep every night while they await bankruptcy.”

“I-I see…”

Naturally, Akira would turn hostile if he was harshly ordered to get out. Similarly, he would feel guilty if they came at him, pleading while crying. Kibayashi noticed his feelings of guilt and made use of that opening.

“It’s not like you have any grudges against the housing agency, right? So just be nice to them and move to somewhere else. In the first place, that housing area is originally meant for Hunters with Rank 30 and below, you know? It’s no longer suitable for you to keep living there. If you’re willing to move out, I can at least help to find another place for you.”

Akira gave up and softly sighed.

“Alright.”

“That’s great then! In that case, you can sign here.”

Kibayashi then pulled out a document. Akira did ask Alpha to check the contents. Once he received confirmation that the document was okay, he signed it. Now that he had Akira’s signature, Kibayashi returned the document to his bag and smiled.

“We have a deal then. With this, others’ evaluation of me will go even higher.”

“What does me moving out have anything to do with their opinion of you?”

“It’s complicated. It has something to do with the inner workings of City Management. I can’t really say it to an outsider. But well, since it’s not like we’re strangers, I don’t mind telling you. But in exchange, make sure to not cause any trouble and just move out, alright?”

Akira was indeed curious about what lay under Kibayashi’s smile. Considering that he had already signed the papers, Akira gave a nod.

“Alright, so, why?”

“There is actually a plan to build up a second wall. Well, to be more precise, that plan had already been around for quite some time now. However, due to unforeseen circumstances and other priorities, it had been delayed indefinitely. 

But after the previous incident, Kugamayama city suddenly received a huge sum of money from Lion Steel. It was to reimburse for the losses caused by that battle. Because of how dangerous it was, the number of people who wish to get into the inner wall suddenly shot up, so the plan immediately got pushed forward. 

That battle caused considerable damage to the lower district, but the area inside the inner wall was unharmed. In other words, the populace started to understand the price of safety. Many had previously thought that living within the inner wall was nothing but a status symbol. They thought that reputation aside, living in the lower district was safe enough. 

Now, these people are flusteredly trying to move inside the inner wall. Thanks to that, the land prices inside the inner wall skyrocketed. It’s quite extreme. 

There were even people who were living within the inner wall who got kicked out to make space. Well, granted that they were barely qualified to be inside in the first place. 

Anyways, even if we try to make more houses to accommodate the newcomers, in the end, it is surrounded by a wall, so the available land would not increase no matter what we do. Some demanded to build vertically, but there’s a limit on how tall the buildings can go. That’s why, by building a second wall, everything can be solved.”

“Ohhh, I see.”

“So basically, we will get the lower district surrounded by a wall as well, but naturally, once the wall is erected, land prices within that wall would jump up. Although it’s still in the planning stage, they’re already securing lands that are highly likely to be chosen.”

Kibayashi paused for a bit and smiled.

“So that’s where you come in. Except for you living there, the area where you’re living is actually a pretty good area.”

As expected, that was enough of a hint for Akira.

“Ahhh, I see now.”

The request for Akira to leave was because the housing agency wanted the land under their management to be chosen. Furthermore, City Management wanted to avoid having Akira inside the second wall. Therefore, Kibayashi, who managed to get Akira to peacefully leave, would be better appreciated both by City Management and the housing agency.

Kibayashi broke out his trademark amused smile as he said.

“So there, you have it. Well, since they’re willing to pay for the moving-out expense, you can build yourself a luxurious home with that amount.”

“Alright alright… Hm? Wait, build? Not rent?”

“Yeah, you can build your own house. Just to let you know, I bet there’s no housing agency around here willing to rent property to you. I’m sure you know the reason, right?”

Since Akira knew why, as expected, he could not think of any counter-arguments. He just bitterly smiled with a troubled expression. In contrast, Kibayashi was still smiling as usual as he continued.

“Don’t worry. Although their cases are not exactly the same as yours, many Hunters have gone through what you are going through. As I promised, I will help you find a new home, so I will at least tell you how to deal with your current situation.”

“Well, thanks, I guess.”

There was a tint of irritation in Akira’s voice, but even so, Kibayashi’s smile still stayed the same.

Kibayashi advised Akira to build his own home on the outskirt of the city. It was the common choice taken by Hunters who could no longer live inside the city due to certain reasons. Naturally, the condition for this was the Hunters’ relationship with the city, which had to at least be amicable. Not strained enough for the city to issue a military hunt if the Hunters got close. At the same time, these Hunters must be strong.

The Hunters must be strong because the outskirts were not a safe place. There were monsters from the wasteland and robbers from the slums. Thus, the Hunters who were in this situation had to be strong enough such that those monsters and robbers posed no problem to them. As a matter of fact, they could even add security value to the area around where these Hunters lived.

Although they had to pay security to guard the house while they were off to hunt for relics or monsters, it was not that different from when they lived inside the city. In the city, they still had to pay for the security of their homes. This deposit would be paid to private security companies, which would be held responsible for keeping the area where their houses were safe.

When an individual hired a group of guards, there were cases where they got along and performed really well. Some formed a new private security company, which would contribute to the long-term safety of the area around their houses. As the safety level increased, others would naturally flock there. The price of land would naturally increase, and the economy of the area would develop.

After it reached a certain standard, eventually, that area would be recognized as a new portion of the lower district of the nearest city. When it reached that point, the original Hunters who first started establishing their homes there would be recognized to have contributed greatly to supporting a new economic area. This would be reflected in their track record, which in turn would allow them to rent a house in the city again – if they wish, of course.

Furthermore, Kibayashi recommended Akira to use those from Sheryl’s gang as his guards. That way, there was no need to start a new private security company from scratch. It was already known to be an organization formed under Akira’s support. Thus, it had enough power to keep an area safe even within the slums. Furthermore, it was connected to Inabe, a city officer. It was a perfect choice. Meanwhile, before his new house got completed, he could live in Sheryl’s base.

After listening to Kibayashi’s advice, Akira left and went to Sheryl’s base. As expected, Sheryl was extremely happy when she heard about this plan. Her smile was dazzlingly bright as she said.

“Of course! Just leave it to us! We can take on the guard duty and we’re more than happy to have you live inside the base. To be honest, I don’t mind if you use this base as your new home, you know? You can pick any room that you want. We’ll empty it for you. We can also change the layout of the base if you want…”

“Thank you for your offer but it’s alright. As expected, I want to have my new house properly built somewhere else.”

“I see, In that case, how about next to this base? It’ll be convenient to have it nearby.”

“…I will carefully ponder it over. I will also have to think carefully about the blueprint for the house as well…”

“Indeed. It’s not like you can just change the layout once it’s built and you find something unsatisfactory. I think it’s best to take your time to plan it out before deciding.”

The longer Akira had to plan, the longer he would have to stay in her base. That was why Sheryl carefully and fervently encouraged him with her charming smile.

“You’re right. I will take my time to think about it. I need to think about how much money I have to set aside for this as well… Ah, by the way, Sheryl. If Viola is around, tell her to come and meet me. There’s something I need to talk to her about.”

“Of course!”

Sheryl was not really sure how his expenses would have anything to do with Viola. Nonetheless, she quickly called Viola over. Since Viola had something to do in the base at that time, she quickly came over to see Akira.

“Akira, long time no see. I heard you have something to talk to me about.”

Viola came and smiled amicably at him as she spoke. However, her expression was slightly tense.

Akira had almost killed her after she got him involved in an incident in the slums. It was after she negotiated with him, that he agreed to spare her life in exchange for helping Sheryl’s gang. 

The previous time she met Akira was back in Mihazono ruin, when he threatened her to tell him about Chloe’s whereabouts. To repay her for the information, he stated that he would not regret sparing her life. Before he left, he reminded Viola, to hope that Chloe was really there.

Viola had no idea if Akira was able to find Chloe with the information she gave him. If he was not able to, that might be the end for her. Akira might kill her right now. Although it was now removed, Akira had a 50 billion Aurum bounty on his head and even tried to kill a member of the founding family of the Lion Steel company. Though no one knew for sure if he was the one who did it, Chloe’s death was already widely known. Akira was someone who would not hesitate to kill when he decided to. It was regardless of who that person was. Naturally, Viola could not maintain her usual calm in front of such a person.

However, Akira did not notice how she felt as he casually asked Viola.

“Say, Sheryl is basically indebted to me, right? If I’m not mistaken, it’s about me being a Hunter supporting her gang. Furthermore, you’re helping the gang to repay that debt. So, about that, how much of that debt is left? A rough approximation is enough.”

Hearing his question, Viola sighed in relief as her usual smile returned.

“Let’s see, probably somewhere about 50 billion Aurum?”

“50 billion, huh…”

That amount was the highest Viola could come out with which she would not get Akira to be suspicious. At the same time, it was also to push Akira to keep sparing her life so that she could help Sheryl’s gang repay the debt.

Although Sheryl did think that amount was a little exaggerated, she did not say that outright. She only sent an easy-to-notice questioning glance at him to let Akira know.

However, since Akira was rather inept in that kind of thing, and with it being the same amount as his now-removed bounty, he did not question it at all. He simply declared.

“I see. Well, Sheryl, considering all the things that I put your gang through during my conflict with Lion Steel, let’s take it that we’re even. You don’t need to pay me back anymore.”

Sheryl and Viola were equally surprised to see Akira casually let go of such a huge sum. He then continued.

“As for the debt that you have for me backing your gang, well, considering that your gang will guard my house soon and with other things like investment for the relic shop, what do you call that, again? Stock? We can call that even as well. I hate having to deal with debts and stuff like that.”

After hearing that, Sheryl’s surprised expression quickly turned into a big smile. In a sense, that debt was her only connection with Akira. If it was taken away, she would have felt more anxious than happy. However, with Akira mentioning about guarding his new home as well as investing in the relic shop, it meant that they were still connected. This helped relieve her anxiousness. It also allowed her to know that Akira believed that she had been a great help during his fight with the Lion Steel company. This made her on cloud nine.

“Of course. Akira, thank you very much. I will be in your care in the future as well.”

“Yeah, I’ll be relying on you. Uhh, now that matters with you are done, next would be Viola.”

“S-sure, what can I help?”

The reason why Akira let Viola live was so that she could help Sheryl repay that huge debt to Akira. Now that Sheryl’s debt was gone, as expected, Viola could not hide her unease.

“I brought up what you owe to me back then when I asked for information about Chloe’s whereabouts. I did that because I didn’t have money back then. But now that I have money, as I thought, it’s better for me to repay you that way, right?”

“…I’m pretty sure I did say that it would at least cost a few million Aurum. It might be with a few more zeros though, do you remember?”

“I do. If it’s only a few hundred million Aurum, I can pay you. Depending on how many zeros you add, I might still be able to pay for it.”

Akira really did have that much. Lion Steel did not raise any issues when it came to his compensation for what he had lost in that battle. Thus, it was processed quickly. The whole thing included all ammunition used, his new equipment and the bike that he had lost. It all totalled to 20 billion Aurum.

Representative Alice stated to Akira that the Lion Steel Eastern District Main Branch would compensate for all the losses from that incident. Naturally, Akira did not expect them to just simply pay 20 billion Aurum without saying anything. This just reminded him how powerful these so-called large companies were.

Akira did convey his thoughts on compensating Shirou back the amount. He asked Shirou if it was better for him to return the 16 billion Aurum back. However, instead of getting told that he could just return the money, Shirou got angry at him. Shirou warned Akira that he should prioritize his request, just like what their original deal was.

Thus, Akira was able to get the money to pay for Viola’s information. Considering that he had to build his new home, he thought that it was better to pay for the information first. Although his housing options would be limited if he had to pay more than 10 billion Aurum to Viola, he believed that paying for that information took priority since it was accurate.

“So then, how much is it?”

Viola winced back. The fact that Akira brought that up meant that there was a high chance he would actually pay with money. Viola at least knew that much. However, if he paid with money, it would mean that the thing Akira had put up as collateral would be returned. Namely, the thought of not regretting sparing her life.

On the other hand, if she said some impossibly huge sum just to make sure Akira would not be able to pay it, he would see through her intentions. Otherwise, Sheryl would point it out. That would definitely worsen her situation.

Viola then smiled with her usual mysterious smile as she said.

“…But before that, I want to ask you a question first. How much value did my information provide compared to my debt to you? Back then, you told me to hope that you would find Chloe there, nothing more. As I said, Chloe was actually there, right? So, with that information being correct, we need to first admit the value of that information. So then, how much is it valued?”

“Hmmm, let’s see…”

Akira pondered. Seeing that, Viola’s smile widened. However, it was only from the outside, on the inside, she got even more tense. Akira eventually made his decision.

“If Sheryl asks me to dispose of you, I will at least ask for the reason first and think about it before actually disposing of you, I guess? After all, it is thanks to your information that I was able to find Chloe.”

Viola felt like she was freed from shackles when she heard those words. It meant that Sheryl would no longer be able to simply decide her life and death. Viola could not help but to leak out an honest smile.

“In that case, that is good enough for the information. That was our agreement back then, so I don’t need you to pay me anything.”

“Is that so? But you did ask me if I can pay it or not… So wouldn’t money be better…?”

Seeing Akira uncertain, Sheryl intervened with a smile.

“Akira is right, money is better. If you’re holding yourself back because of how expensive it is, the gang would help pay it too. You don’t have to worry about it. Moreover, we can also ask Inabe-san if need be…”

Sheryl was thinking of disposing Viola once she was done with her. Now that her debt to Akira was mostly gone, she did not see any issue with getting rid of Viola considering she no longer had a need for her. 

With a Hunter as powerful as Akira, who would go as far as fight against a company like Lion Steel, there was no longer any need to have Viola handle relationships with other organizations.

If Akira resolved this matter with money, then he would really have no reason to keep Viola alive. That was why Sheryl suggested Akira to resolve the matter with money.

Seeing Sheryl pushing that option, Viola quickly interjected.

“No, that would be a horrible idea. No matter what the reason, it’s not good to turn back on the deal that you’ve made. Trust is extremely important for a strong Hunter. So, it would be horrendous if you did that, you know? Since we made a deal, we need to honour it. If people start questioning your integrity, you won’t be able to make deals with anyone anymore, you know? Even if it’s a deal that would benefit the other side, they won’t believe your words. After all, there’s an example of you not honouring a deal in the past. Such a mark would completely tarnish your track record.”

Akira understood what Viola was saying. It reminded him of how Shirou refused his offer to repay the 16 billion Aurum. It was a large sum of money to him. Thus, he agreed that if the other party said that there was no need, he should not push it. Besides, keeping it was more beneficial to him as well.

“You have a point, alright, that will be all then.”

“Is that so? Well, I’m busy right now, so please let me excuse myself.”

Viola smiled, turned around, and left the room. She could hear Sheryl click her tongue behind her. In the end, Viola managed to get through this meeting safely, though, only barely. She was still alive. It was a fact which made her break out a gentle smile in celebration.

Sheryl looked at Akira with objection.

“Akira, was the information from Viola that valuable to you?”

“Hm? Well, yeah, pretty much.”

“I see…”

Sheryl smiled and was determined to learn how to gather information to reduce Viola’s usefulness to Akira.

—*—*—*—

Akira then returned back home. He enjoyed his last dip in the bath of that house.

With the vacate document already signed, he planned on bringing his stuff to Sheryl’s base the next day.

The first time he took a bath after he moved in, it felt extremely luxurious. However, after multiple dips, it felt normal. After he had experienced the more luxurious bath in Sheryl’s base, he was now not able to fully appreciate his own bath. Even so, since this would be the last time, he felt a bit saudade having to not be able to take a bath here ever again.

As Akira thought of all that had happened to him up until now ever since he rented this house, he spoke in a contemplative voice.

“But still, a lot has happened since I moved into this house.”

Alpha, who was also in the bath together with him, was acting as usual. She smiled at him.

“You can say that again. A lot of things have happened up until now.”

“It was one hell of a journey.”

“Indeed, it was. But just a bit more. Once your new equipment from Sakashita Heavy Industry arrives, we can finally go to explore our target ruin.”

To be honest, Akira was not thinking about that. However, once Alpha mentioned it, he could not help but think about it too.

“…I see, it’s finally soon, huh?”

“Yup, it really took a long time. Though, it did not take as long as I had thought it would. What do you think?”

“Hmm, can’t really say for sure. Either way, we can only go once I have my new equipment. We still have to deal with Shirou’s request as well. Though what we have to do right now is just wait, I wonder when they will actually arrive…”

That was when Akira received a call from Kibayashi. The moment he took that call through Alpha, he could hear Kibayashi’s voice being suspiciously uppity.

“Yo there, Akira! I have three pieces of news for you. One bad, one good, one a bit good.”

“…I bet what you mean is one bad news, one really bad news, and one not really good news, right?”

Considering that it was Kibayashi, Akira could not help but get cautious.

“Don’t worry, it’s not that bad. I will start with the good news as proof.”

“Is that so? What is it?”

“The vehicle carrying your new equipment is already somewhere close to Kugamayama city.”

Hearing that, Akira could not hide his surprise. However, that also completely changed.

“So… What is the bad news?”

“It is about the vehicle transporting your new equipment. For some reason, it got caught in an accident and had to stop in the middle of the wasteland. There are still no clear estimates as to when they can continue.”

“Knew that something wrong would happen, seriously…”

Akira sighed. But hearing that, Kibayashi’s voice seemed even happier.

“Don’t get too sad. I still have one more piece of good news, you know? I’m sure you’ll cheer up once you hear it.”

“I hope that is indeed the case, so, what is it?”

“Just because it’s originally for you, doesn’t mean they will hand over your cargo even if you go there yourself to pick it up. Well, those are frontline equipment we’re talking about. They are regulated under very strict rules. So, as I said, even if you go there to pick it up yourself, they won’t hand it over to you. Confirming your identity is not going to help. Even if they are directed to you, the cargo is still owned by Sakashita Heavy Industry. Saying that it is yours will not help.”

“So? Where is the good part of this news?”

“Be patient. The good news comes right after this. If you want to get your new equipment immediately, I can arrange it such that you can pick them up yourself. Basically, you will be taking on the role of a transportation personnel. Isn’t that great? Well, if it’s too much trouble going there yourself, feel free to just wait until they arrive. Tell me, isn’t this good news?”

“What will happen to my stuff if I say that I will just wait?”

“They will arrive late, that’s all. Though, I can’t really say for certain how late they will be. You keep asking me when they might arrive, so I assume you want them as fast as possible, no?”

“…That’s true, I’ll be counting on you then.”

“Of course. Just leave it to me. I will get to work right away. You should also prepare yourself when you go pick them up, alright? Until then, later.”

After Kibayashi ended the call, Akira frowned and seemed rather troubled. It was indeed great that he could pick his stuff up himself. However, the fact that an inter-city transport vehicle got stuck in the middle of the wasteland was rather suspicious.

Akira had once travelled in an inter-city transport convoy from Kugamayama city to Zegelt city. At that time, there was also an incident. However, the transport convoy did not stop at all. Therefore, something big must have happened for an inter-city transport vehicle to stop in the middle of the wasteland. Kibayashi’s fervent encouragement for him to go there only served to prove his worries.

Alpha made her usual smile as she spoke.

“Let’s hope it’s nothing big. We can prepare as much as we can before going there to pick up your new equipment.”

“…Yeah, let’s do that.”

Akira smiled bitterly. He already knew that his wish would not be granted. It was clear Alpha also shared the same thoughts. Otherwise, she would not have added ‘prepare as much as we can before going’.