Chapter 33 : Second Match (1)

“That thing… it’s probably best not to use it often.”

“I agree, Lady Leilia. I wasn’t the one who got hit by it, but just watching was horrible.”

Kabi had clung to me like a zombie, begging me to press the button again. I finally managed to knock her out by jabbing

her with a sedative nearby.

Normally, with her strength, no drug would work unless she was already weakened.

Luckily, she’d just gone through a full system reboot and had her brain shaken up by the pleasure amplifier, so she went

down quietly.

“Just the idea of installing something that inhumane in someone’s head is awful. If you weren’t my Nakama, I’d seriously

consider cutting ties.”

“Don’t start. You agreed we needed a safety measure to contain someone as dangerous as Kabi! You even praised it,

saying pain was worse than pleasure!”

“Exactly! I heard him agreeing with Lady Leilia during the surgery!”

“To remember even something that trivial… you really are an annoying woman.”

“You do realize I have an auto-translator implant, right? Even if you say it in Japanese, it translates everything instantly.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that.”

“Come here, you little punk.”

Olbi rolled on the floor holding his forehead where I flicked him.

Why does he keep poking at me when he always ends up on the losing side?

“Way, take this idiot and go get some sleep. You worked hard for 22 hours helping me with the surgery.”

“Yes! But Lady Leilia, what about you? You’re not going to sleep in the surgery room again, are you?”

“I’m fine. I only sleep once every two days unless something special happens.”

“Whoa… that’s impressive.”

Way quietly helped Olbi out of the room.

damn it! Don’t think I’ll keep letting you win like this! Just wait, Leilia!”

“Stop yelling and just walk straight.”

Now that they’re off to bed, I guess…

what do I do now?

This feels exactly like the last time I reset my implants.

Olbi and Way went to sleep, I was alone in the operating room… but wait, not quite alone this time.

I looked at Kabi, sleeping soundly on the table.

Leaving her in the OR didn’t sit right with me, so I threw her over my shoulder and walked out.

Which room was mine again?

The seventh one?

Yep, seventh.

“Senpai… just one more time…”

Even in her sleep, Kabi was mumbling weird stuff. I tossed her onto my bed and stepped out.

With the sedative dose I used, she should sleep for four hours straight.

I stretched my back for the first time in nearly a full day. It made a spine-popping sound.

“Phew… Now what? Should I just relax and enjoy the scenery?”

I scratched my greasy hair and wandered the halls until I found a cute little Japanese-style courtyard.

There was no roof—sun on clear days, rain on wet days. Natural, simple.

If it were a week ago, I’d have thought, “Nice garden.”

But now, hearing the word “garden” brought up the log cabin in the middle of the giant church… and Berry.

Her shy smile.

The warmth of our held hands.

“See? Your cold hands are warm now that I’m holding them.”

“That clever girl…”

Berry wasn’t some helpless princess waiting for rescue.

When she drew ‘6 / 2’ on my palm, I first thought I imagined it.

But the slash and the second number 2—she was giving me a hidden message.

She was being watched.

Surveillance and wiretapping—classic Kyro Society tactics.

They praised her as a blessed saint, a miracle worker, a beacon of hope…

But to the Tres Reges who control the Kyro Society, she’s just another pawn on the board.

That’s why Berry secretly passed me info without saying a word.

‘6/2.’

It wasn’t a math problem.

It meant June 2nd.

That date could only mean one thing:

—“You’re not seriously going to give Virasion data about your powers, are you?”

“I am.”

So she plans to meet with Virasion secretly on June 2nd.

Today is May 21. That gives me exactly 12 days.

And she said she’d personally go help them extract the data—

meaning she’s going to Virasion, not the other way around.

Putting it all together:

“Berry is going to Virasion Tower on June 2nd.”

And I have to stop her.

On the day I decided to reset all my implants, I briefly stopped by my home before heading to Zone 3 where Olbi was.

I needed the tracking jammers I gave to Semolina and Victor…

And to hide my QPD equipment before the Church raided my place.

Thankfully, I acted fast.

I stashed the gear and bike in an abandoned warehouse and used an EMP grenade just in case any of it was traceable.

That’s why I risked everything to return to Zone 9 yesterday to retrieve it.

I scratched my head in frustration. Still, no matter how much I messed up my hair, reality wasn’t going to change.

“Kabi, you damn witch! Why’d you jump in and ruin everything?!”

Of course, Virasion’s no fool. After getting wrecked by me once, they’ve probably beefed up security.

If I were them, I’d stop putting all the android guards on one floor and add more humans to counter EMP attacks.

Maybe just using my old QPD gear won’t be enough to break through again.

But without any gear at all, I wouldn’t even get a chance to try.

So what do I—

“Lady Leilia? Looks like your friend’s surgery is over?”

A sudden voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Whoa there. You look surprised. Deep in thought, huh?”

 yeah. Something like that.”

A plump man with a thick mustache chuckled warmly.

Who was this guy again?

Right, the man Olbi reported to when I first arrived at the safehouse.

I hesitated, not knowing how to address him, but he held out his hand.

“Klaus Schneider. That’s my name.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, Mr. Schneider.”

He had the kind of belly and wrinkles that show real age and wisdom.

After shaking his hand, I calmed down.

“By the way, I never got to thank you. You welcomed not just me but my unexpected guest too.”

“My dear Miss Leilia. I thought you were clever, but your memory’s a bit weak. Among Nakama, helping with small

things like that isn’t worth boasting about. You said the same thing the day we met, remember?”

I’ve always wondered, what does ‘Nakama’ actually mean? My translator just says ‘comrade.’”

“‘Comrade’ is close, but not quite enough. Nakama means people with the same goal, living and working together—like

family.”

“I see…”

So… it’s kind of a yakuza term.

Maybe I joined something more dangerous than I thought.

“Now that you know what ‘Nakama’ means, why don’t you share what’s been troubling you so much?”

Nakama.

This man called me that—and helped without asking for anything in return.

But can I really tell him everything?

Not yet.

Even family has secrets they can’t share.

I need to save my most precious friend.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“To do that, I need to take down Virasion.”

“Wait… the attack on Virasion Tower a few days ago—was that for the same reason?”

that was actually for someone else I care about…”

“So Lady Leilia has multiple people worth risking her life for. I’m a little envious.”

Is that sarcasm? Maybe not.

He’s definitely on my side… but still plays it neutral. Smart guy.

“To be honest, I think going back into the tower would be suicide. The fact you survived the first attack was already a

miracle. They’ll be ten times more alert now.”

“I agree.”

“Then… shouldn’t you try something different?”

All I really know is that Berry will go to Virasion Tower on June 2nd.

Can I come up with a whole new plan from that?

“…Maybe.”

My Nakama Schneider looked at me, confused.

Sorry, sir. But if I’m going to ask for help, I’m going to get all I can.