Chapter 8 : Appointment

I brought Ruby back home.

Mary offered to let us stay at the bar, but since we’re not officially part of anything yet, I couldn’t impose like that.

Plus, after so much happening in just one day, we needed time to process things quietly together.

“Hoo… Finally home.”

The house, left in the morning and returned to late at night, looked the same as always.

I’d heard the door was smashed and Ruby nearly got hurt on the bed, but it felt like dragging up an awkward memory from a dream.

Forcing a smile, I spoke to Ruby.

“Pretty tired, huh?
Let’s wash up and sleep.”

“Mm…”

I was more worried about Ruby than myself.
For an 11-year-old kid, this was too traumatic to handle.

I should’ve comforted her better.
Passing out like a fool in front of a corpse?
Thank goodness Karen showed up when she did, or I might’ve left Ruby alone in that horrific scene.

At least things worked out… somehow.
I’m not sure if I should be happy about the outcome, but we avoided the worst scenario.

I recalled the conversation with the Equal Capital president earlier.

“1 billion is big money, no doubt.
But let’s be real—compared to the capital I manage, it’s not exactly a game-changer.”

“…”

I couldn’t argue with him.

For an individual, 1 billion might be a fortune you’d never touch in a lifetime.
But for a financial firm that runs an entire district, it’s probably pocket change.

“Betting my life for that amount?
The risk is too high.
If Ikazuchi figures out I hid the culprit, I won’t walk away unscathed either.”

The calmer his words, the more my anxiety grew.
Anyone could tell the conversation was tilting downhill.

“So let’s tweak the terms.”

“…Go on.”

It wasn’t a flat rejection—there was still a sliver of hope.
Clenching my fists, I prayed silently.

His words made the debt skyrocket from the original amount to 30 times more, but I could stomach that.
No matter how steep, it’s cheaper than my life.
And with this ring, as long as I don’t die, I’ve got the means to pay it off.

“Second, prove your worth.
Scrape together 100 million by the end of this month and pay it.”

This was tougher than the first condition.
Mercenary work is new to me—I’d need time to learn as a rookie.
But with only three weeks left until next month, could I really earn 100 million in that time?

“Lastly, the third is simple.
Help me once when I ask for it.”

“Be more specific.”

“I don’t have a concrete plan yet, so I can’t say.
Naturally, I’ll ask for something a mercenary can handle.
I promise it won’t be anything outside your job scope or unreasonable.”

“…Got it.
So I just need to meet those three conditions?”

It was an unfair deal, but I couldn’t complain.
I needed his help desperately right now.

The reaper flashed a creepy smile and said,

“Of course.
It’s a deal for mutual benefit.”

That cryptic smirk felt unsettling, but I was too wary of upsetting him to linger.
I left the company as soon as we wrapped up.

Recalling it, I let out a sigh.

Still, it’s a decent resolution, right?

When I went back to the bar and told Lycan, he said we’d talk again tomorrow.

What if I can’t join Red Dog?

With this ring, plenty of mercenary teams would take me.
Sure, Stoners are seen as bad omens, but their raw power is unmatched.

You might wonder what advantage a Stone has in a world full of guns and cyborgs.
That’s only a concern for Stoners dealing with the side effects.
For teammates, there’s no better combatant.

Since the body itself gets stronger, there’s no need for extra combat costs.
Cyborgs share some of that, but they’re vulnerable to hacking.
Plus, implanting and maintaining cyberware costs a fortune.

So if word gets out I’m a Stoner, mercenary groups might line up to recruit me.

What about Rusty, the team ranked just below Red Dog?
Nah.
The novel described them as a nasty bunch—definite pass.

No matter how I think it, no team beats Red Dog.

Above all, I don’t want Ruby influenced negatively.

Among lawless mercenaries, Lycan stands out as the most upright.
That alone is reason enough to join Red Dog.

Even after washing up and lying in bed, the thoughts kept swirling.
Maybe sensing my tangled emotions, Ruby, snuggled close on the same bed, looked up at me.

“Big sister…”

“What?
Can’t sleep?”

As I reached to gently pat her back,

“I’m sorry.”

Her sudden apology made me freeze.

“Ruby, you’ve got nothing to be sorry for.”

“But you almost got hurt because of me.”

“Hurt?
Didn’t you see your sister coolly take down that pervert?
Guys like that are nothing.”

I tried to brush it off playfully, but Ruby clutched my clothes, burying her face.
I felt the fabric slowly dampen.
Her voice, heavy with tears, trembled softly.

“I know… I know everything…
You used that ring because of me.
It hurts when you use it, right…?”

A bitter smile slipped out.

I wanted to hide it, but Ruby’s no fool.
It was only a matter of time before she found out.

Stroking her soft black hair gently, I asked in a soothing tone,

“Who told you?”

“…Auntie Karen.”

Auntie?
She calls Mary sister but Karen auntie?
Karen might be hurt if she heard that.

I wasn’t mad at her.
I could guess why she told Ruby.
As a fellow Stoner, she’d understand my situation better than anyone.

More than that, I was worried about Ruby.
She seems bright and cheerful on the outside, but she’s a kid with deep scars.

Witnessing her mom’s suicide up close?
It’d be weirder if she was fine after just a month.
The reason Ruby puts on a brave face is probably so I won’t worry.

She’s kinder and more caring than anyone.
That’s why I don’t want her hurt anymore.

But I don’t know how to handle this.

I never learned how to comfort a crying sister.
As a rookie big sister of just one month, I’m bound to be clumsy and lacking.

So all I could do was this.

“Feeling sleepless tonight, huh?”

“…”

Looking into her red, teary eyes, I brushed back her bangs, revealing her pale forehead.

“Wanna go look at the stars?”

“…Stars?”

Ruby’s sniffles stopped.

In Neotopia, pristine nature was like a mythical creature.

All you see are dizzying skyscrapers and neon lights.
So romantically climbing a hill to stargaze was never an option.

Even looking up, the city’s glare drowns out the stars.
Neotopia is a world where starlight has vanished.

But there’s always a way.

As a cyberpunk world, Neotopia has plenty of things that seem magical by modern standards.

One of them is the Sky Stations scattered across the city.
In simple terms, sky terminals.
Facilities for a bus-like transport called air shuttles.

But Rat Town, true to its abandoned nature, hasn’t had shuttle service in ages.
The Sky Stations here are left deserted, with only “No Entry” signs hanging.

Set in such a remote spot, foot traffic stopped long ago.
I wouldn’t even know it existed if I hadn’t passed by on one of Marco’s errands.

The elevator’s busted, so you have to climb a ladder painfully.
But reaching the top, the view makes it worth the effort.

“Wow!”

“How is it?”

“Pretty!
So pretty…”

Seeing Ruby’s beaming smile, I smiled too.

As a station linking other districts, this spot offers a dazzling view of Neotopia’s glowing cityscape, not Rat Town’s grime.

Not stars in the sky, but starlight settled below.

It’s not the real thing, but it’s romantic in its own way.

The first time I came here, I made a vow.
Someday, I’d make sure Ruby lives happily among those lights.

Holding Ruby’s hand tightly, I said,

“I promise.
I won’t ever die.
We’ll leave Rat Town together and go there.”

Ruby gripped my hand like she’d never let go.

“…Yeah.
It’s a promise.”

We kept gazing at the starlight for a long while.