Chapter 92: Aerial Banquet Hall (1)
The Room of the Unconscious.
A high-grade ntal-type magic grimoire obtained from the Black Market.
A powerful spell that confined the target within an illusion inside their unconscious.
This magic was specialized in extracting information, in that it allowed interrogation freely without the constraints of ti or space.
Moreover, since the target completely forgot what had happened in the Room of the Unconscious, there was no worry of their identity being exposed.
However, putting aside how extrely difficult it was to obtain the grimoire, the formula itself was so complex that even casting it was difficult.
In particular, maintaining the illusory space was no easy task, making it a very high-ranking spell even among ntal-type magic.
Even after going through the trouble of deploying the spell, there was no guarantee that the target would obediently divulge information.
Within the illusion-generated space, objects reflecting the target’s unconscious appeared, and the caster needed the ability to interpret them.
For example, there was an airline ticket bound for California.
‘Not even the na of a city, but a ticket to California.’
The thin piece of plastic placed on the table was not in the proper format of a real airline ticket.
Seeing that, Diesel inferred that Worker No. 663 only had a vague understanding of California.
“The peaceful California you know no longer exists in this world.”
When he told the truth to the other party, 663 furrowed his face.
“What…….”
“The western United States has been completely devastated by an independence war.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. That can’t be true.”
As expected, that reaction appeared.
663 stepped backward away from Diesel, then aid his handgun again.
There were two ways to obtain information from an opponent in this Room of the Unconscious.
One was to assimilate the opponent’s mind.
The other was to completely collapse it.
The thod Diesel chose this ti was the latter.
He changed the surrounding space into so beach in San Francisco.
Then the sight 663 had long dread of unfolded before his eyes.
A blue sky without a single cloud.
An endless blue ocean.
A pure white sandy beach under blazing sunlight.
“This isn’t the truth.”
When Diesel gestured, the scenery changed.
“This is the California you were looking for.”
“…….”
A sky filled with acrid smog.
A sea covered with miscellaneous trash and wastewater.
A beach coated in oil-stained sand mixed with debris…….
“No, that can’t be…….”
Soon, just as Diesel intended, the opponent’s mind began to collapse.
“This isn’t an image I created.”
“No…….”
“It’s sothing dredged up from your unconscious.”
“No…….”
“In truth, you already know, don’t you.”
“Ah…….”
Diesel said it as if driving in the final nail.
“There is no paradise anywhere in this world.”
With those words.
A human mind crumbled apart.
A server room desk in so skyscraper.
Employee Registration Number 663 was slumped over the desk, fast asleep.
The fact that he could not rember what had happened in the Room of the Unconscious might have been fortunate for him.
He would continue to live on, still holding onto his dream of going to California.
“Hoo…….”
Letting out a small sigh, Diesel grabbed his throbbing head.
‘The aftereffects of this magic are too severe.’
Entering and leaving another person’s mind was no ordinary matter.
On top of the enormous mana consumption, a fatigue like having stayed up all night consecutively washed over him.
‘I can never use this in the middle of combat.’
After taking a brief breather while using a fatigue recovery agent, Diesel passed by 663 and approached his original target, the main server.
Then he opened the collar at his chest and called the na of the Electrosphere Spirit.
〈Ar.〉
The spirit that sprang out from his bosom slipped straight into the server.
Based on the information obtained from 663, Ar identified the rooftop security code.
[Information secured. The VIP party starts today at 15:00. I’ll encrypt the code and send it.]
[Confird.]
In response to Diesel’s report, Kali replied from outside the building, where she was waiting.
Having accomplished his objective, he skillfully erased his traces and was about to leave the server room.
At that mont, the Electrosphere Spirit spoke to him.
〈Master.〉
〈……?〉
〈There’s one interesting piece of information.〉
Along with Ar’s words, a single file floated into view.
【List of Workers Scheduled for Disposal】
Disposal…….
Diesel knew very well what that ant.
What they called “disposal” ant exactly what the dictionary said—getting rid of sothing that could no longer be used.
A security company where information managent was paramount did not welco long-serving workers retiring normally.
After all, sensitive data they had handled over the years accumulated in the employees’ electronic neural networks.
So they often dealt with long-term workers by disposing of them in this manner.
As Diesel skimd through the list, he stopped at a familiar number.
【No. 663】
As he examined the details more closely, his brow furrowed unconsciously.
‘Despicable bastards…….’
663 owed the company a massive debt, and the date of his disposal coincided exactly with the date that debt would be fully repaid.
It was a schedule that reeked of malicious intent, unwilling to lose even a single cent.
〈What should I do?〉
〈……Do as you please.〉
〈You’re not very honest.〉
Ar tilted his head slightly, then erased 663’s na from the disposal list.
For sothing involving a human life, it was done far too simply.
‘Well, I suppose he paid the price with information.’
If luck favored him, 663 might actually make it to California.
Of course, the truth he would face there would be entirely his to bear.
The truth that the paradise he desired existed nowhere in this world.
“Good work.”
Diesel got into the car Kali had been waiting in and closed the door.
She, who had been eating a burger, handed Diesel another burger wrapped in the sa packaging as the one she was holding.
“Here, take it. You should eat before working.”
“Is it a soy burger?”
“Yeah.”
“…….”
“Why. You don’t like it?”
Was that even a question…….
Diesel wasn’t particularly picky about food.
Up to now, he had never had major complaints about the garbage-like food this world provided.
But there was just one thing.
That junk food called a soy burger—after eating it once, he never put it in his mouth again.
‘That’s an insult to hamburgers.’
The bun tasted like crayons, and the patty felt like chewing rubber.
Even though there was an intense sauce that concealed all of that, to Diesel it only felt like salted oil.
“If you don’t want it, I’ll eat it?”
“……Fine. Eat more.”
“You’re so picky.”
A prim-looking Kali tore open the wrapper of the soy burger.
Diesel frowned at the sll of sauce spreading through the car and asked,
“You’ve got plenty of money, and you still eat that stuff?”
“You’ve got to save every penny.”
Was she a woman with a strong sense of frugality?
Co to think of it, back during the Furry Land job, she had seed oddly obsessed with money as well.
“But that hacker you requested—seems like a pretty close acquaintance?”
He had deliberately volunteered to handle the preliminary work alone just now.
It had been to test the newly learned ntal-type magic called the ‘Room of the Unconscious’, along with Ar’s hacking ability.
“Is there a problem?”
“No. It’s just that compared to the extra fee you requested, the extracted information was incredibly clean. Unless it’s an acquaintance discount, there’s no way you could get this level of service at that price.”
The purity of information stolen from the Electrosphere varied wildly depending on the hacker’s skill.
If data was forcibly extracted, various forms of damage were inevitable.
‘For Kali to praise it to that extent…….’
She was a veteran who had rolled around in this line of work for a long ti.
That ant Ar’s hacking skills were exceptional.
Diesel felt inexplicably pleased, but answered without showing it.
“There are just… certain circumstances.”
“Really? If they’re a decent person, introduce them to soti too. Hackers—every single one of them is seriously not normal.”
“If the opportunity cos up. More importantly, shouldn’t we talk about the next stage?”
“Well, sure.”
Chewing on her soy burger, Kali projected a hologram containing the details of this job into the air.
An elderly silver-haired man appeared.
‘Edwin Silver…….’
An executive of the UK-based gacorporation ‘Royal Spirit’.
Under normal circumstances, he was soone whose face alone was hard to ever see.
“The target we need to secure is being detained by this man. It’d have been nice if we could’ve gotten his detailed schedule too, but that’s a sha.”
Schedule.
Recalling the information he had just obtained in the server room, Diesel said,
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Hm?”
“I’ve more or less figured out that guy’s movents.”
At Diesel’s confidence, Kali asked,
“Did you find so kind of clue?”
“They say a famous singer is attending this party.”
“A singer?”
“Her na was Ophelia.”
At that na, Kali flinched and abruptly straightened her upper body.
“What? Ophelia?”
“Is she a singer you know?”
“Is that even a question? Of course I know her! She’s the biggest pop star in the world right now!”
Was she really that famous?
When Diesel made an indifferent expression, Kali narrowed her eyes and asked,
“You don’t know who she is.”
“…….”
“No, seriously, what have you been doing with your life to not know Ophelia?”
“……I might not know.”
Seeing Diesel trying to change the subject, Kali snickered.
“So then, what does Ophelia coming have to do with Edwin Silver?”
“Because in Ophelia’s schedule, there’s a ‘private eting with a VIP’.”
“Hm…… a VIP eting…….”
Kali slowly nodded and murmured,
“You think that VIP is Edwin Silver?”
“Yeah. Apparently, he’s a huge fan of Ophelia.”
“Mmm…… good deduction.”
“And we might be able to take advantage of that.”
“Take advantage?”
As a question mark floated across her face, Diesel continued his explanation.
After hearing it, Kali frowned and said,
“What……? You’re saying we hack Ophelia?”
Pop star Ophelia was not human, but a ‘half-android’.
Perhaps she was the most famous and beloved half-android in the world.
“Umm…… I’m not sure that’s possible…….”
“It is.”
Diesel said as he casually slipped his hand into his coat.
“I happen to know a hacker who’s pretty amazing.”
The corporate sector of Hong Kong.
The skyscraper of the gacorporation Royal Spirit.
Among them, the ‘Edwin Silver Hall’ located on the 377th floor.
The ceiling of the vast banquet hall was made of transparent material.
Because of that, even without any special lighting, the intense sunlight pouring down from the sky dazzled the interior.
Beyond the glass windows, clouds drifted past close enough to touch.
It was a sight those living down on the ground would never see in their entire lives, but for the guests who ca here, it was an entirely ordinary part of daily life.
“Ha…… manager. I told you not to pack my schedule this tight.”
An empty corridor leading to the back of the banquet hall.
A woman in an expensive dress, ‘Ophelia’, was walking briskly alongside a man who appeared to be her manager.
“Royal Spirit is Ophelia-nim’s largest sponsoring corporation. So you should think of this eting as an extension of work—”
“Work?”
She shot her manager a sharp glare and continued,
“What company do you think I work for right now?”
“…….”
“I’m not a salaried employee. I’m an artist.”
Then, as if acting, she struck a dramatic pose and expression.
“A free musician who consoles weary souls with music……!”
It could have been an embarrassing line, but Ophelia’s beautiful face made everything feel natural.
Her appearance was like looking at a sculpture.
A perfect statue painstakingly carved by a master artisan of the century.
Ophelia was originally an android specially developed for theatrical performances enjoyed by the upper class.
Because of that, she believed that gaining an ‘ego’ was a kind of destiny.
She had been designed to understand humans better than humans themselves, after all.
“Ophelia-nim.”
When the secretary spoke in a placating tone, she let out a small laugh.
“Alright. I get it. Work is important too. Don’t worry. I won’t do anything strange.”
“You mustn’t.”
“Ahh, where is my prince? My lover who will save , my Hamlet, my beloved.”
“……Ophelia-nim.”
“Oh co on. What are you, so kind of robot? Why are you so devoid of emotion? I should make you retake the ego Turing test.”
“…….”
The manager, who like her was also a half-android, rely stayed silently at her side.
Humming to herself, Ophelia arrived at the waiting room behind the stage.
The manager guided her to a seat prepared in advance and bowed deeply.
“Then I will see you again shortly.”
“Alright. Ah……! On your way back, bring so ice cream from the buffet. It looked good earlier.”
“Yes.”
After the door closed and she was left alone, Ophelia stood in front of the mirror.
‘……A prince, huh.’
As she stared at her own face, a bitter smile ford at the corner of her lips.
‘As if that could exist.’
Though Ophelia was an android who possessed an ego and emotions, she understood better than anyone the gazes people directed at her.
‘I’m just a tool.’
A tool born for the satisfaction of others.
Her beautiful voice, her perfect face and figure, her delicate emotional expressions.
All of it had rely been created by soone else—there was not a single thing that truly belonged to her.
‘Hoo…… pull yourself together.’
Sensing the signs of sinking into endless depression, Ophelia shook her head.
And just as she steeled her heart once more.
Suddenly, a strange light flickered in her field of vision.
“Hm?”
A flickering where white and black light intermingled.
The rapidly appearing and disappearing cluster of light made it seem as if it were gray.
Before long, it gradually began to take shape.
“Oh my…….”
And what appeared before Ophelia’s eyes was—
“You’re kind of cute-looking?”
A cat-shaped Electrosphere Spirit.
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