Fortune Cookie (18)

Purity. A state not mixed with impurities or foreign elements.

To me, the ice on Titan seemed to be just like that. The ice's transparency came from its tendency to freeze, layer by layer, from the bottom up.

Of course, it wasn't as if all ice froze in this manner. There certainly was ice that didn't. There were plenty with surfaces that had turned white, as if sprinkled with sugar.

The mountain range on Titan could be explained as the end result of locally common upside-down icicles growing to extreme sizes. Influenced by blue crystals, Titan's ice had a toughness that set it apart from regular ice. The massive, triangular mountain ranges of ice were overwhelming in their very form.

At the edge of a sheer cliff, whenever strong winds blew, ice crystals scattered, scattering light. And sometimes, when a large chunk broke off, exposing the inside, a painfully clear, transparent ice would flaunt its appearance.

A world of white. Wherever I looked, white stretched out endlessly, the ground shimmering with no perceivable end. Occasionally—every once in a while—when a real aurora, not just the shield effect, descended like a curtain, I would feel emotions that even I didn't quite understand.

'What a crazy world.'

Majesty only struck the first time or two. After a few near-misses with something beyond just avalanches—full-blown ice slides—I had to admit, joy and awe were luxuries I could no longer afford.

No wonder they say that what looks like a comedy from afar is a tragedy up close.

'... Or was it the other way around? Nadia told me not to use that dog phrase, too.'

Anyway, it was all tragedy here—near or far, didn't matter. Snow pouring down on us wasn't simply beautiful anymore, not when accompanied by storms.

I knew that the world of pristine white filling my vision was only beautiful on the outside; truly, a sharp-edged blade hid on the inside. Like a fortune cookie, you don't know what's truly inside until you split it open.

Who could say how much death lay beneath all that—

"Hyun-woo, snap out of your daze and help me here."

"Oh, uh, yeah."

Shaken from my thoughts, I quickly grabbed the part Nadia had been wrestling with. The thruster panel, which regulated output, was bent so badly it was a wonder it still functioned.

"Can you straighten that?"

"Looks like I can if I use some force. Are you sure I can just use brute strength here?"

"If you can straighten it, please do. Just don't break it. Little damages like this add up, and output goes down."

"Got it."

Right now, we'd made an emergency landing with the shuttle on the gentlest peak of the ice mountains. If we went back as is, Kyle would end up killing Roxy, so we were making emergency repairs, aiming for something presentable enough to avoid suspicion.

We couldn't fix the more delicate circuitry without the proper equipment, but as those parts weren't immediately visible, we could at least buy ourselves some time to escape or hide.

"All done."

"Yeah, that's perfect. Any further and it probably would break. Good job, Hyun-woo."

Nadia grinned and tapped the back of my hand. It felt like she was stamping me with a sticker for a job well done. Her touch, like one comforting a child, made me chuckle, but then my gaze landed on someone nearby still spacing out, and I let out a soft sigh.

"Roxy, if you're out here, help out. Otherwise, just go inside."

"If I go in, does that mean I don't have to help?"

"No, just help. I don't expect much—just grab a tool and try flattening that dented backup glove."

"Sorry, but I don't have any skill for that. If I try to mess with it, I'll probably just make it worse. I'm honestly not good at most things."

His tone somehow rubbed me the wrong way—maybe because of my preconceived notions.

"Then go inside. Why stand out here? Go check on Eric or something."

"My spectrum's wide, but hooking up with another guy isn't my thing."

"Should I kill him, Hyun-woo?"

Nadia grinned savagely, which was unlike her. It was the first time I realized she could smile that way. Normally, she was shy around those she didn't know well. Or at least she should be.

Maybe it was because Roxy's antics had made him seem less than human, letting her interact much more comfortably.

As Nadia clicked the plasma cutter menacingly, Roxy frantically waved his hands.

"H-hey, put that down, friend. It's not like I don't have something to do."

"What is it, then? What are you going to do?"

"I'll cheer for you while you work hard."

"That's it. I really need to kill him."

"Hold back, Nadia."

I quickly grabbed Nadia, whose tail was bristling. Her ears flapped, demanding to be let go.

Just then, Licorice, who had been commanding the security robot to remove the black spikes lodged in the multi-legged tank, stepped in to resolve the situation.

- Roxy, stop harassing them and check the cockpit. That isn't your toy. You have your own, don't you?

"Why should I? You're not my boss anymore, you know. Besides, I've already checked it."

- Just go. I'm asking nicely.

"Well, if you insist."

As the multi-legged tank glared with a cold blue gleam, Roxy naturally turned and headed inside the shuttle.

- The rest of you, finish up the repairs and get inside. It's not like banging on it without equipment will fix everything.

"We were almost done anyways."

Thanks to Nadia's dexterity, we managed to fix more than expected. To Kyle, it might still look like a mess, but at least it might give him room to reconsider.

As Nadia checked the thruster and finished up, I took a look at the multi-legged tank.

Though it had reverted from its custom black-spiked look and had lost its initial grandeur, the specific feel of the tank was still there. It looked presentable enough that I could easily imagine it on display at the kind of museum I'd only seen in holograms.

How someone managed to bring something like that into the residential area was beyond me. I knew Licorice had always been interested in robots, but I never imagined it to this extent.

'Well, I suppose...'

She had even left a few shuttles docked in orbit, so I decided not to think too hard about it.

"Licorice."

- Yes?

"I've always thought this, but you really are amazing."

- W-what? Out of nowhere?

"I just realized it again—you're like an onion. Isn't that what people say about someone with many layers?"

Three years was hardly a short time. Yet, I still didn't know Licorice well.

Personality, preferences—these I could deduce from her behavior, but I'd never heard them directly from her. I didn't even know what she looked like, or her real name.

Without the recent events, I probably never would have found out. That realization gave me a peculiar sense of regret.

I didn't know what Licorice thought of me, but I definitely thought she was important—she was the first to ever extend a hand to me.

Maybe that's why, deep down, I always felt compelled to listen to what she said.

- ... You've got me a bit flustered. But do you even know what an onion is?

"I've never seen one in person, but I've seen photos. And there was a saying like that on Earth. Did I use it right?"

- Is that really a saying? Well, close enough. You used it properly.

Licorice hummed softly, her pride clear in her tone. It was odd—just a moment ago, she seemed so impressive, but even without seeing her, I could sense her nose in the air, and mischievous feelings started to bubble up inside me.

- I guess I do have a side like that! I never would've guessed you saw me that way, Hyun-woo!

Her mood shot up, and she started chattering, embellishing her own greatness. It seemed she wanted to say something else, but that got set aside.

'... She's getting a little carried away.'

Nadia, meanwhile, exuded subtle irritation. While her tail fur was as usual, her lips stuck out in a pout. To a casual observer she'd seem normal, but from this angle, I could tell the difference.

- Well, I guess I'm impressive, but you guys have skills too. All sorts of things happened, but you got the core component, and Woof-woof managed to get the Store Level 2 Certification data board as well.

Nadia just happened to pick it up while she was at it, or so she claimed, as she finished up the repairs. She acted like it was no big deal, but raising the Store's level was important. After all, you never knew when the Store system might suddenly go down.

After seeing the residential area this time, I understood it for sure—nothing was forever.

So before that happened, the plan was to raise the level and milk as much benefit as possible.

'Well, first, we definitely have to escape.'

Preparing for the worst didn't mean I was waiting for disaster to come. I wasn't planning to stay here forever, and that was why everyone in the town was working day and night.

Licorice suddenly asked, as if she'd just remembered:- By the way, you picked up a bracelet, right? Why haven't you synchronized it yet?

"Ah, that's..."

My words trailed off as I recalled the bracelet in my belt pouch—the one that belonged to Ted, recovered along with the Cube. It had been buried so deep in the flesh I almost missed it, but Carry's scan function had found it.

I ran my hand over the icy surface and let the wind wrap around me—it was sharp, cold, but also oddly refreshing. A rush of similar yet subtly different feelings hit me all at once.

I remembered him—Ted, wandering the streets of the residential area as a ghoul, later blocking our path as an even more dangerous monster fused with the crucial part for the shield generator.

And before all that, I remembered the risks he took to help us. These quickly recalled memories left only a bitter aftertaste.

Nadia's eyes, watching me quietly, drooped. Instead of giving a long explanation, I just shrugged—I didn't need to make the mood heavier. The surrounding scenery was heavy enough as it was.

"I was planning to do it anyway. You know how busy it's been until just a bit ago."

- That's... true. Well, since we brought it up, just do it now. I'll watch for any problems.

I nodded and brought my bracelet and Ted's together. With a clear ping of metal, two hologram windows appeared—one showing my information, the other, Ted's.

- ... Ted? Is that the person you mentioned before?

"What, you remembered?"

- It wasn't that long ago, of course I remember. No wonder you're feeling sentimental; I guess there was a reason.

"That's not really it..."

- Oh please, don't I know you by now? You keep so much inside for someone who doesn't look the type. Just put the bracelets together and think positively. He was generous—helped you out, and even left you his identity now.

"When you put it like that, it sounds weird."

Either way, it was weird. I wasn't sentimental, and although Ted had certainly been generous, hearing it all out loud left me feeling strange.

Mumbling, I operated the bracelet, and the two hologram windows overlapped, eventually merging into one. My official status changed from 'Junior Worker' to 'Senior-rank Worker.'

- If it bothers you that much, just think of it as him going with you.

"That makes it weirder. Why do you have to say that? Creeps me out."

- You're such a handful. So, how much credit did you get?

"About two million credits."

My current credits had jumped significantly since before. That was because I'd received part of Ted's assets.

Alongside the three hundred thousand credits Carrot had given me to buy the black spikes, a new category had appeared in parentheses. Credits acquired through bracelet synchronization seemed limited to use here only, hence the distinction.

- Residential area mechanics get paid a lot less than Heaven mechanics. Still, this worked out. I could buy most things for you, but having extra credits never hurts. So try to gather bracelets when you can.

"That's exactly the kind of thing I wish you wouldn't say..."

I sighed softly. Having finished emergency repairs, we boarded the shuttle, with Roxy at the controls, waiting as if for this moment.

The shuttle's engine ignited, and the thruster soon roared to life. The little fixes we'd given it made it more stable than before—even with the weight of the multi-legged tank.

And so, we headed for town.

***

"What is this—! What have you done?! What on earth happened—?!"

Hearing we'd returned, Kyle had come running, but as he saw the shuttle landed in town, his face twisted strangely, and he finally collapsed, powerless.

I yawned and watched Licorice stretch casually, unimpressed. She, in turn, looked unconcerned whether Kyle reacted oddly or not, eyeing the Alpha-series security robots and the multi-legged tank.

"... Didn't you warn him in advance?"

"Nope."

"..."

Nadia and I smacked our foreheads with our palms. His reaction now was this bad just seeing the results—if Nadia hadn't held back, Kyle's soul might have actually left his body.

I looked up at the sky. Now, large, crystal-shaped snowflakes had started falling. Titan's whim had quickly dropped the temperature around us.

Winter. A season when even a small warmth was keenly felt—a good time to lend a hand to someone in need. I reached out to console Kyle.

"Kyle, we'll help."

"... Do you have any shuttle repair experience? Besides just bending armor plates, I mean."

"No, not really."

"... Any experience repairing operation circuits or gyroscopes?"

"I've never done that. Nadia, what about you?"

I'd expected Nadia to have done it before, but she shook her head without hesitation. She said she could do it if someone taught her, but, right now, she had zero background.

"Then just go inside and rest. You've done enough. I'm sure you didn't create this grand mess for no reason."

"Putting 'grand' in front of the word just makes it sound worse."

Nadia timidly raised her hand and spoke up. Kyle's mouth dropped open slightly, then closed. His gaze lingered on Nadia's ears and tail.

He nodded slightly and picked up a heavy tool.

"Roxy! Where are you hiding?! Get out here, you bastard! Get out—!"

Pitifully, he became a lost soul, wandering around, searching for Roxy who had vanished without a trace.

I quietly withdrew my hand and, seeing the timing, slipped off to a building beginning to actually resemble residential housing.

【( ･o˙ )】

"Carry, stop gawking and come on. And that face is rude. Sometimes, people just lose it. I'll fix you up inside—come on!"

【(„• ֊ •„)੭】

We dragged Carry away, who'd been busy watching as Kyle finally found the still-hiding Roxy. Really, the little guy. The view would've been even better from above—seems he hasn't figured that out yet.

Thought I'd take this chance to teach him.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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