Buzz--Buzz--Buzz... Buzz--Buzz--Buzz--
It's already been so many years since we entered the age of smart technology, yet my mobile phone still hasn't learned that its owner gets sleepy in spring, dozes off in summer, and feels tired in autumn. Thus, it is vibrating wildly beside my pillow, making noises that interfere with my sleep.
After struggling with my drowsiness for a while, I wake up groggily and answer the phone call.
[player]Hello?
[Nana Shiraishi]Junior! Haven't you gotten up yet?
Nana Shiraishi's young and energetic voice coming from the other side is loud, clear, and very upbeat, so I pull my phone slightly farther away from my ear.
[player]Congratulations, you guessed correctly.
[Nana Shiraishi]Wow! It's already 6 a.m. How can you still sleep?
[player]It's ONLY 6 a.m.! Why are you awake already?!
[Nana Shiraishi]Because we need to prepare for the Nth pool party of Asaha High School.
[player]What number does "N" in "Nth" actually stand for?
[Nana Shiraishi]That's not important. The important thing is... Are you participating this time?
[player]The whole thing sounds sketchy to me... I don't believe the vice president would let you hold a pool party.
[Nana Shiraishi]Sigh, it's getting harder to trick you now...
[player]It's mainly because my awareness against scams is increasing year by year.
[Nana Shiraishi]Actually, the swimming club will be starting training tomorrow, and the swimming pool needs to be cleaned today.
[player]Suddenly, I don't know what I should comment on.
[Nana Shiraishi]You can comment on why I'm a substitute for all the clubs or comment on how you're the most enthusiastic citizen of One Han City.
[player]Geez, thank you for answering my question for me...
[Nana Shiraishi]You're welcome! So... you'll be coming right? I won't be the only one there. Hana, Yuzu, Liisa Liisa, and Kirara will also be there... Oh, that's right, Kana said she'll also make time to come...
[Nana Shiraishi]There's also... Hey, don't be in such a rush to hang up. I've already reported this matter to the vice president, and we've been given permission to play in the water freely. We can even have a water fight in the open-air swimming pool for the entire day!
[Nana Shiraishi]Oh... But you don't need to know how I reported it to the vice president, ahahahaha...
I would be lying if I said I wasn't moved by Nana Shiraishi's enthusiastic introduction. Through the phone, her youthful vigor is constantly calling for me to be free, but my desire to play fades away instantly when I remember what happened to Soul.
Sigh--I sure am the most enthusiastic citizen of One Han City.
[player]Sorry, Nana, I don't think I can come.
[Nana Shiraishi]You're amazing. You managed to turn me down decisively even after all the temptations I've been throwing at you.
[player]It isn't that I resisted the temptations... I promised someone yesterday to do something for them.
[Nana Shiraishi]What a shame... In that case, don't worry about it. I'll tell you how fun the party was after it ends!
[player]That won't be necessary...
Beep--Beep--Beep--
The busy tone that plays after a call is hung up starts playing before I can tell her no. Nana Shiraishi's hasty personality is something that I both love and hate.
After getting interrupted by her, I'm no longer in the mood to keep sleeping. After all, the key to going back to sleep is having nothing to worry about, and I'm now very worried about what I should say after meeting the leader of Strix.
I have returned to this dojo that looks very ordinary no matter how I look at it. The waiter from before is at the front desk, and he takes me to the office behind the secret passage. This place looks the same as when I came yesterday, and even the orientation of the legs has not changed in any way.
Noticing my presence, the other person gets up slowly and yawns before looking up at a nearby clock.
[???]8:30?
[player]It's already 8:30. Are you still sleeping?
After I say this with complete confidence, I feel like my troubles have dissipated slightly, and I even straightened my back. This is probably the legendary "Nana Shiraishi effect."
[???]I... guess it's okay. Start early and finish early so you don't get in the way of me returning home to sleep.
[player]Don't tell me you're waiting here especially for me? What if I don't come?
[???]Based on my understanding of you, there's a 50% chance you'll come.
[player]What's there to understand? There are only two options, come and not come, so isn't it obvious that there's a 50% chance?
[???]That calculation is incorrect. You must know that Strix isn't known to be a charitable organization. Others aren't brave enough to come here alone like you.
[???]Oh, but I don't think you came here because you're brave. It's because you have absolutely no clue about what place this is. As they say, the ignorants are fearless.
Although my face is calm, turbulent waves surge through my heart. He is right.
All I know about Strix is that it's an organization that sells intelligence. I don't know anything about the scope of their business or their background. However, the best thing I can do now is to keep my silence and not make any comments because the other party can easily take control of the situation if I show any timidity at this moment.
Kutsuji smiles and doesn't really seem to care about my attitude. He walks out from behind the desk and leans against it, keeping a distance of about one meter from me.
[Kutsuji]If we're going to have a vendor and customer relationship from now on. Let me introduce myself to you, my new boss.
[Kutsuji]I'm Kutsuji, the leader of the intelligence organization Strix. As you can see, this is my office... well, one of them anyway.
[player]Although you already know about me, I'll introduce myself as well out of politeness.
[player]I'm PLAYER, and as you can see, I'm a Jyanshi who likes to play mahjong.
[Kutsuji]Well, I hope we get along during this transaction, PLAYER.
[Kutsuji]Of course, you're welcome to do business with us at any time after this transaction. As long as you have enough money, Strix can provide you with any information you need.
Wait! I feel like I've heard this line before many times. For example: "As long as you're rich enough, PLAYER, Luck and Fortune can even sell you good luck!"
Is this some kind of commercial phrase in One Han City? I won't be so easily deceived by this line anymore, so I choose to refuse.
[player]I haven't agreed to enter into a transaction with you yet.
[Kutsuji]That doesn't matter. I believe the chips in my hand will change your mind.
[Kutsuji]As far as I know, there's an animal tamer called Ciri in Soul who seems to be able to get inside Countless Springs quite often even though she doesn't make a lot of money.
[Kutsuji]What kind of place do you think Countless Springs is? Haha, it's famous in One Han City for being a money squandering establishment. Do you want to guess how she gets in?
[player]You... Don't imply strange things to me.
[Kutsuji]I'm just telling you what everyone sees and thinks.
[player]...Hmm.
[Kutsuji]Relax, I won't ask for an exorbitant sum. I just want you to do one thing for me. Complete this task, and I'll tell you what relationship Ciri has with Countless Springs.
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