24 – A Gift for Only Her (4)
It was as if we made a promise.
Simultaneously, we turned our heads sharply towards Ex Macina.
Her gaze was a silent demand for an explanation.
Meanwhile, little Rory, who was receiving our combined gaze, was…
Slightly pulling up one corner of her mouth.
“So, how is it? My present.”
“So, this thing, how is it…?”
“Is it magic? Did you use magic? You cast a spell!”
“Highly advanced science can seem like magic. They’re both tricky.”
What exactly is the principle?
Just like what Luina said, how can one explain something that only appears as magic using science?
“Inside the accessories I gave you, there’s a nano chipset that I came up with.”
“So this is technically…an electronic device?”
“Right. As soon as you became the organic cell of that nano transmitter, you also became an independent traffic tower.”
I’m completely lost in what you’re saying.
I quietly raised my hand, expressing an immediate surrender.
“In conclusion, the accessory passed by ExMachina is a transceiver that allows two-way direct communication by using the body as a battery and a communication subject.”
Team Leader Itaeseok somehow chimed in, but I was still two steps short of understanding.
“Can you make it any simpler?”
“It’s an accessory type communicator.”
“I see.”
Yeah, sure.
If you could have summarized it in just one line, why didn’t you just say so?
You’re beating around the bush.
“I don’t like that expression much. If that’s the level you understand at, so be it.”
ExMachina shrugged with a sincere expression of disappointment.
“So, so you mean! We can still talk with each other like this, even if we’re far apart!?”
Luina asked with wide, sparkling eyes that were a little overwhelming to Ex-Machina.
“Sure, there’s a set maximum distance. Probably about 20km. If you exceed that, interference increases. After intercepting the packets from the general communication circuit, via triple proxy bypass to dedicate the line──.”
While Ex-Machina was excitedly spouting off technical terms that Luina couldn’t understand.
I focused and brought up another thought.
[Is this how it gets transmitted?]
“Ah! There it is again! I heard your voice!”
This uncanny feeling of my thoughts directly sinking into Luina’s head.
But despite that, she was simply elated and hugged me tightly.
“We can keep talking like this even when we’re apart… I think I might cry….”
Tiny teardrops were already forming in Luina’s eyes as she said this.
I wiped away her tears with my finger, and bowed my head towards Ex-Machina who was still chattering away by herself.
“Thanks for the magical gift, Ex-Machina.”
“…… I didn’t do it for the thanks, so don’t get all formal on me.”
She stopped describing with a blunt remark, wore a glum face and twirled back to her chair.
“I’m a hero, you see. I just used my way to keep the S-rank villain Luina in check and prevent unexpected disasters.”
“Still, really thank you.”
“Thank you! Eccentric Hero!”
“Okay, okay. Got it. Why don’t you two take off now? Your constant chatter is starting to give me a headache. Contact me through the team leader if there are problems with the device.”
“So, let’s go.”
Naturally taking the lead in the conversation, Team Leader Itaeseok gestured towards the place we had entered.
For the last time, I…
I silently bowed my head to the seated Ex Machina.
“Then, see you later!”
Contrasting with me, Ruina cheerily shouted and energetically waved her hand high in the air.
Lastly, we returned to the surface with a glimpse of a tiny hand sticking out over the backrest of a chair.
* * *
Back again to the blue East Sea.
I watched Ruina run around and frolic on the vast, glittering white sand beach, like a puppy playing in water.
“Communicator. How do you like it?”
Next to me, Team Leader Itaeseok, whose expression hadn’t changed, was looking in the same direction.
“I think I need to use it a little more. But, it does feel like being continuously with Ruina.”
“I hope you’re satisfied.”
“…………”
“…………”
Damn. The atmosphere is extremely awkward.
There’s hardly any topic for two men to talk about in the first place.
With someone as stiff as this, I had no idea what to converse about.
It didn’t look like this guy would enjoy talking about games or comics.
Plus, even if we tried to discuss our common topic, Ruina, it seemed unlikely that we could exchange more than a few words.
If there was anything I dared to take up with the team leader…
“Kidnapping, confinement ……. Is it still valid?”
I dared to raise an issue that concerned my personal safety.
For some reason, I felt like if I didn’t do it now, I would never be able to.
The answer to such a courageous question was,
“Yes.”
It was a reply that came back in less than a second.
“……….”
Rather, the curt answer left me with nothing more to say.
Glancing. In the silence as looks were exchanged.
Team leader Taesuk opened his mouth with a slight chuckle.
“Of course, I know that it involves a drastic measure.”
From Noble mtl dot com
“Oh, really?”
“But, please be aware. Your lover is unambiguously classified as an ultra-high-risk villain.”
“Ultra-high-risk……”
Following team leader Taesuk’s gaze, I looked at the white beach.
Right then, Luina, who had been playing enthusiastically, gave me a beaming smile and waved.
It was hard to believe that my girlfriend, who was so cheerful and lovely, was being treated as a national disaster.
Perhaps it was because the villain Luina I knew was an unrelenting character wearing a white mask and a puffy coat.
Even though I had been with her for several days already, it was still hard to believe.
“Property damage alone amounts to over 5.1 trillion. The number of deaths caused by her can be counted on one hand, but the injured are over 10,000. Civilians who have suffered indirect damage exceed 2 million.”
“Ugh.”
Humans tend to accept numbers as highly credible when they are fed specifics.
An involuntary groan slipped out at the account of Luina’s old war records, enumerated by Team Leader Itaeseok.
“That’s why if Luina gets out of control, I plan to stop her, using you as a means if necessary.”
“I will make sure…that never happens.”
Team Leader Itaeseok and I turned our heads and glanced at each other.
Soon after, the fierce gaze of the other person slightly softened.
“Thank you, Handler. Thanks to your efforts, Luina has been released and there hasn’t been a major accident for more than three days.”
“Well, I almost shattered the head of a bank robber villain.”
“Most of the deaths caused by Luina in the first place were the same villains.”
Team leader Itaeseok chuckled lightly.
Just now, was that…
Was that his idea of a joke?
Should I have chuckled along, showing compliance here?
[Hey~! I’ve been waving my arm for a while~!!]
My thoughts were swiftly erased by the thought zoomed to me from Luina’s mind.
I quickly waved my hand, sending a thought back.
[Sorry, I was talking to Team leader Itaeseok for a while.]
[Then I’ll come over too! hehehe. This is really cool and convenient!]
“I wholeheartedly agree.
It appears as if she’s some tens of meters away from me.
But her voice is so clear in my head as if we are talking face to face.
“I guess I should make some room for you now.”
As Ruina, who was running to us, came into view, Team Leader Itaeseok stepped back discreetly.
“Handler, how would you feel about staying a little while longer?”
“Pardon?”
“From what I’ve heard, it’s Ruina’s first time at the sea. Just a personal opinion, but I think it wouldn’t hurt spending some more time here, as a couple.”
“Uh….”
I was genuinely surprised, though I didn’t show it.
I realized this man, who’s like a stone Buddha, could also give some surprisingly human advice.
“Then, I’ll stay with Ruina a bit longer.”
“Understood. Please contact when you’re ready to leave.”
Team Leader Itaeseok immediately turned around gracefully and headed towards the village.
“I’m here, honey!”
While I was blankly watching him,
Ruina suddenly came close and nestled her head into me.
Ah, she must’ve done so because she’d been running around the beach for over three minutes.
It was like her to meticulously check her abilities.
“Ruina, would you like to stay here a little longer?”
As I stroked Luina’s hair tenderly, I asked her,
“Hmm? I don’t really mind. Why~?”
“Well, it’s your first time seeing the ocean. I just thought I wanted to be with you a little more.”
“You’re thinking of me? hehehe. Of course, it’s you. I love it so much♡”
Luina hugged me warmly, smiling in satisfaction.
I stroked her hair time and time again, casting a glance in the direction where the vanished Mr. Itaeseok had walked.
There were still some parts that were hard to swallow and left a bitter taste, but I had to thank him for everything today.
For meeting ExMachina.
For the gift of the telepathic device.
And for allowing me to see the sea with Luina.