Chapter 39 – Party, Quantum Nexus (3)

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Chapter 39 – Party, Quantum Nexus (3)

“…You’re the chairman of?”

Did she hear what I called her?

Hei Lu, the tactical organizer of Heishukai, asked in a cautious tone.

“…Excuse me, may I ask your name?”

It was different from when she asked for my name earlier.

It was a very cautious tone.

The chairman’s reaction to him was the same.

“Right now, that’s not the important thing, you know? It would be good if you could answer what you want from my companion.”

Continuing in a dismissive manner.

Sharp golden eyes shot at Hei Lu like daggers.

“…This is an internal matter for Heishukai, so if it’s unrelated, you should─.”

“It’s about one of my company employees, why would I say it’s unrelated?”

Of course, it really was unrelated.

Since I’m not actually an employee of Black Monolith.

But for now, because I borrowed that identity to attend the party.

The chairman’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

I quietly watched their conversation.

Honestly, if there were popcorn, it would have been even better.

As our conversation continued, more and more people around us began to gather attention.

Did Hei Lu notice that?

After a brief pause, his voice gradually increased.

“You said you’re from the same company, but two people came together. As far as I know, the rule for this party is one person per company.”

Hei Lu let out a hollow laugh with an incredulous expression. His smiling face remained unchanged.

“Enough with the lies. It seems like it’s a new company that’s still low in the corporate hierarchy… “If you act like a frog in a well, you’ll be in trouble.”

Meanwhile,

As his words ended, the lights in the entire banquet hall ominously dimmed.

It wasn’t completely dark, just dimmed by one level.

Spotlights shone down from the ceiling.

A man dressed in a stylish suit.

《First of all, we would like to thank everyone who attended the ‘Quantum Nexus’ party.》

His amplified voice echoed throughout the banquet hall.

《“I’m Rex Nova, the entrepreneur, entertainer, and host of this event, and I’m the CCO of Leisure and Entertainment Corporation, as you can see.》

Laughter followed his casual remark.

It seemed like I’d seen him more on entertainment shows than on the news.

Someone like him is also here.

《But! I have some surprising news to share with you all today.》

He continued with exaggerated gestures.

《Even after hearing that news, I don’t think I should continue with the greetings. So, I sought their understanding in advance and asked to start the greetings on their behalf!》

The spotlight fell on us.

More precisely, where the chairman stood.

《I can’t believe it myself! The chairman of Black Monolith Corporation, Taylor Blackstar!》

Perhaps it was the mood, or perhaps it was the bright spotlight.

Hei Lu’s complexion seemed to turn pale. His smiling face froze in place.

The chairman also looked pale, but it felt different.

Her flawless skin was strikingly evident.

The spotlight’s focus, the chairman, took the microphone.

《So, what do you have to say?!》

In her voice, Hei Lu couldn’t muster any response.

Hei Lu disappeared as if fleeing came next. The sweat flowing down like he was sinking in water was quite impressive.

[‘Hei Lu’, saved in the database, I express.]

…

Even though Eve, who was somehow scary, is beside the point,

Anyway, it wasn’t that hard to understand Hei Lu’s actions in fleeing.

If the person you were fighting with turns out to be the chairman of a famous corporation…

Well.

It’s a situation one wouldn’t want to imagine.

The chairman, holding the microphone, didn’t extend his greetings for long.

《Why bother with long greetings? Let’s all just have a good time.!》

Even though it was an official occasion, nobody seemed to care about that part.

The chairman handed the microphone to a waiter.

Applause poured in from all directions.

“…The ‘Emperor’ is here? That doesn’t make sense. It was a place where only the CEOs of Black Monolith affiliates came.”

“…It’s the first time I’ve seen his face, but is it really him? I mean, even though I might not remember the face of the Monolith chairman, I wouldn’t forget it.”

“It’s probably a newly created body, why ask such questions? A female body? Anyway, if you think about it, they were originally born as a woman. But still, reaching the chairman’s position is truly impressive.”

There was murmuring among the crowd.

…”

I pondered slowly.

The chairman’s appearance.

However, with her help, I managed to defeat the members of a Chinese mafia organization.

Honestly speaking though, it wasn’t a good thing for me.

The chairman walks towards me.

Simultaneously, the gaze of everyone in the banquet hall turns towards me.

It was inevitable that their conversation topic shifted from the chairman to ‘me’.

“…Is this the employee who came with her? If it’s Mr. Monolith, that’s possible, but I don’t recognize him.”

“Hmm, well, if he’s someone the chairman brought with him, I’ll have to look into it.”

No, everyone.

I’m not an employee or anything at all.

Just someone who came here under false pretenses.

I wanted to scream it out like that.

I wanted to take out the mask I had concealed in my pocket.

…For now.

I slowly moved to a corner of the banquet hall.

I deliberately ignored the chairman following behind me.

Alright.

Since I’ve come this far, there shouldn’t be anyone who can overhear our conversation.

The chairman asks me.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

“Have you been waiting long?”

“…No.”

I reflexively replied.

“Not too long.”

I swallowed the rest of my words.

“…You said you were busy, so how did you come?”

“Haha, I wasn’t so busy that I couldn’t make time.”

Well, it could happen.

I started with the questions I was curious about.

“Um, Chairman.”

“Yeah?”

“You seem to have a very small stature.”

This was a euphemistic expression.

A certain part was, in fact, quite large.

“Oh, this? It’s a newly cultivated body this time.”

As she said that, she lifted her black dress slightly.

“I took it out a bit earlier than planned, so it didn’t grow as much as I wanted, but it’s not a big problem.”

I thought she could just come in the body of a middle-aged man that she usually used.

But if the chairman said so,

I couldn’t say anything.

Pull yourself together.

The person in front of me is the chairman of Megacorp, boasting the top position in the corporate hierarchy.

I took a short, deep breath.

The chairman asks me again.

“Have you found that Smile John guy or whatever?”

“…Not yet.”

There were limits to wandering around alone.

Especially when the limits of disguise were reached.

“I analyzed the voice data of Smile John.”

“Oh.”

“So, there’s no way, but we haven’t seen any candidates yet.”

The chairman changed her posture, crossing her arms in a relaxed manner.

Naturally, her chest rose.

“Alright, then I’ll help you with that.”

“…Thank you if you do.”

I nodded my head coolly.

“So just stand behind me while I talk.”

I’d be grateful if she went that far.

With the Black Monolith chairman here, there’s no one in this place who would ignore her and leave.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

We moved towards the center of the banquet hall.

“Ah, have you tried the food here?”

“Yes, it was delicious.”

“Haha, I saw you liked this kind of cuisine when we dined last time. Let’s sit down for a meal again next time.”

“Hahaha, sure.”

I replied absent-mindedly.

The Korean-specific greeting came to mind.

‘Let’s grab a meal next time.’

Maybe that wasn’t the intention.

Well, anyway.

Smile John.

I’ll be able to find him soon.

Thinking so, I followed behind the chairman, walking slowly.

* * *

He wasn’t there.

“…I’ve pretty much-checked everything, but there was no one?”

“…Yes.”

There really was no one.

Was the information overblown, or did the loyal warrior lie to me?

I didn’t even have that thought.

The person with the highest probability was 9%, wasn’t it?

It was a bit unreasonable to suspect him as Smile John with just a single-digit probability.

And then.

A noisy voice came from one side of the banquet hall.

《Can you believe it? Following the Black Monolith Chairman! This person is here this time!》

Amidst the soft classical music, a loud voice could be heard.

《Vice Chairman of Kojaka Corporation! This is ‘William Kojaka’!!》

[TL/N: Koozaka:- Kojaka]

They handed the microphone to a middle-aged man.

《Hello, everyone, It was nice to meet you. It’s truly an honor to see everyone in such a place.》

He was truly a famous person.

To the extent that he could be compared to the chairman beside me.

Especially someone who appeared in the news a lot.

It was at its peak when my stocks crashed.

I stood there blankly when Eve’s voice was heard.

[Smile John’s probability is 61%.]

“Huh?”

…

I hoped not.

If you say vice chairman there.

He was practically the chairman of the Kojaka Corporation.

For me, it was the worst possibility.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]