Supporting Characters in the Game are Obsessed

Sure!

—

Yes.

Actually, I don’t have a driver’s license.

But if you ask me if I can’t ‘drive’, that’s not true.

There are several reasons why I can naturally drive (and drift and corner) even without a license.

First of all, I have memories of getting a license in modern society before I fell into this damn game.

Also, playing ‘racing games’ to the point where the complex interface of high-performance supercars feels as natural as my home is one of the reasons.

So.

– ‘License? Nah, not needed. Look at the driving skills I acquired with a cheap virtual reality device.’

I didn’t feel much importance for a license while living in this world.

…

To be honest, my ‘identity data’ is fake, so it was hard to get a license.

Where would a decent identity be for a vagabond like me, rolling around in a landfill with Catherine?

My identity data was fake, created by a technician nicknamed ‘Fixer.’

If I casually went to the driving test center run by the city and my fake identity was exposed, it was obvious the NCPD would be dispatched.

In that case, I decided not to take a driver’s license.

For now, it was possible to drive well enough that the car could move smoothly.

But.

Today, I realized the importance of a license once again.

Thin smoke was wafting from the vehicle’s engine room.

Was it because I pressed the accelerator to its limit? It looked like it could no longer move.

I slowly removed my sweaty, blood-stained palm from the vehicle’s wheel.

My finger joints felt numb. I clenched and released my fist slightly. I gradually loosened my body, which had stiffened with tension.

Somehow, I’m still alive.

I turned my head toward the passenger seat and asked.

“Are you okay?”

Then, a voice like a spiritless person answered from the passenger seat.

“…Yeah.”

By the way, in front of the boss, there’s a sign of a deflated airbag. It exploded when we crashed earlier, but I kept driving without stopping.

The boss’s complexion was completely pale.

They didn’t look okay at all….

But being able to say they were fine meant they were still somewhat conscious.

Thank goodness the vehicle’s engine was high-performance. Even my lacking skills were enough to shake off police drones.

Of course, during that process, there were minor issues like hitting a cleaning robot, going off-road onto a slope, or destroying intact walls and street trees.

But that wasn’t important right now.

I never knew when the chase would start again. I couldn’t just sit here forever.

I nodded and said to the boss.

“Let’s move for now.”

—

“…Where is this?”

“It’s a viewing platform.”

I don’t know how hard I pressed the accelerator, but we had arrived at an area that seemed to be the end of the upper-class area.

It was the boundary of a towering barrier.

Below the low railing, the vast panorama of Neon City smoothly unfolded.

…

Should this be called a viewing platform?

“I don’t understand why they made a viewing platform that shows what you can see here.”

From the upper-class area, looking down, the sight of the middle and lower-class areas, which were full of clouds, looked clouded.

At least the distant view of the ‘Black Monolith Tower’ was a giant structure peeking above the clouds, boasting as a landmark.

Aside from that, there were cargo drones lazily moving, hanging with containers.

So this is what it looks like above the clouds. I never knew from the lower-class area.

I walked closer to the railing and leaned slightly, savoring the cool, fresh air.

If it weren’t for the fact that chasers and police drones were fiercely pursuing us from behind, I might have felt like a tourist.

The clouds surged below like waves.

As I took in the view, I began to understand the reason for the viewing platform’s existence.

The boss slowly walked beside me.

“…How’s your body? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

It seems they still worry.

Anyway, the scratches from rolling on the ground due to the missile shockwave were all that came from it.

Well, I do look like I’m on the verge of death.

I waved my hand dismissively.

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m really okay. Most of the bleeding has stopped.”

…

But if I say I’m too okay, I don’t get my bonus, right?

Suddenly realizing this possibility, I cleared my throat briefly and continued.

“…Well, it kinda hurts a bit.”

I subtly turned my head to look at the boss.

The boss, with a gloomy face, was gazing at me with a worried look.

…Can’t even lie here.

I slowly shrugged.

“Just kidding. I’m really fine.”

“…Then I’m glad.”

If this atmosphere continues, I feel like I might get a hole in my head.

I quickly changed the subject of conversation.

“Anyway, do you have any other plans to escape from here? Since we’ve already been caught by the police drones, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be long before the chasers arrive.”

The boss slowly thought and opened their mouth.

“…If the city is really chasing us, it’ll be tough. If they have enough time to prepare, that’s another story, but with the chasers right behind us–.”

At that moment, the boss suddenly turned around.

The police drone’s flashing lights shone brightly from a distance.

The sirens were getting closer.

…How long has it been since we shook them off that they’re already back on our tail?

“…”

The front was a cliff, and the back was the police.

If we get caught, I carefully predict we’ll all be executed on the spot for whatever charges they can find, whether true or false.

I let out a deep sigh.

“Ugh….”

Turning to the boss, I continued.

“I really didn’t expect to attempt the worst way out. The location is just perfect too.”

“…Is there another method?”

At my words, the boss widened their eyes in surprise.

I quietly relayed my message to that boss.

“You said you have no fear of heights at the party venue earlier, right?”

“…Why suddenly that?”

I guess they’re feeling something ominous; the boss received my words in a shaky tone.

But that phrase didn’t finish until the end.

It’s better to either fully prepare your heart for something like this, or to not prepare it at all.

Before the boss could finish speaking, I used the mana I gathered to launch both the boss and myself out of the viewing platform.

“…Huh?”

Is that a voice I’ve never heard before?

My short admiration lasted only a moment.

“Aaaaaah──!!”

A girlish scream rang in my ears.

—

Through that simple yet dangerous process, we successfully infiltrated inside the ‘cargo transport container.’

“Phew, I’m glad we landed safely.”

“…”

While flying in the sky using wind magic is impossible, I managed to go down in the direction I wanted.

“If I had made a slight mistake, I would have fallen straight to the ground. Of course, I could’ve attempted a landing anyway, but it would’ve been a little less safe.”

“…”

The situation was so urgent that I didn’t have time to ask for the boss’s consent.

Anyway, it’s true we succeeded in escaping, so the boss was looking at me with a face that seemed like they wanted to say something but couldn’t.

I hope they don’t seek revenge later for this.

Even I, with no fear of heights, felt burdened about skydiving without a parachute.

I promised myself not to do it again… I firmly resolved as I thought.

I took a quick look around through the hole I made in the container’s outer wall. I could see the flowing clouds and the rooftops of tall buildings.

We were still in the sky.

“I guess there won’t be any more pursuit.”

“…That’s a relief.”

The boss replied in a deflated voice.

A short silence followed.

Feeling awkward, I examined the inside of the cargo ship and spoke.

“This seems to be a cargo container from LAD. It’s filled with nutrient tubes. Oh, this is my favorite flavor. I wonder if I can take one.”

“Do you know what kind of company LAD originally was?”

Is this a sudden quiz time?

“What is it?”

“Like A Dog, a dog food company.”

“…”

I never expected the food company responsible for the ‘meals’ of the lower-class citizens to have such a past.

By the way, it’s also my stock.

As I stammered with shock, the boss finally lightened the mood, chuckling and smiling.

“Anyway, the escape was neat. And it seems like you really are okay.”

“…I’ve been saying I’m fine.”

“After all, you’re a mercenary with a 100% success rate.”

That makes me feel a bit pressured.

“…Eh, I just got lucky.”

“A mercenary speaks through results.”

I scratched my head as I received the praise.

When I have nothing to say, it’s important to change the subject.

“Uh, I made a hole to check the outside situation. If not, you could smoke a cigarette. You couldn’t smoke while running away anyway.”

Upon my words, the boss looked at me and slowly took out an electronic cigarette from their pocket.

“I’m good.”

Then they threw my electronic cigarette out through the hole I made.

“Hey, why suddenly….”

“I’m trying to quit.”

“No, what if someone passing below gets hit by the electronic cigarette?”

“…”

The boss squinted and stared at me, a look of incredulity that meant something different than before.

“…The person who gets hit would probably like it. It’s an expensive product, even second-hand.”

“Oh.”

And it’s even the No Answer boss edition.

Thinking about it, that seems likely.

The boss, who skillfully threw my words back at me, sat on a sack filled with nutrient tubes.

Leaning against the container’s outer wall, they looked back at me.

“I guess you didn’t understand what I meant. About quitting smoking.”

“…?”

Isn’t it obvious that quitting smoking is the right thing?

As a non-smoker, I couldn’t understand.

The boss chuckled softly.

“It’s okay; just take your time.”

The boss’s blue eyes fixed on me.

Maybe it’s just my feeling, but there was none of the usual coldness left in those eyes.

…

I don’t know.

One thing is certain: the day filled with hardship is coming to an end.

I lightly sighed as I leaned back against the opposite side of the container next to the boss.

—

“…And right after we landed in the container, the attacks continued. Probably?”

Just so you know, the chase didn’t end there.

I thought that would be the end of my life.

Thanks to the ‘signal emitter’ Drake gave me, we were able to receive help from our teammates.

Hmm.

That was really dizzying back then.

Now that I think about it, it has all become a memory.

It felt like we had a long conversation. It was already late. My eyes were getting heavy.

I yawned and said to Natasha.

“…Yawn, by the way. It seems you really quit smoking completely since that time.”

“Of course.”

Natasha answered while looking at me.

…

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

I remembered she said she smoked only because she didn’t have a boyfriend.

If she has quit smoking now, does that mean she has a boyfriend?

The soft sensation that covered my lips was the next event.

What is this?

Before I could fully grasp the situation, Natasha’s face slowly distanced itself from mine.

Wow, that sure woke me up.

“How’s it? You don’t smell like smoke, right?”

“…U-uh, yes.”

“It’s a secret from others. It’ll be a problem if I’m found out.”

Natasha winked slightly, placing her finger on her lips in a gesture of secrecy.

…Um.

I scratched my head, nodding.

Then suddenly, I asked Natasha another question out of curiosity.

“…So what plans are you making with others?”

At my words, Natasha smiled broadly.

And that smile was very similar to the one I had seen inside the container.

“You’re the only one who doesn’t know.”

—

“Are you really stupid?”

I didn’t expect to be called stupid just for asking for some advice.

“Why?”

“…No.”

Drake held onto his eye sockets with his thick hands.

He looked like he was seeing something pathetic.

---