NOVEL NEXT Chapter 155
How did the person’s name become Gable Doe…?
Of course, when you think about it, the names of people living in Neon City have always been unique.
Orcs using simple and classic names like Tom, John, and Jane without surnames are quite a distinct group too.
Even the Asian woman who was Kojaka William’s secretary had a strange name that mixed Japanese and English in it.
But what can I say about it?
His name had a slightly different kind of uniqueness. It felt a bit more inorganic.
Just like intelligence agencies such as the CIA or MI6, the City Security Department manages the city’s security, and its unique security maintenance system is quite bizarre, he said.
He mentioned that “Gable” was derived from a surname he had used previously, and “Doe” came from a temporary expression meaning an unknown man.
He said his name wasn’t the only weird one.
Every person’s name working in the security department was created in that manner.
I understood it as feeling akin to anonymous names like “Hong Gil-dong” or “Somebody.”
He also complained that there was a simpler way to use temporary code names, wondering why they had to change names in such a classical manner.
And his hobby was bowling; he got into it while looking for a low-cost hobby since the job in the security department paid poorly. It seems he found a cheap bowling alley in West Monica, where he currently lives.
…
Honestly, I didn’t want to know such trivial and unimportant facts.
“So these days, my daily pleasure is playing a game of bowling after work. Ever since I discovered the knack for that exquisite power control. Next time, I’d like to try a game with Siwoon. Ah, actually, there’s an episode related to this─.”
Man, he sure talks a lot.
I felt like my ears were about to bleed.
35. Anyway, Date (2)
“Well then, let’s gradually move on to the business…”
“Finally.”
“Eh?”
While I muttered, Gable Doe reacted in confusion, but I didn’t have the luxury to care.
Let me check the time on my visual interface; it had already flown by for 30 minutes.
“…”
It was a long and painful time after a while.
In those 30 minutes, I learned an awful lot about him.
Friendships, hobbies, specialties, daily routines, favorite foods, favorite singers, favorite shows, and so on.
Honestly, I didn’t understand why someone who had changed their real name to a pseudonym for security would talk so much.
“… That.”
Gable Doe squinted his eyes and watched me through his narrowed gaze.
“… I talked too much, didn’t I?”
He seemed embarrassed.
“… Haha.”
I just brushed off his comment with a sheepish laugh. Usually, I’d reply with “No, it was fine.” out of courtesy, but right now it was a bit tough.
“I’m sorry. There aren’t many people to talk to around here when working on tasks…”
Ah.
Saying that made me feel sorry again.
I could understand to some extent why he was so talkative.
I hadn’t even filled the hour yet; I think I reacted too sensitively.
“No, it was interesting─.”
“Usually, I only have to ‘interrogate’ people, you see.”
“…”
“Just kidding.”
Coming from someone who was suspiciously smiling with narrowed eyes, it didn’t sound like a joke.
I straightened my previously slouched posture.
I hope I didn’t say anything wrong…?
As my mind returned from the outing, I started seeing things that had been invisible.
…
First, I woke Catherine, who had been dozing off.
“… Hey, wake up already.”
“… Uh, yeah.”
Catherine responded with a deep yawn.
She might be the only person dozing off in the waiting room of the City Security Department.
No matter where she was, she had a relaxed and carefree demeanor. Seeing her like that calmed my nerves a little.
“Can we start the story again now?”
“Just the main point.”
“… Sure.”
Gable Doe frowned and placed his hands neatly on the table.
He cleared his throat a few times to adjust his voice and began speaking.
“The reason we contacted Miss Catherine at the City Security Department is due to the recent ‘large-scale corporate terrorist incident.’”
“That, the vehicles rampaging…?”
“Yeah. You both saw it, right?”
The ruckus during the engagement ceremony confirmed it.
If you hadn’t seen it, you’d be blind.
It was hard to see through his narrowed eyes, but Gable Doe’s mechanical eyes likely contained a round mechanical glow.
He moved his fingers to check the data on the visual interface.
“This is really… such a headache. There are no clues, no traces, no reasons. Already some folks are trying to handle this by classifying it as ‘supernatural phenomena.’”
What strange talk is this?
“Supernatural phenomena?”
“Like ghosts.”
“…”
I couldn’t hide my surprise at the sudden appearance of occult elements.
“That wasn’t my suggestion.”
“…”
Anyway, I lowered Gable Doe’s rating in my internal hierarchy.
There were still people who believed the Earth was flat. So it wasn’t surprising there were folks who believe in supernatural phenomena.
Gable Doe exhaled a long sigh and continued.
“Anyway, let’s set that aside. The message for the mission reached Miss Catherine due to the influence of that ‘engagement ceremony.’”
He lightly coughed and imitated someone as he spoke in a humorous tone.
“‘If you send a request to ‘Meteor,’ ‘Monolith’ will also provide assistance.’ Well, that’s how my boss thinks.”
“… Eh?”
I looked at him with the expression of seeing a poor subordinate working under a silly boss.
“… Please don’t look at me like that. What power do I have?”
Gable Doe quietly averted his gaze from me.
Wasn’t the chairman of Monolith saying they would handle it on their own from the city’s side?
“Just like the secret request we sent from the security department before, my boss seems to think very highly of you, Miss Catherine, and Mister Siwoon…”
With a tired expression, Gable Doe mumbled, and Catherine answered.
“… But we haven’t even talked about whether we’ll take the request or not?”
“Hmm.”
That was indeed a valid point.
We couldn’t just accept a request that might hide some risks without any thought.
Of course, refusing a request from the city right in front of us would also be quite a dangerous act…
But it wasn’t like we didn’t have credits, and just like Gable Doe mentioned earlier, we weren’t completely without backing anymore.
Light…, salt…, hope…
Oh dear…
I silently worshiped the chairman.
And the city officials already knew that because they witnessed the engagement ceremony.
I felt a bit sorry for Gable Doe, but I thought it would be better to not take this request from the beginning.
But Gable Doe’s expression after telling us everything wasn’t quite right. He looked somewhat uncomfortable.
Normally, a squinting character should always be relaxed.
Gable Doe pulled something from his pocket.
He placed a small device on the table and clicked the switch.
– Woooooo….
“What is this…?”
“It’s a signal distorting device,” Gable Doe replied.
“… Why all of a sudden?”
In response to my question, Gable Doe focused on our faces, looking a bit more relaxed.
“From now on, it means we’re just chatting.”
He gently leaned back in his chair and casually loosened the tie he had knotted.
“Up till now, that was the City Security Department’s opinion. From here on, it’s just my personal monologue.”
…
Taken aback for a moment by the changed atmosphere, I posed the question that had been on my mind.
“… It feels like you were having so much fun talking about daily life for those first 30 minutes─.”
“Probably the higher-ups already know the cause of the terror or who the perpetrator is.”
“…?”
What kind of talk is this?
Catherine seemed to have the same thought as me, frowning slightly as she listened to Gable Doe.
“Once you’ve been in this business for a long time, you start to see a lot. It’s a terror incident targeting all corporate buildings identified as megacorps within the city, and the lukewarm reaction to it is strange.”
Gable Doe tapped the table with his finger.
“It seems my boss, who asked for the request from you, Miss Catherine, doesn’t know even these basics… Tsk.”
Gable Doe clicked his tongue and criticized his boss abruptly.
Catherine, quietly assessing the situation, squinted her eyes at Gable Doe.
“… What’s the conclusion?”
Gable Doe looked directly at us both.
Through his narrowed, thin eyes, the round pupils looked crescent-like.
“You can take the request or not. Regardless of how it goes, the city won’t say anything to you.”
“In short?”
“You don’t have to do anything.”
Gable Doe seemed like he wanted to say that, with a small smile creeping on his face.
Then, he continued endlessly with a complaining tone.
“From the start, it’s weird for the City Security Department to request something that’s not clearly defined in purpose or timeframe. Seriously, ugh. I need to see how my boss is working. It’s not like he has to treat me well either. I genuinely want to quit, you know. This isn’t the first time there’s been a similar situation─.”
Shut it.
We had to listen to Gable Doe’s lament for almost 30 minutes before we could leave the security department building.
*
“Just wasted time, huh?”
“True.”
Catherine stretched her body and yawned widely.
…
In fact, excluding the 30 minutes of useless stories before and after, I could say this main conversation could have been wrapped up in 10 minutes.
I erased the painful truth from my mind.
Nonetheless, he was indeed a good person. He could’ve hidden it, but he told us everything.
He also voluntarily participated in weekly volunteer work in the lower-class area. Knowing such truths through the game made it hard for me to treat him harshly.
How could such a person emerge in this garbage-filled city…
I looked up at the sky.
It was still a little after lunchtime.
Of course, I didn’t guess the time by looking at the sky.
The gloomy sky filled with dark clouds made it hard to find the sun’s position.
I just checked the time on my visual interface.
“Still, I’m glad it’s not anything serious.”
I nodded to agree with Catherine’s musing.
For now, we accepted the request.
In game quests, it’s always best to accept first. Even if it ends up remaining on the list forever as something unresolved.
“… Yawn.”
Catherine yawned lightly and took a step forward first.
Since our tasks were done, it looked like she was returning home.
I called out to Catherine from behind.
“Hey, Catherine!”
Catherine turned to me.
“What is it?”
“Where are you going?”
“Where do you think? I’m going home. After listening to an hour of useless talk, I’m exhausted. I’m going to catch a nap.”
“Then, what about our date?”
“… Huh?”
It was time to carry out our actual purpose for coming out.
…
But where should we even go?