CH 51

—- Arakawa Kouki Point of View —-

Now then, since skinhead is done with his painting, I think it’s about time to have some lunch. As I was thinking so, I asked Shingo who was taking a picture of the paintings which he will use for the auction.

“Shingo, I think it’s time for us to have our lunch?”

“Fuhi, is it that time already? You are right, let’s go get some lunch. Want to come with us skinhead?”

Shingo invited skinhead while operating his personal terminal, however will he come along? I tried inviting him once before but it feels like he is avoiding to eat lunch with me so I did not invite him but will it be the same this time.

“Hmm, then let’s eat together and while we are at it, how about I treat both of you. Order whatever you like”

Ohh! He is not avoiding me this time. It also feels like he became gentle somehow. I always thought of him as someone who always frown but today he is just showing his normal and kind face.

Perhaps, skinhead will let us know his “name” too? I thought so I tried asking in a casual way.

“Ja, let’s go to the cafeteria. Also, skinhead is a codename right? What was your real name?”

“My name? I already forgot… Even if I don’t say it, Kouki-kun should have a way of looking into it but if you keep on poking on things that you should not meddle with Joshi will surely scold you”

“You don’t need to say it if you don’t want to. I’m sorry for asking something weird”

I apologize to skinhead who began to have his usual difficult expression while crossing his arms but then skinhead who nod several times, as if he decided on something, asked me a question.

“You’re father… Do you know what job, Shuichi-san’s, original work was?”

“Yes”

“Shuichi-san was a former member of a secret unit of UN Army. I was also on a unit similar to that in my homeland, Russia”

In other words, you belonged to a special unit with a tremendously high level like macho? That means, skinhead is an excellent soldier who have experienced real warfare like Claire-san and Coat-san. I was about to ask what kind of work he has while looking at him with newfound respect but Shingo asked a question before I can say something.

“Fuhi…, was that internal? or external?”

“I see, Shingo-kun knows about that sort of stuff. It was ‘external'”

Shingo could understand the meaning of the word ‘external’ that skinhead replied. Shingo then talked to me with a face that says I don’t need to question him.

“Kouki, let’s stop talking about this. If we ask more than this, it will be sure a long story and the caferia will get crowded. We should not ask the past of people who used to belong to special forces”

“Hahaha, it seems I made you guys worry. Thank you for your thoughtfulness Shingo-kun. Alright, let’s stop the talk here. I will return the tools that we used, you guys go to the cafeteria first and secure us a seat”

Skinhead said that to us and began walking to the stockroom after gathering the tools that we used. Did I do something bad? Since soldiers or special units that I met under macho so far bragged about their activities. I thought that skinhead would be the same… but I guess he is different. I’ll ask Shingo about it.

“Na, did I say something wrong? Skinhead osan looks sad for a moment there”

“Un, I wonder? Maybe he thinks that we will come to hate him”

“What do you mean?”

“I will explain on our way to cafeteria”

After that short exchange, Shingo started to walk and I chase his back while holding Kon. Shingo who was now next to me started to use his personal terminal on his arm, eventually he found the information that he was looking for and send it to me.

I told Kon to hold into my neck so that I can use both of my hands to check my terminal, apparently the information that Shingo sent me was excerpt from an online website.

“Etto, Special Forces under Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia?… External Operation Division… Intelligence Division… Special Operation… is this”

“Yes… I thought it’s just a rumor but since there is a matter of Kouki’s father then it probably exists.”

I can now understand why Shingo decided to stop the conversation earlier. Skinhead is not a soldier but a killer while working as an ‘Intelligence Agent’. I think the better term to describe him is ‘assassin’. Certainly, he really will ‘forget’ his name in this case, rather he is a person who technically does not exist. However, why is someone who is tremendously outstanding protecting me? I wonder so I asked Shingo.

“This is just a guess, you need a counter sniper to defeat a sniper. Most likely, to deal with assassins who will try to target to target us, someone with a skill similar to skinhead is needed. Ma~ we should be fine with that but what is Kouki going to do?”

“About what?”

“Our attitude to skinhead, he is probably worried about that”

“Nothing will change, I will act the same. He risk his life for the sake of his country and now he is doing that to protect us, there is no way I can hate someone like that”

“Fuhi! You are right, I feel the same way! Besides, he is one of us now”

Shingo did his usual smile after he stop doing his expressionless face. As if he was relieved, he started consulting Kon on what to have for lunch. While watching them, I remember a novel that I read in my previous life.

It is about a lone assassin who made the world his enemy and was able to look for the terrorists who are the cause of it. It was a worn out style used in novels but in this world it will be a new type of story.

If my plan goes well, I want to create a heroic story where the main characters are people like macho and skinhead. I want the people to recognize their dangerous job even a little. I want to inform the world about those people who are protecting the peace from the shadows. (TN: I change the paragraph to make it sound better in English. The main meaning of the paragraph should be more or less the same but the words used itself are little bit different, just saying in case someone nag me about it)

—- Arakawa Miki Point of View —-

Passing through the gate from Noah Island, I can feel an unknown feeling enveloping my whole body. Shuichi-san and Kouki said that “You will get used to it” but I don’t think I will. The same unpleasant feeling hit me every time I use the gate.

“Fu, I’m tired and the gate feels uncomfortable as ever”

I blurt this words while waiting for Ellis-san in front of the gate, she came walking into me after a few minutes. Her complexion… her right eyebrow is raised, it seems something happened. I have my personal terminal with me so I can deal with any problem immediately, I prepare myself to listen to her report.

“Thanks for your hard work. This maybe sudden but I have 3 reports about your son”

“I understand, I can see in your face that it is something that we cannot hide. Report it to me while we head to my office”

When I start to walk, Ellis-san walked beside me and use her terminal to start her report.

“Yes, first of all, Kouki-kun began to express his intention of ‘Creating a new Culture’ this morning. They took a front armor plate of a 6th Generation Power Suit from the scrap repository together with Anton. They drew a ‘picture of a girl’ and sold them on an online auction”

The content make me dizzy immediately. It would have been a big problem if the one who took the 6th Generation Armor is not Kouki. Anyway, why draw a picture and sell it? It is too blatant for a diversion. Is he trying to show the Technical Capabilities of Noah? Or is he sending a warning against other nation? It is a difficult situation to know.

“Second, the two armor plate were immediately sold at a price of 150,000 Yen which is the maximum bidding limit. The buyers cleverly cover their tracks but we have determined that one of them is a company front by United States Intelligence Services and the other is owned by the British state”

Ma~ I kind of expected that. The general power suit used by major countries who belong to United Nation are using 5th generation at best… it seems that they are desperate on getting a 6th generation power suit.

Although we use some new technology for the armor plate, the main improvement of the 6th generation are the drive system and the parts used for the internal driving unit. There is nothing to worry about them getting the plate. I wonder if Kouki sold those to lessen the anxiety of other nation?

“Third, Kouki-kun who confirm that the items sent to the auction has been sold, said ‘Let’s start the plan’ and began to send several requests to Joshi. First, the acquisition of advertising rights in newspapers, e-books and paper magazines. Purchasing old internet lines and radio broadcasting channels. Purchasing Movie Broadcasting right and rental of Noah’s PR Department. Also─”

“Wa-Wait a minute! Did he say anything about the costs and personnel for it?”

“Yes. It seems that he will be using the reward that he receive from developing the cure for ‘European Tragedy Virus’. This is just my personal opinion, it seems Kouki-kun is apparently serious about this. If that is the case, I’m afraid that it would be better to give consideration on what he wants and cooperate with him, this will allow us with some degree to monitor him”

But still, why is he trying to get broadcasting rights on almost all kinds of media? It is easy to refuse him here and pressure anyone so that he cannot get what he wants but if there are no legal problems about it then he will be able to get it in other ways. If he knew that we refuse to cooperate, he will move ahead and not listen to our opinion in the future. Then… maybe we should cooperate.

However, I cannot understand how the armor plate is related to getting media rights. Information dissemination and propagandas are handled by Public Relations Department─ Perhaps there is a meaning in the picture.

“Ellis-san, did you see the picture that Kouki paint? What was it like?”

“Even if you ask me what it’s like… it was something with an art style that I have never seen before. Would you like to see it?”

I open an image attachment that Ellis-san sent to my terminal. It certainly not a picture similar to educational programs that I had seen until now, and the girl was drawn in a sensual dress. I do not think it is related to the armored plate, but this is Kouki we are talking about… I cannot think that a child genius like him will do something unproductive. Let’s bet on his talent here, I wonder what on earth he is trying to do? If it is going to be dangerous then at that time, I will stop him. I give instructions to Ellis-san while thinking such things inside my mind.

“I understand, allow all the contents that Kouki requested”

“Roger that, then please look at this document. This plan has been sent so that the plan will run smoothly once Joshi permit his request”

I look at the document by using my terminal again, a variety of plans were listed, there are some where instructions are fairly detailed and most of them are still considered to be in planning stage. Among them, there is one that caught my eyes, it was an advertisement for cosmetic department. There was an instruction on changing the CM that we show in internet broadcasting and movie website. (TN: CM = Commercial)

It was stated to request the cooperation of women from Merkava Kingdom of G-88. At the moment the model use the cosmetic, have them use magic to transform them to look like a ‘princess’ and the model will say ‘I cannot believe how beautiful it made me’. Surely, it will visually leave a strong impact… but will it really obtain the empathy of the viewers? No, there are more important things than that.

“Ellis-san, I’d like to change my previous instructions. If we are going to follow this plan then have a new department established in Noah. It will be the ‘Special Media Entertainment Department’ and the person in charge is Arakawa Kouki. Contact all departments in Noah and ask them to support the new department however they can”

“Understood”

“Also, this plan states that it is possible to replace the CM in about 5 days, considering that it will be made on Noah Island, please have it done within 2 days. This is a good opportunity, we will measure how much work can be done if we have the cooperation of all departments”

“I understand, I will coordinate with each department. If you’ll excuse me”

While looking at Ellis-san who is leaving quickly to follow my instructions, I open the door of the office while thinking about my next task. First of all, I will drink some tea before I show my face to the engineering department… and then I will need to go to the weapons department. I cannot hold my laughter any longer and laughed in the room alone.

“Fuhuhuhu, they may be pleased with getting an armor of a 6th Generation but it is a shame. Truly regrettable, since we are already developing a next generation power suit that will carries the new era.”

In the development plan which is heavily encrypted and stored in my personal terminal, the development of the 10th generation Power suit– known as Type 0 is stated. Atleast a few more years is needed to complete it but once it is done, it will change the concept of power suit and will leap Noah’s technical level by almost 80 years.

I will let them misunderstand that they ‘can catch up’ on us… it will be a hopeless desire. I will make sure to keep the happiness of those children using any method.  I confirmed my determination while looking at the pot where water is boiling and making a kopokopo sound. (TN: Kopokopo = Boiling SFX)

—- President of United States, William Orudo Point of View —-

I heard the sound of a knock in my room so I stop in my work and look at the clock, It was 16 o’clock(4:00PM). It’s that time already… I rubbed my stiffened shoulder and heard the knocking sound again, so I reply in a hurry.

“Come in”

“Excuse me”

The man who enter the room is wearing a pair of glasses, I believe he is an army technical staff with a rank of Lieutenant General. I gesture him to sit down in the chair using my hand but he refuse while saying “There is no need”, and then he starts to report after giving me a document.

“I am here to report that we have finished investigating the armor plate that we got from Noah. In our conclusion, it is a level of armor plate that can be mass produced immediately in our country, there is nothing remarkable improvement to be found. Since we did not obtain a full body power suit, there is not much information that we can obtain but as far as the armor boards are concerned, it seems that that it is not that different from a 5th generation power suit, that is so to speak, the 6th generation is just an improve version of the 5th generation… To be blunt, it is just a sham─”

“Fumu, sham you say. By the way, have you watch a television recently? No, not just TV, have you visited any online video site?”

“I have not, but what is it?”

I desperately tried not to shout at the Lieutenant who said that with a decided face. I play Noah’s “Cosmetic CM” which began broadcasting yesterday and have him watch it from my desk. While watching all 5 variation of CM, the complexion of the Lieutenant became worst and when he finished watching it he became so pale that he looks like he will collapse at any moment.

“This, is this CG?”

“You will likely think that, it is impossible in reality for a woman using cosmetic to become a princess”

“B-but Mister President! To make something at this level…”

The Lieutenant was surprised. I have asked the biggest movie production company in my country to appraise it and they said that there is no evidence that CGI was used. In other words, Noah who started video production just recently is going far beyond the level of the company that our country boasts. Why are they going to create ‘Sham weapon’ when their ‘specialty’ is weapon development? Is this lieutenant incompetent?

“Can you still say that the suit is a sham when you look at it?”

“No, but the technology use for weapons and video are different…”

“Fool!! The ‘Specialy’ of Noah is to create ‘Weapons’ so how can you have such optimistic thought that the weapon is a sham! Listen closely, a day after this CM was broadcasted, around noon today, all cosmetic products around the world which Noah sells were sold out… How much impact this CM made, I’m sure you can think about it with your head. Also, we receive a direct call from Arakawa Miki”

“The Devil King… what did she say?”

“She said that since the armor plate that we got is incomplete, she will send a new armor plate via the ‘regular route’ at a later date. She also said, that she does not ask anything in return and it is a gesture of good will. What I want to know is if the intelligence organization of this country is inferior to a company? More than that… Why did you offend Noah even though I warned you about that!? Noah is not an ordinary company! Your attitude damage our relationship with them, refrain from doing anything that will further anger them!”

I finally could not stand it anymore and shout at the lieutenant, he apologized many times and left the room. Unbelievable! If you really want an armor plate then you should follow regular procedure and request Noah for it. Even so, they tried to acquire it in secrecy which makes the devil angry. My plan to invite Kouki as an excellent researcher and state guest were hindered. Both my wife and daughter, Mary, were looking forward on meeting him…

Needless to say, it will become impossible for us to not get involve in Noah’s satellite broadcasting while getting information. I should talk in a cabinet meeting tonight and make a plan on how to regain the trust of Noah. It cannot be helped since something needs to be done─