Akagi wants to relax

"Is this alright, Master?"

Belfast inquired, following behind me as we walked down the pavement. No doubt to other bystanders we were just some brats playing house with the way she behaved and called me. I would die out of embarrassment if it was my old self. Admittedly, this lifestyle has spoiled me quite a lot, it's not strange back then when I had nothing to eat for days other than some roasted beans a day or two.

"It's fine. You're my maid. Maid attire will reflect their master's image. I won't tolerate much less. Besides, it looks cute on you."

Hmm? She mumbled something, facing away from me. If anything, it's a cute gesture. It's only my ultimate restraints all this time that prevent me to fawn over her like a kid playing doll. Inherent fondness for cute things is genetically implanted in men with superior taste after all.

She been holding the hem of her skirt, carefully as fearing she would stain it. It's just this last week Hayasaka invited a few fashion designers to our office. I called them beforehand to design the new employee outfit, and suffice to say I also had ordered Belfast's dresses. The number is not small either, numbering to 5 digits in total of a set of her dress only.

Belfast been wearing nothing but a white dress overlooked by a blue apron she brought from her homeland. Now? She's an adorable walking patting machine. Not like she's not before though, she is always in my eyes. Maybe the image would shift in a few years once puberty hits her like a truck. I recalled the dream of mine that evening, and silently wished it would come true.

We walked the empty park, it's a busy rush-hour so no wonder there's barely any people in it. There's no particular reason why I came here. The park can be seen from the window of my office, and I've been curious in checking it.

Spotting a nice spot overviewing the green clear lake under a shady tree, I walked there. Belfast brought down the basket she holds, setting up the tarp, and arranging the tea set. It's my favorite drink, and no one can refute it even if I hold a near addiction to it.

Coffee is just bland, no taste at all. It's like you're drinking shite. Black frecking shite. But I hold my tongue knowing everyone has their own peculiar taste, and I don't intend to breach the boundary.

"So, Belfast, how Hayasaka been treating you this time?"

"It's nothing like that, Master. Sure, she is strict, but I know it's for my own good, after all, serving you is my whole life." You would never hear those words uttered from 11 years old and probably thought it was just some childish musing. She continued, "Hayasaka-san been teaching me manners, though it confuses me with how diverse the subject is. Also, she has been letting me handle the kitchen recently, she forbids me before until I could get tall enough to reach the cupboard she said. I always wanted to be a good cook since my sister has always been so good at it."

True, the manners lesson is fairly nightmarish. There's proper conduct, etiquette, to even down the way you sit or suppress a yawn. I read her bio and knew she had a biological sister, but she never mentioned her.

"Is she still back in the UK?"

"Yes, though she refuses adamantly to be a maid, and wanted to pursue ordinary life as she would like to call it." Belfast said, slightly disappointed at the prospect.

Belfast is recommended to me from mother old channel, coming from a long line of a vassal house that serves the crown for centuries. Coincidentally, Hayasaka's mother also came from the said house, so it's not coincidental that we, Shinomiya, had a contact to them.

The day was pleasant, we kept relaxing under the shade of the tree. I checked the quest board a few times for opportunities, it's nothing but the usual administrator who keeps requesting to deliver them some luxury and limited food.

I mailed him once saying what's the deal, and said that every world has its own unique flair and flavor. Looks like he's a food hobbyist. He's been my stable client for some time. The token is pretty good, I have accumulated at least 14 thousand from doing quest alone.

Though I still never spend it nor use the lottery tickets which I have 20 now in total. My schedule is very busy right now, and perhaps at this rate in only 2 years I can finally have some lenient time as the company becomes more independent.

Talking about the company, we recently finally released one of our projects. A new line of phone, yeah you guessed it's smartphone with touchscreen technology, though still in its early stages. We have to develop the new OS, hardware specifications, license, and other consequential things. In addition, we're a few years from the west with apple and google already done with their prototype.

Well, our aim is the Japanese market, then expand outward, so it doesn't really matter either.

Money can't keep pouring in once we announce another project that will make the internet 40 times as fast and cheap as it is currently. Many called it scam but most hold their tongues once knowing we're affiliated with Shinomiya as such we hold a degree of trust. Though no one is losing much either since we don't accept loans or investment as everything comes in our own pocket.

We keep conversating, and something, SOMETHING, had to break a nice day like this. We heard sounds like something crashing and screams, even without my enhanced sense, it's plain as day what is currently happening.

Our position is in the uppermost area of the park and as such we don't see much unless we make our way to the path down. Other than fearful cries, it's also mixed with someone or some group shouting making demands.

"Belfast stay here." She quickly refutes it. I know she's eager but she doesn't even have a combat skill. I quickly capitulated seeing the situation had grown dire and a shot heard.

I gave her a .22mag handgun; it's recently released in the US and has a lightweight and little recoil. It should fit her small hand nicely. Well, if anything, it would make any offender hesitant in approaching her. A boost to my confidence.

Hayasaka should be nearby with contingents of bodyguards watching us. You would think they would let us walk free without any supervision after what happened last time?

I feel something buzzed from my pocket, and to see it's Hayasaka calling me.

"We've handled the situation, Akagi-sama. We dispatched two guards coming to your location, the code is blue butterfly. The reply is, bloody sounds nicer."

"Sure. We will sit tight and watch the show."

If anything, we don't need to do anything at all. Maybe we were just innocent bystanders caught in some conveniently placed terrorism plan. I feel bad for staying inaction like this, my feet could practically leap now. Damn, altruism.

If anything, I could do something, but it means exposing Belfast to harm.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the hesitant musing has kept me occupied until the guards arrived. Both men dressed in typical black shirts and sunglasses, though they wore blue jeans instead. Probably the necessity to blend in nearby.

"Blue butterfly." I said.

"Bloody sounds nicer." They said.

I nodded at them. They escorted us, circumventing whatever happening down there. It's clear they're terrorists, though the weapon they had wasn't as sophisticated as the one who kidnapped me, recalling the shot that was fired. I can pinpoint the firing mechanism clearly to determine which weapon it is.

They walked us to a white SUV parked near the road. There are already two other guards in the front seat. Belfast and I were in the middle, and the two who escorted us in the back.

"Tell me the situation." I said and one of the men who was driving answered.

"Terrorist. 8 to 12 of them. We been getting some leaks from the government that they had failed to suppress a radical cult back in Gifu. They captured the leader and now those members are demanding for him to be released, hence the earlier stunt."

I was somewhat relieved that they're not after us. I don't want to sound like the universe revolves around me, but that's something new. Most of the troubles around will have some connection to me in one way or another.

They drove us to the office… and passed through it. My danger sense is spiking up, bloody fuck how can I not notice it. Widening my eyes, I quickly materialized a handgun to my hand. I grabbed the hand that's wanting to press me down from behind, twisting it, making the man writhed in pain of my unexpected grip strength and use him as a makeshift cover to the other man who already pointed his pistol at me behind.

In a quick motion, I held the pistol in front of me. I pressed the trigger on the driver and the man beside him.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

They didn't expect me to have such a quick reflex to retaliate quickly. The problem is the other traitor behind me. The car is driving through a straight road, though I can see a building, a café if I recall a few hundred meters in front of us.

I was about to turn my hand but perhaps it was too late. I heard a trigger being pulled.

BANG!

The sound of body slumped to the car's floor. It was the other last guard, and I saw smoke emanating from the pistol I handed to Belfast earlier. Her hand quivered in fear and I saw the building upon us.

I leaped and hugged her small frame as tightly as I could to brace for the impact.

The sound of glass shatters and bricks crumbling as the dust pours in.

Perhaps it was my luck that the car has reduced its speed after the driver didn't push the pedal when he died.

I coughed, and with a panicked voice, I called Belfast.

"Belfast! Belfast, are you alright!"

"I-I'm fine Master, if only slightly shaken."

I heard her voice quivering beneath me as our legs tangled in awkward position, we were still on top of the car's seat. I heard another groan coming from the guard I twisted his arm with.

"Thank god, you're alright."

I embraced her in relief before we opened the car door. With the dust still wafting around, there's no victim from the crash as they were smart enough to see the car approaching fast in their direction.

Seeing Belfast was alright, I turned my head to the somewhat almost conscious form of the guard as he stumbled outside. Gritting my teeth, I gutted him to the face with a kick.

Most of the bystander is fearful approaching the scene and the dust obscures their vision. So, I dragged the guard by his collar to the back through the broken pieces of glasses, splinted woods, and all sort of debris you can find in a café.

Bloody shit. It's always connected to me.