Ch 114

The group, having defeated the horde of Rapture, walked towards the target coordinates once again with Dolla's navigation, reaching their destination smoothly.

However...

"Dolla, is this really the coordinates? It doesn't look like it at all..."

"...More like a scrapyard than anything else."

"Yeah..."

"...It smells really bad... Where is my golden bathtub..."

Everyone, including Moore, wore indescribable expressions.

The destination they had imagined—thinking it might be some kind of factory or laboratory—turned out to be a garbage dump with discarded industrial machinery, piles of steel of various sizes, and various other debris.

The foul odor Neon complained about, pinching her nose, might be due to some chemical substances used in a factory or laboratory being abandoned without proper disposal.

In any case, it was a mountain of garbage as far as the eye could see.

Was this really the coordinates the Merchants' Union had obtained from their respective routes?

As Moore and the others directed their gaze towards them once again to ask, Dolla and Yan, as if in a dream, were walking towards the garbage with uncertain steps. Even Rupee was shaking her body in front of the massive pile of garbage.

Was it different from what they had imagined? Just as Moore was thinking about it, the muttered words of Dolla and Yan were carried by the wind blowing through the garbage dump.

"This is... unbelievable..."

"Wai...wait a minute..."

—Well, I can understand.

No matter what words of comfort were spoken, it seemed unlikely that their mood would brighten. Nonetheless, when Moore took a step forward with a sigh, a voice resounded.

"Oh, jackpot!!! ☆"

"...Eh?"

—What is this?

As Rupee's joyful voice echoed and Moore wore a puzzled expression, it was clear that this was nothing but garbage—nothing other than a collection of waste.

What did she mean by hitting the jackpot?

Before he could ask, Rupee ran towards an exposed piece of iron on the ground. 

"The iron rod rolling here is Goddesium!! And those iron balls rolling over there are Rapture Cores!!"

"Is that so?"

"That's right!! Amazing... amazing, big brother!! It's a mountain of treasures!!"

"...Is that so..."

Originally, with no sense of aesthetics, it was difficult for him to discern what Rupee was excitedly talking about. 

The iron balls said to be the cores of Rapture emitted a menacingly red light, and he would undoubtedly be able to discern them, but now that they had disappeared, all he sensed was a simple iron ball.

"And... this is... definitely!!"

Suddenly, Rupee got down on all fours. It seemed she had discovered something interesting, and in the process, the contents of her short skirt were about to be revealed. As a matter of manners, Moore averted his gaze—soon, Rupee picked up what she had found and proudly displayed it.

"Isn't this the top-secret research data chip from the first Rapture invasion, burned along with the laboratory!? Look, big brother!! Look!!"

"...No, even if I look... First of all, isn't it broken?"

"You just need to restore the data!! This can be sold for a high price!! Hoorayyy!!"

—It's a good thing my body is sturdy.

In the excitement, Rupee, with her ample chest—still exposed due to her clothing—ran towards Moore, holding a deformed data chip that seemed to have melted from the heat. She showed it to him, still excited, and eventually hugged him in her excitement.

It seems she forgot the fact that she's a Nikke and not human—Moore experienced an intense hug that made his whole body creak as Rupee clung to him in her excited state. If it were an ordinary person, their bones might have broken.

"Rupee, what the hell are you doing?! Instead of fooling around, pick up as much as you can!"

Yan sharply scolded Rupee, and as she reluctantly moved away, Moore was finally freed.

"Big brother, hold onto this!"

With the data chip thrust at him, Moore grabbed it and could only watch as Rupee ran towards the garbage pile.

On the surface of the chip—melted by heat, presumably fire—the trace of the alphabet 'K' as an initial was visible. Anis and Neon rushed forward like they were drawn, digging through the garbage for valuable items that had been left untouched for over half a century.

What remained were Rapi and Moore, holding the entrusted data chip in one hand.

"...For now, should we look for something?"

"...Yes, let's."

Moore and Rapi, looking lost, exchanged glances and eventually nodded.

While they were scattering and rummaging through the pile of garbage, he, for no apparent reason, approached a crumbling heap.

Through the gaps in that consolidated mound, scraps of what seemed to be real paper were being stirred by the wind. Picking it up, Moore silently read the written words on the torn pages, likely from a hand-written diary.

----

"Considering that I created her, Eva is a very delicate A.I."

"How are you feeling today, Eva?" When my parents are late coming home, she always talks to me kindly.

"Shall we go together?" When I don't have friends to go to a party with, she extends her hand before I ask.

So, I often misunderstand.

That this small A.I. might understand the feeling of 'loneliness.'

Of course, it's highly likely that it's just my imagination.

-----

"──Ebra?"

A proper noun──no, a name of a person I distinctly remember. Ebra particles──that name had something in common.

"An ancient city-state... and Eva... or is it Eve?"

Carefully folding the worn-out scrap of the diary that made further reading difficult, Moore stowed it away in the pouch of his body armor.

"Hmm?"

It used to have a silver surface. Moore recognized the sooty appearance—it was a toolbox. He pulled it out from the garbage, slightly larger than the one in his leg holster that held the gun, and luckily, the battery seemed to be alive. Unlocking and checking the contents—

"Well, it's not my taste, but it's not bad."

Is this really okay? After confirming the contents, closing the lid and locking it, Moore put the toolbox into his backpack.

"Sigh... can't carry more than this..."

"I'm at my limit too."

"Results are more important. By the way... can we transport all of this?"

After a while, they began to gather. The Merchants' Union had brought backpacks and sacks, filling them to the brim with their acquired treasures. The squad members were carrying something in their arms, mainly Anis and Neon.

While wondering if it would be okay, Moore took out a cigarette from the remaining few soft packs and lit it with an oil lighter.

"It's okay, big brother! With this much, it should be worth it... Shall we head back soon?"

"...Mind if I take one?"

"It's okay... Master! With this, I'll have my own 3LDK suite room!"

Perhaps too excited, or perhaps tired from the search for valuable items, Rupee's voice lowered a notch.

Anis and Neon—whether they were carrying junk or something valuable was unclear—had a lot in their arms. Comparatively, Rapi was more lightweight.

Now, how should they handle the inevitable conflicts on the way back?

Just as they were contemplating this—suddenly, at the edge of their field of vision, the towering garbage mountain began to collapse from its peak.

"Eh? What's that...?"

"A landslide... no, a garbage collapse, perhaps?"

"Oh my... Did we make too much noise?"

"No, it's different—Rapture."

A calm and elegant voice pointed out the true nature of the situation, as Dror stored some of the grabbed data chips in her pocket.

The Rapture buried in the garbage seemed to be a relatively large individual, at least a Road class.

"...It seems we woke it up as it was sleeping in the garbage with its power off."

"...Did it find the garbage comfortable?"

"...I don't know about that."

While posing an irrelevant question to the situation, Moore gripped the handle of the assault rifle he carried, releasing its safety. Rapi also moved naturally to Moore's side, removed the safety of her assault rifle, and pointed the barrel toward where the enemies would appear.

"Greed has brought calamity."

"Despite plundering together! Why pretend to be the only one not getting dirty!?"

Neon's indifferent attitude prompted Anis to deliver a sharp retort. At the same time, Dolla, who twisted the data chips into her slacks pocket, aimed her sniper rifle.

"A battle with the gatekeeper, huh? Well, with this much treasure, we can't acquire it without interference. Counters, you can expect some decent action since we're splitting things fifty-fifty. 

"To whom are you speaking? Unfortunately, I lack an aesthetic eye, but my main job is this—"

"Of course!"

"Yes! Rampaging is my specialty!"

"Encounter!"

As Rapi declared her usual announcement for battle, Moore pulled the trigger of the assault rifle he held—

—And so, with high spirits, they faced the challenge about an hour ago.

Soon after defeating the revealed Road-class Rapture, a new enemy appeared, possibly due to the impact of the battle.

More than 20 Road-class Raptures with equivalent models emerged all at once from the garbage mountain.

Given that they were carrying various items, engaging in combat with the assumption of defeating all of them was impossible. However, the saying "There's no gain without pain" held true. Some items were discarded on the spot as they turned and fled like startled rabbits.

"...Is everyone okay?"

"...Ahh, yeah... I'm fine... Thought I was gonna die, though..."

Entering the nearest elevator, Moore set the destination for the forward base and tapped the button. While Anis took deep breaths at her shoulder, Rapi finished roll call for everyone and reported to him that there were no casualties.

"The last part was quite a mess, but... well, everyone being safe is what matters."

While they had to defeat nearly half of the attacking Road-class Raptures, the fact that everyone managed to board the elevator without casualties was a fortunate outcome amidst the unfortunate circumstances.

After a while, the elevator arrived at the forward base, taking the same amount of time as the journey.

The Counters and all members of the Merchants' Union, despite their fatigue, had bright expressions, perhaps due to the sense of accomplishment.

Moving to the parking lot in front of the base headquarters building, Rupee eagerly took out her mobile device. It seemed she was planning to resume the interrupted broadcast.

"Ta-da-da-da-da~☆ Celebrities and the Counters Union, after hardships, have finally made a comeback to the Ark! Well, it's actually a forward base☆... I thought I was going to die to get here. After all, the surface isn't easy, right... hehe."

Immediately resuming the live broadcast, Rupee, in selfie mode with her mobile device, continued the live broadcast. Moore, watching her from behind as she switched to selfie mode, took off his helmet, and cracked his stiff neck.

"Big thanks to my brother, the hardworking commander, and his comrades, who always strive for the reclamation of the surface! Everyone, applause~!"

"...You're welcome. But more importantly... don't forget to clarify the misunderstanding."

"Oh, you didn't forget... hahaha. Um, regarding the shocking scandal—"

In the comment section, stamps expressing "welcome back" and applause were being posted one after another.

As promised, Rupee began to correct the misunderstanding—Moore took her subordinates, who were part of the broadcast, to the shower room and engaged in an act that couldn't be discussed on public airwaves. Accepting this, he placed the just-removed helmet on the paved ground, sat down on it with his back turned to them, unslung the assault rifle's sling from his shoulder, and placed the backpack he had been carrying on the ground.

Now unburdened, he immediately started rummaging through the contents of the backpack.

"Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, let's get back to the main topic, shall we? Viewers, I'm sure you're dying to know what special treasures we've brought from the surface. We deliberately didn't show each other what we brought to share this moment with all of you!"

While Rupee addressed the audience through the screen, some viewers noticed that Moore, who was sitting with his back turned and leaning against the body armor, pulled out a knife hanging on his belt. It was a brief moment, and it wasn't clear what he was doing, but their attention quickly shifted back to Rupee's face.

"But finally! The long-awaited moment of revelation has arrived. First, the treasures from me, Dror, and Yan the talents! Following that, the handsome commander and the Counters will reveal their treasures!"

"...Rapi, can I borrow the turbo lighter?"

"Ah, yes. Here you go, Commander."

"...It's, um, up to you, Brother... So, let's start with Dolla!"

It seemed that Moore, who was about to start his smoking time, decided to leave it for now. Rupee, acting as the host, nominated Dolla to kick off the treasure reveal.

From the garbage mountain, she brought mostly data chips. Additionally, there was an electronic device with a mark eaten by insects. Perhaps because her main business involved electronics, this might have been the reason.

Next, Yan announced that he brought Goddessium. He thought it could be used for various products and could also be utilized for developing new items.

Rupee, on the other hand, revealed a limited-edition branded bag and a branded watch created before the First Invasion. According to her, if she were to auction them at the Royal Road, they would fetch an incredible amount.

"Thanks, Rapi."

How much would it fetch? Moore wondered, but unfortunately, he had a poor sense of aesthetics. He couldn't imagine it at all.

Leaving that aside, he returned the turbo lighter, which had finished its purpose, to Rapi and started emitting purple smoke.

"Now, let's continue... We'll unveil the treasures of the surface reclamation squad, the Counters, which has recently gained popularity!"

"Honestly, I don't really understand..."

Anis began rummaging through the pocket of her jacket. What she pulled out was—according to her, a Rapture Core.

"Well, um, it's a bit disappointing, but..."

Upon glancing at the item that was pulled out, Rupee furrowed her brow. Seemingly finding it difficult to say, she began explaining that what Anis had brought was not a Rapture Core.

"Even if it's not a Rapture Core, it's like... how do I say it? It has a power source and unique patterns engraved... but this one doesn't have anything, does it?"

In other words, just an ordinary iron ball, Rupee said, and as soon as she did, Anis collapsed from her knees.

"S-So, what about mine!? It's a high-tech mini rocket specifically designed for launching at weddings! It can only be used when a couple deeply in love is tying the knot... It's incredibly special and romantic!"

"...Ah, a fireworks set, huh?"

"Yes, exactly! That's the name!"

Neon enthusiastically raised the transparent packaging from the pouch, revealing a variety of fireworks inside. When she presented it like that, Yan accurately guessed the product name.

As an amateur opinion, the gunpowder inside was probably damp, rendering it worthless.

Dolla, looking exasperated, shifted his gaze to Rapi next.

"So, Rapi, what about yours?"

"Well, I also brought some data chips, but it seems I lost them during the battle."

She honestly confessed that she had put them in her jacket pocket but they had spilled out. This left not only Dolla but also Yan and Rupee at a loss for words.

"...What the hell are these guys doing?"

"W-Well, well! So, Brother, how about you!?"

"Hmm?"

Sensing that the atmosphere might get heavy, Rupee tried to change the mood and called out to Moore about the treasures they acquired. When she asked what he brought, he turned his shoulder and responded nonchalantly.

With a cigar in his mouth.

"Commander... do you smoke cigars?"

"No? I prefer cigarettes."

She knew, right? That's the impression he gave. While saying so, he continued to smoke the cigar he had just lit with a turbo lighter while sitting on the helmet.

"...Huh? Then, what's that?"

"I found it."

"...Where?"

"On the surface. It was in a vacuum, so I was worried about the taste, but... well, it doesn't seem bad. Not my hobby, though."

"Wai—wait a minute!"

In a hurry, Yan approached Moore, looked into the toolbox placed at his feet, and saw wooden boxes with clasps. Inside the toolbox, there were four of them lined up. One of the boxes was open, exposing several cigars. The cigar he was smoking and emitting purple smoke was likely taken from this box.

"W-What are you doing!!?"

"...Huh?"

"If you even smoke one, the market value will drop! And this... I can't believe it...!"

Feeling a sense of unease, Yan took out his mobile device and searched for the brand imprinted on the wooden box. Additionally, considering the size of the cigars—likely Churchill— he conducted a search.

In an instant, the search results revealed, and Yan widened his eyes in astonishment.

"I knew it! It must be the brand that was discontinued just before the First Invasion due to rising sea levels!! It's got an unbelievable premium attached to it, doesn't it!?"

"...How much is it?"

"One cigar costs 2.2 million credits!"

"...Is it that expensive?... The taste is not bad, though..."

Both hand-rolled tobacco and authentic plant-derived products are luxury items in the Ark. Comparing to the period before the First Invasion—although it's not easy to make a direct comparison, the prices generally increased by 50 to 100 times.

Moreover, the cigar that Moore is currently turning into ash was already a high-end brand before the First Invasion. It may not have matured in vacuum conditions, and the original taste of the cigar may have deteriorated, but there is still a demand among the affluent.

The last time this brand was seen in the Ark was confirmed to be at least 30 years ago, as indicated by the page Yan found during the search. It's a cigar that could be considered a rare find.

Turning it into smoke and ash without any hesitation or particular sentimentality is nothing short of sacrilege.

"Wait! Commander! Don't smoke that cigar anymore—crushing it is absolutely not allowed! It's worth 2.2 million!"

"Ah, ah, ah!? Hey, what the hell are you doing!!? Want a slap with a bundle of bills!? Get a hold of yourself!!"

"What have you done, Master!!!"

"...Huh...?"

Why did he have to be scolded so harshly? Moore's defense is that he only carefully extinguished the ember with his boots as a precaution against fire. However, Anis, Yan, and Neon witnessed the remnants of the cigar being crushed under his boots, worth 2.2 million credits, and their screams echoed through the air.

----

Author notes: "Cohiba cigars are delicious... Some of them are so good that Mr. Yen casually leaves my wallet. But they truly are delicious."