"I hate my job."
After hours of cleaning up, Kana and Kuroha were able to sit down and relax. Kana's apartment was pristine and clean. Even the darkest areas seemed to shine. Kana served Kuroha cold Oolong tea.
"I see that you've been worked to your limit."
"You're telling me. Joining the SSB was a big mistake. I have to keep track of their finances and issue contacts to Medovukha and Sasaki. I'm also a strategist, meaning that I often assist with combat missions but it is always from home. I'm also used for cyber attacks since I know hacking to some degree."
"That sounds like a lot. Considering your state, I'm guessing that you haven't been able to get it done?"
"No,"
Kana yawned.
"I finished all of the work that I've been commissioned."
"Congrats, I guess. Anyway, I've been meaning to ask ever since I came to your apartment."
"What is it?"
The blue-haired girl took a sip of her Oolong tea.
"How much do you earn? We joined the SSB at around the same time. For reference, I get ¥8,900,000 annually."
"I get ¥16,000,000."
"What?! That's almost double mine! Why do you live in a cheap living space?!"
"I don't need a house that's too large. I'd rather have something cheap like this since it saves me more."
In the end, it just came to show how much of a valuable asset Kana was to the SSB. Although, it never justified the amount of work they gave her. She spent most of the last two months sleeping. Due to her sleep-deprived being, Kana had to order everything she needed to live. Food, water, and clothes. She rarely even took showers.
"I'm expecting at least a three-month break for me. If possible, half a year. I just need a rest for the amount of work I've done."
She yawned and spilt oolong tea all over herself before laying down on the ground.
"Kana?"
She was fast asleep without a single care in the world. It was well deserved after the myriad of tasks that she had to complete.
Kuroha's phone rang. She answered it without looking at the screen.
"Hello?"
[Did you meet with the Magician?]
"Yeah, so release the tail you sent to watch me. I would've hurt him if it wasn't for him being connected to you."
Medovukha chuckled over the phone.
[So, you noticed.]
"Medovukha. Give Kana three—no, half a year off of work."
[Do you realise what you're asking?]
"You're the ones who've been driving her like a slave. If you don't agree, I'll directly attack the main office. You may stop me but only after I cause major destruction."
[Threatening your superiors. Is that smart?]
"You do it anyways, right?"
Kuroha teased her.
[Fine. I'll put her leave into the system. We won't ask anything of her for six months.]
"I guess, I should be saying thank you."
[But, in exchange, I want you to do something for me.]
(She never does anything for free...)
The black-haired woman grimaced as Medovukha continued talking.
"What is it?"
[In the past year, we've been getting lots of dead bodies showing up. All of Streia associated with some sort of gang or cartel. From our limited intel, it was done by one person.]
"And?"
[Find them and kill them. I don't want any more bodies on our hands. There isn't much to go on other than the fact that he's a man with black hair. He wears a coat with a fur hood on the back is the kanji for dignified. That's all from me.]
Medovukha cut the phone and Kuroha placed it into her pocket.
"That's not a real clue."
"You probably shouldn't pursue that matter."
Kana woke up and spoke to Kuroha with a straight face.
"What makes you say that?"
"Just don't. If you know what's good for you. I've looked into the matter myself and it wasn't exactly easy to handle."
She said, furrowing her brow.
"Since you've looked into it, can you not tell me who he is?"
"..."
Kana stayed silent, staring at Kuroha with an expression full of anxiety.
"You won't be the same again if you chase after this man. I wasn't."
"That's fine, I'll just—"
Kana slammed the table and shouted at the black-haired woman.
"Don't pursue this matter."
"I'm sorry, I'm still going to do it whether you give me information or not."
Kana was ready to shout but, instead, she clenched her fist and jumped onto her sofa. She lay down and faced away from Kuroha.
"You can see yourself out, can't you?"
"Yeah, I was going to anyway. Have a nice 6-month break."
"Hey..."
Kana called out to Kuroha as she entered the hallway. Kuroha turned.
"If you ever need a place to stay or company, come here. Barely anyone visits."
She smiled.
"I'll be sure to. I'll relieve you of your loneliness one of these days."
·———·
After leaving Kana's house, Kuroha took a train from her house to Shibuya. Kana lived in Ichikawa, Chiba. A train from Ichikawa to Shibuya, which was in Tokyo, took about an hour.
After Kuroha exited the train, she walked for a short while before coming across a bookstore. She entered and observed the surroundings. There were some customers but very few. She walked up to the counter and placed a watch on the table.
It was a pocket watch. The cashier inspected it before handing it back to her.
"Please, around back."
The cashier opened up the door for Kuroha and she followed him to the back of the store.
They entered a storage room, where, behind a pile of boxes, were stairs leading down underground. She walked down the stairs which led to a basement.
The basement was lit by light bulbs. It was a large working space filled with all sorts of tools and apparatus. People were working on tools but Kuroha walked up to a particular man.
"Amamiya."
"Hm?"
He turned, sliding his goggles onto his head.
"Could you make some magimech for me?"
The man thought for a second before putting a single finger up.
"¥100,000? That's fairly cheap."
"Nah, not 100,000. I only want one thing from you and that's results. I'm currently working on a prototype magimech for you. I should be done by the end of this week."
"That's a deal, then, I guess."