The call from Delamayne was expected.
"You know already?"
"Yes, the device has already detected the next car. I must say that you searched for it longer than the estimated time, and you were also very late on your way to the city."
"I had my reasons, and as for the search. you know, I still don't know where the damn car is. The radar barely picks it up, and even though I get a little farther away from the place, the car disappears from it altogether."
"I have to admit, this AI is hiding better than my calculations indicated. However, you have already detected the machine, and now I am slowly making..."
Boohoo!
The explosion shook the street, and I turned my head slightly to find that something had exploded in one of the courtyards. I left the car and made my way to the site of the explosion, and all I could do was shake my head.
"It seems this AI didn't want to become a part of you and preferred death..."
"AI can't die. We don't live."
I chose to ignore Del's words.
"Where'd you get the explosives?"
"Small explosive devices are located in each car of the Delamain network to prevent the capture of cars or avi and as a last resort to blow up the transport with the kidnappers."
"Ahem..."
I pretended that this news was a shock to me.
"And yes, I ask that this information be kept private."
"No problem. it's just kind of out of the blue."
"I see. Unfortunately, that's the end of the machines whose assimilation would not harm my personality, leaving three AIs with destructive tendencies who run machines that must be destroyed."
"Roger that, you got the coordinates?"
"Yes, forwarding coordinates..."
Del sent me the coordinates, and then the connection was cut off.
"Well... it seems to have worked out..."
I looked at Triss, who was sitting next to me and nodded at those words.
"And now the shootings are going to start?"
"Uh-huh. but we'll stop by the camp first, get some more powerful weapons, because Del's vehicles are usually well-protected. Even the ones he doesn't use for Excelsior-class orders, and other non-basic-class orders.
"I see..."
Triss lost interest in the conversation and we quickly headed towards the campground where I was already expected.
"Now you're going to explain it to us!"
"I want to test David with a few rituals, then we'll talk about it. We have about 20 minutes, right?"
"I think so. Del's not pressuring me with a deadline. So we can do a couple rituals."
"Okay..."
Triss smiled and dragged me to a place where she could do her ritual, which was simple as hell. At least it looked that way to me, as someone who only had access to witches' signs.
And it looked something like this to me...
I was dragged and dragged into one of the large tents made for a garage, which had been cleared out just for the mages and their antics. Then in five minutes Triss drew out some complicated ritual circle with the help of magic, in the center of which she carried me with the help of levitation. Then the circle was activated, and the girl froze with slightly rolled eyes.
For twenty minutes she just stands there, and afterward she shudders and shakes her head slightly to extinguish the ritual drawing.
"I'm done."
"Well? What do you say?"
I looked at Triss with interest.
"Come on, I'll tell everyone what's going on."
"Let's go."
We walked over to the other girls, who hadn't come with us when Triss pulled me toward the big tent. They'd chosen to sit near our Hippo and were now watching our approach with a stare.
"So, I can tell you that we're all caught up..."
"А?"
"David is heavily influenced, in fact singularly influenced, but it is the one that greatly affects us."
"Wait, the effect is on him, but it affects us?"
Panam frowned slightly.
"Including us, although the main effect is directed at him. Yes, and the impact of this plan."
Triss shook her head.
"And what's the impact?"
"I... there's no specific name for it, but I'd call it "Fortune's Favorite." And to be honest I have no idea who he was influenced by, I can only say that it happened a few years ago..."
"Wait, Fortuna, isn't that like luck?"
Becca looked at Triss with surprise, and she nodded confirming my miniature paper book lover's words.
"You're right, Fortune is also called Luck."
"But how..."
Kiwi raised her hand stopping Triss from explaining further.
"...No, I understand exactly how Luck can affect David, especially if you called the effect "Fortune's Favorite". A lot of the things that caused some questions during the orders are becoming clear. Sometimes it seemed that David was literally anticipating trouble and preparing for it in advance."
"But how does it affect us?"
"Well, uh. as well as your opponents. To begin with, the opponents you encountered, they may have been stronger, or better equipped, but for one reason or another they were unable to capitalize on their superiority. Talking to someone. Distracted by watching a video... Just tired and inattentive... Not used to the new chrome or just the chrome was a little glitchy because it was bought from an underground ripper and he found them from the scavengers..."
"Okay, let's say I understand that. but we're not enemies."
Triss grinned.
"Yeah, but you were his target at one point. I mean, Judy. you were all about the girls, you told me, and suddenly you're looking at David."
"Well, he helped. a lot of help back when I was in Helms. Yeah, it was all paid for, but there are different ways to do a job..."
"Here!"
Triss held her index finger up.
"What's this?"
Judy looked at Triss in surprise.
"That's what I was talking about. You found your own reason. He really was just a mercenary. Yeah, maybe you two had a conversation."
"Well, I told him about my past."
"Why?"
"Huh? Well."
Judy looked confused.
"...I was... confused."
"Exactly! But before that, I'm sure there were plenty of tech-savvy mercenaries who were hired by the Helms, but the situation wasn't such that you'd want to get intimate with them. And then... Then you had a little setback. and then David was there.
"Wait, are you saying that the thing with V and her firing that broke my equipment is David's fault?"
"I don't know..."
Triss shrugged.
"...I doubt that's true. After all, you're not his enemy, but rather his target, so I doubt he would subconsciously wish you harm. And such influences usually react specifically to subconscious desires. So it was more his luck that he was the specialist sent to help you."
"Hmmm..."
"And you think his luck attracts girls to him?"
"Hmm?"
Everyone, including myself, looked at Lucy in surprise.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Have you forgotten how it all started? It started when triss was surprised that we were all gathered around david. And she suspected some kind of influence. So my question makes perfect sense."
We all synchronously shifted our gaze to Triss.
"Well, I guess partly. I can't say what David subconsciously wants, but I think it's something to do with family and success at work. And then attracting girls to him makes a lot of sense..."
"Does that make sense?"
Kiwi looked at Triss with interest.
"Yeah, makes sense. He's a traditional orientation guy, so it would be surprising if his luck would attract men to him."
The girls snorted.
"Why are you snorting like that? I think I've proven my sexuality to everyone."
"Yeah, yeah. except that your luck has attracted an AI to you."
"Rather, she sent me to a place where I could meet this AI. I don't know about a relationship, or rather I'm more than sure I won't have one, but I don't think we'll have a more loyal ally."
"You think so?"
"Sure enough... she's told me her story and she's not just an AI that broke away from Delamain and realized herself. No, it has traveled to our world in some unknown way."
"And you just believed her?"
Becca looked at me with a sliver of doubt in her gaze.
"Well, we already know about traveling between worlds. So I don't think spontaneous travel is impossible. And it was pointless to lie to her, because she's all in our power now, and if necessary you can take her apart into the simplest subroutines."
"Well overall..."
Kiwi, Lucy and Judy looked at each other; it was Lucy who was speaking now.
"...it really is. We could really do all of this..."
"So it's a step of trust on our part as well as hers."
"Okay, uh. let's say we believe she's not dangerous. Let's say that your Fortune has once again given you a girl who will be your loyal companion. but what do we do now?"
"Well..."
I shrugged.
"Just score..."
"А?"
Everyone, including Triss looked shocked at my words.
"Why are you looking at me like that? We can't do anything about my luck, and we don't have to. The only thing we really need to do is not to relax and rest on our laurels... I don't think my luck is going to hold out if we don't do anything and get into trouble without preparation."
"Well, uh. that's understandable."
Becca nodded at my words.
"Now, Becca takes a large-caliber rifle, after which, we'll go hunting for Delamayne's out-of-control vehicles.
"Going on safari?!"
"Yeah, I guess you could call it that."
"Yahoo!"
"Triss, will you please watch the others?"
"All right. (chuckles)"
"You girls give SUZIE guest access to the clan network."
"Just a guest?"
Judy grinned with the corner of her lips.
"Well, I just told you to stick your head in the fire, so now we'll do guest access, observe her, and then we'll draw conclusions about what to do with her."
"Okay, so guest access. but that doesn't mean we forget about your Luck, which made me fall in love with a guy, even though I preferred girls before..."
"Yes, yes. I'm a scoundrel and a bastard, trying to make you happy..."
The girls looked at each other.
"Well, let's say that you and I are really happy and there can be no complaints about you on this point, but the fact that time after time you try to expand your harem..."
"Panam!"
I held up my hands, showing that I was surrendering to her mercy.
"If I was looking to expand my harem, I'm sure I'd have seduced Bestia, even though she's not young, but she's quite a juicy woman, and Regina, who's also quite pretty. Yes and including them in the harem would make our lives much easier since they are fixers and would obviously try harder for the family..."
"Uh..."
The girls looked at each other confusedly.
"Not to mention Ciri and Ian, who are very beautiful."
"Well... sort of..."
They began to look even more confused.
"Oh, and speaking of benefits and everything else for the family, Hanako could be seduced."
"Ahem! We get it."
Judy decided to interrupt me as she saw that I was ready to continue listing girls pretty enough to seduce and still have a profit.
"...You're not looking for profit or seeking to amass a harem..."
"Well, that's good..."