CHAP 45: An Cliché

I entered the train once again. I used the ride to draw the view. This old handbook of mine really has seen it all, i wonder if this one is a copy of the one i had back in the old world, or if it was taken along with me. In fact, i never asked the Game about the conditions of my death.

'Hey, Game, when i died, did you take my body? When i got into that void, the body was supposedly mine, right?'

[The body was yours, yes. I put a copy of it in the place of your original. And everything you took with you is the original one.]

'Did you copy everything i had and put them on my fake body?'

[Yes, minus the handbook you're holding, and that music players of your's.]

'Why?'

[They became attached to your existence, somehow.]

Interesting. The music player it's referring to is my old Walkman, which i modified to work with digital systems. I pulled it out, and it sadly didn't seem to be working anymore, i'll have to fix it back at home. The fact it said "somehow" shows something becoming a part of someone's existence isn't normal, but i don't understand what could've made that happen. Food for thought, i'll think about it later.

I went to an electronics store, and bought some tools to fix my Walkman. When i arrived at my home, i was met with the most of the women lounging on the living room, i locked the door and sat on the armchair.

"Welcome home, how did the interview go?"

Samantha asked me.

"Pretty good, while i didn't receive official confirmation, the principal said he would contact me shortly."

I received an notification.

"Mr Greyston, this message is to inform you about your application to work as a Teacher at our institution. We're happy to announce you've been chosen for the job. An meeting has been arranged to discuss details such as your career, your starting salary and your shifts, and sign you contract, it is happening tomorrow, 14th of May, 2077. We once again congratulate you, and we welcome you to Tokyo City School's family of employees."

"Speak of the devil, i just received an message saying i'm hired, tomorrow i'll head there to sign the document and fine-tune the details of the job."

"I'm not surprised. You are frighteningly convincing."

Makina said.

"You heard that, girls? Your father will work and provide for us."

Mashiro spoke to the little girls loudly enough for me to hear.

"As expected, my angel is very capable."

Cutthroat remarked.

Olivia was with Shiro on the kitchen, so they didn't comment anything. I got up and went to see what they were doing, when i arrived there, i saw Olivia teaching Shiro how to cook. She looked back and saw me.

"You're back! How did the interview go?"

"Pretty good, i got the job."

"You did? Congratulations!"

"That's not important. Anyways, you teaching Shiro how to cook?"

"Yes, she's been improving at it, slowly but steadily."

"That's great. Olivia, i need to talk to you, privately. It does not need to be now, but it needs to happen."

"I understand, but what's so important?"

"There's something i need you to do. We'll talk later, ok? I'll go back to my room."

I did as i said and went to my room. I sat down on the desk, and put the Walkman on it. When i opened it, i realized what was wrong, everything inside it had crystallized, emanating some warmth.

'Game, what the fuck is this?'

[It looks like a catalyst, but strange.]

'What is that supposed to mean?'

[It means i kinda understand what it is but i don't.]

'And what do you "kinda understand"?'

[A catalyst is basically a crystallized spell, it can only make one spell, but it is not consumable, and does not use your own mana to create that spell.]

'And what do you not understand?'

[There are these things called magistral weapons, such as the Collector, who are very powerful, and capable of hurting Predecessors and Anomalies, basically what you have is a magistral catalyst on the making, not the first of it's kind, but what i do not understand is how it was made it in the first place.]

'So you have no idea as well. Any theories?'

[This makes no sense, while catalysts can be naturally generated, i never saw an magistral one that was not artificial. And there is not even something that could've possibly made it happen, no extraordinary energy, nothing.]

'So you're saying it's a mystery.'

[Yes, you seem to be surrounded by those.]

'Yes, even to myself.'

I closed the music player, processing the information Game had given me. My Walkman is becoming a magic weapon, basically. Really, it sounds so fucking absurd it could be the title for one of those idiotic isekai mangas. But isn't this what i've been living in, after all? An isekai story. I thought my life had got an upgrade, but in reality, i've become a cliché. A damned cliché. But what else can i do, at least a cliché generally works, right?

But it's no use having an existential crisis. I needed to finalize my plan on invading the Yakuza's leader district, and having an second opinion would be good. So i opened the chat with Monika.

'You there?'

"yes"

'Willing to do something for me?'

"i'm still confused about our last conversation, but we made an deal, right? what is it you want?"

'Take all the time you need to think about that. What i need is for you to help me plan an home invasion. I'll send the archives.'

Her response was almost immediate.

"you got all this from those little interrogations?"

'Little? I scanned their whole memories, you know?'

"how? with my experience on netrunning, i never saw anyone do something on that level."

'I'm too good. Anyways, what do you think?'

"i made some adjustments on the archives you sent me, other than that, your plan is good."

'Thanks, Monika. And about our last talk, i'll help you in anything you need, we're partners, right?'

"right. thank you."

I analyzed the archives, and i can confirm it is true what they say, an human mind and an robot one work better than just an human mind.