Chapter 292 : Hunting Ground
Chapter 292: Hunting Ground
“There are places like this even in A Sector...”
After traveling for about thirty minutes, Aaron and Airy arrived at an old apartment complex.
From a distance, it had looked rather impressive.
But up close, it was nothing short of an eyesore.
The neglected buildings were covered in rust and mold.
In some places, enormous puddles had formed in the middle of the roads, resembling small lakes.
Surprisingly, however, the water itself didn't seem dirty.
It was probably because of this city's climate, where rain poured down almost every other day.
When she turned her head, she saw towering apartment buildings that looked as though they could reach Elysium.
Beside them stood shops adorned with countless signs.
There were even the remnants of a movie theater, a library, and a department store.
It was astonishing that such a multiplex had once stood right beside an apartment complex.
The only thing missing...
Was people.
“How did it end up like this?”
“I heard a series of unfortunate events piled up.”
Aaron explained briefly.
“After the Everhart Couple Robbery-Murder Case, housing prices collapsed.”
“Putting aside how tragic the incident itself was, it was inevitable that the residents would lose their attachment to the place.”
A famous couple living next door had suddenly been murdered during a robbery.
From the perspective of people who had spent enormous sums buying homes there, sympathy aside, it was impossible not to feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Naturally, every resident rushed to put their homes up for sale.
Foot traffic around the area steadily declined.
The shops inside the apartment complex all went out of business one after another.
Of course, considering the location was in the very heart of A Sector, the land itself still had tremendous value if the apartments were demolished.
However, whether it was truly the so-called curse of the Everhart couple or not, the construction company that had purchased the land also encountered an unexpected economic downturn and went bankrupt.
Even the company that had recently acquired the site was apparently suffering financial difficulties.
They couldn't even demolish the existing buildings, let alone begin redevelopment.
“Well, it won't stay this way forever.”
By sheer coincidence, a chain of strange events had led to this situation.
But it didn't change the fact that this was premium real estate in the center of A Sector.
Sooner or later, a new investor would appear, redevelop the land, and build something new.
“So in the end... it's all about money...”
“It is.”
“……”
Airy tightly pressed her lips together.
Even now, countless people in the Fallen District desperately wished for nothing more than a single plot of land so they could move into the city.
Because they lacked even that tiny piece of land, they were forced to continue living beside garbage dumps and waste treatment facilities, breathing the smoke from burning plastic every day.
Compared to that...
Seeing such an enormous area abandoned simply because it wasn't profitable felt wrong.
If these abandoned apartments were simply handed out—one unit per person—to those people...
How many would gratefully accept them?
“I understand it logically...”
“But it still feels wrong.”
“It can't be helped.”
“I know.”
“But now that I think about it... it's strange.”
“There aren't any homeless people.”
“If this were E Sector, people would've occupied these buildings illegally a long time ago.”
“The current owner may not have the means to redevelop the place.”
“But they seem quite diligent about driving away trespassers.”
“I've heard that these days, only old fans occasionally come to leave flower wreaths.”
“Fans?”
“Sylvia Everhart.”
“Ah...”
While talking, the two continued walking.
Eventually, Aaron stopped in front of one of the apartment buildings.
Near the entrance lay plastic memorial wreaths, photographs, and letters.
Judging from how new they looked, people still came to pay their respects even now.
Airy found that fact surprisingly moving.
“Let's go inside.”
Aaron strode straight through the entrance.
Surprisingly, the elevator was still functioning.
Thanks to that, the two of them easily reached the sixtieth floor.
After walking down the hallway for a while, Aaron stopped before a certain apartment door.
“Here.”
He immediately opened the door.
Why is it unlocked?
Just as that thought crossed her mind, Airy noticed a large chain and padlock lying beside the entrance.
So it had originally been locked?
What surprised her even more was what awaited inside.
For a home that had supposedly been unoccupied for ten...
No, twenty years...
The interior was astonishingly clean and orderly.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say there wasn't even a speck of dust.
“H-How is this possible?”
“Ah, you've arrived.”
At that moment, someone approached from the entrance to greet them.
An elderly man with a magnificent beard...
Or so she thought.
Then Airy noticed the fluorescent choker wrapped around his neck.
Which meant—
“An... Android?”
Whether Airy was surprised or not, the Android politely bowed toward her.
“I have been waiting.”
“For a very long time.”
“Waiting?”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
The Android smiled warmly.
“Miss Ariana.”
The Android welcomed the two into the kitchen, served them simple refreshments, and began speaking.
“My name is Robert.”
“Until twenty years ago, before that incident occurred, I served Master and Madam.”
“You may not remember me, Miss Ariana...”
“But I was always by your side.”
“……There's something I'd like to ask.”
“Please, feel free.”
“You are my master now, Miss Ariana.”
“……”
Airy was about to say something, but instead turned toward Aaron with questioning eyes.
Aaron calmly explained.
“Immediately after the incident, his AI Core and memory were submitted to the VCPD as evidence.”
“I recently retrieved them from the evidence storage facility.”
“His original body had already been dismantled.”
“I simply installed his memory into a new body.”
“Yes.”
“I am deeply grateful to Mr. Aaron Stingray.”
“If not for him...”
“I would still be sleeping there.”
For an artificial intelligence model from twenty years ago, he felt astonishingly human.
Perhaps he had been equipped with cutting-edge technology even by the standards of that era.
Accepting that explanation, Airy continued asking questions.
“Then... this house?”
“That, too, was possible thanks to Mr. Stingray.”
“Before your visit, he asked me to restore it to resemble the original home as closely as possible.”
“I have been maintaining it for several months.”
“You really didn't have to go this far...”
Airy looked awkwardly toward Aaron.
Aaron spoke to her.
“Soon you'll need to appear in court regarding the Everhart couple's inheritance.”
“I thought it would be better for you to sort through everything beforehand.”
“……”
She was grateful.
Yet the entire situation felt strangely uncomfortable.
Unable to answer, she lowered her head.
Several awkward seconds of silence followed.
The Android then made a suggestion.
“Allow me to show you around the house.”
“Would you like to look around together?”
“W-Would that really be alright?”
“Of course.”
Airy glanced toward Aaron.
Aaron immediately nodded, signaling for her to go.
She quietly stood and followed the Android.
As they walked down a hallway far too spacious for only three people, the Android began explaining.
“In truth, Master and Madam only lived here for about three years.”
“The fans of Madam still leave flowers here even now...”
“But this isn't actually a place filled with decades of memories.”
“I... see.”
“Still, quite a number of their belongings remain.”
“Mr. Stingray reacquired many items that fans had purchased at auctions.”
“Thanks to that, many photo albums remain as well.”
“Shall we begin with the master bedroom?”
“Yes.”
The Android guided her through the couple's bedroom, living room, kitchen, and the rest of the house.
He projected memories stored within his memory banks.
He even showed her the places where the intruders had rampaged during the incident.
He did his best to reconstruct every memory, carefully explaining in detail what the couple's daily life had been like.
Yet...
Surprisingly, Airy felt almost nothing.
Not long ago, simply hearing about her past had shaken her tremendously.
But now that she'd actually come here...
Nothing felt real.
More than anything, it simply felt like visiting someone else's house.
Which made perfect sense.
At the time...
Airy hadn't even been able to speak or properly move her body.
She'd been nothing more than a newborn baby.
There was no way she could have retained any memories.
Even when she entered the nursery where her older brother had kidnapped her...
Even when she saw the affectionate handwritten name “Ariana” on the wall...
None of it truly resonated with her.
Only the photographs were different.
“This photograph was taken when you were born, Miss.”
When the Android finally showed her the albums...
Airy couldn't help but gasp.
She had long known that she strongly resembled her mother, Sylvia Everhart.
But...
The resemblance shown in those photographs was even more astonishing.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the woman in the picture looked exactly like Airy with her current long hair cut short.
Of course, upon closer inspection, Airy's features were slightly more feline.
But the difference was minimal.
The woman in the photograph lovingly cradled a baby in her arms.
Beside them stood a man gazing at both of them with gentle, affectionate eyes.
“So...”
“That's me?”
Airy gently stroked the baby in the photograph with her fingertip.
She still couldn't believe that the baby who looked as though she'd been born with all the happiness in the world was herself...
Yet a strange warmth slowly filled her heart.
She hadn't been alone.
Her parents hadn't abandoned her like the back-alley punks had always mocked.
She wasn't some demon child.
An unbearable tragedy had simply destroyed everything.
Her life hadn't been cursed from the very beginning.
Someone had been by her side.
There had been people who loved her simply because she existed.
Not just her brother.
There had been others.
That realization alone felt like another sturdy pillar supporting her.
And it felt as though countless things inside her had changed.
“Haha...”
As Airy looked at the photograph...
A small smile escaped her lips.
“Let's head back.”
“Finished?”
“Yes.”
“I've seen everything I wanted to.”
“You look much better.”
“D-Do I?”
“I'm not really sure.”
Airy awkwardly scratched her cheek.
“Well... I do feel a little more at ease.”
“To be honest, I was really nervous when you suggested coming here.”
“But after actually coming...”
“It wasn't nearly as overwhelming as I expected.”
“And somehow... it still doesn't quite feel real.”
“I've always lived as ‘Airy Alicevale,’ not ‘Ariana Everhart.’”
“……I see.”
“Oh, o-of course I'm grateful to you, Chairman!”
“You've done all this for me.”
“I honestly don't know how I'll ever repay your kindness.”
“So... I've been thinking about it.”
Still unable to meet his eyes, Airy continued.
“At first, I thought that once I inherited the Everhart couple's... no, my parents' estate...”
“I could give part of it to you as repayment.”
“But... that didn't feel right.”
“It would just feel like I was trying to settle everything with money.”
“And honestly... to someone like you, Chairman, that inheritance would probably just be pocket change.”
“That's true.”
“Right?”
“So I kept trying to think of something else.”
“But nothing came to mind.”
As though making up her mind, Airy lifted her head.
“You recruited me...”
“Not because I'm ‘Ariana Everhart.’”
“But because I'm ‘Airy Alicevale.’”
“So I realized...”
“The only thing I can do is keep working hard.”
“Of course, no matter how hard I try, you're already so strong that you probably don't need my help...”
“But even so... that's all I can do.”
“……Airy.”
“So just tell me anything.”
“I might not be reliable yet...”
“But I'll keep trying.”
“So whatever it is... just ask.”
“Anything?”
“W-Well... when you react like that, it makes me a little nervous...”
“But yes.”
“Anything.”
“I can even run errands.”
“Or... how about a shoulder massage?”
“If you'd like, I could even—”
“No.”
“……Wasn't that rejection a little too fast?”
“I'm actually pretty good at massages.”
Airy's hands, which had been demonstrating a massage, drooped limply.
Seeing her crestfallen expression, Aaron smiled faintly.
“I don't need a shoulder massage.”
“Instead, there's something else I'd like to ask.”
“O-Of course!”
“Just say the word.”
“You saw Kalia earlier.”
“……!”
The unexpectedly serious topic immediately caused Airy to straighten her posture.
She slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
“She'll make her move soon.”
“She'll probably attempt to become Chairman through the management vote at the Shareholders' Meeting.”
“I thought you weren't interested in that matter?”
“As I said earlier.”
“I'm not.”
“So long as they don't interfere with me.”
“But...”
“I have a feeling things won't proceed so conveniently.”
“So we need to prepare on our side as well.”
“……How can I help?”
“For the next several weeks...”
“There is somewhere you and the others need to go.”
“It's an extremely dangerous place.”
“You'll have to risk your lives fighting those [Mystics].”
“Fight...”
Airy quietly murmured as she clenched her fist.
The fact that Aaron had said “you all” meant he intended to involve not only Airy, but the other students of the Special Class as well.
“……Where exactly are we going?”
In response to Airy's question...
Aaron answered with a single word.
“Hunting Ground.”