I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

"I haven't gotten myself a communicator until now for two big reasons.

First, it's the money. And second, as you might guess, it's an issue of identity."

"Before I explain further, I suppose I should describe what a communicator actually is.

Simply put, it's the equivalent of a smartphone in this world."

"It can make calls, send messages, take photos, and even browse the internet.

Functionally, it's not much different from a smartphone, something essential for modern life."

"But why don't they just call it a smartphone? Well... there are a variety of reasons."

"The emergence of different species, the long-standing wars, the advancements in technology, and the changes in societal culture—all of these contributed to the decline of smartphones. They became relics of a bygone era."

"Moreover, in this era, communicators come in forms like bracelets, earrings, and even piercings—shapes that can hardly be called phones. Calling them 'communicators' is just more convenient in many ways."

"Anyway, given that these devices combine so many functions into one, it's no surprise they're far from cheap."

"If you exclude minor expenses like the occasional snack when I’m hungry, I’d need to work diligently for an entire month just to afford a basic model outright."

"In other words, getting my hands on a decent communicator is quite the hurdle.