NOVEL WEB Chapter 221
“Looks like there’s a lot of chaos going on.”
As I headed downtown to pick up Lapiz, every outdoor screen and radio was buzzing about the protests earlier that day involving Shape-Shift Ability Users and the Ains.
Of course, it was just a quick blurb, and the main focus was actually on the Heroes who went to suppress the protests but ended up siding with them.
On a discussion show heavily influenced by Heros Company, they were being criticized for derelicting their duties, though a few panelists admitted they understood their sentiments and openly supported the protesting Heroes.
Since it was a public broadcast, there wasn’t any outright personal attacks, but there were whispers questioning whether the Heroes were biased just because they were Ains or Shape-Shift Ability Users.
Some of the panelists who were slightly more supportive dismissed it as unrelated to their races or abilities, yet over 90% of those advocating were either Shape-Shift Ability Users or Ains.
The broadcast station with a strong anti-Heros Company bias didn’t hold back, seizing the moment to roast Heros Company.
With talk of discrimination against minorities, oppression of the Ains, and the glass ceiling blocking Shape-Shift Ability Users and Ains, it was all getting a bit much.
Honestly, it irked me. They’d completely ignored these issues until something happened, and suddenly they were all about ‘supporting’ the Ains or Shape-Shift Ability Users.
It felt like they were using us as a convenient tool that they only remembered when it was beneficial for them.
But what can you do? Most humans are like that. Even if it feels like crap, I figured I’d just ride the wave while it lasted to get as much as we could.
I hoped the Shape-Shift Ability Users and the Ains could seize this chance to claim their rights.
That’d make life easier for both me and Lapiz in the future.
It’d be even better if we could drag this out and hit Heros Company as hard as we could.
As I imagined that, I arrived at the spot where Lapiz and Ageha were hanging out.
“Oh my, Blanca. You arrived earlier than I expected!”
“I figured I’d step on the gas since you were waiting. But more importantly, you’ve gotten yourself into a ridiculous situation. Are you getting suspended from the Academy?”
“Oh come on! They wouldn’t kick out a student as exemplary as me for a little mistake! And… what can I do? Even if I’m an intern, a Hero supporting the protests is beyond my control as a sidekick!”
Lapiz seemed to be joking around, but I could sense a hint of anxiety beneath her playful tone.
Maybe Ageha noticed her unease, too, as she reassured that it would likely end up as a light reprimand and nothing more.
“Exactly, lady. You’re who you are. Unless you’ve completely lost your mind, they’ll just give you a slap on the wrist.”
“I hope so…?”
Finally letting out a sigh of relief, Lapiz held her mug tightly.
“What did you order?”
“Oh, this? A caramel macchiato. Want to have some?”
“First of all, that’s your drink, and second, if I have caffeine, it’s game over for me. I’ll stick to my own drinks.”
After placing an order for white chocolate at the kiosk and bringing it to the table, I found Ageha and Lapiz deep in conversation about the earlier protests.
“Just thinking about how many people are going to exploit this chaos for their own gain… it’s terrifying.”
“That’s… yeah, I can’t deny that. Even if it started with good intentions, it could easily get twisted. Strange folks might pull off bad deeds under that guise.”
“If someone isn’t guiding this properly, it’ll definitely go off the rails.”
It seems like problems pop up no matter how well things are planned.
Interrupting their discussion, Ageha expressed a hope that this protest wouldn’t turn into a riot.
“Is that for society’s sake?”
“…I can’t deny that. But really, I just want what’s best for them. Heros Company doesn’t care about means or ends.”
As she mentioned how Heros Company had mercilessly trampled on people in the past, Ageha hoped that things would end well this time around.
“I’d hope so, too. The last thing we need is a second Justitia emerging…”
Lapiz wished that no Hero would go down the wrong path like Justitia did.
I’d be fine with that too, but the world doesn’t just magically work out because we hope for it.
“Then we’ll have to work to ensure it doesn’t happen. You two, no matter how weak your effort may seem, it’s better than doing nothing at all, right?”
I advised them not just to think about it but to take action.
“We’ll definitely try, of course. Even if it’s just a pitiful fluttering, if we keep it up, we might just stir a storm!”
Ageha was resolutely determined to keep trying, albeit weakly, while Lapiz wore a serious expression.
Maybe she was planning to get help from Altera or Harane.
…That wouldn’t be a bad strategy. It was a bit different from what I had in mind, though.
“I’m sorry, I’ve kept you for too long, and it’s getting late. I’ll be on my way, Miss Lapiz. And Blanca? It was nice meeting you again.”
“Me too. Let’s meet again later.”
“Sure thing!”
As I parted with Ageha and headed home, I turned to Lapiz sitting right beside me and directly asked,
“Earlier at the café, you were wondering how to ask the Young Lady or Lady for something, right?”
“Uh… Was it that obvious?”
“Ageha probably didn’t notice. But anyone who’s known you for a while would definitely catch that, like maybe the country.”
“Hehe… Well, I was thinking if Grandma stepped in, things might just go a bit smoother…”
“It might work out, sure. But there wouldn’t be much meaning in it. What the people won isn’t because they fought for it. If the Lady is just giving her backing, it doesn’t mean she should lead the revolution.”
Just like Altera said, it’s gotta be the people living in this world who determine its fate.
As I spoke, Lapiz agreed with a nod.
“But… is it okay to talk about this while you’re driving?”
“Oh? Of course, this is totally fine. I’m not even looking at you, and I’m focusing just fine up front!”
“R-Right?”
Just as she had been preoccupied with her inner turmoil, her concerns about my driving came bubbling up once that was resolved.
Seems like Lapiz is still a bit uneasy about my driving.
“Do you not trust me, Miss?”
When I said it upfront, promising it wouldn’t hurt her feelings, she cautiously replied that she hoped I wouldn’t take it too hard, admitting she felt somewhat anxious.
“It’s not because of past accidents, I swear! It’s just… since I haven’t seen you drive much, I guess trust hasn’t really built up yet…”
She likened it to the unease of riding in a car driven by her dad after a lifetime of only being driven by her mom.
…Isn’t it usually the other way around?
Well, I’ve never had parents who had a car back on Earth, and I don’t even know what they look like in this world, so I guess I wouldn’t know. But typically, you’d expect the dad to be the driver.
However, I was able to brush away any confusion when I thought of Harane’s family dynamics.
Yeah, it makes sense for Lapiz’s family to be like that. After all, Harane nearly consumed her husband whole.
Lapiz probably let Harane drive whenever they went out as a family.
“You’re not hurt or anything, right?”
“Nope, not at all. If that were the case, I could just keep driving you around until you get used to it.”
Eventually, as I drove her around more often, she’d trust my skills.
– – – –
Aside from it being the day Lapiz was taking her finals, it was a pretty normal morning.
That was until Altera called me over.
I wondered why she suddenly needed me, but I figured it was just her assigning me a new task. But it turned out, that wasn’t the reason for her summoning.
“Blanca. Remember how you asked me to find out about the people behind your experimentation? I finally got some news from the intelligence department.”
She had called me to pass on some information I’d previously requested.
“…I see.”
“For finding a lifelong enemy, you’re pretty calm about it. Aren’t you excited?”
An enemy… of course, the guy who devised that experiment was undoubtedly my enemy.
Just thinking about that lab sent shivers down my spine with waves of rage. But…
…If it hadn’t been for that, I wouldn’t have made friends, right?
It was all too complicated to only harbor pure hatred. I definitely wasn’t considering him a benefactor, either. It was just… complicated.
“Everything that directly caused me pain was dealt with by my own hands. So even calling him an enemy doesn’t fill me with rage.”
I made up a reasonable excuse and received the file from her.
As I pulled out the documents to review, it turned out to be just as I suspected. The overview was somewhat different than I expected, though.
The experiment’s purpose wasn’t to breed an army of Ability Users; it was aimed at evolving humanity to the next stage.
And the one behind this experimental plan was someone I had never heard of before.
All I could find out was that he was one of the board members from Heros Company.
“Lady. Could you help arrange a meeting with him?”
“Oh? You want to kill him? But even for someone of high standing in Heros Company, you can’t just cover up a murder.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s no problem… I just want to ask him something.”
“Just asking? Sure, I believe you. Just don’t go biting his head off.”
Before long, she promised to help set up a meeting.
If we met him…
…