Chapter 10 Trick

I shut the door leading to the veranda and return to the room, lower Ren to the bed and lay down next to him. "Rhyme…huh." Did I encounter a Drive-Byer after all? When it happened, Ren appeared in his online mode form. He also fought according to my instructions. "…Something, set. …What was it?" During the Rhyme, my mouth moved on its own like somebody had taken over my body. What was that? But that feeling…I feel like I know it.

I don't know why I think so but, it's like… It resembled a feeling that I have when I invite customers to the store…That feeling when I know what to say to make the other do what I want. Have Drive-Byers always appeared so frequently? Let's do a little research. Although I don't want to get involved too deeply…

Beep

…A message. I pushed the button on my Coil and went to my message board. "The latest Allmate models, huh?" It was a direct message. New Allmates appear one after another. I briefly look over the contents then close the Coil screen. I've always been so attached to things that I never want to give them up, but not everyone else is like that.

…That's right.

I have to check Ren's condition. I'm worried about the damage he took in Rhyme. I get up and reseat myself on the bed, put the blue lump on my knees, and start him up.

"Aoba."

"Good morning." I greeted.

"Good morning." Ren says back.

"I'll examine you a bit now."

Because Ren is an old model, restoration would be trouble if full-scale malfunction appeared. He has to be frequently maintained and checked. I hold a long cable starting from the desktop computer and push aside Ren's neck fur to connect the cable to the port. I startup a touch browser with the Coil and the interface that supervises Ren's engine is displayed.

"Hm… Maybe the reaction speed of the reflection's decreased bit." I said to myself looking through the data. I grab a tool box that I'd thrown on the floor, remove the lid, take out a 10cm square screwdriver, and push aside Ren's fur again.

Although Allmates can fundamentally be fixed through the touch browser's control panel, Ren is an old model, and I need to look inside of him too. I take a stock of new chips out of the tool box and use tweezers to replace Ren's old chip with a new one. "This should be enough." I close the lid and control panel, remove the cable and lift Ren into my arms. "How is it? Any place you're not feeling well?"

"…"

"Hm?"

"There is some sense of incongruity. However, it's within the allowable range." Ren says.

"I see." I nodded my head "Well, I only changed the chip. Tell me right away if any malfunction appears."

"Understood."

I stroke Ren's back as he answers me, and I place my forehead to his tiny one. I forget how long it's been since we started to do this, but I make sure to do this every time I do maintenance on Ren. It's like a charm. "Thank you, as always."

"The pleasure is mine." Ren said.

"I'll count on you in the future, too."

"The pleasure is mine."

"…You always answer like that." I said with a laughing tone.

"Is it strange?" Ren askes.

"No, not really. I just think it's a bit funny."

"…"

"? What is it?" I asked noticing his silence.

"I'm grateful to you five million times over, baby."

"…" I looked at him strangely "…What the heck?"

"I tried to change the wording a little, how was it?" Ren says.

"…Pft. Ahahahaha!"

"Aoba?"

"Hahaha, no, I'm sorry. You're better off being how you've always been." I laughed putting our foreheads together one more time and lower Ren to the bed. Ren is always the same. No matter what, he'll be by my side. After that, I place my tools in order and leisurely spend time talking with Ren about everything.

.

.

"Good morning." I greet to Haga-san.

"Good morning." He greeted back with his usual smile.

The next day, when I go to work at Heibon as usual, Haga-san is organizing the stock. I leave my bag behind the counter and put down Ren before going over to Haga-san immediately. I have to properly apologize for yesterday…

"Boss." I started to speak.

"Yes?" Haga-san stops at what he was doing and looks at me in confusion.

"I'm sorry about yesterday's delivery." I apologized.

"Eh? Aah, no no, don't worry about it anymore…" As he says that, his expression clouds. I'm surprised to see him do that. Maybe after I lost the package he was yelled at by the customer…? If so, then it's my fault.

"Um, I'm really sorry. I'd like to apologize to the customer too if possible…"

"Oh, yes. About that." Haga-san pushes up his glasses with a trouble face. "Since yesterday's delivery was done with pre-payment, I wanted to ask if he wanted a refund or a re-delivery, and tried to contact him in various ways. I even tried to contact the control cent, but it was completely useless."

"Useless?"

"Yes. I couldn't contact him at all. Since the sender and recipient were the same I tried checking the address, but a person with a completely different name lived there… And he said he didn't remember ordering any goods."

"In other words, was it a prank?" I said once I process what he had told me.

"It is very likely. But I don't know why anyone would want to do such a thing."

Maybe…

Even if I suggest it's a prank, it was already paid, and it would only be a loss for the other party. Why would anyone do something like that? I tilt my head together with Haga-san.

"It's fine as is…but it still doesn't feel right."

"Yeah…" I mumbled. More importantly, I… was pulled into Rhyme during that delivery. Suspicion drifts through the air, and it suddenly becomes time to open shop.

"Oops, have to get to work." Haga-san hurries out of the shop. I feel somewhat unpleasant… and no matter how hard I think about it I don't understand it, so I'll have to give up for now.

"All right. I have some work to do too." I decide to change my mood and return to the counter.

The morning passes with no incidents in particular, and after finishing lunch break, the afternoon shift starts. Since Haga-san went out, I'm the only one in the shop.

"Yes….Yes. Well then, we look forward to hearing from you again." After finishing an incoming call from a customer, I take a breather. Since he reacted to my voice with the usual pattern, I was able to sell just as many things. It seemed like he was one of those who had called before, and he was reluctant to hang up the phone, so it was a little troublesome.

While I feel disgusted by the excited voice that still lingers in my ears, the doorbell rings. Oh, a customer? I take my elbow off the counter and straighten myself up.

"Hiya, Aoba."

"Aoba, we came to plaaaaaaay."

"Hmph."

"…It's you guys." I thought it was a customer, but the only ones that come in are the evil brat siblings. I let out an exaggerated sigh, rest my elbow on the counter again and give the kids a sharp glare. Whenever they come in, it always spells bad news. "You just came to do stupid stuff again. Go home already."

"Aoba, you're annoying." Kio says.

"Annnoyiiiiing." Nao says along.

"You just stay quiet now, all right?"

"…" Those brats…

The brats find Bonjin-kun and immediately start chasing him.

"Ah, there it is!" Mio points out.

"Wait up, wait uup!" Nao yells.

"Catch it!" The three brats ran towards Bonjin-kun.

"C-Cleaning!" The confused Bonjin-kun quickly moves to escape. Bonjin-kun is quite clever for an Allmate, so he can move unexpectedly fast and his evasion ability is also high. It's not so easy to catch him. But that' probably what keeps the brats chasing after him, anyway.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, don't run!" I yelled at the brats, but of course they ignore me.

"Ah, come on-!" Kio says in frustration.

"Wait!"

"Catch it already!" Mio says in a demanding tone.

"Come ooooooooooooooooooooooonn!"

"C-Cleaning! Cleaninining!"

Ah, the shelf is wobbling now…

That cardboard looks like it's about to fall…

"…" It should be fine to just stop this by force. …I thought I could, but I'm one step too late. "Aaahhh!"

"No waaaay! Something brooooke!" Mio yells.

"It broke!" Nao said.

"Don't you 'it broke!' me!" I snapped "You brats!"

"Waaah! Aoba got angry!" Kio said.

"Angryyy!"

"I hate quick-tempered women!" Mio says, as the three took off running around the shop as I went after them.

"Shut up! …You! Hey! You too!" I catch the trio by their necks, drag them to the door, and throw them out.

"Uwah!"

"Ouch!"

"How cruel! You're awful!"

"Shut up, shut uuup! When you make an adult angry, it can get scaaaary." I put my hands on my hips and make an 'intimidating teacher' pose while glaring at the brats. "Geez, you're always causing trouble. Try reflecting a little. And go home already."

"So annoying! Shut up, stupid!" Kio said.

"Stupid Aoba!" Nao agreed.

"You're so lame, you old hag!"

"…" I can feel my temper rising by every second, but I restrain myself from hitting them. "…You little…" But that's very hard to do when these three are involved "…Just listen to me alreadyyyyy!"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!"

The instant I finally snap and yell at them, the brats make a break for it.

Ah, damn it.

Even I don't think I'm all that popular, but…If those kids just had the capacity for even a tiny bit of cute in them…And now I have to clean the mess they left…

Sheesh…

…Hm? What?

I thought I heard something just now…

"Whoooa!?"

S-Something just fell all of the sudden!