Class was over.
Rustle.
Wearing a school uniform again after so long, Vera, dressed in the 2075 Todai uniform of the Cyberpunk world, unhurriedly pulled her personal connector from the information cable interface and removed the Separate Chip that had been recording in real time from the desktop chip slot.
Only after the law instructor with the balding head left the classroom did she pack her handbag and walk out of the antiquated, elegant classroom, which was steeped in last century aesthetics yet equipped with the most advanced facilities.
Through the adjustable polarized glass along the corridor, she could see the Tokyo Metropolis skyline shifting between darkness and light.
The Arasaka family's twisted, complicated relationships were truly troublesome.
Gazing toward Tokyo Arasaka Tower, Vera muttered in a voice locked deep within her heart, Forget it. Don't force it, don't make things difficult. If I can't see him, then so be it. Once the results come out, I'll see him eventually.
Let nature take its course.
Since officially enrolling for the spring term in mid-February, Vera had been in Tokyo for two and a half months. During that time, she had not seen Sano Arasaka drop by Tokyo University.
Instead, she had encountered Shintaro Takayama, nominally the global head of Arasaka Corporation's Security Department, director of security at Arasaka Tokyo Headquarters, and the person responsible for security at the Arasaka Family Estate as well as its private martial arts instructor.
And Hanako Arasaka, the supposedly most mysterious one, who rarely left the estate, kept to herself, and was said to be skilled at uniting the family—leaving the family estate only a few times each month.
Vera had met Shintaro Takayama several times.
Back when she had still been an outstanding trainee in Arasaka's executive reserve program and had come to Tokyo Arasaka Tower Academy for further study, that old bastard had never stopped brainwashing her whenever he appeared.
He had drilled ideas into her such as "Be loyal to Saburo Arasaka," "Arasaka is a trustworthy home to which you should devote your entire life," and "Arasaka will return to glory."
This time, Vera had received an internal Arasaka recommendation slot and enrolled at Todai.
He had summoned Vera again, wearing an expression that said she should feel honored enough to kneel in gratitude, spouting things like "gratitude," "loyalty," "passing the assessment," "you have earned trust," "everything you have was bestowed by Arasaka," "do not disappoint Arasaka and Lord Saburo," and "work hard," while making grand promises. His words were stiff and harsh, and when the conversation ended, he gave one final warning in a threatening tone.
After playing the bad cop, he played the good cop.
Then Hanako Arasaka appeared.
She had brought Sandayu Oda, with his flowing hair and shaved side.
Inside an Arasaka Tower lecture hall, she gathered numerous Arasaka Employees, including Vera, who had been dispatched to Arasaka Tokyo Headquarters for training, intensive programs, further education, and other assignments.
As one of the highest-ranking employees from outside departments to arrive at Tokyo Headquarters that spring, Vera naturally sat in the front row.
After the blah-blah speech ended, Hanako Arasaka personally spoke with her, expressing concern for her well-being and offering encouragement for quite some time.
Perhaps because they were both women, and because Vera had risen to such a high position at such a young age, Hanako Arasaka even invited Vera to sit at her table during that evening's banquet.
At the banquet, without discussing anything else, she showed Vera only her gentleness and devotion to family.
The topics she raised made it clear that this grandmother had done her homework. She knew Vera's background and her experience of losing both parents as a child, and even knew all about Vera's image as a well-behaved girl in her youth.
Vera sneered inwardly, but she still reluctantly played along with her perfectly.
Both host and guest left satisfied.
As for whether the other woman intended to pull her into her "Pheasant faction," Vera could not be certain.
After all, the image she presented within Arasaka was extremely complicated.
She belonged to North America's Night City, a typical local power faction.
A multitalented specialist, she had business dealings through her hobbies and personal interests with Dangerous Girl, the private company of Michiko Arasaka, leader of Arasaka's "Dove faction."
Yet in terms of her personal principles of action, she was an absolute hardline "Hawk," matching the tough and radical style of Norinobu after his return to the family. She belonged to the militant faction, specialized in field operations, security riot suppression, public order maintenance, national defense and military contracts, and possessed exceptional personal combat ability. Militech had suffered at her hands more than once.
Damn it, your Arasaka family was such a pain. The undead old man dreaming of immortality manipulated everything from behind the scenes, while the three living direct descendants of Arasaka were Norinobu of the "Hawks," Michiko of the "Doves," and Hanako of the "Pheasants"...
They were raising poisonous insects in a jar.
"Good day, beautiful Miss Vera Adelheid."
Only then did Vera snap out of her post-class musings at the greeting.
Tch...
Here we go again.
A Todai student with gelled hair, a somewhat handsome face, and an average build adjusted his uniform with what he believed was great elegance. Like a peacock spreading its tail, he grinned and showed his teeth.
How could Vera fail to recognize the scent radiating from this guy inside and out?
Ah, spring had arrived.
Sigh, now that she was in Japan, she had no choice but to experience... Japanese high school student—no, college student romance...
This was not the first time.
Had these people gotten tired of the demure "Japanese cuisine" and wanted a change of flavor?
Vera really wanted to put a bullet through his head, but she could not. In the Cyberpunk world, anyone who could attend a top university, regardless of whether they were capable or useless, spoiled or not, either had money or parents with power and influence.
"Stop. Say no more. I know, but I refuse. You're a good person. Goodbye."
Having no interest in this sort of back-and-forth, Vera handed him a good-person card and walked straight past him.
Perhaps maximizing benefits meant endlessly entangling herself with people like them, but the influence of her previous life made her sick at the thought!
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
Calling over the two plastic besties she had made over the past two and a half months as shields, Vera quickly left the Faculty of Law building.
With evening classes over, it was time for the well-dressed predatory beasts to emerge.
"Good day."
"Good day."
Young masters and wealthy young ladies exchanged greetings, some frivolous, some alternative, some walking with perfectly upright posture. If Johnny, the Rock Kid who had blown up Night City Arasaka Tower, saw their affected manners, he would probably unleash over a hundred different obscenities without repeating a single one.
The atmosphere was completely different from Night City.
People in Night City, even those attending Arasaka schools, other corporate schools, or top public institutions, would inevitably be assimilated by that garbage heap. They greeted each other with "Fuck," and casually threatened to hunt down one another's parents and ancestors.
"Vera, your course progress... your efficiency is ridiculous."
"I'm not like you, who enrolled through normal entrance exams. I entered through Arasaka's internal admissions program for accelerated study, so efficiency comes first. I still have subordinates and departments under my responsibility in Night City. At most, after one year, once I finish my advanced studies, I'll return to Night City and continue my duties."
"No wonder you aren't willing to play house with them. Is this what a real genius is like?"
"Hey, Vera, is Night City really as dangerous and crazy as the rumors say? Can you run into gang shootouts just walking down the street, and do TV stations use the daily accidental death count as a lottery?"
"More or less. Gang violence day and night. That place is littered with military-grade contraband. As for the Death Lottery, I've won it once."
"Ah?!"
Walking along a path paved with cobblestones and crossing the neat campus steeped in history, Vera chatted intermittently with her plastic besties. Whether they were acting, sincere, or had other reasons for approaching her, fine. She would play along.
When they reached the school gates and parted ways.
"Vera, your elective subject is biotechnology... uh, virology? For the summer study trip, you're planning to apply to go to Africa? What's there to see or do in a place like that?"
"I'm not going there to have fun. I just have a few ideas."
They parted.
Vera gave her classmates a light wave goodbye, then boarded the standard Holy Sword hovercar parked on the landing pad. Tokyo Headquarters had assigned it to her.
Hum... hum...
The hovercar headed toward Arasaka City Plaza, where Arasaka Tower stood.
On the ground, in one corner of the campus, one of the girls who had just finished speaking with Vera withdrew her gaze. Beneath the shadows, her cybernetic eye glowed orange-red.
"The target has returned. Nothing unusual today. Major: law. Minor: biology."
"Her goal is clear. She intends to finish her studies and return to Night City for a higher position. She's ambitious. She is extremely dismissive of campus romance. Though she appears gentle and refined, speaks elegantly, and pays close attention to etiquette, a deep, subtle indifference lies beneath that faint smile. Greeting her is easy. Having a meaningful conversation with her is difficult."
"My evaluation of her... me? She's a genius. I don't know whether she noticed me, but even with the information cable interface assisting me, I've never seen anyone learn so efficiently... She may break the record for the fastest graduation among Arasaka's internal-admission students."
Entering through a Major Corporation's internal quota was different from entering through normal examinations.
The former were often geniuses who had fought their way out of countless internal corporate competitions. They possessed powerful learning ability and initiative, had experience, and spent less time studying after enrollment than regular students, though the workload was not reduced. According to corporate requirements, the standards were harsher and more demanding. Those who failed were eliminated.
The latter could proceed step by step, with plenty of room to maneuver. They could pass through ordinary exams, delays, retakes, parental money, or personal connections.
The former generally carried more weight than the latter and were more difficult as well.
"Today, she revealed something. She has decided to go to Africa for the study trip. It seems her personal biology project has given her some ideas. It should be related to the business cooperation with Lady Michiko's Dangerous Girl company."
"Continue monitoring her? Yes, understood."
Arasaka Corporation's Tokyo residential district.
Vera's temporary residence.
The automatic sensor lights came on. Carrying her handbag, Vera stepped into the outer entryway of the standard Japanese detached apartment. On the long table outside sat a long rectangular box wrapped in industrial-grade synthetic plastic.
After putting down her handbag, she checked the mail.
Sender: Arasaka Procurement Department
Recipient: Vera Adelheid Russell
After seeing the receipt, Vera suddenly smiled. Under the faint glow of the table's nighttime ambient lights, her face was hidden in darkness.
"Oh, the leeches have arrived."
The Hoe-Wielder and the Lone Brave
Before you continue