200. Rule Arasaka?

"I have never liked going to work. Not a single day."

Carl forced the words through her teeth, her knuckles unconsciously tapping against the tabletop. Her voice sounded as though it had been scraped by sandpaper, carrying an indescribable weariness.

Yet that heartfelt declaration only earned an even brighter smile from the person across from her.

"Don't say that, Carl." Arakawa Sesen tilted his head, the lights scattering flecks of reflection across his lenses. "You have my sister's complete trust now." He deliberately stressed the words "complete trust" as his long fingers spun the ceramic teacup on the table before him. "This job really can only be done by you—" He slowly lifted the cup. "No one else will do."

Arakawa Sesen's entire face was suffused with a smile, even the creases of his suit seeming to relax with it.

As he watched Carl's tightly drawn jawline, he suddenly realized that the sight of this friend, who was usually so cheerful, furrowing her brow now brought an unusually sincere smile to his face.

"You're still smiling."

"What are you talking about? I'm sincerely congratulating you."

"Your smile hasn't stopped once." Carl picked up the teacup before her as well. "Congratulating me for what?" She looked straight into his eyes. "You deliberately pretended not to care and gave your sister the last bit of authority she had to contact the outside world. I have no idea what you're thinking."

Carl let out a deep sigh, her voice carrying a trace of exhaustion. "If it weren't me, and something happened, you'd be the one suffering for it."

Arakawa Sesen took a sip of tea and spoke slowly. "Cutting off all contact completely would provoke a backlash from those old fossils in the company." His voice suddenly turned light. "We have to act