The Selfish Person

"So full, so full~" With none of a lady's dignity left, Frenda rubbed her slightly bulging belly and lay back on the tatami with a satisfied look.

"Now that you're done eating, hurry up and help clean up." Saten Ruiko silently pushed a cup of tea in front of Rod before speaking to Frenda.

"Ehh~ But I'm a guest." Frenda protested unhappily.

"Do you want to have mackerel curry again next time?" Unmoved, Saten Ruiko countered with a question.

"Waaah~ Fine, I get it~" The delicious flavor still lingering in her mouth, Frenda reluctantly got up despite wanting to laze around for a while longer. With a pitiful, aggrieved expression, she went to wash the dishes.

A short while later, Frenda finished cleaning up and walked out of the kitchen, shaking her damp little hands.

Seeing the two of them quietly watching TV and drinking tea in such a leisurely manner, Frenda could not help gritting her teeth. Yet the instant she saw Rod looking over, her expression changed at once into a smiling, ingratiating look.

"Come over once you're done. There's something I need to tell you two powerless girls." Rod took the last sip of his tea and gestured for Frenda to sit down.

"What is it?" Saten Ruiko immediately turned toward him and asked eagerly. Could she still have a chance to become an esper?

Rod fished around in his pocket and placed a recording device on the table. As the two girls examined it curiously, he continued.

"There's an audio recording in here. It's the so-called Level Upper—something that can raise an esper's level. Even powerless people can use it to draw out their latent abilities."

"Level Upper!? That urban legend!?" Saten Ruiko immediately became excited upon hearing that. She had never imagined that the supposed urban legend was actually real.

"I don't really get it, but using this thing lets you awaken psychic powers, right!?" Frenda asked with equal enthusiasm, her eyes gleaming.

"Don't get excited too soon. Everything has pros and cons. Level Upper is a program that uses human brains as processors. It forms a network using AIM Diffusion Fields as its medium, allowing complex code to be processed through multiple brains."

"?"

"?" Question marks appeared above both girls' heads. Clearly, Rod's explanation had not helped them understand.

"For example, if several computers are connected in parallel, their processing power increases. Data that one computer cannot handle can be calculated by several interconnected computers, then sent back to the local machine."

"With Level Upper as the medium, even an individual with weak abilities can temporarily enhance their ability's processing power as long as they become part of the network. On top of that, users with similar abilities share similar thought patterns, which further promotes the use of their powers."

"I think I understand. Someone used this program to link the brains of multiple espers together, creating a supercomputer." Saten Ruiko pinched her chin as she tried to make sense of it.

"Huh? Then what is the user's purpose?" Frenda asked, still confused.

"To use this temporarily assembled supercomputer to calculate simulation experiments for the cause of an accident." Rod had no intention of hiding anything. He would tell her what he knew; how she chose was Saten Ruiko's decision.

This was the beginning of the trial Rod had given Saten Ruiko. He did not intend to protect her like a flower in a greenhouse. She could be innocent, but she could not be completely without vigilance.

Rod then told them the story of a teacher who wanted to save her students.

"H-How could that be!?" The more Saten Ruiko heard, the more unbelievable it became. She had never witnessed Academy City's dark side, nor had she imagined the bitter struggle of a teacher in a place no one ever saw.

All twenty-three applications had been rejected. With not a shred of hope left, she no longer begged others for help. To awaken her students, she used her own strength to fight the entire city.

Frenda, on the other hand, was not overly surprised. As a member of the underground, she had long since recognized Academy City's darkness.

"Why not notify Anti-Skill? If—" Saten Ruiko began excitedly, but stopped under Rod's indifferent gaze. A bead of cold sweat quietly slid down her cheek.

"Don't be too naïve, Ruiko. No one would care if they dug into this matter. In the eyes of the higher-ups, those children are no different from lab rats. If not for Kiyama Harumi's persistence, no one would have cared." Rod's words undoubtedly dealt Ruiko a considerable blow.

"Are you okay, Ruiko?" Frenda sat down beside her and comfortingly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Then what about you, Mr. Rod? If you stepped in..." Saten Ruiko looked at Rod expectantly. He possessed enough strength to defeat Academy City's Number One. If he intervened, surely this matter could be resolved easily.

"Seems like you think I'm a very good person, Ruiko." Rod shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. Seeing Saten Ruiko's stunned expression, he continued.

"Everything I've done so far has only been to satisfy myself. I'm a selfish person, and I don't care much for other people's approval. From that moment on, I decided to live for myself—to stop worrying so much about others' feelings, and live more freely, even more willfully."

Rod had begun changing from the moment he crossed over and gained power. He was no longer like before, working himself to the bone while worrying about too many things. Everything he did now, whether defeating Accelerator or stopping the Level 6 Shift Project, was merely to satisfy himself.

Rod's words rang in Saten Ruiko's ears, leaving her with an incredulous expression. The Mr. Rod who had been so gentle and saved her actually viewed himself that way.

"Kiyama Harumi's plan is also an experiment for me. I intend to use my ability to accomplish a certain project, and now is not yet the time to stop the plan from operating." Rod readily revealed his intentions. The convergence of ten thousand espers' AIM Fields was an unprecedented occurrence, and also the perfect opportunity to plant a stake.

"..." Saten Ruiko fell silent. Thinking about it, she had not known Mr. Rod for very long. What right did she have to assume that he would definitely help others?

"Well, you don't need to worry too much. I'll deal with Kiyama Harumi's matter after this incident is over, so rest easy." Seeing Saten Ruiko's silence, Rod smiled and comforted her.

Just as I thought! Mr. Rod isn't selfish at all. A selfish person wouldn't care about other people's feelings. No matter how much he insists otherwise, Mr. Rod is still Mr. Rod. People are complicated and can't be judged so simply. Living for yourself and refusing to be bound—that isn't like those extreme egoists who harm others' interests just to satisfy themselves.