LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 341
It’s still a long way to completely restore Noir Corporation to normal.
All plans that directly affect human lives within Noir Corporation have entered re-evaluation, especially those related to aliens.
Not all aliens were caused by Noir Corporation. Even after that, alien incidents have still occurred from time to time. However, it is also true that after Noir Corporation disappeared, alien-related incidents have significantly decreased.
Regarding aliens, it all seems to be linked to Pang-pang.
“That said, it’s still true that part of our company had some level of involvement.”
Pang-pang said that.
That’s right. You can’t say that the chairman can do whatever he wants alone. There had to be other heads below him to implement the plans, and there needed to be hands to move them.
“I don’t know when we’ll be able to turn everything back to normal. It might even be impossible. But still, I plan to do my best.”
“I’ll cheer for you.”
No one can fix all the world’s wrongs alone. We can’t know whether Pang-pang can fix everything that’s wrong with Noir Corporation by herself. Noir Corporation is, quite literally, a massive company, and the number of people working within it is huge.
However, Pang-pang has one dream.
And ironically, thanks to the research from Noir Corporation, she’s been able to gain some benefits from it.
Warp technology that might even allow travel to other galaxies.
“We still have a few years to go, though.”
“A few years seems pretty fast, doesn’t it?”
I said while looking at the construction site.
Since it was still in the foundational work phase, all that was visible was the deep digging of the earth and the setting of rebar and concrete. It would probably take a few years to complete this building, just as Pang-pang said.
A Warp Station made using the technology of Noir Corporation. Of course, the government was quite involved in the construction.
Ironically, it has been said that the core technology would be developed by Cherry in collaboration with Noir Corporation.
And as Cherry mentioned before, that technology would ultimately benefit the Earthlings.
That’s possible because of Pang-pang, who holds considerable goodwill toward Earth and does not oppose magical girls, yet is set to lead that company in the future.
I looked up at the sky.
Already, Earth had changed a lot from the one I knew—No, the Earth known by all before contact with aliens.
It wasn’t just about the Warp Station or the ships flying in the sky.
Even in the heart of Seoul, if you find a sufficiently dark place, the stars in the sky can appear bright.
That’s where Pang-pang and I currently were.
“…I’m sorry. I intended to stay with you for the rest of the day.”
“Well, don’t worry too much.”
I took out a canned coffee and handed it to Pang-pang.
Then I popped open a can of beer. Now that I’ve reached this age, I could confidently drink things like this.
Well, I think it’s not so bad to get older sometimes, especially when it means I don’t have to leave my friend alone to drink by herself.
The one who called me was Pang-pang.
When it comes to Noir Corporation’s matters, the Federation strongly insisted that people were needed to monitor them. As a result, it ended up being the magical girls.
Sometimes we all gather, or sometimes just a few of us.
Very rarely, like today, just me alone.
In fact, today wasn’t a scheduled inspection day or anything.
Where we were, was a building near the construction site. It is currently being used as Noir Corporation’s Construction Office. I think they mentioned something about paying monthly rent, but I didn’t bother to ask for details.
Usually, Pang-pang would be doing research with Cherry at our headquarters, but lately, there have been many days where she has had to work outside like this, so there were often days we didn’t see each other for several days.
I assumed the reason she called me was probably due to that.
“It’s warm…”
Pang-pang said, looking like she could melt after having a cup of coffee.
I briefly thought about whether it was okay to warm something that’s meant to be a substitute for alcohol, but then I figured it didn’t really matter. After all, there are alcoholic beverages we drink warm.
Was her slightly reddened face because of the coffee she hadn’t had in a while?
I took a sip of the beer. Until I became an adult in this world, I had been mostly abstaining from alcohol, so this beer tasted refreshing and delicious to me.
And at the same time, the alcohol buzz was quickly kicking in. Is there no way that even a magical girl can resist alcohol?
“…”
For a moment, only the sound of sniffling filled the air.
Suddenly, I felt a bit of weight beside me and when I turned, Pang-pang was gently leaning against my shoulder.
“…Are you tired?”
“Yeah… Well, it’s a bit like that.”
Pang-pang was a free spirit.
She had once run away to another planet just because she felt stifled under the chairman of a giant corporation.
“Busy, and so much to learn?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Pang-pang’s sigh carried a hint of coffee aroma.
“But I don’t think I can stop like this. There are so many things I have to take care of. I need to settle all of that…”
Pang-pang fell silent.
This atmosphere isn’t really like Pang-pang at all.
The Pang-pang I know was someone who never lost her smile even while living in a semi-basement.
Or has she simply ended up with too much on her hands?
What weighs down her shoulders must be a lot heavier than the slight weight of her head on my shoulder.
“…”
I briefly fell into thought, then said, “Alright.”
“I mean, you haven’t taken any leave recently, have you?”
“Leave?”
“Why not? The chairman also takes leave.”
“Ah, well, there’s that but… If I take a break…”
“Is it really a problem if the schedule is pushed back a few days?”
I suddenly stood up while speaking. Pang-pang looked up at me with slightly vacant eyes.
“Since it’s a schedule that’s going to take years anyway, I doubt anyone would mind if it’s delayed a bit.”
“But—”
“Come on, don’t say that.”
Could it be my selfishness?
Seeing Pang-pang looking so deflated, I grabbed her hand and pulled her.
Maybe it was because I had a slight buzz, but Pang-pang’s hand felt a bit warm.
“It might be a little dangerous to fly around drunk, but at this time, we can still precariously soar to a far-off place. If it’s outside of this country.”
“Oh, okay.”
Maybe her head wasn’t working properly, but ultimately, Pang-pang got up from her seat, pulled along by my hand.
I led Pang-pang by the hand as I ran.
Time was now approaching nine in the evening.
I briefly thought about which late-night bus or train might still be running and instinctively chose the bus.
As I impulsively bought a ticket at the ticket machine, Pang-pang just stared blankly at me with dazed eyes.
No, could I call it ‘dazed?’
It might have been a slightly different emotion. In truth, after I had already had a few cans of beer, I couldn’t be so sure.
We sat side by side in the very last row of the bus, not even remembering where we were headed. I was on the window side.
It seemed either the bus’s engine or some other structure made the back row’s backrest pretty warm. Both Pang-pang and I were quite alert until the bus left Seoul, but before we knew it, we had both fallen asleep just like that.
With our foreheads resting against the cold window.
However, thanks to Pang-pang leaning toward me, I didn’t feel that cold.
*
When I regained consciousness, we were standing on a midnight beach.
Had we made a reservation for accommodation? I wasn’t sure. It felt like my head was still in a fog, maybe we did and maybe we didn’t.
But it didn’t matter. Whatever will be, will be.
“…”
Only after getting here did Pang-pang seem to regain her senses, her blank eyes staring intently at the dim, distant sea.
Outside the sandy beach, on a deck that was a bit park-like. We sat side by side on a bench, sharing a shawl that we didn’t even remember when we bought it.
“Are you awake?”
Pang-pang asked me.
I realized a bit late that I had leaned against her.
“…Where exactly is this place?”
I might have bought the ticket, but I felt like there was some purpose to it at some point.
“I remember, but I don’t think it’s necessary to say right now.”
Pang-pang replied like that.
I thought that sounded a bit romantic. Am I still feeling the effects of the alcohol?
“Look over there.”
I looked where Pang-pang was pointing.
There, the sea of stars awaited.
The sea of stars rolled over the waves. High, up in the sky. Countless stars illuminating the dark sky densely.
They say the sky in Seoul has gotten clearer, but it’s not this easy to see stars like this.
“Have you been watching the stars?”
“Yes. Because that’s where I’ll be going.”
“Oh, I see.”
In that case, I was relieved. At least Pang-pang didn’t look like she was regretting coming here.
“I dreamed of sailing through the sea of stars.”
“Yes.”
I have heard that.
That’s why Pang-pang was interested in Earth’s spaceships, not ‘warp’ technology. She wanted to sail on a ship navigating between numerous celestial bodies, instead of just passing by in the blink of an eye.
Humanity had done so after all.
“Even the people living in this galaxy haven’t managed to conquer all the stars.”
“Yes.”
“Then, what about the other galaxies? What kind of worlds are there in the places we thought we could never reach?”
Nobody knows.
In fact, we can make some guesses. It probably won’t be that different from this galaxy.
But still, you know.
That’s a word that breaks ‘romance.’ That’s definitely not a conversation I should have with Pang-pang looking like this.
Pang-pang softly leaned her head on my shoulder.
“I didn’t know there could be places like this. In that case, even on this planet, there are so many places I haven’t visited.”
“There’s plenty of time. Over probably a few years of the project, you will have time to see many places.”
“Yes.”
Pang-pang nodded her head while leaning on my shoulder.
For a moment, silence lingered between us.
“Hey, Ji-eun.”
“Yeah?”
“Can I make a slightly presumptuous request?”
“Whether it’s presumptuous or not, I’ll judge after I hear it.”
“Okay.”
Pang-pang seemed a bit hesitant but then raised her head slightly and looked up at me.
Maybe she was still feeling a bit tipsy, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“Sometimes, could you take me and ‘run away’ like this?”
At those words, I burst out laughing.
“Well, sure. That’s what I’m good at.”
Just like back on Jupiter, it wouldn’t feel awkward no matter how many times we did it again.
Pang-pang looked up at me and smiled brightly.
I thought that that smile would shine like a star, even far away from Earth.