"It really does look like a complex puzzle…"
It was an object made of unusual gray metal, shaped like a metallic dodecahedron.
In fact, it reminded him of a more complicated version of a Rubik's Cube — a Megaminx. It really did look like a puzzle with twelve faces and many moving pieces...
And yet he couldn't shake the strange feeling that such a simple form concealed something far more dangerous than an atomic bomb.
The object was heavy for a simple puzzle. Even its dark-silver alloy—so durable, so dangerous—added to the sense of menace.
Perhaps the girl knew something about this object... But he decided not to frighten her even more by questioning her.
"Well then, this señor bids you…Au revoir!"
"Wh-what?"
"Um... Ciao? Arrivederci?"
"...?"
The girl and the cat stared at him from the cage, clearly not understanding.
Standing up, he smiled and, putting on his mask, gave them a theatrical wave.
"Adiós, amigos!"
"..." It seemed that this time the girl understood him.
Turning away from the cage, he quietly addressed Paymax.
"These Dirty Baals don't have Neodeck. Can you identify who they are?"
"I'll need a little time, but it shouldn't be a problem. However, the names used by their kind are slightly different from the commonly accepted ones. This may cause problems when recording them in your list."
"I see..."
With that, his job was almost done. All that remained was to return safely to Concord and deliver the item to the customer.
Then he would receive a huge payout, and his mercenary rank would finally reach Diamond.
"..." Looking out of the car, he saw his motorcycle already visible on the horizon.
All that remained was to wait for it and surrender himself to the wind and speed...
"..." Unconsciously looking back over his shoulder, he saw that the girl was gripping the bars of the cage and quietly sobbing.
What fate awaited her, that she kept crying even after such a scary person as he had left?
The black cat, in turn, stood next to her and followed him with an indifferent gaze.
"Haa..." He sighed wearily and addressed Paymax much louder this time. "Paymax, how soon, by your calculations, will the Dirty Baals' reinforcements be here?"
"They'll be here in fifteen minutes."
"I see."
With that answer, he jumped out of the car...
But then his feet stopped.
How many years had it been since he had heard that sound?
Such a simple sound, yet so pleasant that a soft smile appeared on his face.
"Meow..." the cat let out a soft meow.
…
While Mr. Nobody stood on the street, apparently smoking a cigarette, the girl spoke excitedly to the cat.
"A-are you sure? He seems so scary..."
"..." The cat continued to look at her calmly and remained silent after a single meow.
After all, the cat was just an animal and could hardly understand or share her problems.
However, it seemed that the girl had unwavering trust in the dark feline.
She relied on it a lot.
"B-but even if he kills me or does something worse... then it will be my own choice."
"..."
"And if... if he really decides to help..."
The girl pressed her lips tightly together, closed her eyes, and hugged the cat tightly.
It seemed that she had already made up her mind and was now gathering her courage.
After holding the cat like that for several long seconds, she exhaled and, without opening her eyes, exclaimed:
"Señor! Please save me!" the girl cried, tears in her eyes.
"..." The cat didn't seem surprised by any of this.
Her blue eyes still showed the same calmness and indifference...
"S-señor?"
But she forgot about that when, even after such a desperate cry, the mysterious man not only did not answer, but did not even appear near the car.
Silence filled the car, as if no one had ever been there...
As if that strange and mysterious man was nothing more than... a ghost.
"H-has he already left?"
"..." The cat looked toward the door as well.
"N-no..."
The girl was overcome with fear again.
It was the fear of the fate awaiting her. As it turned out, it frightened her much more than the fear of the unknown that emanated from the figure of the man.
"Hic… hic…" The girl began to cry again.
"..." At that moment, the cat's nose twitched as if it had smelled a familiar scent, and then...
"Well, have you made up your mind?"
A smiling man appeared in the doorway. He discreetly threw away his cigarette butt and took strange devices out of his ears, connected by wires to another device on his belt.
The girl and the cat would hardly have understood it… But they were simply headphones connected to a music player.
It seemed that Mr. Nobody's mood had improved after listening to a song.
Meanwhile, the girl whose desperate cry had been ignored felt rather strange.
"S-señor, didn't you hear me?"
"Hear what?"
"N-nothing... Señor, if it's within your power, please help me," the girl said, somewhat discouraged.
"Okay."
"That's it? J-just okay?" the girl asked, genuinely surprised. "...I'd r-rather believe that you're going to kill and eat me," she muttered quietly.
This made Mr. Nobody scratch his head in confusion.
After all, if he were in the girl's place, he himself would be reluctant to believe in selfless help.
Moreover, if he were in his place, but in slightly different circumstances, he would hardly be so willing to help...
In fact, what surprised him most in this situation was the desire to gain at least a little trust from the girl... and the cat.
Perhaps it wasn't so obvious, but such actions and desires went against his nature and, in general, were truly...
'What hypocrisy...' he thought, shaking his head.
"Haa... Just think that I love cats and can't just walk by when even one of them is in trouble."
"In trouble? But she's not in trouble and could hardly get into trouble at all..." said the girl, stroking the cat thoughtfully.
"What are you talking about?"
The girl met the cat's calm gaze.
"N-nothing, really..." she replied hastily, with some excitement in her voice.
Mr. Nobody just shook his head and decided not to press her.
"Then just think of me as someone who loves cats. Anyway, where's the key to the cage?"
"W-well... I saw those people open it by placing their hand on the scanning panel," said the girl, looking toward the corpses.
"I see..."
After another unpleasant minute…
The cage was finally open.