Part 87: Amane Suzuha attempts her own brand of seduction

"Mission: Unpossible!"

Like hell I can! The top of my head's still throbbing! I can't even play the Mission: Unpossible theme in my head. That's an endless death flag!

"Whatever, just go already."

Kurisu orders me with a sour look. It's like I'm the assistant.

"If anyone can do it, it's you. You made an amazing discovery just now, right?"

"Assistant, have you... recognized my greatness as a mad scientist?"

"Nope."

"Ah..."

"Gack, denied..."

"Ah, crap, if I’m flattering him so he'd do his best, I should've said yes."



"You're late!"

"Now that we've found the device substituting the lifter, the Time Leap Machine is 99% complete."

Kurisu suddenly tightens her expression, but those eyes were gleaming ablaze. She's a true seeker, through and through. She seems excited that the completion of the first Time Leap Machine in human history is at hand. Looking closely, her face is slightly flushed.

"Isn't it this lab's dream? The time machine."

Our dream... I wasn't particularly aware of it, though. I'm definitely interested, too. My fingers are shaking. Not from fear of Manager, but from excitement.

"My dream is to manipulate space-time at will, and destroy the current ruling structures. And then, for new chaos to--"

"Okabe."

Kurisu interrupts my words.



She stares motionlessly at me. I take her gaze head on. I spontaneously smile.

"Bring it on. Just leave everything to me."

I inform her so and head to the entranceway. I should ready myself for two more fists and another 10,000 yen increase.

Kurisu and Daru send me off with applause for some reason. Mayuri's the only one who looks worried, but I pat her delicate shoulders to relieve her.





They're sitting side by side on the bench.

"'Sup!"

Nae only bows her head. She halfway clings to Suzuha's back to hide from me.

"That ruckus just now put Manager in an absurdly bad mood. Nae and I evacuated."

Guh... hearing that makes me hesitate to step in.

"Um, just now, you got kapowed real hard, but are you okay...?"

Kapowed... Cop-out? Capoed? No wait, as in the onomatopoeia 'kapow'? Geez, looks like elementary students can't use proper Japanese.

"...Of all things to strike at my brain, which holds the same value of a World Heritage site. Just how many hundreds of millions of neurons died in that single strike, dealing a huge blow to humanity's future?"

"Such a regrettable loss."

For some reason, she pays her respects. But I'm not dead yet. Don't just kill me off.

"I'm sorry, daddy did something horrible..."







I really can't think of this docile kid as Manager's daughter.

"Worry not. I also caused trouble to Manager, so we're even."

Nae slightly smiles at my words of relief.

"By the way, Working Warrior, I'd like to ask for your cooperation."



And then Suzuha's eyes shine.

"You mean seduce him, right?"

For some reason, she flexes her bicep.

"Wanna touch it?"

Breathing roughly, I try poking it. It's just as hard as her confidence suggests.

...She seems stronger than I am, but I don't really understand what flexing has to do with seduction.

"Nobody said anything about seduction. It doesn't matter how you do it."

"If I can't do that much, then I'm unqualified to be a warrior. Besides, you said you'd help me search for my father, right? Then I want to help you as best I can, too."

"I see. Then, I'll leave it to you, warrior."

"Okeydokey!"

"Suzuha...? Don't bully daddy, okay?"

"Ahaha, don't bully him, huh."

"Indeed."

I wanted to say I'm the one being bullied, but just a while ago, I said we were even, so I hold back.

"Nae, wait here."

The usual small woodland creature nods at Suzuha's words.



When our eyes meet, another vein pops out of Manager's brow.

"If you came to talk things out, I'll listen. However, I won't agree to reduce your rent."

"I'm sorry about that. I overreacted too. So, as an apology, our lab's representative here, Amane Suzuha, would like to present you witih a gift, Mister Braun."

"Manager... watch closely!"

With a heroic voice, unlike what you'd expect for seduction, Suzuha slowly takes off her coat--

"Yaah!"



"Mwoah?!"

I can see her bra?! --or so I thought, but what Suzuha's wearing underneath her coat is a tank top that bares her midsection like a sports bra. Yet, without any sign of embarrassment, she rushes at Manager like that. She wraps behind him, grabs her coat, and pulls it strongly over his face.