After many twists and turns, Midori finally got her dress. Kaname took the opportunity to change into his tailcoat as well, which he paired with a black necktie. For most people, dressing up required thinking about skills first and foremost, but Kaname rarely relied on them, and as such, he had the luxury of dressing to impress.
I feel just like Takamasa, except he does rely on skills. I hope that works to my advantage…but there’s no telling at this point. Takamasa’s going to have the Legacies on his side, too.
Just then…
“Whoa…”
“What is it, Midori?”
“N-nothing!! I wasn’t thinking anything…! God, why does he have to look so manly in a suit and tie? It’s not fair! It’s totally changing my impression of him…!!”
“Hmm?”
Midori was behaving a little strangely, but her dress had turned out well. Originally, it had seemed a little gloomy, but the old seamstress had added a few mint-green roses to brighten it up a little.
The fit was perfect, too. It looked as though she’d been born wearing it. It clung tightly to her figure without a single crease—truly a masterpiece befitting Other Dimensional Printer, one of the game’s foremost Dealers in this line of work.
In awe of the woman’s talents, Kaname swiped his smartphone and left her a large gratuity.
“Sorry for always coming to you with rush jobs. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Not at all. Your requests are a delight for a craftsperson like me, Mr. Suou.”
Her gentle smile reminded Kaname of someone else… Had Takamasa felt the same way? Back in the day, Kaname had used the cars and guns his friend had outfitted without a second thought. He’d never considered what that might have meant to Takamasa.
But now it was time to face him. The preparations were complete.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Suou. I do hope we’ll see you again.”
“Likewise.”
The old lady smiled as Kaname and Midori exited onto the street. The financial district looked completely different at night. The naked, sun-roasted greed of the day gave way to a more subtle, star-studded nightscape, like a smattering of jewels.
Midori awkwardly tugged at the hem of her dress before asking:
“What about our vehicles?”
“We’re right by the auction site. We’ll leave them here with Meiki, then we can call her over by phone if need be. I don’t want to leave our means of escape unattended where Pavilion can get at them. It’s just the three of us, after all.”
Kaname’s encounter with Mother Loose earlier had disproved the idea that cars were safe when properly parked. Kaname didn’t much like leaving his car unguarded when the enemy was walking around nearby, even if it was in a parking spot.
When the pair arrived at the enormous airship, held aloft by thousands of invisible wires, they saw that the event had already attracted a crowd of glamorously dressed guests. Apparently, they weren’t being allowed to change in the boat… The people here must have borrowed the restroom of a nearby café or train station in order to change and put on their makeup. Kaname got the feeling that long, snaking lines were forming in those places, too.
From the sidewalk, Midori looked up at the large wooden boat, floating there as if by magic. It was two hundred meters long and ten stories high, even larger than her school.
“Sky Impact,” she muttered. “It’s so much bigger than I thought… How are we getting inside?”
It was certainly tall, but it was also floating (?) above the grassy median between three lanes of traffic on either side. There were no signals or pedestrian crossings nearby, so it wasn’t obvious how one might approach. It felt a bit like entering a long, dark tunnel.
In reply, Kaname gestured with his thumb in an entirely different direction.
“You see those wings coming off either side like fins? Just across the road, there’s a department store with a café and terrace on the second floor that provides access. You just walk up there, no need for a jetway bridge like at the airport.”
“…What, in a dress?”
“You don’t complain when crossing a pedestrian bridge, do you? Try not to flash anyone, princess.”
Annoyed at Kaname’s tone, Midori responded with a swift punch to his ribs.
“Urgh, I got an electric shock,” said Midori, once they were up on the wing. “This fabric must be like a static electricity generator.”
Just then, a cool night breeze blew from below, causing the girl’s dress to swell outward.
“Eek!”
“Midori, be on the lookout. Since we’re between two buildings and there’s air below, the wind currents are strange here. You need to analyze the landscape and predict how it will blow, just like in golf. Otherwise, you’ll never hit your target.”
“D-don’t change the subject! Did…did you see anything?!”
It didn’t seem like a yes or a no would clear her suspicion, so Kaname stayed silent. He was surprised, however, that Other Dimensional Printer had put so much work into the parts that would normally remain unseen.
With Kaname at her side, Midori crossed the wing and made her way up to the deck of the ship, where an elderly gentleman in a neat suit flanked by two PMC guards awaited them.
“Welcome, honored guests. May I see your invitations, please?”
Midori blanked as though she hadn’t thought this far ahead, but Kaname casually produced two invitations… These, in fact, were yet another of Other Dimensional Printer’s creations. Her day job was in dressmaking, embroidery, and trimming, but those dainty fingers of hers were also capable of creating forgeries that could fool even the most vigilant eye.
More coveted and far riskier than a regular 3D printer. That was the story behind the old woman’s enigmatic name.
“What about our guns?”
At Kaname’s question, the elderly gentleman indicated a metal box beside him. It was about the size of a couch, but it wasn’t for storing the guests’ weapons.
Kaname took out his short-range sniper rifle and fired a shot into it.
“You too, Midori,” he said.