Chapter 99: I’m Not Your Personal Uber

"The Night Empress..." Aoi took a sip of coffee as she stared at her phone. She immediately winced at the bitterness.

She set the cup down.

"Who would’ve thought the mysterious Night Empress... was actually the last man alive." Aoi muttered to herself with a small smile.

She was truly lucky. Now she didn’t have to go to the guild anymore.

Wake up. Meet Reiji. Escort him to a Gate. Go back home. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

~Ring! ~Ring!

"Guild Master’s Daughter."

Aoi glanced at the caller ID.

She didn’t want to answer. But she also had no reason to reject the call.

"...Hello."

"Hello! Team Leader Aoi, why haven’t you been to the guild these past few days? We’re genuinely worried about you..."

Aoi’s eyebrow twitched. ’Worried? More like you want me to come back and spend money.’

She forced a small smile. "I’m fine. There’s no need to trouble yourself over me."

"So... is something wrong? Please tell me if there’s anything I can do."

"Don’t worry. I’m just taking a break. I won’t be back for some months."

The Guild Master’s daughter frowned.

’A break?’

As far as she knew, Aoi was broke and had no one except for her aunts, whom she hated.

’So...’

Before she could continue thinking, Aoi answered her unspoken question.

"I’ve got a new job. I’m just testing the waters. If it’s good, then I’ll continue."

"That’s good to h—EEHHH?!"

The Guild Master’s daughter exclaimed in shock.

"A job?"

"Mmhmm."

"What kind of job would make you stop being an Adventurer?"

She asked with genuine confusion.

In today’s world, the amount of money an Awakener could make wasn’t small at all.

"Let’s just say it has something to do with blackmail."

"Blackmail?" The girl sounded confused. "Like... a mail that’s black?"

Aoi almost laughed.

Instead, her gaze drifted toward Reiji’s apartment across the street.

The smile beneath her lips widened slightly.

"It is the best job ever."

***

Reiji stretched his stiff body before standing up.

He removed the Mana Suppression Weights and changed into his usual outfit.

Because of one careless decision he now had a daily job.

He was basically an overworked office worker.

The only difference was he didn’t get paid.

Today, Vel lay curled into a fluffy ball, already fast asleep on the bed.

Reiji gently rubbed the little cat’s head.

"I’ll be back."

Without another word...

[Shadow Step.]

His figure vanished instantly.

***

Meanwhile Aoi leaned against the alley wall.

This time she wasn’t wearing her combat gear.

Instead, she wore a casual purple oversized hoodie with black shorts. Her long blonde hair spilled out from beneath the hood, gently swaying in the night breeze.

Even with most of her face hidden by the darkness she looked surprisingly stunning.

For some reason, she gave off the aura of one of those brooding protagonists from a movie.

Reiji paused the moment he saw her.

He wasn’t admiring the scenery.

"...What’s this supposed to mean?"

"Since you’re the one clearing the Gates, I don’t really need to wear combat gear anymore." Aoi shrugged. "Besides... wouldn’t it be better if I stayed hidden too? It lowers the chance of you being tracked down."

Reiji fell silent.

She had a point.

Since she never fought and only followed him, dressing casually would indeed make them less suspicious.

"...Alright. Fine."

"I knew you’d agree." Aoi smiled beneath the hood before pulling an iPad from inside her hoodie.

’I seriously need to upgrade my Intelligence stat.’ Reiji muttered inwardly.

"Today’s Gate."

She turned the screen toward him. Reiji glanced at it before frowning.

"You’re getting awfully comfortable."

"Hm?"

"You’re getting used to relying on me."

His crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

"You never know when something unpredictable might happen."

Aoi simply smiled.

"First of all... yes, I am getting awfully comfortable when I have someone like you."

She raised one finger.

"Second... If something unpredictable does happen and you fail to save me..."

She pointed at him. "It’ll eventually fall back on you. They’ll assume you did it on purpose."

’Shit...’ Reiji cursed inwardly. ’She’s using my own situation against me.’

For the first time he felt like a chess piece on someone else’s board.

Aoi casually walked closer.

Then closer.

Until only a small distance separated them.

Reiji blinked.

A faint blush appeared beneath his mask.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"Isn’t it obvious?"

"I want you to teleport us there."

Reiji immediately placed a hand against her forehead and gently pushed her back.

"First of all... I’m not your personal Uber."

"Second... Do you understand the concept of boundaries? Personal space?"

"Oh?" A playful smile appeared on Aoi’s face. "Now you want to talk about boundaries? Weren’t you the one who grabbed me around the waist the first time?"

Reiji gritted his teeth.

Before she could continue teasing him he suddenly pulled her into his embrace.

[Shadow Step.]

Their figures instantly disappeared.

They flashed across the city over and over again, appearing and vanishing between rooftops until they finally materialized atop a skyscraper.

Below them not far away a dim yellow Gate quietly pulsed beneath the night sky.

A C-Rank Gate.

There were no military vehicles. No guards. No Association personnel.

Which meant it had formed recently.

The military would probably arrive within the hour.

Just as Reiji prepared to activate Shadow Step again he suddenly felt something tightly wrap around his waist.

Aoi.

She was holding onto him for dear life.

Reiji’s face gradually turned a shade of crimson.

He awkwardly tapped her shoulder.

"...Don’t tell me. You’re afraid of heights?"

"Yes." Aoi answered honestly. Without even trying to deny it.

That alone surprised Reiji.

His hand instinctively rose toward her head.

For a brief second he almost patted it.

Fortunately the last remaining fragments of his common sense stopped him.

’Should I really pity the person blackmailing me?’

His resolve immediately hardened.

Then a certain idea suddenly appeared inside his head.

A slow, mysterious smile spread across his lips.

"Hey. Do you want to get off this scary, tall building?"

"Mmhmm..."

"Then hold onto me tighter."

Aoi blinked in confusion.

"Why? Can’t you just teleport?"

Before she could figure out where this was going Reiji suddenly closed his eyes.

Spread both arms wide. Then leaned backward.

Off the edge of the skyscraper.

Aoi’s expression instantly changed from confusion to absolute horror.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!"

Aoi yelled as the wind roared through their air and she held Reiji tighter than before.

"Relax. It’s not like you’re falling alone."

Reiji teased as the continued falling.

"PLEASE NOOOOO!! AHHHHHHHH!!"