Chapter 36 68: Separated by a Thin Line.

"Target has been in contact with the Second Child for 15 minutes; they have parted on bad terms. Below is the interpretation from the lip-reading expert."

At the same time, Shinji had already received the report. He was crouched on the toilet in the bathroom, listening intently.

Asuka hadn't betrayed him, but then again, Shinji had never intended to hide his origins. Once SEELE was completely dealt with, he even planned to erect a statue of the Emperor in the plaza in front of Headquarters to add a touch of "loyalty" to all of NERV.

Judging by his expressions, Ryoji Kaji was actually the second person—after Kensuke Aida—to believe in the Emperor's existence.

Such imagination and intuition... the man was a talent.

"Is execution required?"

Atop a high-rise, a sniper had already centered the man heading toward the bar district in his crosshairs. Mark, his face expressionless, traced the scar on his neck. With just one command, he could headshot Ryoji Kaji on the spot, ensuring no secrets would ever be transmitted. A certain cult that worshipped the Angels had already prepared a public statement claiming responsibility for the assassination; no matter who investigated, it would remain an unsolved mystery.

"No need. This man is clever, and he lacks the leverage to exploit this. Withdraw."

"Understood."

Psychic puppets were truly useful—no questions asked. The sniper retreated immediately. Back with Shinji, he didn't give the matter much thought. It was simple: his past was impossible to trace, and even if someone found the "truth," it wouldn't mean much.

'Where I come from doesn't matter. What matters is the value I bring to the world. Since the first step of 'the plan' is to eliminate all Angels, as long as I don't cross the line or touch the most core secrets before then, SEELE won't bother with me.'

Shinji saw things with perfect clarity, but conversely, he thought exactly like SEELE. As long as the Angels were not completely eradicated, Shinji preferred a steady approach. Even if they had to tear off the mask and go to war, he wanted to minimize the losses.

Flush—

He pressed the handle, walked out of the bathroom, and ran right into Asuka, who had just returned. She shot him a glare and stomped back to her room, looking utterly displeased.

"You two fighting again?"

Misato Katsuragi was sitting at the table flipping through a fashion magazine, not even bothering to look up.

"Yes, but she isn't angry because she fought with me."

"Then it's with Rei. Honestly, when are you going to start considering a girl's feelings? You're so rigid all day."

"Sorry. I don't do 'simp' behavior."

"Oho, you've even learned fashionable slang like that."

Misato glanced at the boy but said nothing. After living together for so long, she couldn't imagine this man of iron ever becoming a simp. However, her hand flipping the magazine paused.

"One thing. That Kaji fellow seems quite interested in you. He's from the Inspection Department—best to stay cautious."

"I know."

Shinji was slightly surprised and asked back, "It seems you've decided to stand on my side?"

"Nonsense. You're much more reliable than that unreliable man. Besides, we're all colleagues; there's no such thing as 'sides.'"

Misato didn't dare meet Shinji's eyes, shouting out like a lazy slob, "When is dinner going to be ready? I'm starving!"

"Fine."

Shinji didn't waste words. He put on an apron and started cooking. As if timed by a stopwatch, Rei Ayanami appeared, wearing the white dress and stockings from the other day. This wasn't an attempt to provoke Asuka; rather, since Shinji had failed to "enter the dream" the night before, he wondered if the "hardware" was insufficient and had asked her to wear the same outfit.

"Hehe, Rei, are you planning to declare war on Asuka?"

"It has nothing to do with her. It is simply Shinji's order."

"Order? Your 'playtime' is certainly strange. What if he starts pushing his luck? What will you do?"

"I will execute his orders."

Hearing the two of them chatting behind his back, Shinji allowed a faint, imperceptible smile to touch his lips. He liked his current life. Perhaps his subconscious was still protecting this lifestyle... ahem, one should say this lifestyle was also a way of practicing Loyalty.

Entering the dream allowed him to recover missing parts of his memory. Last time, he learned he had been chosen by the Emperor, which had triggered the series of crises that followed, making Shinji want to complete his memory even more. Figuring out why he had returned would clarify his mission; this primary objective stood far above even defeating the Angels.

"It's so loud. Is it really this hard to get some sleep?"

Asuka had changed into casual clothes and stepped out of her room. Seeing Rei Ayanami, she immediately frowned and sized her up.

'She's pretty. Only a tiny bit less than me.'

"Ahem. Are you going to a wedding? Dressing like this in the middle of the night."

"It is Shinji's order," Rei repeated, her tone slightly stiff.

"So stupid. 'Executing orders'... you have no self-esteem at all."

Asuka muttered as she held her head high and went back into her room. A moment later, she emerged wearing a fiery red dress. The long dress had black lace trim and pearl accents on the chest; one look told you it was far more luxurious than Rei's. Paired with black tights, it gave off a mature aura.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I just realized I haven't worn this dress in a long time."

Asuka preemptively saved face, then did a light pirouette. "Shinji-kun, how does this dress look on me? You have to give an honest evaluation~"

'Here we go again. Weren't you just on the verge of going berserk?'

Misato helplessly returned to her magazine. Initially, she was full of gossip, but after similar scenes played out so many times, she had become desensitized. It was a lethal trick question, but for Shinji, it wasn't a problem at all.

He looked at the pure white, cool girl, then at the black-and-red energetic girl, and gave his assessment: "Both have their own merits."

"Hey! No playing it safe! You have to decide on a winner today!"

"It is impossible to distinguish. Equal beauty with different styles. It is like asking which color is better, white or red?"

Shinji didn't beat around the bush; he was sincere, and every word was the truth.

"I swear by the Emperor: both of you are equally beautiful. From the perspective of human aesthetics, no flaw can be found."

Sincerity is the best weapon. They all knew that when Shinji swore by the Emperor, every punctuation mark was an inviolable truth.

'Fine. No winner today either.'

Asuka was a bit dejected, but looking at the "expressionless doll" next to her, she had to admit the outfit suited her. Then, realizing she had also been praised as beautiful, her mood instantly brightened.

"At least you have some taste. Let's eat!"

"Go get the bowls and chopsticks. And don't forget, it's your turn to do the dishes today."

"Lästig! (Annoying!)"

"What did you say?"

"I said 'As you command,' invincible Lord Shinji~"

Misato looked up like a retired old man, wearing a similarly kind smile. At times, she felt Asuka was the most like a child; at least those other two didn't have such massive emotional swings.

Yet, this was the daily routine of the Katsuragi household—full of trivial little conflicts, much livelier than before.

As the food was placed on the table, the conversation never ceased with Asuka present. She noticed the small cuts on Rei's fingertips and knew the latter was painstakingly researching how to make bento, so she tilted her chin and bragged about how amazing her own cooking was.

But Shinji only had to add a single line: "Then you'll make dinner tomorrow," and the smile on the girl's face would freeze instantly. Then she would clap her hands together as if nothing had happened.

If the mutual comfort between Shinji and Rei added color to life, Asuka's participation made it boisterous and added a touch of humor. Of course, the participants would never admit it. If Asuka knew she was being associated with being a "comedic character," she would likely explode on the spot.

"It's so nice. I can rest easy now."

Misato Katsuragi swirled her beer can, her face still full of that kind, elderly expression.

"Please don't act like you're preparing for death," Shinji said, looking at her, then glancing toward the kitchen. Someone was grumbling while washing the plates, and Rei was crouched nearby sorting the trash while unable to resist teaching Asuka the proper way to wash a dish.

"Is this the life you wanted?" Misato suddenly asked.

"I don't know. I can't even tell if this counts as evolution or regression. But unlike before, I don't feel such an urgent craving for battle."

Shinji could sense the change in his own mindset. When he first returned, he had cursed the "laziness" of the Angels for leaving an Astartes with nothing to do. But gradually, he had accepted this soothing daily life.

"So, do you agree with what I said back then?"

"Which part?"

"Survival is the foundation. If you have the strength to spare, you can build happiness on top of it."

Misato wagged her finger. This was what she had told Shinji on his first day moving in, and he had met it with a good deal of cold cynicism.

Shinji took a breath, finding himself speechless. Seeing the teasing look on the woman's face, he was just considering how to retort when Misato's phone rang. That specific ringtone caused the expressions of everyone in the room to change.

Combat alert. An Angel attack?!

No matter what they were doing, everyone's expressions turned solemn, and their gazes became focused. In this world...

Peace and battle, life and destruction—they were always separated by only a thin line.

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