I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 637

"Ah, it’s been a while since we last met. Some of you I haven’t seen before, and I appreciate everyone’s hard work under Eugene’s leadership."

"Oh, it’s great to see you. I watch the broadcast often. Somehow, working under Eugene, I get invited to these things... As I heard, your muscles are impressive. I also really enjoy the fitness tips you post."

"Ha ha, thank you. Anyone who works out, I really appreciate it if you use the Hotteok channel—super grateful!"

"Wow, Kato, you’re here too? Our employer was actually discussing in the group chat whether you'd come or not. I’m glad to see you’ve arrived."

"…See? I knew it! I was already being watched!?"

"It’s not so much that you were 'watched' but more that you were 'picked.' Anyway, that’s the AP-ranked battle for you, isn’t it?"

"The only thing I did there was get stabbed by Eugene and have my head split open!"

"Ah, hello. I’ve only seen you on TV or YourSpace, but as I heard, you’re very stylish. Did you get an invitation from Eugene?"

"<That’s right. My Korean listening is fine, but I’m not yet good at speaking it, so I’ll talk in English. I hear you’re employed by the youngest’s channel? You’re always working hard. That guy causes trouble all the time.>"

"Ah, haha. It’s fine. The real-time translator is working just fine, so feel free to speak in English. Anyway, we’re definitely not having a hard time!"

"<Of course, I suppose… Heh.>"

"Hello. I’m here because of Iris' invitation. It’s my first time meeting you in person."

"Red pill party! Nice to meet you all~"

"Ah, so you’re from the third generation. I’ve been watching your videos regularly. But seriously, it’s not a red pill, but all of you are completely blue pills, huh? Well, you could take off your avatars now, and you might even be able to stream like this in real life."

"Heh, that’s our identity, so it’s impossible. If it wasn’t for the transparent variable glass panels leading to A building, we probably wouldn’t have been able to get out like this."

Late July, Songdo.

Ignoring the scorching sunlight that struck Incheon, over twenty people—most of whom were members of Eugene’s squad—gathered, directly connected to the Expo buildings. They stood in the middle of the hallway leading from Building A.

The crowd was incredibly diverse. Separate from the group gathered under Eugene’s squad, there were Harmony’s acquaintances, Iris’ acquaintances, Eugene’s acquaintances, and even overlapping circles...

Of course, in the midst of these people, the Biyams—like Hotteok and Olivia—were sticking out from the crowd, though hidden behind the glass. Their presence alone was enough to amplify the buzz.

Moreover, as Eugene had said, most of the people gathered there had been telling their personal broadcasts that they were heading to Songdo recently.

This resulted in an enormous crowd gathering.

"…Well, I figured this would happen. Thankfully, no one has blatantly tried to come in yet."

"Oddly, there are no people taking pictures?"

"<The glass here is opaque, so people outside can’t see inside. Anyway, let’s go in. There’s nothing coming out here, and by the way, Lorentina isn’t coming today. Is there anyone else we’re waiting for?>"

"Ah, no. Let’s hurry up and get inside."

With that, the large crowd started moving.

Olivia, already accustomed to this kind of spectacle, and Harmony’s acquaintances, who had been involved in numerous public broadcasts, stuck their faces out and waved their hands to control the crowd’s attention.

Meanwhile, the third-generation trainees, who had been called by Iris, and members of Eugene’s squad, who weren’t very familiar with standing in front of a crowd, hurried inside the building, crossing the hallway.

It looked as though the Expo had opened a day early.

This sight was clearly visible to Eugene’s group, who had been waiting inside the building.

"<You didn’t have to wait long, did you, youngest?>"

"<...Well, I kind of figured this would happen. Anyway, welcome to Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Songdo. I think Olivia’s been to a few in New York, so I hope this brings back some memories.>"

"<That seems like it… quite nostalgic. By the way, did you know that my studio is about 2.3 miles away from the Reserve Roastery in New York?>"

"<Ah.>"

Murmurs.

As Eugene and Olivia conversed at an incredible speed, the nearly 30 people who had snuck a peek at the scene walked through the large internal space. The inside was much larger and more luxurious than they had expected. The Reserve Roastery here was an upgraded version of the usual stores, but this one was particularly impressive, thanks to its connection with Icarus.

It resembled a Seattle or New York location, but more uniquely, this location had large unused roasting machines, enormous oak barrels, and various products all displayed as part of the décor.

However, there were several things that couldn’t be found in other locations.

The first was that there wasn’t a single person behind the counter where coffee, bread, and other desserts were being made and sold. The second was…

"Welcome, master!"

"Hello, I’m Jin, and I’ll be your server today. Feel free to call me whenever you need."

"I’m Rain. Just pick a seat. If you want something, you can call us through the table tablet."

"Nice to meet you! I’m Nasty! This is my first time doing something like this, so I might be a little inexperienced. Please be kind!"

"...So cute."

"I think I’m about to lose it."

The Mecha Biyams were everywhere.

Their outfits, breaking the mold of the usual apron, were cybernetic yet still had an elegant touch. They looked like a mix of a maid outfit, optical camouflage suits, and hexagrid plates.

But when combined with the silver, white, and blue tones of the Mecha Biyams, they somehow came together in a surprisingly fitting way.

Olivia, who had just entered, chuckled and spoke up.

"<They actually look pretty good. I threw this together in just a day or two, and it turned out better than expected. Must have been difficult to get the materials, how did you manage?>"

"<Well, there are always ways.>"

"<Of course, I knew you’d manage.>"

Meanwhile, Eugene kept a straight face.

At the same time, Harmony, Dice, and Iris, who had emerged from the back, approached, observing the reactions of the guests who were admiring the surroundings.

But soon enough, an unexpected voice rang out.

"Ah, you three aren’t wearing maid outfits."

"This Expo is to show off the Mecha Biyams, how could we wear maid outfits?"

"If this event was really to grab attention, Eugene would have made us all wear it too."

"We wouldn’t have minded wearing it, but we have other responsibilities besides serving. If we weren’t so busy, we might have done it once."

"Wait, don’t tell me, is it a combat maid... oh my."

Smack!

Of course, there was a price for silly comments.

However, while all this was happening, everyone settled down at their comfortable seats. Looking out the large glass windows of the first-floor café, the invited guests each ordered what they wanted.

The message "This service is complimentary, as part of the event" popped up on the tablet, and as the guests rounded their lips in surprise, Eugene, sitting back in his chair, added:

"We used variable transparent glass. We can see outside, but from the outside, it will look like a black window or concrete wall. No need to worry about prying eyes."

"That’s a relief. Ah, it smells so good…"

"Feel free to eat as much as you want. If it were tomorrow, there’d be a time limit, but there’s no restriction on time today. By the way, tomorrow, the limit is 40 minutes."

"Ah, 40 minutes? It feels a little short though."

"Don’t worry about it."

Meanwhile, the green light on the tablet started blinking.

However, the guests’ attention wasn’t on the screen but on the counter, where Mecha Biyams were bringing dessert trays, their tails curled up, and placing them on the table.

Mav, her violet eyes shining, smiled as she approached Eugene’s table and, with a smooth motion, placed the food and drinks on the large table.

It had been less than a minute since the order had been placed.

"Enjoy your meal, master. If you’d like, I can make an intricate design on top of the honey bread. Would you like that?"

"Eh, how much can you do?"

"I’ll show you."

At that moment, Mav raised her tail.

She took out a special chocolate filament stored in a device strapped to her thigh, along with a small cylinder and pen attached to the end of her tail. Her tail moved expertly and quickly.

The whipped cream melting on the honey bread, surrounded by a chocolate filament pyramid, began to form a 3D model of Eugene striking a pose—something like a ‘moe moe kyun’ pose, to be specific.

"Ah!"

"You thought I wouldn’t notice?"

"Ugh, busted..."

"…Wow, what is this?"

Smack!

However, despite Eugene punishing Mav, no one else seemed to care. They were too busy taking photos.

And as expected, other tables began to erupt with admiration, and applause followed.

Looking on proudly, Eugene added:

"Well, let’s get started with the broadcast now."

And, of course, the real spectacle was just beginning.

"When will I ever do something like that?"

"Well, first, you’ve got to work on tail exercises, huh…"

Meanwhile, not far from the scene.

Iris and the new Mecha Biyam trainees, fiddling with their tails, were caught up in their own thoughts.

"...Was A building the one across from here? I was curious but won’t be able to check it out."

The small footsteps and sounds from B building, which had been completely deserted until now, echoed through the area.

With Gaia hiding her presence and erasing all traces, she murmured to herself.

‘...Should’ve stayed home instead of chasing after this.’

But regrets always come too late.

And so, the countdown to the mysterious Expo continued.

The countdown to the mysterious Expo continued, and with only 20 hours left until its official opening, Gaia was still preparing for the unexpected. She was ready to step into the scene, even though her presence had not yet been revealed—and frankly, it wasn't supposed to be.

Gaia, a critical character in the story, had been lingering in the background, unnoticed by most, while her power remained hidden until the grand unveiling. Eugene had promised that her identity would be revealed at this Expo, but, as usual, those with intelligence and awareness couldn't wait idly for that moment.

So, for the time being, Gaia took a different approach, using her abilities to slip unnoticed into the Expo’s facilities, making herself known to only a select few.

She was frustrated by the delay in receiving her Icarus Gear, something she had been waiting on for a while. The gear would allow her to enhance her abilities and allow for more manipulation of her appearance—something she had been eager to do. Without it, she was stuck in the same form, unable to fully enjoy the freedom she craved.

Yet, the clock was ticking, and soon enough, she would get what she needed. For now, she had to find ways to pass the time.

[Gaia: Play with me]

[Gaia: Play, play, play, play, I’m bored!! Original!!!!]

[Gaia: Kyaaa!]

[Eugene: Really going crazy, aren’t you?]

[Eugene: I’ll be there as soon as I can, just hang in there a little longer.]

[Gaia: (Emoticon of Mecha Eugene doing breakdance and throwing a tantrum)]

At least Gaia had found a way to annoy someone, even if it was just Eugene. Her incredibly fast typing speed allowed her to send multiple messages in the blink of an eye. Eugene, of course, was quick to respond.

However, as she sat there, contemplating her next move, she couldn’t help but laugh at the reactions. With over 2.5 million viewers watching the broadcast, Gaia was distracted by her sisters, who were busy wearing odd costumes and engaging in some sort of weird activity.

‘...Someday, I’ll be in the center of that stage too, won’t I?’

That thought lingered as Gaia, once again, tried to focus on the live stream. But just as she was about to fully immerse herself, a sudden vibration from near the entrance of Building B caught her attention.

The sensor linked to Gaia's enhanced abilities detected the vibrations, and the warning message flashed in front of her eyes. She immediately sent a message to Eugene.

[Gaia: Are you coming now?]

[Eugene: It’ll probably be another 20 minutes. Why, what’s up?]

[Gaia: Really? Who’s coming?]

[Eugene: That’s strange. I didn’t give entry access to anyone except for a few exceptions.]

[Eugene: Wait, hold on.]

Silence followed, and after a while, Eugene responded again.

[Eugene: Two of the little Biyams who were eating have disappeared. Since it’s the first trial run, I was checking for issues, and I heard where they went, but I forgot. Sorry about that.]

[Eugene: Hide as soon as possible.]

There was no reply from Gaia.

At that exact moment, a door, which had been firmly shut, clicked open with a creak, and the sound of footsteps from two figures approached from a distance.

Whispers began to emerge.

"So, this is Building B, huh? The exhibition hall and presentation area are here, right? Looking at the list of artworks, it seems everything is already set up."

"I’d like to go in, but let’s just look around for now. If we go in and accidentally mess something up, we might never be able to set foot here again during the Expo."

"Ugh, I really don’t want that… huh?"

"What's wrong?"

A brief moment of silence.

Then, more words followed.

"...No, I think I must have just imagined something. I felt something weird, like someone was inside."

"Tomorrow’s the opening. It could just be someone here for a final check. Don’t worry about it."

"I guess you’re right."

Meanwhile, Gaia, having spotted Harmony and Dice disappearing deeper into the building, did everything in her power to erase her traces and hide herself further.

She cursed herself for complaining about wanting to go outside just hours earlier.

‘...I should’ve stayed home and watched TV. What’s with this chase scene?’

Of course, regrets always came later than the actual events.

And so, with 20 hours remaining before the start of the secretive Expo, Gaia prepared herself for whatever came next.